visit to the Biodynamic Agriculture College

Hi everyone,

I haven't checked the blog in a while and I was suprised to see so few new coments!

I always enjoy reading what other people put up and what they are up to, but never write anything myself so here it is.

I just came back from a short visit to Emerson, where I joined in with a few lessons the 2nd years had on Arable with Jurgen, Fruit production with Auke and the BD-preps with guest teacher Ferdinad Vondruska (an Austrian farmer living and farming in Canada and producing high cuantyties of high quality preps).

The atmosphere at the Rachel Carson Centre was amazing. The building has been painted so now all the classrooms have a colour (light blueish/green- Horticulture year 1; golden yellow- Agriculture year 1; light purple- BD year 2) and the entrance is a huge display of flowers, animals, fields, minerals and stars! One has to see it for him/her self.

The garden has also come to life and is highly productive. Three indian runner ducks bring some astrality (and a lot of character) to the place and Rob runs back and forth between this garden and the Tablehurst polytunnels, working working working, followed by a gorgouse happy girl called Flow.

I didn't have much contact with the first years, but they seem like a colourfull bunch that have made the course come out of the dark a bit. Like every year there's a wide range of cultures and ages mixed in one, evenyone with it's own reason to be there.

It was also great to see a few of my old classmates again and catch up a bit.

And what about me? well, I'm back in Holland and I started in September with a physiotherapy study, but it did not work out as I thought and I decided to stop a few weeks ago. I'm finding it very difficult to live in the city and I really miss the Emerson life. I'm working hard at the moment and in the mean time looking for new things I can do/want to do/ should do with my life. Any ideas?

I would love to hear about everyone and keep in touch better, also I would like more people to join this blog and keep it thriving.

All the best to you all and keep spreading the bd-love!

ps. pictures of my visit are still to come!

Welcome students!

Hello first year students!!
I hope you all recovered from the goodbey party and from the 6 months at Emerson... And I hope you're all happily working on your farms. Please use this blog to be in contact with your colleagues and with me as well, to let us know how you are doing and what you've been wrecking so far ;)

Here things are pretty smooth - Nina has been working very hard and the flower garden looks gorgeous. Today I picked the first bunch of sweet peas from the greenhouse. We have been having two weeks without rain - I know, now you all wished you'd staid in good old Blighty! Probably pouring with rain in Italy now, and thunderstorms in the US! Ha! But we have been lucky to get on with planting - the spuds are in, and lots of our flower crops too.

The college has been taken over by the Emerson Village guys - and tehy have agreed to donate the BDbuilding and the farm land to St Anthony's Trust, so that is wonderfully good news. Everything looks smooth for September.

OK need to get cracking again - do stay in touch and write something nice!

Cheers - Arjen

8.8 - Another earthquake, another disaster, another chance

“I came here to count the bells,
live upon the surface of the sea,
that sound over the sea,
within the sea.

So, here I live.”

- Pablo Neruda (Chilean poet - Poem written overlooking the pacific from the coastline of Chile)

