Florida Earth & Agriculture Module

Posted: December 17, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Creation of a Play | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment
Andrew Rosendorf Picture Posted by Andrew Rosendorf, Playwright in Residence

*This blog is part of a series of blogs about the creation of a play for Florida Stage as part of their “Florida Cycle”, 
click here for the previous posts.

I know, I know, you missed me. I missed you all as well. But a week off from one another is nothing. We are stronger for it. Plus, my esteemed colleague Jonathan Wemette filled in for me and did an exquisite job of both making me feel very important and like a playwright of substance. And, yes, I might’ve slipped him a couple bucks to say so.

Enough chit-chat though! Let’s get to why we had to feel the pained neglect of not being with one another. Last Thursday and Friday I was off spending two days participating in the Florida Earth Agriculture module and spending time with people that were environmental scientists as well as working for the Army Corps of Engineers. Needless to say I did not feel like the smartest guy in the room.

Florida Earth is an organization you all should get to know. They have the following mission: “to bring people together through education, public outreach, and facilitation to ensure the future integrity of Florida’s environment and quality of life.”

This is the second event I’ve gone to that has been hosted by Florida Earth. The first was a talk by Michael Grunwald who wrote the book The Swamp (I believe I mention the book in an earlier blog…). The organization is run by Stan Bronson (Executive Director) and Yveatte Rothermel (Project Coordinator) – two of the friendliest people you could have with you when going on a journey into areas that aren’t your background. They have both been incredibly gracious with their time as I’ve bombarded them with questions and requests for information.

So I know your first question is: What is an agriculture module? Well this module neither had anything to do with a spacecraft or a unit for measuring. This module was actually a two-day course on Florida Agriculture – shocking, right? We had a number of people come talk to us about Florida soil, sugarcane, farming, and cattle. One of the most informative parts of the module was hearing from the many different industries that all share different opinions and perspectives. We also got a hands-on experience by going on to a sugarcane field and a farm. It was an invaluable experience. Especially since water and agriculture go hand in hand.

What follows are a few pictures that represent some of the highlights of the experience. I should also say a big thank you to Florida Earth for letting us use the following photos.

Florida Earth - Subsidence Post #2


Florida Earth - Subsidence PostThis is a picture of the Subsidence Post and a picture of us standing next to it. Since 1924 there has been a 6ft loss of soil. This land was underwater for around 5,000 years and when the water was drained away the soil was suddenly exposed to oxygen. This resulted in oxidation. In other words, the soil is subsiding…until, it would seem, there is only bedrock left.

Florida Earth - Subsidence & Houses These are houses that trace all the way back to the 1920s – having survived the 1928 Hurricane. Notice that it is raised above the ground. This is because people knew about oxidation and built their houses on stilts (I’m sure there is a better word…). As the soil subsides, people have to continually add steps so they can get to their house. The modern University of Florida facility we were at for the lectures was built on the bedrock to avoid this.
Florida Earth - Farm #2
 Florida Earth - Farm #4 These picture were taken on Roth Farm. It gives you an idea of how large a farm is. The fields just go for miles and miles. Really you feel very small and that you could get lost out there. It reminds you of how large of an industry agriculture is just in acreage.

Florida Earth - Farm #3Most of the irrigation done in Florida is through seepage irrigation. This is where canals are dug on sides of the field, the water is raised, and then that water seeps through the soil. However, the above picture is an example of above-ground irrigation which is used to control more accurately and efficiently the irrigation of crops.

This is essentially a sprinkler system. The pipe is in the right hand corner and connects to one of the canals. The above-ground irrigation is being used here because this part of the farm is being leased to a farmer from Long Island who felt more comfortable working with above-ground irrigation than seepage irrigation.
Florida Earth - Barn Owl #5
Florida Earth - Barn Owl #2This is a box for a barn owl – they nest in them. The barn owls are used as a natural way to get rid of rodents as the owls will eat them.

