The Power of Compost Tea

While this article does not mention names, the Soil Foodweb has been involved in converting Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo's roses to organic with tremendous success.

And while not the Soil Foodweb in this instance, Harvard University is getting into the compost and compost tea act too with extraordinary success. Amazing what a bit of biology can do. The whole campus is being converted.

Compost Tea at Sydney Harbour

This year the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority has been trialling the use of compost tea and various microbial food sources on the Bandstand Lawn at Darling Harbour, an area of Sydney Harbour with extremely heavy visitor loads. The trial was conducted over a 32 day period where differences emerged in penetrometer depths and recovery.

Cyanobacteria Pump in Soil Carbon

The ability of microscopic plants to increase soil carbon and nitrogen levels may hold the secret for land managers in Australia's arid landscape to benefit from bio-sequestration. "These single-celled micro-organisms were once called 'terrestrial blue green algae' and are now more correctly known as cyanobacteria, and well-managed grazing practices can encourage cyanobacterial soil crusts to thrive within their natural environment...Recent research on a global scale shows cyanobacterial soil and rock crusts account for significant amounts of net terrestrial carbon and more than 40 percent of biologically fixed nitrogen." 

Measuring Soil Carbon Conflicts

Dr Christine Jones is highly critical of a study that found phosphate fertiliser is the most important ingredient in soil to increase carbon by a significant amount. She suggests their sampling was flawed. Her methodology is very different by because sampling occurs over the entire property, and it is mapped with the GPS, to see "what is happening over time, and we're paying for the carbon that they've built in the soils over that time." The soil food web and microbial bridge is the key, she says. Photosynthesis may increase by 35%, because of the activities of organisms in the soils.

Cultivation Harms Soil Life

Traditional intensive cultivation has contributed to a loss of soil organic matter and has made soils more vulnerable to erosion, compaction, acidification, and drought. To counter this, the addition of crop residues by shallow cultivation, rather than deep ploughing, will assist in increasing microbial activity, leading to better soil stability and increased release of nutrients. The increased soil organisms will also release bonding agents to stabilise soil.

Pasture Cropping With Little Rain

Matt Barton's experience has led him to the decision of dry sowing his crops on his property at Wellington since 2007. Matt's way of approaching the timing of his cereal planting is to make use of the rain in crop rather than waiting for the rain before he plants anything at all. "Pasture cropping has a more effective water cycle than conventional farming, so you capture a lot more of a small fall to absorb into the crop, whereas conventional farming will have evaporation loss and poorer uptake by plants."

Cover Crop Case Study

The Burleigh County Soil Conservation District (Canada) web site has some great powerpoint presentations you can download on cover crops, soil health, and planning a grazing system. There are some interesting snippets of information and wonderful photos, particularly of cropping and pasture results.

Soil Biology Movies

This series of short videos provides terrific detail of soil life and covers a variety of soil organisms from earthworms and nematodes to bacteria and fungi. See the difference between mycorrhizae and actinomycetes etc. And have you ever heard of water bears?

Phytoremediation Using Trees

Phytoremediation "uses plants to absorb heavy metals from the soil into their roots." A trial site had been used which stored aircraft fuels from 1942 to 1991. The aim of the project was to prevent leaked fuels from reaching the nearby river through groundwater discharge using 3,000 fast growing trees. Initial results have been very encouraging and the amounts of fuel in the ground have decreased faster than expected.

Go Vegetarian to Save the World!?

Lord Nicholas Stern has advocated vegetarianism as a way of tackling climate change. "Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases." However, Cornell University research found that a purely vegetarian diet may not be the most efficient use of land. [Exactly - though they still miss the point that livestock actually maintain and improve soil carbon sequestration when managed properly. Of course, factory fed cattle cant do this]

Since this report, Stern has apparently backed down a little from his message, saying that he was not advocating vegetarianism but instead suggesting that consumers be aware of the greenhouse footprint of their dietary choices.

Re-relating to Food

Earlier this year, Michael Pollan (author of Omnivores Dilemma) posted a request for reader's rules about eating. Within days, he had received more than 2,500 responses, then selected his top 20. For example, It's better to pay the grocer than the doctor; Never eat something that is pretending to be something else (artificial sweeteners, margarine, etc.)...[Wonderful food for thought!]

The Carbon Footprint of Meat

A controversial new report claims that instead of 18% of global emissions being caused by meat, the true figure is 51%. They claim that official figures are wrong to ignore CO2 emitted by breathing animals on the basis that it is offset by carbon photosynthesised by their food, arguing the existence of this unnecessary animal-based CO2 amounts to 8.7bn tons of CO2e, 3.7% of total emissions. [Yes, get rid of the factory farming, but oh dear, what would happen to our landscapes without our naturally raised livestock to manage them -  little carbon sequestration and more carbon release...]

The Taste of Meat for Vegetarians

Enzyme treatment of Brassica proteins may give meat-like flavourings, allowing meat taste in vegetarian foods, suggest a new Chinese-Australian study. The Chinese and Australian researchers prepared proteins from Brassica sp. using an alkaline extraction followed by acid precipitation. This was followed by a double-enzyme hydrolysis. The hydrolysates were then used to produce meat-like flavourings by varying the pH and temperature. [Mmmm mmmm, exactly what the natural vegetarian was chasing...]

Processed Foods' Poor Image

Despite advantages of convenience, value, safety and maintaining freshness, the category of "processed foods" has, in the minds of consumers and the media, become the poster child for everything "unhealthy". Concerns consumers most associated directly with only processed foods were sodium content, artificial flavours or colours, chemicals with long names, and contributing to obesity. It's been suggested that a shift in perception is possible if the processed foods industry stops talking about "ingredients", starts using the "right words" and then fixes the messaging associated with its products.

I guess articles like this contribute to the poor perception: People reporting a high consumption of processed foods could be more likely to experience depression in middle age...

Protecting Food with Bacteria

Researchers trying to prevent salmonella contamination in tomatoes have stumbled upon what they believe are powerful, naturally occurring "good" bacteria that can slaughter the "bad" bacteria that have become a persistent problem in fresh fruits and vegetables because they harm humans. [Weirdly, this is reported as if it was a new discovery...]

Linking Pastures to Horse Health

Following on from an article in the newsletter a few weeks ago (see Affects of Pasture on Horses) I have been led to a wonderful website - Gotcha Equine - full of related articles and information - all about horses, problems and natural solutions. Well worth a browse.

Subsidising Farmers for Land Protection

The new US Conservation Stewardship Program aims to reward producers for how they farm rather than what they produce. Grain and cotton farmers have dominated traditional subsidy programs, but the Conservation Stewardship Program is available to producers in all 50 states no matter what kind of crop they grow. 

Vertical Farms

How do we feed a burgeoning human population without trashing our environment? Build vertical farms in city high-rise buildings. The technology is available to build "vertical farms" in city high-rise buildings that could use a mix of aeroponics, hydroponics and drip irrigation to grow four-season crops. Its calculated that a 30-storey high rise covering a city block would produce the equivalent of 970 ha of open farmland over the course of a year.

Who's Listening to Who?

[Just love this] "Rank and file" cattle producers were not consulted on the Government's surprise announcement last week lifting the ban on beef imports from BSE countries - The ban was also strongly supported by the majority of the beef industry lobby groups. [I wonder if consumers were consulted too? Boy, politics works for business (generally faceless entities), but obviously not for the bulk of the constituents (the real humans) they are meant to be representing]

Tree Carbon Not Soil Carbon

What a shame. Millions of dollars, and millions of trees, are poised to go into "carbon forestry" the moment Australia's emissions trading legislation is signed off. Forestry is the only way land managers can generate tradeable carbon offsets under the current Kyoto-compliant draft of the government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). [Yet soil carbon would have had far more benefits and arguably higher carbon sequestration potential]

Canada Preserves Forests

By banning logging, mining and oil drilling in an area twice the size of California, Canada is ensuring its boreal forests continue to soak up carbon. The forests, with their rich mix of trees, wetlands, peat and tundra, were a far bigger carbon store than scientists had realised, soaking up 22% of the total carbon stored on the earth's land surface. [Wonderful news for the environment, whether there is CO2 problems or not]

Global Cooling Debate

Data suggested that Earth's temperature was beginning to drop, which has reignited debate over what has become supposed scientific consensus: that climate change is due not to nature, but to humans burning fossil fuels. The cooling wasn't predicted by all the computer models that underlie climate science and has led to one point of agreement: The models are imperfect.

