Renewing the World Through Urban Ecology - One Backyard at a Time.

This Amazing World

2010-10-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

What an amazing world we live in; Right is called wrong and wrong is called right; Science is not true science at all and conventional physics is fundamentally flawed because of ego and politics. Einstein was wrong, and Marconi did NOT invent radio; You can believe very little in the news concerning politics or the environment because true Journalism died long ago. The world is upside down. Yet, what an amazing world we live in. Our home star has a solid surface beneath its photosphere. It draws its hydrogen, not from itself, but, from the immensity of the space through which it travels by virtue if its intense gravitational field. Elements exist, which do not appear, yet are. These are Monatomic and Diatomic stealth atoms which permeate EVERYTHING, and are analogous to a spirit; without them life could not exist and our brains could not work. Free energy has been a reality for decades, if not millennia. Desolating cancers, and for that matter any disease caused by a pathogen, have a cure! All of this, and more, has been suppressed for decades. We wait only for the passing of all the stodgy old cronies who rule at this present time. The books are already being rewritten.

Nutrition - The Food Industry; It's All About Money

2010-01-31T14:43:00.000-08:00

The more I research the Food Industry, and read food ingredient labels, the more I'm convinced my decision go back to the land and abandon the grocery stores was correct. Once again, the FDA has let us down in regulating the Food Industry.

The RDA labels on foods have erroneous percentages, based on bad science, regarding additives which have deleterious effects on our health.

The following site has a health principle I've tested to my satisfaction. Out of respect for the author's copyright and their right to make a living I will not elaborate, but leave it to you to investigate and make your own decision.

http://www.restlesslegscured.com/miracle_cure.htm?OVRAW=treatment%20for%20restless%20leg%20syndrome&OVKEY=cure%20for%20restless%20leg%20syndrome&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=44318475022&OVKWID=8175970022&OVCAMPGID=61592022&OVADGRPID=454934410&OVNDID=ND1

Sustainable Living - The New American Dream Update

2009-07-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Since I wrote "Sustainable Living - Enough is Enough; The New American Dream" my wife and I are in the midst of living those concepts and principles. We have five acres in north central Minnesota and are currently in the process of building our home, which will be off-the-grid and totally self sufficient. Over the next few months and through this next summer I'll post photos and share information on alternate energy and waste disposal.

By much sacrifice and planning this is being done debt free. To those who are willing to do what it takes, this is doable!

Communal Living - All Things in Common

2007-01-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

Truly equitable communities have existed in the past, as recorded in ancient historical texts, from both the Old World and the Americas.1. Such utopian communities took the form of communal associations. Those communal associations that succeeded did so because their members governed themselves in humility with an unshakable singleness of mind for the common good. Certain socioeconomic conditions and criterions were met, however, before such a community could eliminate corruption, avarice, crime, poverty and inequality. These detrimental factors have their basis in pride, arrogance and, not the least, greed for material wealth.

It is proposed that collective communities were comprised of interdependent members and had little need for money, as they had limited exchange of commerce with outside communities. However, once introduced, the use of money in some form, as a substitute for real goods, was a principal cause of failure in nearly all experiments in communal living due to its tendency to illicit competition and status. Additionally, it is proposed that the expertise of medical practitioners, attorneys, etc. are at least as important as the skills and physical labor required to operate a sustainable farm. In real life practice this is a difficult concept to master. Thus, the placing of higher status on highly skilled professions over the more essential common labor functions actually required to sustain a community created caste divisions, which, when combined with the inherent inequities of money, caused envy, malice, and eventually, the dissolution of nearly every communal experiment to date. Modern civilizations are unsustainable in terms of governments, economies, resources and the environment for much the same reasons. It must be remembered that the success of any civilization is dependant not on ideology but on man’s ability to govern his emotions and actions. It is the natural desire of reasoning individuals to enjoy those freedoms which were so self-evident to the forefathers of the United States of America, whose original constitution has been a divine model of human equality for two hundred thirty years. A sustainable solution to the problems relating to the association of large numbers of people and the balance between government on various levels is earnestly sought by the lay sectors of many nationalities, and often proposed and cited from historical texts by clergy of many faiths as well. The communal association proposed in this thesis is a departure from those associated with economic development or political activism, seeking instead, a peaceful and simplified agrarian coexistence with nature.

Arguably, the greatest evil to grace civilization during any age is government. The original intent of a people in establishing a government is to secure their safety and liberty. However, unless restrained by a constitution of the people, undefiled by government excess, governments and individuals in positions of authority predictably seek for undue power and inordinate wealth by exploiting human weaknesses, either by revolution and coup, or corporate intrigue, despite philosophical ideology. Further, due to these natural propensities, national and local governments invariably evolve to favor special interests which deprive the majority of citizens of their most basic liberties. The hallmark and sustaining fuel of a corrupted government is ever increasing tax revenue. Ultimately, the multitude of taxes assigned to every aspect of living consigns people to a life of servitude due to its pervasiveness and severity. As an example, the freedom of the people of the United States of America has been severely compromised and degraded since the Bill of Rights was penned. The next seventeen amendments that follow, with the exception of emancipation and voter suffrage, are suspect because they are written for the intent of consolidating power to a centralized government. The sixteenth amendment, which is perhaps the most damaging to the liberties of a free person, states, “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” Despite official statements, this amendment was never legally ratified by a majority of the states. Simply put, the sixteenth amendment, as it pertains to taxes on personal income, is unconstitutional. 2. Passive resistance is effectual through sustenance communal living, having minimal interaction with government agencies.

Rivaling taxation in its debilitating effect on human peace and happiness is the ill perceived want of non essential commodities and luxury with its attendant usury. Advertising, which adeptly exploits our perceived needs, is the keystone of consumerism. Typically, the working life of the average individual is spent acquiring a lifestyle of insatiable appurtenances, and in doing so they spend their strength for nothing, in that they work to create wealth for employers and manufacturers. In truth, they work to pay interest, taxes, utilities, mortgage brokers and insurance companies, with little compensation or consideration in kind. In short, they work for things they think they need, but in reality only want. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are, today, equated with a much different set of values than once existed. People have been deluded by vanity and the promise of luxury and ease to their own detriment. Their lives are compromised by the misuse of liberties, and they are far removed from the happiness that comes from simplicity.

It is the opinion of the author that no progress is the best progress, in terms of governmental social controls and the development of non-sustainable products and energy. The sole intent of industry and government is not as we would wish to think, to secure and ensure our health, safety and happiness, but rather, to acquire profits and gain power. Progress, in terms of Gross National Product, is contrary to the best interests of a sustainable community. The GNP is driven by annual profits to the total disregard for the environment and the peace of the community and individual. The law of supply and demand is a concept contrived of greed and is applicable only in the context of a society grounded in avarice. It can be argued that the fiduciary system, or money in some form, was invented and manipulated for the purpose of creating inequality. Money once represented a gold standard in this country as a tangible commodity. Aside the perceived numismatic value, gold is actually useful only as a medium of exchange based on its industrial value. As the result of governmental manipulation in recent years, this standard no longer exists, rather, money is based purely on the faith that business will continue as usual. At the conception of this nation people had the control of government and government served the people. However, as people now no longer control government, government no longer serves the people, and the government is unsustainable because people and government have become enemies one to another. As these conditions currently exist, both economy and government must unavoidably collapse at some point. Though these statements are presented as axiomatic and prophetic they are nevertheless borne out by history. Environmentally and socially sustainable communities, in the form of small, agrarian communal associations, best serve the needs of the many, and the few.

Individual communal associations are historically most successful when limited to several hundred members, with perhaps two hundred being optimum. In a community of this size everyone knows their neighbor and life revolves around the church and community hall. Communication through these portals facilitates knowledge of the welfare of the community and is essential to its success. Such communities, historically agrarian, still exist wherein honest labor, self-reliance and interdependence meet virtually all the needs of the people. 3. Such communities have little need for “Leaders” outside of clergy, who, ideally, support themselves through the labor of their own hands. They have no need of government social programs because they manage the affairs of their own homes and community. They have no need of taxes because they manage and repair their own infrastructure, and also rise to the special needs of their neighbors in times of distress. Money is unessential for the everyday affairs of life. Food, clothing, shelter and the medical services and commodities necessary to sustain life are obtainable by mutual exchange in a community comprised of a people possessing diversified skills. However, as an exceptional case, conventional currency may be obtained through cottage industry, or outside employment, being used only for outside and nonmember transactions, as in the case of real estate acquisitions, and for necessities normally unavailable to the core community. Additionally, the community may also elect to be self-insured against catastrophic medical expenses for its members by the accumulation of such funds. Nevertheless, barter, as a mutual system of exchange, is, in fact, universally and commonly practiced today to the benefit and satisfaction of the parties involved. Common property and mutual exchange is the core mechanism of every family because each family member works for the common good, and a small community knit together for a common purpose can function as well as a family. Such communal associations are entirely feasible and compatible with the Constitution of the United States of America and Bill of Rights.

It is understood that land ownership is, unavoidably, the crux of temporal freedom. Land is, however, unobtainable outside the current fiduciary system. As historically recorded, the more successful communal associations allocated land by the authority of an ecclesiastical leader, whom the community members believed reflected the will of their God. The participants of a moneyless lay communal association may likewise find respite from this system within their association and on their duly obtained properties. Thus, the association of like-minded individuals may, for the sake of ethical conviction, embrace a simplified life, denouncing contemporary values which are based on the accumulation of wealth and status associated with income, that they may be free and on equal ground with their neighbor. Thus also, education, which has heretofore been a source of pride and status due to competition generated by commercial industry, ceases to be viewed as more than the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of self improvement. Opportunities are then opened to each member of a community to use their knowledge to benefit and enlighten their fellow being, rather than view that knowledge as their sole possession to be used for gain.

The natural tendency of man, in coveting or possessing property and accumulating wealth, is contrary to the best interests of a community when that property consumes the individual. Communal experiments are historically documented wherein property ownership, strictly speaking, was nonexistent. Except a body of people embrace a firm internal conviction sufficient to view personal property as common to a community family, a moneyless society cannot exist. A contemporary application of this principle may include the following elements, comprising a community constitution:

1. A community of individuals and families is organized for the purpose of establishing an interdependent association, wherein all transactions for goods and services are exchanged in kind, by mutual consent, without regard for individual status or specialized trade, recognizing every skilled and unskilled trade which is essential to the operation of a functional and sustainable agrarian community.
2. The community at large agrees upon a condition that, accepting an acknowledged disability that is accommodated by the good will of the populace and not by external government policy, no individual is accepted into the community except he or she works within their respective roles for their own self support and the support of their families. All participants covenant and agree to give of their substance and provide labor to the benefit and common good of the community, not by compulsion but as the need arises.
3. Property, in the form of physical land, may be procured collectively for the purpose of establishing a sustainable community, which is then equitably apportioned by consent of a majority of the community population according to family or individual need for an inheritance and livelihood by legal contract. In the case of real estate that is not geographically connected property, as may occur in new community memberships, the property is retained by the community member who purchased it and commodities and services are exchanged in kind.
4. All decisions and actions affecting the community are agreed upon by common consents, and sustained by a ninety percent majority of community members of accountable age in open assembly, with not less than eighty-five percent of the community population participating, with the understanding that a simple majority is historically unsustainable and tends to divide a community.
5. The government of the community shall never fall to an individual, or group of individuals, wherein a council may be secretly sought over the voice of the majority, the majority always has precedent over special interests.
6. No commercial or corporate interests, whether part of, or outside the community, must be allowed to legislate, administrate or enforce policies which affect the common good of the community.
7. The community, a total member populace of accountable age, may appoint, by common consent through a majority vote, without compensation or tenure, as the need arises, judges, who field grievances and moderate conflicts between members of the community. Such judges have authority to call and schedule meetings in such a manor that, subject to section four, a majority of members may attend, and chair community meetings for issues and decisions affecting the common good of the community. Offenses of a grievous nature will be judged by the law of the land.
8. The community-government shall have no power to discipline an individual, only by censure or disassociation.
9. The community-government shall recognize freedom of choice or liberty to act in all matters of life. Each individual is an agent unto themselves and is responsible for his or her own choices and actions. Freedom to choose must never interfere with the agency or liberty of another individual. All members of accountable age are on equal ground.
10. The community is, strictly speaking, a voluntary association for common good. Individuals may associate or excuse themselves from association of their own free will and choice. In cases of disassociation, property that has been acquired by legal contract is nevertheless binding and may not be separated from the individual or family, only by consent or the legal owner by legal contract and for fair market value.

1. http://byuh.edu/academics/domckay/Speeches/Mckay/year.html. 1992 Max E. Stanton “All Things Common”: A Comparison of Israeli, Hutterite and Latter-day Saint Communalism
2. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE ID=17398
http://www.geoffmetcalf.com/qa/17398.html
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/4/9/204435.shtml
3. http://www.communa.org.il/commu2000.htm
http://www.communa.org.il/faq.htm

Copyright February 2007. This article may be reproduced when the author’s name is included.

Conservation - Energy Out

2006-10-30T21:50:00.000-08:00

What could I possibly say to my neighbor to impress upon him the desperate state of the environment? What grand axiom could I relate to my fellow man to persuade him to abandon his lifelong anal mission to destroy his corner of the world?

I watched from my window this afternoon as a woman raked leaves and bagged them to set out on the curb for the haulers. She has no idea what she is doing except that she is maintaining an immaculate lawn. She does this year after year, not realizing that she is removing the sum energy produced by that tree which would generate a fertile soil for itself and its progeny. This is energy out of the local environment, contributing to the depletion of soil. The tree is then progressively stressed due to the lack of humus in the soil, stifling its full potential for growth and ensuring its premature demise.

