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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm — 2012 Growing Season

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm, 2011 Growing Season, Langley (link to 2011 growing season)

Mid April to Mid September

a bed is made in last year’s fall by putting fruits and vegetables scraps with leaves directly on the grass

There is no flooding since the ditch dig and clovers grown last spring

all kinds of wild grass will shoot up soon in the spring

the snow peas sprouted

some strongest red kale grown last spring survived and are ready to bloom.

blossom season

potato sprouted

snow peas are growing well

potatoes grow well in the grass

carrots sprouted

carrots grow well naturally

snow pea

potato grew with snow pea side by side, and mulched with lots of grass, but later on, it is found that this is not the best way to grow potato

a grass cutting tool made with kitchen knife and broom handle

all kinds of grasses growing so fast in the wet spring

many seedling were eaten up by slugs due to the strange weather condition in this year’s spring

snow peas coming out

growing snow pea with wheat

it takes lots of time and energy to cut grass, hoe the field, sow the seeds. it may easier to mulch the bed in previous fall with leaves and grass clips.

white clover is good green manure and cover crop, perennial , easy to cut, fix nitrogen and not tall to compete space and sunlight with crops.

the only cabbage grown in last spring

the snow pea, snap pea and shelling pea grow well in this spring, so grow many of them in the fields.

when snow pea, snap pea and shelling pea are ready to harvest, a peacock comes from nowhere, and settle on the farm, the peas become his staple food source.

he is picking up some food in front of me, very comfortable.

he also eats tender leaves of flax

and eats soy bean sprouts

cabbage grows well with potato

two row of snow peas were grown in late June

potato grows well

some new potato in the mulch just on the surface of soil, easy to find.

snow peas

potato

the strongest zucchini seedling growing up, slug did not touch them at all.

harmony with nature

flax, wheat, spelling pea are together

wild flower blooming

peacock will eat them up all but after some communication, we can share the harvest now

cabbage growing

ready to harvest, it grows from last april to this august

carrot grow well in red clover

the lessons to pay, it is a wrong time to cut grass in july in vancouver

never water the peas, but the quality is great and yield is good

zucchini

green bean

potatoes

potatoes

flax seeds

the clay soil is so dry after the summer in Vancouver

carrots

Product Snapshots

Product Snapshots

Latest Update Date: 2012.07.02

Organic Sweet Corn Bi-colour

Organic Strawberry

Organic Banana

Organic Avocado

Organic Broccoli

Organic Carrot

Organic Cauliflower

Organic Celery

Organic Mushroom White Button

Organic Onion Yellow

Organic Sweet Potato Oriental

Organic Tomato Field

Organic Apple Fuji

Organic Apple Pink Lady

Organic Lemon

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 8

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 8, 2012.06.25

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Table of Content：

This week’s recommended organic produce

Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Green peas
2. Cabbage
3. Kale: An Easy Beginner’s Guide to Growing
4. Gardening in the Shade
5. Organic Vegetable Farming: Now More Vegan Than Ever

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This week’s recommended organic produce：

• Fruit Eden Naturally grown veganic snow pea，   $3.75 / bag (approx. 200 g)
• organic banana, unlimited， MX： $2.50 / bag （approx. 2 lb）
• organic mango Tommy Atkins， medium size, MX： $2.25 / piece　
• organic melon cantaloupe，approx.3.3lb，MX： $5.75 / piece　
• organic watermelon， seedless，CA： $1.25 / lb　
• organic strawberries, Driscoll，CA/ MX：　$6.60 $6.00 / 1 lb （1clamshell）
• organic avocado，medium size，promich，MX： 　$1.95 $1.65 / piece （1 piece approx.170 ~ 200g）
• organic cabbage green，CA： $1.65 / lb
• organic sweet corn bi-colour，CA： $1.65/ piece
• organic garlic ，MX ：　　$5.25 / bag （approx.0.5lb）
• organic lettuce romaine，BC : $3.00 / piece
• organic mushroom white，medium，BC： $5.00  $4.50/bag （approx.1lb）
• organic onion yellow， WA：       $3.50 $3.00 / 3 lb （1bag）
• organic squash zucchini，mx：　$2.95 / bag （approx. 1lb）
• organic raw shredded coconut, india： $4.00 / 1 kg
• organic raw shredded coconut, india： $2.50 / 500g

See the complete price list for organic produce：https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/products/

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Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Green peas
[digest]    We don’t usually think about green peas as an exotic food in terms of nutrient composition–but we should. Because of their sweet taste and starchy texture, we know that green peas must contain some sugar and starch (and they do). But they also contain a unique assortment of health-protective phytonutrients. One of these phytonutrients–a polyphenol called coumestrol–has recently come to the forefront of research with respect to stomach cancer protection. A Mexico City-based study has shown that daily consumption of green peas along with other legumes lowers risk of stomach cancer (gastric cancer), especially when daily coumestrol intake from these legumes is approximately 2 milligrams or higher. Since one cup of green peas contains at least 10 milligrams of coumestrol, it’s not difficult for us to obtain this remarkable health benefit.

    The unique phytonutrients in green peas also provide us with key antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Included in these phytonutrients are some recently-discovered green pea phytonutrients called saponins. Due to their almost exclusive appearance in peas, these phytonutrients actually contain the scientific word for peas (Pisum) in their names: pisumsaponins I and II, and pisomosides A and B. When coupled with other phytonutrients in green peas–including phenolic acids like ferulic and caffeic acid, and flavanols like catechin and epicatechin–the combined impact on our health may be far-reaching. For example, some researchers have now speculated that the association between green pea and legume intake and lowered risk of type 2 diabetes may be connected not only with the relatively low glycemic index of green peas (about 45-50) and their strong fiber and protein content, but also with this unusual combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.

    Green peas stand out as an environmentally friendly food. Agricultural research has shown that pea crops can provide the soil with important benefits. First, peas belong to a category of crops called “nitrogen fixing” crops. With the help of bacteria in the soil, peas and other pulse crops are able to take nitrogen gas from the air and convert it into more complex and usable forms. This process increases nitrogen available in the soil without the need for added fertilizer. Peas also have a relatively shallow root system which can help prevent erosion of the soil, and once the peas have been picked, the plant remainders tend to break down relatively easily for soil replenishment. Finally, rotation of peas with other crops has been shown to lower the risk of pest problems. These environmentally friendly aspects of pea production add to their desirability as a regular part of our diet.

    Even though green peas are an extremely low-fat food (with approximately one-third gram of total fat per cup) the type of fat and fat-soluble nutrients they contain is impressive. Recent research has shown that green peas are a reliable source of omega-3 fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). In one cup of green peas, you can expect to find about 30 milligrams of ALA. About 130 milligrams of the essential omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, can also be found in a cup of green peas. This very small but high-quality fat content of green peas helps provide us with important fat-soluble nutrients from this legume, including sizable amounts of beta-carotene and small but valuable amounts of vitamin E.

Many public health organizations–including the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society–recommend legumes as a key food group for preventing disease and optimizing health. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends 3 cups of legumes per week (based on a daily intake of approximately 2,000 calories). Because 1 serving of legumes was defined as 1/2 cup (cooked), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans come very close to recommending of 1/2 cup of cooked legumes on a daily basis. Based on our own research review, we believe that 3 cups of legumes per week is a very reasonable goal for support of good health. However, we also believe that optimal health benefits from legumes may require consumption of legumes in greater amounts. These greater amounts are based on studies in which legumes have been consumed at least 4 days per week and in amounts falling into a 1-2 cup range per day. These studies suggest a higher optimal health benefit level than the 2005 Dietary Guidelines: instead of 3 cups of weekly legumes, 4-8 cups would become the goal range. Remember that any amount of legumes is going to make a helpful addition to your diet. And whatever weekly level of legumes you decide to target, we definitely recommend inclusion of green peas among your legume choices.

Ordinarily, we would expect this extraordinary list of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients to be associated with lower risk of most inflammatory diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis. Although large-scale studies on green pea intake and these chronic health problems remain unavailable, researchers have already begun to suggest connections in this area, particularly with respect to type 2 diabetes. We know that chronic, unwanted inflammation and chronic, unwanted oxidative stress increase our risk of type 2 diabetes. We also know that intake of green peas is associated with lowered risk of type 2 diabetes, even though this association has traditionally been understood to involve the strong fiber and protein content of green peas. Researchers now believe that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients in greens peas play an equally important role in lowering our risk of this chronic health problem.

Support for Blood Sugar Regulation

As mentioned in the previous section, blood sugar regulation has been an area of special interest with respect to green peas and its fellow legumes. Few foods provide us with such substantial amounts of protein or fiber (about 8-10 grams per cup for each of these macronutrients) as green peas. These outstanding fiber and protein amounts directly regulate the pace at which we digest our food. By helping to regulate the pace of digestion, protein and fiber also help regulate the break down of starches into sugars and the general passage of carbs through out digestive tract. With better regulation of carbs, our blood sugar levels can stay steadier.

Recent research has greatly expanded our understanding of these health benefits. What we now know is that green peas and other pulses can help us lower our fasting blood sugar as well as our fasting insulin levels. Our long-term control of blood sugar (as measured by lab testing of glycosylated hemoblobin and fructosamine) is also improved by intake of green peas. When combined with an overall high-fiber diet, these benefits are increased. They are also increased when green peas are consumed as part of an overall diet that is low in glycemic index.

Heart Health Promotion

An area we expected to find well-documented health benefits from green peas is the area of cardiovascular disease. While we did not find specific research documentation in this area, we are confident that future research will confirm key health benefits from green peas in relationship to cardiovascular protection. Our reasoning here is simple. First, we know that strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection is needed for healthy functioning of our blood vessels. The formation of plaque along our blood vessel walls starts with chronic, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. Few foods are better equipped to provide us with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients than green peas. Second, we know that intake of omega-3 fat lowers our risk of cardiovascular problems. Green peas are a reliable source of omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. One cup of green peas provides us with ALA in an amount of approximately 30 milligrams. Third, we know that high levels of homocysteine raise our risk of cardiovascular disease, and that ample amounts of B vitamins are required to help keep our homocysteine levels in check. Green peas provide us with very good amounts of vitamin B1 and folate, and good amounts of vitamins B2, B3, and B6. The critical cardioprotective B vitamin, choline, is also provided by green peas in amounts of approximately 40 per cup. In combination, these nutrient features of green peas point to a likely standout role for this food in protection of our cardiovascular health.

Protection Against Stomach Cancer

Excessive inflammation and oxidative stress are risk factors not only for the development of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, but also for the development of cancers. A recent research study has begun to examine the benefits of green peas with respect to one particular type of cancer – stomach cancer. Stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer) is a disease that occurs more commonly in persons who have very low intake of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, including key nutrients called polyphenols. A recent study based in Mexico City has shown that daily consumption of green peas along with other legumes is associated with decreased risk of stomach cancer. In particular, decreased risk of stomach cancer in this study was associated with average daily intake of a polyphenol called coumestrol at a level of 2 milligrams or higher. Pulses (including green peas) were determined to be a key food contributor to coumestrol in this Mexico-based study. Since one cup of green peas contains at least 10 milligrams of coumestrol, green peas are very likely to provide some unique health benefits in this cancer-prevention area. Of course, coumestrol is not the only cancer-protective nutrient present in green peas! The wide variety of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in green peas is very likely to play a primary role in the cancer-preventive benefits of this food.

How to Select and Store

Only about 5% of the peas grown are sold fresh; the rest are either frozen or canned. When trying to decide between frozen and canned green peas, the following information may be helpful:

    Frozen peas are better able to retain their color, texture, and flavor than canned peas. Recent research has confirmed that these “important sensory characteristics” of green peas are not affected by freezing over periods of 1-3 months.

    Both canned and frozen peas may contain relatively high levels of sodium. Unless labeled as “low sodium” or “reduced sodium” or containing “50% less sodium” or something similar, you can expect to find 650-800 milligrams of sodium in one cup of canned green peas. Some of this sodium can be removed by thorough rinsing and we definitely encourage you to do so. Reduced sodium canned peas will often bring the sodium content down to 250-300 milligrams of sodium. Even in this case, you can lower the sodium even further by thoroughly rinsing the peas. In the case of frozen green peas, it’s not uncommon to find 300 milligrams of sodium in one cup of frozen green peas approximately the same amount as found in reduced sodium canned peas. This relatively high sodium level in frozen peas results from green pea processing methods, not from the natural sodium content of the peas. When large batches of peas are prepared for freezing, producers separate out the older and starchier peas prior to freezing. A common method used to separate out the starchier peas is to immerse them in salty water. This process, called the salt brine process, allows the younger, more tender, and less starchy peas to float on top of the salt water, while letting the older, less tender, and starchier peas to sink to the bottom. Even though the younger and less starchy peas are rinsed with water after being separated out, they can still contain relatively high levels of sodium.

    Neither frozen peas nor canned peas have an unlimited shelf life. In the case of frozen peas, it’s not uncommon to see “use by” dates that indicate a 24-30 month shelf life. However, based on the overall research findings on nutrient content of frozen peas during storage, we recommend that you consume your frozen peas within 6-12 months of the packing date. (If no packing date is available, just make the “use by” date 50% sooner.)

Overall, we recommend the selection of frozen peas over canned peas and recognize the convenience of frozen over fresh. However, we also encourage you to consider fresh peas whenever possible, and to choose them according to the following guidelines.

When purchasing fresh garden peas, look for ones whose pods are firm, velvety and smooth. Their color should be a lively medium green. Those whose green color is especially light or dark, or those that are yellow, whitish or are speckled with gray, should be avoided. Additionally, do not choose pods that are puffy, water soaked or have mildew residue. The pods should contain peas of sufficient number and size that there is not much empty room in the pod. You can tell this by gently shaking the pod and noticing whether there is a slight rattling sound. All varieties of fresh peas should be displayed in a refrigerated case since heat will hasten the conversion of their sugar content into starch.

Unlike the rounded pods of garden peas, the pods of snow peas are flat. You should be able to see the shape of the peas through the non-opaque shiny pod. Choose smaller ones as they tend to be sweeter.

To test the quality of snap peas, snap one open and see whether it is crisp. They should be bright green in color, firm and plump.

Garden peas are generally available from spring through the beginning of winter. Snow peas can usually be found throughout the year in Asian markets and from spring through the beginning of winter in supermarkets. Snap peas are more limited in their availability. They are generally available from late spring through early summer.

If you will not be using fresh peas on the day of purchase, which is the best way to enjoy them, you should refrigerate them as quickly as possible in order to preserve their sugar content, preventing it from turning into starch. Unwashed, unshelled peas stored in the refrigerator in a bag or unsealed container will keep for several days. Fresh peas can also be blanched for one or two minutes and then frozen. If you decide to blanch and freeze your green peas, we recommend a maximum storage period of 6-12 months.

Before you remove the peas from the pod, rinse them briefly under running water. To easily shell them, snap off the top and bottom of the pod and then gently pull off the “thread” that lines the seam of most peapods. For those that do not have “threads,” carefully cut through the seam, making sure not to cut into the peas. Gently open the pods to remove the seeds, which do not need to be washed since they have been encased in the pod.

The classic way of cooking garden peas is to line a saucepan with several leaves of washed Boston or Bibb lettuce and then place the peas on the lettuce. You can then add fresh herbs and spices if you desire. Cover the peas with more lettuce leaves, add one or two tablespoons of water, and cover the pan. Cook the peas for about 15 to 20 minutes, after which they should be tender and flavorful.

Snow peas and snap peas can be eaten raw, although the cooking process will cause them to become sweeter. Either way, they should be rinsed beforehand. Healthy Sautéeing is one of the best ways to cook these types of peas.

Green peas contain naturally-occurring substances called purines. Purines are commonly found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called “gout” and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purine-containing foods such as green peas.

link source: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=55

2. Cabbage
[digest]Cancer prevention tops all other areas of health research with regard to cabbage and its outstanding benefits. More than 475 studies have examined the role of this cruciferous vegetable in cancer prevention (and in some cases, cancer treatment). The uniqueness of cabbage in cancer prevention is due to the three different types of nutrient richness found in this widely enjoyed food. The three types are (1) antioxidant richness, (2) anti-inflammatory richness, and (3) richness in glucosinolates.

Long-established in health research is the role of cabbage juice in helping heal stomach ulcers (called peptic ulcers), but more recent studies on cabbage have looked at the overall health benefits of this food for the stomach and digestive tract as a whole. Present-day studies make it clear that cabbage contains a variety of nutrients of potential benefit to our stomach and intestinal linings. These nutrients include glucosinolates (and the anti-inflammatory isothiocyanates or ITCs made from them), antioxidant polyphenols, and the amino acid-like substance called glutamine. In the case of ITCs, digestive tract benefits include proper regulation of bacterial populations of Helicobacter pylori inside the stomach. These bacteria are normal stomach inhabitants, but their populations can become too large and they can latch onto the stomach lining in an undesirable way. The ITCs made from cabbage’s glucosinolates can lower the risk of these unwanted stomach events.

