Wetlands, Seaweed and A.I Weeding

During The latest episode of Coffee Time Wednesday, The Hoksey boys went over some old talking points and brought some new ones to the table.

A.I weeding:

Using computers to farm is a tale as old as computers themselves, but as Technology continues to get better, it’s applications to farming also continue to increase.  One somewhat new and terrifying example is an A.I weeder which uses cameras and a super-computer to identify weeds and zap them with a small laser. This piece of machinery also uses GPS to run without an operator allowing for 24 hour weed Destruction.

What is a Wetland?

With new Federal rulings dropping the protection of 1000’s of acres of wetlands, it brings into consideration a new question. What is a Wetland? According to the USDA a ground that can be considered a Wetland must meet at least 4 requirements. First, a Wetland must have a functioning ecosystem. That system must also have water as a defining feature in this system. A wetland must also have soils formed under saturated systems, otherwise known as hydric soils. Vegetation must also be present that has adapted to survive in the hydric soil produced by a wetland. This can include many sedges, and species like Arrowhead or Horsetail. With these factors in mind, it isn’t always easy to decipher what is and isn’t a Wetland.

The Florida seaweed problem is back!

Seaweed watch 2023 continues with 100’s of tons seaweed washing up on Florida shores, ruining vacation spots all along the scenic coast. Worse yet, the seaweed is littered with plastic remnants which created a perfect environment with the algae and bacteria in the seaweed to foster a species of flesh-eating bacteria as well as releasing a sulfurous odor akin to rotten eggs. All these factors make the seaweed dangerous to clean up and could be a problem that persists throughout the summer.

All these topics and more are covered in this week’s episode of Coffee Time Wednesday.

Remember, Conservation happens one yard at a time.