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He also famously suggested that the Irish should simply grow corn, if there was a potato blight. As if, in the middle of a famine, farmers can simply pivot to
by favorited 2y ago
He also famously suggested that the Irish should simply grow corn, if there was a potato blight. As if, in the middle of a famine, farmers can simply pivot to another crop that they've never grown before.
- hinkley 2y agoI don’t think Ireland grows corn today. The wiki page for Irish agriculture doesn’t even mention it, which I interpret as “not enough grown to be noteworthy”.
- biorach 2y agoWe grow maize, which is what we call corn, here. In significant quantities, using modern agricultural methods. Even with that the climate is not totally suitable and it is mostly used for animal feed. I very much doubt it would have been possible to grow sustainable amounts of maize up until recent decades
- hinkley 2y agoAnd unless something changes with corn strains and agriculture, possibly not again in another four or five. It's a very thirsty boy. Both in water and nitrogen.