The Revolution continues...

    Cuba's farmers have an opportunity to open up government-owned fallow land, but only if they step down from their tractors and use teams of oxen for field work. President Raul Castro feels that may be the best way to ramp up the country's food production while at the same time conserving energy. 
    Cuba's economy was devastated by three hurricanes last summer, and the global recession has left the government short on cash to cover debts. As a result, it has slashed spending and cut domestic production and foreign imports, causing shortages of such basics as cooking oil, ground beef and toilet paper.
    Though the island gets nearly 100,000 free barrels of oil a day from Venezuela, it also has begun a campaign to conserve crude, according to a report in the Winnipeg Free Press by AP writer Will Weissert. You can read his report here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/agriculture/Economic-cuts-in-Cuba-may-mean-more-farmers-will-replace-tractors-with-oxen-52836042.html

    Empire Farm Days starts today, in case you didn't know, and runs through Thursday. It's at the same place it's been since 1988, the Rodman Lott & Son Farms outside Seneca Falls, New York. It's packed with exhibits and bursting with events. If you're going, you will probably want to take along the special EFD supplement that arrived with your current edition of Lancaster Farming. 

    So if Castro's ox gets tired, maybe he could call on this guy. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=46830690