The Earth speaks, and we don’t listen. The Earth belts and we think we may have heard a faint noise. It happens again and again and few things change, very little is done to dialogue with the Earth. Last night, an 8.8 earthquake hit Chile, a country that i just came home from three weeks ago. Yes, the event is a disaster, it is a shocking societal event that has changed many lives from one moment to the next. And, like Haiti, it represents something besides the obvious, it represents something more than just the disastrous reality upon these places.
An earthquake is a physical manifestation of “the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.” But, as we are coming to understand and investigate, not everything can simply be measured and dealt with through the sometimes limiting ‘eye’ of materialistic facts and realities. And yes, “Earthquakes are caused mostly by rupture of geological faults”, but again, this is only physical. So if the Earth does quake, and humanity is threatened, if societies are displaced, and infrastructures destroyed, what are other lessons to be learned besides the simple - ‘preparing better for the next one!’?
The Earth is more than ignored, it is more than forgotten, it is misused and abused. It is intentionally exploited and destroyed. And then this happens, another disaster, and we scramble to rescue our brothers and sisters, and rightly so, we fret over rebuilding the infrastructures that make it all seemingly smooth running, and we try to get back to the ‘norm’ again, with a little more caution of our own vulnerability. Of course, we have a duty to tend to the present moments of crisis, to give ourselves fully to harnessing the wildness of a disaster, but then, what is next? What comes after the dramatic storms of natural disasters have settled?
Maybe, a real change is needed. Maybe, things aren’t just Ok. Maybe we need to raise New questions and give attention to New possibilities, New callings. ‘Gaia’ is loudly trying to dialogue with us. Mother Earth is bellowing out for our tending, for our attention and care. How is the language of ‘Gaia’ meant to be understood? What is the meaning of these ambiguous events of our time? Chief Seattle said: “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” And similarly, “Carl Gustav Jung suggested that the archetypal mother was a part of the collective unconscious of all humans”. Maybe the web is the collective unconscious. Maybe ‘Gaia’ is an integral manifestation of our collective unconscious. I would suggest that there is a part of us deep inside that is trying to make us aware of what lies outside, but also more deeply at the center of, the mass of constructs of civilization, the manifest Mind. By neglecting our interface with the Earth, we are actually neglecting a deep and authentic part of ourselves that needs to be recognized - and more so, begun ‘acting’ from.
The Earth has an intention. We can have an intention. We can dialogue with the Earth to create shared intentions. We can continue our patterns of aggressiveness, of living somewhat ignorantly and disconnected, and of constantly facing despair, or we can take an active role in rebuilding and becoming the ‘healthy’ inhabitants of an Earth that doesn’t lie. Biodynamic Agriculture is an example of a practice - a discipline in living - that co-intends and co-creates a new Earth and Humanity out of the experience of Gaia’s Community. The Biodynamic preparations are medicinal remedies for Mother Earth (and all her years through indignity) that not only strengthen and sharpen her true maternal forces but also clarify and activate our Human Will to Create. Biodynamic agriculture is just one example of a practice that is engaging with Gaia in a new way, but there are many ways, simple and complex. A daily prayer of gratitude for the Earth - or a walk into nature, where we can again meet our spiritual resourcefulness, the source of creation, is all it takes in our beginning to authentically co-exist and Unify. And so I end with a poem of rilke.

Archaic Torso of Apollo

We cannot know his legendary head
with eyes like ripening fruit. And yet his torso
is still suffused with brilliance from inside,
like a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low,

gleams in all its power. Otherwise
the curved breast could not dazzle you so, nor could
a smile run through the placid hips and thighs
to that dark center where procreation flared.

Otherwise this stone would seem defaced
beneath the translucent cascade of the shoulders
and would not glisten like a wild beast's fur:

would not, from all the borders of itself,
burst like a star: for here there is no place
that does not see you. You must change your life.

Illusions

"In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself."

-Jiddu Krishnamurti

http://www.fmotl.com/
http://lawfulrebellion.org/
http://www.tpuc.org/
http://worldfreemansociety.org/
http://www.freedom-school.com/mary_elizabeth_croft.pdf

Recreating Heaven on Earth

By Marina Findlay

To understand a properly functioning society, one must know a bit about metaphysics and a bit about spiritual re-evolution. The kundalini channel which goes up through your spine and head is supposed to direct more soul energy than is presently typical in the average person. When your kundalini is used to its maximum potential and your personal astrological energy and Natures energy is flowing through you, you become more creative and have increased awareness and are therefore able to perceive more dimensions of Natural and psychic reality.

Everyone has an individual creative centre – something which you are good at and that is fulfilling because it contributes to society. To spiritually evolve to find your creative centre, you must complete internal alchemy. This involves dealing with any karma or trauma you may have from this or a past life, working on your personality and having a free, satisfactory life. When you have completed internal alchemy, you will function through your heart chakra which makes you compassionate and altruistic, your personal energy is unblocked so your natural psychic abilities are activated. This is everybody’s birthright, to use all our senses and abilities and internal alchemy should be taught at school.

