Profit vs Production

In response to last week's article on Intelligent Farmers, Graham Hand (Holistic Management Training Land Monitoring and Planning) sent through the following observations:

And this is exactly my personal experience, over and over again - the profit message simply does not sink in - the production question eventually rules all conversations and thought patterns.

Organic Wool

The demand is there and it looks likely to grow with Marks and Spencer (UK) buying up and selling organic wool sweaters in their stores. The market is also actively testing the waters of not only organic wool but ZeroC02 "carbon neutral" wool, Generation W "ethically produced" wool and even Antipodes "heritage wool", where one family has produced wool from a particular area for six generations.

Enhanced Meat?

Its not just pumped up pork but turkey too apparently - they are injecting them with 'stuff' to enhance the juiciness and flavour, and no doubt charging more for it. How did it come to this? Naturally reared animals have plentiful juice and flavour - naturally. I wonder whether these turkeys are labeled as having been tampered with?

GM Through the Food Chain

In the UK there are moves to ensure GM is not entering the food chain through livestock feed. If the consumer reacts strongly enough, which it has in the past, and tracking GM inputs into meat is put into place, it cannot bode well for future importers of GM grain.

And here in Australia Coles have made it clear that they are not interested in stocking GM food. In the meantime both the Victorian and NSW governments are under pressure (politically) to lift the moratorium. It will be so so interesting to see who wins - politics and big money (using science), or the consumer (using reason and desire)....

And recent surveys of Japanese consumers are unequivocal - they do not want it.

And probably the biggest news on this front is the rejection of GM corn by EU officials. What fascinated me in this story is the statement: 'Some officials there are skeptical about a ban that would upset the powerful biotechnology industry and could exacerbate tensions with important EU trading partners like the United States.' As guessed, politics and money are integral to these sorts of decisions...and rocking the boat with the US plays centre role, not the wishes of the people.

The Natural Carbon Cycle

More evidence is trickling in about the natural carbon cycle, with many hints that we simply don't even understand it yet - particularly when the cycle is interfered with. Deforestration is illustrated in this example. How can we point the finger at burning hydrocarbons when our natural systems are so little understood?

Grazing for Profit

RCS are holding the wonderful Grazing for Profit School in Goondiwindi Qld 5th-12th March 2008. It is one of those extraordinary courses that seems to dramatically change peoples paradigms on farming - and life. From my experience of meeting RCS graduates - it is guaranteed to improve your outlook on life! I highly recommend it.

Sofenica - Part 19

Refrigeration has been a huge issue for me in creating a low input living space. I was given the wonderful book 'Sustainable House' by Michael Mobbs from my brother and sister-in-law as a birthday present, and it reconfirmed my concerns.

Michael discovered that even after reducing their energy consumption dramatically in their city terrace house, the refrigerator remained the most energy draining utility, making up a majority of their total energy bill in the end!

I felt that there had to be a way to keep food fresh without such an energy draw down so began playing with the idea of a fully straw-baled insulated room with a refrigeration unit installed in the wall. The idea being that the room would keep cold longer and the refrigeration unit would not need to run as much. But the humidity around earth rendered walls brought up images of moulds and fungi, and it was pointed out that the door and the unit installation created significant breaches in the integrity of the insulation.

Over time though a myriad of ideas, far more sensible in approach, started to emerge...

Health

Vaccination

This is an interesting overview on how we over medicate and over vaccinate our children with damning evidence, along with recent recalls supporting the argument. It also highlights the fact that veterinary science seems to be ahead of the game, reducing vaccination rates and even removing thimerosal due to observed negative effects - animal safety seemingly comes before human safety. And further, animals studies are indicating a strong link between vaccinations and autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately it is likely to be a long time before effects on humans will be acknowledged or studied though.

Last newsletter looked at the enforcing of mandatory vaccinations in America - and alarmingly, it really is happening, along with harassment and fines for doctors, to all out vilification of non-vaccinated personnel in their army. But it is also creeping into Australia. Surely all individual's have the right to choose whether they have medication intervention!

Dandruff is a fungal infection

Dandruff has been blamed on a lot of causes - but it appears that a yeast-like fungus is the trigger - but ultimately the question should really be 'why is the fungus taking up residence in the first place?' and that seems to rest with a fatty acid imbalance between Omega-3 fats and Omega-6 fats.

Early Puberty

I have heard this conversation for years, and it appears the phenomenon is happening in America as well (and perhaps throughout the western world). Apparently endocrine disrupters (think Bisphenol A, phthylates etc) have apparently been talked about anecdotally as the cause of early puberty by scientists for over 10 years, but is proving to be difficult to 'prove'. As is pointed out, it is difficult to prevent these chemical influences when they are often 'hidden' ingredients found in food packaging, carpets, plastic containers and most personal care products.

Stevia

Despite its non-approval in the US (in fact you are banned from referring to it as a sweetner), interest is building around the world for using this natural sweetner commercially - finally! Though I note that in this article they also refer to a process that rids the sweetner of its licorice-like aftertaste...I am left wondering if this tampering may convert this natural into a potentially unhealthy unnatural as many man-imposed processes seem to. And there is no doubt that the tampering is an aid to big business money generation with Coca-Cola having already filed 24 patent applications for the ingredient.

Miscellaneous

I have been tracking the rise of Congressman Ron Paul for a while, and it appears that while he is considered a back runner, he is still getting some remarkable runs on the board - recently raising $4million dollars in 24 hours, something that noone else has achieved. I am still very taken with his platform of going back to constitutional law to increase freedom and decrease government intervention, and hopefully a lot of American's are thinking the same way.

Events

For all November events

For all December events

* Grazing for Profit - Goondiwindi Qld 5th - 12th March 2008.

Postscript

This is fascinating - and quickly lets you know if you are a left brainer or a right brainer. When I first looked there was absolutely no way the image could possibly be viewed any other way except the way I saw it, but after looking and looking (and many moments of frustration) and looking it suddenly miraculously turned the other way, and then it became impossible to imagine it going any other way again. Weird.