You can count on cabbage to provide your cardiovascular system with valuable support in the form of cholesterol reduction. Researchers understand exactly how this process takes place. Your liver uses cholesterol as a basic building block to produce bile acids. Bile acids are specialized molecules that aid in the digestion and absorption of fat through a process called emulsification. These molecules are typically stored in fluid form in your gall bladder, and when you eat a fat-containing meal, they get released into the intestine where they help ready the fat for interaction with enzymes and eventual absorption up into the body.

It’s worth making a special note about the omega-3s found in cabbage. Ordinarily, we simply do not think about this cruciferous vegetable as a source of omega-3s. For that matter, we do not think about cabbage as source of any type of fat. And we are right in this overall type of thinking. Cabbage is not a fatty food! But among the little bit of fat it contains, there is a surprising amount of one particular omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. There is actually far more ALA in 100 calories of cabbage than there is in 100 calories of salmon! While fish like salmon do contain most of their omega-3s in the form of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) or DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) rather than ALA, the amount of total omega-3s in 100 calories of cabbage (520 milligrams) is still substantial in comparison to the amount of total omega-3s in 100 calories of salmon (798 milligrams). The past 5 years of greatly expanded research on cruciferous vegetables and inflammation points to the omega-3 content of cruciferous vegetables as a potentially critical component of their unique health benefits.

Choose cabbage heads that are firm and dense with shiny, crisp, colorful leaves free of cracks, bruises, and blemishes. Severe damage to the outer leaves is suggestive of worm damage or decay that may reside in the inner core as well.

There should be only a few outer loose leaves attached to the stem. If not, it may be an indication of undesirable texture and taste. Avoid buying precut cabbage, either halved or shredded, since once cabbage is cut, it begins to lose its valuable vitamin C content.

Keeping cabbage cold will keep it fresh and help it retain its vitamin C content. Put the whole head in a plastic bag in the crisper of your refrigerator. Red and green cabbage will keep this way for about 2 weeks while Savoy cabbage will keep for about 1 week.

If you need to store a partial head of cabbage, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Since the vitamin C content of cabbage starts to quickly degrade once it has been cut, you should use the remainder within a couple of days.

Cabbage is sometimes referred to as a “goitrogenic” food. Yet, contrary to popular belief, according to the latest studies, foods themselves–cabbage included–are not “goitrogenic” in the sense of causing goiter whenever they are consumed, or even when they are consumed in excess. In fact, most foods that are commonly called “goitrogenic”–such as the cruciferous vegetables (including cabbage, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower) and soyfoods–do not interfere with thyroid function in healthy persons even when they are consumed on a daily basis. Nor is it scientifically correct to say that foods “contain goitrogens,” at least not if you are thinking about goitrogens as a category of substances like proteins, carbohydrates, or vitamins. With respect to the health of our thyroid gland, all that can be contained in a food are nutrients that provide us with a variety of health benefits but which, under certain circumstances, can also interfere with thyroid function.

link source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=19

3. Kale: An Easy Beginner’s Guide to Growing
[digest]ny guide to growing kale will start out by telling you it is a cold weather crop, which tastes best after it has been touched by frost.

I’m here to tell you that while cold weather may be kale’s preference, you can grow it during any season and in most climates. The flavor, output and duration from seed to harvest will change depending on the temperature, weather patterns, variety and soil condition, but kale is a hearty crop that is willing to adapt to our expanding desire for it. With that said, it can tolerate temperatures as low as 20F degrees, but will start to turn bitter and become tough in temperatures over 80F degrees.

This easy guide to growing kale will discuss how to grow kale in ideal conditions as well as giving some tips on how to grow it outside its preferred climate. Feel free to alter my suggestions to fit your garden’s needs.

For some it may still seem like spring is long time away, if you plan to plant from seed you may need up to six weeks before your seedlings are ready to plant.

There are many varieties of kale, but they are usually grouped by the type of leaf:

•    Curly leaved (Scots Kale)
•    Plain leaved
•    Rape Kale
•    Leaf and spear (a hybrid of curly leaved and plain leaved Kale)
•    Cavolo nero (also known as black cabbage, Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan (or Toscano) Kale, Lacinato and dinosaur Kale)

In these leaf shapes you’ll find a number of varieties with varied growth time from transplanting to harvesting:

– Blue Armor (45-75 days, hybrid)*
– Blue Curled Scotch (65 days)
– Blue Knight (55 days, hybrid)
– Dwarf Blue Curled (55 days)
– Dwarf Blue Scotch (55 days)
– Dwarf Green Curled (60 days)
– Dwarf Siberian (65 days)
– Greenpeace (65 days)
– Hanover Late Seedling (68 days)
– Konserva (60 days)
– Red Russian (40-60 days)
– Squire (60 days)
– Verdura (60 days)
– Winterbor (60-65 days, hybrid)

Kale is a hardy biennial (it take two years to go to flower and complete its life-cycle), but it is usually grown as an annual.

1.  If you’re planting during the cool season, find a spot where your kale will receive full sunshine. If you are planting during the warm season, or in a warmer climate, plant kale in partial shade.  Kale enjoys companion plants such as beets, celery, herbs, onions and potatoes, but does not enjoy being planted near beans, strawberries or tomatoes.

2. Kale also prefers loamy, well-drained, moist (but not soggy) soil of average fertility. Surprisingly, it isn’t a fan of soil that is too rich in nitrogen, so it will do best with a pH between 5.5 to 6.8.  If your soil is too acid, try adding some wood ash to sweeten it. Light, sandy soils and very heavy clay soils will “negatively”* affect the flavor of kale, but it still has the potential to grow in these environments.

3. Seeds will germinate in cool soil, but they sprout best when the soil temperature is around 70 degrees. If you’re starting them inside, then do so 5-7 weeks before the last expected frost. If you’re direct sowing the seeds outside, do so 2-4 weeks before the last frost and/or anytime at least 10 weeks before the first frost of the next season. No matter when you plant, the soil temperature must be at least 40 degrees or higher for good germination.

Cutworms, cabbage loopers and cabbageworms enjoy munching on kale, but kale is relatively good at resisting disease. Giving your plants the nutrients they need and picking off any weathered leaves will help reduce insects found in your garden.

– You can begin to cut individual leaves off the kale when the plant is approximately 8 to 10 inches high, starting with the outside leaves first.

– If you decide to harvest the entire plant, cut the stock two inches above the soil and the plant will sprout new leaves in 1 to 2 weeks.

– Make sure to harvest kale leaves before they become too old and tough. If you can’t eat the kale leaves fast enough and they begin to turn brown, pull the old leaves off, and compost them, to free the plants of insect attractants and unnecessary energy drains.

– You can also pick kale regularly and store it in the fridge for up to a week. If you choose to do so, keep it lightly moist and place it in a bag, but unsealed, in the crisper bin.

link source: http://gentleworld.org/kale-an-easy-beginners-guide-to-growing/

4. 12 Gardening in the Shade
[digest]Gardening in the shade can be a very rewarding experience. You can create a tranquil cool retreat for those hot days of summer, and it’s far more pleasant to work in the shade than in the hot blistering sun. Also it’s much kinder to your skin.

Before selecting plants, you will need to identify how much shade you have – light, partial or full. Areas receiving morning sun or about 3 to 4 hours of shade are considered in light shade. Partial shade is approximately 4 to 6 hours of shade. Full shade is under mature trees or the north side of a building receiving no direct sunlight, but some indirect light. Observe your garden at different times during the day to determine the amount of shade it gets. Be aware that the amount of shade varies with the seasons.

Once you have established the type of shade you have, you can begin selecting plantings for these areas. Also, if you are planting under trees, you will need to consider the root interference you will encounter. It is also a good idea to do a soil test to determine the soil’s pH. Kits with instructions can be obtained at the Adams County Extension Office on old Harrisburg Road in Gettysburg. You will then be able to amend your soil to the requirements of the plants you have chosen.

Spring flowering bulbs can be planted in a shade garden, as they will bloom before the trees leaf out. There are many perennials and some annuals that will give you a wide range of color for your shade garden. Hostas with their handsome leaf colorations from green and cream variegated to lime green to almost blue provide leaf color. Their lavender or white lily-like flowers appear in summer. Hostas come in a wide range of sizes, some reaching 32″ in height.

Another good choice for the shade garden is Astilbe. It requires evenly moist soil, is not drought tolerant and flowers in June or July providing your shade garden with plume flowers in white, reds and pinks. Ferns are also a good choice for a shade garden. Japanese Painted Fern is quite colorful in shades of green, silver and red. Sweet Woodruff makes a good ground cover and sports numerous dainty white flowers in May. It is shallow rooted and, therefore, does not interfere with other plants. Lenten Rose, Helleborus orientalis, needs moist well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter and blooms in April/May. It is deer and vole resistant. Lily-of-the-Valley has fragrant bell-shaped white flowers in May and is a diligent spreader. Coleus and Caladiums with their many colored leaves, begonias and impatiens are all annuals that will give color to your shade garden.

Excellent choices for shade gardens are native plants, which are plants that were growing here before the arrival of the European settlers. They are acclimated to our area and once established and properly sited do not need the care that some non-natives required. Ferns for this use would be Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pednatum), Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamonea), and Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) which requires a moist to wet site and can reach 6 foot in height with a 4-foot spread.

Spring blooming native perennials include Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) with red and yellow flowers that attract humming birds. They will often die back after flowering, but will then send up new foliage. Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia) has lovely pink flowers, Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) also has pink flowers, and Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) has foamy-like white flowers tinged with pink. This plant prefers a well-drained, acidic soil and needs watering during droughts. Alumroot (Heuchera americana) has glossy evergreen foliage and when young is marbled and red-veined. Brownish-green flowers shoot up in early summer. Heuchera ‘Dale’s Selection’ has silver mottled foliage.

Summer blooming plants for the shade garden would include Goat’s-beard (Aruncus dioicus), which grows from 3 to 7 feet in height and has plumes of creamy white flowers that are a good source of nectar. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) bloom from summer into fall. These can reach a height of 2 to 4 feet. A very striking fall bloomer is Blue Wood Aster (Aster cordifolius) that grows to a height of 1 to 4 feet depending on the fertility of the soil and the amount of moisture.

By checking the bloom time, leaf color and texture of various plants, you can have a delightful shade garden with color and interest all season long. To really enjoy your garden, make a spot even if it’s only for one chair, so you can sit in the shade on a warm summer’s day and take pleasure in the fruits of your labors.

link source: http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/adams/2007/shade_gardening.htm

5. Organic Vegetable Farming: Now More Vegan Than Ever
[digest]How exactly does one make a vegetable farm less carnivorous than it already is? The practice of veganic – or “stock-free” – farming is beginning to take hold among some small-scale farmers in the United States and Canada. It has been a common method in Europe for years.

Veganic farmers practice organic farming by eschewing synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, but take it a step further by eliminating animal-derived farming products as well. Most organic farmers use bone meal, blood meal and animal waste fertilizer to make their plants productive, but veganic farmers and their customers see a number of problems with using animal biproducts around the plants.

E. Coli and Other Outbreaks

All animal biproducts carry pathogens. E. coli has a healthy presence in the intestines of mammals and birds as a digestive aid, but makes humans sick when ingested orally. Recent E. coli outbreaks have centered on produce like spinach, alfalfa, and tomatoes. While no one knows exactly how the E. coli got into the fields (wild pigs and contaminated water have been suggested), another possibility is the animal biproducts that were used as fertilizers for the plants.

But E. Coli isn’t the only cause of disease outbreak related to livestock pathogens. Salmonella, cyclospora and others have also mysteriously made their way to our produce supply. Veganic farmers believe they can lessen the chance of such outbreaks by avoiding manure and animal by-products to begin with.

Organic Plants, Not So Organic Fertilizer

While there is strict testing of the seeds, plants and soil to achieve organic certification, the animals that supply bone meal, blood meal and manure do not require such testing. They are generally from factory farms, raised on low-grade feed and antibiotics and hormones. There are two issues here: the synthetic compounds from the feed and supplements are present in manure, bending organic standards. But most of all, many farmers do not want to continue supporting the factory farming industry, where animals live and die in inhumane conditions.

Ethical Considerations

This brings us to the ethics of using animal bi-products as growing aids. There is the issue of supporting factory farms, mentioned above, but this can be resolved by sourcing bone meal and manure locally from trusted farmers. More, many vegetable farmers and their customer base eat a vegetarian or vegan diet. They view animal fertilizers as incongruous with their animal-free lifestyles and want to avail another option.

link source: http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/07/05/organic-vegetable-farming-now-more-vegan-than-ever/

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/
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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 7

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 7, 2012.06.18

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

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Table of Content：

This week’s available organic produce

Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Sweet corn nutrition facts
2. How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods
3. Cancer-causing strawberry pesticide under review: Tell EPA to ban methyl iodide now! 
4. Organic produce superior to conventional on every level, study finds
5. Organic Growing: Supporting Animal Farms?

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This week’s available organic produce：

• organic banana, unlimited， mx： $2.50 / bag （approx. 2lb）
• organic melon cantaloupe, approx. 3.3lb, MX: $5.75/ piece
• organic avocado，medium，promich，MX： 　$1.95 $1.65 / piece （1 piece approx. 170 ~ 200g）
• organic corn sweet bi-color， CA: $1.65 / each
• organic potato white，BC：　$5.50 / bag (approx. 3 lb)　
• organic squash zucchini， MX：　$2.95 / bag (approx. 1 lb)　
• organic yam jewel medium，CA：　　　$3.45/ bag （approx. 3 lb）
• organic soybean， CA： 　$2.20 / 1 lb （1bag）

Welcome to suggest next week’s organic produce, from the complete price list：https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/products/

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Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Sweet corn nutrition facts
[digest]Sweet corn is a special maize variety in which its sweet kernels eaten as vegetable. In contrast to traditional field corn, sugar corn variety is harvested when the ears just reach milk stage and used fresh as the sugars in the kernels convert quickly to starch. Sugar corn is native to Central American region.

Genetically, it differs from the field corn by mutation at the sugary (su) locus. The crop has achieved success as one of the important commercial cash crop in many tropical and semi-tropical countries.
At 86 calories per 100 g, sugar corn kernels are moderately high in calories on comparison to other vegetables. However, fresh kernels have much lower in calories than field corn and other cereals like wheat, rice etc. Their calorie mainly comes from more simple carbohydrates like glucose, sucrose than complex sugars like amylose and amylopectin as in cereals.

Sweet corn is gluten free cereal and may be used safely much like rice, quinoa etc, in celiac disease individuals.

Corn features high quality phyto-nutrition profile comprising of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants in addition to moderate proportions of minerals. It is one of the finest source dietary fibers; 100 g kernels provide 2 g or 5% of daily-requirement of dietary fiber. Together with slow digesting complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of fiber in the food regulates gradual rise in blood sugar levels.

Yellow variety corn has significant levels of phenolic flavonoid pigment antioxidants such as ß-carotenes, and lutein, xanthins and cryptoxanthin pigments along with vitamin A. 100 g fresh kernels provide 187 IU or 6% of daily-requirement of vitamin A. Altogether, these compounds are required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes, skin and vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Corn is a good source of phenolic flavonoid antioxidant, ferulic acid. Several research studies suggest that ferulic acid plays vital role in preventing cancers, aging, and inflammation in humans.

It also contains good levels of some of valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folates, riboflavin, and pyridoxine. Many of these vitamins functions as co-factors to enzymes in metabolism.

Further, it contains healthy amounts of some important minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.

Fresh baby corns are usually comes in small packages wrapped in plastic paper like button mushrooms. Choose to buy medium sized, firm, and fresh arrivals.

While buying, look for the well-formed ears with light green colored tight husks and clean, just about dry golden brown silks. Gently pull down the husk from the tip-end to check for color as well as milk-stage of kernels.

link source: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/sweet-corn.html

2. How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods
[digest] These are the products (and their derivatives) that are most likely to be genetically modified:

•     Soybeans – Gene taken from bacteria (Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4) and inserted into soybeans to make them more resistant to herbicides.[1] See How to Live With a Soy Allergy for more information on avoiding soy products
•     Corn – There are two main varieties of GE corn. One has a Gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis inserted to produce the Bt toxin, which poisons Lepidoteran (moths and butterflies) pests.[2] There are also several events which are resistant to various herbicide. Present in high fructose corn syrup and glucose/fructose which is prevalent in a wide variety of foods in America.
•     Rapeseed/Canola – Gene added/transferred to make crop more resistant to herbicide.
•     Sugar beets – Gene added/transferred to make crop more resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide.
•     Rice – Genetically modified to resist herbicides; not currently available for human consumption, but trace amounts of one GM long-grained variety (LLRICE601) may have entered the food supply in the USA and Europe. More recently, golden rice, a different strain of rice has been engineered to produce significantly higher levels of beta carotene, which the body uses to produce vitamin A. Golden rice is still undergoing testing to determine if it is safe for human consumption.[3]
•     Cotton – engineered to produce Bt toxin. The seeds are pressed into cottonseed oil, which is a common ingredient in vegetable oil and margarine.
•     Dairy – Cows injected with GE hormone rBGH/rBST; possibly fed GM grains and hay.
•     Aspartame/AminoSweet – Addictive and dangerous artificial sweetener commonly found in chewing gum and “diet” beverages. A building block of aspartame, the amino acid phenylalanine, is usually manufactured with the aid of genetically modified E. coli bacteria. This process has been used industrially in the USA for many years.
•     Papayas
•     Farm Raised Salmon

If it is a 5-digit number beginning with an 8, it is GM. However, do not trust that GE foods will have a PLU identifying it as such, because PLU labeling is optional.

