Climate Change and Pasture Cropping

All the dots are being joined and Christine Jones is absolutely on a roll bouncing from one Senate inquiry to another awing everyone involved with the undeniable evidence of soil carbon's role in climate change (and agriculture's promising future with healthy soils, plants, animals and ultimately drought-proofed whole landscapes etc) - she is currently in the midst of pulling together a national campaign around the fact that raising soil carbon levels by 0.5% over 2% of Australia's farmlands will be enough for Australia to become carbon neutral!! Just imagine... and its all so very do-able. Take the time to read this wonderful overview on how farming can and is being done. Notice the difference between the photos of conventional 'best practice' and pasture cropping - which one is alive and blooming?

Pasture Cropping in WA

Preliminary trials are indicating that pasture cropping is indeed likely to work in WA without loosing grain yield. Other estimates also indicated that eating meat produced from these perennial based systems may actually help reduce global warming. For example, it was estimated that 25 kilograms of CO2e were sequestered for each kilogram of cattle live weight sold.

Biosolids Not 100% Biosolids

While it is claimed that biosolids make perfectly good fertiliser - modern biosolids do not necessarily fit that bill. It is often made up of more than just faeces, urine, vomit, blood; but also synthetic hormones, heart pills, antibiotics, illicit drugs, Viagra. Bacteria, viruses, E. coli, parasites. Household cleaners, shampoo, solvents, pesticides and traces of arsenic, mercury, cadmium, lead, dioxins and flame retardants. Often it is only filtered, and not composted, making it a likely toxic stew that is now worrying many.

Not One Cent Going Towards Soil Carbon

Despite the Federal Government announcing an extra $46 in funds for climate change research for agriculture, nothing can be spared for measuring soil carbon on Australian farms. Hope has also been expressed that research is not just focused on agriculture as an emitter or polluter, but also recognises the potential contribution agriculture can make to reducing Australia's emissions.

ETS Uncertainties

How much assistance will agriculture get if it's not covered by an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a question now starting to be asked. "Agriculture will be still exposed to those higher prices through input costs, but because it's not a covered sector, it isn't clear what assistance will be provided." Another interesting point raised is: "The end user is paying their carbon charge when they are at the pump, buying fuel; but for some reason farmers have to pay before their produce goes outside the farm gate."

Cold Era Has Begun

While climate warmers continue to march towards enforcing a new carbon economy, there are predictions that things are not all as it seems. Since late 2006 the independent Space and Science Research Centre has predicted a downturn in our temperatures due to sunspot activity, which NASA have also documented, and have only decided to make the announcement public in January this year - particularly as there appears to be indications already appearing in our climate around the world.

Salicornia Wonder Plant

The crop is salicornia. It is nourished by seawater flowing from a man-made canal. And if you believe the American who is farming it, this incongruous swath of green has the potential to feed the world, fuel our vehicles and slow global warming.

GM Quiz Expose

It started off as a game of sleuthing, but the questions and answers to this quiz can help anyone see at a glimpse the bigger picture of what is happening to our food supply, and the behaviour of those companies involved - its all a far cry from cleverly worded PR statements about integrity!

2nd Generation GM Crops

The push for so-called second generation GM crops is obviously starting in earnest - more and more articles are referring to it on the back of climate change conversations. What is incredibly irritating is the assumption that drought proofing and better nitrogen use etc can only be fixed using biotechnology - rather than admitting that these problems have stemmed from poor agricultural practices in the first place, and go beyond the plant, and into the soil and the rest of the landscape. Its all about fixing symptoms, not causes - definitely the more profitable route of course.

Altered Milk

The milk we drink today is a far cry from the milk our grandparents drank, and it is set to change in the US even more if rBHG (genetically modified hormones) continues to be permitted into the supply chain. It is commonly referred to as 'crack for cows' and existing science points to likely links to cancer, but of course Monsanto got it through the FDA on very weak research data and glaring flaws in the regulatory process. Most disgustingly, companies have been sued by Monsanto for labelling their non-use use of rBHG! This story also has footage prepared for a Fox TV segment that was pulled after a letter from Monsanto's attorney threatened "dire consequences."

Europe Backing Off Biofuels

European officials proposed scaling back drastically on their goal of increasing Europe's use of biofuels, a major about-face on a central environmental and energy issue. Many are starting to warn that current goals for biofuel production could cause a global rise in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in poverty in the poorest countries.