What's Behind Climate Change

The debate on climate change has certainly not subsided and as the BBC recently reported, it in fact seems to be hotting up (pun not intended). Lord Monckton sounds a cautionary alarm about the treaty about to be signed at Copenhagen this year. He is the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's science advisor, and his words at the end of his recent speech are certainly strong about the consequences of signing this treaty. Apparently signing this treaty overrides the constitutions of individual countries.

This is apparently alarming many, and the following letter has been composed for distribution to all politicians. It certainly asks a number of highly pertinent questions about what may or may not happen in Copenhagen, and is perhaps worth sending off to politicians to get some answers. Maybe it is more alarmist that reality...but it would be nice to get some reassurance.  Letter to Politicians 02/11/2009,23:50 22.50 Kb

Trying for GM in South Africa

The debate around genetically modified (GM) crops in South Africa has flared up once again after the rejection of a permit application for the general release of the SpuntaG2, a potato that is resistant to the Potato Tuber Moth (PTM). While the developers argue that this potato is a blessing to small-scale farmers, who suffer the most from the pest, other organizations reject these claims. "Small-scale farmers, for whom this product was developed in the first place, seem more concerned about other problems, such as lack of water, poor access to land and rodents. Based on these and other reasons, we have rejected the application."

Trade Chaos After GM Contamination

Since July, European regulators have stopped at least a dozen shipments of soybeans or soy meal from the United States totaling more than 200,000 tons -- after finding minute traces of GM corn. While approved in the United States, it had not been cleared for import in Europe. Almost invariably, traces of this dust have mingled in the long progression soy makes from U.S. fields through grain elevators, freight trains and ocean vessels across the Atlantic.

GM Food Guide

A food guide revealing which companies are believed to be using undeclared genetically engineered (GM) ingredients will step into a breach left by the Government's failure to reform inadequate food labelling laws, the guide's publishers say.

Labelling Task Force

Australia and New Zealand are to undertake a review of food labelling laws and policy to reduce the regulatory burden on food companies without compromising health and safety. Labelling topics that have been under fierce debate, not only in Australian and New Zealand but all around the globe, include front-of-pack nutrition information, GM ingredients and environmental footprint. The first stage of the review is a consultation on the issues included in this document. Views are being accepted until 20th November. [Consumers, here is your chance to voice your thoughts!]

Vanishing of the Bees

I have been forwarded this link about a movie coming out in the UK documenting the world's disappearing bees. I am yet to see this, though the trailer gives a glimpse of the content. I thought others might be interested in the link too.

Using the Sun to Desalinise

Existing desalination plants work in one of two ways. Some distil seawater by heating it up to evaporate part of it. They then condense the vapour - a process that requires electricity. The other plants use reverse osmosis. This employs high-pressure pumps to force the water from brine through a membrane that is impermeable to salt. That, too, needs electricity. New technology claims to be able to produce that much fresh water with less than 1 kWh of electricity, and no other paid-for source of power is needed. Using ion bridges, it seems rather ingenious.

The Cybersecurity Act 2009

The US Senate bill 773 (The Cybersecurity Act of 2009) is causing a flurry of opposition from groups like Campaign for Liberty, which has sent out letters to their members appealing for them to take action against passage of this bill. The bill was introduced under the guise of public safety, but in reality contains inclusions that could seriously impact and threaten privacy and civil liberties. It gives unprecedented power to the government over all computer activities. [While this is happening in the US, murmurings continue here on the same topic]

What's New...

While Nutrition Rules! is not a new book, it continues to grow in popularity, and is now being given away for free as an e-book. Register for yours now and go into a draw to win some Triple Ten:

NTS Triple Ten - This is Nutri-Tech Solution's (NTS) largest selling liquid fertiliser because it is a truly exceptional, all purpose, concentrated yield builder and it continues to increase in popularity each year. NTS has found over the past decade that this product has multiple benefits including some of the key points listed below.

• Growth and Reproduction - Any crop will respond to this foliar fertiliser at any stage of the crop cycle as it features a balanced formulation that can deliver both vegetative and reproductive promotion.

• Outperforms all Other 10-10-10s - The unique Hot Mix NPK^TM (10-10-10) component outperforms conventional NPK formulations as this low salt, pH neutral fertiliser is absorbed so much more efficiently.

• Trace Element Nutrition - The NTS Triple Ten^TM formulation includes luxury levels of the seven most important trace minerals in chelated form. These micronutrients have been chelated with the proprietary Shuttle^TM nutrient delivery system which ensures rapid uptake of the complexed minerals.