Seek products that are specifically labeled as non-GM or GMO-free. However, it is rare to find products labeled as such. You can also research websites that list companies and foods that do not use genetically modified foods, but be aware that information is often incomplete and conflicting interests may not be declared.

Although more than half of all GM foods are produced in the US,[8] most of it comes from large, industrial farms. By shopping at farmers’ markets, signing up for a subscription from a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, or patronizing a local co-op, you may be able to avoid GM products and possibly save money at the same time.

Buy whole foods. Favor foods that you can cook and prepare yourself, rather than foods that are processed or prepared (e.g. anything that comes in a box or a bag, including fast food). What you lose in convenience, you may recover in money saved and satisfaction gained, as well as increased peace of mind. Try cooking a meal from scratch once or twice a week–you may enjoy it and decide to do it more often.

If you have the land, time, and resources, grow your own food. As long as you make sure you’re not buying GM seeds, and aren’t near any GM plants which could cross-pollinate, you’ll know for sure that the food which comes from your garden is not genetically modified.

link source: http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Genetically-Modified-Foods

3.  Cancer-causing strawberry pesticide under review: Tell EPA to ban methyl iodide now!
[digest]Decadent and delicious, much-loved strawberries have a dark side. The recently approved strawberry pesticide methyl iodide has been called “one of the most toxic chemicals on earth” by Dr. John Froines, UCLA Professor of Environmental Health and Chair of California’s independent scientific committee established to review the chemical.

Methyl iodide causes cancer, late-term miscarriages and contaminates groundwater. In fact, it’s so reliable at causing cancer that scientists use it in the lab to create cancer cells. Scientists take extreme precautions when handling it, using a ventilation hood, gloves, and special equipment to ensure that it does not escape to the air.

Despite clear evidence of its extreme toxicity, methyl iodide has been legalized as a pesticide to be used at rates of over 100 pounds per acre in agricultural fields across the country. When applied, methyl iodide becomes a gas that can easily drift from fields onto nearby workers, homes and schools putting farmworkers and rural communities at high risk of exposure.

Pesticide giant Arysta LifeScience is the largest agrochemical company in the world and manufacturer of methyl iodide. Their corporate pressure trumped science at the national level in 2007 when the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the pesticide in the last days of the Bush Administration over the voiced concerns of 54 scientists, most members of the National Academy of Sciences and including six Nobel Laureates in Chemistry.

In a letter to the EPA, these scientists expressed astonishment that the EPA would “legalize broadcast releases of one of the more toxic chemicals used in manufacturing into the environment” and urged the EPA to not approve methyl iodide because of the high risks it poses to human health and the environment.

A handful of states — including California, the most lucrative market for methyl iodide since 88 percent of the nation’s strawberries are grown there — undertake additional scientific review of pesticides before deciding whether or not to use them locally. Although California convened an independent scientific review of the chemical concluding that there was no way to use it safely as a pesticide, methyl iodide was approved in December 2010, in the dying breaths of the Schwarzenegger Administration.

The exposure levels that California approved as “safe” for workers are 120 times higher than the levels that government scientists say protect against miscarriages and 56 times higher than the levels government scientists say protect against thyroid cancer.

Dr. Theodore Slotkin, a member of California’s independent scientific review committee and professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University, wrote, “It is my personal opinion that this decision will result in serious harm to California citizens, and most especially to children.”

Strawberries are grown throughout the nation and world without reliance on highly hazardous pesticides. Economically viable non-chemical alternatives to methyl iodide are available and already in use by organic and other sustainable agricultural practitioners. Since 1983, Swanton Berry Farms, on the central coast of California, has been growing strawberries organically. Swanton Berry is now joined by farmers large and small – from Driscoll’s to Martinez Farms – in a thriving organic strawberry business. Specific pest control alternatives include the use of resistant cultivars, cultural methods such as crop rotation, the use of cover crops, as well as physical methods such as steaming the soil.

link source: http://www.naturalnews.com/032173_strawberries_pesticides.html

4. Organic produce superior to conventional on every level, study finds
[digest]Mainstream nutritionists often claim that conventional produce is no different than organic produce. But a new study recently published in the online, peer-reviewed journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) One proves otherwise, revealing that organic fruits and vegetables pack a greater nutritional punch and produce better, healthier soil than their conventional counterparts.

John Reganold, professor of soil science at Washington State University Regents and author of the new study, and his colleagues conducted the most comprehensive analysis of its kind on commercial produce soil and the strawberries that grow in it. (Conventional strawberries, as many now know, are one of the most pesticide-laden fruits available for sale.)

Reganold and his team analyzed 31 different chemical and biological soil properties–including soil DNA–and performed tests on the quality, nutritional value and taste of 26 different strawberries from both conventional and organic fields. And what they found is truly astounding.

Organic strawberries contain far more antioxidants, vitamin C and beneficial polyphenolic compounds than conventional strawberries, and they have a longer shelf life. Organic strawberries also contain more dry matter per volume–meaning more actual strawberry–than conventional ones do.

In an unbiased taste test, samplers indicated that organic strawberries taste better overall, both in terms of sweetness and general strawberry flavor. And when viewed side-by-side, organic strawberries are more visually appealing.

But it does not stop there. In soil tests, organic soils tested extremely rich in key nutrients, enzymes and biological and chemical elements, that are otherwise lacking in conventional fields. Such soil nutrients are vital for producing nutritionally-rich fruit, as well as for maintaining healthy soil conditions that preserve and promote environmental integrity.

The study also revealed that organic produce can be raised with the same–or better–yields as conventional produce, but without all the harmful chemicals and pesticides that destroy both human health and the environment.

link source: http://www.naturalnews.com/029639_organic_produce_health.html

5. Organic Growing: Supporting Animal Farms?
[digest]If you’re truly interested in organic (i.e. ecological and healthy) alternatives to chemical fertilizers, then it’s time to start scrutinizing organic growing practices and store-bought fertilizers a bit more carefully.

When you bite into an earthy organic tomato, you may not be thinking about blood, bone, feces, fish sludge and antibiotics, but you should be. These “fertilizers” and the hidden chemicals inside are commonly used in organic farming, and their environmental and ethical implications make them far from sustainable soil amendments.

I am by no means suggesting that we do away with “organic farming” and give the chemical companies a stronger stranglehold on the market than they already have. But it’s time that we ask these “green” growers to live up to their hype and grow sustainably and ethically with stock-free, vegan-organic methods.

Why is Veganic Agriculture Important?

Veganic farming makes it possible to grow food without the use of animal by-products, which is essential for those of us who value the rights of nonhuman animals and choose not to consciously cause them harm. But you don’t have to be a vegan to see the benefit these stock-free practices provide both in your garden and on a large scale.

For one thing, many of the fertilizers veganic growers use can be created from what you already have in your own backyard (green cover crops, compost teas etc.) or purchased at a reasonable cost. These environmentally sound alternatives to chemical fertilizers replace manure, for example, which is revered in organic farming for its high nitrogen content. We forget though that the nutrients in manure are themselves derived from what the animal ate which, in ideal situations, is solely plant-based.

By going directly to the source of nitrogen (the plants themselves) we reduce waste and the danger of contamination that animal byproducts can provide, such as livestock grade antibiotics:

    “People have long been exposed to antibiotics in meat and milk. Now, the new research shows that they also may be ingesting them from vegetables, perhaps even ones grown on organic farms.

    The Minnesota researchers planted corn, green onion and cabbage in manure-treated soil in 2005 to evaluate the environmental impacts of feeding antibiotics to livestock. Six weeks later, the crops were analyzed and found to absorb chlortetracycline, a drug widely used to treat diseases in livestock. In another study in 2007, corn, lettuce and potato were planted in soil treated with liquid hog manure. They, too, accumulated concentrations of an antibiotic, named Sulfamethazine, also commonly used in livestock. 
 
As the amount of antibiotics in the soil increased, so too did the levels taken up by the corn, potatoes and other plants.”

    – Environmental Health News

You may say to yourself – well what if I get my manure and blood meal from “organic livestock” that haven’t been treated with antibiotics? Answer: It is still a waste of environmental resources. For example, if you took the hay/grass normally fed to cows (or simple lawn clippings) and add it directly to your garden or compost, the gardens will receive all the nitrogen and nutrients normally found in manure and more.*

*Much of the plant-based nitrogen that cows ingest is lost through their urine. Adding grass/hay directly to a garden or compost also gives you more compostable material to work with and a greater abundance of minerals that would normally be absorbed during digestion.

When you factor in:

    The space required for grazing (The space required for grazing and growing crops to feed animals takes up over 30% of the earth’s landmass)
    The space required to grow crops to feed farm animals (More than 70 percent of the grain and cereals that is grown in the United States is fed to farmed animals)

And finally…..

    The space it takes to house the animals themselves

It turns out that the space required to fertilize one-acre of garden with manure instead of simply using the hay/grass itself is over four times greater!

Some people may say that the animals these byproducts are derived from are already being “used for other means” and thus using their bodily functions and internal fluids to grow crops is still an environmentally sound thing to do. Waste not, want not?

It’s true that there is a heaping pile of dung to deal with on this planet, but the question is: Are we really the ones that should be paying for it? Farmed animals in the United States create approximately 89,000 pounds of excrement per second! The nitrogen in this waste is converted into ammonia and nitrates that seep into the water system contaminating wells, rivers, streams and eventually the ocean. And let us not forget the blood, bones, fish sludge, eggshells and more that these farms must also dispose of.

Animal farms have a huge waste problem on their hands and while using manure, blood and bone, and slaughterhouse sludge in organic farming isn’t going to fix this problem, industrialized farms have nonetheless figured out a way to get organic growers and us to pay for it. If you buy manure and other fertilizers made from animal byproducts, you are supporting the cruel and environmentally destructive practices of these farms, instead of forcing them to deal with the impact of their claustrophobic feedlots and toxic slaughterhouses. Even with organic growers and homeowners buying some of the waste, the runoff from these unsanitary facilities is leaking into fields and poisoning our water and food supply.

It is not only possible, but practical and ethical to truly green our organic growing practices both on a large scale and in our own homes. If you’re interested in banning blood, bone, feces and other animal byproducts from your garden and subsequently your table, you’re in good company.

There are a number of organic growers out there that have gone stock-free, such as Tolhurst Farm in Whitchurch-on-Thames in south Oxfordshire, UK. They have been successfully stock-free for over 10 years now, demonstrating that this practice is definitely viable on a large scale! They aren’t the only ones though; there are a growing number of farms worldwide that are going veganic. For a list of these farms, check out the Veganic Agriculture Network. This list is continuing to expand, but some stock-free farms still haven’t joined the network. If you know of a farm practicing veganic agriculture that is not on this list please contact the VAN and let them know.

I know many of the people reading this article believe strongly in organics and sustainable agriculture, as do I. This is why, from our home garden plots to the sweeping crops that cover this land, we have the right to raise the standard, stop supporting environmentally destructive and unethical farming practices and go VEGANIC!

link source: http://gentleworld.org/organic-growing-supporting-animal-farms/

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/
To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 6

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 6, 2012.06.11

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Table of Content：

This week’s recommended organic produce

Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Pears: Natural Weight-Loss Foods
2. Pears Health Benefits
3. Composting With Red Wiggler Worms
4. City Farmer’sNew Worm Bin Harvest Method
5. Always Remember the Original Purpose of Life

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This week’s recommended organic produce：

• organic banana, unlimited， mx： $2.50 / bag （approx. 2lb）
• organic pear bosc, AR:　$1.20 / each
• organic avocado，medium，promich，MX： 　$1.95 $1.65 / piece （1 piece approx. 170 ~ 200g）
• organic corn sweet bi-color， CA: $1.65 / each
• organic mushroom white，medium，BC： $5.00 $4.50/bag （approx. 1lb）
• organic yam jewel medium，CA：　　　$3.45/ bag （approx. 3 lb） or organic yam jewel medium，CA：　　　 $3.75/ 3 lb bag
• organic soybean， CA： 　$2.20 / 1 lb （1bag）
• organic raw shredded coconut, India： $4.00 / 1 kg （1 small bag） or $40.00 / 20kg （1 big bag）

See also: the complete price list for organic produce：https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/products/
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Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Pears: Natural Weight-Loss Foods

[digest]Pears are one of the most versatile fruits out there. They’re great raw in cereals or yogurt. They’re delicious cooked, poached with wine, or baked with a touch of brown sugar. The more uses you can get out of a healthy, naturally sweet food, the more apt you are to use it daily and avoid the ice cream and bon-bons.

Lucky for us, pears are in season all winter long, making it possible to enjoy their luscious sweetness for months.

Health Benefits

The amount of fiber in other fruit pales in comparison to that in a pear. Its gritty fiber may help prevent cancerous growths in the colon. Enough of the fiber is soluble that it provides the same stomach-filling, cholesterol-lowering, sugar-blunting effect as other fruits. It’s rich in heart-healthy potassium, too.

Pears provide a decent amount of copper and vitamin C. They also have boron, which is needed for proper functioning of calcium and magnesium. So pears may indirectly contribute to your bone health. Pears also contain the flavonoid quercetin as well as other flavonoids and carotenoids. Quercetin is a potent antioxidant that helps prevent cancer and artery damage that can lead to heart disease.

Selection and Storage

The juicy Bartletts are the most common variety, fresh or canned. The d’Anjos are firmer and not quite as sweet as Bartletts. There are all-purpose pears, like Boscs, which have elongated necks and unusual dull-russet coloring. Bosc pears are crunchier than others, and they hold their shape when cooked. The small, bite-sized Seckels are also a russet color, but they are sweeter than the others. Comices are the premier dessert pears: sweet and juicy. They are cultivated to have less fiber than other varieties. Asian pears look and crunch like apples but taste like pears.

Pears are picked before they’re ripe. Left on the tree, they get mealy. Off the tree, the starch converts to sugar. In some varieties, you can’t tell a ripe pear by its color; fragrance and touch are better indicators. Because a pear ripens from the inside out, once the outside seems perfect, the inside is on its way to rotting. So don’t buy pears ripe unless you’ll be eating them right away. Buy them firm but not rock hard. Ripen them at home in a ventilated paper bag, taking care not to pile them up or they’ll bruise. Eat them when they just barely yield to pressure.

Preparation and Serving Tips

To get a pear’s full nutritional value, be sure to eat the skin. Of course, wash it well first. If still firm, pear slices work well in salads. Ripe pears are great mixed with nonfat yogurt and a little cereal for a quick breakfast.

Of all the varieties, Bartletts, Bosc, and Comice are arguably the best for cooking, becoming even more sweet and creamy when heated. For best results, cook only firm pears. The traditional method is poaching; try using wine or juice as the cooking liquid. Or, cut a pear in half and top with a sprinkle of brown sugar; microwave until tender.

Pears, with their juicy sweetness, can satisfy your dessert cravings. With pears as part of your weight-loss diet, you won’t even miss the vanilla ice cream.

link source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-pears-ga.htm
2. Pears Health Benefits

[digest]Protection from Free Radicals

Our food ranking system also qualified pears as a good source of vitamin C and copper. Both of these nutrients can be thought of as antioxidant nutrients that help protect cells in the body from oxygen-related damage due to free radicals. Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in all water-soluble areas of the body, and in addition to its antioxidant activity, is critical for good immune function. Vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, directly kills many bacteria and viruses, and regenerates Vitamin E (an antioxidant that protects fat-soluble areas of the body) after it has been inactivated by disarming free radicals.

Copper helps protect the body from free radical damage as a necessary component of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a copper-dependent enzyme that eliminates superoxide radicals. Superoxide radicals are a type of free radical generated during normal metabolism, as well as when white blood cells attack invading bacteria and viruses. If not eliminated quickly, superoxide radicals damage cell membranes.

Treat your tastebuds to a delectable, juicy pear, and you’ll be treating your body to 11.1% of the daily value for vitamin C along with 9.5% of the daily value for copper.

Pears Promote Cardiovascular and Colon Health

Pear’s fiber does a lot more than help prevent constipation and ensure regularity. Fiber has been shown in a number of studies to lower high cholesterol levels, good news to people at risk for atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. Fiber in the colon binds to bile salts and carries them out of the body. Since bile salts are made from cholesterol, the body must break down more cholesterol to make more bile, a substance that is also necessary for digestion. The end result is a lowering of cholesterol levels.

Fiber also binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, preventing them from damaging colon cells. This may be one reason why diets high in fiber-rich foods, such as pears, are associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Additionally, the fact that low dietary intake of copper seems to also associated with risk factors for colon cancer (increased fecal free radical production and fecal water alkaline phosphatase activity) serves as yet another reason in support of why this delicious fruit may be very beneficial for colonic health.

Fruit and Cereal Fiber Protective against Postmenopausal Breast Cancer

Results of a prospective study involving 51,823 postmenopausal women for an average of 8.3 years showed a 34% reduction in breast cancer risk for those consuming the most fruit fiber compared to those consuming the least. In addition, in the subgroup of women who had ever used hormone replacement, those consuming the most fiber, especially cereal fiber, had a 50% reduction in their risk of breast cancer compared to those consuming the least. Int J Cancer. 2008 Jan 15;122(2):403-12.