Coal Makes You Sick

This will come as no surprise to the Caroona Coal Action Group (see attachment below sent through from one member) - coal does makes you sick. But apparently this same statement made by a US Senator recently created huge waves across the nation - triggering concern by some, shrugs of the shoulders by others, but panic for many in power for the fear it will turn public opinion against coal. Interesting, the message I get from all this is - if its toxic, but profitable - keep quiet! Coal is Toxic 10/07/2008,18:33 125.05 Kb

Edible Architecture

Its an idea that might catch on - design our city buildings, and entire urban landscapes, to fulfill our ever-growing need for food. To bring these ideas about, local authority planners have to take into account growing space at drawing board stage. And a change in attitude is required: "There's the idea that parks are for flowers and people, and farming is for food, and never the twain shall meet."

Zero Waste Town

A modern Japanese town has turned into into a zero waste community - there are no rubbish pick ups, no incinerators, just at home composting and a garbage centre that requires the whole community to separate their rubbish into 34 different categories - could this be everyone's future?

Massive Water Diversions

The Olympic Games are expected to increase Beijing's water consumption by at least 5 percent. Environmentalists claim that water transfers from north and south, along with a growing number of ultra-deep wells in the Karst Mountains near the city, are a recipe for environmental calamity though. Surrounding farmers are already experiencing extreme water shortages, and it is only set to continue with Beijing being one of the world's most water-scarce mega-cities, with a deficit of 324,000 acre-feet annually (1 acre-feet = approx 326,000 gallons).

Nanoparticle Genie

The regulations for these ingredients are so poorly regulated that it is entering a wide variety of products, some ingested by humans as food or medicine, without scrutiny or realistic safety checks. The alarming part is that even if it is decided that they need to be regulated, there would be no starting point because no-one even knows who or where they are being used - much is under commercial confidence or listed only as their non-nanoparticle counterpart...the genie is already well and truly out of the bottle on this technology.

Soft Rock Phosphate Price Increase

Oh dear, price increases continue. This time its Nutri-Tech's soft rock phosphate and the price increase is effective immediately. It is a wonderful source of calcium, phosphorus and silica, as well as a background of trace minerals. Being colloidal it can be taken up by plants readily and quickly. It is now $338inc per tonne bulk, ex Kingaroy. Still wonderful value compared to other synthetic sources of phosphorus and I tend to recommend broadcasting it at 125-300kg per hectare in dryland broadacre situations.

Bionutrient Solutions Crop Review

These are the final details for Bionutrient Solutions Annual Crop review in Goondiwindi on 30th & 31st July. As well as offering talks be Dr Christine Jones and Bart Davidson, Michael Eyres - consultant to large broadacre properties in WA and SA often using liquid inject technology and row support practices with great success will also giving some of his insights. Annual Review 08 10/07/2008,17:59 85.53 Kb

Wildflower Spring Walks

Stanthorpe's Rare Wildflower Consortium's Walks is preparing to run a series of wildflower walks: 24th August, 7th September, 5th October and 2nd November. The walks are open to anyone interested in learning more about the unique local flora of the Granite Belt. Walking with Wildflowers 10/07/2008,20:19 394.83 Kb

What's New...

Its very poor management, but I have discovered old stocks of products that are at incredibly attractive prices now...

Super humates are 100% soluble and are at the discounted prices of $55inc per 25kg bag ex Inverell. To put that in perspective, ordinary potassium humate granules (that are 85% soluble) is currently $82.50inc per 25kg bag + freight, and a similar 100% soluble product is $153.90inc per 25kg + freight. It is a powder, so not really ideal for planting blends, but perfect for use in liquid applications. There are 79 bags left in stock - contact me for more details.

Another terrific bargain is tech-grade MAP (ie soluble MAP) at $38.50inc per 25kg bag ex Inverell!! There are only 16 bags left.

Some other bargains include 20 litre drums of Phos-Life (micronised guano) @ $71.50inc ex Inverell, Nutri-Store Gold @ $16.50inc per 25kg bag ex Inverell, 20kg boxes of Tri-Kelp (100% soluble kelp) @ $288inc ex Inverell and other miscellaneous liquid fertilisers - NTS Fulvic 1400, NTS Liquid Humus, Cloak Spray Oil, Gyp-Life, Lime-Life, Nutri-Tech Black Gold, Cal-Tech, Phos-Force.

Sofenica - Part 52

Well things are not going well at all. Now that our builder has more detailed house plans to hand, he has been able to firm up his quote. We have had costing blow-outs half way through our house planning which resulted in cutting many rooms to bare minimum sizes, without compromising the integrity of the design too much. At the end of that exercise we were reassured that all was going to be fine and the house would come in on budget, if not below...

Now at the 11th hour we have just discovered that the house is now coming it at approx. $100,000 - $150,000 over budget!! We are a little stunned and have sat down to go through all the likely cost-cutting ideas we could conjure up - but after that exercise we looked at each other wondering why we would bother to build a house that was going to involve so many compromises - dumping many of the very features that drove our dream forward.