The next stage of re-evolution is reconnection with Nature. Natures energy is supposed to be flowing through your kundalini giving you yet further increased perceptory awareness, sensitivity, health, morality and vitality. It is not until you have connected with Nature that you can perceive real beauty. All you have to do is appreciate and love Nature directly, forming a relationship with her. Humans are supposed to be able to communicate with Dryads (tree spirits) and Genii Loci (spirits of places) – this you redevelop the ability to do. Once you can communicate with Nature you can ask her permission before effecting her, and, if you took Natures advice, society would be different with more forests, more wildlife and people living in forest gardens. Equal rights for all spirits ('equal rights' obviously imply the right to exist), Nature spirits included. If an animal is eaten, it must have lived in the wild and come from a stable population, if the population has given humans permission to take out the weak to keep them well evolved.

The reason we exist is to appreciate and contribute to creation. We should never have taken over from the more connected spirits we once consulted about important decisions. Equal rights to all spirits obviously implies their right to exist. All our relations who should be sharing the planet with us must be reintroduced to the wild. Natural habitats recreated, aiming ultimately for maximum manifestation of soul. Natures creations are alive and work together in very delicate and sophisticated ways. Nature is always evolving so there are always new discoveries to learn from.

So, maximum manifestation of soul through our kundalini and through Nature. A society in which there is no disease or crime. Everyone is fulfilled and glad to be alive. We just need to recognise the spiritual needs of humans and respect that different spirits have valid existences too – you will have this opinion once you have reconnected with Nature since all the psychic pollution which stagnated in your subconscious leaves as it is pushed out by Natures energy, and as each disease leaves, it teaches you about an injustice. These injustices include unethical treatment of the Earth and her spirits.

Presently we are moving up the tree of life past Hod and Netzach to tipareth on a planetary level, so what you have just read will come to pass when the forces of good triumph over the forces of evil and our destinies will be fulfilled. We are moving between Hod, the house of the freemasons, and Netzach, the house of the Witches. They are having a battle, and the forces of good are winning. This is possible according to a 3000 year cycle. We move up to the heart chakra – Tipareth. It expresses your creative centre and is altruistic. You want to contribute your talent to society. Society should be built around people’s creative centres. At this time, all joyful workers will have natural psychic abilities and therefore explore and work on and with other dimensions.

Internal alchemy must be taught at school, everyone encouraged to get into their interests, and the Witches, their symbolism. Witches should work with the police when they initiate, because they encounter social disease thus it can be identified and dealt with.

The raison d’etre to appreciate and contribute. Appreciate creation as her self consciousness. We must take responsibility to protect her and she rewards us. All spirits can experience life from infinite perspectives and eternally be joyful and fascinated. There is always more to learn from when connected to Nature. New dimensions connecting, creating new forms and webs.

Animals have chemicals that blot out pain when they are killed by predators. In a whole ecosystem, rebirth of this fashion is quick. It is the weak and the injured that are taken out and the species as a whole benefits because it is strengthened and stays beautiful. In Heaven, spirits are glad for whatever is for the greater good. This comes from inner knowing through connection to the Earth and Heavenly Energy.

Frohe Weihnachten!

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!!

no one is posting any more...
Too much to do???
would like to here from you again...

best wishes and lots of love
michaela

Are you compost?

Seeing as this blog isn't exactly crowded, some relevant words I post.

Fritz Peters, 'Boyhood with Gurdjieff', Chapter IX

When I went for my lesson the following morning, Gurdjieff looked very tired. He said that he had been working very hard - most of the night - that writing was very hard work. He was still in bed, and he stayed there throughout the lesson.

