Archive for the ‘Agriculture’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Test for hidden poisons in compost, manure, wheat straw

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Test peas affected by herbicide in mulch (yellowing leaves)

[Cat’s NOTE: This post, by ESP gardening presenter Don Bates, concerns herbicide damage to garden crops including tomatoes, peas, beans, lettuce and several other crops. The herbicide can be lurking in compost, manure and wheat straw, as well as airborne from sprays. See also my earlier post: Alert: Poisoned Soil, Compost, Manure]

by Don Bates, July 11

(all photos by Don Bates)

Given that many of our ESP community are gardeners, I thought this to be worth posting. It concerns an herbicide which is nearly ubiquitous, and so, probably off people’s radar.

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Compost, Gardening, Home & Ranch, Landscaping | 6 Comments »

Keeping Bees

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Honeybee

by Catherine Haug, June 25

(photo from bugguide.net/node/view/3080)

I continue to be fascinated by the craft of bee keeping, but not yet brave enough to do it myself. So far I’m contenting myself with encouraging my native mason bees, by giving them a bee block each spring for nesting.

This morning while listening to MTPR, I caught an NPR-Weekend Edition interview of Bill Turnbull about his hobby and book: Confessions of a Bad Beekeeper (what not to do when keeping bees [with apologies to my own]). I was reminded of Ronny’s excellent presentation at our February Gathering on Managing an Organic Beehive.

Mr. Turnbull captures wild swarms, something Ronny recommends, but I’ve not yet read the book, so I don’t know if he also keeps smaller (regressed) bees. Yet something he said in the interview rings with truth: “Keeping bees is a way of giving back [to the earth].”

You can listen to the 6-minute NPR interview at BBC Host Becomes A ‘Bad Beekeeper’. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Food-Nutrition-Health | Comments Closed

Updates on the Battle Against GMO

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

by Catherine Haug, June 2, 2011

The battle over GMO (genetically modified organisms)/GE (genetically engineered) foods continues in federal courts and in the court of public opinion. Several crops and foods are at the forefront of this battle.

[See my post Health Hazards of GMO Foods & Crops for more on what GMO/GE means, and how it can be hazardous for your health and that of your family.]

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Ecology, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO | Comments Closed

Health Hazards of GMO Foods & Crops

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

by Catherine Haug, May 31, 2011

What is GMO?

Do you really know what GMO means? The acronym means Genetically Modified Organism. A related term, GE, means Genetically Engineered.

Do you think GMO & GE are just fancy terms for genetic breeding to perfect a desired trait in a plant or animal? If so, you’d be wrong. And it probably isn’t good for you or your family. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Energy, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO, Health | Comments Closed

Feeding your Family — Or the World

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

by Catherine Haug, August 29, 2010

One of the most prevalent arguments used by the biotech companies and mainstream agriculture to justify the use of GMO seeds, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers is that such use is the only way to feed the world. They argue that organic methods cannot even come close. However, if GMO crops were safe, and they really want to feed the world, why have they made the seeds of GMO crops sterile, requiring farmers to buy more seeds for every crop?

On the other side of the debate are the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), and similar voices, who argue that the use of Organic methods is the only way to ensure the health of the soil and water through the generations, and can more than feed the world.

It is my understanding that we already have more than enough food to feed all people around the world. If this is true, and I believe it is, then why do so many go hungry?

For the answer to this conundrum, one has to go back in history, to the beginnings of colonization of primitive peoples by powerful, civilized Europe. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Community, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO | Comments Closed

In Support of Small Farmers & Gardeners

Friday, May 20th, 2011

by Catherine Haug, May 19, 2011

Did you see Mike Jopek’s piece in this week’s Flathead Beacon: Founding Farmers (05-18-11)? If not, check it out. He writes about how the USA’s founding fathers & former presidents George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were also farmers. And about recent efforts to protect small farmers and gardeners at the state and national legislative levels. He quotes Sen. Tester:

“If you eat, you are affected by the U.S. food policy.” (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO, Home & Ranch | Comments Closed

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »