We've been coughing and sneezing more lately. We've also both noticed more tendency to getting bloody noses the last week and a half. What's going on?
It's harvest season.
If you live in town, you may not understand. But, if you live on a gravel road, in the country - you do. The Fall breezes on warm days are from the South. We live on the north side of the gravel road. With harvest going full tilt all around us, the traffic on our road has gone *way* up. Granted, we are not talking about LA rush hour. But, at least they might move slower and kick up less dust. I fully realized how much dust is kicked up when I looked in front of me and felt like the air was filled with fine snow flakes. But, it was all matter from our gravel road.
Then, we add the dust released in the fields as the combines bring in the soybeans and the corn. We've had bright sunny days, but it is far from clear as the dust in the air makes it all seem slightly overcast.
Dry, windy and lots of activity results in more particulate matter in the air that we breath. Some of those 'allergies' and 'colds' you are experiencing now may be simply a response to all of this stuff floating around.
It begs the question - what can we do about it? And, I'm not talking specifically about our situation on the farm. This is a question for us, as a society. How do we support both the needs of the farmers and maintain the quality of our fall air? Thoughts?
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