He began by asking me about the exercise that had been given to all of us to do, and which I referred to previously as "self-observation". He said that it was a very difficult exercise to do and that he wanted me to do it, with my entire concentration, as constantly as possible. He also said that the main difficulty with this exercise, as with most exercises that he did - or would in the future - give to me or any of his students, was that to do them properly it was necessary not to expect results. In this specific exercise, what was important was to see oneself, to observe one's mechanical, reactionary behaviour without comment, and without making any attempt to change that behaviour. "If change," he said, "then will never see reality. Will only see change. When begin to know self, then change will come, or can make change if wish - if such change desirable."

He went on to say that his work was not only very difficult, but could also be very dangerous for some people. "This work not for everyone," he said. "For example, if wish to learn to become millionaire, necessary to devote all early life to this aim and no other. If wish to become priest, philosopher, teacher, or businessman, should not come here. Here only teach possibility how become man such as not known in modern times, particularly not in western world."

He then asked me to look out of the window, and to tell him what I saw. I said that, from that window, all I could see was an oak tree. And what, he asked, was on the oak tree? I told him: acorns.

"How many acorns?"

When I replied, rather uncertainly, that I did not know, he said impatiently: "Not exactly, not ask that. Guess how many!"

I said that I supposed there were several thousand of them.

He agreed and then asked me how many of the acorns would become oak trees. I answered that I supposed only five or six of them would develop into trees, if that many.

He nodded. "Perhaps only one, perhaps not even one. Must learn from Nature. Man is also organism. Nature make many acorns, but possibility to become tree exist for only few acorns. Same with man - many men born, but only few grow. People think this waste, think Nature waste. Not so. Rest become fertilizer, go back into earth and create possibility for more acorns, more men, once in while more tree - more real man. Nature always give - but only give possibility. To become real oak, or real man, must make effort. You understand this, my work, this Institute, not for fertilizer. For real man, only. But must also understand fertilizer necessary to Nature. Possibly for real tree, real man also depend just this fertilizer."

After a rather long silence, he continued: "In west - your world - is belief that man have soul, given by God. Not so. Nothing given by God, only Nature give. And Nature only give possibility for soul, not give soul. Must acquire soul through work. But, unlike tree, man have many possibilities. Ans man now exist he have also possibility grow by accident - grow wrong way. Man can become many things, not just fertilizer, not just real man: can become what you call 'good' or 'evil', not proper things for man. Real man not good or evil - real man only conscious, only wish acquire soul for proper development."

I had listened to him, concentrated and straining, and my only feeling - I was twelve then - was one of confusion, incomprehension. I sensed and felt the importance of what he was saying, but I did not understand it. As if aware of this (as he surely was), he said: "Think of good and evil like right hand and left hand. Man always have two hands - two sides of self - good and evil. One can destroy other. Must have aim to make both hands work together, must acquire third thing: thing that make peace between two hands, between impulse for good and impulse for evil. Man who all 'good' or man who all 'bad' is not whole man, is one-sided. Third thing is conscience, possibility to acquire conscience is already in man when born; this possibility given - free - by Nature. But it is only possibility. Real conscience can only be acquired by work, by learning to understand self first. Even your religion - western religion - have this phrase 'Know thyself'. This phrase most important in all religions. When begin know self already begin have possibility become genuine man. So first thing must learn is know self by this exercise, self-observation. If not do this, then will be like acorn that not become tree - fertiliser. Fertiliser which go back in ground and become possibility for future man."

Foraging

Website/blog of a guy in southern England trying living only on wild food...

Also, how mushrooms can save the world...

Farming with terraces in Austria - very inspiring!

Hello all

Some of you may have become familiar with this guy through a video that Nick was sharing. I have only now got round to watching that video. This is most amazing. Have likewise been reading Fukuoka again. If you have never read 'One Straw Revolution', it is highly recommended. Reason I decided to do the course at Emerson was to learn about traditional European farming techniques. Nonetheless, I was always conscious throughout the course that little attention was given to newer, alternative approaches, which suggests to me that the Biodynamic 'movmenent' is operating in a bit of a limiting paradigm. There is no reason why the understanding of life forces got from BD cannot be combined with the understanding of ecosystems got from natural farming/permaculture. I for one would have liked more on insects in the course (of course no time blah blah). But anyway it's up to us to pioneer this territory. I have met up with some people that will be starting a project growing grains without machinery here in the west of Ireland. The real question is why not?

