Newsletter Bounces

Its an odd predicament - I use the internet extensively, yet know very little about its workings. Recently I discovered large numbers of newsletters bouncing back with weird messages, and a quick investigation hasn't provided obvious valid reasons. The assumption is that perhaps spam filters are blocking them. It might be worth letting your spam filter program know that this newsletter email address is allowable, and if you know of anyone else not receiving their newsletter anymore, to perhaps do the same and re-subscribe.

Landscape Resilience is Important

Carbon grazing is about increasing eco-system resilience. A resilient system provides the capacity to absorb changed circumstances. There are two components of resilience: adequate carbon stocks in the landscape and the correct mix of annual and perennial plants. [As Turnbull said at the beginning of the year - why not do what you would want to do anyway. Healing the landscape can only benefit the carbon and water cycles - pity he changed his tune later]

Following this is an article on grazing systems - The common theme among many is the word ‘grazing', which in itself leads to a focus on the process of grazing the paddocks in the grazing cell instead of focusing on the management of areas ungrazed at the time. Another misnomer is the phrase ‘grazing manager', when in fact we are ‘land managers'. The livestock are a tool that the land manager uses to either increase or decrease the ecological health of their landscape.

[Gosh, what a treasure trove of interesting information and events]

The Value of Native Grasses

Taking care of the natural resources, such as pasture, is an underlying key to the success of Wally and Rhonda Mitchell's grazing operation at Cobar. While they've tried options such as lucerne, they've found the natural grasses, herbs and broadleafs are a safe bet. The removal of patches of woody regrowth has improved the productive capacity of the property, as the areas invaded by the woody weeds had almost no grazing value.

This Year's Carbon Cockies

This year's there was not one but four farmers awarded the Carbon Cocky 2009 prize at last month's Carbon Conference held in Orange. The State winners included RCS teacher and farming specialist, Matthew Barton and wife Kylie, who won the award for the Slopes district jointly with Brett and Jane Fisher. Graham and Cathy Finlayson won the award for the Plains district, and Sam and Claire Hamilton took the prize for the Tablelands district. Each of the winners had completed the renowned Resource Consulting Services (RCS) GrazingforProfit course which encourages and promotes regenerative farming practices.  

Interested in learning more about these ideas and techniques? - check out RCS courses for 2010. There is likely to be a course near you.  

NZ Farmer Goes Organic

A New Zealand organic sheep and cattle farmer believes that going chemical free is the best approach to producing high quality meat. At the start, Chris was dismayed to find that all the chemicals were making things worse, not better. He talked with some of the old farmers in the district, who remembered when diseases such as internal parasites and flystrike were not a problem. He feels that much of farming's high costs, low profits and poor animal health can be avoided by shunning chemical fertilisers and drenches and selecting the right animal genetics.

Bacteria Talk to Plants

Its been found that bacteria can communicate with plants - that invading bacteria signal their presence to plants and this triggers off an immune response in the plants, and its thought that this bacterial signalling most likely works in animals and humans too. This whole system is known as "innate immunity" - a system that comes already built-in, and not developed through exposure to the disease molecule.

Mycorrhizae and Nitrogen

Some types of mycorrhizal fungi (ectomycorrhizal and ericoid) acquire organic nitrogen and transfer it to the host plant. In one trial study, ~20% of the plant's N came from this fungi.

Organic Chooks Safer

A new study by Consumer Reports has found that two out of three whole broiler chickens are contaminated with illness-inducing bacteria, while certain types of organic chicken posed the lowest risk. The cleanest birds were organic "air-chilled" broilers. Typically, chickens are dunked in cold chlorinated water. In the air-chilling process, the carcasses are refrigerated and may be misted, rather than dunked.

Cheap But Healthy School Lunches

US schools supply breakfast, lunch and snacks to all students, but can you serve fresh, healthful meals each day to millions of kids without breaking the bank, or must you resort to serving up deep-fried, processed, less expensive junk? For the first time, a small, privately held start-up is pushing to do just that: producing what are by all accounts fresh, healthful, all-natural school meals for just under $3 apiece. But not all are happy. Fancy serving full-fat cheese and hormone-free milk to kids they say!!

Health Benefits of Native Foods

This RIRDC funded research provides the native food industry with reliable information on the levels of health beneficial constituents, and the antioxidant capacities of commercially significant Australian native fruits, herbs and spices. The research also includes an evaluation of minerals, focusing especially on those that protect human DNA against mutations that can lead to the development of a range of chronic diseases.