We all love to take drives through the countryside to view the glories of nature and to get away from it all. Yet, when housing developments take the place of raw nature the very first thing we do is knock down all the trees and scrape the land bare. Without forethought we construct a major source of runoff (a housing edition) and plant grass. This environmentally destructive practice is, to some extent, attributed to ignorance. However, to a great extent, it is the product of a society based on profits and the promise of instant gratification and convenience, which is starkly and diametrically opposed to the course of nature.

Ordinances by local governments, or covenants imposed by homeowner’s associations, such as those that mandate maintained lawns for the sake of appearance and property value, are not the answer. Rather, the endorsement of public education on topics relating to sustainable practices by local government entities are a more intelligent and responsible course of action. This would be a use of my tax dollars I could feel good about.

An Innocent Mind

2006-10-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

One night, during the summer of 1958, I was lying in my bed gazing out the window at the full moon high in the sky. I have ever since been enraptured by his glorious presence. Despite the endless expanse of glories beyond our sight and comprehension, the moon, with his pervasive influence on our mother earth, is ever present with me. As I studied him I saw a movement of stars, or so it seemed, to the southwest. They were three in number and moving point forward as a small triangular group toward the moon. I watched spellbound as they merged with the moon, whether before or behind I could not tell. I waited in vain, for what seemed like an hour, for their reemergence.

I retrospect, they could only have been outside the earth's atmosphere and in the proximity of the moon. As they were plainly visible at that distance they must have been enormous. As they moved at the speed we now equate with a manmade satellite in an earth orbit they must have been traveling at an astonishing velocity. The event is clear in my mind as the night it happened. I was eight then, and, I'm sure you recall, Sputnik was launched in 1957.

I fully realize the implications of what I've related. Most would say I've described a UFO. Nevertheless, I saw what I saw.

Preparedness - Anything Goes

2006-10-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

Catastrophic events aside, anyone can find themselves suddenly unemployed. Unemployment for extended periods is tantamount to a ‘Great Depression’ on a personal level. Consequently, continued education, either to keep us indispensable in our present employment or to prepare us for possible career changes should not be overlooked in our long term plans.

Corporate America can no longer be counted on for financial security or retirement benefits. I write from personal experience and am grateful to have received and applied the following principles at least once already in my life.

Personal and family preparedness is a prudent undertaking, and preparedness isn’t a radical idea - it’s just uncommon. There is no necessity of choosing between security and freedom when you can have both. It behooves a thoughtful and responsible person to set aside a years supply, or minimum of six months, of dry goods combined with the knowledge to use them, water, medical supplies, fuel, clothing and money, or as much as one has within their power to do. There are numerous cooperatives that can supply any need the family may have. The circles we run with combine food orders to give us buying power. We circulate portable dry canning equipment to share the burden of work.

A word to the wise: Preparedness equates to peace of mind, and skills necessary to set aside food stores and effectively use them, or develop a garden capable of sustaining family needs comes from experience over a period of time.

Where does one find time to practice a way of life espoused in this post? We weaned ourselves from the opiate of prime time television years ago through the example of friends who had recognized the same wisdom. We were surprised to find that through redefining our priorities, we had sufficient time for our jobs, continued education, gardening and canning, quality time for family activities including date night, community service and believe it or not, sleep. Everyone has interests and hobbies they’ve neglected once they got “Hooked” on TV. It is absolutely amazing how easy it is, with a little imagination and planning, to find something to do when you turn off the tube. For example, in addition to the usual family responsibilities, I've managed to develop an edible landscape, participate in a sustainable living organization, and finish a B.S. degree. Once you commit to the idea and become fully involved the “Withdrawal” process is rather painless, with little danger of backsliding.

Shortly after the war, backyard victory gardens produced at least 30% of all produce grown in this country with all the popular vegetable varieties being represented. Corporate farms have succeeded for the most part in driving the small commercial farmer out of business, virtually monopolizing our sources of food. Vast areas of a single food crop are grown because of the efficiency of harvesting and profit margin without consideration of the inherent vulnerability of monocultures to disease.A few small growers survive by specializing in the production of bedding plants and herbs. The small + 2 acre private farm that grows specialty, i.e., unusual and oriental vegetables, also does well. The parking lot vegetable vendor still does a business from the occasional backyard garden.

The edible landscaper can manage very well for the needs of family with planning and preparation.I lament the passing of a way of life embodied in the small family farm, with its intrinsic values of prudence, hard work and thrift. I see, in retrospect, the values of my Grandfather's generation, and I believe that rural life was a good way to grow up.

One is hard pressed today to find a youth that is raised to value the virtues of hard work. American society has become perilously soft and lazy, and we have been lulled into a sense of complacency because of the abundance of goods we enjoy. With the exception of the advantages of medical technology, I don’t believe we’re better off today.

“It’s time to start living the life we’ve imagined.” - James Henry

Sustainable Living - Enough is Enough; The New American Dream

2006-10-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

Over the course of our working life of say, 45 years, most of us will individually earn a least $1,000,000.00. Why is it that most of us upon reaching retirement age will have little in the bank, and, most likely, be reliant upon Medicare? The answer lies in our expenditures; our wants, our perceived needs, i.e. a new car and a big house. No dollar specific analysis is required to realize there are little or no monies remaining at the end of the month after mortgage, insurance and multiple tax expenses are extracted from our livelihood. For most, the realization comes too late that the association of personal security and the attainment of material goods is an illusion.

Is it conceivable that one could live frugally on a few acres, working off-site no more than is required, and support himself and family in comfort and security by his own ingenuity, diligence and hard work, for the remainder of his days? The true necessities of life, such as food, shelter and clothing, actually cost very little.

Where does one find time to practice a way of life espoused in this work? We weaned ourselves from the opiate of prime time television years ago through the example of friends who had recognized the same wisdom. We were surprised to find that through redefining our priorities, we had sufficient time for our jobs, continued education, gardening and canning, quality time for family activities including date night, community service and believe it or not, sleep. Everyone has interests and hobbies they’ve neglected once they got “Hooked” on TV. It is absolutely amazing how easy it is, with a little imagination and planning, to find something to do when you turn off the tube. For example, in addition to the usual family responsibilities, I've managed to develop an edible landscape, participate in a sustainable living organization, and finish a B.S. degree. Once you commit to the idea and become fully involved the “Withdrawal” process is rather painless, with little danger of backsliding.

Shortly after the war, backyard victory gardens produced at least 30% of all produce grown in this country with all the popular vegetable varieties being represented. Corporate farms have succeeded for the most part in driving the small commercial farmer out of business, virtually monopolizing our sources of food. Vast areas of a single food crop are grown because of the efficiency of harvesting and profit margin without consideration of the inherent vulnerability of monocultures to disease. A few small growers survive by specializing in the production of bedding plants and herbs. The small + 2 acre private farm that grows specialty, i.e., unusual and oriental vegetables, also does well. The parking lot vegetable vendor still does a business from the occasional backyard garden. The edible landscaper can manage very well for the needs of family with planning and preparation.

I lament the passing of a way of life embodied in the small family farm, with its intrinsic values of prudence, hard work and thrift. I see, in retrospect, the values of my Grandfather's generation, and I believe that rural life was a good way to grow up. One is hard pressed today to find a youth that is raised to value the virtues of hard work. American society has become perilously soft and lazy, and we have been lulled into a sense of complacency because of the abundance of goods we enjoy. With the exception of the advantages of medical technology, I don’t believe we’re better off today.

James Henry said, “It’s time to start living the life we’ve imagined.”

How much do we really need to live a good and satisfying life? A conversation on the matter usually goes something like this.

“Hey, how’s it going?”

“Eh, OK, I guess.”

“Just, OK, not great?”

“…..You know I would be willing to just let it all go; Sell everything and buy five to ten acres in the country and just live on it. I could build our own house and grow everything we need. I am so tired of this rat race.”

“Well, I guess we can dream, can’t we?”

The conversation usually drops at this point because the argument for abandoning the American Dream, in this instance, isn’t convincing. How will one support a family? How can one provide for basic needs, much less pay for insurance and education?

The reasons for cutting loose from the hustle and bustle of this modern world are compelling, and intuitively self evident. What has become of the real reasons for living? They are swallowed up in the desire for things and the oppression of debt , of desire for convenience and entertainment, and of oppression for gratification sake. Hence, real living is forfeited by our own doing. However, the true expense of participation in the modern world stems from the conspiring designs of housing, insurance, credit and government entities that prey on our perceived vulnerabilities, for outrageous usury. Again, for most or us, the cost of the “American Dream” is the surrender of our peace of mind, and ultimately the sacrifice of the best years of our lives. This scenario is like a bad marriage. We know we want out, but we don’t know any other life.

To what do we owe our loyalty? Is it government, the economy, or the corporation for whom we work? Our loyalty, that for which we are ultimately accountable, is to our family and our God. The questions remain. How much, in terms of money and things, do we really need to enjoy a fulfilling life? Can we live in good health for the period of our natural lives? Will we save enough of the green stuff through shifting our priorities to pay for our children’s education? What will be the quality of our lives if we adopt the lifestyle of our forbears? What will become of us when we get old? For thought sake, and just as compelling, is the question; what legacy will we leave our children when we’re gone? Let us search our own souls.

I will first dispel concerns on the question of aging and dying according to my own views and personal confidence. First, the responsibility to assure my own health and well being lies with me, not the government. I avoid vices and take care of my nutritional needs. I’ve further secured my personal assets by the prudent use of major medical insurance, as I will later describe. By so doing, I will assure that my decision to age and die in my own way and in my own home rests with me and not the government. Second, does it really matter where I take my last breath? It does to me. I would much rather die in my own home and in the loving embrace of my own family than in some hospital or nursing home. I’ve seen far too many fine people languishing and dying in these facilities. I have profound sympathy for any individual thrust into that situation and environment because family members either don’t know what else to do or take this option out of convenience or, worse, motive and selfishness. The real things necessary to sustain life are all that matter, and there is really nothing I do in that regard as a young man to provide for a wife and home that I won't be able to do when I am old. I refuse to spend the best years of my life worrying about the last twenty.

The pervasive mindset in American culture is to make as much money as possible, thinking perhaps we will be happy and secure. In preparation for this goal, we spend one-third or our lives pursuing an education hopefully related to our interests and future occupation (this seldom happens). We will spend additional years of our lives in continuing education to maintain our qualifications or upgrading our skills to change career paths. The need for technical, medical and legal professionals is necessary in a healthy society. However, I believe an alternative should be available. If we monitor financial indicators and watch current national and world events, it is painfully obvious that few of us will have financial security, and fewer still will see retirement before being downsized.We work all of our lives, essentially, to prosper big business, mortgage and insurance companies, to pay utilities and to support the nonproductive members of society because of socialistic government programs. The solution to this conundrum is not in the ever-increasing “Opportunities” available for home businesses or investments. One alternative to the subservient existence we now live is passive resistance – being neither a significant producer nor consumer.

How much do we really need to live a good and satisfying life? Most of us live on 65% of our salaries, really. Let’s use the Tulsa, Oklahoma area as an example and say the average person has an income of around $2,732 per month – the median salary. Considering that we pay Federal Income Tax, Social Security tax and State Income Tax, which totals approximately 14%, counting one deduction, we’re left with approximately $2,349.00 (If we find we must pay more taxes at the end of the year this percentage will be more). Now consider that we pay around $800.00 to $1,500.00 per year for property tax, depending on which school district we live in, for an additional $190.00 average per month, leaving us $2,159.00. Next, of course, is sales ax, which is around 9% in Tulsa County. This is tax on everything we buy, including, but not limited to, groceries, clothing, and some service products. If you are conservative and keep your budget at $250.00 per month, this amounts to $23.00, leaving you $2,136.00. Utilities, including gas and electric, and transportation fuel cost roughly $350.00.Let’s not forget that we have annual auto tags (mine is $56.00 for two old cars), driver’s licenses at $19.00, which are also taxes. Taxes on your city utility is 5%, with natural gas at 8.7%, electric at 5% and phone services at 10.7% including local, state and federal. Tax on gasoline is about 30% of the total cost. I personally average one trip to the station per vehicle per week. These conservative averages can be around $450.00 annually, amounting to $35.00 per month, leaving the consumer $2,101.00 to do with as he sees fit.Since we had one deduction on our tax form we will have additional taxes to pay at the end of the year. We can invest up to $4,500 per individual into a Roth IRA. The average of that investment is $375.00 per month. All of this means we must pay a mortgage, buy health insurance, feed and clothe ourselves, maintain and insure a car, and plan for the other necessities and contingencies of life with $1,726.00. Heaven forbid we should be sucked into credit card debt.

I reiterate that this is tax on monies we’ve already paid taxes on. If we manage to scrape up anything to put into a savings account, the interest is taxed also – a great incentive to save. It is not within the scope of this work to suggest better ways to invest your money, however, a better use of money we already have is prudent.

Consider again, the mortgage on your home. It is blithely accepted by the public at large that they will pay on a home mortgage most of their adult lives. However, consider that you will pay approximately $300,000.00 for a $100,000.00 home over a thirty year period. Is there anything wrong with this scenario? We must accept the fact that we are either paying rent or flushing $200,000.00 down the toilet for the first 20 years of our mortgage. The claim of tax benefits for having a mortgage is rather lame if you do the math because equity is poor compensation for the $200,000.00 you've lost to interest.

