15 Jul Fri 2011
How the "Farmer's Market"will reactto the DEFAULTS in the" FINANCIAL MARKET" , is the question to ask rather than "how to grow a tomato in a draught!
During the GREAT DEPRESSION the worst who were hit were the farmers and the factory workers.So far the GREAT DEEP RECESSION of our days is keeping us in a safe HAVEN altogether protected by trillions of DEBTS and virtually healthy market if you only read/watch the "DAYLIGHT"MAIN STRWEAM MEDIA .
Farmers unlike politicians and merchants have their hands dirty with soil .No blood on their hands and green fingers unless they have an animal farm .I mean an actual anim,al farm different than the one of GEORGE ORWELL. WELL ..you know what I mean..or don't you?
Come the financial draught news about the default and rising the level of national debt ..Are we going to receive those SOCIAL SECURITY checks in August or not.Some of my SENIOR friends are now considering to start a VICTORY garden in their backyards.
The news is not new to them , they lived in the DEPRESSION and they know how it looks like.So my senior citizen friend wants to get rid of the grass and start a tomasto garden..incase the socila security check did not arrive in August!
Here are some of the un MUTTED news to refresh your memory about the DEFAULT and the DEBT$ that iare threatening our daily bread and butter:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/43756545?par=ft
As thwey say it is good to know.If you want to get into it is BETTER to know more ...watch LAST WORDS FINANCIAL PROGRAM at CNBC .THE NIGHT LATE NEWS IS NOT THE SAME as the day light news..Is that why we have this as truth "BEING KEPT IN THE DARK".???Wake up and read /watch the LATE DARK NIGHT news.It is different!
14 Jul Thu 2011
Top ten tips- for the garden enthusiast new comers: How to EARN an Organic PRODUCTIVE GARDEN LEARNING?Without HURTING ANYONE!
There are a lot to learn in the gardening process.Here are some tips to consider in case you are considering taking some organic gardening classes;
From my experience teaching organic gardening in South Florida for the last ten years, I have gathered a fortune of advice to the new garden comers.Here are the top ten tips:
1-The head .The Heart.The Hands are your virtual garden tools.Eventually!USE THEM!Protect Them!
A)Clear your head from misconceptions-preconceived ideas-judgements apriori .Empty the excess baggage.
B)Open your heart to new dimensions of exploration and observations.Animals trust their instincts .Humans are more skeptical when they rely only on their heads.Try the heart and guts instincts .You will get connected to the earth vibration through the third eye and heart chakra.Garden is a Therapy and a Spiritual experience not just physical chore!
State a purpose like:You are going to LEARN HOW to grow and PROVIDE for Your Family and Save on the Grocery Bill ,for example!.You are not going to fight and chastise the messenger -in this case the garden teacher or mentor-You need time to digest what you learned .
C)Doing what you have learned will be the best.hands on classes fair better than the theory only classes.Your hands will be the tools to implement.Your body will be the vehicle to take you to the garden chores.So take care of both your hands and body and learn ERGONOMICS!
2-BE PATIENT.Gardening is a process.You have to learn how to get grounded and do nothing other than immersing your hands in the soil .Take a silence vow to be able to observe and meditate while in the garden.LISTEN!
Some of my students have the habit of a non stop chatting.They keep their cellphones handy.Their tongue muscle is always flexed while their hands and body muscles are fluffy and not trained to garden.Train and flex your whole body muscles not just your tongue!
3-Take more than one class in gardening.Try didderent and diverse teachers/mentors and benefit from the knowledge USING IT!
Give yourself the time when you are at the class to learn,observe,ask questions and please do not bring along your cell phone,dog,cat.
4-Respect other students and the place where you are invited to learn .Respect the mentor or garden teacher.Some people bring in their negative attitudes to the class.That is not the best thing to do.Instead:turn on the positive attitude with a smile on your face ,a peace in your heart and an open window in your brain.