The other concern swirling around our conversation was the horribly volatile state of the global economy - did we really want to walk into to a situation where we were now going to be stretched pretty thin. After all, we are renting a comfortable house now, and are in a financially secure position. At this point we both graciously accepted that perhaps we leave the project for a year, and just see what happens in the meantime...

This morning we let the builder know our thoughts, but he has asked us for a couple more days while he pins down the last of the quote items and pulls it all together. Apparently he is still confident that he can met our target...so we are left holding our breath..

Health

Cholesterol

This is an excellent overview of how cholesterol works in the body. It is absolutely vital to health (in fact, all life). Cholesterol acts as the bandaid to inflammation (otherwise referred to as plaque), it does not cause it. Yet cholesterol lowering drugs stop cholesterol production while the inflammation continues unabated in the background. High cholesterol does signal health problems, but it is not the actual bad guy....conventional medicine has got it so so wrong. This is an absolute must read for anyone already on cholesterol medication, or being advised to go on it. Understand what is going on and help the body heal itself - you have a much better chance of living longer.

Besides, kicking the drug habit will help keep your money in your back pocket, not pouring it into the greedy coffers of multinational pharmaceutical companies - imagine your profits for the sale of one product rising 150% percent in 5 years...

Unethical or Not?

Many in the scientific community are alarmed at trials that will commence on the supposedly unproven chelation treatment for autistic children. Chelation treatment has been used by many desperate parents of autistic children for many years, often with great results - yet the claim is that it will be unethical to do this officially. Why? Parents will do it anyway and the alternative conventional approach offers little or no hope using drugs with numerous side-effects. Surely their role is not to condemn but track and measure - and perhaps do that for all the alternatives that are claiming some success.

Gardasil in the US

Although the roll-out of GARDASIL with an unparalleled multi-million dollar mass media advertising blitz has created a profitable market for the drug company that took huge losses from Vioxx injury/death lawsuits, the persistent reports of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) paralysis, arthritis, seizures and sudden loss of consciousness within 24 hours of vaccination continue to haunt the marketing campaign.

Drugs that Doctors Would Avoid

Doctors know which prescription and over-the-counter drugs are the most dangerous. This is a list of 8 common drugs that doctors know cause more harm than they supposedly give.

Sun, sun, sun

Having low vitamin D levels has been linked with deaths from heart disease and other causes, adding to growing evidence about the "sunshine" vitamin's role in good health. Vitamin D deficiency has also be linked to cancer - many people actually could do with more sunlight!

Healthcare Paradigms

This includes a great parable about the difference between conventional medicine and complementary medicine - the surgeon runs to save people drowning while the complementary doctor tries to work out why they are being pushed into the river - both have merits, but I guess I like the preventive approach personally.

Pill-Popping Pets

The practice of prescribing medications designed for humans to animals has grown substantially over the past decade and a half, and pharmaceutical companies have recently begun experimenting with a more direct strategy: marketing behavior-modification and "lifestyle" drugs specifically for pets. Our sick society is rubbing off on our pets too - why do we cling to our lifestyles so desperately?

Miscellaneous

An idea that many thought would never take off has - Paris rents out about 20,600 Vélib' bicycles with more than 1,450 self-service rental stations. The stations are only some 300 yards apart. The sturdy gray bicycles are being used all over Paris and are cheap to rent because they are subsidised by advertising. Its a great story that obviously still has some problems to overcome, but a success nonetheless. Not a bad public transport option...

Events

For all July events

For all August events

* Bionutrient Solutions Annual Crop Review - Goondiwindi Qld 30th - 31st July 2008.

* Walking with Wildflowers - Amiens Qld 24th August 2008.

* Walking with Wildflowers - Girraween National Park Qld 7th September 2008.

* Walking with Wildflowers - Pozieres Qld 5th October 2008.

* Walking with Wildflowrs - Girraween National Park 2nd November 2008.

Postscript

The Perfectionists Prayer

Dear God --

Help me not be a perfectionist. (Did I spell that correctly?)

Help me to relax about insignificant details, beginning tomorrow at 7:41:23 a.m. EST.

Help me to not try to run everything -- but, if You need some help, please feel free to ask me.

Help me to consider people's feelings, even if most of them are hypersensitive.

Help me to take responsibility for the consequences of my actions, even though they're usually not my fault.

Help me to be more laid back, and help me to do it exactly right.

Help me to take things more seriously -- especially laughter, parties, and dancing.

Give me patience, and I mean right now!

Help me to finish everything I sta

Help me to keep my mind on one thing -- oh, look, a bird -- at a time.

Help me to do only what I can, and trust for the rest. And could I get that in writing?

Keep me open to others' ideas, misguided though they may be.

Help me follow established procedures. Hey, wait -- this is wrong ...

Help me slow down andnotrushthroughwhatido.

Thank you. Amen

-- Author Unknown