Is it possible that we could live on a piece of ground that we buy outright and inhabit a low energy consumption home of our own construction? Could we produce the majority of our own food supply? Could we simplify our lives in terms of gadgets and appliances, some of which use exorbitant amounts of electrical power, virtually eliminating our dependence on public utilities? Would we be content with less income and minimal taxes and consequently fewer material goods? Instead of acquiring our necessities by indirect means, that is to say, working for money to acquire food, clothing and shelter, could we make as our occupation the concerns of everyday farm life, in a community of like-minded people, and produce these necessities directly? I find it ironic that so many of us who have fruit trees allow that fruit to fall to the ground and rot because of the demands of our jobs. We end up buying inferior fruit at the super market.

What of the demands of the present system that require paying property taxes? Is it feasible to pay those taxes on a subsistence income? What of filing 1040 tax forms? How can the necessary tools and building materials needed to develop and maintain a homestead be acquired and supplied? What will happen if one is injured or becomes ill? How will medicine and medical services be provided? What of retirement? How will we provide for family and ourselves as we age? These questions seem insurmountable, only within the context of the social order we now support.

We must, by law, file a return annually regardless of income. However, a couple filing jointly is allowed to earn $14,000.00 annually without paying federal taxes. The state allows $5.000.00 before taxes are withheld. We have a degree of control over our expenditures and subsequent taxes. Checking accounts are not requisite for purchases when cash or money orders will suffice. Regular savings accounts, drawing interest at a whopping 1.5%, are little more than repositories for our money. Investing in 1/10th ounce gold pieces, bulk silver coins, as well as virtually worthless traditional cash, and rat-holing them are as safe as any holdings in a bank, and more secure in the event of depression and bank closures. Mail order from co-ops and nurseries, some of which will waive shipping contingent on order size, will presently eliminate most sales tax. Barter for services and goods, while technically taxable, have no paper trail and are, therefore, invisible. I did not say legally taxable, because the laws taxing our personal income have no constitutional basis. I will publicly state that I do not advocate evading legitimate taxes, however I believe in paying no more taxes than I absolutely must.

Health and auto insurance are the most expensive though imperative expenditures for the simple life. The consideration of living an uncluttered life is made straightforward when one is secure about the unexpected. The abolition of a mortgage and credit cards, the worst forms of slavery eliminate usury and are critical to success. In doing this, the unavoidable property tax, health and auto insurance and lifestyle maintenance expenses are rendered realistic. It does not take $14,000.00 annually to live a fulfilling life, really. Fulfillment in life is rather one of focus and priority. Cottage industries of herbs, mushrooms, vegetables and bedding plants are sufficient to meet the requirements of a self-sufficient lifestyle, really. In fact, mycology, the branch of botany that deals with fungi, alone may be sufficient as cottage industries to support the family enterprise. Several varieties of vigorous, low labor intensity mushrooms can be easily grown for the food market or for medical research. Sustainable agriculture, as the way of the future, is upon us now.

Suppose we’ve previously determined our course of action, had our garage/estate sale and sold our house (eliminated our mortgage). The next step, that is to say weaning ourselves from the need for 'Stuff', is more difficult for some than others. People sometimes jokingly say, “The guy who has the most toys when he dies, wins.” In reality, the benefits of that $100,000.00 annual salary that people dream of and prepare for, along with the accepted and presumed value of goods and services it supports, is only an illusion. In the pursuit of 'Stuff' we rack up credit card debt. Credit card debt, which is a manifestation of impatience in the pursuit for wants we cannot afford, is one of those American Dream axioms, and the cause of most non-business related bankruptcies. The solution, while inexorably becoming public knowledge, is seldom used because it takes discipline. The formula is simple, if not easy. Pick the smallest debt and pay it off. Then, instead of spending it, use the money you previously spent on that debt to systematically pay off the next debt. Finally, use the sum of those monies to pay off the third, and so on.

Transportation is still essential for a simple lifestyle; however, a new car with its high tag (annual tax) and insurance is not. A pre-computer/emission control vehicle of ones’ own choice, perhaps a pickup truck for its obvious utilitarian functions on a small farm, can easily be had for around $1,500.00 and reworked to ensure reliability. Should this mean putting the equivalent of a new engine, front end, transmission, tires and basic paint job, it will still only amount to an additional $3,500.00 on the average. However, you now have, virtually, a new car for around $5,000.00 that you can maintain without doling out money to a mechanic only because he has special tools and computer diagnostic equipment. Insurance will be around $480.00 per year for comprehensive with a middle of the road deductible, and the tag/tax should be in the neighborhood of $25.00.

An additional option for sustainable transportation is a diesel vehicle. Fuel can be virtually free if you install a veggie oil conversion kit. The kit averages $1,500.00 if you install it yourself. If you simply must make biodiesel that's fine. Otherwise, except for the occasional expense of a minor amount of diesel fuel to start and finish a trip, you can run straight fryer oil from a nearly unlimited number of restaurants. The restaurant has the option of contracting their waste oil disposal or giving it to you for free. Fryer oil is considered hazardous waste only if a commercial contractor collects it.

Health insurance is another crucial consideration. Many insurance companies will gladly accept your premiums for a lifetime and then cheat you out of benefits when you file a claim, if they can. Insurance companies have teams of high-powered attorneys, paid for with your insurance premiums, with no other purpose than to bog you down in procedures until you give up or die trying to collect on a claim. Though diligence and research, it is possible to find a reputable insurance company with a solid track record of paying legitimate claims. A good policy that includes vision and dental from an independent agent will vary greatly in cost, depending on factors such as age, sex, vices, preexisting conditions and fluctuating annual rates. Expect to pay at lest $3,800.00 annually for a couple, if one takes the high deductible. Children are an added expense, but then this is our real priority. Make absolutely certain you find an insurance company and agent that works for you, the customer, and not the stockholder. I'll included more on this later.

The purchase of a homestead is a matter deserving considerable attention to detail. Never buy property without the aid of an attorney. Rural property can still easily be had for $1,000.00 per acre. Given a temperate climate and sufficient rainfall, five acres is sufficient for a perpetual woodlot and more than enough for the necessities of life for one family.

Heavy equipment is unnecessary on the small farm. Hand tools are sufficient for tasks ranging from gardening to home construction. These tools can be possessed for a song from garage sales. Lawn tools become obsolete in this lifestyle.

In addition to the produce and minor livestock, a family can raise and preserve, they needn’t spend more than $50.00 per month for staples to include grains, legumes, sugar, spices, oil and baking supplies; that’s $600.00 annually – no kidding. Actually, as one becomes innovative, he can turn out gourmet cuisine with little but these staples and produce derived from his own labor. Once established, nursery stock can be propagated, vegetable and herb seed can be saved, and chickens and small livestock will perpetuate, so that one never be without his own diversified delicatessens.

It should become clear that, without the constraints of a mortgage, $14,000.00 per year, or even less, is enough for the necessities of life, including insurance, education (tuition and books at a conservative college may cost around $2,000.00 per 9 to 12 hour semester) and savings.

The bottom line on self sufficiency is that one only needs to be able to buy basic food staples, pay property taxes, health insurance and file one’s form 1040 every year and stash some savings for the unexpected, or continuing education. Everything else is an extension of one’s wants rather than one’s needs.

Self insured major medical insurance, if you take a high deductible of $10,000.00, will cost around $390.00 per month for a family of four. The Annual OON Deductible is $1,000; the Coinsurance/Out-of –pocket is 100% after deductible; The Out-Of-Network differential is 20%; The Family Out-Of-Pocket maximum including the in-net deductible is $10,000.00, and the Lifetime maximum, PPO Network, is $8,000.00.

The same insurance for a couple with all the children out of the nest, if you take a high deductible of $10,000.00, is around $320.00 per month. The Annual OON Deductible is $1,000.00; The Coinsurance/Out-Of-Pocket is 100%; The Out-Of-Network differential is 20%; The Family Out-Of-Pocket maximum, PPO Network, including the in-net deductible is $10,000.00, and the Lifetime maximum is $8,000.00. You can pick up dental and vision from an independent agent for a paltry $15.00 per month.

Property tax will be a few hundred dollars a year for a family embracing this lifestyle. If you want a big home you may pay $1,200.00 a year, depending on your school district.

Consequently, given the above two scenarios, you will have expenses of from $4,900.00 to $5,800.00 per year, major medical, property taxes and food staples inclusive. As you can see, given some degree of preparation, even a single income of $14,000.00 per year before taxes is a liberal price tag to be free of Corporate America and its accompanying headaches. Cottage industries alone can create this kind of income.

The Implementation of a life of Self Sufficiency might follow this pattern.

1. Ditch the Mortgage.

For the most part, women have an innate desire for security, which stems from their nurturing nature. While many men would be content living under Spartan conditions, most women thrive in a home environment; one with the seeming affluence of space and a stocked larder. Unfortunately, the conventional concept of security is in the obtaining of that home through the media of a mortgage. It is under the yoke of the most outrageous usury called a mortgage that we are least secure. Consider the lessons of the Great Depression of the last century. If anything happens to the government or the economy your home is forfeited. Therefore, I would submit that meeting our basic needs, including providing a home environment, has nothing to do with the conventional concept of security.

The assumption at this point is that you have no debts other than a mortgage. If this is not the case, then eliminating extraneous debts is your first priority. Living your self sufficiency dream in the country will have to wait.

The one greatest impediment to a lifestyle of self sufficiency is the mortgage. Getting out from under the mortgage can be accomplished in a couple of ways. You can accelerate your mortgage payments, or sell out and reinvest mortgage-free in another piece of property. Hopefully, it is already understood there is no real tax advantage in having a mortgage if you’re paying 300% usury. You can worry over whether to find your acreage first or sell your existing home, or you can simply store the belongings you deem necessary for your real future needs, sell your home and then get a rate at a motel until your new property is secured.

2. Take the Leap.

Without a consensus with the wife or husband any action to bail out of the rat race will never happen, much less succeed. If you are to ever realize your dream of a simple, sustainable lifestyle the utmost care and patience must be exercised. Compromises must, of necessity, occur. We men are usually the first ones advocating such a change. So, husbands, you must not flag in your responsibility to provide upkeep for your companion. Despite the confidence you feel in your abilities, your wife has reasonable concerns. Once your companion has been exposed to the concept and seen the validity and potential of the venture, and has been convinced that he or she, along with children, will not suffer from want, you may at last find they are amicable to such a transition. Basic human nature dictates that a change in lifestyle which they at first fear they will later entertain and finally embrace. The principle is simple. It is the application that is challenging. If you’ve planed sufficiently, you’re experience will be one of novelty and adaptation, as opposed to, disillusionment and calamity.

Up to this point you should have given thought to site considerations and suitability to a sustainable lifestyle of the property you have, or will choose. You should have organized your thoughts on matters such as proximity to medical services and, sources of supplies and staples. If you intend to remain employed your major medical insurance is likely covered.

Choices for housing are varied and many. One practical solution is to pour a slab and erect a metal building to live in. An “S” pattern Quonset home made of Galvalume® Plus 24’ x 76’ is over 1,900 square feet of clear span that can be partitioned for living spaces. It has a 30 year warranty. It will never rot, never need painting, never need a roof replacement and never catch fire or suffer termite damage. It will cost in the range of $35,000.00, including the slab. Excepting electrical, plumbing and interior finishing, the structure can be shelled out by you alone in literally a week. You can substitute utilities by using lanterns for lighting, a wood stove for heat and cooking, a cistern for your water requirements (the Quonset makes an excellent watershed) and a composting toilet to eliminate the age-old distasteful and problem-fraught outhouse, lagoon or septic system.
A mobile home is a conventional temporary option for housing, though it may be hard to sell when you’re through with it. However, environmentally green options range from yurts to straw bale, earth bags or cob houses.

Consider this. If you build with concrete, slip form, block or stone, your home will not decay before you finish and you can take your time in most areas of the country. Steel internal framing, or a continuation of concrete for the internal walls can support a clay tile or sheet metal roof. You will ultimately have a finer home than the man who has poured out his entire soul over a lifetime of payments for a house built out of cheap lumber and chip board. The additional benefits are that you can live in whatever part is finished while the rest is under way, and you won’t pay property taxes on your home as long as it is under construction.

Should you plan to set up housekeeping in the fall, this is the best time to plant fruit trees, particularly in warmer latitudes. They will establish their root systems and fare far better as the season progresses toward summer than those planted in late spring. There are nurseries that will ship containerized plant materials any time of the year. Fall gardens will provide good table fare through most of the winter in greenhouses and cold frames. On the other hand, a spring venture will allow ample time through the year for establishing your homestead.

Diogenes (412 – 323 BC) once said "The gods gave man an easy life, but man has complicated it by itching for luxuries."

The possessions we acquire ultimately own us. They are neither vital to our existence nor our well being, yet like a vice, we find we cannot part with them except through the most strenuous emotional and mental exertion. Once done, however, we find it is easier to do without many of the things money can buy than it is to earn the money to buy them.

Please understand that I believe it to be in harmony with gospel doctrine to work by the sweat of ones brow to provide for family. This differs with the doctrine of economic growth which compels both husband and wife to acquire material wealth for a perceived security in the time of their old age.

It could be said that I’m not doing my share to contribute to society. While I may not be contributing to the dubious good of the Gross National Product, I am certainly not contributing to the definite evil of pollution and the destruction of the land. I do, however, exert myself in working for the common good of the religious community to which I belong, which community, in fact, extends its' resources to help those in need, regardless of religious affiliation. As I've before stated, the responsibility for social relief for the needy should come not from the government, but first through the immediate family, and secondly, when all other alternatives are exhausted, through the church family.