Local Food Demand

The demand for local food has skyrocketed during the past few years. Consumers' money stays close to home, their food is fresher and healthier, and less fuel is used for transport. This directory provides a long list of contacts and organisations for local food options in the US - it would be great to see one being done up for Australia (though some of these links provide wonderful information for Australians too). [I am running a local organic fresh food outlet in Inverell called Revisiting Nature - all locals welcome. I will be outletting other organic products online in the new year for anyone in Australia. I'll keep you posted]

Seaweed Industry

It's believed to be America's only commercial kelp farm. Inspired by mega-aquaculture sites in Asia, and a $7-billion global seaweed industry, two entrepreneurs started cultivating kelp last year and have begun marketing it as an exotic frozen vegetable. "Think kelp noodles. And kelp salad. And kelp slaw." Seaweed doesn't require arable land, fresh water or fertilizer. Kelp grows swiftly -- 2 feet a day in some species -- and produces no runoff or erosion. It cleanses the water of excess nutrients and absorbs carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

South Australia Food Bowl Crisis

With hundreds of Riverland farmers walking off the land and a third of irrigated farms now dormant, South Australia's food bowl is in crisis. Causes are related to a grinding drought, low commodity prices, a high Australian dollar, cheap imports and a wine glut. Cheap imports have been the knockout punch for some farmers, with the ripple effect felt in small businesses throughout the Riverland.

Investing in Water

Water scarcity has become a global issue as climate change alters water availability, population growth raises demand, and contamination threatens clean supplies. But what seems to be an obvious investment opportunity has challenges -- in particular, the belief that water is a public good, not a profit source. Water use is often energy-intensive, and thus carbon-intensive, while much industry endangers water. So increased focus on carbon and water go hand in hand. [Making profits out of any nook or cranny possible seems to be the name of the game...]

New Economic Model Required

Instead of the "development at all costs" economic model dominating world affairs, new pluralist economic thinking is needed if the world is to successfully combat climate change and address inequity. [Perhaps it would be more effective to separate corporations from humans - presently they are legally treated the same, which leads to some pretty interesting outcomes]

Agriculture in Focus Again

Since the food price shock of 2008 there is a global reawakening to the central importance of agriculture to human affairs. This fresh appreciation is bringing a flood of new investment to the area. But for farmers, the downside is likely to be increased environmental scrutiny and red tape. For example, their use of synthetic nitrogen, "today, much of the nitrogen in our bodies comes not from biological sources but from giant chemical factories. We are, in a real sense, as much chemistry as biology." [Unfortunately I see renewed interest in agriculture leading to land (and food) ownership by more and more companies, not real people/owner/operators]

Future Nutrient Famine

The cost of farm nutrients could rise 500-1000% within the next 20-30 years if trend lines on population growth and resource depletion hold steady. Are nutrients the new oil? "The nation which looks after and re-uses them will prosper both economically and environmentally. It will never hunger." A call is out for Australia to formulate a "national nutrient plan" to create "nutrient neutral farms" that capture all applied nutrient as productivity, and for technologies that capture and recycle nutrients. [Not a bad idea - and clean water, healthy foods and better carbon sequestration would be by-products]

Scientist Steps Aside After Email Exposure

The British scientist, Professor Jones, at the centre of a row over hacked emails and altering data on climate change trends will stand aside from his post to allow an independent investigation. He wrote, when commenting on material that he regarded as flawed: ''I can't see either ... being in the next [IPCC] report. Kevin [Trenberth] and I will keep them out somehow - even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is!'' Scientists at the university had also previously been forced to concede that much of the raw temperature data on which their predictions of global warming were based had been thrown away.

ETS is Not the Only Way

In its intense focus on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), Australia seems to have forgotten that there are many paths to the mountain of emissions reduction. [That is why I found Turnbull's bizarre urgency for the ETS weird, and it offered no alternative either! Turnbull would have done better sticking to his 'do what you would want to do anyway' and promoting carbon sequestration through soil carbon and biochar initiatives - creating what you want, not merely responding to problems]

The Copenhagen Agreement

Has anyone read the Copenhagen Agreement? The "scheme for the new institutional arrangement under the Convention" that starts on page 18 contains the provision for a "government." The aim is to give a new as yet unnamed U.N. body the power to directly intervene in the financial, economic, tax and environmental affairs of all the nations that sign the Copenhagen treaty. Given that our political leaders spend hundreds of hours talking about climate change and the need for a global consensus in Copenhagen, why have none of them talked openly about the details of this draft climate-change treaty?