Fruits richest in fiber include apples, dates, figs, pears and prunes. When choosing a high fiber cereal, look for whole grain cereals as they supply the most bran (a mere 1/3rd cup of bran contains about 14 grams of fiber).

A Hypo-Allergenic Fruit

Although not well documented in scientific research, pears are often recommended by healthcare practitioners as a hypoallergenic fruit that is less likely to produce an adverse response than other fruits. Particularly in the introduction of first fruits to infants, pear is often recommended as a safe way to start.

Protection against Macular Degeneration

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants’ consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARM, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but pears can help you reach this goal. Add sliced pears to your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt or green salads.

link source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=28
3. Composting With Red Wiggler Worms

[digest]What Do I Need To Get Started?

A. CONTAINER

We use wood and plastic containers. Either build or buy, or use your imagination and recycle something like an old dresser drawer, trunk, or discarded barrel. We prefer wood because it is more absorbent and a better insulator for the worms. We use plastic containers but find that the compost tends to get quite wet. Experiment and find out what works for you and your worms.

Guide To Size Of Container

In Worms Eat My Garbage, Mary Appelhof suggests weighing your household food waste for one week (in pounds), and then provide one square foot of surface area per pound. The container depth should be between eight and twelve inches. Options to one large (and heavy) box are a number of smaller containers for easier lifting and moving and more choice of location. The book illustrates a variety of containers.

Depending on the size of the container, drill 8 to 12 holes (1/4 – l/2 inches) in the bottom for aeration and drainage. A plastic bin may need more drainage – if contents get too wet, drill more holes. Raise the bin on bricks or wooden blocks, and place a tray underneath to capture excess liquid which can be used as liquid plant fertilizer.

The bin needs a cover to conserve moisture and provide darkness for the worms. If the bin is indoors, a sheet of dark plastic or burlap sacking placed loosely on top of the bedding is sufficient as a cover. For outdoor bins, a solid lid is preferable, to keep out unwanted scavengers and rain. Like us, worms need air to live, so be sure to have your bin sufficiently ventilated.

B. BEDDING

It is necessary to provide a damp bedding for the worms to live in, and to bury food waste in.

Suitable bedding materials are shredded newspaper and cardboard, shredded fall leaves, chopped up straw and other dead plants, seaweed, sawdust, compost and aged manure. Try to vary the bedding in the bin as much as possible, to provide more nutrients for the worms, and to create a richer compost. Add a couple of handfuls of sand or soil to provide necessary grit for the worm’s digestion of food.

It is very important to moisten the dry bedding materials before putting them in the bin, so that the overall moisture level is like a wrung-out sponge. The bin should be about three-quarters full of moistened bedding. Lift the bedding gently to create air spaces which help to control odours, and give freer movement to the worms.

C. WORMS

The two types of earthworm best suited to worm composting are the redworms: Eisenia foetida (commonly known as red wiggler, brandling, or manure worm) and Lumbricus rubellus They are often found in aged manure and compost heaps. Please do not use dew-worms (large size worms found in soil and compost) as they are not likely to survive.

Where To Get Your Worms?

If you feel adventurous, find a horse stable or farmer with a manure pile and collect a bagful of manure with worms. Check your own or a friend’s compost bin for worms. You can also purchase worms. Call the Compost Hotline for more details on local (British Columbia) sources of redworms.

And see our Worm Supplier page here.

How Many Worms Do I Need?

Mary Appelhof suggests that the correct ratio of worms to food waste should be: for one pound per day of food waste, use two pounds of worms (roughly 2000). If you are unable to get this many worms to start with, reduce the amount of food waste accordingly while the population steadily increases.

What Do I Feed My Worms?

You can compost food scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels, pulverized egg shells, tea bags and coffee grounds. It is advisable not to compost meats, dairy products, oily foods, and grains because of problems with smells, flies, and rodents. No glass. plastic or tin foil, please.

To avoid fly and smell problems, always bury the food waste by pulling aside some of the bedding, dumping the waste, and then cover it up with the bedding again. Bury successive loads in different locations in the bin.

Where Should I Locate My Worm Bin?

Worm bins can be used indoors all year round, and outdoors during the milder months. The advantage of mobile bins is that they can be moved when weather conditions change. Indoors, basements are excellent locations (warm, dark and dry), but any spare space can be utilized, so long as temperatures are between 40-80 degrees F. We know dedicated worm composters who have convenient kitchen counter worm bins. Outdoors, bins can be kept in sheds and garages, on patios and balconies, or in the yard. They should be kept out of hot sun and heavy rain. If temperatures drop below 40 degrees F., bins should either be moved indoors, or well insulated outdoors.

How Do I Maintain My Bin?

If you have the correct ratio of surface area to worms to food scraps, there is little to do, other than adding food, until about two and a half months have passed. By then, there should be little or no original bedding visible in the bin, and the contents will be brown and earthy looking worm castings. The contents will have substantially decreased in bulk too.

It is important to separate the worms from the finished compost, otherwise the worms will begin to die. There are several ways to do this. and you can discover which is best for you. The quickest is to simply move the finished compost over to one side of the bin, place new bedding in the space created, and put food waste in the new bedding. The worms will gradually move over and the finished compost can be skimmed off as needed.

If you have the time or want to use all the compost, you can dump the entire contents of the bin onto a large plastic sheet and separate the worms manually. Most children love to help with this process and you can turn it into a fun lesson about worms for them. Watch out for the tiny. lemon-shaped worm cocoons which contain between two and twenty baby worms! By separating the worms from the compost, you save more worms for your next bin. Mix a little of the finished compost in with the new bedding of the next bin, and store the rest in plastic bags for use as required.

Where Do I Use My Compost?

The compost can be mixed with potting soil and used for houseplants and patio containers. It is an excellent mulch (spread in a layer on top of the soil) for potted plants. If it is screened, it can be added for potting mixes for seedlings, and finely sprinkled on a lawn as a conditioner. lt can be used directly in the garden, either dug into the soil or used as a mulch.

Common Problems And Solutions

The most common problem is unpleasant, strong odours which are caused by lack of oxygen in the compost due to overloading with food waste so that the food sits around too long, and the bin contents become too wet. The solution is to stop adding food waste until the worms and micro-organisms have broken down what food is in there, and to gently stir up the entire contents to allow more air in. Check the drainage holes to make sure they are not blocked. Drill more holes if necessary. Worms will drown if their surroundings become too wet.

Worms have been known to crawl out of the bedding and onto the sides and lid if conditions are wrong for them. If the moisture level seems alright, the bedding may be too acidic. This can happen if you add a lot of citrus peels and other acidic foods. Adjust by adding a little garden lime and cutting down on acidic wastes.

Fruit flies can be an occasional nuisance. Discourage them by always burying the food waste and not overloading. Keep a plastic sheet or piece of old carpet or sacking on the surface of the compost in the bin. If flies are still persistent, move the bin to a location where flies will not be bothersome. A few friendly spiders nearby will help control fly problems!

The Final Word

Taking worms out of their natural environment and placing them in containers creates a human responsibility. They are living creatures with their own unique needs, so it is important to create and maintain a healthy habitat for them to do their work. If you supply the right ingredients and care, your worms will thrive and make compost for you. Happy and successful composting!
link source: http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61.html
4. City Farmer’s New Worm Bin Harvest Method

[digest]Equipment

1 onion bag or nylon ‘delicates’ laundry bag, closure for top

2 or 3 buckets for finished compost and worms (one should have a cover to set on loosely)

Worms favorite sweet snacks (kiwis, apples, melons)

Plastic sheet or large garbage bag for harvesting area

Steps to Harvesting

Feed your worms one last time before harvest and leave them for at least 10 days (you want to starve them a little).

Get a small onion sack or laundry bag with holes large enough for worms to crawl through. Fill bag with some of worms favorite foods, sweet things like apples, melon peels, kiwis, etc.

Bury bag with food in next corner as you would their regular feeding. Leave for a day and a half (check) to two days.

After two days, the worms should have migrated into the onion bag. If so, remove the bag and set in a covered pail for the moment. Make sure you leave air venting.

You may want to put down a plastic sheet or bag in the harvest area as there will be some mess. Now, beginning in the opposite corner to where you last fed, start to pull out handfuls of the finished compost and dump into an empty bucket. You should find very few worms. Place any you might find into the covered bucket with the bagged worms or another smaller bucket if you like.

As you get nearer to the area where you had the bag buried, you may find a few more straggler worms. You may want to do a dump and sort with this last bit of compost – or build a small mound of finished compost, exposed to the light and sift off the top so that the worms dive down.

Once you have all the compost and worms sorted, rebuild the bed with your moistened leaves, newspaper, and couple handfuls of dirt.

Take the bag of worms and bury them in the first corner. This will be their first feeding. Make sure you put all the stragglers that were outside the bag in too.

In a week or a little less depending on how much food was in the bag, feed your worms in the next corner. In a few days, you should be able to lift the bag out of the first corner and shake it free of castings. Most of the worms should have migrated to the next feeding area and voila you’ve just harvested your bin!

By having all your worms in a bag, it is also easier to see how many you actually have so that if necessary you can divide the population at that time – and start another worm bin for yourself or a friend.

link source: http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormharv80.html#wormharvest

5. Always Remember the Original Purpose of Life

[digest]A complex life is exhausting

What a pity! We invented the computer and learned how to use it so that our lives would be more comfortable and relaxed. But little did we realize it would aggravate our problems. Our initial intention was to make life simpler and more relaxing but eventually the more we invent, the more complicated life becomes and the less time we have.

This isn’t your fault, but you live an exhausting life. You’re stuck to the computer, working fifteen hours a day. How can you stand it? I admire you. If I were you, I would have collapsed long ago, right by the computer. Because this job is very dull, cold and without emotions and you have to work fifteen hours a day, by the time you get home your mind and body are overcome by fatigue. Even if you sleep for seven hours, it isn’t enough so of course you fall asleep when you meditate.

I truly sympathize with your situation. I don’t blame you; I only blame your job. Get a new job or cut your workload in half and earn half the pay. With fatigue, of course, you cannot sit in meditation! This is an outcome of the situation; it’s not that you don’t want to meditate. Because of such lifestyles it’s more complicated to deliver people in this era. It’s not very easy because people don’t have time. It’s not that you don’t want to follow me in spiritual practice but your life is too exhausting. After initiation, though you have tried your best to get up and meditate, you end up falling asleep again. Initially, you sleep lying down and after getting up you sleep on in another position. There’s no difference. You’re very pitiful!

If Shakyamuni Buddha had to work as much as you do there is no way He could have become a Buddha; I can guarantee you that. No matter what kind or what level of Bodhisattva He was, He couldn’t possibly have accomplished it. Just as situations make heroes, situations also make Bodhisattvas. For example, if Mahatma Gandhi had not been born in India, he would not have become a hero. Or even if he had been born there but not in that era or under those circumstances he would not have become so famous either.

Create a situation conducive to spiritual practice

If we want to become Saints, we have to create a relaxing situation for spiritual cultivation. I’m not telling you to shave your heads and leave home; I just want you to choose an appropriate job. If our job is too exhausting or if we’re bound too tightly by the world such that we cannot rise higher, we should get a new job or cut our workloads in half. We don’t come to Earth to work until we die; we come to find our God Nature, to elevate ourselves spiritually through our human bodies. And we should realize that our ultimate goal is to ascend to the superior realms and not be shackled here.

So if we find that a certain job is not beneficial to our spiritual progress or our quest for the Truth, we should know it’s not an ideal job; we need to get a new one. We ought to arrange our lives so that we have time for spiritual development. This is most important. Earning money is not good enough. Don’t be deceived by this world! Who is ultimately going to spend the money we make? We cannot wear more than three sets of clothes each day! We wear only one set at a time; no matter how gorgeous the clothes are, we can’t put on three sets at the same time. Likewise with food, we don’t eat much. Why should we tire ourselves out like that? Working fifteen hours a day will drive us crazy!

Don’t be bound by material things

As such, it’s really difficult to pursue spirituality in this era, when people have less wisdom. The more civilized they are, the less wise they become because their time is occupied. For instance, today we have telephones so it’s only right that we call our friends or chat with someone. Now that we have television, we should watch it. Otherwise, it’d be a pity. Since we have cars, we should drive them around. Sometimes we have nowhere to go yet we drive around the city aimlessly because we’re bored. When we do have some time, we have to wash the car, repair it and take care of the insurance. There are so many things to do!

So delivering sentient beings in this era can be both very convenient and inconvenient because everyone is very busy. We’re so busy that we don’t have the time to think of liberation, to wonder, “Why are we here?” We don’t have the opportunity to think, “Hey! I was not born to be a slave to this computer!” So much of our time is occupied yet we still have not awakened. We devote fifteen hours to it, but to what end? It’s for nothing.

Previously our world was fine without computers. I don’t mean that computers are useless. We can use them, but we should not be enslaved by them. Most people forget that cars are here to serve us; instead, they become enslaved by cars. Is that not true? Some people polish their cars until they shine and are reluctant to drive them. The cars are on their minds day in and day out. They become slaves to their cars. Some people even forget about their illnesses in their zeal to earn money. They dare not eat what they want. They want to wear beautiful clothes, but cannot bear to spend the money. They never help their relatives and friends just because they want to hoard more money, the more the better. They forget that money is there for us to spend, not for us to work for. So it doesn’t matter what we use or in which era we were born. As long as we know where to stop and are not enslaved by material things it’s fine.

Be broadminded and encompass the universe

We should be broadminded in our spiritual quest, doing it for the world rather than for an individual or family, or even for just five generations of our family. However, at least doing it for five generations of our family is slightly better than practicing for fame, gain, longevity or miraculous powers.

When we pray for Master’s help, the broader our minds and the greater our will is, the greater is our power. But if we pray only for our own benefit, our prayers are not very powerful. They’re useful, not entirely useless, but much weaker. We reach a level in spiritual practice where we don’t care about any situation, letting Master take care of us if we fall ill, not caring if we win a lottery or even if we’re penniless. We don’t pray for anything; we only think, “Master, since You know everything, I have no need to say it.” Then we can say we’ve reached a very high level. We don’t care whether we have Light when meditating on the Light or whether we have Sound when contemplating on the Sound. That’s the time when we have a dispassionate mind and are most contented. That’s the state of one who has attained the Truth.

After following me in practice, some people still ask this kind of question: “Master, my husband is …” or “My son is ….” or “I am …” I do not forbid you to ask these questions, but we should be more broadminded to include all sentient beings in the world. Only then can we say we are sincere in seeking the Truth. Only then will our level be elevated and will we become less restrained and more powerful and attain Buddhahood more quickly.

If we think constantly of only one or two people, we’ll be influenced by them—I mean we will reap their karma. Because when we think of someone, of course, his or her energy reaches us, whether it’s positive or negative, large or small, from the Buddha power or the Maya power. We’re influenced by whomever we think of. So we should think of the Most High, Who is the most powerful and is free of karma so that we can benefit from it.

If we love the karma of this world more than we love God or our almighty wisdom, we naturally give the world a chance to drag us down. So the broader our thinking, the greater our wisdom and power and the more we benefit. I’m not strictly forbidding you to think of your spouses or children. You may think of them, but they should only be part of the whole. Don’t make them the most important aspect, but include them as part of the universe. When we pray, it’s best that we pray for the Master power or God power to alleviate the sufferings of the world. In this sense, of course, both we and our relatives are included. This is the best kind of prayer.

God is the true benefactor sustaining everything

Why can we not attain liberation? Let me tell you a “state defense secret.” It’s because we mistake falsehood for the Truth. We borrowed the womb of a person to come here, and we come to think she is our mother. We feel obligated, highly obligated, but we forget the one who gave birth to our mother. God gave birth to her; Hes also gave birth to us. God took care of her and let her grow up. Now God also takes care of us, and yet we forget who our true benefactor is. When someone gives us a dollar or two we’re grateful and say, “Thank you, thank you very much!” When someone serves us a meal we also say, “Thank you, thank you very much!” And when anyone gives us an injection we say, “Wow! I’m grateful!” but we forget the one who is really taking care of us, who is taking care of the doctor and giving him power so that he can save us.

The one who really saves our lives is God; the one who really sustains us is God; the one who really loves us is also God. What I mean is the supreme power, which is also our original wisdom. Sometimes we forget our true benefactor because of this false benefactor. That’s why we cannot gain liberation. For instance, the letters we receive are from our mother or lover, not the postman. The postman only delivers the letter; he has no idea what it says. However, as we know who has delivered the mail, we say, “Thank you, Mr. Postman!” There is nothing wrong with this. However, when we thank someone in this world, we regard him as our benefactor. This is why I tell you not to worship me. I am merely a postman delivering the gift to you. This gift is originally yours so do not worship this postman. When he’s worshipped, his ego grows bigger and bigger as he thinks that he is the one doing it.

