The Agricultural Core - A Multiplication Of The Dalles' Agriculture

The Agricultural Core governs fields of crop growing throughout the midwest. Its as if the sole purpose of the agricultural core is for crops to grow. The flat land allows for no worries in the whole erosion department. Iowa is pretty much a cornfield in its own, and its surrounding states grow corn, legumes, wheat, hay, and even built flour mills so they can be processed on-point and shipped on its way through the lakes.

It reminds of how a few years ago, before learning that Iowa's land is practically covered in corn, I attached this band and song to my repertoire of geographic associations.


I digress. Back to serious geographic material.
The agricultural core has strong physical geography. Its formation strongly reflects the agriculture, much like it does in the Pacific northwest.  There is a "longitudinal"divide in the agricultural region which I believe gives it a sense of balance. On the Easter side, rainfall dominates and provides certain crops. On the Western side, it is dryer, the region takes a break from the high water carrying capacity of the land. These influences relate to that of the PNW in a sense: there are dry regions as well as wet regions. While scattered in the PNW, they are laterally side-by-side in these region of the Midwest.
Its continentality keeps up with its strong seasonal range. There is little risk of drought.
Agriculture is lucratively possible thanks to its little-hilly terrain. The flat land also does for good water drainage. There are also visible results of glaciation.


REGION SIMILARITY ALERT
The soils involved in the Midwest are what makes the crops flourish. Alfisols and mollisols. It just so happens that its the mollisols themselves that also dominate the PNW's soil type! Mollisols are superbly suited for grain production (such as corn in the state of Idaho). The soil is formed under grasses, most likely as a result to stay moist and rich in nutrients. Organic content is high, and its A-horizon goes as deep as 5 ft. All of these facts demonstrate the importance of the Core region. The nutrient richness of the soil types provide crop growth. A lucrative and important aspect to both US regions (Core and PNW).







Wheat and meat are another important development in the Core. Wheat is a year-round, reliable good where shipping and break-in points determine wheat distribution. Meat is from the livestock. As livestock feeds off the grains and wheat, it makes for domestick livestock. Hogs and pigs seem to dominate a large part of the Core region.

While such regions may not be too populated or urbanized, it is also regions such as these where it is best that urbanization stays at bay. The space and fields are needed to feed the entire United States.

The Coastal South - Pretty Much The Opposite of The Dalles

Humid in the summer, hurricane-filled, influx of tourists and migration, a history of slavery, large extractions of oil. Pretty much the complete 180 of The Dalles & Portland, Oregon. Culturally and regionally, geographically opposite. Allow me to demonstration...

Courtesy of 50states.com with illustrative editing by yours truly.

Voila! The PNW and Southern Coastlands most definitely lie across and opposite from each other.
The region is so strong and large, that it covers several states within the sliver of the region. South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Missisipi, Louisiana, Texas, and even Mexico.

Seriously, these two regions couldn't be more opposite. Let's start off with the climate & vegetation.

Humid, subtropical climate consists of warm, humid summers, mild winters, therefore a long growing season. Long growing season is from 9-12 months, Southern Florida being pretty much the whole 12 months. The crops grown in such a region are crops that cannot be grown elsewhere in the United States. The abundance in crop is so great that double-cropping is a possibility. Citrus and grapefruit are the top crop that practically give the Southern Coastlands their name, coming number one after Oregon's southern neighbor California on the West Coast.
 Sugar cane and rice are other vital crop that are harsh-climate resistant. Their ease to grow in the Southern Coastlands are important to the rest of the country.

The epic fields of crop are not the only thing that makes the coastal south so vibrant. There's a reason why retirement folks join in on the fun. The mild weather is a great pull factor. There's plenty of entertainment as well. Tourism is high thanks to DisneyWorld, Universal Studios, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, baseball training camps, the attractive beaches of Florida and South Carolina, and the Kennedy Space Center are huge pull factors as well for people.

Trade...where does it begin? With so much crop activity, trade and export is something that definitely keeps the region moving. Its proximity to the open Gulf of Mexico makes for the facilitation of shipping. There are large river estuaries, sheltered bays, rivers, railroads, and channels that open more of the trade and shipping avenues.

Wind velocity due to hurricanes. Yikes!

With all its wonderfulness, the southern coastland does have its "flaws". The long growing season does have one setback in a particular region of Florida: the most southern area suffers of winter freeze. The winter freeze section is small, and even good as it can stave off diseases among citrus, but if the freeze prolongs the citrus goods go bye-bye. Hurricanes are also a huge danger to the entire region. They can be destructive to crop and infrastructure. Year after year, the region faces such factors that are fragile to its people and economy.

The environmental concerns are area of long-term concern. Water and petroleum are being extracted at a rate that is destructive to the land. The land is too flat for reservoirs, dams, and there are sinkholes.

So, in conclusion, the Eastern Southern Coast has its many factors, both good and bad. It makes the PNW look pretty tamed. I guess that's another reason why they're opposites, right?