"Life, to the average man, means hard, anxious work, with disappointment at the end, whereas it ought to mean plenty of time for books and talk. There is something wrong about a system which condemns ninety-nine hundredths of the race to an existence as bare of intellectual activity and enjoyment as that of a horse, and with the added anxiety concerning the next month's rent. Is there no escape? Through years of hard toil I suspected that there might be such an escape. Now, having escaped, I am sure of it, so long as oatmeal is less expensive than Hour, so long as the fish and the cabbage grow, I shall keep out of the slavery of modern city existence, and live in God's sunshine." (Hubert, "Liberty and a Living.") It is pointless to blame the masses for not leaving the cities to go to the farms; they know of nothing else and would not know enough to make a living, much less enjoy it, if they did go.

Bolton Hall, author of Three Acres and Liberty, said, “We are not tied to a desk or to a bench; we stay there only because we think we are tied. It is not the growth of the cities that we want to check, but the needless want and misery in the cities, and this can be done by restoring the natural condition of living, and among other things, by showing that it is easier and making it more attractive to live in comfort on the outskirts of the city as producers, than in the slums as paupers.”

The return to a simple life is a transition that takes time, planning, preparation, resolve and disciplined labor. The concept is simple, though the application is difficult. The goal is to wrest back our lives from the illusion of the “American Dream”, and to leave Corporate America and all we have come to rely on for our support. The return on this investment in commitment and resolve is a life unfettered by the concerns of the corporate world with all its attending stress. We have begun to build a lifestyle and establish a work ethic that keeps us fit and healthy, with values that are a heritage worthy to be handed down to our children.

Have we diminished our quality of life in embracing a simple lifestyle? Is this not the life our great-grandparents experienced? Except for medical technology, were they deprived of a wholesome and satisfying life? Did they not give us, according to their journals, a rich heritage of ethic and work based upon the same values that originally existed and upon which this nation was established? In principle, I must denounce the ethic and priority of modern society. To make ones' living by the economics of the modern world is not a life. Life in its purity is to live and eat by the sweat of ones' brow. Work, that is to say, constructive manual labor in an agrarian setting, is a source of spiritual and emotional illumination, not to mention a foundation and investment in health.

Life, in its simplicity, is to watch the seasons change and the leaves turn; it is to notice when the birds migrate and to take note of the constellations and phases of the moon throughout the seasons; it is to take joy in harvesting the rewards of our labors, to watch the ripening of fruits through the seasons, both temporarily and spiritually.

Great spiritual leaders through the millennia have said the greatest fear they have for our spiritual welfare is what wealth and possessions will do to us.

What I’m proposing is the kind of lifestyle that involves making our living from the land as our great grand parents did. The implementation of this lifestyle is simple, if not easy, but must be undertaken in earnest for there is much at stake, even our very souls. Take heart, as hundreds of thousands are embracing similar concepts now in small family units as well as in eco and environmental communities around the country.

"We make ourselves rich by making our wants few."Henry David Thoreau

Copyright, February 2007 This article may be reproduced when the author's name is included.

Nature - Friends and Foes

2006-10-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

In the middle of the paisley shaped herb garden stands a shallow iron birdbath in the classical form of an open flower with a filigree base, and its daily visitors are many and varied. My wife’s response to the several crows that perched simultaneously to drink one morning was, “Eew, yuck”. I remained at the window, peering through the sheer lace curtain that kept me obscured from the penetrating and ever watchful eyes of the crows. I attempted to explain the complex social order and language that make crows so fascinating to me, but she remained unimpressed.From the kitchenette bay window we watched the Ruby-throated hummingbirds last summer. They seemed to be quick to spot us in the window, cautiously approaching the feeders until quite certain we were out of sight before setting their minds to the business of squabbling over the two feeders with their plentiful perches. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to discover one morning, while squatting to tend one of the fig trees, that the hummers would visit the feeders only five feet over my head, seemingly oblivious to my presence as long as I remained still.

European starlings are disturbingly adaptable and extremely versatile in their choices of nesting sites and take every available nook and cranny from tree cavities to buildings. They will perpetrate hostile takeovers of purple martin houses, as I’m sure you’ve observed. Additionally, they are omnivorous - eating everything in sight, making them a threat to the more desirable species of native birds, as well as to fruit growers. I’ve watched in awe as a large flock of starlings descended in a feeding frenzy on a mature pear tree loaded with ripe fruit, literally stripping the tree in about thirty minutes time. I was reminded of the mythological Harpy of Greek literature, sent to torment mankind. I’ve called starlings harpies ever since. I find it incomprehensible that the sympathies of animal rights activists extend to loathsome creatures such as these when they clearly don’t belong on this continent. The English sparrow is also an aggressive immigrant that has integrated into American bird culture.I’ve had conversations with environmentally conscious administrators who are in positions of authority over entities such as nature conservatories, who candidly concede that they consider starlings to be nothing more than “Rats with wings”. I would have no objection to an organized program for the extermination of European starlings in this country. Commercial advertising signs are attractive roosting sites for these birds. The construction of similar roosting sites for the purpose of attracting and collecting these birds in mass for humane disposal is a possible solution to the problem. A grassroots movement of backyard collection sites used during seasons that harpies congregate, would also be quite effective in reducing these vermin to manageable numbers. After all, we have rat control programs in this country.

Very recently, I was summoned to the window by the raucous cries of blue jays. Some cat, I thought, is making a tour looking for fledgling birds or perhaps rodents. After all, it is stupid season. In the middle of the backyard, and about three yards from my view, a Cooper’s hawk plucked a mockingbird on the ground. Then, looking about to acknowledge its’ audience, proceeded to dismember the hapless liar, downing even the head and feet, leaving only a pile of feathers. My wild backyard never ceases to amaze me.

As I have previously attested, the birds absolutely love our yard. However, make no mistake; this is a curse as well as a blessing for the small fruit grower. At the first sign of ripening color, those little beaks are testing the fruit. As we have the only edible landscape within perhaps miles, the droves of birds that lay claim to our little plot of ground have in the past wreaked havoc, and do so now, except the fruit trees are kept trimmed to accommodate bird netting. I must remind myself that I have chosen this battle.

Sustainable Living - Waste Not.

2006-10-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Waste management is of vital concern to a sustainable society. Whether the source of fecal waste is livestock or human communities, the problems associated with this waste lay in their concentration in feed lots and waste disposal systems. Human waste is particularly noxious, even when compared to swine or household pets. Urban communities have little choice but to rely on the established systems of sewage disposal. Rural Households, on the other hand, have some latitude in the disposition of waste by using septic systems and lagoons.

Although a far better solution is a composting toilet, there is an alternate solution that equally resolves the problem of waste disposal and also contributes to sustainable land use.

Rural farms, and perhaps some suburban homesteads, have a singular opportunity to break free of a cycle of chronic waste problems. Inadequate, outdated treatment systems, which up to now have been little more than a marginally effective necessity to the private landowner, are an expensive and continuing crisis to burgeoning communities. The technology to more efficiently process raw sewage does exist, but it is very expensive and not often utilized due to budget constraints on the part of land owners and municipalities.

Typical rangeland, with one head of large livestock or less per acre, causes little problem in terms of waste runoff, odor or flies. This is because the waste is scattered over a relatively large area. The same principle can apply to human waste on a managed sustainable homestead. Nearly everyone who has camped out in the woods has at one time or another relieved themselves independently of the established facilities. Wild animals have made their contributions to soil fertility for untold generations, which have neither caused nor contributed to odor problems or ground water pollution. The insects and other elements of nature treat this minor insult as a resource, and the fresh air and sunlight take care of any pathogens.

The solution to human waste disposal on the homestead, other than a composting toilet, is far less distasteful than maintaining a conventional septic system. Two or more acres, five acres being ideal, have more than sufficient area for a sustainable homestead for an average family with small livestock. This means a perpetual woodlot and edible landscape with potential to absorb and assimilate a lifetime of natural organic waste without harm to the environment.

When acreage is plotted on a grid in increments of twenty-five (25) square yards (the immediate living areas excluded), raw human waste can be alternately spread to each plot on the grid, without repetition, for a period of 194 days on a single acre! The obvious chore each day, or every other day, involves no more effort than taking out the trash. The problem of converting the traditional commode is academic. About twenty-five (25) gallons of water can be saved each day by using a sealable plastic bucket, and a little lime, for collection. Though this is entirely out of the ordinary, put into perspective, people tolerate the odor and fly problem of a backyard full of dogs, sidestepping dog poop in residential neighborhoods, without much thought.

Gardening Philosophy

2006-10-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

In a past life I was a professional business man and dealt with the daily needs of hearing impaired and disequilibrium patients, doing well what I did and enjoying what I did. However, my heart was always in the fields I’ve wandered and the gardens I’ve tended. I would be content as a subsistence farmer, and were it not for the love of family and home and the attending responsibilities required to maintain such, so I would be. Thus, it must suffice to spend the occasional afternoon and Saturday laboring with passion the boundary between earth and sky the soil. By changing my own little corner of the world and perhaps influencing others to do the same, we all participate in changing the world, “one backyard at a time.”

My gardening philosophy has evolved over the years, from one of “I love any plant and a good, neat lawn” to one of “I plant mostly for an edible landscape. I just killed all the Bermuda grass in my backyard, and the front yard is next.” Neighbors occasionally stop to comment on the man-high piles of mulch on the driveway waiting processing. The usual remarks range from “Looks like your making a lot of changes” to “Ya’ got enough?!” I can almost hear my neighbors as they watch from their kitchen windows, “Look at that, Martha. What’s he up to now?” According to one neighbor, my doings have made the Park Plaza neighborhood newsletter. He said to me one day, “The neighbors have all been talking and want to know which asylum you prefer, because we’re going to have you committed.”

What I’ve done is such a radical departure from the norm that neighbors and family were genuinely stunned on their first viewing. Reactions ranged from being at a loss for words to exclaiming, “Good Lord, what have you done to your yard?!” Neighbors attitudes have gone from near hostility or derision, in that they have complained to city authorities of my ‘brush piles’ of mulch, to ridicule, before finally accepting the fact I would not waver in my determination to produce food instead of a lawn. The long-term results, however, will be satisfying to me and tolerable, if not interesting, to all others.

There are, essentially, two levels of lawn culture. The most common type of lawn may get enough water during the summer months to remain green and may get a combination dose of broadleaf pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer in the spring. More often than not, the average working homeowner doesn’t take the time and this won’t be done unless he can afford to have a lawn service do it. The typical lawn is more a nuisance associated with home ownership and its appearance reflects that fact. The “Lawn”, on the other hand, reflects the pride of the homeowner by making an immaculate presentation. These homeowners are usually retired, or are well off, or both, and have the time for this sort of hobby.

Many extreme lawn enthusiasts I’ve known are golfing enthusiasts as well. I suppose that if I were to be categorized by these standards I would fall into the first group, except that by the time I’m finished I won’t have a lawn at all. The front and back yard will ultimately be a mulched forest garden bordered with fences and hedge roses.

I must say the idea of having a lawn has become so fundamental to the American dream that its dominance is axiomatic as one of America’s cultural mores. Thus, for me to say that having a lawn is contrary to nature may sound like heresy. However, the cultural practices essential to having a presentable lawn involve a regular regime of applications of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers, which are contrary to the constructive forces of nature.

Frankly, I loathe Bermuda grass and I squander no water on grass during the summer months, choosing rather, to water the more worthy, edible landscape plantings. Like the European Starling, this immigrant has become a plague upon the land. Both are invasive, aggressive and tenacious beyond belief. I’ve burned up entire seasons digging and solarizing Bermuda grass to eliminate it from fencerows and larger expanses I intended for gardening. Once it invades a bed of flowers or garden, digging and grubbing is the only chemical free option for its removal.

Opaque black plastic is best for solarizing Bermuda grass because it heats the soil and deprives Bermuda grass of sunlight. Even at that, it can take up to two months to finish off the last holdouts. My general disdain for grass was reflected in the dandelion population dispersed over my remaining lawn. I simply could not tolerate the annual addition of herbicides, used by commercial lawn maintenance companies, to the soil.

Deep, continuous edging is the best alternative to keeping out the neighbors’ Bermuda grass.Ornamental specimen grasses may also have their place in the landscape depending on your preference. In temperate regions certain varieties of low growth, non-invasive grasses such as fescues and bluegrasses, still considered typical to lawns, might be used for large expanses of non-traffic areas. As they cover bare ground and prevent erosion, they needn’t be mowed in this application.

The central idea of several sections of this work is, after all, edible landscaping, and relevant to that goal, I believe in working smart. My idea of sustainable gardening is a total coverage of six plus inches of bark mulch accentuated with flagstone pathways, specialty and accent plantings, and the joy of harvesting the fruits of my labors without high water bills and the drudgery of maintaining a lawn. After all, the effort of maintaining a lawn of grass gives you nothing, except the empty satisfaction of having it over and done with for one more week.

My wife has family in the vicinity of Mesa Arizona. The traditional yard in that region is covered with various grades and colors of gravel, planted heavily with trees, shrubs and foundation plantings suited to the climate. The gravel not only functions as decorative mulch, but is effective against the heat and drying conditions of the regional climate. This practical and responsible approach conserves water. However, golfing is an industry that encourages the establishment of lawns in any climate, and an increasing number of homes in the developed Southwest retirement areas now sport water consuming “Lawns.” Irrigation will, incidentally, mineralize the soil over a period of time unless rainfall is sufficient to leach the minerals from the soil. Vast expanses of cropland in arid regions have been rendered useless because of mineralization.