• The Perfect Fish to Kelp Ratio - NTS Triple Ten^TM features high analysis liquid fish and kelp in a proven ratio where these two important biological performers work synergistically to deliver more benefits than they could alone.

• A Host of Plant Growth Promoters - NTS Triple Ten^TM also features a host of natural plant growth promoters and immune supporters including fulvic acid, B group vitamins and a powerful photosynthesis booster called triacontanol. Triacontanol has been described as "the most powerful plant growth promoter ever researched".

2010 Moon Calendar Posters

Thomas Zimmer's astrological and moon planting calendar is now available. As per each year, I will collect orders until the end of November, then organise for a bulk shipment of calendars out in December. If interested, please place your orders through me.

Maarten Stapper Feedback

Maarten Stapper's recent talk in Tamworth has inspired hope in many farmers. One farmer signed up for the free workshop because his yields were hopeless - and describes the workshop as awesome. "I have finally got hope that I can make a difference and I can bring about change."  Farmers React 01/11/2009,19:08 573.00 Kb

Earth Food Inc

Farmers and growers practising biological agriculture around New Zealand now have an industry body to represent their concerns with the formation of Earth Food Inc.  The aim of Earth Food Inc is to engage consumers, scientists, government and farmers in discussions around how nutritional food can be grown using biological methods and the positive implications for the health of the planet.  Over the next 12 months Earth Food Inc is running a busy calendar with a variety of forums to educate and inspire for change, including a national road show, biological/carbon farming workshops and an educational website.  Earth Food Inc 01/11/2009,18:24 35.00 Kb 

Canada's Organic Newsletter

This month's newsletter features a microbial bioherbicide for broadleaf weeds in cereal crops, crop rotation in organic and conventional wheat, N2O emission from wheat, and many other articles.

RiceRight

RCS have developed a new program specifically for rice growers. "This program will allow us to share the proven business and analysis principles of GrazingforProfit and take them into a completely new sector." The program evaluates the viability of a business and then assesses what combination of enterprises a grower could potentially undertake. Participants will then learn how best to use their asset base to gain the best possible return. Register your interest now.

And if you need convincing that this course holds merit - read up on the changes undertaken by Barry and Tammy Hughes who's future is on the up and up.

Dates and venues for other RCS courses for 2010 are now available.

Gerry and Ester Hicks Tour

Discover the Law of Attraction and learn how to get into the Vortex with Bestselling Authors Esther and Jerry Hicks-and ABRAHAM. More than 20 years ago, Esther and Jerry tapped into an interdimensional voice that answered life's most perplexing questions. And for more than 20 years, they've taken this message - The Law of Attraction - to all corners of the world to anyone who was asking. [Absolutely and profoundly wonderful - the messages are just so clear and pure and....obvious] Gold Coast 11th December.

Fire and Weeds Workshops

Workshop 1 will outline the issues and recommendations of planned fire
management for asset protection and safety on your property, and for
the protection of biodiversity. Stanthorpe 6th November. Workshop 2 will look at some of the key issues in property management on the Granite Belt - identification and control of weeds, how to encourage wildlife to your property, ways to protect your wildflower
values, and monitoring, why and how. Ballandean 28th November.  Fire and Weeds Workshops 01/11/2009,20:41 285.89 Kb

Future Proof Farming

The last series of these workshops in New Zealand were so popular, they are being run again - 2nd - 5th December. Independent Waipukurau agronomist, Nicole Masters (BSc, Cert Adult Ed) of Integrity Soils, hosts these interactive seminars focusing on the fascinating world of soil organisms, vital to soil and plant health in Waipukurau, Hawkes Bay.  Soil Seminars - December 01/11/2009,21:35 268.42 Kb

Soil Care Expo

This year, Soil Foodweb Institute Australia is Silver Sponsor for the Soil Care EXPO being held in northern NSW (Wollongbar). Being held on Tuesday 10 November,  the EXPO will feature 30 companies exhibiting their products and services and provides a great opportunity to learn from experience people how you can incorporate sustainable farming products and practices into your system.

Climate Change Adaptation Forum

Desert Channels Queensland, along with the Cooper's Creek and Georgina Diamantina catchment committees are proud to present the community run Climate Change Adaptation Forum focussing on a range of issues and management ideas to benefit both cattle and sheep producers. Guest speakers include Tony Lovell and Alan Lauder. Longreach 12th November.

