Ironwoodbob reflects on the simple ways to create a sustainable, harmonious garden and to eat healthy foods that benefit you and our earth's ecosystem.
I thined my beets today by harvesting the larger ones, three inch diameter ones leaving the smaller one to continue growing. I will boil the leaves to make the make a vegetable soup stock. I also planted Ranunculus and Tulips scattered among the other flowers and vegetables as well as a Ginger root in a pot. I tilled in some steer manure into the top 2" of soil in the areas where I cleared the last of the Watermelons and Birdhouse Gourds plants. I planted Green Onion, Arugula, and Radishes, Turnips, Black Simpson Lettuce Seeds and Aritchokes transplants. I noticed that a weed, London Rocket is growing everywhere. I realized that it looks alot like some of my other green. It is edible too and so I began havesting it too.
The lone hummingbird found the feeder since I moved it close to an blooming Aloe vera plant that I knew he frequented. He was within arms length when I saw him. Then two more came it looked like a family. Mom, Dad and a small chick. The chick is no bigger than your thumb. I hope they survive the upcomming cold weather.
It has still been hot in December. from the high 70's to mid 60's
It is almost the last of the summer crops of watermelon and birdhouse gourds and now the lettuce is ready to trim. We should of enough for 3 salads a week until mid-May by just triming these Dynamite Soft -hearted Butterhead Lettuce plants. We still have more serrano peppers than we can use. The beets, kale, swiss chard and spinach are all ready as well as radishes and carrots. Here is a finally list of plantings that are in the garden currently.
The garden soil is still not quite right but it is the first year that it has been prepared. Seeds seem hard to germinate but once the roots get down a three of four inches they seem to grow fast. The broccoli is two and one half tall and is thriving. I have fertilized the last two weeks with 1/4 lb of nitrogen per 1000 square feet each time.
Winter vegatable plantings
Top Tall Early Wonder Beets
Detroit Dark Red, Morse's Strain
Beets
Bulls Blood Beets
Large Ribbed Dark Green Swiss Chard
Bloomsdale, long standing Spinach
Big Ruffle Spinach
Kale unknown variety
Early
Snowball A Cualiflower
Cauliflower unknown variety
DiCicco Broccollii
Broccoli unknown variety
Catskill Brussels Sprouts
Brussel sprouts unknown variety
Emerald
Artichokes
Celery species
Tokyo Long While Bunching Onions
Irish eyes Red Wethersfield Red Onion
Wando Peas
Snow Bird Peas
Oregon Sugar Pod Peas 2
Wando Peas
Tendergreen Bush Bean
Kentucky Blue Pole
French Breakfast Radishes
Easter Egg Radishes
Danvers Half Long Carrots... very sweet and grows in clay and poor soil.
Atomic Carrots... very colorful and full flavor and great for cooking yet not sweet.
Carrots unknown variety
Black Simpson, Baijou, Cerize, New Red Fire, Pentared,
Sioux Leaf Lettuce
Black Simpson Leaf Lettuce
Dynamite Soft -hearted Butterhead Lettuce Lactuca sativa 72 days harvest
Chives
Herbs for seasoning
Basil
Mint
Cacti and succulents
Aloe Vera
Prickley Pear Opuntia ficus indica (Cows tongue)
Summer Garden Crop Planting Still Producing
Armenian Cucumber.
Serrano Peppers
Cantelope unknown species
Watermelon unknown species
Birdhouse gourds
Medicinal Plants
Datura
Morning glory
San Pedro Cactus
Deadly nightshade (altrop belladonna)
Medicinal Weeds in garden that were not planted
London Dock
Flowers (bulbs, perennials and annuals)
Lavatera silver cup
Mexican Heather Cuphea
Bluebells
Nastursum
Marigold Crakerjack mixed colors (yellow and orange)
Spanish Lavender madrid purple
King African Daisy Osteospermum orange symphony
Purple Petunia
Snap Dragon
Pansy
Daffodil
Roses
Trees, srubs and vines
Moringa Tree
Navel Orange
Ruby Red Grapefruit
Bonanza improved dwarf peach
Blackberry
Thompson seedless grapes
Trees along the Alleyway
Pecan Trees
All types of Citrus
Black Mission Figs
Apples
For consumers, it can be difficult to stay up-to-date on food ingredients that are at-risk of being genetically modified, as the list of at-risk agricultural ingredients is frequently changing. As part of the Non-GMO Project’s commitment to informed consumer choice, we work diligently to maintain an accurate list of risk ingredients.
