Ken Burns Documentary on The Dust Bowl

Didnt realize it, but it has begun airing tonight.  It is a topic I've always found fascinating and this documentary is outstanding so far.

On PBS.

I've had my DVR set to record it all week.  Looking forward to watching it!

Thanks for reminding me, I almost forgot to record it.

Dad was born in the 30's and he kinda remembers stuff as a little kid. This area also had a drought in the 50's also that was probably actually dryer.....similar dust then also as I understand it.

Watched the entire 2 hours of the first half last night.  After this past summer with the fire and drought, it was almost too much to watch last night.  I had never heard about the government paying the ranchers down there in Oklahoma to drive their cattle into those ditches for men to shoot and bury.  Mass executions of cattle is just gut churning for me to think about.  I worked for a commercial outfit that had BVD in their herd when I started working there, I eventually got it eradicated but had to do a lot of testing for it and had to shoot a lot of appearingly normal calves.  I will never forget the day I shot 13 head of big, strapping 90 day old calves because they tested positive for BVD, TWICE.  It just made me feel like washing my mouth out with a revolver. 

Dad gum......completely forgot that this was on.  I have no idea if this is possible, but does anyone that recorded it have the ability to email it as an attachment and email it?  I have a shortened, less dramatic version of a dust bowl film that I use in my classes during the soil science unit that I teach.  I remember my great grandma mentioning how it was pretty bad across the country during that time, but the farmers really had it rough.  If anyone has a clue, (I do not) on the steps to email something of that size, (if it is possible) I would greatly appreciate it. 

Thank you

coachmac said:

Dad gum......completely forgot that this was on.  I have no idea if this is possible, but does anyone that recorded it have the ability to email it as an attachment and email it?  I have a shortened, less dramatic version of a dust bowl film that I use in my classes during the soil science unit that I teach.  I remember my great grandma mentioning how it was pretty bad across the country during that time, but the farmers really had it rough.  If anyone has a clue, (I do not) on the steps to email something of that size, (if it is possible) I would greatly appreciate it. 

Thank you

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You don't have to go to that trouble.
Go to PBS.org the whole show is right there to watch online.

You'll just have to buy the DVD, but they'll probably rerun it several times where you could DVR it later.

At least in parts of the country, the 1950s drought was worse.  2011 was drier in Texas than any single year of the dust bowl.  However, we never have never had the frequency/severity combination of dust storms that plagued the Great Plains in the 30s.  To me, that is support for my opinion that the greatest environmental agency in the country is the NRSC and its predecessor SCS.  The work of that agency in helping educate and give farmers incentive to do things different beginning in the 30s is what transformed much of Great Plains from one giant wheat/corn field to what we have now.  Droughts are normal for the region, what happened in the 30s is hopefully a one time deal we learned from the hard way.

I watched it. I show an older version, a lot of the same people in it, in my AGR 100 class (college ag history class). It is only about 54 minutes, and fits well in a class period. It does not go into as much detail as the program last night. I have to figure out how I can incorporate this new one in my class without taking away too much lecture time! It was really good.
Shawn, the older one is on PBS (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/dustbowl/) and I have a questionnaire sheet that I made up to go with it that students need to turn in. I even make my on-line ag class watch it and do the assignment. Works well. And fits within reason for a hour long period. If you want it, let me know and I'll email it to you.
The second half shows tonight for those that missed the first part.

I watched it. What a great show. At the end tonight they said the Oglala aquifer has twenty years of water left. Thoughts?

Great show, only caught the 2nd part tonight.

I have caught another documentary on it previously.  Fascinating because it is really not that long ago and affected the area where I live.  I find the people that lived in that era much resilient than people today.

Trev. I think that 100 years from now the irrigation will cease. I think farmers will have their water rights reduced or taken. They are kicking around all sorts of ideas to phase out of the deal. I have a well and I am limited to so many acre feet per year right now. I spose they could start reducing that allowance....or maybe take rights like a eminent domain deal. I can see both sides of the issue. Also some farmers have sold "water rights" to cities like Denver. Not sure how that works.

Jason said:

Great show, only caught the 2nd part tonight.

I have caught another documentary on it previously.  Fascinating because it is really not that long ago and affected the area where I live.  I find the people that lived in that era much resilient than people today.

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I think there a lot of really important lessons to be learned.  One of the points made I had not heard before was related to the timing of the stock market crash in 29, its affect on commodity prices, and the relatively wet weather occurring in the area at that time.  Farmers tried to make up the money by plowing up everything in the "ground zero" area and turning it to wheat - right before the drought hit.  I would assume similiar things happened with corn, etc further north.  I bet that situation could happen again - but probably on a lesser scale - if we get into another depression someday.  That's where government intervention and help really is needed.  The country has to have cheap food - particularly in tough economic times - but farmers have to have help to keep their bills paid if prices can't go up to compensate.

As far as resliency, people tend to be resilient when they have to. I think we could hold up now like they did then.  Don't forget the unbelievably high suicide rate that went on then.  More people left the U.S. than came in.  

As far as the Ogalalla aquifer, huge strides have been made in irrigation efficiency.  Using the water up won't hurt anything, but when its gone its gone. We just better make it last as long as possible.  It's not a done deal that it will be gone in 20 years.  As it get lower and more expensive to withdraw, people will be cutting back on use.

Good post chambero. You have a way of seeing the big picture and putting it to print. I had asked about the Oglala before but it was interesting to watch how they portrayed what would happen. after seeing the drought all around me this year I believe anything is possible in the future. I doubt I ever complain about mud again.

The 2011 Texas drought profoundly affected me, and frankly the worry of it probably played a small role in killing my father-in-law or at least hurt his ability to fight his cancer.  I catch myself watching weather forecasts constantly.  Every time it does rain my gut feeling is that will be the last one for a while.  I watch water levels in our stock ponds constantly.  Before 2011, I don't remember ever thinking about things like that very often at all.

We were only in what I consider crisis mode for 90 days - when all of our tanks were going dry or in danger of it, wondering what WOULD we do if that happened, etc.  I can't fathom living through ten years of it.  I hope I don't ever have to find out, but odds are in our part of the world I will.  We usually get a nearly decade long drought about once a generation.

firesweepranch said:

I watched it. I show an older version, a lot of the same people in it, in my AGR 100 class (college ag history class). It is only about 54 minutes, and fits well in a class period. It does not go into as much detail as the program last night. I have to figure out how I can incorporate this new one in my class without taking away too much lecture time! It was really good.
Shawn, the older one is on PBS (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/dustbowl/) and I have a questionnaire sheet that I made up to go with it that students need to turn in. I even make my on-line ag class watch it and do the assignment. Works well. And fits within reason for a hour long period. If you want it, let me know and I'll email it to you.
The second half shows tonight for those that missed the first part.

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Sure,  I would love for you to email the quiz to me.  Greatly appreciated!!!