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Michaelangelica
06-05-2009, 01:04 PM
Grow Food Parties plant sustaining seeds
By Tom Bentley - Sentinel correspondent
Posted: 04/23/2009 07:34:59 AM PDT
Updated: 04/27/2009 11:49:39 AM PDT

Have you ever looked out into your backyard and envisioned a thriving garden, replete with juicy vegetables, sumptuous fruits and fantastic flowers, but because you're pressed for time or inspiration, only shook your head and thought "Some day, some day"?

Hook up with Devin Slavin and his Grow Food Party Crew, and that day might be today. The Grow Food crew is a loose network of friends and volunteers who descend upon a chosen yard and, depending on what's needed, dig, grade, weed, build raised beds and plant - voila, instant garden!

Slavin originated the Grow Food Party concept with his friend Brian Coltrin a couple of years ago, and there are now chapters in Ojai, Ventura and Santa Cruz. Coltrin had gardening and farming experience, and Slavin has a permaculture design and farming business; their first Santa Cruz party, two years ago, was in return for being allowed to stay at a friend's house.
http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12206494


Monday, May 4, 2009
Food Forests and Stretching Out..

Always the multi-tasker.
Really gave my lower body a stretch while
watching this amazing Permaculture film produced by Geoff Lawton.

If you havent heard of him, he is the Director of
The Permaculture Research Institute of Australia.
Totally entertaining and informational video.

The first section is like sitting in on one of his lectures,
as he draws the layout of a food forest. It might
seem a bit dry for those uninterested, but the
remaining is simply amazing for any viewer. How they shape the land,
emulate and work with nature, and completely prove long-term sustainability
to re-create paradise on this planet
is IMO one of the greatest things
humans are capable of doing.
Here is the trailer, which speaks for itself.
http://rawmodelcom.blogspot.com/2009/05 ... g-out.html (http://rawmodelcom.blogspot.com/2009/05/food-forests-and-stretching-out.html)





Taking care of the Earth and the community

A permaculture life - according to Marco Lamb, who teaches the permaculture classes at the Buddhist-inspired school - starts with absorbing a set of ethics, and its agricultural philosophy follows a three-part code.
http://www.voanews.com/english/images/Greenhouse3-greenhouse.jpg
Marcus Lamb has worked with his students for three years to create the Naropa Greenhouse
http://www.voanews.com/english/images/Greenhouse6-Lamb.jpg
Marcus Lamb has worked with his students for three years to create the Naropa Greenhouse
"Care of Earth, that we want to look after the place where we live; care of people, we want to look after our community; and we want to share the surplus. We want to create natural systems that are abundant enough, that we can actually share extra," he says.

One of his students explains that even the soil here fits the permaculture ethic.
http://www.voanews.com/english/American ... -voa40.cfm (http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2009-04-17-voa40.cfm)



L.A. Garden Show favors edible landscapes
Wheel chair garden
Email Picture
'Festival of Flavors' is the theme at the L.A. County Arboretum.
May 2, 2009

Laramee Haynes said he planted his showcase garden for the L.A. Garden Show from a wheelchair. He wanted to be sure it could be done.

"Countless people tell me they don't garden anymore because of knees, hips, whatever," he said.
http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-05/46661847.jpg
A large circular planter that rotates on a truck axle, lazy Susan-style, is surrounded by two arc-shaped boxes -- all of them high enough for a gardener in a wheelchair to pull up and tend to the tomatoes, herbs and lettuce that he planted.
http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la ... 1061.story (http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-gardenshow2-2009may02,0,6341061.story)

Permaculture design course planned at SDSU

A two week, 72-hour course in June will lead participants through the history, theory and practical application of permaculture culminating in a formal design project of each student’s own making.


Permaculture originated in Australia in the 1970’s and is a system integrating plants, animals, buildings, people and communities in an ecological and sustainable living module.

Darren Doherty, Australian permaculturist, will lead the class on the SDSU campus June 4-17. Cost of the 13-day training has been reduced to $800 and includes instruction as well as twice-daily tea/coffee breaks with substantial refreshments. An evening permaculture film series is included.

To register or for details, contact Karl Schmidt at 873-2390 or via e-mail at
http://www.argusleader.com/article/2009 ... 3/business (http://www.argusleader.com/article/20090504/UPDATES/90504001/1003/business)

9anda1f
09-05-2009, 04:38 AM
Proposed US Bill cedes all water rights to the feds :shock:

http://www.rense.com/general85/fein.htm

Michaelangelica
09-05-2009, 09:00 AM
How real is this?

Subject: ORGANIC fARMING
Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 21:16:48 -0400

Dear Friends,
US House and Senate are about (in a week and a half) to vote on a bill that OUTLAWS ORGANIC FARMING (Bill HR 875). The name on this outrageous food plan is Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 ... And, there is an enormous rush to get this into law within the next 2 weeks before people realize what is happening.

This bill must have been handled in a really stealthy manner, since it came out of nowhere in the last week. No doubt, the way it's backers, "the Agri-Giants" wanted it. Perhaps a coincidence with "Spring Break" and many people out of town in the weeks before. With enough congressmen signing bills without reading them, there's no time to sleep on this one. How do you organize all these small farmers to fight the big guys? Spread it far and wide my friends.

Make a noise.
The main backer and lobbyist is Monsanto - chemical and genetic engineering giant corporation (and Cargill, ADM, and about 35 other related agri-giants) . This bill will require organic farms to use specific fertilizers and poisonous insect sprays dictated by a newly formed agency to "make sure there is no danger to the public food supply". This will include backyard gardens that grow food only for a family and not for sales.
If this passes then NO more heirloom clean seeds will be allowed, but only Monsanto genetically altered seeds that are now showing up with unexpected diseases in humans.


THIS IS REAL, FOLKS! PASS THIS ALONG TO ALL CONCERNED ON YOUR MAILING LISTS & CALL YOUR SENATE REPRESENTATIVES TODAY! Get on that phone and burn up the wires. Get anyone else you can to do the same thing. The House and Senate WILL pass this if they are not massively threatened with loss of their position.... They only fear your voice and your vote.

Again, the best thing to do is to go to your local gov site: all you have to do is put in your zip code, and it will give you your congressperson and how to get in touch with them. When you call their office someone will answer the phone, just tell them (politely) that you are calling to express your views on HR 875. Tell them your views, they'll take your name and address and pass your comments along to the congressperson.

For a list of U.S. Senators and their contact info. go to this site

If you live in Georgia, the info you need to contact your state senators is at is right here:
Saxby Chambliss
416 Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3521DC office

Johnny Isakson 120 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3643 DC office