I don’t pretend to have an “Organic” garden in the purest sense of the word because I’m aware that the previous owner of our home used chemicals. I have also used herbicides in the past, and cannot verify the purity of the organic materials and amendments I now introduce onto our property. The shredded bark and wood chips covering most of our property may have chemical residues and the soil amendments I buy may have manufacturing residues.

Composting and gardening need not be a grueling and avoided task. The raw materials making gardening and enjoyable pursuit are readily available in abundance. Many of your neighbors bag their grass during the growing seasons and set it out on the curb for the refuse haulers. In the fall they also bag their leaves. Due to the proclivity of the general public to use chemicals in solving pest problems I recommend exercising reasonable care in accepting materials from your neighbors. At the least, determine if they apply insecticides to their lawns. Additionally, you may want to avoid the large volume use of elm and the sycamores leaves or bark chips as mulch or composting materials, as concentrated they are toxic to virtually all other plants. This toxicity is a natural plant mechanism designed to prevent competition for the precious resources of water, nutrients and sunlight.

In making compost, a moistened mixture, in a ratio of approximately two to one, of grass clippings to leaves that were stored from the previous season is a simple enough formula. A ‘heap’ of this material, manageable at about four feet wide by three feet high, covered with black plastic and adjacent to the garden, if turned and remoistened every other afternoon will produce beautiful compost in only a week! A three or four tined claw tool with a hoe length handle is handy for this job. I’ve used this composting method to fill cold frames that produced the most spectacular Napa cabbage. Commercial composting barrels are also available, that apparently do a great job. These days, however, I simply bag whatever leaves and grass clippings I can gather throughout the seasons and apply them directly to the garden around the base of the vegetables, covering any exposed soil throughout the garden. The natural process of decomposition keeps up with new additional raw materials, and I have mulch on the garden surface year-round to keep the soil nourished, cool and moist. Each Spring I part the mulch just enough to scratch the soil sufficiently to poke okra seed, or whatever, into the ground or set out vegetables, such as tomato and pepper plants.

I practice ‘no till’ gardening, that is to say, except for the first time I spaded and worked up my garden plot I haven’t spaded it since. I certainly don’t rotor till my garden as this practice destroys the soil structure and kills the earth worms. My garden was initially worked up into somewhat raised beds instead of rows and the worms and other organisms work the compost into the soil and keep it aerated. Consequently, I spend more time enjoying and harvesting fruits and vegetables, and negligible time weeding or otherwise maintaining the garden because of these practices. One season, I had okra thirteen feet tall and literally blocking the view from our kitchen window overlooking it. My wife and I ultimately had to bend the stalks over and follow them out to the tips to harvest the seven inch, still tender, pods. They may have grown taller but a windstorm blew them over one night. Okra pods toughen as a result of lack of moisture and high ground temperatures. Good gardening is not, overall, particularly hard work, but rather a matter of cultural technique.

The Wild Mind

2006-10-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

I’ve pondered and tried to comprehend the wild mind, the fierce independence that pervades the existence of fowls and animals living in and beneath the blanket of sky, the earth below. When I stand in my garden micro-world and immerse myself in the fragrance of the soil, the sounds of life’s goings on and the feel of the sun and moving air playing on my skin, I am, for a while, that wild mind, with no thought of civilized dependence. I’m taken back on one occasion to my early childhood freedoms, which I tried to hang onto past their time, and, which I, out of desperation as an introvert and defiantly self-professed loner, wrenched from my life of growing adolescent responsibilities and concerned parents. I was one with nature, retreating from the difficulties of youth, grades, and social ineptness. It was all part of growing up, but out of this I came to know every plant, tree, bird and animal and gained an abiding appreciation for the wonders of the natural world beyond my own garden. I became quite adept at obtaining shelter, fire, food and water from nothing, which is no small task in Oklahoma. I innately understood the subtle intricacies and interrelationships between plants and animals. The several hundred yards of thickets and hummocks from the levee to the Arkansas River were my domain and kingdom for miles to the east and west.

The Arkansas River in the early sixties was unfettered from the constraining bulwark of the Keystone Dam. As I well remember, it had annual cycles, and the rising and receding waters would leave new sand bars and pools for the spawning and nurturing of fingerling fish, to be released with the next flood. The illusion of taming the river brought hydroelectric power in nearly sufficient quantities and housing developments in places where housing developments shouldn’t be in a flood situation.

The Keystone dam, at the confluence of the Arkansas and Cimmeron rivers, failed to prevent flooding in the seasons of the most severe rains. Its real purpose was electrical production and the stimulation of tourism. Tulsa, Oklahoma, in fact, suffered the worst flooding in its recorded history because the Corp. of Engineers misjudged the severity of the problem during the rains of (circa) 86 and had to release unprecedented amounts of water to prevent the overflow and subsequent damage to Keystone Dam. The fact is, they probably couldn’t have prevented the flooding had they known in advance the oncoming torrential rains. The Cimarron and Arkansas Rivers silted in the new marinas after only a few years, and downstream the river hangs stagnant through much of the summer. Several indigenous species of fish, including the Sauger are gone, replaced by stocked hybrid striper bass for the sake of game fishermen.

The problems of watershed and the needs for power are universal. We’ve seen the above scenario played out the world over in this last century. This new millennium has inherited the problem and will see the fruition of an insatiable thirst for hydroelectric, wind, solar and nuclear, as well as coal fired generation of power as oil production peaks and declines.

The Appreciation of Nature

2006-10-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

When one has their eyes on nature, and in the skies, they become more than just average individuals. They are, in fact, truly alive. They comprehend the meaning of their stewardship over this earth from whence they sprang.

Except for awareness of the immediate weather, the general masses are mostly oblivious to the subtleties of the seasons, manifested in the ebb and flow of life on this Mother Earth. The pulse of nature is indiscernible and foreign to them. They are essentially desensitized, finding meaning for their existence only in the daily routine of a sterile work place, i.e. the synthetic and the artificial. When they do chance to look up to see the moon or the fowls in the heavens, they find these things incomprehensible, and render little notice or appreciation. They are to be pittied.

Encouraging and supporting a variety of birds is both emotionally satisfying and beneficial to the land. It is a great way to develop ones' appreciation of nature. Birdhouses, feeders and roosting accommodations are easy to discretely integrate into the landscape and are available from the many specialty retail stores that have risen out of the birding culture. There are aesthetic designs for dovecotes to attract pigeons and their cousins. These are usually large projects, appearing as minarets in the landscape, which gardeners must build or contract out. We don’t care for pigeons or doves as food but we do enjoy watching them forage and love to hear their early morning cooing. Pigeons present a pleasant sight in the sky as they fly in formation and it’s easy to think of them as semi domesticated pets.

Perhaps I’ll erect a martin house next spring. There is room under the overhang on the south side of our home for bat houses. There are sufficient ponds within a few hundred yards to perpetuate succeeding generations of striking, jewel-like dragonflies. Bat houses are easily procured or constructed and their inhabitants live compatibly in proximity with humankind. We can all use some help in the garden against the hordes of mosquitoes and other pests that torment us as we tend our herbs, fruits and vegetables.

Bats and dragonflies are equally prodigious in their ability to hold the insect hordes at bay. They are raptors in their respective elements, and merit an equal share of our time in providing their basic requirements. Minimum effort and monetary expenditure will provide habitat sufficient to encourage these front line insect predators.

The Ocean Above

2006-09-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Late summer brings, among other things, the first stirrings of the migration instinct. I watch a small spider casting long filaments from its spinnerets into the breeze. Then, in an instant, she releases her hold on the tall fruiting amaranth, and is carried up and away. Where she goes, I wonder.

This particular day was blessed with a beautiful fall afternoon; and so using a technique called solar obliteration, I placed myself beneath the overhang of the roof of our home to protect my eyes from the direct rays of the sun. After my eyes had adjusted to the comparative brightness of the near corona of the sun, I witnessed what was to me a revelation. Gazing up into the ocean of air , I could see that the sky was full of life with unseen dramas unfolding. My spider friend was one of countless others carried to whatever fate awaited them in the vast tide of air of this small cross section of sky I could see. Streamers of web, illuminated by the sun, appeared as a gossamer fabric - some near, some as far as the eye could see - moving with the wind at speeds relative to their distances. Here and there were birds, dragonflies and other small creatures and at great distances occasional larger objects, mysterious and unidentifiable.

As last spring gave way to summer I watched as Swifts and Martins cavorted and darted about for their fleet quarry, occasionally dropping from the sky to bring some insect - a damselfly or spider to waiting fledglings with their ever-gaping beaks. They live out their lives in the sky, feeding on creatures of the sky, seldom touching the earth until ultimately returning to the earth as the dust from whence they sprang.

I’ve watched martins and swallows alight on open bare ground to pick up what appeared to be grains of sand, for the minerals I imagine. They sat squat on the ground as though crippled, their legs seemingly unsuited to the environment and out of their element. Then, as though having overstayed their brief visit, they struggle briefly and are once again part of that great tide of air.

Health - Medical Freedom

2006-09-23T10:55:00.001-07:00

"Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship ... To restrict the art of healing to one class of men and deny equal privileges to others will constitute the Bastille of medical science. All such laws are un-American and despotic and have no place in a republic ... The Constitution of this republic should make special privilege for medical freedom as well as religious freedom."
Benjamin Rush, M.D., signer of The Declaration of Independence, physician to George Washington.
from THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN RUSH

So.....What has become of medicine in the United States of America? It has become precisely what Benjamin Rush had predicted.

As I've often stated publicly, The A.M.A. has a conflict of interest between the best health interests of the American people and the collective financial interests of the medical, pharmaceutical communities. And why is that? It is only because the American medical community is the wealthiest in the world. Treatment, not cure, is the mainstay of this industry. The technologies of cancer diagnosis and treatment, along with research and medical supplies neccessary to control Type 2 diabetes are a multibillion dollar business.

Think about it.....For more than eithty years we've had a cure for cancer. We have, in fact, not just one cure, but many. The medical discoveries of Dr. Raymond Royal Rife are undeniable evidence attesting to this fact. Further, any ethical medical practitioner will readily admit that Type 2 diabetes is completely unneccessary and self alleviated through proper diet.

Nature - My Evening Experience Outside-The-Box

2006-08-25T20:07:00.001-07:00

Thursday, August the 24th. Another love-hate job relationship day at the office in Excelsior and I'm finally home.

After viewing the local radar I observe that NOAA has issued a tornado watch for our area. I can also see two fronts of converging weather that could prove interesting.

Owing to my life-long fascination with severe weather I decide to take a walk. Wearing a floppy hat, long sleeves, jeans and thongs...No umbrella... I hit the Eagle Lake Trail. As I reached the end of Eagle Lake Drive, which is at the point the trail enters the causeway between Eagle and Pike Lakes, the full fury of the storm hit. The shock of cold driving rain caused me to momentarily question my judgment as I coiled to braced myself. I can see only perhaps fifty yards. The thunder is sharp and constant. Do I trifle with my own life? I think to myself, the God of Heaven is maker of this earth and master of the wind and waves, and I feel only exhilaration tempered by inner peace. No one is to be seen, as this is a rare setting for rational man to be found. Scores of birds fly frantically and low, as if searching for some elusive safe harbor; I've always wondered about that.

I'm soaked to the skin in less than a minute, and the water slowly flowing down my head, torso and legs beneath my clothing is as cold blood. Nevertheless, between the onslaughts, my body is comfortably warm and I never chill. As I reach the pedestrian bridge I can see that Eagle Lake is covered with whitecaps: Pike Lake, being smaller and more shallow, is relatively calm. There are no boats to be seen, as anyone with any sense had made their run for the boat ramp long ago. I am truly alone, isolated. It is as though I were a hundred miles from civilization. As I reach the shelter of trees I find them swaying violently with much debris being shaken loose and covering the gravel and soil roadway. I enter the clearing that leads to the fishing dock and am again faced with the full force of the wind and rain. The rain stings my face. The darkness of the clouds is ominous but I encourage myself to mount the ramp and walk onto the dock. I am fully exposed between the raw heavens and the waters of mother earth beneath me. There is one lone seagull over the lake and he also is flying low, albeit more confidently than his cousins.

My return trip has the wind and rain to my back and the storm is beginning to wane. There is debris everywhere and I must step over a tree lying across the trail. I slip out of my thongs to splash barefoot through the rivulets of water flowing across the path. It is a two mile round trip.

What I've done is, of course, out of the ordinary if not outside-the-box, and some might say it was foolhardy. However, in doing things such as this I've had an experience most people never have and seen things most people haven't seen. I loved it!

Environmentally Low Impact Recreation

2006-06-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I built a boat. Well, I nearly finished her, except for the oar locks, the oars and the rowing seat. In another day I'll add those items, calk, sand and add a few coats of polyurethane. Next Saturday I'll Christen her "The Wind in the Willows" and launch her at Eagle Lake. It may seem unlikely that one could build a boat in a day, but she is a 10' scow made out of nothing more than straight lumber. The boat is a June 17th, 1876 design from a Scientific American suppliment. Interestingly, and without intent, I made her the same day as the original publication date 130 years ago.

There are quite a number of free boat designs on http://absolutelyfreeplans.com/Boat%20Plans/boat_plans.htm

My specific plans on that site are at http://www.friend.ly.net/~dadadata/short/sci_am/scow_1876.html

I'm not one for roaring around the lake in a motorboat. I don't like the noise, the smoke, or the idea of petroleum products in the waterways. I'm more into rowing or sailing. To me, there is nothing more romantic than a picnic lunch, some quiet classical music, or no music other than the sound of water lapping against the boat and the feel of a breeze across the water.

