Can We Talk 2

Bananas

         Dr. Oz informs us that the bananas we consume today are not like the bananas we had as children. The bananas of our youth took longer to ripen, and they lasted longer than today's. It is not just our imagination or bad memory. So what happened?

         The banana we older folks had (over 50 crowd) were wiped out by blight-disease and pest. The farmers replaced their crops with a new variety. Now these crops are being threatened by new enemies, so scientist farmers are working on a replacement breed. We cannot yet know how it will turn out in terms of longevity, travel endurance, etc. Bottom line is that ten years from now or sooner, the banana we now consume will not be available. Hopefully, a new version will replace it.

         At least it will be from natural causes, kind of a natural evolution.Other crops, like cocoa, are strictly an economic based shortage. It's just the money that is causing the problem.

         The honey bee is facing economy induced hazards and natural problems. The natural problems include breeding with inferior and dangerous varieties and beehive parasites. The economy hazards include farmers who transport their hives to more stable weather areas to work in their own off season. It makes money for the owner, despite shipping costs. But it doesn't give the bees a resting season, so they are weaker and less resistant to pests and disease. Bees not only make honey but pollinate for the farmer and the forester. Not only the fruit orchards, but the rain forests, depend on the health and welfare of bees.