Tag Archives: farming

White Paper: Watermelon Cultivation in Iranian Baluchistan as “Water Export” — and Better Drought-Tolerant Alternatives

Posted on December 13, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive summary Iran’s push to grow and market irrigated watermelons in Sistan & Baluchestan (Baluchistan) is frequently criticized because it converts scarce groundwater into a bulky, low-value, high-water commodity—effectively exporting “virtual water” out of a hyper-arid region. Analysts and researchers … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: Water Scarcity and the Collapse of Civilizations: Historical Lessons from Urban and Imperial Decline

Posted on November 12, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Throughout human history, the availability and management of water have determined the survival or failure of entire civilizations. From the hydraulic empires of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley to the desert cities of the American Southwest, water scarcity … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: Advancing Family Farming with Solar-Powered Electric Tractors and Affordable Agricultural Robots

Posted on March 26, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The agricultural sector faces mounting pressures from climate change, rising fuel costs, and labor shortages. Family farmers, in particular, struggle to adopt modern technologies due to high upfront costs and limited resources. This white paper proposes a framework … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Poopism: The Profitability Of Poop

Posted on July 9, 2024 by nathanalbright

Earlier in this collection of essays, we commented on a humorous story that I would like to repeat to set the context for this current exploration. A close friend of mine has told me several times of the way that … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings, NaNoWriMo | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Devil’s Element

Posted on April 8, 2024 by nathanalbright

The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus And A World Out Of Balance, by Dan Egan This book hit surprisingly close to home for me. As a child, I grew up in the area very close where Florida’s phosphorus business goes on, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History, Military History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Strawberry Fields Forever

Posted on October 6, 2023 by nathanalbright

Our Family Day, such as it was, for the Feast of Tabernacles this year in Mossel Bay was held during the afternoon around the middle of the feast at a place called RedBerry Farm, which is located near George Airport. … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: A Stain Upon The Sea

Posted on September 18, 2023 by nathanalbright

A Stain Upon The Sea: West Coast Salmon Farming, by various authors I must admit that I am no particular expert in salmon aquiculture. It must also be admitted that this particular book is no great friend to the endeavor … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Seeing Like A State

Posted on September 15, 2023 by nathanalbright

Seeing Like A State: How Certain Schemes To Improve The Human Condition Have Failed, by James. C. Scott If you are familiar with the author’s work at all as I am or have read or engaged in anything that resembles … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Against The Grain

Posted on September 13, 2023 by nathanalbright

Against The Grain: A Deep History Of The Earliest States, by James C. Scott Those who are familiar, as I am, with some of the author’s other works, will find in this book that the author makes a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Art Of Not Being Governed

Posted on September 10, 2023 by nathanalbright

The Art Of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History Of Upland Southeast Asia, by James C. Scott Far more than most people, I have a deep and abiding interest in the people of upland Southeast Asia. I have spent some … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment