Precious Soil

Soil that is used and abused is as nonrenewable as (and far more valuable than) oil. Unlike oil, it has no technological substitute - and no powerful friends in the halls of government. To the problem of soil loss, the industrialization of agriculture has added pollution by toxic chemicals, now universally present in our farmlands and streams. Some of this toxicity is associated with the widely acclaimed method of minimum tillage. Carbon sequestration would increase, and the husbandry of water and soil nutrients would become much more efficient under perennial crop/pasture systems. This is a lovely article from Wes Jackson and Wendell Berry (wonderful US ecoag advocates).

High Soil Carbon Gains

While the Carbon Myth Buster's try to tell you that it can't be done, farmers on the ground are simply getting on with the job and proving it for themselves and their own back pockets... Check out this case study in the Riverina using microbial stimulants and decreasing rates of conventional fertilisers. Not bad! If you are interested in more details or information contact Julian White of Fertile Farm  2008 Microsoil 08/01/2009,22:07 508.86 Kb

Trees or Pasture?

Each do have their place - but I thought this picture and commentary tells a mighty big story about what tree plantations do for water infiltration, and how effective managed grazing can be.

By mid December 2008 Patrick Francis' small farm "Moffitts" at Romsey central Victoria  was heading for its driest year on record - 350 mm year to date. (Last 11 years average is 530 mm, long-term average is 680 mm). On 13 and 14 December, 90 mm of rain fell.

The introduced perennial grass pastures are managed on year-round 14 week rest between grazings, so each paddock is stocked for around 30 days each year (four grazings per year). Maintenance of pasture mass throughout the year is paramount.

In 2008 Patrick opted not to buy in more stock as is usual in July, just finish the cows and calves on-hand, as he wasn't confident in the rainfall outlook. That turned out the right decision. Despite the low rainfall, once again by early December we had requests for agistment, as neighbours could see the amount of pasture available.

We didn't see any runoff in the pastures from the 90 mm in mid December. The only place we had any runoff was out of our bluegum plantations. But it didn't get far, all soaked into the perennial pastures.

People keep telling me plantations soak up the rainfall, our experience is that plantations allow runoff, and if high bulk pastures are below them these soak up the rainfall! We have one pasture paddock dam below a 4 ha blue gum plantation, it was the only paddock dam with water in it in 2008, all the other pasture dams are dry.

Livestock water is supplied by troughs. By the way soil carbon levels on "Moffitts" range between 3.5% and 4.5%. The average top 10 cm available phosphorus over the last nine years is 24 ppm (well above the DPI recommended level for pastures) yet no phosphate fertiliser has been applied since 2000. Cattle live weight sale off the property averages 230 kg/ha/year, stocking rate averages 2.3 dse/ha/100 mm rainfall. No hay or silage has been cut or purchased since 1999 .

Organic Fertiliser Cheats

Californian organic growers are learning that a popular "organic" fertiliser from California Liquid Fertiliser was spiked with synthetic fertiliser. It was reported in 2004, but was only ordered off the market in 2007. Interestingly, the same thing happened in Australia a few years ago - but with a lot less fanfare.

High Phosphate Foods

Inorganic phosphates are being added more commonly to processed food products than in the past (they are used to increase water retention and improve texture in meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery goods) with intakes rising by as much as 1000mg per day, depending on people's food choices. These high levels are now being linked to an increase in the size of some cancer tumours or stimulated growth of the tumours.

Crops Absorb Antibiotics

People have long been exposed to antibiotics in meat and milk. Now, the new research shows that they also may be ingesting them from vegetables, perhaps even ones grown on organic farms. Vegetables such as corn, potatoes and lettuce absorb antibiotics when grown in soil fertilised with livestock manure. Composting though reduced concentrations of some antibiotics by up to 99%.

Australia Still Allows Endosulfan

More than 55 countries, including Britain, most other European Union members, and a number of Asian nations including the Philippines, Indonesia and South Korea, have outlawed the use of endosulfan as a pesticide for crops. New Zealand is the most recent country to institute a total ban. But the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority said it would not be revisiting its 2005 review of the chemical's use, and will continue to be used on tomatoes, carrots, beans, sweetcorn, peas, cereals, oilseeds, citrus fruit and cotton.

