Greybeard, Dandelion Farmer?

Yeah, that's a possibility.
You may become one too!

I got trapped in the "Youtube surfing vortex" again this morning.
(When will I learn this is a thing to avoid?)
One of the videos I watched educated me about the possible coming "Rubber Apocalypse". I had not previously heard about the disease in Southeast Asia attacking rubber trees. This is bad for several reasons:
-That's where the majority of our raw materials for rubber come from.
(I knew this already because of the Michelin plantations in South Viet Nam), and
-The trees are virtually all clones of one another. So when one gets the ailment, it rapidly gets transferred to all its brothers.

I was surprised to learn that ALL airplane tires are made from natural, not synthetic, rubber.  And natural rubber apparently is the only choice for several other products used around the world. If this disease spreads rapidly, these products will face critical shortages soon.

But there is a glow rising on the horizon, and it also surprised me:
Dandelions are a possible solution to the problem. They also produce a natural rubber, and can be grown almost anywhere in the world. With them, the U.S. might become "rubber independent" in a couple years.
I'm thinking even I can grow 'em, and I don't think our pesky deer population will be interested in my crop!

Now?
Watch for the Biden administration to find a way to restrict this move to independence.