New Website, Peter Spencer's Rally, Pasture Cropping Case Study, Pasture Cropping with Tyne Combine and Coulters, Using Perennial Grass to Manage Tussock, Earth's Growing Nitrogen Threat, Monsanto Buying up Phosphorus, Dangers of Scrubbed Gypsum, Dirty Pigs and Healthy Pigs, Russia Rejects Chlorinated Chooks, To Freeze or Not to Freeze, BioControl, Basalt Stores CO2, US Farmers Challenge Climate Change, Polar Bears and Chemicals, Melting Glacier Blunder, Getting it Right No Matter What, Global Warming to Global Banking, Health Hazards of GM Corn, Lesson from Bt Cotton, State of the World 2010, Next Wave of External Investments?, Self-Cleaning Plastic, Green Electronics, Information Overload, Calling Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Members, Mid-Western Bioag News, Living Soils Conference - Swan Valley, Hugh Lovel Workshop, Weed Safari, Health (pavement sealants in house dust, Canadians taking vitamin D seriously, stop buying cheap jewellery, artificial sweeteners don't trick the brain, wheat and human disease, dangers of fortified foods), Quote, Cartoon, Miscellaneous, Events, Postscript

New Website

My old website is truly coming to a spluttering end. It even appears that mysterious 'trojans' have got to it recently. A new website has been created, from which this newsletter is being sent (hopefully!). It seems to look at feel relatively the same, but claims to have better features... No doubt there will be quite a few glitches along the way, so please feel free to email with any comments that may help improve it as we go.

Peter Spencer's Rally

A fitting end to his protest! The NSW Farmers’ Association is calling on farmers from NSW and beyond to join them in a rally at Parliament House. It will highlight the importance of property rights across a range of areas including native vegetation, water and mining as well as ‘just terms’ compensation. [About time]

But will governments take responsibility and leadership over these issues, or be bold enough to consider change? Judging by Tony Abbottt's remarks on radio recently - maybe not.

Pasture Cropping Case Study

Angus Maurice from Gillinghall, Wellington, Central West, NSW, Australia, gives us insight into the management history of one of the paddocks that they have been managing with Pasture Cropping practices after many years of conventional cropping. The regeneration has been slow, but steady progress is being made. He describes some of the issues they face, and illustrates how the soil has improved since the days when this paddock was managed by conventional cropping methods.

Pasture Cropping with Tyne Combine and Coulters

Alan Clarke is a farmer in country New South Wales, in the Bland Shire. Alan is new to Pasture Cropping and has modified his Tyne Combine by making and installing Coulters on the front of the machine in order to cut through the grasses, and by doing so prevent valuable groundcover being pulled out of the ground. Alan is hoping to recruit native grasses on his paddocks by increasing the ground cover, while still growing crops in a profitable manner.

Using Perennial Grass to Manage Tussock

Southern Tablelands farm manager, Philip Bush, has turned to perennial pastures as a weapon in the fight against the noxious weed, serrated tussock. Mr Bush has introduced a perennial pasture establishment program to provide competition against the tussock and to improve the effectiveness of a long-running spraying campaign.

Earth's Growing Nitrogen Threat

The world is awash in man-made “reactive” nitrogen (the chemically active form). While greening farms worldwide, much nitrogen washes into lakes, rivers, and the sea, causing rampant algae growth. More nitrogen billows from power-plant smokestacks, blowing in the wind until it settles as acid rain. Still other nitrogen gases remain in the atmosphere consuming the ozone layer. Nitrous oxide is nearly 300 times as potent as carbon dioxide – considered the leading cause of climate change – and the third most threatening greenhouse gas overall.

Monsanto Buying Up Phosphorus

For Monsanto, the primary use of elemental phosphorus is for making the active ingredient in Roundup brand agricultural herbicides. And the rate of Roundup use is rapidly rising, especially since the introduction of GM crops. Coincidentally Monsanto appear to be buying up phosphorus mines. [Of course you can't have agriculture without Roundup...or should that be Roundup without agriculture?]

