At the post office the other day, casual conversation about Y2K, the woman said she works in IT for Justice, all vacations are cancelled for rollover, and in addition she said that the Agriculture Department has been stockpiling food in regional locations for months now. Can anyone confirm that the Ag Dept is doing something like this?

-- Joseph R. Whaley (whaley@attorney-us.com), September 24, 1999

Answers

They have been doing that for years. My friend had a huge corn storage facility that was part of this program. It is similar to the stratigic oil reserve. The reason given was in case of a crop failure, but it is also used to support crop prices in bumper crop years. The raw grain still needs to be processed for it to be any good to us. Ever try eating a bushel of field corn?

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), September 24, 1999.

Back in the 70s, had an uncle who worked for the Corps of Engineers in the Pac NW. Got to tour the inside of one of the big Dams. It was full of cases of food, enough to feed thousands.Was told that it was for natural disaster or nuclear war.Wonder if it's still there?

-- Ralph Kramden (and@awaywego.com), September 24, 1999.

Just read in the newsrag that Dept Ag is being asked to buy a significant portion of this year's bumper almond crop in Calif's South Central Valley.

-- Mitchell Barnes (spanda@inreach.com), September 24, 1999.

Mitch

THAT sounds like the usual price stabalization buys that the government does.

Keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), September 24, 1999.

bill

take the dried field corn (the sweet corn is better, unless you don't have it), put it in a hot skillet with a little oil and treat it just like popcorn. it won't pop because of the moisture content, but you'll get what's called 'parched corn.' salted or not, it's a great way to eat the corn.

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), September 24, 1999.

CL - My elderly Dad talks about eating dried corn in the winter by rehydrating it in milk or cream. Anyone else hear about this?

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), September 24, 1999.