In this world, our physical bodies are not great. Our God Nature is within us. You have the God Nature and so do I. Since you have forgotten your God Nature I have come to open it for you. That’s all. There’s no need to worship anyone. Outside people think that I like fame and profit and enjoy being worshipped so I give lectures to the public. This is not true! If it were I might be overjoyed to have you worship me every day. This is not the case. Don’t I scold most often those who worship me? (Yes.) So don’t be ignorant and engage in such superficial politeness.

Shakyamuni Buddha said something similar: “I am just the finger pointing at the moon; I am not the moon. Follow my finger and you will see the moon.” However, people of the world turned Him into the one-and-only Buddha. During his lifetime He was the only one. This is no longer true, but most people don’t realize the truth. Wherever and to whomever you explain this, no one accepts it. That’s why people believe “Shakyamuni Buddha is superior to Jesus Christ,” “Jesus Christ is superior to Shakyamuni Buddha,” “Lao Tze is superior to Confucius” or “Shakyamuni Buddha is superior to Confucius.” People of the world cannot free themselves because they mistake falsehood for the Truth.

Dissolve karmic relationships and help others on the spiritual path

Each of us has an affinity with not just one person but with many people. We have lots of parents. In whichever era we’re born, we always have parents; whether we’re born as animals, Heavenly beings, astral beings, insects or trees we have parents. The parent of this guava fruit is a guava tree. (Laughter) Never in any one lifetime were we born without parents. Therefore, life after life, we have numerous parents. Each time we reincarnate into this world we choose a pair of parents. Even if we don’t choose them, someone else does because the parents have affinities with other people besides us. We have many ties of affinity. That’s why it’s so difficult to sever these affinities and this karma.

Each time before we come here we make a vow up there to develop ourselves in order to become a superior being, a Saint. But in the end, when we come here we become attached to “my mother,” “my father,” “my wife,” ‘my sons” and “my grandsons.” Then we’re finished! We’re trapped in this web, cannot walk away and cannot realize the Truth. If after we descended from above we could remember the vow we made, it would be too simple!

In our descent, how can we come down here if we don’t have a pair of parents to give us a body? We can come precisely because we have an affinity with them. They’re just a vehicle like a taxi. It’s more convenient to take a taxi from Taipei to Kaohsiung. If we cannot find a cab, we have to take the train or airplane. All these are merely vehicles. However, people in general cannot understand this truth. The mother thinks, “He’s my child.” The child also identifies the mother as his parent so they’re tied to each other.

If parents and children are all enlightened and realize that they’re in this illusory world to help each other find an enlightened Master to practice spiritually, such a family is the most blessed. By helping each other in their practice they progress very rapidly and then ascend together. Even if they do not have an affinity for a long time while they’re here, they can stay together after going up. Isn’t that more wonderful? (Yes!) In clinging to each other here, they can at most only bind each other for a hundred years. After that they all have to go their own way, which is even more agonizing!

If you truly love your children or your parents, you should persuade them to join you in practicing the Quan Yin Method and then you can ascend together, never to part again. Isn’t that the best way? (Applause) Yes! Though we provide our parents and children with money here, it isn’t much. They still suffer, fall sick and remain ignorant. When we go up later, they will still be crawling around here.

Be filial by introducing the ultimate method to your parents

Shakyamuni Buddha said that the most filial children are those who persuade their parents to pursue spirituality and tell them about the true method. We are the most filial children when we help them realize the Truth and attain enlightenment, not just give them money to spend. However, if our parents have no money, we cannot forsake them and let them starve while we seek the Truth. This is also not the right thing to do. If there is someone who can take care of our parents and keep them from starving, it will be very good! It shows that we have a wonderful destiny!

The Sixth Zen Patriarch, Hui Neng was an only son and had no money so it was not convenient for him to go out to seek the Truth. But later someone helped him and gave him some money. He then gave the money to another person and entrusted him to take care of his mother. Having done that, he left home immediately. That is the way of an enlightened person. Shakyamuni Buddha practiced spiritually and attained Buddhahood so His mother was able to go to the Trayastrimsas Heaven after her demise. If Shakyamuni Buddha had not attained the Truth, or if His mother had not given birth to Him but to an ordinary human, perhaps she would not have ascended to the Trayastrimsas Heaven. Then it would be difficult to say where she might have gone after death.

Being a queen she also incurred heavy karma. Every day she did nothing but consume food grown by other people while dressing herself in the finest fashions. She lived in a palace built with other people’s tax money and labor and had people waiting on her every day. All this produced karma that she owed to sentient beings so how could she have gone to the Trayastrimsas Heaven? Hell is full of kings; most kings of ancient times went there due to the karma they owed the people. If a king was not moral and failed to take good care of the people, good grief! All foolish kings and tyrants go to hell. The greater their power when they’re alive, the lower they go after their deaths.

We spiritual practitioners bring intangible benefits to our parents. The greatest benefit is elevating their souls instead of taking care of their ephemeral physical bodies while they remain ignorant and foolishly waste their lifetimes. If we cannot deliver them spiritually the best approach is for us to practice spiritually and share our blessings with them intangibly. Otherwise, we’ll be the most unfilial of children!

link source: http://godsdirectcontact.us/sm21/eNews/enews161/e161.htm#ms1

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 5

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 5, 2012.05.28

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Table of Content：

This week’s recommended organic produce

Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Ginger
2. Weeds Worth Growing
3. Deforestation: livestock destroying the living earth
4. A growing solution: How Stockfree Organic farming systems can help combat climate change
5. To Find God’s Love is to Find the Source of All Happiness

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This week’s recommended organic produce：the items we plan to get from the distributors for this week.

• organic banana, unlimited， mx： $2.50 / bag （approx. 2lb）
• organic mango tommy atkins, large，MX： $3.25 / piece　
• or medium size，MX： $2.50 / piece　
• organic avocado，medium，promich，MX： 　$1.95 $1.65 / piece （1 piece approx. 170 ~ 200g）
• organic broccoli， CA：　$2.25 / 扎 （2 ~ 3piece, approx. 1lb,4oz）
• organic cauliflower，CA :　$3.75 / piece (approx. 2lb or more)
• organic ginger yellow ，PER ：　$4.50 / bag （approx. 0.5 lb）
• organic lettuce romaine， CA: $2.30 / piece
• organic mushroom white，medium，BC： $5.00 $4.50/bag （approx. 1lb）
• organic tomato field，MX： $5.00/ bag （approx. 2lb， 5piece）
• organic yam jewel medium，CA： $3.75 / 3 lb （1bag）
• organic sweet potato oriental，CA：　　$5.75 / 3 lb （1bag）
• organic soybean， CA： 　$2.20 / 1 lb （1bag）
• organic raw shredded coconut, India： $4.00 / 1 kg （1 small bag） or $40.00 / 20kg （1 big bag）

See also: the complete price list for organic produce：https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/products/

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Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Ginger
[digest]Ginger is the underground rhizome of the ginger plant with a firm, striated texture. The flesh of the ginger rhizome can be yellow, white or red in color, depending upon the variety. It is covered with a brownish skin that may either be thick or thin, depending upon whether the plant was harvested when it was mature or young.

Historically, ginger has a long tradition of being very effective in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. In herbal medicine, ginger is regarded as an excellent carminative (a substance which promotes the elimination of intestinal gas) and intestinal spasmolytic (a substance which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract). Modern scientific research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

A clue to ginger’s success in eliminating gastrointestinal distress is offered by recent double-blind studies, which have demonstrated that ginger is very effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness. In fact, in one study, ginger was shown to be far superior to Dramamine, a commonly used over-the-counter and prescription drug for motion sickness. Ginger reduces all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating.

Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. These substances are believed to explain why so many people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience reductions in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly. In two clinical studies involving patients who responded to conventional drugs and those who didn’t, physicians found that 75% of arthritis patients and 100% of patients with muscular discomfort experienced relief of pain and/or swelling.

Arthritis-related problems with your aging knees? Regularly spicing up your meals with fresh ginger may help, suggests a study published in a recent issue of Osteoarthritis Cartilage. In this twelve month study, 29 patients with painful arthritis in the knee (6 men and 23 women ranging in age from 42-85 years) participated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study. Patients switched from placebo to ginger or visa versa after 3 months. After six months, the double-blind code was broken and twenty of the patients who wished to continue were followed for an additional six months.

By the end of the first six month period, those given ginger were experiencing significantly less pain on movement and handicap than those given placebo. Pain on movement decreased from a score of 76.14 at baseline to 41.00, while handicap decreased from 73.47 to 46.08. In contrast, those who were switched from ginger to placebo experienced an increase in pain of movement (up to 82.10) and handicap (up to 80.80) from baseline. In the final phase of the study when all patients were getting ginger, pain remained low in those already taking ginger in phase 2, and decreased again in the group that had been on placebo.

Not only did participants’ subjective experiences of pain lessen, but swelling in their knees, an objective measurement of lessened inflammation, dropped significantly in those treated with ginger. The mean target knee circumference in those taking ginger dropped from 43.25cm when the study began to 39.36cm by the 12th week. When this group was switched to placebo in the second phase of the study, their knee circumferences increased, while those who had been on placebo but were now switched to ginger experienced a decrease in knee circumference. In the final phase, when both groups were given ginger, mean knee circumference continued to drop, reaching lows of 38.78 and 36.38 in the two groups.

How does ginger work its anti-inflammatory magic? Two other recent studies provide possible reasons.

A study published in the November 2003 issue of Life Sciences suggests that at least one reason for ginger’s beneficial effects is the free radical protection afforded by one of its active phenolic constituents, 6-gingerol. In this in vitro (test tube) study, 6-gingerol was shown to significantly inhibit the production of nitric oxide, a highly reactive nitrogen molecule that quickly forms a very damaging free radical called peroxynitrite. Another study appearing in the November 2003 issue of Radiation Research found that in mice, five days treatment with ginger (10 mg per kilogram of body weight) prior to exposure to radiation not only prevented an increase in free radical damage to lipids (fats found in numerous bodily components from cell membranes to cholesterol), but also greatly lessened depletion of the animals’ stores of glutathione, one of the body’s most important internally produced antioxidants.
A study published in the February 2005 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine sheds further light on the mechanisms of action that underlie ginger’s anti-inflammatory effectiveness. In this research, ginger was shown to suppress the pro-inflammatory compounds (cytokines and chemokines) produced by synoviocytes (cells comprising the synovial lining of the joints), chrondrocytes (cells comprising joint cartilage) and leukocytes (immune cells).

Gingerols, the main active components in ginger and the ones responsible for its distinctive flavor, may also inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells, suggests research presented at the Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, a major meeting of cancer experts that took place in Phoenix, AZ, October 26-30, 2003.

In this study, researchers from the University of Minnesota’s Hormel Institute fed mice specially bred to lack an immune system a half milligram of (6)-gingerol three times a week before and after injecting human colorectal cancer cells into their flanks. Control mice received no (6)-gingerol.

Tumors first appeared 15 days after the mice were injected, but only 4 tumors were found in the group of -gingerol-treated mice compared to 13 in the control mice, plus the tumors in the -gingerol group were smaller on average. Even by day 38, one mouse in the (6)-gingerol group still had no measurable tumors. By day 49, all the control mice had been euthanized since their tumors had grown to one cubic centimeter (0.06 cubic inch), while tumors in 12 of the (6)-gingerol treated mice still averaged 0.5 cubic centimeter – half the maximum tumor size allowed before euthanization.

Research associate professor Ann Bode noted, “These results strongly suggest that ginger compounds may be effective chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal carcinomas.”

In this first round of experiments, mice were fed ginger before and after tumor cells were injected. In the next round, researchers will feed the mice ginger only after their tumors have grown to a certain size. This will enable them to look at the question of whether a patient could eat ginger to slow the metastasis of a nonoperable tumor. Are they optimistic? The actions of the University of Minnesota strongly suggest they are. The University has already applied for a patent on the use of (6)-gingerol as an anti-cancer agent and has licensed the technology to Pediatric Pharmaceuticals (Iselin, N.J.).

Lab experiments presented at the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer, by Dr Rebecca Lui and her colleagues from the University of Michigan, showed that gingerols, the active phytonutrients in ginger, kill ovarian cancer cells by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) and autophagocytosis (self-digestion).

Ginger extracts have been shown to have both antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects on cells. To investigate the latter, Dr Liu examined the effect of a whole ginger extract containing 5% gingerol on a number of different ovarian cancer cell lines.

Exposure to the ginger extract caused cell death in all the ovarian cancer lines studied.

A pro-inflammatory state is thought to be an important contributing factor in the development of ovarian cancer. In the presence of ginger, a number of key indicators of inflammation (vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-8 and prostaglandin E2) were also decreased in the ovarian cancer cells.

Conventional chemotherapeutic agents also suppress these inflammatory markers, but may cause cancer cells to become resistant to the action of the drugs. Liu and her colleagues believe that ginger may be of special benefit for ovarian cancer patients because cancer cells exposed to ginger do not become resistant to its cancer-destroying effects. In the case of ovarian cancer, an ounce of prevention – in the delicious form of liberal use of ginger – is an especially good idea. Ovarian cancer is often deadly since symptoms typically do not appear until late in the disease process, so by the time ovarian cancer is diagnosed, it has spread beyond the ovaries. More than 50% of women who develop ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease.

Ginger can not only be warming on a cold day, but can help promote healthy sweating, which is often helpful during colds and flus. A good sweat may do a lot more than simply assist detoxification. German researchers have recently found that sweat contains a potent germ-fighting agent that may help fight off infections. Investigators have isolated the gene responsible for the compound and the protein it produces, which they have named dermicidin. Dermicidin is manufactured in the body’s sweat glands, secreted into the sweat, and transported to the skin’s surface where it provides protection against invading microorganisms, including bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (a common cause of skin infections), and fungi, including Candida albicans.

Ginger is so concentrated with active substances, you don�t have to use very much to receive its beneficial effects. For nausea, ginger tea made by steeping one or two 1/2-inch slices (one 1/2-inch slice equals 2/3 of an ounce) of fresh ginger in a cup of hot water will likely be all you need to settle your stomach. For arthritis, some people have found relief consuming as little as a 1/4-inch slice of fresh ginger cooked in food, although in the studies noted above, patients who consumed more ginger reported quicker and better relief.

Whenever possible, choose fresh ginger over the dried form of the spice since it is not only superior in flavor but contains higher levels of gingerol as well as ginger’s active protease (it’s anti-inflammatory compound). Fresh ginger root is sold in the produce section of markets. When purchasing fresh ginger root, make sure it is firm, smooth and free of mold. Ginger is generally available in two forms, either young or mature. Mature ginger, the more widely available type, has a tough skin that requires peeling while young ginger, usually only available in Asian markets, does not need to be peeled.

Even through dried herbs and spices like ginger powder are widely available in supermarkets, you may want to explore the local spice stores in your area. Oftentimes, these stores feature an expansive selection of dried herbs and spices that are of superior quality and freshness than those offered in regular markets. Just like with other dried spices, when purchasing dried ginger powder try to select organically grown ginger since this will give you more assurance that it has not been irradiated.

Ginger is also available in several other forms including crystallized, candied and pickled ginger.

Fresh ginger can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks if it is left unpeeled. Stored unpeeled in the freezer, it will keep for up to six months.

Dried ginger powder should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place. Alternatively, you can store it in the refrigerator where it will enjoy an extended shelf life of about one year.

link source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72

2. Weeds Worth Growing
[digest]Keeping your garden tidy can seem like a never-ending duel between you and the crafty undomesticated plants we call weeds. But don’t forget that the ancestors of every common garden plant were once considered weeds themselves. That was until we discovered their merits and began to mold and tame their wild ways to suit our culinary or agricultural preferences.

Many plants that are still classified as weeds though have received a bad reputation due to their ability to quickly cultivate the barren earth. But was fertile soil really meant to be left bare?* Could it be that weeds are serving a much-needed purpose in your garden or lawn? And could it be that these pesky weeds are in fact just as nutritious, or more so, than the plants you’re “protecting” from them?

Let’s explore what some of these “pesky” common weeds have to offer for both your health and the health of your garden.

*Many of the nutrients in soil are lost to the elements when the ground is left bare, either by being baked out (by the sun) or washed out (by rain.)

NB: Although many weeds are beneficial to have in your garden, I am not recommending that you simply let them run rampant. Having a beautiful healthy garden is about maintaining a balance between protecting and nourishing the soil and managing the growth of all the plants you are caring for. We still weed our garden selectively, after the weeds have had a chance to break up and fertilize the soil.

Clover
Japanese Knotweed (Noxious weed)
Nettles
Dandelion
Plantain
Chickweed
Purslane
Sheep’s Sorrel
Ground Ivy
Wild Vetch

link source: http://gentleworld.org/weeds-worth-growing/

3. Deforestation: livestock destroying the living earth
[digest]”The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from global to local … Expansion of livestock production is a key factor in deforestation, especially in Latin America where the greatest amount of deforestation is occurring.”

Ref: Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Livestock’s Long Shadow (2006)

Forests provide a rich selection of all ecosystem services which are essential for the efficient functioning of the planet and the health of the people and animals living on it. Ecosystem services can be described under four main sections: provision (food, fibre, minerals, timber), regulation (carbon absorption, climate regulation, water cycle), cultural (recreation, reflection, spiritual enrichment) and support services (oxygen, soil fertility, soil formation).

