tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:00:22 +0000AsiaAquacultureAfghanistanAgricultureThailandAfricaKenyaFoodCambodiaTravelKirinyagaHorticultureLivestockCultureDevelopmentAzerbaijanEnvironmentMarketMeatUSAIrrigationPolicyEquipmentTradeCooperativeTechnologyWaterPoliticsVehiclesBirdsGeorgiaScandinaviaFrom Animal to Seed Weblog Feed...http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)Blogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-6478550344746818218Fri, 14 Jan 2011 06:30:00 +00002011-01-14T01:31:13.401-05:00GeorgiaLivestockThere are a boatload of stray dogs in Georgia, they are just all over the place including a pack right by my house. I have to give them credit as they are very sweet, not too scared, not mean, starved for attention (kinda heart breaking actually) and horny...For whatever reason I see almost no females around, the vast majority of the strays are males. This makes a female in heat a target for the http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2011/01/banding-horny-stray-dogs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-3838358215317973070Fri, 26 Nov 2010 11:26:00 +00002010-11-26T06:26:00.522-05:00DevelopmentOk first thing that comes to mind is luv, but we all need alittle luv'in (sorry, brain fart). But what I was thinking of is:A Monitoring and Evaluation person (M&E)A LawyerOf course there are other things, the obvious like administrator, agronomist (duh), veterinarian (assuming the project has a livestock component which most of mine do), and a few others I that I am sure I am forgetting but http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2010/11/ever-ag-project-needs-alittle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-828931632832266631Mon, 15 Nov 2010 07:34:00 +00002011-01-13T03:41:21.431-05:00AfghanistanAsiaAzerbaijanFoodHorticultureMarketTradeTravelUSAI have been thinking about the mulberry tree in my front yard and dreading the time when it starts producing fruit. I have found mulberries to be kinda a sweet but tasteless fruit, that isn't great by itself but is wonderful as a base (like frozen for fruit smoothies). Problem is i won't be able to eat them all and am really not looking forward the two months of sticky shoes and tip toeing http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2010/11/dried-mulberries.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-3797518718145701340Thu, 27 May 2010 18:24:00 +00002010-05-27T14:30:19.676-04:00AzerbaijanFoodTravelI had to close my organization's satellite office in the capital of Azerbaijan (Baku) due to pressure from the donor organization and some from out regional office (where my immediate superiors reside) so I am now left without a office/bed when I have to go to Baku (the office also has a bedroom). So I have had to find somewhere else to stay (or more accurately had to have my staff find). Now my http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2010/05/not-all-doners-are-created-equal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-114067258819608607Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:29:00 +00002010-03-20T15:38:23.810-04:00FoodMarketMeatPolicyYeah, i can't remember where i heard about this technique. That i am aware of (and i could totally be wrong) the process itself isn't that bad but the stores' tendency to keep the meat longer and deceive customers is unforgivable. I might point out that i seem to remember that there is a connection between CO keeping the meat looking red and how it kills you (like if you locked yourself in the http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2006/02/store-bought-meats-dosed-to-look-red.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-3467015728285338986Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:42:00 +00002010-03-05T01:34:55.077-05:00CultureFoodTravelBoxed, Bread Flavored, Tree Juice?Originally uploaded by gaikokujinkyofusho. Earlier I posted my “Boxed Tree Juice” photo with the intention of posting my “Boxed, Bread Flavored, Tree Juice” photo later (later being now). Before I had found what amounted to a boxed birch tea drink in an Eastern European supermarket but recently I found a variation on that which to me is quintessentially Russian (http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2010/01/boxed-bread-flavored-tree-juice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-110863363615187049Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:38:00 +00002010-01-17T09:36:21.871-05:00AsiaDevelopmentBeing in Development sector I tend to see aid projects with strings attached, some times its not so bad but there are times when it seems really wrong, this would be one of those times. Christian organizations trying to convert people at a time of crisis, while they are vulnerable, is like trying to pick up chicks at abortion clinics because you know they promiscuous. Trying to push religion justhttp://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2006/02/strings-attached-aid-at-some-of-its.