Florida Earth - Sugarcane BurningWhile you can’t tell the detail from this picture, it is of part of a sugarcane field burning. I think this is the first time it really sunk in with me that sugarcane is burned right before harvesting. The reason this is done is because the fire burns away the top of the sugarcane (“the trash”) so only the stock goes to the mill. It is all about harvesting fast and efficiently.   Florida Earth - Sugarcane #2Florida Earth - Sugarcane
This is at a Florida Crystal field. These are pictures of what one of the harvesting machines looks like and what it looks like while they’re harvesting. There are a number of blades on the machines. I would not want to be a sugarcane stock when this is coming at me. The folks that drive the machines are seasonal workers. Before the machines came along all the harvesting was done with by hand with machetes.That’s it for now. It might be a week or two till the next blog post because of the holiday, but I assure you it will be well worth the wait even if I have no idea what the blog post will be about yet. As always, feel free to contact me (andrew@floridastage.org) with questions, comment, and/or articles that you feel I should read. Namaste!

Land of Slumber

Posted: November 19, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Creation of a Play | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Posted by Andrew Rosendorf, Playwright in Residence6a0120a5618503970b0120a687d50a970b-800wi

*This blog is part of a series of blogs about the creation of a play for Florida Stage as part of their “Florida Cycle”, click here for the previous posts. 

This morning I didn’t want to get out of
bed. I wanted to sleep. Stay in the Land of Slumber. But, alas, I had too much
to do today. I had to get things done. I had to mail an application to have a
play of mine be considered for the Lark Playwright’s Week 2010. I also wanted
to get to rehearsal to observe Carter W. Lewis (playwright of The
Storytelling Ability of a Boy) interact with Lou
and the actors. And…I had to write this blog.

So after contemplating a list of excuses I
could use, I got out of bed. I had to seize the day. Carpe diem!

On the way in, while listening to NPR’s Morning
Edition, the very first story that came on was
about the Army Corps of Engineers and their management of the Mississippi River
Gulf Outlet – a shipping channel built in the 1960s. I’ll quickly summarize the news report, but this link has more information
including the story from Morning Edition.

Four flood victims of Hurricane Katrina
sued the government arguing that the MRGO played a large part in Katrina’s
storm surge. The U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval found that the Army Corps
of Engineers committed “monumental negligence” in their maintenance of the MRGO.
In essence, the Judge is saying that he believes that the government knew that
widening the MRGO would damage protective wetlands and levees. And that they
simply didn’t do enough to maintain control over the shipping channel. The
result was the Hurricane Katrina storm surge deadly outcome. The four victims
were awarded $720,000.

This is not human beings improving on
nature.

Now certainly there will be appeals –
especially because of the many lawsuits that I’m sure will follow in these
footsteps. But, no matter what happens, this ruling is a huge indictment on the
government and the Army Corps of Engineers.

In my research for the Water Play, what I
found really fascinating was that the focus of the blame during the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina was on FEMA. However, it seemed that the Army Corps of
Engineers had escaped blame for their role in destroying protective wetlands. In
maintaining the channel. From the evidence and facts I was reading, I felt an
argument could be made (as some authors were already doing) that the storm
surge was so deadly in New Orleans because of the Army Corps of Engineers.
Especially since human beings once again destroyed nature’s natural barrier and
protector: The Wetlands.

How does this relate to the Water Play?
First…the Army Corps of Engineers built the Herbert Hoover Dike. Built the dike
that, as my previous blog explored, isn’t as foolproof as we’re led to believe.

Secondly, just like in New Orleans and with
the MRGO, the natural barrier of wetlands around Lake Okeechobee was destroyed
by man. And replaced with a dike.

This was information that my Second Act was
already going to incorporate and explore. That there’s a natural parallel
between South Florida and New Orleans. That some of the same problems that face
New Orleans also face us.

Exactly how that will be translated into
the play, into the human stories…well I’m still figuring that out. Slowly, but
surely. However, today’s ruling, I feel, only reinforces my thinking and reminds
me of the immediacy of this issue.

Now…if for once we can learn from our
mistakes. If we can act. And do what needs to be done without allowing
ourselves to simply go back to our Land of Slumber.

I don’t think it’s too lofty of a hope to
want my play to be one way to keep me awake. To keep you awake. Keep us all awake.
Wide awake.

Feel free to e-mail me (andrew@floridastage.org) with your
thoughts and feedback. Until next time. Namaste!