Health

Swine Flu Vaccine Doubts

Germany has launched the biggest vaccination program in its history. But the inoculation jabs are proving so effective and the disease is so mild in most cases that experts have their doubts about whether swine flu is a real pandemic. [Note, 'effective' in this case is measured by the stimulation of antibodies, which does not always relate directly to immunity]

Behind the Media Stories

Wow! This is one incredible story of deceit and cover-up by our own media and a GP. As the chain of events unfold, the plot gets murkier and murkier. Could a medical professional really stoop so low as to throw in non-science (heresay and conjecture) to defend her belief? Certainly those swimming against mainstream have to be particularly careful in their statements and facts at all times. You be the judge.

Medical Error Action Group

Deaths due to medical error are an Australian national disaster - 18,000 dead every year, at least! These are medical statistics, not speculation, compiled from federal government data. Wrong diagnosis, wrong patient surgery, wrong-site surgery, mix-ups in operating theatres, wrong procedures, wrong medicine, wrong dosage, faulty interpretation of test results, old and contaminated blood products, deadly hospital-acquired infections, equipment sterilisation failures, hit-and-miss hospital care, third world treatment, rogue clinicians... How can anyone let this recklessness continue?

House of Numbers

The HIV/AIDS story is being rewritten and it pretty explosive. Check out this trailer for the movie ‘House of Numbers' Does AIDS really exist? They admit that HIV testing is ‘not a precise science' and you can be diagnosed with AIDS in one country, but not another because they have different definitions. Wow, what an eye-opener!

Benefits of Fermenting Grains

The "good" bacteria strain Bifidobacterium may reduce levels of phytate and phytic acid, compounds which are thought to be behind fiber's impairment of mineral absorption. When compared to high-fiber bread baked traditionally, fermentation of bread with the Bifidobacterium strains led to significantly lower phytic acid levels.

All Cans Leak BPA

A new test conducted for Consumer Reports magazine found bisphenol A leaching into food from nearly all cans, including those marked "BPA-free" and "organic." "Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies."

Soy Foods Not Good For You

Americans consume over $4 billion of soy foods each year because of their many health benefits. But new studies suggest that eating large amounts of soy's estrogen-mimicking compounds might reduce fertility in women, trigger early puberty and disrupt development of fetuses and children. One researcher compares the effects of genistein to Bisphenol A, or BPA, the estrogenic compound found in plastic bottles: "Genistein does the same thing and yet we are supposed to be eating tons of it because it's supposedly healthy-it just doesn't make sense." [Alternative heath advocates have known of soy's many problems for years - fermented soy is one solution, which is not even discussed here]

Mainstream Figures Against Swine Flu Panic

Dr Blaylock is a board certified neurosurgeon, author and lecturer and has been following the evolving "pandemic" of H1N1 influenza. A great deal of his material comes from official sources, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the New England Journal of Medicine. As he discovers, we are being fed lies and misinformation, the statistics simply do not stack up.

Cartoon

Miscellaneous

Following on from the admission of my intrigue with evolution theory in a recent newsletter, I chanced upon an interview about another new book: Origins: The Greatest Scientific Discovery. I suspect it travels down the road of many of my own discoveries over the years as the interview certainly highlights the problems with the current theory of evolution - which seem so obvious I would have thought. I wonder if epigenetics makes an appearance in this treatise? 

Events

The calendar is playing up, so most of the links below are directed back to other websites where possible or to a contact email address. If there are no links, look to the related article above.  

* Fire and Weeds Workshop - Stanthorpe Qld 6th November 2009.

* Soil Care Expo - Wollongbar NSW 10th November 2009.

* Climate Change Adaptation Forum - Longreach 12th November 2009.

* Fire and Weeds Workshop - Ballandean Qld 28th November 2009.

* Future Proof Farming - Hawkes Bay New Zealand 2nd - 5th December 2009.

* Gerry and Ester Hicks Tour - Gold Coast Qld 11th December 2009.

Postscript

Terrafugia - The Transition. A street legal airplane. Simply land at the airport, fold your wings up and drive home. Terrafugia has completed flight testing of the Transition POC (Proof of Concept). Fly a distance of 725km at speeds of 115kg/hour. The time required to transition from plane to car takes less than 30 seconds. Vehicle speed 185kg/hr, range is 724km on highways. Vehicle is fueled with gasoline, and the price of the car is expected to be around $200,000. The first shipment will be in 2011.