The Fabric of our Lives, Part 1

I say Part 1 because this will likely be a three part series, though I'm not sure when the other two parts will be completed.  With many trilogies, the first two are usually good while the third is often, well, not worth watching (or reading) - ex. Karate Kid 3.  But, we shall proceed and try and follow the lead of those great trilogies such as Back to the Future, LOTR, and the original Star Wars.

Cotton defoliation for us began today.  What is cotton defoliation?  Basically, cotton defoliation serves 3 purposes:

1.  It helps the leaves fall off the cotton plant, reducing the amount of "trash" in the cotton.

2.  Aids in opening the bolls completely, making harvest (picking) more efficient and more likely to gather all the cotton in one pass instead of two. 

(closed boll on left, open on right)

3.  Prevention of any unwanted regrowth (greening back up) on the plant(s).

(Cotton Growth Chart)

Farmers who grow cotton are paid by pounds, or bales.  In addition to weight, these bales are also graded, and a poor grade would result in a deduction, i.e. loss of money.  So, in addition to aiding in the harvest process, defoliation also helps improve the overall quality of the finished product.

Just in case you didn't know, that stuff that you wear everyday, dry off with, sleep on, and wipe with all comes from a plant.  In other words, it's natural, not a synthetic item that has been blended from other products.  And these are just a few of the uses. (See bales link above for more)

On a separate but related note, occasionally I will get asked if cotton defoliation is the reason peoples allergies flare up.  Well maybe, but probably not, at least not to the extent one may think.  It is logical to think that because defoliation takes place in approximately the same window of time, in the same  relative geographic area, this is the cause for ones allergies.  However, do remember that like in the spring, this time of year (late summer/fall) is also high pollen season, and known allergens like ragweed pollen are floating through the air aggravating ones sinuses.  It seems to me that it is more likely seasonal allergies are the cause rather than defoliants. 

As always your thoughts, comments, and questions are welcomed.  Thanks!