It's Not About CO2 but Food

Environmental commentators across the world seem to all agree that a change in our climate is occurring. Until now the debate has only been focused on the level of CO2 emissions and their impact on climate variability. There's a much larger issue at stake. We need to be putting our nation's financial and human resources into developing resilient farming systems. "If we can argue agriculture is threatened by climate change then so is civilisation - and subsequently, food security is the real threat. We desperately need to refocus the debate regarding resilient and adaptable farming systems to meet this climate change threat."

Agriculture's Carbon Should be Included

A study by the CSIRO for the Queensland Government estimates that a combination of rangeland regeneration, savannah fire management, improved soil practices, new forestry and avoided land clearing could sequester the equivalent of more than a billion tonnes of carbon a year for 40 years. Landholders should be able to sell these services.

China Accepts GM Rice

China's government declared two strains of genetically modified rice safe to produce and consume, taking a major step toward endorsing the use of biotechnology in the staple food crop of billions of people in Asia. [This is not golden rice with Vitamin E, just resistance to pests and herbicides GM]

GM-Free Canola Premium

A Victorian grain marketer is tapping into the Japanese public's desire for non-GM canola by putting together a package of the oilseed that it has been able to sell at a premium. "This sale will give growers a premium of up to $5 over and above other canola sales." [Let's hope contamination doesn't stop the business]

GM Cotton Disease

Lalya, a local term for the reddening of the cotton plants, has become a regular feature ever since the Bt cotton replaced hybrids, according to a number of Indian farmers. The Maharashtra government has been compensating farmers in the region for 'lalya' almost every year since the Bt seeds came in. Agriculture scientists say 'lalya' points to a lack of micronutrients and moisture content in soils, which are fast degrading. [Fix the landscape/soil, not just the plant!]

Britain's Greenest Town

It's an ordinary small town in England, but its residents claim they've discovered the secret that could save the planet. In under two years, Todmorden has transformed the way it produces its food and the way residents think about the environment. Compared with 18 months ago, a third more townspeople now grow their own veg; almost seven in 10 now buy local produce regularly, and 15 times as many people are keeping chickens. And there is more...[What a fabulously inspirational story]

Filtering Storm Water

Last week there was an article on filtering storm water run off (see under Green Street). It appears the same thinking is happening here in Australia in the Great Lakes district. See the article, with pictures, on page 2 of their newsletter. It's also worth reading the Landholder Case Study on page 4 - Les Roberts tirelessly donates his time to Landcare groups in the region as well. I'll be back for a day again 27th February talking through my favourite topic - Rehydrating the Landscape (see calendar of events).  Creek to Coast Newsletter 01/12/2009,21:08 418.34 Kb

Triple Zero House

A four-story modern glass house stands like a beacon of environmental sustainability. Built in 2000, it was the first in a series of buildings that are "triple-zero," a concept developed by German architect and engineer Werner Sobek, which signifies that the building is energy self-sufficient (zero energy consumed), produces zero emissions, and is made entirely of recyclable materials (zero waste).

The Wonder of Stock Saver

StockSaver Vet is a BFA registered product and is suitable as a stock feed supplement. Adding this product to animals' everyday stock feed can provide broad spectrum mineralisation, improve intestinal microflora, assist in binding and disposing of heavy metal toxins while maintaining a healthy immune system. Nutri-Tech Solutions has had feedback from race horse owners that the improvement in their horses' health and performance has been phenomenal. The product has also achieved exceptional results with other animals including pets such as cats, dogs and fish. [I also have had many interesting local stories with dogs, sheep and chooks]

Evergraze Newsletter

The focus of EverGraze is "Right Plant, Right Place, Right Purpose" to provide both economic and environmental benefits. Their motto is more livestock from perennials. Their December newsletter steps through some Proof Site research results, and also includes Evergraze events planned around Australia into 2010.  Evergraze Dec 09 01/12/2009,21:42 394.26 Kb

Hands Up for Soil Carbon Tests

The National Centre for Rural Greenhouse Gas Research University of New England would like to include some emerging farming practices in a site sampling schedule in the New England and north west NSW region. They would like to make contact with carbon farmers or biological/biodynamic farmers who wouldn't mind them going out to sample soil on their properties on a once off basis. All contacts would be confidential and would not be given to the federal government, media, etc. Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it on 02 6773 3929.  