Anyway these links are much recommended...

Intro

Video 1 (Google Video)

Video 2 (Google Video)

Article by Sepp Holzer

Sepp Holzer's website

The Harmonious Wheatsmith (published by Mark Moodie)

Enjoy, comment, take action...!

Adam

greetings from wheat country

hi everyone.
just a quick note to tell you all i have found my home. i am so loving this place, the farm the community, the weather, the wine and cheese!
for being out in the sticks it is amazingly progressive, there are allot of young people doing innovative things in agriculture and allot of talk about localizing the food economy and organic conversion of the wheat fields.
for me, i have designed and installed a big market garden with every vegg, melon and flower you can imagine. i have endless amounts of the most delicious compost at my beck and call. i milks 100 sheep and goats 2 times per week, and they are a joy.
we are making 9 different cheeses for now, 3 fresh cheeses, 4 soft aged cheeses, 1 hard and 1 pure sheep's cheese as well as gillato ice cream and Popsicles, selling duck and chicken eggs and more.
and the best part is on sat. and sun. i run the cheese and wine tasting room. we are open to the public and people come to learn about what we are doing and why and sample all the goods. this, as you can imagine is so fun. i have my own personal bar and steer the conversation to bio dynamic and sustainable agriculture at every chance. i have perfected my what is bio dynamic spiel and i will be speaking about my training and what i see for my future in this community at the next sustainable blablaba something meeting in June.
yeah for bio dynamics, yeah for education and the confidence it gives one to take on the worlds challenges and yeah for people who actually want to listin and talk about this stuff!
also a big hiphip horrah for all of those who dream big and live it! with all of the challenges that brings, it is thease people who have so much to teach us, and it will be us living our biggest dreams soon.
keep dreaming, bigger and bigger. i know i am, i have 3 bissness plans in my head now i just have to get them on paper.
i am high on this life, so happy for all of the learning and challenges that have brought me to this amazing place in the world, physically, spiritually and emotionally.
sending you all all of my luck and love.

erin

ps, adam....thanks for visiting me in my dreams. i feel like we check in regularly, but drop a line in waking life and let me know where and how you are.
blessings to all,

xoxo

Finaly the first cut is done! finished sillage making for now.... it s waiting for the grass to grow again xD
weather is good and the last few jungstock who are still inside are getting out to pasture today!

Went to Hamburg to the Oper yesterday... five hours of Wagner (Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg)....havy stuff.....

all is going good here..can milk the cows now on my own! still takes a bit longer, what ever... makes fun....

so nearly lunch time!

hope you are well!!!

theire are still too few posts here from all of you!

It's flower time again!!!

Oooh how I love my flowers! The sweet peas just keep going, making everybody happy, and now also the sweet William is really starting to take off. All sorts of different colours, and very, very scented... Hmmmm.... Unfortunately the wholesaler just wants the colour 'cerise' which I don't know whta that is, but since my sweet Williams have all sorts of colours I don't think they want them. So, I printed some nice leaflets, had a bath, a shave and a clean pair of underpants, and off I went on tour with two buckets of flowers, to visit 7 different farm and flower shops in the area. Alison, my WWOOFer, came along, and we made so many people happy with our free flower bunches! And now the orders keep streaming in, so much so that I am running out of flowers! It's now just picking picking picking, bunching bunching bunching, and off they go. Really flowers are fantastic! Flowers flowering everywhere - flowers in your hair! Flowers, flowers, flowers!!! Oh what beautiful flowers... Yeehaaaaaa

Bonjour Tous le Monde!