Do not arrive late to the class.Do not leave early , especially sneaking without paying the class fee.Do not haggle the class fee.Do not ask racial profiling questions like:Where do you come from?You have an accent, I am curious?Etc.Respect all class associates regardless of their color,ethnic background,religion,race etc..
5-Do your home work :read the information posted at the Web sites of the school or garden teacher:Show that you are a partner in learning and doing what you learn!Bring on your garden questions.Follow class protocol.Avoid chatting in class.Silence your scell phone in class.If you disrupt you might be asked to leave.
6--Be prepared:Put on garden gear , that means no tank tops,no shorts and no flip flops.Pests may be present and garden bugs etc.. .Drink plenty of water .Use the restroom before you enter into the garden class.Take notes.Bring along a pad and pen.
7-Take deep breaths before ,during and after the class.Oxygen helps your brain and your muscles and circulation .Relax .Smell the roses or the herbs of the garden without mutilating or cutting them from their mother.Employ the faculty of TOUCH.It is OK .to touch the soil.the plant .Discard all fear from connecting to other form of life .gardening is the art of growing your living food.Be a live gardener.Beleive in what you are doing!
8-Start small :When you are not sure about the garden budget,the time commitment ,the space limit.
9-Check with your Doctor before you do any physical activity, if it is OK.Especially when you are on medication or disabilty.Learn Ergonomics .Follow safety procedures when in the garden.Florida weather is Extremely hot,humid.Pay attention and listen to your body.
10:Take rest often.Enjoy gardening .It is a THERAPY after all for Body Mind and Spirit..It is not a hard work ,if you work smart.Choose times when the weather is suitable to garden for you.Avoid alchohol , it dehidrates your body.Drink plenty of water.Breathe deeply and have fun.
13 Jul Wed 2011
Cell phones , ROUNDUP and the chemicals that are causing more diseases of no cure:Read this BIRTH DEFFECTS and more !
The United Nations recently released a report after conducting a study on the use of CELL Phones and Cancer.Unfortunately such news are not a big Headlines News by the Main Stream media.The public is being kept in the dark usually.It is better to light a candle of suppressed information rather than condemn the darkness as the Chinese proverb says!
Check out this link first about Roundup:
http://www.naturalnews.com/032920_Roundup_birth_defects.html
Cell phones caise cancer and head tumors.Beleive it or not?Check it out as the United Nations-World Health Organization reports:
http://www.businessinsider.com/cell-phones-cause-cancer-2011-5
I have dumped my cell phone,TV,Microwave long time ago.How about you?
12 Jul Tue 2011
Fighting GLOBAL WARMING locally here in S.Florida. THE CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON AGRICULTURE :How can you be THE SOLUTION?
How does climate change affect agriculture ?
Read how the draught is affecting 14 states from a recennt NYT and MSNBC reports :
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43718212/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/v
Simply speaking , I can relate to you what is happening from my observations as an urban farmer here in S.Florida.
We are on Water Restrictions extreme draught D$.Meaning that watering is allowed once a week in most of PBC.
Even though we started getting some rain releif lately, the Okeechobee lake is still below acceptable average level by two feet.
A friend of mine who owns a nherb farm is suffering dramatically as she has no water to irrigate her plants from the nearby canal .
The good news is that people are starting to take the situation seriously and save on water consumpyion.
The best bet is educating the public not punish their pockets in the beginning.
More people are feeling the heat in their wallets as the produce na dfood items prices move up.There is a trend to start growing their own food in backyards .I teach classes on organic gardening and my last class was fascilitated at the City of Lake Worth.The city is pioneering a Compost program .I am volunteering to teech composting and the class is for FREE.
More details at The Natural Awakening PBC Magazine and my event box @:
localharvest.org/farms/M20618
Education makes a difference.
05 Jul Tue 2011
Composting and the INORGANIC Soil Ammenmendts-Part ii
There are more of INORGANIC Ammendments to add to our list of ORGANIC Ammendments, such as :
1-Mica /Perlite/Vermiculite:Those volcanic minerals can store more than double their size of water.They are best for the S.Florida organic soil to keep the moisture, cooling off the roots nad distressing the plants from the heat factor!