Soil Foodweb Institute Uni Course

Each year, SFI Australia conducts a two-week live-in training course in conjunction with the Environmental Analysis Laboratory of Southern Cross University. The next training course is scheduled for 24 May - 4 June 2010 and is entitled: Soil Food Web Interactions & Benefits to Plant Production.  The course presenters are Dr Elaine Ingham (world renowned soil microbiologist and founder of Soil Foodweb Inc.) and Graham Lancaster, Director of EAL. The course is now FarmReady approved - so no excuses!

Philip Day's Australian Tour

Philip is a fabulous natural health advocate who is touring most states around Australia February through March 2010.The theme is Look Great, Feel Better, Worry Less, Live Longer. He mixes up-to-date science with common sense and has a remarkable following world-wide - including Australia. Well worth attending.

Health

Questioning Mammogram Safety

For young women who have a high risk of breast cancer because of genetic mutations or family history, the radiation from yearly mammograms may make the risk even higher . I.e. the very women who are told they need mammograms most may also be the most vulnerable to harm from them.

Electromagnetic Sensitivity

There is a significant amount of studies showing the biological effects of electromagnetic fields and radiofrequencies within the microwave range. As your body absorbs radiation, currents are created that weaken your cells' walls by removing calcium and other divalent ions. The end result can be clouded mental activity and DNA damage. But there are ways of protecting yourself - like probiotics, detoxing and eliminating mold, as well as avoiding electromagnetic fields as much as possible, e.g. mobile phones and towers.

Polio Vaccine Causing Polio Outbreaks

Polio is spreading in Nigeria -- and health officials say in some cases it's caused by the very vaccine used to fight the paralyzing disease. In the United States, every case of polio that's occurred since 1979 has been the result of the live-virus vaccine. But interestingly, there's plenty of research showing that consuming refined sugar increases your risk of contracting polio.

Verichip Found in Tumor

Bob Boyce, who has invented a super-efficient electrolysis method, as well as a self-looping electrical circuit capable of charging batteries, discovered a microchip implant in his shoulder when having a tumor removed from that spot, which metastasized. It turns out that chip was made by VeriChip; and he has no idea how it got there. [What an interesting story from all scores - the black tar he is using on his cancer is something I have used to great effect too]

Russian DNA Discoveries

The human DNA is a biological internet and superior in many aspects to the artificial one. Only 10% of our DNA is being used for building proteins. The other 90% are considered "junk DNA." Russian researchers were convinced that nature was not dumb and joined linguists and geneticists in a venture to explore that 90% of "junk DNA." Their results, findings and conclusions are simply revolutionary! While western researchers cut single genes from DNA strands and insert them elsewhere, the Russians enthusiastically created devices that influence cellular metabolism through modulated radio and light frequencies, thus repairing genetic defects.

Activate and Heal DNA

Its all about energy or data flow - and its exchange between us and our environment. We are an amalgamation of visible and invisible fields that create the human hologram. The words and images in this are beautiful and point the way to a glorious healing.

Home Birthing Illegal?

The Australian Federal Government is moving to make homebirth midwifery illegal. If this legislation passes after committee then a midwife could face up to $30,000 fines for assisting in a homebirth. Yet studies actually show that homebirths give the same, or better results than hospital births. Some say that because pregnant women are deciding for two, they can and should be stopped from making medical decisions. The committee is asking for submissions from the public by 11th December. 

E.coli Vaccine

Food poisoning from toxic strains of E. coli, mostly the O157:H7 variety, has become a recurring problem in slaughterhouses. In an effort to counter the threat, two vaccines have been developed commercially. Officials determined that the vaccines must show at least a 90% reduction in the number of cattle carrying the bacteria. That was more than the vaccines could achieve. [Yet another bandaid to an industrial food problem]

Tuckshop Choices a Joke

Just recently a 100% natural/real food product was rejected by the Queensland Governments Smart Choices Program where foods are given a green (good), gold (medium) and red (poor) ratings. The natural food product came out red, yet  Ingham Chicken Nuggets; [Chicken (44%), Flour (Wheat, Maize & Soy), water, hydrogenated vegetable oil, starch, yeast, soy protein concentrate, flavour (Milk), Salt, 500, 450, 451, 341, Milk solids, Emulsifier 472e, thickeners (401, 412, 466, 415), egg white powder, gelling agents (508, 407), ground extracted spices, natural colour 100, Antioxidants(319, 306), vitamin (Thiamine)], was given a gold light. The program relies on a ludicrous system that judges only by salt, fat and sugar content, not the ingredients...