Hello everyone!
I just thought i'd check in with you wild biodynamic love cats! I hope all the BD2 lot are doing well out there and BD1's are learning lots on their placements. I'm working on a little family market garden here in the south of France and i'm really enjoying it! Its only 9 acres but next to a big river at the foothills of the Cevennes mountains, very pretty! Working in polytunnels in severe heat is a killer although I may be able to work off some of the lager that Sparky forced me to drink at college! I'm also starting to spray preps at our place (see website) we're turning it well Biodynamic init!

sending you all love....

Nick x
P.s. Contrats to Arjen with Marriage and baby!

Not even pretending to farm

Its raining, which is good. The grain needs rain. I have planted some lettuce, beans, carrots, sweetcorn and sunflowers in my raised beds after having gone to great expense and ringed the edges with copper tape in an attempt to inhibit slug action. All seems a bit low key compared with what everyone else is up to. The ulterior motive was partly met as someone made an offer on the house, low, but it's a start. The farm we are looking to rent is proving a hard nut to crack and so we might rent a small house for a few months while we look around and await the downward repricing of the next phase of the global economic contraction (this article is especially for Adam).

Just read Animal Pharm by Mark Purdey, extraordinary book, should be on the BD reading list. As Monbiot says, 'If Pudey is right he should get a Nobel prize for medicine'. Great exploration, research and analysis of BSE (globally) and TB. Does leave you feeling disgusted and saddened at central governments (how surprising) but also relieved that there are answers to the questions BSE raised about how we keep our animals. It's in the soil. However, I am now worried about grasssickness in the horses (found where there is low pH, CU & K deficiency and excess Fe, like our buttercup covered, iron clay fields, often triggering Clostridium botulinum of the TB family). Symptons, are severe gut paralysis and sudden death. Not much of a heads up there then. I could spread some lime on the fields and an Fe chelating compound. Or I could not worry about it. Maybe I'll spray some 501. I wonder what Glen would say? I shall go and study my charts.

Make sure you have read this regarding golden rice and its benefits (hhmmm), the proGMOers use it as their standard bearer for saving the world. It is always useful to be able to debunk that line of arguement.

Happy planting, prepping, parsing, picking and packing.

First Job offer!

Got my first Job offer! my farmer asked if I want to stay after the placement, he needs someone xD not bad for me!

I' ve got a good time here milking and carring for the cows.

Mowing will start next week after the rain.... 

Got a few woodcutting etc to do after a huge storm last weekend.

Finally I know allmost all the 25 cows by name ;-)

have a good weekend and post, post, post!

michaela

What's happening at emerson?

Things are thriving here as usual! The may fair has just passed (Arjen, Rob, and others dancing merrily before a very large crowd of people ranging from outsiders to ex-emersonians to scientlogists and even anthroposophists! The courses are well on their way and coming closer to their endings, and someone’s been rotivating up about a quarter of an acre behind carson!??

Well, it seems as though a lot is transpiring here at Emerson, in the garden and in the course. Im sure most of you already know the Neir (spelling?) has joined Arjen in carrying the course. I get the sense that they both have been working extremely hard since all of us began our placements and/or took our leave from Emerson, and I believe that there are a few things in the cooker for the course itself which is very good.

The lunches now include a few things from the garden! Amazing huh? After all that whining we did in october about Emerson not having a garden and now it is no longer only talk or planning but reality. Yes, there is plenty in the ground and it is only getting buisier.

Well, i send my blessings to you all and i hope your biodynamicing is going great!

Fix the Food Chain

Wandered into the fields of Plaw Hatch today to watch Richard and Tony roll out their latest gizzmos. After the (ancient) transplanter had been steamed back into life (with help from a couple of Findhorn groupies plus Claire) the latest watering contraption appeared. Fortunately it was strapped atop a tractor that was unable to exceed 5mph otherwise a little sideways sloshing might have had it aside (rather than astride) the newly planted celariac. Overall the garden looked great and the shop displayed almost an entire wall of farm grown produce.