2-Dolomite-Lime stone gounds: This is a rich source of calcium and trace minerals like magnesium and potasium.It is an inevitable source to keep the soil alkaline.Please :Always check with an experienced educated gardener/farmer before you add minerals to the soil , and ask for the for the right amounts.
3-Epsom Salt/Sea Salt:A vital food for the growth of plants especially need by the plant root system.
4-Borax: A great trace mineral source for Boron , necessary for maintaing a healthy plant immune system .Also plays an importanmt role in the assimilation and absorption of vital nutrients to the plants.
5-Phosphouros Rock Grounds:Phosphouros is an essential nutrient for the roo system .It encourages plant growth and helps the plant cell MITOCHONDRIA manufacture ADP or Adino Tri Phosphate (Energy).
6-Gluconite:Msainly known for GREEN SAND:This mineral is rich in POTASSIUM.
7- Wood Ash:Excellent source for trace minerals like potassium,calcium,magnesium and more..
8-Natural Iron:Much needed to strengthen the plant immune system and carry oxygen molecule in the PHOTOSYNTHESIS PROCESS.When you notice a pale leaf color then this is a sign of ANEMIC PLANT,generally speaking.
9-Natural Copper:Helps fend off fungus .
10-Most periodic table trace minerals like Sinc,Magnesium,Manganese etc..in minute ammounts ,are significant for maintaing the health of plants.
Usually salts and minerals fall into the INORGANIC category that s why we separated them from the Top TEN Organic Ammendments Top Ten.Minerals is the new wave to use in the Organic Garden.
MINERALS ,not just NPK is the new wave YES!Why? Because the soil has been depleted by MUCH of tropical rain devoiding the soil of most precious electrolite minerals through out time .The soil has been instead saturated with chemical fertilizers that poisoned and killed much of the beneficial worms.organuism and good bacteria in the soil.Long time ago the top soil was lost/depleted and the HUMUS disappeared after the intropduction of the machinary and chemiclfertilizers into HORTICULTURE by the BIG AGRI BUSINESS.
Minerals now are needed to replenish the soil and ammend it more than anything else(Examople:Nitrogen).The HYDROPONIC way of agriculure now is using JUST THAT.MORE OF MINERALS like:IRON-CALCIUM-MAGNESIUM-TRACE MINERALS :ZINC-COPPER-BORON etc..
SOME ammendmenrts could be added directly to the soil ,and sometimes to the compost.Talking about compost , it is important to differentiate between two kinds of Organic Matter thaty we add into the compost bin:
A-Green Manure, mainly rich in nitrogen, organic matter: 1-Kitchen Scrappings.2-Coffee/tea grounds.3-Grass clippings.4-Horse/chicjen manure.5-Seaweed.6-Blood meal .7-Fish emulsion.8-Cotton seed meal.
B-Brown Mnaure, mainly rich in carbon, organic matter: 1-Untreated wood saw dust.2-Yard leaves .3-Bark.4-Peat moss.5-Untreated wood chips.6-Paper /Newspaper shreds.7-Pine straw.
Composting the “Lasagna Way” will discuss how to alternate layers of Green and Brown Manure in the COMPOST BIN:
ANEAROBIC-THE CLOSED COMPOST MACHINE(CCP) .Especially preferred by those who live in gated communities/neighborhoods ‘It is considered by some as the best way to compost in the city.It deters animals/pests and controls odors .Another way to prevent odor is to add sprinkle a dash of BAKING SODA.
AEROBIC: Especially preferred by those who live in the country and or have physical disabilities or prefer not to turn the compost, a second Open Compost Pile (OCP) is suggested (no cover top). It is the second stage (AEROBIC) process that receives compost from the ANEAROBIC CLOSED BIN (Compost Machine) and adds it into the Open Compost pile.
In S.Floida it is worth mentioning that the PERFECT TIME TO COMPOST IS ;SUMMER.