Dangers of Scrubbed Gypsum

The U.S. government is encouraging farmers to spread a chalky waste from coal-fired power plants on their fields to loosen and fertilize soil. The material is produced by power plant "scrubbers" that remove acid-rain-causing sulfur dioxide from plant emissions. The substance is a synthetic form of the mineral gypsum, and it also contains mercury, arsenic, lead and other heavy metals . [I have had experiences with this material spread locally and had only small concerns about it at the time - but it is a concentrated waste by-product, so perhaps not the best choice if trying to nurture your soils]

Dirty Pigs are Healthy Pigs

Research has shown how dirty piglets obtain 'friendly' bacteria that help them to develop healthy immune systems later in life. This study provides the first direct link between dirty living, immune health and genetic expression. They also indicate that manipulating gut bacteria early in life might reduce allergies and other autoimmune diseases.

Russia Rejects Chlorined Chooks

Russia banned US poultry treated with chlorine as an anti-microbial treatment during processing. The EU imposed a similar ban 12 years ago, which has become one of the longest-running trade disputes with the US. The US industry group said that whatever the outcome, it would not consider abandoning the use of chlorine because of the lack of alternatives that are as effective as the chemical in destroying harmful bacteria. [By the way, most chooks in Australia are also chlorine treated - hence why I try to buy organic chooks, like Inglewood Farms]

To Freeze or Not to Freeze

Surviving winter in the great outdoors is difficult especially when body temperature is unregulated and subjected to subfreezing temperatures. Insects and amphibians have some remarkable adaptations that enable them to successfully over-winter. Insects either allow themselves to freeze or they avoid freezing altogether. Each strategy is not without risks.

BioControl

A small agricultural business based in a few modest sized industrial units at Richmond on Sydney’s north-western outskirts has virtually stolen the market for control of heliothis caterpillar in Australian sorghum crops. It has done it with the virus-based product, Vivus Max, and is the only company in Australia that makes species-specific virus based insecticides.

Basalt Stores CO2

Basalt, it turns out, is capable of performing what seems like sheer alchemy: It can transform normally buoyant CO2 dissolved in water into something decidedly non-buoyant—solid rock. Essentially, a series of chemical reactions combines carbon dioxide with calcium in the basalt to form calcium carbonate, or limestone. Globally, potential for carbon storage in formations of basalt and other "ultramafic" rocks (those with minerals that react with carbon dioxide to form more minerals) could be enormous.

US Farmers Challenge Climate Change

Much of current global warming theory is based on distortions of scientific evidence, blind devotion to simple notion and outright greed. “The question is, how does society respond to it—hysterically or rationally?”

Polar Bears and Chemicals

The long term survival of polar bears is being threatened by man-made pollution that is reaching the Arctic. "Stress" linked to pollutants and shrinking sea ice appeared to be shrinking polar bears. But curiously climate change is still mentioned, but more as an exacerbating effect... [Could it really be man-made poisons that are causing the real problems - not climate change per say?]

Melting Glacier Blunder

The peak UN body on climate change has been dealt another humiliating blow to its credibility after it was revealed a central claim of one of its benchmark reports - that most of the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035 because of global warming - was based on a 'speculative' claim by an obscure Indian scientist.

Getting it Right No Matter What

Talk about flip flops and  positioning yourself whether the world warms or cools....can these scientsts ever be wrong? It all seems more like hedging your bets both ways than real science... Arctic sea ice has increased by 26% since 2007, yet the staunch IPCC scientist, Latif, claim now that the oceans "have now gone into reverse, so winters like this one will become much more likely. Summers will also probably be cooler, and all this may well last two decades or longer." [Note that they still believe in global warming and disaster]

Global Warming to Global Banking

During Copenhagen, the people pulling the strings have clung to their central core themes: wealth transfer, world governance. Climate was actually a distant third on the priority list. It's not the amount of money that's the issue, it is instead the infrastructure required to administer the money and oversee its collection and expenditure. By agreeing to provide a vast sum on money in "climate compensation", the globalists have automatically created the need for a vast global bureaucracy to administer the programme.

