Good time to brush up on your farming!!
What we know about #GMO:
What we know about GM:
- Farmers who cultivated gM varieties earned less money over a 14-year period than those who continued to grow non GM crops according to a study from the University of Minnesota.
- traditional plant breeding and farming methods have increased yields of major grain crops three to four times more than gM varieties despite huge investments of public and private dollars in biotech research.
- there are 197 species of herbicide resistant weeds, many of which can be linked directly back to gM crops, and the list keeps growing.
- gM crops have led to an explosion in herbicide-use as resistant crops continue to emerge. In particular, the EPA approved a 20-fold increase in how much glyphosate (Roundup®) residue is allowed in our food in response to escalating concentrations.
source: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/files/FSTbookletFINAL.pdf
(right click anywhere and click “save”)
Have the FDA label Genetically Modified foods… http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=W2ktCD0W1RLSjHeutoZ9EmxW2sr%2FMZuN
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The Center for Food Safety recently filed a formal legal petition with FDA demanding that the agency require the labeling of genetically engineered foods. Now, we are spearheading a drive with over 350 other organizations and businesses in the Just Label It! Campaign, to direct one million comments to the FDA in support of our petition.
Unsuspecting consumers by the tens of millions are being allowed to purchase and consume unlabeled genetically engineered foods, despite the fact that FDA undertakes no testing of its own, instead relying only on a voluntary consultation with industry and confidential industry data to assure safety. Internal FDA documents discovered in prior CFS litigation actually indicated the foods could pose serious risks, but those views were overruled.
Genetically engineered foods are required to be labeled in the 15 European Union nations, Russia, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries around the world. A recent poll released by ABC News found that 93 percent of the American public wants the federal government to require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. As ABC News stated, “Such near-unanimity in public opinion is rare.” Yet the United States is one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t require labeling of GE food!
In the U.S., we pride ourselves on having choices and making informed decisions. Under current FDA regulations, we don’t have that choice when it comes to GE ingredients in the foods we purchase and feed our families.
Americans have been asking Congress to pass a labeling law for more than 10 years, to no avail. It’s time to take the fight back to FDA—bigger and louder than ever before.
Tell FDA and President Obama to label genetically engineered foods!
Center for Food Safety
Prokaryote Cells are the most common things on the planet, they outnumber us by a million to one probably.
How Vegetables Can Help Fight Allergies
For all the maladies of nature, a cure exists around the corner. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Creeping Charlie AKA Crabgrass AKA that broad-round-leafed plant that is creeping into the edge of your garden, acts as a mild anti-histimene if taken orally through tea prepared for 8-13 minutes.
2. Mullen is a root of a plant that can be boiled up, then reduced to a simmer and served after 30 minutes. It is supposed to help also. Mullen and creeping charlie would be a fine tea.
3. I also hear good things about Marshmallow Root, no idea how to prepare it. Real marshmallows are not made from it, but rather horse’s hooves and sugar.
4. STINGING NETTLES is the best possible cure for me. Pick leaves carefully (it will sting YOU if it can) from a stinging nettle plant, and spread them to dry or use them green. Get plenty, because you can also use it as an edible green. Boil water then pour it over 3-4 leaves. Leave it (use patience!) for a few minutes and then pour through a strainer. (eat the leaves!) The tea’s aroma will instantly clear up your head allergies.
“Scathing Letter” blog post Tumblr summary
In India over the last decade, around 200,000 farmers estimated have killed themselves. Because of pesticides… http://wp.me/pmbDY-dF An all you can eat restaurant for Detox… http://wp.me/pmbDY-dF Take down the army. For the kids. Native spring of plants + God + the meaning of life… http://wp.me/pmbDY-dF What we need to focus on is happiness, summer, woman. MU… http://wp.me/pmbDY-dF
To do for America 2012:
1. Small Scale Industrial Manufacturing— Tools to build.
2. Participatory Organic Standard
Obama will help organic farmers …
In 2008 it said:
Encourage Organic and Local Agriculture: Obama will help organic farmers afford to certify their crops and reform crop insurance to not penalize organic farmers. He also will promote regional food systems.
We have been penalized.
1) GMO Alfalfa unlabeled is approved for mass production. x ORganic dairy
2) GMO grass does not even go through a screening before approval.
3) Compost regulation penalizes (“protects” ech) small farms for composting.
4) None of the small organic farmers I know can afford certification. It’s just the large farmers.
5) The certification as it exists is weaker than ideal, in other words organic, Oregon Tilth. x Certified farms
Small farmers have not been helped.