Friends of the Earth started a campaign 'Fixing the Food Chain' earlier this year, very timely given the Swine Flu, sorry, novel human flu virus H1N1, outbreak. Read their 'Feeding the Beast' article. If you felt so inclined you could even write to your MEP (elections next month) - (European member of parliament - we all have one). And at the same time remind her/him that GM food should probably continue to be restricted until substantive, meaningful test are carried out to verify their safety.

If you haven't read it, find the time to take a look at the best commendation for ending intensive farming yet published. The UN FAOs 'Livestock's Long Shadow'. And, for those long winter nights (huh?, Ed.) the UNCTAD report on how organic agriculture is Africa's best hope. Or the IAASTD report from last year on how the world should look at agriculture, esp. Point 4 which includes the line 'Existing multifunctional systems that minimize these [environmental] problems have not been sufficiently prioritized for research.'

Sadly, Obama's new Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced he will be pushing harder for bio-tech (read GM) than Bush was. Not a surprise but likely means heavy lobbying of Europe/Africa to buy Monsanto/Dow/Pioneer Hi-Bred/Syngenta products. Will there be a serious debate in the US about this? Will anyone point out that yields have not been increased, that the only success story are seeds that are herbicide resistant meaning guess what, yup, more Roundup? Oh, and this is Monsanto funded research saying their crops require a lot of work especially due to over-relience on herbicides and that super pigweed and ragweed is becoming a serious problem.

The US public don't appear to be completely fooled, despite a sharp economic downturn sales of organic food were up 16% in 2008. However, total organic meat sales are a paultry (there's a joke in there somewhere) 0.34% of total. That's $448mm vs $8.5bln on fruit & veg. Odd how people are happy eating non-organic meat but love their organic apples and lettuces. Having said that, I saw lots of very free-range, pasture-fed beef wandering around Arizona, the owners of which wore funny hats and boots, occasionally said 'yeeeha' and thought organics was for uptight, liberal citytypes (at least I think that's what they said).

fire

happy beltane. the goddess has been transformed into the flower maiden and united with the green man, don't you know? if not then wake up like...

Swine Fever

Whaddya know....I finally decide to take a trip out to Arizona to see what all the fuss is about with these horses and find myself sandwiched between a Californian and Mexican biohazard.

Is this a result of the consolidation and concentration of pigs into 10,000 head units (esp. North Carolina)? Factory farming having deadly side effects? I cant believe it. Check out the link.

hello all

i am greatly enjoying time off. my brain has officially shut down and i am in a beautiful place and the sun is shining. I have bought my first home, a 10 ft x 10 ft wall tent and will be moving to the farm in just over one week. i am excited and as good as the break has been i am so ready to get dirty, plant some seeds make some cheese and milk some goats/sheep.
funny story:
yesterday i was hunting for morel mushrooms with some friends in the woods. as i was face to face (literally, crawling) with the soil through the under story of the forest, looking at all the lovely critters and marveling at decomposing leafs, i began to think on fungi. (fitting, because i was looking for fungi) the mystery of it and the beauty of all mushrooms especally the morel! i then started wondering what roll gnomes may play in the mysterious growth habits of mushrooms....... when to my surprise every other crawl on my belly through the forest reveled yet another morel! larger than the last!!! so of course, i thanked the gnomes and continued to be amazed by the beauty and size of the mushrooms i was being gifted by said gnomes.... of course they would be gifting me what i sought out of appreciation for me recognizing their roll in the fungi world!
after 2 hours of crawling in the leaf litter i was called to lunch. i was so excited so show everyone how skilled i was and tell them my secret! (gnome appreciation) and suggest they try it too. my friend Dan was the first to tell me, all the mushrooms i had painfully and tediously gathered were false morels. he dumped them out onto the ground an showed me the difference so i wouldn't be fooled again.
Fooled i was. and you know i could almost hear all of the little gnomes laughing hysterically.
tricky bastards.
all the best of love and luck to all.
watch out for gnomes, bulls and pigs on your placements
erin