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Pat Shingleton: "A Lava Flow and... the Best Turkey..."

5 years 4 months 6 days ago Wednesday, November 21 2018 Nov 21, 2018 November 21, 2018 9:00 AM November 21, 2018 in Pat Shingleton Column
By: Pat Shingleton:

In 1931, the director of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory developed an approach to steer a lava flow from inhabited areas.  Dr. Thomas Jaggar believed that by bombing the flow it could be redirected.  “Acts of God” reports that by 1934, Jaggar not only plotted the history of the Mauna Loa volcano but predicted a major lava flow.  On November 21, 1935, molten lava began flowing from the north flank of the mountain as Jaggar predicted. On December 22, the lava was pooling between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.  This saddle of lava rapidly turned toward the coastal city of Hilo, 20 miles away.  On December 27, the U.S. Air Corps Bombing Squadron dropped 20, 600-pound bombs in the lava channel, stopping the flow and saving Hilo. Yesterday Pea and Carrots were pardoned by President Trump. With that noted, Ben Franklin suggested that the turkey should be America’s national bird. In previous columns, I referenced a former avid outdoorsman and friend of many, the late Hansen Scobee. Hansen shared with me examples as to the difficulty in bagging a wild turkey, how they adapt to the elements and the difference in taste between those in the wild and those on your table tomorrow. Frank Reese, Jr. started the Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch in 1850 and his descendants continue to conscientiously advance birds meeting standards of perfection. Commercial turkeys are genetically engineered but Heritage Turkeys are not and through Frank’s efforts, years ago, five different breeds have been saved from extinction: the Standard Bronze, the White Holland, the Narragansett, The Bourbon Red and the Black. 

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