Health Hazards of GM Corn

Monsanto’s own study has come back to bite them. They clearly concealed the results of this study, massaging the data until they could slide it by as supporting the safety of their product. It took an independent team of researchers to reexamine data and get the truth out. On top of these revelations, one former Monsanto scientist said he knew of several fellow Monsanto researchers involved in feeding studies who have all (secretly) switched to organic milk.

Lessons from Bt Cotton

This is a terrific open letter from Dr. Mae-Wan Ho of the Institute of Science in Society to Hilary Benn, UK Secretary of State for the Environment about the emerging problems associated with Bt Cotton.

State of the World 2010

Without an intentional cultural shift that values sustainability over consumerism, no government pledges or technological advances will be enough to rescue humanity from unacceptably hazardous environmental and climate risks, concludes the Worldwatch Institute in the latest edition of its flagship annual report, State of the World 2010: Transforming Cultures—From Consumerism to Sustainability. In 2006, people consumed $30.5 trillion worth of goods and services, up 28 percent from just 10 years earlier. This rise in consumption has resulted in a dramatic increase in resource extraction.

Next Wave of External Investments?

The dilemma for Canberra is how to ensure Australia capitalises on China's phenomenal economic growth without compromising integrity and national sovereignty, without selling the farm. Should we allow a foreign government - and an undemocratic regime at that with a history of brutality when it comes to dissent - to buy strategic Australian assets? The debate is destined to be clouded by vested interests on both sides of the political divide and where logic and rational argument will fall prey to cheap accusations of racism and xenophobia.

Self-Cleaning Plastic

Green Electronics

Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics, claims to "cut through the greenwash" to tell consumers which manufacturers are doing the most to mitigate the environmental impact of their products. This year Apple, Sony Ericsson and Nokia are leading the way for product ranges free of the most dangerous substances. Samsung, Dell, Lenovo and LG Electronics have all been penalized by the environmental NGO, who claim they have failed to follow through on promises to phase-out of toxic ingredients.

Information Overload

As certain scientists and philosophers see it, the discovery and dissemination of knowledge is far from being an unqualified boon. We might be in danger of knowing too much. The human craving for information makes censorship a particularly problematic response to any perceived information hazard - e.g. information that increases the power of biotechnology,  public publication of virus genomes, and even broadcasting events that can cause for bank runs.

Calling All Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Members

Until recently I was unaware of the events  unfolding in the BAA organisation, but have been requested to urgently piece together important aspects of the unfolding story onto my site, and also put myself up for nomination at the next AGM. Personally I am not keen on the direction the organisation seems to be taking, and I have since learnt that most of the familar faces of biodynamics in Australia are also alarmed. I would like to invite you to catch up on what is happening by reading the story, and to then take action to have your voice heard, because it appears that major changes are being passed without the 'real' consent of most members. In addition there are also moves afoot to trademark the word 'biodynamic' so that only those following strict rules and pay for the right can use the word. Please email me for passwords.

Mid-Western BioAg News

Gary Zimmer's latest biological newsletter has been published and includes a great story on growing corn - 'Conventional agricultural plus bushels of corn per acre without applying purchased nitrogen. Sulzer Farms defies such ‘wisdom’ says you can’t grow 200 ‘conventional wisdom’ by replacing it with biological wisdom. And in so doing, they’re seeing excellent corn yields and other successful crops through using biological principles.' It also includes Gary's definition of soil fertility 10 tips for improving crop quality, how soil life makes soil minerals available, choosing forage genetics, and healthy dairy calves.

Living Soils Conference - Swan Valley

The Western Mineral Fertilisers' Living Soils Conference - Swan Valley 2010 will be held in Guildford on Wednesday 17th February 2010. Keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr Christine Jones, Dr Ash Martin and David Koutsoukis. This should be a very inspirational day!