Follow up note:

When I build this boat again I will not use caulking between the bottom planks. The caulking compounds, even polyurethane, will shrink, leaving a difficult job of filling. I will do as the original instructions say and plane the edges before butting the pieces together. Paint and polyurethane will seal the cracks much more easily wihtout contending with caulk shrinkage. In fact, I will probably just fiberglass the hull and be done with it.

The following Saturday I launched her. She floated like a cork, with a draft of only about 2 1/2 inches. She rows as a fast walk. However, I found the beam to be uncomfortably narrow for rowing. I think that she and I would perform better if I linked the oars together as a double paddle, as would be used in kayaking.

Self Sufficiency - Easy Sustenance Fishing.

2006-05-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

When I was a child in Oklahoma and Louisiana I spent a great deal of time fishing. I could then, and still can, catch fish when hardly anyone else is having luck. But then, my objective is simply to catch fish. This may sound a bit cryptic until you understand my method. I'm an advocate of self sufficiency and I like easy sustenance fishing.

I watch people, most of them good fishermen, with sophisticated and expensive equipment, roaring around the lake in their motor boats looking for that lunker. However, like many of you, I'm interested only in having fish for the pan. I recall an old black man during my youth who caught fish as a sustenance livelihood....I believe he also picked wild greens. He would build a fire on the bank and hang his boiling pot containing a sliced lemon to simmer. As he caught fish he would fillet his catch, drop it into the pot and soon had fish sandwiches. He continued fishing all the while. This is more my reality than the sporting aspect, but please don't misunderstand, I really enjoy fishing.

My style of fishing is very simple. When the fishing is easy I fish with standard tackle from the bank like everyone else. When they play hard to get I move onto the docks. Panfish, like any small animal, are wary and secretive and the dock provides excellent cover and food. While everyone is casting out as far as they can, thinking to fish relatively undisturbed waters, I fish right under my feet. The truth is, the fish already know you're there but they will still bite because they feel protected. I use a small hook with no swivel. I bait my hook with pretty much anything...bugs or worms; I've used my own hand tied flies. The instant the bait hits the water, or at least as it sinks to the lower level of the dock floats, I nail a panfish. Unless there are simply no fish, this technique works every time, especially during the warmer months.

Environment - Lake Eutophication Abatement

2006-05-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

The Eutrophication of Lakes
An Abatement Proposal
By Howard W. Malone, B.S., Conservation Biology

Residential communities in the Twin Cities area, as well as many other communities, frequently have property maintenance agreements or covenants that require lawns to be kept full, green and mown. Under this agreement, some type of fertilization regime is necessary to be in compliance for the long term. Property covenants also require lawns to be weed-free, which also necessitates the use of physical maintenance or the use of pesticides.

In recent years, eutrophic conditions, as evidenced by the blooms of algae, have been noted in lakes surrounded by residential communities. Previous studies have correlated the effects of fertilizers containing phosphorus to the eutrophication of riparian waterways, including lakes. Additionally, the accumulation of persistent pesticides must ultimately have an effect on the aquatic animal life of these same lakes.

Eutrophication, as defined by the USGS, is a process whereby water bodies, such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving streams receive excess nutrients, which stimulate excessive plant growth (algae, periphyton attached algae, and nuisance plants and weeds). This enhanced plant growth, often called an algal bloom, reduces dissolved oxygen in the water when dead plant material decomposes and can cause other organisms to die. Nutrients can come from many sources, such as fertilizers applied to agricultural fields, golf courses, and suburban lawns; deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere; erosion of soil-containing nutrients; and sewage treatment plant discharges. Water with a low concentration of dissolved oxygen is called hypoxic.

The eutrophication of many Minnesota Lakes is a recent problem attributed to the development of the surrounding watershed. Residents purchase synthetic fertilizers and pesticides locally. Additionally, residents bag their clippings and leaves and dispose of these materials curbside. This is quality energy out of the resident soil and is not a sustainable practice. Consequently, the addition of some fertilizer type must be applied to maintain the vigor of the lawn. Balanced fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are used in gardens, and often, indiscriminately on lawns. Homeowners seldom follow printed formulation/measurement guidelines. The persistent mindset is that if a little is good, more is better as it pertains to greening and maintaining a lawn. The same thinking follows in controlling plant and insect pests. Being water soluble, these materials are leached out of the soil or simply run off into the surrounding waterways.

It is relevant to draw attention to the risks involved with the use of pesticides. According to Joseph V. Rodricks, a risk assessment expert, "Toxicologists know a great deal about a few chemicals, a little about many, and next to nothing about most." To quote ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, Working with the Earth, Seventh Edition by Miller, "The U.S. National Academy of Science estimates that only about 10% of the 72,000 chemicals in commercial use have been thoroughly screened for toxicity and only 2% have been adequately tested to determine whether they are carcinogens, tetragens, or mutagens. Hardly any of these chemicals have been screened for damage to the nervous, endocrine, and immune system." "Each year the chemical industries introduce into the marketplace about 1,000 new chemicals, about whose potentially harmful effects we have little knowledge. Currently, about 99.5% of the commercially used chemicals in the United States are entirely unregulated by Federal and State governments." Pesticides, which include herbicides and insecticides, are all suspect under this criterion.

In our current socioeconomic system, we believe that the convenience of commercial synthetic fertilizers and pesticides equates to time saved on lawn care; unfortunately, this will require a paradigm shift in thought and horticultural practice if this environmentally detrimental trend is to be reversed. However, the ongoing observation and concern over the obvious changes in the water quality of our lakes is an impetus sufficient to effect a change in lawn maintenance practices. The process that leads to eutrophication is reversible, and the solution to the problem will not require the lake communities to be in violation of City Codes. Nonetheless, even when positive steps are taken to halt the addition of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, the problem will persist in the environment for a time. Only when the incentive to improve a lake's watershed is sufficient to result in a consensus of an entire lake community will the effort and long-term reversal of eutrophication be effectual.

The solutions to the problem of lawn fertilization and disease control are simple, as both have the same root cause. Synthetic fertilization and chemical pest management are, without argument, contrary to nature, leading to biological imbalances in soils, which cause unhealthy lawns. Instead of commercial preparations, lawns can be fortified using composted organic materials. Cool season grass mixes, which are less prone to fungal disease and insect pests, can replace single specie grass monocultures.

Cooperative community efforts in composting are not only feasible, but also practical. Such efforts would provide wholesome activities, which not only binds the community together in a common cause, but also links them to their natural environment. As previously mentioned, many residents routinely bag grass clippings and leaves and dispose of these materials curbside. A covered slab will serve as a staging area for the collection and processing of raw materials, as well as the dissemination of the finished compost. It should be noted that kitchen refuse should not be a part of this mix. The production of compost, utilizing grass, leaves and yard waste exclusively, has a minimal odor and fly problem.

Other resources are available, as well, in this effort to improve our environment. For example, the April/May 2006 issue of The City of New Hope’s Neighborhood Newsletter states that The Maple Grove yard waste site opened April 1st. While this facility accepts yard waste, it also has a limited supply of compost and wood mulch available, which is a valuable resource for a sustainable community. The facility is free for residents of several surrounding communities. Yard waste hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., until November 30th. This resource is available in many communities.

Money and time will not likely be saved in such a venture. Nevertheless, the priorities of a clean environment and an example of sound stewardship over the land to future generations must be our focus.

Nutrition - Glyconutrients

2006-04-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

This is an update on my 2/2/06 posting, Nutrition - To Your Health.

I've been taking Dr. David Bird's Glyconutrient formula (Modified by substituting Brewer's Yeast for the Kelp Powder) for over a year now. Whereas I once contracted at least four (4) colds per year (I get high exposure through my work), I no longer catch anything. I've had major exposure to the flu and only had a day of being in the 'Twilight Zone'. Minor injuries heal in under a week with no infection.

Hey, all I know is what I see.

Here is the site again.
http://www.askdrbird.com/cfs/glyconutrients.htm

Transitions - My New Life

2006-04-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

As of Saturday, April the 1st I am officially a Minnesotan. Yes, I've left behind the red soil and rollercoaster weather of Oklahoma. This is a good move; a business move, and a move that will put my family in touch with the mix of weather, environment and opportunities we enjoy most.

Health - The "Cure" Word

2006-03-29T05:58:00.000-08:00

OK, here it is. I've held on to this information long enough.

When I talk to people about diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes it is readily acknowledged that the medical industry is interested only in treatment. And why is that? It is only because the American Medical Community is the most wealthy on earth. There is so much money to be made in treatment protocols and supplies that there is no financial incentive for the medical industry to cure the patient. Furthermore, the associations that raise money to cure these diseases will eternally tell us to send more money because, they say, the cure is "Right Around The Corner."

There has been a cure for cancer for more than 75 years. Additionally, Type 2 diabetes is not only preventable, but reversable. Nevertheless, I will not tell you what to think. Here is the research paper and web sites. Judge for yourself.

These sites give background on Dr. Rife's technology. This technology empirically demonstrated before the top medical authorities of the day that cancer could be cured. The A.M.A. had other plans.
http://www.rt66.com/~rifetech/
http://www.rense.com/health/rife.htm

This site presents the most versatile and effective single piece of equipment available for the remediation of pathogen caused diseases, including cancer.
http://www.quantumbalancing.com/gb4000.htm

This site is a research paper by someone claiming to have cured his own Type 2 Diabetes. The testimony and accompanying footnote references are compelling.
http://www.quantumbalancing.com/news/diabetes%20deception.htm

These technologies will never be acknowleged, promoted or allowed beyond "Personal Research" by the A.M.A. or the F.D.A. Interestingly, the Rife technology is licensed in Canada.

Sustainable Living - The Perfect World

2006-03-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

A brilliant and inspired professor of zoology, who will not be named out of respect for his privacy, shared with me his vision that the world will be saved through education; that the wanton ravishes of our rainforests will end; that the manufacture of toxic chemicals will cease because public outcry will cause the manufacturers to seek other ways to be profitable; that people will cease to be unthinking and careless in using or dumping these agents into our waterways; that, given time, the insidious accumulation of toxic chemicals will end, and the earth will cleanse herself. I should live so long.

I reluctantly shared my belief with my friend and mentor that it’s too late; that, in fact, it was too late at least 50 years ago; It’s too late because of what we have become through the shifting of values; It’s too late because we now have a society that demands immediate gratification through technology which, in itself and the byproducts of its manufacture, is foreign to nature; It’s too late because we live and work in a service based economy to acquire the basic necessities of life rather than producing them ourselves, which skills we’ve forgotten. I would have you understand that I am sympathetic to the professor’s vision and share in his hope. However, I believe that the basic priorities of mankind will have to change, or the loss of our world as we know it will compel us to change.

Very few currently recognize their responsibility and stewardship over the earth. The countryside is swathed in rubbish. Virtually every roadside grass fire originates from a cigarette butt. Some would have you believe we don’t belong here; that nature is more important than mankind; that mankind should be excluded from nature. I am not optimistic; I am in fact dubious and apprehensive of social engineering by governments to solve the problems of humanity and this earth due to their propensity to consolidate power at public expense. I am, however, optimistic of the potential of mankind when we see ourselves as the pinnacle of creation, rather than evolved brute beasts driven only by passions, without agency, and therefore without responsibility to control our destiny.

I think of myself as an optimist. I’m grateful for the advances we’ve gained in medical technology, but I’m not convinced that the acquisition of material goods best serves the inner needs of the masses. I envision the return of an agrarian society, which could happen by our own choice or otherwise, whose inhabitants have respect for themselves as well as others, seeking the best interests of their fellow beings and having all things in common.

My vision is as probable as the good professor’s. It can happen, voluntarily and without the interference of ineffectual government programs through personal resolve and the acceptance of responsibility on an individual level “One backyard at a time.”

Conservation - No Room for Nature

2006-03-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

The destruction of our wildlife as the result of urban expansion is more than disturbing. The shrinking ‘Islands’ of habitat cause concentrations of deer, coyotes, opossum, skunks, rodents, etc., which attempt to cross roads and highways at night in search of habitat for food and breeding territories. Additionally, birds and bees, as well as endemic and migrating butterflies, have an unfortunate propensity for crossing roads and highways at grille and windshield level.
Some individuals within animal species seem to be road wise, perhaps through near encounters with automobiles, and cross with caution or use culverts during their nightly forays, but other certain species just don’t have it within their makeup to comprehend the dangers. As development continues, animals inhabiting these isolated pockets of fallow land will eventually perish. The carnage on the roads is a problem for which there are few solutions, other than the establishment of interlinked parks and greenbelts large enough to sustain such animal populations.

Each spring, we see the slaughter of terrapins as they attempt to travel to the high ground to breed and lay eggs, and again, in the fall, as they head for the low ground to hibernate. One rancher and avid quail hunter told me that he runs over every terrapin he sees because he believes they eat quail eggs. My comment to him was that there have always been quail and there have always been terrapins, and that his vendetta was meaningless. However, I don’t believe I swayed him.

During the fall of (Circa) 1988, I had an occasion to visit a trash recycling to energy plant that was situated near a water retention compound. The influx of refuse trucks into the plant was continuous day and night and, after hours, passed directly beneath high intensity lights that attracted immense swarms of night insects. The insects also attracted large numbers of toads, with unfortunate consequences. I managed to box up a few dozen fortunate individuals and took them home for release in my garden. They all seemed to melt away into hiding, and I didn’t see any of them the next season. That next fall, as I was cleaning up a corner of the yard, I collected all the stacks of plastic pots to recycle, noting the many insects scurrying about. I then picked up the shell of an old lawnmower I intended to discard, which had been completely encased by the plastic pots, and beheld the largest toad I’ve ever seen. It was easily six inches across and had been living there in near total darkness, as it had gotten too big to get out. It certainly hadn’t suffered because of its confinement.

