Part 4 in my video series: are Democrats not fully funding schools? Some in Denver want to go meatless, would you? And, because it's Friday, my oats are past the boot stage (and a cranberry flower).
Are Democrats not fully funding schools in Colorado?
Finally, we arrive at the claim that started me down my four part series on school funding: Sen Kirkmeyers claim that Colorado Democrats are not fully funding education in this state.
In this installment, I take that claim and examine it now that we have enough pieces together in order to fully consider the statement.
Not as much math here as in Part 2, but there is some, so be aware.
Related:
In the video I posted above, I question why we are not taking some of our huge surpluses and putting more toward education.
Apparently we had so much we are past the deadline to spend it and STILL didn't retire the BS factor.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/colorado/article_f0917f82-fb36-11ed-a6f0-4b73a2a6f0b2.html
Are you old enough to remember when things like the initiative below only came out of the Kingdom of Boulder?
Pepperidge Farm remembers ...
A citizen initiative in Denver proposes to end all meat processing within city limits. Out for signature gathering right now (I'll be curious to see if it makes the ballot).
Beside the obvious eye roll here, I would like to point out that there is nothing at all unique about this group or this initiative.
You yourself, if you see a problem you think needs fixing in your city government, can also do your own initiative to make a direct, tangible change to the way things are done locally. Given the numbers, this is not just for those with tons of resources either. Even in a city as big as Denver, you only need (quoting the article below) "...26,000 valid signatures from registered Denver voters."
Very achievable even on a shoestring and all the more so in smaller towns.
If you have an idea and want to try your own local initiatives, let me know. I can connect you to resources to help.
https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2023/06/04/proposed-initiative-bans-meat-processing-in-denver/
My oats are past the boot stage and are now making groats (and stick around to see a cranberry flower).
Update on my oats.
Last one of the day and you know what means, something for fun and not related to politics.
This'll also be the last one for a day. I'll be away from my computer tomorrow.
I have mentioned in the past about how I am trying a different grain every year in my garden (as long as I can thresh, winnow, and consume it without needing special equipment. This year is oats.
Now, what I don't know about growing oats could fill a warehouse, but that's the point. I wanted to learn and I'm fortunate to have both the internet and friends around me (farmers) who do know what they're doing.
So far, thanks to their help, I'm doing pretty good.
As of last weekend, the tallest of the plants has a stalk about 39" tall** and they've just passed the "boot stage". I included a couple of pictures of both the stand from afar and up close showing just a few baby groats emerging.
Wait, what's the boot stage you ask? I'm glad you asked because now I can share. The boot stage for grains (see the link below) is the point at which the seed head is forming in the stalk but it's not yet emerged.
I'm excited because I think, barring some huge problem, that I'll have a good harvest. The seed I bought is hull-less and so should be easy to thresh and winnow. Certainly more so than quinoa or amaranth.
A few zips in the food processor and I'll be on my way to having steel-cut, homegrown oats.
One last thing. After I harvest I should have some straw too. Right now I'm considering seeing if I can take it and make a few small bales. At that point, I'll drive to a farmer's market in Denver and sell it as artisan, handpacked straw.
I bet it would sell.
That's it for now. Have a good Friday and back at it Sunday!
**I credit this to a couple things: one, the extremely wet weather we've had this Spring, and, two, the foulest smelling material on earth: fish plant food (see the third picture--not an endorsement for this brand, it's just what I can get locally). It's horrible. It stinks to high heaven and that stink hangs around the garden like a miasma for at least a day or two (or til a rain). Splash any on you and now you'll stink like rotten fish.
But.
But the plants love it. Anything that's a heavy feeder (i.e. that loves Nitrogen) will absolutely go nuts with this. If you can stand the smell, I recommend it.
Put on rubber boots, chaps, put a clothespin on your nose and get after it!
https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/fieldcropsipm/sg-stages.php
Related: ever seen a cranberry flower?
I hadn't either.
One of the plants I had ordered for this Spring wasn't available. Problem at the nursery? Not sure, just wasn't available.
Instead of a refund, I decided to get a cranberry plant. I noticed the other day that it had one or two little flowers on it.
It it did (or does in the future) a lot of blooming, I'll probably pinch them off because I want it to get used to its new home this year, but I can abide a flower or two.
I thought you might be interested to see a cranberry flower. Tough to see so I circled it in the screenshot.
