Homestead mailing list

["SISU!" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Okay, my friend returned the book, and I did a quick search...in
addition to all the pathogens like smallpox, "the Spaniards' ships
disgorged wheat, clover, chick peas, grape vines, melons, onions,
radishes, fruit trees, horses, pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, burros"

Thinking about this from our perspective, (our meaning homestead types),
it may seem that the European invasion did more harm than good.  Upon
skimming the book tonight, I came to the conclusion that change was
inevitable for the American continent.  It was only a matter of time,
and in fact, you could make an argument that the Chinese discovered
America before Colon, not to mention the Norsemen's adventures.
  Things always change, move, evolve....
Take sugar cane...
(I just read this tonight and will paraphrase ....)
Columbus brought sugarcane to the New World on his second voyage.  As we
all know, it grew well here, and was one of the reasons for the
necessity of slaves, at least that was the excuse at the time.  Where,
you ask did it come from BEFORE Columbus??  Spain, of course....and it
is still grown there today.  Where did Spain get it?  The Moors brought
it to Spain when they invaded and controlled that part of Europe.  And
backtracking further, the Moors brought it across northern
Africa..Egypt, Morocco, etc.  They got it from the Persians, who got it
from other Asians. The Chinese also grew it. Where, you ask, did
sugarcane originate?
The answer is New Guinea.  After the last ice age, the natives of New
Guinea began cultivating sugarcane and trading it.  It made it's way all
the way around the world, carried by one invader/trader after another.
Many times, slave labor was used in cultivation.  It changed the world.

Sure, the native Americans had sweeteners...they could have done without
sugar, the wheel, and other things like Christianity that Europeans
brought with them.  But that is only part of the story....and for the
rest, you should read the book...I intend to read it again this winter.

Bev
--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky