Twin-N

There are lots of new information, stories and tips coming out on Twin-N. Guy Webb of Gaia Consultancy has put together some great information sheets which you can download, and the following comments have filtered back from overseas:

Kenya - Wheat

"Urea/CAN topdressing looked very lush compared to TwinN but had a high number of shriveled grains that lowered yield below TwinN yields"

"TwinN + Nutrikelp fields were our highest yielding fields, 25 bags per acre vs 18 bags average."

South Africa

"Yes we have a lot of confidence in the product. So far we have excellent results and commercial use on wheat, barley, maize, beans and peas, salads, tomatoes, onions, jatropha, vanilla, citrus, lucern and cut flowers. We have ongoing trials on tobacco, sugar cane, tea, coffee, pineapples, avocados and rice.

"Application is key and clearly explained in the new literature. Clean equipment, mid to coarse nozzles, early morning sprays, damp conditions etc etc. Our failures have been when farmers apply in the mid day sun or on hot dry soils."

Note: Twin-N and Nutri-Kelp, as well as a wide range of other biological 'fertilisers' are readily available. Contact me.

Soil Carbon Linked to Soil Structure

The lack of experimental evidence, under Australian conditions, of the benefits of increasing soil organic matter has led some scientists to question the appropriateness of advising growers to increase organic matter inputs, according to this GRDC sponsored report. Therefore it is a relief to know that scientists are finally finding the evidence that the throughput of organic matter drives all soil biological processes, and potentially results in increased soil carbon, better soil structure, higher yields and lower input. Phew!

Land Care and Climate Change

The message is growing: land degradation and desertification is a contributor to climate change, responsible for about 30% of the world's greenhouse gas releases, as well as alterations in the water, temperature and energy balance of the planet. I wonder if the 30% includes water vapour gas emissions too? This Soil Conservation Service of Iceland report also states that soil and vegetation act as a sponge that holds and gradually releases water.

Animal Care and Methane

I wasn't aware of the methane issue brewing until I was referred to a great article in the Queensland Country Life (4th October 2007, page 7) where it highlights the growing concern by 'city folks' about the carbon footprint of their beef - apparently one city paper headline read: 'A kilogram of beef causes more greenhouse gas and other pollution than driving for three hours while leaving all the lights on back home'.

Perhaps this concern is quite valid for conventional practices, but many biological advocates have always claimed that healthy rumens do not blow as much methane out the backend, which science is now starting to prove. So on top of regenerative, carbon sequestering soil practices, it now appears that healthy livestock on these well managed pastures minimise the release of greenhouse gases too. Another win-win for a change away from conventional practices.

GM Hoodwinking

A recent survey by Biotechnology Australia is being used to tout consumer acceptance of GM crops - but the catch is that this survey did not ask the obvious question: How likely are you to eat any GM food? It was this question that pulled down the acceptance tally in their last survey...a seemingly deliberate omission!

But this is beautiful. A recent Rural Press survey indicated that Australian farmers overwhelmingly want ethanol mandated in Australian fuel, and more than 1/2 don't think genetically modified grain crops should be grown here - yet the National Farmers Federation does not support mandating the use of biofuels, and is pushing State Governments to lift their moratoriums on genetically modified crops (see The Land 4th October, page 6)!! Who is representing who??

It is interesting that the wine industry, where quality is paramount, will not consider GM, even despite the National Farmers' Federation warning to farmers and horticulturists that they need to adopt GM cropping as a matter of urgency to maintain their commercial competitiveness...

Can Science Save the World?

Obviously quite a few scientists believe they can - but their global ideas certainly leave me cold and alarmed - see what you think? I tend to stand by the paraphrased concept of Einstein - you cannot solve today's problems using the same thinking that created them...

US Subsidies

Oh to be an American corn producer - corn prices are booming due to ethanol demand, the farmer's shares in the local ethanol plant is booming boosted by government ethanol subsidies and legislation, land prices are booming because of the ethanol success...and just to keep the financial wheels greased, farmers also continue to receive their annual corn subsidy cheque. These "direct payments," a kind of annual allowance, are set by formula and go out automatically, regardless of prices, profits, yields or weather...wow.

Agistment

There has been another call for agistment. Approximately 60 weaners require agistment from Coonabarabran. If anyone can assist contact me.

McMaster Research Station Field Day

A free field day and bus tour of the McMaster Research Station outside Warialda NSW is being held on 19th October. It features trade displays and demonstrations of 8-year long mixed farming trials, subtropical pasture trials, precision agriculture and lots more.

Health & Environment Awareness Day

It is being said that our children may not out-live us. This Day in Narrabri on 13th October is designed to raise awareness about what we can do to help ourselves and our children. Guest speaker, Cyndi O'Meara, author of 'Changing Habits, Changing Lives' covers a wide range of health issues, along with Craig Salmon of Advanced Nutrients. Representatives from Aim Australia, Enjo, Young Living Essential Oils etc will also be there. Awareness Day 10/10/2007,20:55 58.14 Kb

Rural Business Breakfast Series

Pause Personalise and Pursue!!! David Hanlon, designer of the Logistics Association's Supply Chain Training and Education Award and business coach to Wendy Erhart, shares his experiences in building winning cultures within businesses. David is passionate about Rural Australia and was one of the founding directors of Resource Consulting Services (RCS) where he has provided leadership skilling to leading farmers nationally. These breakfasts will be held around northern NSW from 29th October - 1st November. See Events below.