I spent a great deal of time hunting and fishing as a youth. My friends were inclined to “Hunt” anything that moved. My conscience was deeply pricked, knowing that I was a party to the activity, seeing my friends revel in killing non-food birds and animals for sheer sport and discarding food animals because they were too lazy to process them. The quarry consisted of everything including, but not limited to, armadillos, possums, raccoons and scarce predators, as well as fish, reptiles and any bird in sight. This was done on State Game Management Areas. My misguided associates weren’t the only ones doing this, for sure; there had been a general disrespect for life during these generations surrounding mine. In later years, I would hear the complaint that there were no fish to catch and nothing to hunt when one would go into the outdoors - Imagine that.

The sheer numbers of sport hunters and fishermen in many states overwhelms nature. There is vastly more skill and emotional satisfaction involved in photographing wildlife than shooting it. Respect for property, value for life, and moral integrity share common ground. My acquired respect for nature has become not only my lifelong pursuit, but my profession.
The argument that hunters are needed to harvest game species because there aren’t any predators doesn’t stand. Game species will limit themselves when food is scarce. We have bleeding hearts when it comes to watching deer die of starvation on National TV, but animals can disappear without much notice due to loss of habitat for a new golf course or recreational community on the lake because there is money to be made for the developer and investments to secure for the consumer. In terms of biodiversity and habitat, we can’t see the cost of progress over our own wants and past our own billfolds, and the hundreds of thousands of animals being squashed on the roads every year don’t make National headlines.

Don’t misunderstand my meaning. I’m not an animal rights activist, per se, and I will hunt before I allow my family to go hungry.

Horticultural Practices - Instant Gratification

2006-03-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

The summer of 2000 brought armyworms and a panic among the lawn enthusiasts, poor souls. The stench of pesticides wafted through the neighborhood for weeks. I asked several of my neighbors if they had noticed anything unusual about nature in general. The change was subtle, and it hadn’t occurred to anyone that there were few if any birds; the air was quiet. After the plague had abated, the birds reappeared, probably filling in from adjacent bird territories. I dare say the birds that were destroyed may have kept the armyworms in check. Unhampered nature seems to have a way of maintaining equilibrium. The year of 2001 brought a concerned watch for armyworms, and people were talking about spraying as a preventative measure, but at least in our neck of the woods, temperance prevailed. In an age that people demand instant gratification, chemical companies have little problem convincing people and commercial growers that pesticides are the solution to all their problems and, since this has been going on for decades, the land is poisoned as well as depleted.

Years ago, I learned that insecticides have destroyed untold valuable acres of home gardens and commercial farmland. Due to the popularity of pesticide application, non-point source pesticide pollution has now become a point source pollution problem because the entire neighborhood is often affected.

A long time horticulture instructor and commercial grower taught me that the soil is a living thing, with earthworms and myriad other organisms. The first lesson he taught as a horticulturist was that “Dirt is what you clean from under your fingernails; soil is what you grow things in.” The words we use determine our perceptions and attitudes about the soil, as well as world around us.

A traditional fruit, such as apples, cherries, peaches and plums has problems that are often related to soil and cultural practices. Fruit trees, for example, respond directly to the quality of the soil. Everyone has noticed the poor quality of fruit in the grocery store. They are cosmetically perfect, but tasteless and mushy. In short, they aren’t fit to throw, and the reason for this is the soil. To create cosmetically perfect, fruit commercial growers must spray insecticides to prevent insect damage. Aside from the obvious hazards to birds and other wildlife, the insecticide drips to the ground sterilizing the soil. The tree responds to this change in the soil by producing more than the normal amount of cellulose in its fruit, which in turn, attracts insects or their larvae. Understand that the insects are not after the sugar in fruit, but rather the cellulose. Park under caterpillar infested trees in the summer to observe this. The poop on your windshield is sugar syrup. Consequently, the cycle becomes vicious. The more the grower sprays to kill the pests that mar fruits destined for commercial markets, the more he must spray - as many as four to six applications per season. Sure, the insects will spoil some of the fruit if you don’t spray, but before the borers eventually destroyed the trees, when we had peaches, you had to stand bent over to eat them they were so sweet and juicy.

Organic gardening practices such as composting will improve the soil to the point that plant materials are generally healthy and under little stress. However, some domesticated fruit trees, cultivated for many generations are simply hereditary magnets for borers and other pests and cannot be grown without intervention. The use of even acceptable organic methods of pest control such as dormant oils, herbal or insect brews are a time consuming and labor intensive process. I use natural organic pest controls on our property. I find them to be, for the most part, ineffective, as the toll taken by insect pests is considerable.

Additionally, I have a collection of tree nets that I use for whatever happens to be in production at the time to fend off the birds.

A tree that doesn’t thrive once established, that attracts insects and is continually under stress, simply isn’t suited to the site, which is precisely why it’s sick. Since it cannot be transplanted, it should be removed after it ceases to be productive and replaced with another type of tree better suited to the local climate and soil. This is as hard to acknowledge and do as thinning fruit for better yield, but must be done in consideration of the economy of time.

As my traditional fruits die off because of borers I resist replacing them, much to the dismay of family and friends. “Apples, peaches and plums are too good not to have!” True enough, but the sheer variety of newly introduced and delicious fruits, most of which have very few if any pest problems, were enough to wean us from our old tastes and habits. I made a conscious choice some years ago to phase out any plant materials that could not compete on their own in this part of the country (Oklahoma) without pesticide intervention.

Conservation - Using Less Energy at Home

2006-02-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a presentation/dinner on home energy conservation. The lecture topic was very informative and eloquently delivered.

As you may know, there are three ways in which thermal energy is transferred.

First, there is the process of Convection involving the bulk movement of thermal energy in fluids, liquid or gaseous.

Secondly, there is the process of Conduction, which is the transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another or within a substance.

And, thirdly, there is the process of Radiation, in which electromagnetic waves directly transport energy through space.

Click on this image to enlarge.

This last example is very interesting in that it graphically demonstrates the absorptive and reflective properties of different materials subjected to radiant energy. By this principle radiant energy from the sun, which would result in thermal heating, is reflected during the summer and thermal energy inside our homes, which would be lost due to radiant energy, would be retained during the winter. A commercial application of this technology is the handy hot/cold food carrier.

This last principle was the focus of our presentation that night. Essentially, the idea was that if their product was installed in our attics our heating and cooling expenditures would drop by at least 40%. The product demonstrated to us was a laminate of aluminum foil and Mylar, which is perforated to prevent moisture barrier problems. This laminate is placed throughout the attic directly on top of the existing insulation, whatever that may be.

Our presenter made a point of telling us that common, household aluminum foil was not suitable for this application because it was not pure aluminum. He then proceeded to the show and tell portion of the program. We watched as a heat lamp was projected onto a thermometer covered with standard R-25 insulation. Within ten minutes the thermometer registered nearly 250 F. degrees from a previous 75 F. Degrees. Concurrently, a lamp was projected onto an identical test, only covered with the aluminum laminate. In the same period of time the temperature rose barely 8 F. degrees. I was impressed and disgusted (that I hadn't thought of this myself).

Well......., as soon as we got home I gathered together our own heat lamp, a candy thermometer, a shoe box, some insulation, and, some common, household aluminum foil. After assembling the test box I duplicated the experiment. Within five minutes the simple insulated configuration was nearly 138 F. degrees (from a base of 72 F. degrees), while an identical test bed covered with common, household aluminum foil had barely risen 5 F. degrees to 77 F. degrees.

Shoot a monkey!! I can save thousands of dollars by installing a material in my attic that I can get at the grocery store. Laying the foil out on a sheet of plywood and working it over with a paper tiger (a spiked roller used for perforating wallpaper) will meet the criteria for eliminating moisture problems.

I learned how to save lots of money on our energy bills, and we got a free dinner out of the deal. However, if you wish to purchase this technology, and still do the job yourself, the material is available at http://www.afs-foil.com/.

Astronomy - The sun and the great gas ball Theory.

2006-02-17T13:25:00.000-08:00

It has been said 'There is nothing new under the sun'.

Some of us have learned long ago that, in fact, most things are not as they seem. I learned from my Great Uncle, a pure blood Cherokee, at the age of seven that American History was not as I was being taught in public school. I've questioned everything since then. That skepticism has extended into every discipline of study in my life, and has given me the power to be free from the trap of preconceived notions. I'll at least consider any new idea.

The truth about the nearest star is staring contemporary professional astronomers and astrophysicists in the face. In light of current facts, they are caught like deer in the headlights. For the most part they are innocently deceived by their conventional indoctrination.

Current satellite imagery clearly reveals obvious discrepancies in the gas ball theory. From observed data the sun appears to have a solid surface beneath the photosphere. The difference images shown on the following web site show nearly identical surface features that appear with each revolution of the sun. Judge for yourself.

http://www.thesurfaceofthesun.com/

"Every age has its' myths and calls them higher truths"
Author unknown

Edible Wild Plants - Cornucopia

2006-02-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

Outdoor self-sufficiency has been a long time hobby of mine, and wild edible plants have been no small passion. Some of my favorite wild edibles aren’t suitable for yard or garden culture, but they’re free for the taking when you’re in the great outdoors. Possibly only one or two plants of the foregoing list are indigenous to your area, but I hope perhaps to whet your appetite for examination of the resources available at your local library.

I have been duly impressed by the hostility with respect to climate and the lack of availability of outdoor food resources represented by native plants readily available in Oklahoma and environs. At best, wild edibles in this area are scant and highly seasonal despite the extensive shoreline of the numerous manmade lakes. This is the reason I have developed an edible landscape in Oklahoma: It takes ingenuity, contemplated study and planning, and perseverance.

The Central to Lower Midwest Regions, including Oklahoma, have a few edible plants in common. The following is a small sampling.

Greenbrier (Smilax sp.) is a native bramble, with all parts being green except for the oldest wood, which is too tough to consume. The fiddle-shaped leaves are glossy with lighter green irregular splotches and small spines underneath running along the veins. Its thorns are legendary and well spaced along the stem, in appearance like rose thorns. You must pick your way carefully through it at the risk of shredding your clothes, or worse, when hiking. It grows along the “edge” between fields and wooded areas and climbs into the trees by the use of tendrils. The young growing tips can be pinched as far down as they are tender. Green briar is as pleasant to the taste as any salad green and available in quantities enough for addition to salads, if you can beat the deer to it.

Wild grasses are seldom thought of as a viable food source. The more familiar grasses are the cereal grains we commonly enjoy. However, all grasses produce seed. Many varieties have grain-like husks and seeds large enough and available in quantity to warrant consideration as a food supplement. Grass seeds can be winnowed, parched and added to cereals or ground and added to bread flour just as you would buckwheat, oats or any of the other popular grass staples. You will want to ‘sample’ these wild varieties before you add them to recipes. Some grass seeds are not very pleasant to the palate, though all are edible. Never eat grass seeds that are tainted with black smut (a fungus) or exhibit bizarre growth abnormalities (they may contain lysergide (LSD), a hallucinogenic compound of lysergic acid) unless you actually wish to see fairies.

Bamboo, in all of its forms, is also a grass that bears the edible shoots. A few of these are choice and are so much enjoyed in oriental cooking. Naturalized bamboo, along with irises and other familiar naturalized plants, can frequently be found where farmhouses or other signs of human habitation have stood. Bamboo stolons can be transplanted in the fall to a place in your garden area where its spread will not be a problem.

The common cattail (Typha) found in ponds and marshes is a treasure trove of food. The immature and green seed heads and pollen spikes are choice. Though I’ve heard the tubers are good baked, I haven’t been hungry enough to grub in the cold winter mud to find out. My choice is the central stock cut at the water line and trimmed below the point of foliage spread. When the shaft is split lengthwise, the tender pale green heart is exposed which tastes of a blend of chives and cucumbers. Stands of cattails are often expansive, and there is usually more to harvest than you would care to eat. Don’t forget to trim an additional bit from the bottom of the shaft core to eliminate possible contamination from Giardia and other nastiness.

Mushrooms, an epicurean delight, are also predominant in Oklahoma and environs. However, they are usually only a windfall in the garden. The practice of extensive mulching with wood chips is likely to augment that windfall. I reiterate what responsible authors of mushroom guides preach: You must know what you are doing. My first solo taste trial was not without trepidation. Nevertheless, with field guide, microscope and spore print in hand; I’ve identified and enjoyed several local types of edible mushrooms. Sautéed inky cap (coprinus), was a great topping over my eggs one morning. I like a sure bet, however, and keep a sharp lookout for puffballs. You know them as the white spheres on your lawn early in the mornings that dry into the brown leathery objects by the next afternoon. They puff spores from a central pore into the air that looks like smoke when you step on them. There are no poisonous species, and as long as they are snow white throughout with no trace of a stem at the base, which would mean they are not puffballs at all, you may enjoy them without anxiety. When they begin to discolor they become quite bitter. Some are better than others, but all are edible. My favorite is the giant puffball. They may grow to the size of a soccer ball overnight. I’ve sliced, battered and pan sautéed them and found they taste like eggplant.

There are several companies that market Under-The-Sink kits for growing a number of delicious varieties of mushrooms. However, if you wish to get serious about growing mushrooms with the greatest yield and the least amount of labor intensity, consider Shitake mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms are arguably one of the choicest mushrooms in existence and will produce heavily for several seasons from an initial inoculation of woody medium. A rick of inoculated unsplit oak logs will produce more mushrooms than you can possibly eat until the logs deteriorate. You may find yourself supplying family, friends and the local Chinese restaurant. Shiitake culture is a viable home-based business for the subsistence farmer.