Why?Because the four elements :AIR-EARTH-WATER-FIRE culminate into a PEAK of abundance .More of rain ,humidity-heat happen during the summer to cook and produce more COMPOST.So , get your compost bin ready and start recycling all that kitchen scrapps and yard leaves that were clogging the garbage collecting system.You save on the environment fcarbon foot print.tax payers recycling bill and at the same time you save on the garden center bill by producing your own soil.
Supplementing your S.Florida soil with TOP TEN Organic Ammendments-Part I
Most new comers to S.Florida productive urban farming fall into the trap of the beach sandy soil in their back and front yard.
They end up in the garden center spending fortunes on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.For those who are familiar with organic gardening the case is not so.
Recently many research studies have revealed that pesticides and chemical fertilizers are harmful for the earth soil population ,plants and humans that comnsume vegetables contaminated with synthetic chemicals.Check out the following web sites for more info about pestyicides contamination of food :
http://www.organicconsumers.org
What are the alternatives to Chemical fertilizers and pesticides?
In Europe there has been a trend to ammend the soil different than we usually do in the US.Europeans are steering clear from Genetically Modified Organisms crops and Synthetic chemicals.
Here are some suggestions of what we can use from the perspective of Organic and Bio-dynamic Natural Farming.
1) Peat Moss:Some call it Sphagnum.It is an organic matter that has a fluffy texture , perfect to hold moisture.It tends to be neutrasl slightly acidic.
2)HUMUS /Worm castings ,not just cow manure saturated with hormones-antibiotics etc
3)Shredded newspapers/papers,a good food source for worms.
4)Composted Acceptable Manures:I personally prefer to use composted horse manure and home grown FREE RANGE chiken manure.Both manures from the above are free from hormones,antibiotics and other chemical contaminents.
5)Organic Coffee /TEA Grounds:Rich in organic nitrogen.A great food source for worms.
6)COTTONSEED MEAL:Rich in organic Nitrogen-Phosphorous and Potassium.Add directly to soil.
7)Blood Meal:Rich in organic nitrogen.Add directly to compost.Add as tea or diredctly to soil
8)Bone Meal:Rich in phosphouros.Add directly to soil or as tea.
9)Fish Emulsion:Rich in organic Nitrogen.Add directly to compost or as tea to soil.Also some use as spray to deterr garden pests .
10)Alfalfa Meal:Rich in Minerals and nitrogen.Add directly to soil or as tea.
There are more INorganic Ammendments to be revealed in the following part -II .
29 Jun Wed 2011
FOOD INDEPENDENCE
27 Jun Mon 2011
Finally it RAINED..in S.Florida.Thank you Father Heaven!The plants are Happily growing thereafter!HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY
Why th eNews papers always sound the ALARM and print SAD news most of the TIME?This is making us turn off the TV and RADIO and NEWS PAPER and start employing our heads and hands in the garden.The news are bountiful and beautiful from the S.Florida garden.The rain finally hit the ground.
The taken for granted FOUR FREE valuables(FEWA ):,Fire,Earth ,Air ,WATER.They are really the ones that sustain LIFE on EARTH.It is not the computer or TV or the car or the fancy house and clothes that define our LIVES and who we are.It is not the paper money or the jobs we hold .It is simply the four elements.This will bring in the NUMBER FOUR.
Soon we will be celebrating FOURTH of JULY.Instead of lighting the sky with FIRES that might be sending flames into the EARTH and starting more BUSH FIRES.Let us plant a TREE or a GARDEN.
Make it a habit to save on the precious water.Let us start to grow our own food and declare our INDEPENDENCE from the IMPORTED produce .
I am celebrating this FOURTH of JULY by adding more gardens to our precious land.A PRODUCTIVE garden will be born in Jupiter on July 1st and I will be involved .Happy Fourth of JULY!
10 Jun Fri 2011
Climate Change: DRAUGHT,wild fires,twisters,floodings are just messages to stop the man made insanity ! .