It is clear that forests are fundamental to life on earth. So what is happening to them? It is extremely difficult to obtain exact figures for global deforestation. According to FAO’s report State of the World’s Forests (2007), there are just less than four billion hectares of forest covering about 30% of the world’s land area, an average decrease of some 0.2% each year. Europe and North America have, apparently, reversed centuries of deforestation and are showing a net increase in forest areas but most developing countries, particularly in tropical regions, continue to experience high rates of deforestation.i

There have been criticisms about the methodology employed to compile these statistics and it has been suggested that they seriously underestimate the real extent of the damage. These include the fact that data is generated largely by in-country questionnaires rather than satellite generated data. In addition, figures are based on a definition of forest as being: an area with as little as 10 % tree cover, areas of land that have no tree cover but are ‘expected’ to recover and monoculture plantations which lack the key features of true forests. ii

Livestock and deforestation

Throughout the world forests continue to be destroyed at an alarming rate but what is the cause? Livestock has been shown to be one of the major drivers of global habitat change today. The two main habitat changes are degradation of pasture already in use and the clearing of forests for new pasture.iii Forests are also increasingly being cleared to grow crops such as soya beans and cereals to feed livestock.

Tropical rainforests are exceptional global forest areas. They are situated unevenly throughout the world but the largest unbroken stretch is in the Amazon River Basin in South America. The remainder are mainly situated in the Congo Basin, Indonesia and South East Asia. The Amazon Basin is a unique and important area which contains the most diverse ecosystem in the world. It also contains a vast carbon sink and regulates the planet’s water cycle and climate. It is so important that it has been called the ‘heart and lungs’ of the planet.iv v    vi vii

While around 60% of the Amazon Basin is contained within Brazil, the Basin itself also covers several other South American countries. The growth in cattle ranching has expanded extremely rapidly here. In 1990 there were around 26 million head of cattle in Brazilian Amazonia but in 2006 this figure had risen to 73.7 million.viii Deforestation in this area is predominately caused by livestock farming by small-scale traditional ranchers and by large-scale commercial intensive systems. ix To put these figures in perspective, Brazil actually has the largest commercial cattle herd in the world and is the world’s second largest producer of soya.x Since 1988 the Brazilian Amazon has lost around 1.8 million ha per year to deforestation.xi

Feeding livestock

There is a heavy burden attached to feeding a growing global population of livestock. Increasing amounts of land are being deforested to grow crops to meet this demand. More than 97 % of soya meal produced globally is fed to livestock. Soya meal is a by-product of oil production and while it was originally the main driver of soya bean production, livestock feed is now the main driver of expansion. Although Europe uses most of its land for animal farming it is not enough and animal feed is imported from the developing world; enough to cover an area of land the size of Italy, France, Britain and New Zealand put together. People in the west die of excess whilst those in the developing world die of starvation. A Friends of the Earth report (2006) stated that “The main demand for soya comes from the high consumption levels of animal products in Europe, and changing diets and a burgeoning population in China. This trend is set to continue.”xii It seems they were right and a more recent report (2009) by the Worldwide Fund for Nature says that soya production is likely to continue with the abundant availability of cheap land, high international prices and a constantly increasing demand from China. xiii

Deforestation and climate change

The world’s proclivity for meat eating is causing deforestation. Deforestation in turn accounts for around 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), second only to energy which comes in at around 24%.xiv So what do we want – meat or forests? Meat is not going to save the planet. Forests, on the other hand, are absolutely vital in the fight against climate change, and we should be doing everything we can to save what we have left. Curbing deforestation is one highly cost-effective and very rapid method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions requiring no new technology or special equipment.xv

New research on forests and their role in the carbon cycle adds more weight to the argument for preserving forests. Beverly Law and her colleagues at Oregon State University have shown that when an old growth forest is harvested there is a new input of carbon to the atmosphere for around five to 20 years, before the new trees begin to absorb and sequester more than they give off. In addition to this, carbon accumulation can actually continue in forests that are centuries old. This is contrary to the commonly accepted and long-standing view, fostered by the forestry industry, that old-growth forests are carbon neutral and should be cut down and replanted.xvi    xvii

Preservation not reforestation

Once forests are destroyed, it is very difficult if not impossible to restore them to their original state. Reforested land does not foster the same key elements as original intact forest and there are many problems associated with this type of re-growth. The structural complexity of the forest can be suppressed by the intensity of degradation, repeated disturbance, isolation from intact forest and competition from other plants. The complex ‘under storey’ layer may not develop sufficiently and there will often be a different floristic composition. Also, very importantly, land that has been used for an extended period for pasture destroys the seed-bank and rootstock.xviii Consequently the livelihoods of indigenous people plus local flora and fauna species are lost.

The bottom line, and the future

The world’s insatiable demand for meat and dairy products has always been unsustainable but is now a clear threat to the planet’s very existence. The UK and other European countries must take their fair share of responsibility for the current global economic boom in livestock farming which is fuelling deforestation. As long as demand for beef and soya for animal feed continues, so these massive industries will continue to expand and devastate the land. There is no question that modern livestock production is demand led. xix People can, therefore, make a significant difference by simply replacing meat, dairy and other animal products in their diet with plant-based products. More food for the developing world!

A common sense antidote to the devastating problems of an agricultural system based on livestock is a vegan organic or Stockfree organic system. Plants can be grown without using slaughterhouse by-products, animal manures, genetically modified material or chemical pollutants. Pure clean food, and other plant products, can be produced which will benefit rather than adversely impact on ecosystem services. This is a sustainable option and would create a healthier future for humans, animals and the environment. The now barren degraded pasture grazed by environmentally damaging livestock can be transformed into a vibrant healthy landscape bursting with a variety of different plants for use in an infinite number of ways. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and spices, medicine, timber, fibre and flowers are among many things we can grow. Many species of plants are yet to be discovered and may be lost forever if we lose the remainder of our forests.

Further information on Stockfree organic growing can be found in Growing Green by Jenny Hall and Iain Tolhurst published by The Vegan Organic Network, and at http://www.stockfreeorganic.net

link source: http://www.stockfreeorganic.net/information-about-stockfree-organic

4. A growing solution: How Stockfree Organic farming systems can help combat climate change
[digest]We need to rethink the way in which we produce food, recognise its ecological implications, and adopt a more earth-friendly approach. Climate change is almost universally accepted as being caused by the release, through human activities, of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. Only professional deniers, funded by the fossil fuel lobby, and blinkered politicians, still doubt the science and mounting evidence of the human contribution to climate change. The earth?s current period of development has been coined the ?anthropocene? – a time when virtually all planetary ecosystems are being affected by, and in many cases seriously degraded by human activity.

How can Stockfree Organic systems help slow down climate change? This statement explains what can be done…
Change without borders

Human-driven global warming threatens to destabilise climate systems across the entire planet. Climate change does not respect international borders. GHG emissions in the UK are already contributing to hardship, famine and death in undeveloped nations – those least equipped to deal with rapid environmental change. The United Nations Environment Programme warns of a growing threat of wars and conflict, as natural resources dwindle. Island communities face damaging sea level rises, glaciers are retreating at unprecedented rates, and sea ice at the poles is melting rapidly.

Ecosystems which have had aeons to adapt to natural and gradual climatic change now face upheaval within a century, or perhaps only decades. Species which share the planet with us are being forced to evolve rapidly in less time than the average human life span. For some this will be impossible.

To avoid runaway catastrophic climate change, industrialised nations must start making drastic cuts in their GHG emissions within the next decade. So far there is little evidence of emissions falling; in most cases they are rising, fuelled by increasing industrialisation, and by growth in transport.

Belching our way to climate chaos
Yet one human-driven activity is responsible for more global emissions of GHG than the world?s entire transport sector – livestock farming. Worldwide, livestock produce 18 per cent of the gases that cause global warming. One of these, methane, which is released when livestock such as cattle breathe out and ?burp?, has 23 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Air-polluting ammonia, a key catalyst in the formation of acid rain, and nitrous oxide, a powerful GHG with 296 times the global warming potential of CO2, are also generated through livestock production. Added to the fossil fuel used in growing and transporting feedstuffs, then moving the resultant products around the globe, the damage caused to ecosystems by livestock farming through deforestation and pollution poses a serious threat to life on earth.

The earth cannot produce enough animal products to feed its growing population at the level of the average western diet, yet demand for animal products is rising. We need to rethink the way in which we produce food, recognise its ecological implications, and adopt a more earth-friendly approach.
Climate-friendly, carbon neutral, and kinder

Stockfree Organic systems (SO), on a field, smallholding, or domestic scale use no animal inputs, synthetic chemical pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and minimal fossil fuels. Stockfree Organic farming seeks to minimise reliance on ?imported? fertility through in situ composting of all plant wastes, by using living green manures as soil fertility builders, and by practising minimal soil disturbance or ?reduced tillage? cultivation.

Food grown using SO systems is eaten locally and in season, so minimising ?food miles?, and is delivered with as little (reusable) packaging as possible. Food labelled with the Stockfree Organic Standards Symbol (which is inspected by the Soil Association) carries the ethical assurance that it has been grown to strict organic standards without any animal inputs.

Stockfree Organic farming is the ?greenest?, most ecologically sustainable and ?carbon neutral? way of producing healthy food.

How can Stockfree Organic systems help slow down climate change?
– They don?t rely on synthetic fertilisers and weedkillers, pesticides and fungicides, all of which consume fossil fuels in manufacture, packaging and transport, releasing large quantities of CO2 and other airborne pollutants.

– No animal or fish by-products, or animal manures, are used to maintain soil fertility, which dissociates SO from all forms of livestock production, organic or otherwise. This reduces dependency on fossil fuels for importing, spreading and incorporating manures, and removes demand for livestock by-products e.g. as fertilisers. This adds ?ethical value? to food grown in a SO system, guaranteeing it as from a cruelty-free growing method.

– Reduced tillage systems used in conjunction with SO help to maintain potentially the greatest ?carbon reservoir? on earth – the soil. Exposing the soil to air, usually when it is ploughed, results in organic matter being lost to the atmosphere as CO2. Undisturbed soil, sown with a green manure, and with a thriving microbial ecosystem, ?locks up? CO2 from the air, helping reduce atmospheric levels. Minimal cultivation reduces fossil fuel use.

– Where organic matter is brought in to boost soil fertility it is sourced locally e.g. from a green waste scheme, to minimise transport emissions. This also utilises a valuable local resource which may otherwise be dumped in landfill, where it generates the powerful GHG methane.

– Fossil fuel usage and subsequent release of the most abundant greenhouse gas CO2 is minimised or eliminated. Renewable energy sources – human, wind, solar and water power – are used wherever possible.

– Biodiversity is encouraged, helping maintain more stable local ecosystems, which are more resilient to seasonal and other fluctuations caused by human-induced climate change.
Eating within our limits

A growing number of SO growers and farmers are now established in the UK and around the world. SO techniques are tried, proven and economically viable. More and more gardeners are now adopting this sustainable and compassionate way of growing.

The Stockfree Organic approach offers a viable, holistic and accessible way of ensuring that present and future generations can live safely and comfortably, as well as eat abundantly, healthily and harmoniously within the earth’s finite limits.

A few quotes on the subject?

?Fossil fuel use in manufacturing fertilizer may emit 41 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.?
Livestock?s Long Shadow. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 2006

?The potential benefit of a vegan diet in terms of climate impact could be very significant.?
Leaked memo from the Environment Agency to Viva!, May 2007

?Livestock-related releases from cultivated soils may total 28 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.?
Livestock?s Long Shadow. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 2006

?Plants alone are the producers of food energy and of soil humus and all animals, including humans, are net consumers.?
Growing Green: Organic Techniques for a Sustainable Future

??…the earth is getting perilously close to climate changes that could run out of control.?
James Hansen, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Other aspects

Stockfree Organic farming helps the planet in many other ways, such as its much reduced water consumption and more efficient use of land compared to animal farming. Animal wastes pollute the oceans and rivers and create huge health risks; Stockfree Organic farming eliminates this. Organic certification to the Stockfree Organic Standards, operated by Stockfree Organic Services and inspected by Soil Association Certification Ltd, is available to growers.

Traditional organic growing systems may be thought of as more environmentally friendly but are not the answer; if commercial organic production expanded to cater for a much larger market there would simply not be enough organic animal manure available because the land area required to feed the necessary animals would be so vast. Stockfree Organic farming challenges centuries of agricultural practise and perception that livestock bring ecological harmony, and that it is essential to use animal manures to grow organic crops.? Stockfree Organic certified farmers demonstrate this is not the case. It should be remembered that all life ultimately depends on plants, which do not have to be wastefully passed through an animal in order to be effective.

link source: http://www.stockfreeorganic.net/climate-change/47–a-growing-solution-how-stockfree-organic-farming-systems-can-help-combat-climate-change-

5. To Find God’s Love is to Find the Source of All Happiness
[digest]God has blessed us so much and loved us so much, including myself, Hiers very humble servant. God has blessed me to have the honor to serve you, Hiers children. God has blessed us to always be together in harmony and peace, and then whatever we want or need Hes always gives us without our asking for it.

So we must always thank God in our hearts that Hes is so good to us, and we must also pray sincerely for those people who are less fortunate than we are. Every time we meditate, we should thank God first, then pray for the less fortunate and then remember God with all sweetness and devotion. And that’s our duty: It’s very simple, very pure and very effective. Everything else will come along even without our asking.

The more we meditate, the fewer questions we have. And some questions are not even important anymore. After we meditate, we know that nothing is very important; we just feel happy and blissful, and when we’re happy and blissful nothing matters. So then we don’t think with the mind so much; we don’t ask so many garbage questions because we know it’s useless.

The more blissful and happy we become, the more we feel intoxicated inside and then we don’t really have any more questions, we don’t care. Even if we don’t know too much about the newest movie stars or the latest techniques or inventions or buildings in the world, we’re still not affected by anything. We’re just happy with the love from God alone. That’s the purpose of our life, to find this love. Then we’ll be satisfied.

Without this love from God, we feel miserable and we continue to be more and more miserable all the time. Then we keep wanting and wanting and greedily taking and taking, and we consume all kinds of harmful drugs and sometimes alcohol and other things in order to make ourselves happy. But then we become worse; we get into more trouble because we don’t have true happiness.

That’s why we must meditate on God, but even if we cannot do that the Master power always gives us someone, some messenger to guide us and help us remember how to meditate correctly on God. Otherwise, if we meditate on money or on a girlfriend or boyfriend, it’s also meditation but it has a different, bad effect.

Many people meditate on different things. For example, the businessman meditates on his enterprise, the politician meditates on his reputation and career and the womanizer meditates on beautiful girls. So, each is a different object of concentration. We all have concentration already. The only thing we need to do is change the object of our concentration. Instead of meditating on ephemeral things like money or fame or the fleeting pleasures of this world, we should just switch to meditating on God and then everything else will come along.

I didn’t come to God for money or fame but because I was so concentrated on God, Hes gave me everything. And that’s the proof of my concentration; that’s the proof of my devotion to God, and the proof for you or anyone else you know: “Seek you first the Kingdom of God, and everything else shall be added onto you.” When we only want God and nothing else, everything else belongs to us. That’s definitely, one hundred percent true. I’m living proof! I’m always happy because God always looks after me and never leaves me wanting for anything that I really think I need or I don’t have.

As we meditate more and more, we finally come to know that we don’t need anything, but even if we don’t need anything God will see to it that we have every necessary thing in life. And the thing is, as you meditate along day by day, you also notice this miracle. Every day is a miracle for us. We’re happier and happier and more and more loving every day. That’s the best gift from God, that we’re happier and more loving every day. And if Hes gives us financial blessings, that’s all right too. If Hes gives us a loving relationship as a blessing, that’s OK. If Hes gives us a house or more cars, we accept them!

Everything that comes as God’s gift is all right. We don’t say, “God, I don’t want material things; that’s not what I want.” If Hes gives us anything, it’s all right. We can share and share and share with everyone else. And this is OK. That’s how the world will become Paradise. If everyone shares with each other, everyone will become happier, and then no one will want to steal from their neighbor or hurt their neighbor or do anything else because everyone will be happy. That’s the future vision of our planet, and that’s what we should always strive to achieve.

One day it will be so. Let’s pray for that. And if it is not so, at least the world of our own environment will be peaceful, happy and harmonious. Our world and our planet — with our husbands, our wives, our neighbors and our children — will at least always be blissful, happy and harmonious. That’s the world that’s important to us because our world is the most important foundation. Without our world, the big world or even the entire universe doesn’t exist. Without just one brick in the wall of this room, the wall could not exist. The wall stands because of many bricks put together so every brick is important. Similarly, our small world, our small unit of family or friends or neighbors is very important. That’s why if every one of us takes care of our small world, the big world will become peaceful on its own.

link source: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/165/ms1.htm

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/
To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No. 4, 2012.05.21

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Table of Content：

This week’s recommended organic produce

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm News

Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. 10 Surprising Nutrition Facts About Romaine Lettuce
2. Eight Reasons to Eat Local Foods
3. Seed balls for greening India
4. Greening The Desert: Applying natural farming techniques in Africa
5. To Find God’s Love is to Find the Source of All Happiness

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The organic produce will be available for this week：

• organic ginger yellow，PE：$4.50 / bag (approx. 0.5 pound)
• organic corn sweet white， CA: $1.75 / each
• organic lettuce romaine， CA: $2.20 / each
• organic tomato hh, MX: $4.75 / 1 bag (approx. 2 pound， 5 pieces)

Welcome to suggest the organic produce for next week’s delivery from our product list：https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/products/

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Fruit Eden Farm News

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Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth, organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. 10 Surprising Nutrition Facts About Romaine Lettuce

[digest]Crisp romaine lettuce is a highly nutritious leafy green to use in a green smoothie. It has a mild flavor that is easily masked by fruit so it’s perfect if you’re new to green smoothies or making it for picky eaters.