And on the same note I was alerted to this article on quarantined pigs in Asia. They were quarantined because of the illegal use of the drug beta agonist. Apparently the Australian intensive pig industry relies on this drug to survive and actually combines beta agonist (know as Paylean) with grown hormones! Come on Australia.

Simazine in Australian Pools

The herbicide simazine is used in Australian pool cleaners despite being banned for use in pools in the United States 15 years ago after being linked to cancer and sexual abnormalities in animals.

Drought Tolerant Corn Approval

Monsanto has filed for U.S. regulatory approval for what could be the world's first drought-tolerant corn. Monsanto said its first-generation drought-tolerant corn was in the final phase of development and should be launched early in the next decade.

A Call for Better Labeling

The self-confessed ‘agrarian socialist' and leader of the Nationals in the Senate, Barnaby Joyce is calling for better food labels. "Look at the ridiculous fight we are having trying to get Australian branding onto home-grown fruit and vegetables and foodstuffs. The majors are saying you can't have branding because it discriminates against imported products. That's exactly what I want it to do!" Its a pity his call doesn't include labeling for GM and cloned foods too.

Real Clean Coal?

A technology apparently exists which was developed in the U.S. during the 1920s by Lewis C. Karrick and is known as Low Temperature Carbonization of Coal [LTC], but its existence has been deliberately suppressed by vested interests in the U.S. The Karrick Process is capable of extracting from raw coal all of its chemical ingredients including oil and still retain a smokeless semi-char [coke] which burns much hotter and cleaner than the raw product. In fact, this technology evidences that burning raw coal is a wasteful polluting extravagance.

Hydrogen-Powered Tractor

New Holland, a top machinery maker is planning to unveil a hydrogen-powered tractor later this year. The concept envisages customers producing their own compressed hydrogen from water using a process called electrolysis, or directly from methane by burning waste, or from biomasses. "Farmers are in a unique position to benefit from hydrogen technology. They have the space to install alternative electricity generation systems, such as solar, wind, biomass or waste plants, and then store that power as hydrogen."

The System and the Poultry Industry

John Hodges, an animal geneticist provides a very thought provoking essay on what is wrong with the poultry industry, and the world in general. He highlights the disconnect between market forces and community and how traditional boundaries are being breached, including the Rule of Law, molecular biology and morality. I am not sure there is a solution for the profit driven poultry industry as he seems to suggest in conclusion - but what an wonderful expose of where our world has come from and where it is heading...  John Hodges paper 07/01/2009,22:44 197.92 Kb

Ecoroofs

Ecoroofs are apparently sprouting up in US suburbs. In some Asian and European countries, where the practice began centuries ago as sod roofs, officials are rewriting city codes to demand that new construction come equipped with green roofs. Ecoroofs reduce "urban island" heat, improve air quality by reducing temperatures and smog, and increase a building's insulation, which reduces energy consumption. Green roofs also create wildlife habitat and reduce storm-water runoff that can pollute streams.

Mysterious Pelicans

Disoriented and bruised California brown pelicans are landing on highways and airport runways and in farm fields, alleys and backyards miles from their normal coastal haunts. "We're a little freaked out by this," said a spokeswoman for the nonprofit WildRescue. "We've never seen anything like it."

Unintended Effects of Law

New US laws on lead in children's products, which is due to come in force in February, requires ALL products be tested for lead - which is expensive and likely to hurt manufacturers only doing short production runs. Secondhand stores could see that it would make their businesses completely unviable - so an exemption is on the drawing board, but the next potential victims are libraries - in theory all children's books would need to be tested whether they be old or new, for loan or sale... leaving them two options: "Either they take all the children's books off the shelves, or they ban children from the library."

Proper Pruning of Grapevines

What fun. I was sent through a video from a US subscriber, Lon Rombough, who happens to be the author of The Grape Grower. The video Proper Pruning of Grapevines is a marvelous in-the-field 'how to' on pruning grapes for both professionals and hobbyists. Now, unfortunately I do not know much about grapes, or the pruning there of, but it was all so straight forward and visual that I reckon that even I could now cane prune or spur prune - and even be able to make the appropriate choice of which technique when. It also shows methods for frost protection and layering. He recently gave a radio interview outlining more of his work and ideas on grapes.

Climate Innovator Competition

The prize is $75,000. The competition is to find the most promising innovations in every field which has a role to play in responding to climate change. The winning entry could be a technical advance in reducing emissions or a social innovation helping individuals become more resilient to the local impacts of climate change. Innovations which have been developed by large companies or which already have major financial support will not be considered. The competition closes for entries on January 30th.

Naturally Resourceful Short Courses

Queensland Murray-Darling Committee is holding Naturally Resourceful short courses for rural women during January and February (see dates below in Events) in Mitchell, Bollon and St George. The courses aim to develop skills and knowledge of natural resource management and sustainability in rural communities.

Carp Busters 2009

Do you want to help tackle a noxious pest while getting a line wet? The annual Carp Busters series of fishing competitions gives you just that chance. Events will be hosted in Thallon 21-22nd March, Surat 11-12th April, Goondiwindi 25-26th April, Mungindi 22-23rd August, St George 26-27th September and Dirranbandi 17-18th October.

Building Soil Carbon and Pasture-Cropping

Wow, what a combination - Christine Jones outlining the emerging story on soil carbon and Colin Seis explaining the advantages to both pasture and crops by using pasture cropping. The workshops and 1/2 day field trips will be held in Dalby 2-3 February and Yarraman 4-5 February. A must if you can.

Pasture Cropping No Kill Cropping

This should be good! Research from government agencies has confirmed that pasture cropping and no kill cropping enable perennial pastures to reestablish while successfully growing crops and that they will be more profitable than conventional systems. Join the producers that have made the change - including Colin Seis, Bruce Maynard and Angus Maurice. DVDs are also available. Next courses are in Inverell 2-3 March, Moree 5-6 March. Normally $550 per person, but BR-G CMA are fully subsidising these two. Numbers are limited.

Business of Farming Courses

The Calendar of events is finally up again, so I can now link you to Principle Focus' Business of Farming Courses that will all be held between 27 - 31 July 2009 across Australia at the following locations: Adelaide SA, Dubbo NSW, Ballarat Vic and Launceston Tas.  

Healing in the Home Tour

I have often included articles on health by Phillip Day in my health section. He was also recently in the life-changing movie - Food Matters. Based in the UK, he regularly does tours around the world, and is coming to Australia February - March with his Healing in the Home tour. He has wonderful information on health and has obviously changed many people's lives - including one of my subscribers who alerted me to the tour! See in Events for tours dates and places.

Health

What is Wrong with Bread

Before the 1950s, most bakeries in Australia, indeed the world, ran 2 shifts of workers because the dough was fermented throughout the night, long and slow. Then the US-based bakery giant Tip Top came to town and started to buy up all the small bakeries it could and introduced the fast loaf (3 hours from start to finish), effectively eliminating the need for half, or one entire shift, of their labour force. Gluten (if properly fermented) is a wonderful vegetable protein. The tremendous upsurge in cases of gluten, carbohydrate and lactose sensitivity is a totally modern phenomena, and finds its origins in quick, economically convenient, and incorrect food preparation.

The Full Vitamin D Story

Vitamin D, that you gain directly from the sun for free, is chronically deficient throughout our society. This is of course encouraged by conventional advice to avoid the sun as much as possible. But in fact, Vitamin D is the natural chemical actually needed to prevent an amazing array of disorders. The resistance to this news is extremely high, particularly among conventional doctors, but the research is coming out thick and fast in support of it. Find out how and why.

Fluoridation Facts

From both an ethical AND scientific point of view fluoridation is a nonsense and a poison, with very little data to support its so-called benefits. Yet Brisbane has just introduced it to their water system - what on earth goes on in the halls of authority?