Agricultural products are segmented into two groups: (1) those that are high-risk of being GMO because they are currently in commercial production, and (2) those that have a monitored risk because suspected or known incidents of contamination have occurred and/or the crops have genetically modified relatives in commercial production with which cross-pollination (and consequently contamination) is possible. For more information on the Non-GMO Project’s testing and verification of risk ingredients and processed foods, please see the Non-GMO Project Standard. High-Risk Crops (in commercial production; ingredients derived from these must be tested every time prior to use in Non-GMO Project Verified products (as of December 2011):
Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)
ALSO high-risk: animal products (milk, meat, eggs, honey, etc.) because of contamination in feed. Monitored Crops (those for which suspected or known incidents of contamination have occurred, and those crops which have genetically modified relatives in commercial production with which cross-pollination is possible; we test regularly to assess risk, and move to “High-Risk” category for ongoing testing if we see contamination):
Beta vulgaris (e.g., chard, table beets)
Brassica napa (e.g., rutabaga, Siberian kale)
Brassica rapa (e.g., bok choy, mizuna, Chinese cabbage, turnip, rapini, tatsoi)
Common Ingredients Derived from GMO Risk Crops Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethanol, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Yeast Products. You may also be wondering about…
Tomatoes: In 1994, genetically modified Flavr Savr tomatoes became the first commercially produced GMOs. They were brought out of production just a few years later, in 1997, due to problems with flavor and ability to hold up in shipping. There are no genetically engineered tomatoes in commercial production, and tomatoes are considered “low-risk” by the Non-GMO Project Standard.
Potatoes: Genetically modified NewLeaf potatoes were introduced by Monsanto in 1996. Due to consumer rejection several fast-food chains and chip makers, the product was never successful and was discontinued in the spring of 2001. There are no genetically engineered potatoes in commercial production, and potatoes are considered “low-risk” by the Non-GMO Project Standard.
Wheat: There is not currently, nor has there ever been, any genetically engineered wheat on the market. Of all “low-risk” crops, this is the one most commonly (and incorrectly) assumed to be GMO. It is a key commodity crop, and the biotech industry is pushing hard to bring GMO varieties to market. The Non-GMO Project closely watches all development on this front.
Salmon: A company called AquaBounty is currently petitioning the FDA to approve its genetically engineered variety of salmon, which has met with fierce consumer resistance. Find out more here.
Pigs: A genetically engineered variety of pig, called Enviropig was developed by scientists at the University of Guelph, with research starting in 1995 and government approval sought beginning in 2009. In 2012 the University announced an end to the Enviropig program, and the pigs themselves were euthanized in June 2012.
Article published the Thursday 20 September 2012 - Latest update : Friday 28 September 2012
Monsanto GM maize may face Europe ban after French study links to cancer
Rats that had undergone the Caen University tests
France will ask for a Europe-wide ban on a genetically modified maize developed by US agribusiness Monsanto if the findings of tests made public Wednesday prove to be true. The study found that rats fed on the corn for two years developed tumours the size of ping-pong balls, liver damage and digestive problems.
France will call for a ban “at a European level” if the national health agency (Anses) backs up the findings of the study by French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told an audience in the Burgundy city of Dijon on Thursday.
And a communiqué from Agriculture Minister Stéphane Foll, Ecology Minister Delphine Batho and Health Minister Marisol Touraine said that Paris may demand a ban on the import of Monsanto’s NK603 corn, the subject of the tests.
The question will also be taken to the European Union’s Food Safety Agency, which green campaigners have often accused of conflict of interest because several members are alleged to be connected to seed companies.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, found that rats fed on a diet of 33 per cent NK603 corn and others exposed to Roundup, the weedkiller used with it, developed tumours, liver damage and digestive problems.
Premature deaths and sickness were particularly prevalent among females.
While previous studies have usually lasted only about three months, Seralini’s lasted two years, the average rat’s lifespan, and the illnesses developed later in the period covered.
NK603 is a type of corn, or maize, that has been engineered to make it resistant to the herbicide Roundup, which is also manufactured by Monsanto, and is used by farmers to maximise yields.
It can be imported but not grown in Europe.
Only Monsanto's MON810 transgenic corn and BASF's Amflora potato can be grown in the European Union.
France, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg and Romania have outlawed the growing of MON810 on their territory.
Monsanto said it was “too soon” to comment when the findings were made public but some of Seralini’s colleagues criticised him for working with journalists to ensure that they were covered in the media before his peers had had time to examine them.
Gilles-Eric Seralini, who works at the University of Caen in Normandy, has publicly opposed GM agriculture for some time and often found himself in a minority when he sat on a government committee examining them.
