Yea - Guess what...I'm up for tomorrow AGAIN! This isn't just fishy, it's beginning to smell like three-week-old-fish! But, I'm sneaking in here for some pointless trivia...
Do you know what makes Kentucky what Kentucky is?
No...Ok, well try this...
Can you name 3 things that Kentucky is known for and what they all have in common?
Sure you can! Here's one thing: horses; race horses in particular!
Now you're on a roll...second thing? How about: caves (Mammoth Cave the longest caves in the US). And number 3? My dad would know, maybe not this crowd - here it is: Bourbon! But here's the kicker, what do they all have in common?
(Place the Jeopardy music!)
Here it is...
LIMESTONE!
So weird, but so cool!
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OK, I confess to still being in the dark. Limestone caves I get, and maybe Bourbon (do they filter it through limestone or something?), but what is the connection between horses and limestone? Signed, A Confused Cantabridgian
ReplyDeleteThis came from our dear friend Joy! It adds something to the grass that the horses eat, some nutrient that helps the horses bones. Probably not such an issue now, but once was! (I think the Bourbon was something similar - I actually forgot what I read...sorry, I guess I'm not much of an 'informant'.)
ReplyDeleteYou forgot?!?!? I thought this was supposed to be an "educational trip" across the country? Now you're going to have to make the entire trip AGAIN until you can get all this info down. It's not nice to tease your fans with trivia for which you don't have the answer. :-)
ReplyDeleteIn the interests of better information (ahem!), I did some Internet sleuthing--although I'm sure they're part of the overall Kentucky lore, a June 2003 story in the Louisville Courier-Journal ("Kentucky rocks!" by Susan Reigler) may have added to their prominence. In Elizabeth's defense, the strengthening of the horses' bones does seem to be a key by-product... (Further refs below)
ReplyDeletehttp://www1.american.edu/ted/kentuckybourbon.htm
However, what truly makes bourbon a product of Kentucky? Most distillers point to the limestone which forms the bedrock of this region. Kentucky was once a shallow, tropical ocean filled with shelled crustaceans that dried up over time, formed fossils, and subsequently, limestone. The principle minerals in limestone are calcium carbonate and magnesium which act as a base when put in contact with acid. Thus, if slightly acidic water is filtered through limestone, a high concentration of minerals is released into the ground soil, helping the crop yield, the water, and the nutrients needed for the yeast in the fermentation process. The better the yeast, the better the breakdown of the sugars to alcohol in the mash.[8].
Another advantage of Kentucky's geography is the limestone breaks down overtime to form massive caves (read more on Kentucky Cave Formation). The springs which flow from these caves provide iron-free water sources for the bourbon process. The Mammoth Cave in southern Kentucky is just one example, with the deepest passageway of any natural formation in the world. It is this combination of filtering, pure water, and rich agricultural conditions which make Kentucky the prime geographical location for [bourbon] production within the United States.
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Horses, bourbon and bluegrass owe their lives to limestone By SUSAN REIGLER Kentucky rocks It's limestone-based too The principal mineral in limestone is calcium carbonate The dissolved minerals in the limestone, which include magnesium as well as calcium, make Kentucky water very hard CAVES As the limestone erodes, sinkholes appear Eventually caves form Limestone was the midwife of Mammoth Cave, the world's longest cave system Limestone
Source - Louisville Courier Journal, KY June 1, 2003
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From another blog (blogs.bootsnall.com/Leaott/tag/kentucky-horse-farm-tours)
Today we spent time exploring Bluegrass country. The grass really isn’t blue – but it’s called bluegrass…go figure. I do have an explanation though – in the spring, bluegrass produces a bluish-purple bud that, when seen in large fields, give a blue cast to the grass. Kentucky lies on limestone. This limestone infused grass is said to build stronger equine (horse to you and me) bones. Also, bluegrass makes for a good pasture as it can tolerate a lot of grazing. Hence, Kentucky is the bluegrass state known for its horse racing industry. Ok – that’s your lesson for today.
Thanks Laura!!! You know, you may have others affirming and agreeing with this "pointless trivia"....but let's not forget you heard it FIRST at youcannotlickyourelbow!!! I mean - what better summer reading is there? Really....
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