Sun Gazing

People apparently heal themselves and often require no food for hundreds of days simply by staring and getting direct nourishment from the sun. As plants gain energy from the sun through photosynthesis, so humans can apparently activate internal organs to achieve a similar thing. The history is fascinating and the current theories intriguing, and despite the fact that it cannot be explained by conventional science yet, the results seem to speak for themselves.

Long Term Medication Can Cause Harm

Elderly people receive no benefit from long-term use of many common medicines, and their health may even improve if they stop taking them, a University of Sydney study has found. Apparently coming off medicines that affect the brain and nervous system, such as sleeping pills and antidepressants, improved people's mental abilities and reduced the likelihood of falls.

Hypocritical Advertising

The UK's Department of Health launched the Change4Life program aimed at families with children under 12, but has allowed sponsorship by commercial companies in the order of £200m which is said to include PepsiCo and Kellogg's!

Gardasil for Males

As predicted Merck are wanting to start a campaign to get the other half of the population onto Gardasil - yes, protecting boys for cervical cancer... well, the theory is to stop them sexually transmitting the virus. Not long ago regulators and government officials were questioned about this  likely future, and they scoffed. I wonder if they already knew it was on the cards?

And just for the record, it is not just the mercury content of vaccines that is causing concern. In this scientific talk the high levels of aluminum in vaccines and the risks are are posited as being far more important, and may actually be a precursor for mercury toxicity. The links between childhood disorders and aluminum toxicity is beyond stunning.

Miscellaneous

How to build a village - what a marvelous concept. I missed hearing Claude Lewenz talk at the Woodford Folk Festival last year, but certainly heard about him from so many people who did. The idea is the creation of a car-less village capped at 10,000 people brimming with promenades, and using computer technology. Its sounds utopian, but many of the solutions, most self-regulating, really do have great merit.

Events

For all January events

For all February events

* Naturally Resourceful Short Course - Mitchell Qld 13th, 20th January, 3rd, 10th February 2009.

* Naturally Resourceful Short Course - Bollon Qld 14th, 21st January, 4th, 11th February 2009.

* Naturally Resourceful Short Course - St George Qld 15th, 22nd January, 5th, 12th February 2009.

* Building Soil Carbon and Pasture Cropping - Dalby Qld 2nd - 3rd February 2009.

* Building Soil Carbon and Pasture Cropping - Yarraman Qld 4th - 5th February 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Adelaide SA 22nd February 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Melbourne Vic 24th February 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Perth WA 26th February 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Bunbury WA 27th February 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Gold Coast Qld 1st March 2009.

* Pasture Cropping No Kill Cropping - Inverell NSW 2nd - 3rd March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Brisbane Qld 3rd March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Caloundra Qld 4th March 2009.

* Pasture Cropping No Kill Cropping - Moree NSW 5th - 6th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Rockhampton Qld 6th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Mackay Qld 8th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Townsville Qld 10th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Cairns Qld 12th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Brisbane Qld 15th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Lismore NSW 16th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Coffs Harbour NSW 18th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Port Macquarie NSW 20th March 2009.

* Carp Busters - Thallon Qld 21st - 22nd March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Sydney NSW 23rd March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Canberra ACT 25th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Shepparton Vic 27th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Bendigo Vic 29th March 2009.

* Healing in the Home - Melbourne Vic 31st March 2009.

* Carp Busters -  Surat Qld 11th - 12th April 2009.

* Carp Busters - Goondiwindi Qld 25th - 26th April 2009.

* Business of Farming Course - Adelaide SA 27th - 31st July 2009.

* Business of Farming Course - Dubbo NSW 27th - 31st July 2009.

* Business of Farming Course - Ballarat Vic 27th - 31st July 2009.

* Business of Farming Course - Launceston Tas 27th - 31st July 2009.

* Carp Busters - Mungindi NSW 22nd - 23rd August 2009.

* Carp Busters  - St George Qld 26th - 27th September 2009.

* Carp Busters - Dirranbandi Qld 17th - 18th October 2009.

Postscript

Think you are having a bad day? Check out this lovely video - puts everything into perspective using everyone else's point of view...