Biodynamic Workshops

I highly recommend these workshops. They are wonderfully down to earth and practical, and what an amazingly effective but cheap way to produce high quality food and fibre! See Events below.

HSSF Soil Health Forums

The Irrigated Cotton and Grain HSSF project will hold three healthy soils regional forums next month. They will be held at Narrabri in NSW on November 7, at Goondiwindi Qld on November 8 and at Hillston in NSW on November 13. A flyer with the program can be emailed for the first two. Contact me.

Sofenica - Part 12

So after taking on board comments from those with real experience - we finally finalised our ideas on the design of our trombe walls. Or so we thought...

It just happened that the owner of the trombe walled house in Armidale is an artist and threw out some ideas right at the end of our visit which really started to stir the pot again. Perhaps instead of a blank dark wall, a mosaic or picture could be incorporated onto them, either facing internally or externally, or perhaps the walls don't need to be tall common rectangular walls - maybe they could become sculptors in their own right...

Wow! Needless to say, weeks later these new images are still circulating around in our minds and I am not sure we will reach any conclusions until the house construction begins.

By-the-way the trend towards buildings mimicking nature continues to expand with some really interesting innovations and ideas - ventilation systems based on termite mounds, desalination that imitates fog-basking beetles etc.

Dr Weston A Price

Dr. Weston A. Price was a dentist and dental researcher who went on an investigation that spanned the globe to determine why native populations, who ate traditional foods, exhibited perfect physical health well into old age. This is a great short video that runs through some of his discoveries and outlines the basics of diet and good health applicable to all humans.

Health

Stevia Unsafe?!

Unbelievable, but the FDA is calling stevia an unsafe food additive - a herb that has been used extensively over 1,500 years in South America. It really is becoming a political farce, particularly when the FDA claims synthetic sugars are perfectly safe...

For those who enjoy documentaries - this 2-part series on Big Sugar by the Canadian Broadcasting Commission provides a history on sugar politics starting back in the 1700s when sugar cane was first discovered. It highlights sugar's role in world politics, much like petroleum today, its ongoing links to slavery and the tousles between campaigners and the cartels. It juxtaposes this history with sugar's influence in today's society and its involvement in obesity. A really great eye-opener.

Personal Care Products

Reality TV has put two cosmetic junkies to the test - start to use natural products instead. Interestingly they were subjected to a urine test before and after and the levels of toxins in their bodies reduced dramatically. Are your personal care products harming you?

Fat-Dissolving Injections

My goodness, what next? It is extraordinary that consumers are willing to subject themselves to such treatments when ultimately the answer lies in lifestyle choices. How can these extreme, no doubt costly cosmetic fix-ups be seen as a solution?!

On the Nose Marketing

As suggested in this article - marketing has targeted every other human sense to increase sales, now its smell. I have heard of the real estate trick of a drop of vanilla in a warm oven during house inspections, but it will be interesting to see how pervasive this technique becomes. Hopefully it will involve the use of natural essential oils, not a barrage of synthetics.

And on the topic of marketing - marketing 'natural' products is no longer a simple affair as this article beautifully outlines. To stand out from the crowd, products now have to have outrageously nutritious additives or be able to prove a dangerous something-or-other has been removed from it or show that it's helping to save, if not the planet, at least a small tribe in the Amazonian jungle...

Codex Clarification

I have assumed that botanicals (ie herbs etc) where part of the Codex 'harmonisation' process, but currently only dietary supplements and fortified foods are under scrutiny with the aim of unifying the upper and lower levels for minerals and vitamins across the EU, and the world eventually. And apparently this has left botanicals in a precarious position - with strange rulings between countries. For example, in Germany the courts have classified cinnamon-containing dietetic foods carrying health claims as medicinal products. Therefore they cannot be marketed as foods. However, cinnamon-containing food supplements sold without any health claims can be...

Events

For all October events

For all November events

* Biodynamics for Dairy, Horticulture and Grazing - Paris Creek SA 11th-12th October 2007.

* Health & Environment Awareness Day - Narrabri NSW 13th October 2007.

* Biodynamics for Cropping and Grazing - Redmond WA 15th - 16th October 2007.

* McMaster Research Station Field Day - Warialda NSW 19th October 2007.

* Introductory Biodynamic Viticulture - Richmond Tas 24th - 25th October 2007.

* Introduction to Biodynamic for Grazing and Cropping - Perth Tas 26th - 27th October 2007.

* Rural Business Breakfast with David Hanlon - Inverell NSW 29th October 2007.

* Rural Business Breakfast with David Hanlon - Armidale NSW 30th October 2007.

* Rural Business Breakfast with David Hanlon - Tamworth NSW 31st October 2007.

* Rural Business Breakfast with David Hanlon - Gunnedah 1st November 2007.

* Biodynanamic Viticulture - Beechworth Vic 4th - 5th November 2007.

* HSSF Soil Health Forum - Narrabri NSW 7th November 2007.

* Introductory Biodynamic Viticulture - Mornington Peninsular Vic 7th - 8th November 2007.

* HSSF Soil Health Forum - Goondiwindi Qld 8th November 2007.

* HSSF Soil Health Forum - Hillston NSW 13th November 2007.

* Introduction to Biodynamics for Grazing and Cropping - Ubobo Qld 27th - 28th November 2007.

Postscript

Sit back and be consumed by the beauty of these scenes and messages - at the heart of peace.