You can add an entire head of lettuce to a fruit smoothie and not impact the taste at all. I typically toss in an entire head of romaine in my morning smoothie. It provides 106 calories and gives me a super jolt of nutrition first thing in the morning.

Here are some surprising nutrition facts about this wonderful smoothie (and salad) green:

1 – Protein. Believe it or not, romaine lettuce is 17% protein with 7.7 grams per head. It is also a complete protein! That means that it has all 8 essential amino acids, 9% RDA of some and up to 26% RDA of others.

2 – Calcium. One head of romaine has 206mg of calcium (about 21% RDA). Blend it with calcium rich fruits like papaya and oranges and you’ll get more calcium than a glass of milk!

3 – Omega-3s. One head of romaine lettuce contains 44% RDA of Omega-3 essential fats. Forget the tainted fish oils, reach for some leafy greens instead!

4 – More Vitamin C Than An Orange. One head of romaine contains 167% RDA of vitamin C while an average sized orange contains only 92%.

5 – Iron. One head of romaine contains 6mg of iron, which ads a significant source of iron to the diets of vegetarians and vegans.

6 – Romaine Lettuce is Rich in B-vitamins: Thiamine (B1) – 38% RDA, Riboflavin (B2) – 32% RDA, Niacin (B3) – 12% RDA, Pantothenic Acid (B5) – 18%, Pyridoxine (B6) – 36 %, Folate (B9) – 213%!

7 – Water. One head of romaine provides 16% of your daily water needs with about 20 ounces of water per head!

8 – Rich Source of vitamin A (as beta-carotene) and K. As with most leafy greens, romaine is super rich in beta-carotene with 1817% RDA per head and has 535% RDA of vitamin K.

9 – Low Levels of Oxalic Acid. If you have problems with calcium oxalate kidney stones, romaine lettuce might be a good choice for leafy greens since it is very low in this anti-nutrient.

10 – Mineral-Rich. Don’t let the lighter color of romaine lettuce fool you. This not-so-dark leafy green is rich in minerals. One head contains copper (33% RDA), magnesium (22% RDA), manganese (42% RDA), phosphorus (27% RDA), potassium (33%), selenium (5% RDA) and zinc (13% RDA).

How To Select And Store Romaine Lettuce

Choose bright, crisp heads of romaine lettuce. Avoid bunches that have rust, holes or that are limp, wilted or yellowing. It is common to find romaine that has slight browning along the very edges of the outer leaves. This is okay as long as the rest of the head looks fresh and green. I just trim the brown edges off the outer leaves.

Romaine is highly perishable. I store it in the fridge in a large plastic tub with a piece of paper towel to absorb excess moisture and condensation. My lettuce will keep for up to 5 days this way. If you store wet lettuce in a produce bag, it will likely only last a couple days.

Whenever possible, choose organic romaine (sames goes for any leafy green) as greens are often high in pesticide residue.

How To Use Romaine In A Green Smoothie

I use the entire head, including outer leaves. Wash each leaf and then add to your smoothie. I recommend that you add the fruit and blend it first, then add the lettuce so that it blends easily.

Because of it’s delicate flavor, lettuce is easily masked by just about any fruit you can think of. My usual recipe calls for 2-3 bananas, 1 mango, 1 tablespoon of flax, a few frozen strawberries (or 1/2 cup frozen blueberries) and an entire head of romaine. Now THAT is the breakfast of champions!

link source: http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/nutrition/10-surprising-nutrition-facts-about-romaine-lettuce/

Romaine Lettuce

Not all lettuce is created equal, but if you start your meal with a salad made of romaine lettuce you will be sure to add not only a variety of textures and flavors to your meal but an enormous amount of nutritional value. Most of the domestic U.S. harvest of romaine lettuce and other salad greens comes from California and is available throughout the year.

Lettuce is synonymous with salads as they are predominantly made from crispy green lettuce leaves. Most varieties of lettuce exude small amounts of a white, milky liquid when their leaves are broken. This “milk” gives lettuce its slightly bitter flavor and its scientific name, Lactuca sativa derived from the Latin word for milk.

Want to maximize the health benefits of your salads? Start with romaine lettuce for a salad guaranteed to be packed with nutrients. The vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber found in romaine lettuce are especially good for the prevention or alleviation of many common health complaints.

Due to its extremely low calorie content and high water volume, romaine lettuce–while often overlooked in the nutrition world–is actually a very nutritious food. Based on its nutrient richness, our food ranking system qualified it as an excellent source of vitamin A (notably through its concentration of the pro-vitamin A carotenoid, beta-carotene), vitamin K, folate, and vitamin C. Romaine lettuce also emerged from our ranking system as a very good source of dietary fiber and 4 minerals.

Romaine’s vitamin C and beta-carotene content make it a heart-healthy green. Vitamin C and beta-carotene work together to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. When cholesterol becomes oxidized, it becomes sticky and starts to build up in the artery walls forming plaques. If these plaques become too large, they can block off blood flow or break, causing a clot that triggers a heart attack or stroke. The fiber in Romaine lettuce adds another plus in its column of heart-healthy effects. In the colon, fiber binds to bile salts and removes them from the body. This forces the body to make more bile, which is helpful because it must break down cholesterol to do so. This is just one way in which fiber is able to lower high cholesterol levels.

Equally beneficial to heart health is Romaine’s folic acid content. This B vitamin is needed by the body to convert a damaging chemical called homocysteine into other, benign substances. If not converted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessels, thus greatly increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition, romaine lettuce is a very good source of potassium, which has been shown in numerous studies to be useful in lowering high blood pressure, another risk factor for heart disease. With its folic acid, vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber content, romaine lettuce can significantly contribute to a heart-healthy diet.

Regardless of the type, all lettuces should feature crisp looking, unwilted leaves that are free of dark or slimy spots. In addition, the leaves’ edges should be free of brown or yellow discoloration. Lettuces such as Romaine and Boston should have compact heads and stem ends that are not too brown.

Romaine  lettuces should be either stored in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator crisper. Romaine lettuce will keep for five to seven days.

Virtually all municipal drinking water in the United States contains pesticide residues, and with the exception of organic foods, so do the majority of foods in the U.S. food supply. Even though pesticides are present in food at very small trace levels, their negative impact on health is well documented. The liver’s ability to process other toxins, the cells’ ability to produce energy, and the nerves’ ability to send messages can all be compromised by pesticide exposure. According to the Environmental Working Group’s 2011 report “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce,” lettuce is among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. Therefore, individuals wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks may want to avoid consumption of lettuce unless it is grown organically.

link source:

2. Eight Reasons to Eat Local Foods

[digest]Eating local foods is better for you, for the environment, and (most importantly) for your taste buds. Here are the top eight big, umbrella-style reasons you might want to consider eating more local foods.

1. Local Foods Are Fresher (and Taste Better)

Local food is fresher and tastes better than food that been trucked or flown in from thousands of miles away. Think you can’t taste the difference between lettuce picked yesterday and lettuce picked last week, factory-washed, and sealed in plastic? You can.

And fresh food? It lasts longer too.

2. Local Foods Are Seasonal (and Taste Better)

It must be said: Deprivation leads to greater appreciation. When does a cozy room feel best? When you’ve come in from out of the freezing cold. Fresh corn in season tastes best when you haven’t eaten any in 9 or 10 months–long enough for its taste to be a slightly blurred memory that is suddenly awakened with that first bite of the season. Eating locally means eating seasonally, with all the deprivation and resulting pleasure that accompanies it.

3. Local Foods Usually Have Less Environmental Impact

Those thousands of miles some food is shipped? That leads to a big carbon footprint for a little bunch of herbs. Look for farmers who follow organic and sustainable growing practices and energy use to minimize your food’s environmental impact.

4. Local Foods Preserve Green Space & Farmland

The environmental question of where you food comes from is bigger than its “carbon footprint.” By buying foods grown and raised closer to where you live, you help maintain farmland and green space in your area.

5. Local Foods Promote Food Safety

The fewer steps there are between your food’s source and your table the less chance there is of contamination. Also, when you know where your food comes from and who grows it, you know a lot more about that food. During the e. coli outbreak in spinach in 2006 I knew the spinach in my refrigerator was safe because I knew it was grown in Yolo County by a farmer I knew, and, as importantly, that it didn’t come from Salinas County where the outbreak was. (The knowledge would have worked in reverse too: if the outbreak had been in Yolo County instead, I would have known to throw that bunch of greens and scrub down the fridge!)

6. Local Foods Support Your Local Economy

Money spent with local farmers, growers, and artisans and locally-owned purveyors and restaurants all stays close to home, working to build your local economy instead of being handed over to a corporation in another city, state, or country. Since the food moves through fewer hands, more of the money you spend tends to get to the people growing it.

To make the biggest local economic impact with your food budget, seek out producers who pay their workers a fair wage and practice social justice in their business.

7. Local Foods Promote Variety

Local foods create greater variety of foods available. Farmers who run community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs), sell at farmers’ markets, and provide local restaurants have the demand and the support for raising more types of produce and livestock. Think Brandywines, Early Girls, and Lemon Boys instead of “tomatoes.”

8. Local Foods Create Community

Knowing where your food is from connects you to the people who raise and grow it. Instead of having a single relationship–to a big supermarket–you develop smaller connections to more food sources: vendors at the farmers’ market, the local cheese shop, your favorite butcher, the co-op that sells local eggs, a local café that roasts coffee.

Eating locally? It connects you to a larger world.

link source: http://localfoods.about.com/od/finduselocalfoods/tp/5-Reasons-to-Eat-Local-Foods.htm

3.

Seed balls for greening India

[digest]Reader Lakshmi N Viswanathan writes to suggest that greening vast tracts of wastelands may be accomplished by the use of seed balls. They are a safe delivery system for seeds used in revegetation.

The idea has its origins in the agriculture practiced by the legendary Masanobu Fukuoka and made popular by his book, ‘One Straw Revolution’. There he describes his ‘no cultivation’ farming. Apart from not ploughing, Fukuoka took to encasing his grain seeds in clay and broadcasting them freely. The seeds lie safely out of reach of birds and ants and dissolve out of the cast and germinate soon as it rains.

Fukuoka said; “You know that daikon radish seeds are in hard shells. Well, I noticed that when they drop on the ground, they decay as they start to sprout. So I realized if they need a shell like that, then clay can be the shell for a ball with many seeds inside.” And that was how seed balls were born.

Seed balls require four consituents: mixed seeds, humus, clay and water. These are mixed and covered in a skin of clay. Then comes a delightfully mystical detail. As Jim Bones a great seed ball practitioner describes, “A transformation occurs within the balls as they are rolled, and after a few seconds the clay can be felt to set up or organize, as the tiny clay platelets align themselves to each other, and the seeds they enclose. It is important to roll the clay until this polymerization is felt.” Fukuoka adds,”Seed balls are a small universe in themselves.” Before we move on let us emphasise that the crucial element in seed ball practice is using a mixture of seed types. Monoculture is anathema to natural farming.

Seed balls solve many of the problems that naked seeds face: wind blows them away, birds and rodents eat them, hot sun bakes their vitality out, excessive rain carries them off. Seed balls protect them from all the above. When they dissolve and seeds emerge, they are anchored in a small clay pile and surrounded by nourishing humus. Seed germination is very high.

Reader Viswanathan wonders why seed balls cannot be adopted by environmental groups in India. An added advantage is that they are suitable for air dropping. About 12,000 seed balls have been thus broadcast in New Mexico, USA with great success.

link source: http://www.goodnewsindia.com/index.php/Supplement/article/263/

4. Greening The Desert: Applying natural farming techniques in Africa

[digest]Masanobu Fukuoka is another of the major pioneers of sustainable agriculture who came to the 2nd International Permaculture Conference. We spoke with him a few days before the conference while he was visiting the Abundant Life Seed Foundation in Port Townsend, Washington.

He likes to say of himself that he has no knowledge, but his books, including One-Straw Revolution and The Natural Way of Farming illustrate that he at least has wisdom. His farming method involves no tillage, no fertilizer, no pesticides, no weeding, no pruning, and remarkably little labor! He accomplishes all this (and high yields) by careful timing of his seeding and careful combinations of plants (polyculture). In short, he has brought the practical art of working with nature to a high level of refinement.

In this interview, he describes how his natural farming methods might be applied to the world’s deserts, based on his experience in Africa during 1985. Translation assistance for the interview was provided by Katsuyuki Shibata and Hizuru Aoyama.

Robert: What have you learned in your 50 years of work about what people could do with their agriculture?

Masanobu: I am a small man, as you can see, but I came to the States with a very big intention. This small man becomes smaller and smaller, and won’t last very long, so I’d like to share my idea from 50 years ago. My dream is just like a balloon. It could get smaller and smaller, or it could get bigger and bigger. If it could be said in a brief way, it could be said as the word “nothingness.” In a larger way it could wrap the entire earth.

I live on a small mountain doing farming. I don’t have any knowledge, I don’t do anything. My way of farming is no cultivation, no fertilizer, no chemicals. Ten years ago my book, One Straw Revolution, was published by Rodale Press in the United States. From that point I couldn’t just sleep in the mountains. Seven years ago I took an airplane for the first time in my life and went to California, Boston, New York City. I was surprised because I thought the United States was full of green everywhere, but it looked like death land to me.

Then I talked to the head of the desert department at the United Nations about my natural farming. He asked me if my natural farming could change the desert of Iraq. He told me to develop the way of changing the desert to green. At that point I thought that I was a poor farmer and I had no power and no knowledge, so I told him that I couldn’t. But from then I started thinking that my task is working on the desert.

Several years ago, I travelled around Europe. It seemed to me that Europe was very nice and beautiful, with lots of nature preserved. But three feet under the surface I felt desert slowly coming in. I kept wondering why. I realized it was the mistake they made in agriculture. The beginning of the mistake is from growing meat for the king and wine for the church. All around, cow, cow, cow, grape, grape, grape. European and American agriculture started with grazing cows and growing grapes for the king and the church. They changed nature by doing this, especially on the hill slopes. Then soil erosion occurs. Only the 20% of the soil in the valleys remains healthy, and 80% of the land is depleted. Because the land is depleted, they need chemical fertilizers and pesticides. United States, Europe, even in Japan, their agriculture started by tilling the land. Cultivation is also related to civilization, and that is the beginning of the mistake. True natural farming uses no cultivation, no plow. Using tractors and tools destroys the true nature. Trees’ biggest enemies are the saw and ax. Soil’s biggest enemies are cultivation and plowing. If people don’t have those tools, it will be a better life for everything.

Since my farm uses no cultivation, no fertilizer, no chemicals, there are many insects and animals living there within the farm. They use pesticide to kill a certain kind of pest, and that destroys the balance of nature. If we allow it to be completely free, a perfect nature will come back.

Robert: How have you applied your method to the deserts?

Masanobu: Chemical agriculture can’t change the desert. Even if they have a tractor and a big irrigation system, they are not able to do it. I came to the realization that to make the desert green requires natural farming. The method is very simple. You just need to sow seeds in the desert. Here is a picture of experimentation in Ethiopia. This area was beautiful 90 years ago, and now it looks like the desert in Colorado. I gave seeds for 100 varieties of plants to people in Ethiopia and Somalia. Children planted seeds, and watered them for three days. Because of high temperature and not having water, the root goes down quickly. Now the large Daikon radishes are growing there. People think there isn’t any water in the desert, but even in Somalia and Ethiopia, they have a big river. It is not that they do not have water; the water just stays underneath the earth. They find the water under 6 to 12 feet.

Diane: Do you just use water to germinate the seeds, and then the plants are on their own?

Masanobu: They still need water, like after ten days and after a month, but you should not water too much, so that the root grows deep. People have home gardens in Somalia these days.

The project started with the help of UNESCO with a large amount of money, but there are only a couple of people doing the experiment right now. These young people from Tokyo don’t know much about farming. I think it is better to send seeds to people in Somalia and Ethiopia, rather than sending milk and flour, but there isn’t any way to send them. People in Ethiopia and Somalia can sow seeds, even children can do that. But the African governments, the United States, Italy, France, they don’t send seeds, they only send immediate food and clothing. The African government is discouraging home gardens and small farming. During the last 100 years, garden seed has become scarce.

Diane: Why do these governments do this?

Masanobu: The African governments and the United States government want people to grow coffee, tea, cotton, peanuts, sugar – only five or six varieties to export and make money. Vegetables are just food, they don’t bring in any money. They say they will provide corn and grain, so people don’t have to grow their own vegetables.

