Couple of thoughts on climate change.

I just did a story for the Sun Country, the Sun’s ag paper, where the North Dakota climatoligist estimates the average fall killing frost is about 10 or 11 days later than it was at the time of statehood in 1889. A similar change has occured in the spring but the unsettled spring weather makes statistics a little more jumbled.

This longer growing season makes crops like soybeans and corn work where they probably wouldn’t have a century ago.

I’m also reading a book called “The Man Who Ate His Shoes” about the British Navy’s efforts in the 1820s and 1830s to find a northwest passage to Asia by sailing along the north shore of Canada in the Arctic Ocean.

The book is a long and much to detailed history of the British Navy getting their ships stuck in the ice for 10 or 11 months at a time and the sailers suffering intense hardships, (hence the title).

But it does point out that even though there was no reliable sea passage through the Arctic Ocean at that time there is one now at least during the summer months.

I suppose some will argue the climate change is a good thing. After all, farmers in North Dakota are growing more valuable crops and ships are getting those all important Chinese made goods to the east coast of the U.S. and Europe quicker.

The question is, does it end before it becomes a disaster?