The Cholesterol Fraud

A general practitioner treated her own obesity successfully by eating a low-carbohydrate diet with a high content of animal fat. When she advised her obese and diabetic patients to do the same, she was reported to the National Board of Health and Welfare for malpractice. Thousands of patients have experienced themselves that by doing the opposite as recommended by the current guidelines they have regained their health! Recently, experts selected by WHO and FAO published a new report, where the authors concluded that there was no satisfactory or reliable evidence to support the idea that saturated fat causes heart disease, or diabetes or obesity.

Swine Flu Vaccine Disabilities

Mounting debilities and deaths from H1N1 vaccine are flowing in from many countries. It appears that the authorities are still claiming many are ‘coincidences'.

The Mystery of Smell

The main role of smell is to protect humans from decaying foods and poisons. Foods that are indigestible tend to smell woody or musky and are made up of large molecules. Edible foods, on the other hand, have low molecular weights. Interestingly, the exact way the nose works, that is, the way we smell is not fully understood. Until about 10 years ago, scientists believed that the human nose was able to discern the scent of a molecule based solely from its shape, but it appears to be via vibrations (yes, energy!) instead - Within just a few vibrations a molecule can either smell of shoe leather or rose tea or shrimp shells.

Cartoon

Miscellaneous

Imagine, lamps that change colour using the power of your mind...well it's becoming a reality. Thanks to over 27 year's research at the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Laboratory and the company Psyleron, we can now own a lamp that reads our minds. Years of research produced evidence of an unexplained connection between consciousness and the physical world. Quantum based technologies!

Events

* Philip Day Tour - Adelaide SA 21st February 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Melbourne Vic 23rd February 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Perth WA 25th February 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Bunbury WA 26th February 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Gold Coast Qld 1st March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Brisbane Qld 2nd March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Caloundra Qld 3rd March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Rockhampton Qld 5th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Mackay Qld 7th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Townsville Qld 9th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Cairns Qld 11th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Brisbane Qld 14th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Lismore NSW 16th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Coffs Harbour NSW 17th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Port Macquarie NSW 19th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Sydney NSW 22nd March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Canberra ACT 23rd March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Shepparton Vic 25th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Bendigo Vic 26th March 2010.

* Philip Day Tour - Melbourne Vic 28th March 2010.

* SFI Uni Course - Lismore NSW 24th May - 4th June 2010.

Postscript

Apparently a real letter that says it all:

Rt Hon David Miliband MP
Secretary of State.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA),
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London 
SW1P 3JR

16 July 2009

Dear Secretary of State, 

My friend, who is in farming at the moment, recently received a cheque for £3,000 from the Rural Payments Agency for not rearing pigs.. I would now like to join the "not rearing pigs" business.
In your opinion, what is the best kind of farm not to rear pigs on, and which is the best breed of pigs not to rear? I want to be sure I approach this endeavour in keeping with all government policies, as dictated by the EU under the Common Agricultural Policy. 

I would prefer not to rear bacon pigs, but if this is not the type you want not rearing, I will just as gladly not rear porkers. Are there any advantages in not rearing rare breeds such as Saddlebacks or Gloucester Old Spots, or are there too many people already not rearing these? 

As I see it, the hardest part of this programme will be keeping an accurate record of how many pigs I haven't reared. Are there any Government or Local Authority courses on this? 

My friend is very satisfied with this business. He has been rearing pigs for forty years or so, and the best he ever made on them was £1,422 in 1968. That is - until this year, when he received a cheque for not rearing any. 

If I get £3,000 for not rearing 50 pigs, will I get £6,000 for not rearing 100?  I plan to operate on a small scale at first, holding myself down to about 4,000 pigs not raised, which will mean about £240,000 for the first year. As I become more expert in not rearing pigs, I plan to be more ambitious, perhaps increasing to, say, 40,000 pigs not reared in my second year, for which I should expect about £2.4 million from your department. Incidentally, I wonder if I would be eligible to receive tradable carbon credits for all these pigs not producing harmful and polluting methane gases? 

Another point: These pigs that I plan not to rear will not eat 2,000 tonnes of cereals. I understand that you also pay farmers for not growing crops. Will I qualify for payments for not growing cereals to not feed the pigs I don't rear? 

I am also considering the "not milking cows" business, so please send any information you have on that too. Please could you also include the current Defra advice on set aside fields? Can this be done on an e-commerce basis with virtual fields (of which I seem to have several thousand hectares)? 

In view of the above you will realise that I will be totally unemployed, and will therefore qualify for unemployment benefits.  I shall of course be voting for your party at the next general election. 
 

Yours faithfully, 
 
 
Nigel Johnson-Hill