Get Monsanto out of Washington. They need to stop making policy.
Columbia FTA hurts farmers in that country to keep growing legally any more.
Latin America “Free Trade” in general hurts the farmers and helps US corporations.
Which are subsidized.
Only large farms that produce cash grains are subsidized.
The subsidy program is loaded with waste money, which equates to higher taxes.
More loan programs have only gotten small farmers more in debt. (what they actually need is markets).
Attra.org, the one single useful government program got cut.
However, these local and organic farmers are the hope for our future.
Given the impending dollar devaluation soon, it is best to grow your own food.
These model farms are “grow what you would like to eat,” and then sell the extra.
It works at any scale.
The best scale, is zero expenses and 99% sustainability.
Oberlin, OH is a good example. The Jones farm markets to restaurants, schools, CSA and farm market.
In the future, mid-level clearinghouses will be necessary.
The restaurant economy relates to jobs, liesure/quality of living, farming, middle-manning, truck driving, check-out boy, shepherd, awareness, community, cross-links in the economy, industry, hardware, … , …
The USA has an abundance of good land.
If the largest farmers haven’t ruined it yet.
On stress and karma, an excerpt from “on becoming an Alchemist”
check this out:
“Stress is a major factor in many of the illnesses that afflict Americans, and our jobs are a frequent source of this stress. If we are getting sick from job stress, the most sensible remedy might be to quit the job, but people usually don’t. Why? Part of the reason is that they need the health insurance that comes with the job. Why? To pay for the treatment of the illnesses that come with the job! Try watching TV commercials from this perspective. Half of them are promoting products or activities that are likely to make you fat or stressed or sick, while the other half are promoting remedies for these conditions. Who benefits from this vicious circle?
The Corporation. It makes you sick, then sells you the remedy, meanwhile keeping you enslaved as a worker so you’ll have the means to pay for what makes you sick and what supposedly makes you better. … The circle above results from a collective lack of awareness. Those who happen to profit are merely our fellow sleepwalkers. The supposed beneficiaries of the whole thing are just as bewildered as it’s victims.”
All phenomena are interconnected. an infinitesimal change in one phenomenon will reverberate throughout the entire web. Even a slight “flutter” of consciousness is disruptive to an unconscious system.” Click “reblog” if you agree!
Farm Bill
Sustainable-food activists have been working for decades to place progressive, community-oriented programs into the ag-policy mix. These hard-fought victories, won during once-every-five-years Farm Bill wars, are vastly outweighed by things like the government’s corn-ethanol festish, or its hyper-aggressive trade policies.
But the food movement’s polictal gains are real, they’re fragile, and they need defending.
http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/06/gop-house-aims-its-pitchfork-food-system-reform
Update: what is happening with the farm bill?
So far, the House has passed the 2012 agriculture funding bill, with lots of cuts. http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/house-passes-fy12-funding-bill/
#organic gardens!
“By eating non organic food you can have:
• Low energy levels.
• A slow metabolism.
• Low libido/sex drive
• Depression.
• Little to no motivation.
Organic food can change all of this and give you a completely new out look on life. You will really notice a boost in energy levels!
The taste of organic food is not the only advantage. It really does change many aspects of your life.
It’s time change your bad habits and start a new life with organic food. I am going to help you along the way so you can set up your organic garden as fast as possible.”
More #health
With the advent of the sustainable agriculture season (we’ve been going in hoophouses for a while!), our community is making leaps and bounds in living healthy. #Health is an important topic in America— most are unhealthy— and it has to do with quantifying the benefits of food from Organic farms!
From a blog in College
I accurately predicted in 2008 exactly what I would be doing this next week in 2011! Check it out:Local Campaign:
Source: http://eddiemill.blogspot.com/2008/08/founding-business.html
-With organic farms can do Community Shared Agriculture shares to benefit from added diversity of production, for any size farm even those that can’t make it international.
-Uncertified organic “gardens” can be grown in backyard for family or market, if seed is made available that doesn’t need fertilizers or pesticides. Reduce dependence on (costly, external) food and boost family income.
-“Preserve your environment and stand up for your livelihood because their economics is not working.” Support local farmers. Support organic. Organize and lobby for fair laws (while using the existing ones)
-Once you’re big enough, join your local coop for shared investments and shipments. Coops can work with us for finding buyers, brokering deals, farmer education, flyers etc.
Scattered, and still some things to work out, but well on the way to becoming the material and flesh of venture capital. Just need a team of impassioned individuals— consider this an invitation to ask more.
-Eddie