Hugh Lovel Workshop

When nitrogen is right, everything else follows. Hugh Lovel will be presenting a 2-day workshop 6th & 7th February, Coffs Harbour, explaining how these minerals interact to create healthy fertile soils. The polarities of silica and lime are the goal posts between which everything in nature takes place. If nitrogen is taken up as amino acid nitrogen from constant microbial activity around the roots or in the plant tissues our plants will be highly vital and robust. Knowing the signs of getting a balance right is the key... Silica, Lime and Nitrogen 16/12/2009,01:17 303.14 Kb

Hugh provides more depth background to this workshop and how science and chemistry, not mysticism, forms the backbone to this way of farming.

Weed Safari

A bus tour of various field sites with industry and department advisors. The day consists of weed identification and expert management tips. Touring a new area! Including Giant Parramatta Grass, fireweed and more - some covered in Tenterfield and other new weeds - join the Safari to see weeds in the paddocks around Stanthorpe. 11th February 2010. Phone the Landcare Office on 02 67363500 - or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more detail.

Health

Pavement Sealants in House Dust

Chemicals in a cancer-causing substance used to seal pavement, parking lots and driveways across the U.S. are showing up at alarming levels in dust in homes, prompting concerns about the potential health effects of long-term exposure, a new study shows.

Canadians Taking Vitamin D Seriously

Canada is experiencing an incredible surge in vitamin D testing, following a flurry of studies suggesting that low blood levels of the sunshine vitamin could be a contributing factor in many common cancers, adult onset diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. A report estimated that 5% of Canadians are so deficient as to be at risk of bone diseases such as rickets. Another 10 to 25% were considered to have insufficiencies leading to elevated parathyroid hormone readings. Such readings may indicate that a person's metabolic system, unable to get enough calcium from food, has to scavenge it from bones to meet the body's need.

Stop Buying Cheap Jewellery

The US's product safety agency issued an unprecedented warning to parents: Don't give your children cheap metal jewellery. And if they already have some, toss it because it could contain hazardous levels of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Children who chew, suck on or swallow a bracelet charm or necklace may be endangering their health.

Artificial Sweeteners Don't Trick the Brain

While artificial sweeteners may be able to confuse your taste buds, the suspicion is growing that your brain is not so easily fooled. Several studies suggest your brain has a way of detecting calories while food is still in your mouth. And if your brain is not satisfied, there’s a good chance you’ll go looking for another sweet treat later on, perhaps one that’s even bigger and more calorie-rich than the original version you were trying to avoid.

Wheat and Human Disease

Lectin is a type of 'wheat germ agglutinin' (WGA) and glycoprotein. Through thousands of years of selectively breeding wheat for increasingly larger quantities of protein, the concentration of WGA lectin has increased proportionately. WGA is largely responsible for many of wheat's pervasive ill effects. This may explain why chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions are endemic to wheat-consuming populations. It may even be more serious than gluten intolerance.

Dangers of Fortified Foods

Generally fortified or enriched processed foods use synthetic additives which are often useless, or in some cases harmful to your health. For example, synthetic vitamin D becomes toxic in your body at far lower levels than natural Vitamin D, and as this magnetic demonstration shows, iron fortification is no better than literally putting iron filings into your food!

Quote

Cartoon

Miscellaneous

I have become fascinated by sacred geometry (along with Vedic Mathematics, which is arguable also sacred), and found this article by Jain a wonderful though-provoker. Vesica Piscis - the mother of all forms. Even Mastercard uses the symbol!

Events

* Hugh Lovel Workshop - Coffs Harbour NSW 6th - 7th February 2010.

* Weed Safari - Stanthorpe Qld 11th February 2010.

* Living Soils Conference  - Guildford WA 17th February 2010.

Postscript

Billion not Trillion

The next time you hear a politician use the word ‘billion’ in a casual manner, think about whether you want the ‘politicians’ spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago, the year was 1 A.D.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate the US government is spending it.

Stories of the bizarre!

A Swiss watch found in a 400 year old tomb

The 12 Oddest Stories for 2010

100 New Facts Gained in 2009

10 of the Narrowest Buildings in the World