Big Island Agriculture Hit Hard by Vog

[fruitlovers]

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018/05/27/hawaii-news/big-island-agriculture-hit-hard-by-vog/

[Rannman]

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018/05/27/hawaii-news/big-island-agriculture-hit-hard-by-vog/

While I’m not trying to say that no damage has been done, I’m always sceptical when I see photos that are used to show damage in this way. The before photo shows grassed area, and the after photo shows a bunch of dead trees! Couldn’t they get another photo of the exact same grassed area to show the vog damage, or a previous photo of the avocado orchard? While I understand that volcanic gases do considerable damage to vegetation, these pics are just pics, with nothing for comparison. I’ve got trees with with that sort of leaf damage in my yard.

[Mango Stein]

Looks like we got ourselves a Hilocaust denier.

No 1st Amendment in your jurisdiction buddy. 

[Mike T]

Oscar I wasn't aware of the effect of the SO2 on the plants and I hope the plants that seem to be struggling with it go alright and it all subsides soon. Good luck with it all and I imagine having the trees and business threatened is distressing.

[KarenRei]

Vog can be nasty stuff. Also accelerates the rusting of metal.  This for example:



"The plow was mirror-shiny after the summer and nothing has happened to it since. When I went to check it it had become as brown as it is. I noticed the same thing on my tow hitch...".   The environmental ministry confirmed that the vog was the reason for his rapid rusting.  Note how even the rust is and the lack of pitting; this isn't old metal.

We also had really high rates of sheep deaths after the last eruption.  They never really found out why, but it seems that not only did the eruption hinder grass growth, but may also have left it less nutritious or covered in dust that was harmful to the sheep.

[ScottR]

Bummer-----------sad to read this news Paradise can be destroyed rather quickly with this Vog :(Wishing that all this Vog calms down an life can return to safe surrounds for you Oscar an all the people on the big island.
Can imagine loosing all that you've worked hard to establish after many years it would be hard to even think about!! Wishing you the best.

[vitiga]

How is the situation today Oscar ? Is it getting worse or stabilizing ?  I cross my fingers for you guys. I can imagine how difficult and stressfull the situation is. All my best, Vincent

[Soren]

Sorry to hear Oscar  Hope thing will clear up quickly...

[EvilFruit]

You always share your passion, experience and love of tropical fruits with almost every member in this forum.

Hopefully , the vog won't last too long.

[fruitlovers]

How is the situation today Oscar ? Is it getting worse or stabilizing ?  I cross my fingers for you guys. I can imagine how difficult and stressfull the situation is. All my best, Vincent

The air quality right here seems to me to be getting better as the flow progresses towards the ocean. The scary part is that new cracks are developing up rift, west of Leilani in center of subdivision, and also above us on Highway 130. If lava flows anywhere over highway 130 we are locked out with no way in or out. There is an old emergency route through Volcano National park called Chain of Craters road, but they need to repair 3/4 of a mile of it, and they're just sitting on their butts now for 3 weeks just talking about all the red tape instead of actually doing it. It seems they prefer to send in the marines to airlift us out with helicopters than to fix a road! I kid you not.
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/25/video-u-s-marines-deploy-transport-helicopters-for-eruption/

[KarenRei]

Crazy... if it's still breaking open new ground then this is just getting started.

[fruitlovers]

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018/05/27/hawaii-news/big-island-agriculture-hit-hard-by-vog/

While I’m not trying to say that no damage has been done, I’m always sceptical when I see photos that are used to show damage in this way. The before photo shows grassed area, and the after photo shows a bunch of dead trees! Couldn’t they get another photo of the exact same grassed area to show the vog damage, or a previous photo of the avocado orchard? While I understand that volcanic gases do considerable damage to vegetation, these pics are just pics, with nothing for comparison. I’ve got trees with with that sort of leaf damage in my yard.

Agreed the photos are not very good. But what you may not understand is that the interviews were all done by telephone, the photos were submitted by email by the farmer himself, Johnson, who is not a professional photographer, and according to the article that farmer is not even on the property any longer. So i was surprised there were any photos at all. The reporter was from Kona, which is a 5 hour round trip drive from here. And also this area has very restricted entry. And most people don't even want to come here even if they get in due to the bad air quality.