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-5890914433766452579Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:28:00 +00002010-01-17T09:43:55.555-05:00Boxed Tree Juice?Originally uploaded by gaikokujinkyofusho. When traveling I am always on the lookout for new foods and, in this case, drinks. I was recently in Ukraine and noticed a variety of foods, many could probably fall in the category of “Russian Influenced” (can talk about Azerbaijan and Potatoes later) or as the Ukrainians might argue “Ukrainian influenced”, food. What came to mind when http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2010/01/boxed-tree-juice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-9221160744639479982Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:20:00 +00002009-09-27T05:44:43.990-04:00AgricultureMarketVehiclesLada O’ MelonsOriginally uploaded by gaikokujinkyofusho. That is a Lada (Russian car) full of melons. In developing countries I am constantly amused by how people push the limits of vehicular carrying capacity be it a car with brush (for making brooms) piled 3 times as high as the car is high, to a trunk full of peppers to a… backseat piled to the ceiling with water melons. The lada seems to me http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/09/lada-o-melons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-6093954665676677198Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:41:00 +00002009-09-08T06:24:19.034-04:00AgricultureDevelopmentok, yet another agriculture gripe. While there does seem to be a bit more lip service (and a trickle, more than before, of funding) i was looking over the events sections of devex.com and reliefweb.int and nada, i mean nothing nothing. There was a listing for some aquacutlure and yeah that counts it is one thing out of thousands of gender, humanitarian studies, M&E, etc events... still no http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-about-agriculture.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-6587468294186697414Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:56:00 +00002009-09-03T06:00:55.726-04:00AsiaAzerbaijanCultureDevelopmentFoodTradeI posted a not-quiteag-post on gtinn earlier but I also wanted to address the Ag component of these girls'/interns' visit.  While I still don't entirely understand the purpose of their visit (when i get ambiguous answers it makes me think they don't know what they are doing either) I did get that they want to "help" small Azeri dairy processor make European style hard cheeses. When i heard that http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-think-you-need-this-and-should-use.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-780598084583266436Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:53:00 +00002009-08-31T02:58:50.396-04:00AgricultureAzerbaijanEnvironmentHorticultureIrrigationWaterSalinity?Originally uploaded by gaikokujinkyofusho. My agricultural background, while fairly general, is a bit more geared towards livestock so I don?t have much background with horticulture/soil science/irrigation but despite that I hear about salinity every once in a while. When I hear there is high level of salinity in the water/soil of some place it usually conjures up a picture of the more http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/08/salinity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-3002570284258525111Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:47:00 +00002009-08-26T05:17:27.721-04:00CultureDevelopmentTravelAs I have mentioned before my current position requires staff management, not one of my favorite parts of my job. One of the things that I am confronted with on a monthly basis is being told “I need training”. Most of my staff seems quite obsessed with getting trainings, presumably for their resumes. There is a catch though, because invariably the “required trainings” are in places like western http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/07/train-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-7532176948148493441Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:45:00 +00002009-08-16T05:09:13.579-04:00AzerbaijanCultureMy current job requires an uncomfortably high level of staff management. I have never been particularly good at this as I am often accused of being either too nice/diplomatic or totally unsympathetic (hows that for contrast?). One of the “totally unsympathetic” accusations came when I was informed by my staff that “I will be sick next week” quite matter-a-factly; my instant reaction was, “how do http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-think-i-will-be-sick-tomorrow.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-568223077297978901Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:45:00 +00002009-07-12T11:40:33.553-04:00AfghanistanAzerbaijanCultureFoodMeatTravelI guess its kinda clear from my writing that I work in international development which, of course, includes living/working in many different countries. I rather like the diversity of my work but it is fraught with numerous inconveniences and each country has its own little issue. I am currently in Azerbaijan but before that I worked in Afghanistan, both are Muslim countries. I am from one of the http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/07/pork-cravings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-8602157971995860117Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:34:00 +00002009-07-07T11:45:03.489-04:00AgricultureAquacultureAsiaDevelopmentLivestockUSAIt seems that I have finally reached a level (professionally) where recruiters have started contacting me (as opposed to my begging them); that is not to say that any jobs have come of it but hey, it does help my (severely damaged) professional ego. Today I got an email asking if they could include me in a proposal (hardly a guarantee of employment) as a "Zoonotic Swine Infections specialist"… http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/07/zoonotic-infections-anyone-need-help.