The water restrictions are now being upgraded to once a week here at WPB. The DRAUGHT is OFFICIALLY SEVERE in PBC.Take a tour to the neighboring Palm Beach Island the home of the rich and the supper rich.You will notice the high class clubs lawns and golf courses ..shinning super green.Thanks to an exceptional approval to use the water to keep the lawns and golf courses green , what about water restrictions being not applied to some gated communities ,rich and super rich clubs,golf courses and mansions both in WPB and Palm Beach ?
Here are some reports about the draught by the Post worth looking at:
Recently ,a project was approved by a local city commisioners to beautify a major road with grass and landscaping.The landscaping project costs one million.Forget about the irrigation cost ..what about the draught water restrictions compliance , while budget cuts to police,schools,fire dept and more are being also approved?Kind of confusing..What are the priorities in a draught?To beautify a meridian and spend more money on watering the grass while so many people are hungry and losing their jobs,homes and cars to the banks?
Water water every where to irrigate the grass ...but not enough water to drink or grow food.Ooops...water restrictions can be profitable by increasing the revenue from ticketting the offenders.That is a good thing!Yes????
06 Jun Mon 2011
Myplate or powerplate new food pyramid to choose from and whoare the ones who benefit from the food sibsidies ?
Now there is a new food pyramid called :myplate.If you did not know about it yet, it is time now to do so.
Here are some appetizers to choose from:
http://www.pcrm.org/newsletter/jun11/usda_food_plate.html
If it is good for you to eat more fruits and vegetables , then it is good news for produce farms and small farmers.But who is getting the subsidies and support to grow more of the produce?Are they the small organic farmers or the Big Agri business especially those who grow the grain for animals and use GMO seeds?
Is there an alternative to the new food pyramid or plate/ Check out :
mypowerplate.com
Bon Appetite
E-Coli and Food Scare in Europe any different from US?
There are so much politics going on to control the FOOD CHAIN production especially the organic food.
Instead of focusing on regulating the genetically modified organism(GMO) , the direction is going to the opposite side .
Here is a self esxplanatory video about the behind the scenes news that pop up every now and then to scare the hell of us:
http://www.youtube.com/organicconsumer#p/f/1/FCK0MTS4mvI
Small organic farmers are now on the rise nationally and they can be of an influential group to loby against GMO at the capitol and beyond.There are elections coming up next year, so why not start the process of spreading the awareness about who must run our food chain and who must not be in charge to ruin it.You decide.Your vote counts.Speak up and stand up for a NON_GMO food .Let the GMO labeling bells ring.
31 May Tue 2011
European cucumber contaminated with E-Coli
The new agricultural paradigm: New hardy zones to accomodate the Climate Changes and New home grown Farmers!
The supreme court UPHOLDS an Arizona 2007 law to hire only legal status employees.Check oput the New York Times front page headlines of today.Fourteen restaurants were raided and the owner fined 10 million for hiring illegal immigrants.Learn more about the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/us/politics/28immigration.html?_r=4
Also ,Check out :
http://conservativenewjersey.com/justices%E2%80%99-decision-on-illegal-immigration-emboldens-states
This is good news for the American work force who want to work menial jobs in restaurants/construction/farms with less pay and no insurance and benefits.Now let us find replacements for the ones fired to avoid more business banckruptcy!Now let us send more unemployed to work in the farms and restaurents targeted employing illegal immigrants.Now let us bring more opportunities for the LEGAL IMMIGRANTS who WANT to WORK in RESTAURANTS?HOTELS?FARMS...etc..
Canada has an immigration policy that attracts EDUCATED IMMIGRANTS.They have opportunities to fill for those who arrive to work and follow the law of the land.Why not follow Canada's immigration steps that enrich the ecconomy with skilled /educated immigrants .I beleive the Obama Administration is doing the right thing by targeting employers who hire illegal immigrants and break the law by doing so.The Administration is sending a message by hurting the law breakers at their pockets!
There is CHANGE in the AIR!