His study cost three million euros, he says, and was funded by and anti-GM campaign, Criigen, the Charles Mayer Foundation and Ceres, a group formed by major retailers.
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More info...
Following an explosive French study indicating a link between Monsanto's controversial genetically engineered corn and cancer, Russian authorities have suspended all imports and use of GMO corn.
And it's not just Russia that's appalled by what's been learned. The French government asked European authorities to "take all necessary measures to protect human and animal health, measures that could go as far as emergency suspension of imports" of GM corn in the entire European Union.
All 15 nations in the European Union already require labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients, and many countries in Europe restrict or ban the planting of genetically engineered crops. But U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks show that the U.S. government has been conspiring to retaliate against Europe for refusing to use GM seeds, by engaging in aggressive trade wars against reluctant nations.
The cables showed that the U.S. government, working with biotech firms, has planned to "retaliate" against those who attempted to stop the spread of GM crops. They recommended causing "pain" in the EU and to be prepared for a prolonged battle.
The U.S. is far and away the world's driving political and agricultural force behind GMOs in the food supply, but even here change is on the horizon. Surveys find that 91 percent of the American public supports the labeling of genetically engineered foods, and that 53 percent of Americans in 2009 said they would choose non-GMO brands if labels gave them a choice.
Monsanto is terrified that the "right to know" through labeling of GMOs could well be a tipping point.
On November 6, Californians will vote on the "right to know" ballot initiative (Proposition 37), which would require labeling of genetically engineered foods in the Golden State.
Because labeling in California would likely lead to labeling nationwide, the stakes are high. Monsanto and the biotech industry are spending many tens of millions of dollars trying to fight Proposition 37 with what many observers call pseudo-studies and scare tactics. But so far, voters aren't buying it. More than two-thirds of California's voters in a recent LA Times poll said they support Proposition 37. Support the Right to Know
Organizers around the world are rallying around California's Proposition 37 as a point of leverage in the world's GMO struggle. Meanwhile, concern is growing that Monsanto's virtual stranglehold on federal government policy could lead to federal interference if Proposition 37 does pass.
That's why the Food Revolution Network, in partnership with Care2 and its 20 million members, the Institute for Responsible Technology, and many other organizations, has launched a major national petition calling on the U.S. Congress to mandate strong and effective labeling of genetically engineered foods. In an election year, the petition is calling for members of Congress to side with their constituents, instead of with the short-term economic interests of the biotech industry. Sign the petition here. Can Americans win the right to know? The stakes are high, but so, too, is the opportunity to make a difference. We're at a turning point that will impact the lives of billions of people now and for generations to come.
Can a company as powerful as Monsanto be stopped? Here are short and extremely powerful statements from GMO experts John Robbins and Andrew Kimbrell on how it can be done:
Set 15, 2012
After digging 2 feet down and mixing 18 yards of compost in my 1000 square foot garden, I planted Armenian Cucumbers, Birdhouse Gourds, Watermelons Dwarf Bolero Marigolds. It was too hot to plant much else after I prepared the soil and I wanted most of the soil to rest for a while while I waited to plant the Winter Garden.
In mid-August I began planing to get an early start for the winter crops. However, I had to keep planting through September since if was such a hot September. Finally I began to see small seedlings sprouting in early October.
Below are the Varieties:
Moringa Trees
Top Tall Early Wonder Beets
Detroit Dark Red, Morse's Strain Beets
Bulls Blood Beets
Large Ribbed Dark Green Swiss Chard
Early Snowball A Cauliflower
DiCicco Broccollii
Bloomsdale, long standing Spinach
Big Ruffle Spinach
Catskill Brussels Sprouts
Emerald Artichokes
Tokyo Long While Bunching Onions
Wando Peas
Snow Bird Peas
Oregon Sugar Pod Peas 2
French Breakfast Radishes
Easter Egg Radishes
Danvers half long Carrots
Atomic Carrots
Celery
Tasty Soft-Hearted Butterhead Lettuce
Black Simpson, Baijou, Cerize, New Red Fire, Pentared, Sioux Leaf Lettuce
Black Simpson Leaf Lettuce.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Planted my Moringa trees today
I'm Singin in the rain... Just singin in the rain... What a glorious feelin' ... Plantin Moringas again, A tree I can eat, In a year grows 16 feet... I'm plantin and singin.. in the rain.
I am testing this first postt of my blog.
Here is the garden after digging and adding 18 cubic yards of into a 1 1/2 feet depth late this spring.
I did alittle digging every day in my bare feet with only a shovel. The garden is now about 1200 square feet and I am planting a winter garden in the next two weeks. It is a side yard of my home.