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-8754699039567992059Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:00 +00002009-08-23T02:34:25.463-04:00AzerbaijanCultureTravelI woke up at about 6am this morning to the cold nose of Beanie (my dog). Somehow in my groggy semi-awake state it occurred to me that I had forgotten to let Beanie out last night to “do his business” and that his waking me up this morning was his way of giving me a choice, “you open the door and let me do it out there or I do it here”, not a hard choice so I got up.As it was 6am in the morning http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/06/bizarre-morning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-3368213022502189931Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:32:00 +00002009-07-07T11:55:36.286-04:00AgricultureAzerbaijanDevelopmentToday i just finished a tough meeting with my staff and the staff of a survey organization that we contracted almost 8 months ago to do a survey. It has become a blame game and just about every issue we have with them is (apparently) either our fault or the fault of the people they surveyed. It was tough in that it was the hifalutin academic statistics gurus vs the "country bumpkin" field people http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/06/dumb-ag-guy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-7162503285632577870Sun, 03 May 2009 11:48:00 +00002009-07-07T11:55:55.731-04:00AgricultureAsiaUSAI can't remember where exactly i heard about this, a podcast i think (which podcast i have no idea) but it struck me as a very simple thing assuming it works. This product is essentially (treated) hair that is woven into mats and can be used as a combination fertilizer (as it is biodegradable) and something to keep weeds down (like a mat that you can put around say a tree or maybe in between rowshttp://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/05/hair-fertilizer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-6071859527987299184Sun, 03 May 2009 11:41:00 +00002009-07-07T11:56:18.540-04:00LivestockUSAWell google took my idea, they are now using goats to "mow" their "lawns" (fields)(apparently a service, it is amazing what people will pay for in California). I considered getting a goat last summer and am reconsidering it now as i apparently have a very fertile yard but what is holding me back is the knowledge that goats will consume anything that is even semi-edible thus the shrubs, trees, andhttp://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/05/well-google-took-my-idea-they-are-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-7122583189540630697Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:59:00 +00002009-04-29T07:05:50.109-04:00AgriculturePolicyUSAWaterWell, what can I say, two posts in one day is a record for this year (the other post was on gtinn). Well the reason is the expected budget allocation for international development aid, and more specifically for Agricultural Development. This from the Center for Global Engagement "While traveling Obama put these words to action in announcing new assistance programs. At the G20 summit Obama http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/04/doubling-of-aid-from-us-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-2402117855532111757Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:12:00 +00002009-07-07T11:57:15.122-04:00DevelopmentPolicyPoliticsI was just reading over one of my association newsletters (which i don't do nearly enough) and noticed they made a mention of the "Coalition for Agricultural Development" and how it was a member of this coalition, makes sense right? (after all my work is "international agricultural development"). I wasn't familiar with the Coalition for Agricultural Development (CAD) so i googled it and the firsthttp://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/03/wow-ima-lobbyist.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-7769603001900175818Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:33:00 +00002009-07-07T11:57:40.404-04:00AgricultureDevelopmentPolicyI always knew agriculture was not en vogue, not at home (within the US) or abroad in development but I was floored by a figure I saw in the Christian Science Monitor "Relatively quick and substantial progress can be made if nations rededicate themselves to international aid for agriculture, which has dropped from 13 percent of all development aid in the early 1980s to only 3 percent now."... 3% http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/01/agriculture-not-en-vogue.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-6921357881832062000Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:52:00 +00002009-07-07T11:58:49.039-04:00CultureDevelopmentTravelUSAI was reading an an article on NPR about the Amish and loans and came away not sure what to think...A line from the article that really got my attention was "O'Brien says the Amish are less risky debtors than people with access to all the tools of modern banking. The Amish live well within their means — no splurging on iPods or HDTVs, no dinners out that they really can't afford. The Amish think http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2009/01/mortgage-broker-in-amish-country.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753094.post-8828473561241870925Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:15:00 +00002009-07-07T12:00:16.953-04:00CultureEnvironmentI guess i have been on an anti-waste kick lately. Things like the recession help keep such things fresh on the mind. While i am one who actually saves/invests i actually like recessions less than most (i.e. i am hurt more than many non-saving types) I do believe that recession and shortage is a good thing in a way, it makes people become less wasteful though of course people have extraordinarily http://thedigestibleaggie.blogspot.com/2008/12/more-on-waste.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gaiko)0