Climate changes are now adding more hardships to farmers and gardeners.In addition to the unprecedented current floodings/twisters-tornadoes that are destroying more of towns and structures, the impact on crops production is not that better either.More crops are lost as the inclement weather harvests / destroys the crops as well as the homes!
There is now a new map on the works for new Agriculture Hardy Zones to replace the old one.We need more helping hands reaching out to the small farmers community.Your voice counts in the coming elections.Vote for small farmers in office who REALLY stand up for the farmers and not for the LOBBIESTS of BIG AGRI-BUSINESS!!
27 May Fri 2011
Fighting GLOBAL WARMING locally here in S.Florida. THE CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON AGRICULTURE :How can you be THE SOLUTION?
How does climate change affect agriculture ?
Simply speaking , I can relate to you what is happening from my observations as an urban farmer here in S.Florida.
The coconut palm trees stopped producing as much coconuts for the last three years .As a matter of fact I can relate a story of an acquaintance who has lost most of his coconut grove .
The citrus trees has been reduced by a Canker disease that fell down so many healthy and unhealthy trees .There are so many home owners who are now collecting money for the WRONG cutting of their healthy citrus trees .How about those who made the WRONG decision to cut the treas?
Are they still keep their jobs!?
Cutting a tree and its effects on the climate warming..who does not know that trees absorb CO2? Still trees are being cut right and left..Ask why we are having draughts , floods hurricanes and tsunamees?
Take the RAIN FOREST for example.Why is it called so?
Forests attract rain..It is so simple.Trees absorb carbon emissions and release oxygen.Is it legal to cut trees ?Here is a story which answers the question:
I heard in the news about some local activists who tried to show their support by climbing and camping on top of them to attract PUBLIC NOTICE in a DRAMATIC way!!!! I mean this is an exagertion kind of "support our trees" campaign by camping on them!!!.Consequently ,they were arrested and the trees were cut down!!!What!!!!!
The EARTH needs more trees PLANTED not cut down..In Switzerland , there is a LAW against cutting down vegetation haphazardly!How about here?Well , some good news are coming up.
A small town in S.Florida is leading by example .Lake Worth has a COMPOSTING PROGRAM going on.Residents who wish to attend the FREE workshops on composting , receive compost bins at reduced discounted prices through rebates.
Those are good news and solutions to combat the global warming LOCALLY.Imagine more cities follow through Lake Worth example of COMPOSTING and RECYCLING our trash into the garden rather than to the Garbage BIN!!!
As the heat builds up , changing green grass to brown .
As the rain falls short and the rivers flood town.
We show " green thumbs up ..(and the4 brown thumb down)
Some good news to cheer u up...(and stop that dumb moan):
http://www.earthman.tv/2004/forums/index.php?showtopic=120
29 Apr Fri 2011
Come and celebtrate the Composting Awareness Week with us : Attend a FREE Composting class
The most valuable things in life are FREE.
They are the four elements of CREATION as called by the Native Americans:AIR-WATER-EARTH-FIRE.
Beleive it or not..they are also the necessary elements that you need to CREATE COMPOST.
What is Compost?.Simply said , it is end product of the decomposition process of organic matter .Compost is the basic ingredient of SOIL.
Lincoln once wqas qouted as saying:"The next endangered species on EARTH is :SOIL".
The HUMUS it was called in Latin.Soil was called HUMUS in the beginning when life was formed.HUMUSAPIENS we were called in Latin, later transfigured in English to become:HOMO-S-apiens(The word Ape was taken from there!Give glory to FREUD))or the DWELLERS of EARTH.
Back to composting.I am fascilitating a FREE class on Composting in collaboration with the City of Lake Worth to spread the awareness .
Keeping in mind that most valuable things are FREE...Humbly speaking,I beleive my FREE class also will be valuable , if you decided to change the color of your thumb from brown into green !!!
The FREE class will be offered in S.Florida..In case you live close by , then you are WELCOME to attend . More info at my web link below... .Check the events calender to RSVP:
localharvest.org/farms/M20618
More info about the Composting Awareness Week @:
http://www.compostingcoucil.com
Happy composting