Wild roses are found in many parts of the country and develop seed hips in the fall which linger into the spring. They are quite good, and I seek them out along the “edge” on my thinking/rejuvenation forays into the woods. Anyone adept at processing a mouthful of sunflower seeds will have no problem recovering the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds.

Oak trees are endemic over much of the eastern half of the United States. Acorns were a staple of many native tribes in this part of the country. Should you be fortunate enough to find the burr oak, you can eat the acorns raw from the tree. Otherwise, it is necessary to leach the tannic acid from the ground meal with running water. I’ve incorporated acorn meal into corn bread.

By contrast, the Cascade range of the Pacific Northwest is a veritable Garden of Eden, and one can easily live off the land year-round. A temperate climate really doesn’t get any better than this for gardening. Salmonberries that thrive atop every decaying stump from past logging operations, and blackberries that climb into the trees with fruit as big as plums are but a sampling.

Anywhere there is water there is an abundance of food. I experienced fresh oysters for the first time on the Puget Sound of Washington State while serving in the Naval Reserves. A group of campers had left early, and I had a nice bed of coals, a low tide, and more oysters than I could count. I loaded the grill with a dozen or so, and they made a great meal to start the day on.
The Acadians, as forced immigrants, along with Germans and Spanish immigrants, found Southern Louisiana to be particularly bountiful, due in large part to the abundance of water. To the visitor, Cajun country is a foreign land … flat as a table, with vast expanses of rice fields broken only by bayous, swamps, and forests of mixed hardwoods or commercial pine farms. This is a subtropical climate. To the uninitiated, the warm air hangs oppressively with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and the land is a veritable jungle of verdant green, swarming with insects. Watch where you step! What may appear to be molehills are actually fire ant mounds. The nasty tempered occupants literally boil out at the slightest disturbance and can cause a hospital stay. Green tree snakes, tree frogs and anole lizards (pet stores in the north at one time sold these as chameleons) ply the treetops and peer from every conceivable nook and cranny. The irrigation canals, rice fields, rivers and bayous are alive with snakes, eels, catfish and turtles. An occasional alligator may still be seen. Birds of every description, the more conspicuous being redwing blackbirds, cattle egrets, liven the landscape.

There are many edible wild plants that grow in any area of the country. You would have to be desperate to eat many of the wild edibles; nevertheless, it is wise to know all those that grow in your area. Some of our local wild edibles are absolutely delicious and entirely pertinent to garden culture. The next three plants are such an example of domesticated wild edibles.

Polk, a perennial and heirloom potable green, is among the first plants that can be harvested in the spring. The birds, robins and mockingbirds in particular, are responsible for the poke that volunteers here and there in the garden. Though attractive and beneficial, the large, red stalked plants unfortunately compete very efficiently for space in the garden, often emerging in mass from seed. If you wish to save any of them, they transplant well. Mature plants transplant well in the fall and winter and can be established into a poke ‘patch’ in a more appropriate area of your yard. The young tender sprouts, picked just as the leaves are beginning to form, are the objects of poke culture and are blanched and drained before cooking with seasoning meats.

Lambsquarter (Chenopodium), an annual, sometimes called “goosefoot,” grows to be a rather large weed and will volunteer in a newly established garden, or otherwise, can be started from seed gathered from plants found on disturbed soil. This uniquely delicious wild vegetable is, in my opinion, superior to spinach in taste. It is good raw in salads, and is delectable cooked, lacking the harmful oxalic acid found in spinach. Lambsquarter also yields numerous nutritious spikes of small seeds in the fall in a fashion similar to amaranth. I manage lambsquarter by harvesting the seedlings for the pot, leaving one plant to mature. This single plant yields multiple harvests throughout the season when regularly pinched, and provides seed for the following year.

Amaranth (Amaranthus), sometimes called pigweed, is another easily identified annual. It is an excellent wild green and valued for its seeds, producing many ounces of what is called “America’s forgotten cereal grain.” Amaranth volunteers in many gardens or is available as improved varieties from seed suppliers and, like lambsquarter, is easily “domesticated” and integrated into the garden.

As non-domesticated plants, strictly speaking, all of the above plants are weeds, and being such are adapted to the climate, weathering the most inhospitable seasons that can be dished out. They thrive without intervention, which is precisely why they are attractive to me.

Electroculture - An Environmentally Benevolent Role for Technology

2006-02-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Using Atmospheric Electricity to Augment Plant Growth
Senior Research by Howard Wesley Malone

Introduction

As early as the mid-1700’s, researches on the apparent effects of atmospheric electricity on plants producing accelerated growth have been recorded. Scientists seeking to replicate such growth by using generated and atmospheric electricity have encountered varying degrees of success. Nevertheless, the obvious growth surge and intense coloration of plants observed immediately following rain events, contrasted with artificial “maintenance” watering, cannot be ignored.

Click on the photos to enlarge.

The Collecting Sphere is visible atop the PVC mast.

The North end of the greenhouse and the test beds are visible.

As recently as 1962, E.G. McKibben, Director of the Agricultural Engineering Division of the USDA, presented his research on electroculture entitled “A Look Ahead at Farm Electrification Research”, with claims of positive results, before the American Society of Agricultural Engineers at Oklahoma State University (“O.S.U.”). No record of his presentation or research exists in the O.S.U Library, though it is acknowledged that he did lecture on the subject.

The ground rod and cables are

connected to a wire mesh.

The test beds are insulated

from the ground by clay pots.

Until 1967, Rodale Press conducted research in the field of electroculture at its Experimental Organic Farm and published its findings in Organic Gardening and Farming magazine, with a subsequent report in The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. The subsequent edition of The All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening makes no mention of this research, and inquiries to Rodale Press on the subject are unanswered. (1)

The coaxial cable is attached to the

dispersal grid by an alligator clip.

Essentially, there are no peer reviewed articles on the subject of electroculture. The only known significant, contemporary, research on the subject of electroculture was conducted by the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences in 1968. (2) This study established that:

The control beds received no

supplimental atmospheric electricity.

1. The atmosphere is generally positively charged: Respecting earth ground under these conditions, plants are exposed to more cations (generally detrimental to plants) and less anions (generally beneficial to plants). As the atmosphere becomes negatively charged (as during rain events), the absorption of anionic electrons increases.”

The dispersal grid is seen

mounted atop the test beds.

2. The potential difference between the atmosphere and plants either stimulates, or is detrimental to, photosynthesis. Application of negative potential to plants (80-500V) caused a considerable increase in photosynthetic activity.

The poimt sources are seen projecting

down fron the dispersal grid.

When we consider the problems associated with the use of synthetic fertilizer and animal wastes as fertilizer in commercial and domestic agricultural, the possibility of harnessing atmospheric electricity to augment plant nutrition becomes attractive.

The control beds after 50 days.

Hypothesis

Atmospheric electricity plays a significant role in the growth and overall health of plants. Furthermore, atmospheric electricity, through convection, can be physically channeled in a greenhouse environment to enhance plant growth and to induce an overall increase in plant mass, as compared to a control or normal population. The null hypothesis is rejected in favor of the alternate hypothesis.

The test beds after 50 days.

Method

To ensure that the tests were consistent, two test groups and two control groups of common garden peas (Little Marvel) were germinated in vermicompost (a highly nutritious blend of well composted horse manure and worm castings) and watered. Four planting beds were constructed. Using untreated 2 X 2” framing material, 1” X 6” lumber, and ¼” plywood, finished beds were 30” X 30” I.D., 12” deep, and contained approximately 5.5 ft³. of vermicompost. Plants were nurtured in a greenhouse environment. Soil moisture and Ph was monitored using test probes, and growth data was collected. Testing was conducted during the winter and spring months. The greenhouse temperature was heated or vented to ensure, as much as possible, optimum growth. Conditions of soil quality and temperature were optimized for the control and test groups of plants, despite the fact that both groups were deprived of direct exposure to natural rain events. The test groups were segregated from the control groups by situating them at opposite ends of the greenhouse to prevent, as much as possible, any influences of the electrical potential administered to the test groups.

The test groups differed from the control groups in that they were subjected to naturally occurring atmospheric electrical potential, via a conducting apparatus, theoretically sufficient to ionize nutrients utilized by the plants. Specifically, a spherical metallic antenna was connected by a coaxial cable to a wire grid suspended approximately two [2] feet above the pea plants. The vertical distance between the spherical conductor and the suspended dispersal grid was set at twelve [12] feet, producing an electrical potential of approximately 400 Volts, though only a few nano amps. An additional wire grid was connected to earth ground to underlay the bedding medium of the test group. An alligator clip was used to connect the coaxial cable to the suspended wire grid. No deference was given to rain events in this study. The circuit was continuously connected.

Plants were monitored for such a time as was required for fruit production, at which time the plants were harvested. Plants were cut at ground level at the union of the cotyledon and root emergence, and the green weight mass and dry weight mass were recorded.

Beds were labeled Test Bed 1 and Test Bed 2, Control Bed 1 and Control Bed 2, or T1, T2, C1 and C2, respectively. Measurements were in grams.

Initial germination Rates of 18 pea seeds per bed were:

T1 = 100%; T2 = 94.4%; C1/C2 = 83.3%.

In order that variables be reduced as much as possible, plants were culled from the test beds – three from T1 and two from T2. Fifteen (15) plants per bed ensured that thirty (30) plants per group would meet the minimum criteria for a z test.

Wet Mass Raw Data Collected After Harvesting, in Grams:

Resultant Data from All Beds Wet Mass Totals

T1 = 772.80g.

T2 = 771.66g.

Ratio = 0.999

T1/T2 = 1,544.46

C1 = 726.63g.

C2 = 657.73g.

Ratio = 0.905

C1/C2 = 1,384.36g.

T/C Ratio = 0.896

Dry Mass Totals:

T1 = 122.30g.

T2 = 138.40g.

T = 260.70

C1 = 121.25g.

C2 = 109.48g.

C = 230.73

T/C Ratio = 0.885

Wet Mass Data

Hypothesis Ho : µ ≤ 46.15g. And H1 : µ > 46.15g. [Right Tailed Test]

- Test Value = (Observed Value) – (Expected Value)/Standard Deviation.

- Z = (Sample Mean – Hypothesized Population Mean)/
(Population Deviation / √n).

- Z = (51.48 – 46.15)/(13.71/ √30).

- Z = 2.13

- Since 2.13 is the greater value, we may “Reject the null hypothesis” in favor of the alternative hypothesis.

Conclusion

Wet raw mass data from all beds exhibited a substantial range of weights which may be attributed to natural variations within the plant cultivar. However, the combined raw mass totals from the control group differed in their range from the mean by 28.9% when compared to the test group. Further, the wet mass means from the control group and the test group differed by 10.4%. The ratios of the wet mass and dry mass totals for the control group and the test group were 0.896 and 0.885, respectively. The population for the control group had a greater frequency of weights between 35.5 and 45.5 grams, as compared to the test group, with a greater frequency of weights between 45.5 and 55.5 grams. These significant differences in averages cannot likely be attributed to natural variations in plant genetics since the seeds were packaged together and chosen randomly. As these results were correspondingly replicated between two control beds and two test beds, the data can be considered valid. Therefore, the overall influence of electrical potential of approximately 400 volts potential, using a similar configuration, is sufficient to enhance plant growth in terms of mass and, possibly, in photosynthetic area.
As the data support the alternative hypothesis, the author believes further research is warranted to confirm that the former test results are reproducible. In such case, the subject plants should be allowed to mature so that the parameters of fruit production may be quantified and evaluated.
For economic and labor efficiency, the potential benefit to plant growth and fruit production justifies the erection of a static circuit to utilize ambient atmospheric electricity. If the longstanding use of fertilizers, which contributes to eutrophication of our water resources, is to be assuaged, alternative methods will need to be implemented. Electroculture is the rational option.

References

(1) Staff, et al., 1978, The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, Rodale Press, Inc.

(2) Zurbicki, Z. 1968, Atmospheric Electricity and Plant Nutrition, (Studies of K.A. Timiriazev of Plant Physiology, U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences.)

Nutrition - To Your Health

2006-02-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

I have nothing original , but plenty of things vital to share with everyone on matters relative to personal health. Here is one.

I wish to draw long overdue attention to glyconutrients. A general search on the topic of glyconutrition will bring up a plethora of sites. Among the many commercial and informational sites, one will see the name Mannatech, which is a multilevel sales organization. I won't deny they have an excellent product, as I've tried it. However, at around $250.00 per month , I thought this to be a bit pricey for ones own personal consumption. So, I did a little web surfing and found Dr. David Bird (http://www.askdrbird.com/cfs/glyconutrients.htm). Dr. Bird has made a public disclosure on the food sources and recipes for ones personal needs. Depending on your ingredient sources this can cost as little as $200.00 per year. This is nothing more than a combination of very specific food ingredients. Peer review medical journal articles cite efficacy for the resolution of myriad immune and autoimmune disorders.

I know from my own personal experience with this mix over a years' time that my immune system is turbocharged! Historically, I've had as many as six severe colds per season because of my exposure to patients and the general public. I've learned that my immune dysfuntion was caused by nothing more than a deficiency of these essential nutrients. Within the last year I've had two colds, with severity so slight and duration so short I hardly knew I had anything. I've had prolonged exposure to the flu through a work associate resulting in nothing more than a day of being in the twilight zone. I've had minor injuries, i.e. cuts and skin tears, and healed within a week with no infectious complications.

As with anything, this depends on ones own personal motivation. I have friends who would rather suffer the illnesses than take something on a daily basis.