Robert: Do we, in the United States, have the type of seeds that would grow well in these parts of Africa?

Masanobu: As a matter of fact, I saw quite a few plants including vegetables, ornamentals, and grains here in this town (Port Townsend) this morning that would grow in the desert. Something like Daikon radish even grows better over there than in my fields, and also things like amaranth and succulents grow very well.

Robert: So if people in the United States and Japan and Europe wanted to help the people in Africa and reduce the desert, would you suggest that they send seeds?

Masanobu: When I was in Somalia, I thought, if there are ten farmers, one truck, and seeds, then it would be so easy to help the people there. They don’t have any greens for half of the year, they don’t have any vitamins, and so of course they get sick. They have even forgotten how to eat vegetables. They just eat the leaves and not the edible root portion.

I went to the Olympic National Park yesterday. I was very amazed and I almost cried. There, the soil was alive! The mountain looked like the bed of God. The forest seems alive, something you don’t find even in Europe. The redwoods in California and the French meadows are beautiful, but this is the best! People who live around here have water and firewood and trees. This is like a garden of Eden. If people are truly happy, this place is a real Utopia.

The people in the deserts have only a cup and a knife and a pot. Some families don’t even have a knife, so they have to throw rocks to cut the wood, and they have to carry that for a mile or more. I was very impressed by seeing this beautiful area, but at the same time my heart aches because of thinking about the people in the desert. The difference is like heaven and hell. I think the world is coming to a very dangerous point. The United States has the power to destroy the world but also to help the world. I wonder if people in this country realize that the United States is helping the people in Somalia but also killing them. Making them grow coffee, sugar and giving them food. The Japanese government is the same way. It gives them clothes, and the Italian government gives them macaroni. The United States is trying to make them bread eaters. The people in Ethiopia cook rice, barley and vegetables. They are happy being small farmers. The United States government is telling them to work, work, like slaves on a big farm, growing coffee. The United States is telling them that they can make money and be happy that way.

A Japanese college professor that went to Somalia and Ethiopia said this is the hell of the world. I said, “No, this is the entrance to heaven.” Those people have no money, no food, but they are very happy. The reason they are very happy is that they don’t have schools or teachers. They are happy carrying water, happy cutting the wood. It is not a hard thing for them to do; they truly enjoy doing that. Between noon and three it is very hot, but other than that, there is a breeze, and there are not flies or mosquitoes.

One thing the people of the United States can do instead of going to outer space is to sow seeds from the space shuttle into the deserts. There are many seed companies related to multi-national corporations. They could sow seeds from airplanes.

Diane: If seeds were thrown out like that, would the rains be enough to germinate them?

Masanobu: No, that is not enough, so I would sow coated seeds so they wouldn’t dry out or get eaten by animals. There are probably different ways to coat the seeds. You can use soil, but you have to make that stick, or you can use calcium.

My farm has everything: fruit trees, vegetables, acacia. Like my fields, you need to mix everything and sow at the same time. I took about 100 varieties of grafted trees there, two of each, and almost all of them, about 80%, are growing there now. The reason I am saying to use an airplane is because, if you are just testing you use only a small area. But we need to make a large area green quickly. It needs to be done at once! You have to mix vegetables and trees; that’s the fastest way for success.

Another reason I am saying you have to use airplanes is that you have to grow them fast, because if there is 3% less green area around the world, the whole earth is going to die. Because of lack of oxygen, people won’t feel happy. You feel happy in the spring because of the oxygen from the plants. We breathe out carbon dioxide and breathe in oxygen, and the plants do the opposite. Human beings and plants not only have a relationship in eating, but also share air. Therefore, the lack of oxygen in Somalia is not only a problem there, it is also a problem here. Because of the rapid depletion of the land in those parts of Africa, everyone will feel this happening. It is happening very quickly. There is no time to wait. We have to do something now.

People in Ethiopia are happy with wind and light, fire and water. Why do people need more? Our task is to practice farming the way God does. That could be the way to start saving this world.

link source: http://www.context.org/iclib/ic14/fukuoka/

5. To Find God’s Love is to Find the Source of All Happiness

[digest]

God has blessed us so much and loved us so much, including myself, Hiers very humble servant. God has blessed me to have the honor to serve you, Hiers children. God has blessed us to always be together in harmony and peace, and then whatever we want or need Hes always gives us without our asking for it.

So we must always thank God in our hearts that Hes is so good to us, and we must also pray sincerely for those people who are less fortunate than we are. Every time we meditate, we should thank God first, then pray for the less fortunate and then remember God with all sweetness and devotion. And that’s our duty: It’s very simple, very pure and very effective. Everything else will come along even without our asking.

The more we meditate, the fewer questions we have. And some questions are not even important anymore. After we meditate, we know that nothing is very important; we just feel happy and blissful, and when we’re happy and blissful nothing matters. So then we don’t think with the mind so much; we don’t ask so many garbage questions because we know it’s useless.

The more blissful and happy we become, the more we feel intoxicated inside and then we don’t really have any more questions, we don’t care. Even if we don’t know too much about the newest movie stars or the latest techniques or inventions or buildings in the world, we’re still not affected by anything. We’re just happy with the love from God alone. That’s the purpose of our life, to find this love. Then we’ll be satisfied.

Without this love from God, we feel miserable and we continue to be more and more miserable all the time. Then we keep wanting and wanting and greedily taking and taking, and we consume all kinds of harmful drugs and sometimes alcohol and other things in order to make ourselves happy. But then we become worse; we get into more trouble because we don’t have true happiness.

That’s why we must meditate on God, but even if we cannot do that the Master power always gives us someone, some messenger to guide us and help us remember how to meditate correctly on God. Otherwise, if we meditate on money or on a girlfriend or boyfriend, it’s also meditation but it has a different, bad effect.

Many people meditate on different things. For example, the businessman meditates on his enterprise, the politician meditates on his reputation and career and the womanizer meditates on beautiful girls. So, each is a different object of concentration. We all have concentration already. The only thing we need to do is change the object of our concentration. Instead of meditating on ephemeral things like money or fame or the fleeting pleasures of this world, we should just switch to meditating on God and then everything else will come along.

I didn’t come to God for money or fame but because I was so concentrated on God, Hes gave me everything. And that’s the proof of my concentration; that’s the proof of my devotion to God, and the proof for you or anyone else you know: “Seek you first the Kingdom of God, and everything else shall be added onto you.” When we only want God and nothing else, everything else belongs to us. That’s definitely, one hundred percent true. I’m living proof! I’m always happy because God always looks after me and never leaves me wanting for anything that I really think I need or I don’t have.

As we meditate more and more, we finally come to know that we don’t need anything, but even if we don’t need anything God will see to it that we have every necessary thing in life. And the thing is, as you meditate along day by day, you also notice this miracle. Every day is a miracle for us. We’re happier and happier and more and more loving every day. That’s the best gift from God, that we’re happier and more loving every day. And if Hes gives us financial blessings, that’s all right too. If Hes gives us a loving relationship as a blessing, that’s OK. If Hes gives us a house or more cars, we accept them!

Everything that comes as God’s gift is all right. We don’t say, “God, I don’t want material things; that’s not what I want.” If Hes gives us anything, it’s all right. We can share and share and share with everyone else. And this is OK. That’s how the world will become Paradise. If everyone shares with each other, everyone will become happier, and then no one will want to steal from their neighbor or hurt their neighbor or do anything else because everyone will be happy. That’s the future vision of our planet, and that’s what we should always strive to achieve.

One day it will be so. Let’s pray for that. And if it is not so, at least the world of our own environment will be peaceful, happy and harmonious. Our world and our planet — with our husbands, our wives, our neighbors and our children — will at least always be blissful, happy and harmonious. That’s the world that’s important to us because our world is the most important foundation. Without our world, the big world or even the entire universe doesn’t exist. Without just one brick in the wall of this room, the wall could not exist. The wall stands because of many bricks put together so every brick is important. Similarly, our small world, our small unit of family or friends or neighbors is very important. That’s why if every one of us takes care of our small world, the big world will become peaceful on its own.

link source: http://godsdirectcontact.us/sm21/eNews/enews165/e165.htm#N39

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Issue No.3 ,  2012.05.14

Fruit Eden Veganic Farm Newsletter Website： https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/newsletter/

To subscribe to our Newsletter, please send email request to： fruit.eden@gmail.com

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Table of Content：

This week’s recommended organic produce

Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth,  organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Kiwifruit
2. How does ripe fruit look, taste, smell and feel?
3. Study: No-Till Farming Reduces Greenhouse Gas
4. Detoxify heavy metals and soothe chronic inflammation with cilantro, a powerful ‘superherb’
5. Organic Veganism to Heal the Planet

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This week’s recommended organic produce：

• organic apple spartan， BC： 　　 $5.00 / 3 lb bag
• organic banana, unlimited， MX： $2.50 / bag (approx. 2 pound)
• organic kiwi， CA： $3.25 / 1 lb bag
• organic mango haden, MX: $2.75/ piece
• organic avocado, medium, promich， MX： $1.95　$1.65 / each (approx. 170 ~ 200g)
• organic broccoli， CA：　$2.25 / bunch （2 ~ 3 pieces, around 1 pound 4 ounce）
• organic carrot， CA：   $2.85 / 2 lb bag
• organic ginger yellow，PE：　　 　 $4.50 / bag (approx. 0.5 pound)
• organic lettuce romaine， CA: $2.20 / each
• organic mushroom white button，medium， BC： $5.00 $4.50 / bag (approx. 1 pound)
• organic salad herb blend, earthbound, CA: $4.65 / 5 oz clamshell
• organic tomato field， MX： $2.75 / 1 bag (approx. 2 pound， 5 pieces)
• orgorganic yam jewel medium，CA： $3.65/ 3 lb baganic tomato red cherry， MX： $3.85 / 1 pt clamshell

We plan to get he items list above from the distributors this week.

See also: the complete price list for organic produce：https://fruiteden.wordpress.com/products/

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Web Info on healthy diet, spiritual growth,  organic farming, environmental issues etc.

1. Kiwifruit

[digest]Packed with more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange, the bright green flesh of the kiwifruit speckled with tiny black seeds adds a dramatic tropical flair to any fruit salad. California kiwifruit is available November through May, while the New Zealand crop hits the market June through October making fresh kiwis available year round.

The kiwifruit is a small fruit approximately 3 inches long and weighing about four ounces. Its green flesh is almost creamy in consistency with an invigorating taste reminiscent of strawberries, melons and bananas, yet with its own unique sweet flavor.

Health Benefits

Kiwifruit can offer a great deal more than an exotic tropical flair in your fruit salad. These emerald delights contain numerous phytonutrients as well as well known vitamins and minerals that promote your health.

Kiwi’s Phytonutrients Protect DNA

In the world of phytonutrient research, kiwifruit has fascinated researchers for its ability to protect DNA in the nucleus of human cells from oxygen-related damage. Researchers are not yet certain which compounds in kiwi give it this protective antioxidant capacity, but they are sure that this healing property is not limited to those nutrients most commonly associated with kiwifruit, including its vitamin C or beta-carotene content. Since kiwi contains a variety of flavonoids and carotenoids that have demonstrated antioxidant activity, these phytonutrients in kiwi may be responsible for this DNA protection.

The protective properties of kiwi have been demonstrated in a study with 6- and 7-year-old children in northern and central Italy. The more kiwi or citrus fruit these children consumed, the less likely they were to have respiratory-related health problems including wheezing, shortness of breath, or night coughing. These same antioxidant protective properties may have been involved in providing protection for these children.

Premier Antioxidant Protection

Kiwifruit emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of vitamin C. This nutrient is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, neutralizing free radicals that can cause damage to cells and lead to problems such as inflammation and cancer. In fact, adequate intake of vitamin C has been shown to be helpful in reducing the severity of conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma, and for preventing conditions such as colon cancer, atherosclerosis, and diabetic heart disease. And since vitamin C is necessary for the healthy function of the immune system, it may be useful for preventing recurrent ear infections in people who suffer from them. Owing to the multitude of vitamin C’s health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Fiber for Blood Sugar Control Plus Cardiovascular and Colon Health

Our food ranking system also qualified kiwifruit as a very good source of dietary fiber. The fiber in kiwifruit has also been shown to be useful for a number of conditions. Researchers have found that diets that contain plenty of fiber can reduce high cholesterol levels, which may reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack. Fiber is also good for binding and removing toxins from the colon, which is helpful for preventing colon cancer. In addition, fiber-rich foods, like kiwifruit, are good for keeping the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients under control.

Kiwifruit also passed our food ranking test as a good source of the mineral potassium.

Protection against Asthma

Eating vitamin C-rich fruit such as kiwi may confer a significant protective effect against respiratory symptoms associated with asthma such as wheezing.

A study published in Thorax that followed over 18,000 children aged 6-7 years living in Central and Northern Italy found that those eating the most citrus and kiwifruit (5-7 servings per week) had 44% less incidence of wheezing compared to children eating the least (less than once a week). Shortness of breath was reduced by 32%, severe wheeze by 41%, night time cough by 27%, chronic cough by 25%, and runny nose by 28%.

Children who had asthma when the study began appeared to benefit the most, and protective effects were evident even among children who ate fruit only once or twice a week.

Protection against Macular Degeneration

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Opthamology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants’ consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. Food intake information was collected periodically for up to 18 years for women and 12 years for men. While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARM, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but kiwifruit can help you reach this goal. Slice kiwi over your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt or green salads.

Kiwifruit and Oxalates

Kiwifruit are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating kiwifruit. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we’ve seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits—including absorption of calcium—from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content.For more on this subject, please see “Can you tell me what oxalates are and in which foods they can be found?”

Kiwifruit and Latex Allergy

Like avocados and bananas, kiwifruit contain substances called compounds that are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome. There is strong evidence of the cross-reaction between latex and these foods. If you have a latex allergy, you may very likely be allergic to these foods as well. Processing the fruit with ethylene gas increases these enzymes; organic produce not treated with gas will have fewer allergy-causing compounds. In addition, cooking the food deactivates the enzymes.

link source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=41

2.How does ripe fruit look, taste, smell and feel?

[digest]Fruit：Banana

UNRIPE Cavendish Banana (do not eat):

Appearance:   Generally all over perfect yellow/greenish, none or not many ‘age spots’

Feel:   Too firm, texture not soft to bite, hard to break off stem, won’t fall off bunch.

Smell:  Not really any smell at all

Taste:  Starchy, chalky and can cause constipation and stomach cramps, hard on digestion.

RIPE Cavendish Banana (eat as many as desired!):

Appearance:  Generally lots of brown spots almost covering the skin (all the commercial ones in the western world should look like this when ripe).  Stringy fiber within the skin attached to banana itself should come away easily or not be present at all.

Feel:  Soft but firm, should break/fall off the stem easily without effort

Smell:   Sweet, pleasant, appealing.  Should not have a fermenting, alcohol-like smell, in this case it has gone off.

Taste:  Nice & sweet, easy to chew and should digest seeminglessly

FRUIT: Kent Mangoes

Unripe:

Appearance: green skin, when cut open flesh is a pale-ish yellow, almost white

Feel: very hard, too firm, heavy

Smell: very faint smell

Taste: more acid than sweet, muted mango flavor

Ripe: (YUM!)

Appearance: skin is a mix of red, orange, and sometimes a touch of green, inside flesh is a dark yellow/orange color

Feel: soft and squishy 😀

Smell: sweet delicious mango

Taste: DELISH! flesh almost melts in your mouth!

FRUIT: Pear

Unripe Pear:

Appearance: Greenish, sometimes yellow

Feel: Hard, no ‘give’ in the flesh

Smell: Nothing or very faint

Taste: Crunchy, tart, starchy

Ripe Pear:

Appearance: Golden yellow with brownish skin tones/brown (depending on variety but never green). Quite old and almost “beaten up” looking

Feel: Soft, teeth sink into skin EASILY, no crunch, flesh almost melts in mouth.

Smell: Beautiful sweet aroma, that’s almost intoxicating

Taste: Yummy! Very sweet, shouldn’t be powerdery

FRUIT: White Dragon fruit

UNRIPE: Skin Appearance: Generally smaller in size but not always, depends on variety. The “leaves” that come off the side of the fruit are quite close together and stiff, these “leaves” look Flesh fresh and green. Skin is thicker.

Flesh Appearance: Flesh is sometimes translucent looking when unripe, a small amount of translucency is ok. Sometimes watery consistency that sticks to skin.

Feel: Very firm, skin is pulled tight, a little more difficult to open fruit with fingers.

Smell: No smell

Taste: Tart, sour

RIPE:

Skin Appearance: Generally fuller looking, “leaves” are old almost dead looking (sometimes a slight green colour) and further apart due to expanded size. Skin is quite a bit thinner (see above) and looks a little darker and translucent sometimes.

Flesh Appearance:  Solid white colour is consistently better than translucent. Translucent patches are generally not tasty. Flesh should break into cubes easily when extracted.

Feel: Similar to unripe but you can feel the skin exploding beneath to skin to get out, unlike unripe. Should be able to peel the fruit like a

Smell: Not a lot of odour at all, a mild tropical sweet smell.

Taste: A good white dragonfruit is amazing, moderately sweet, not sour or tart at all.

link source: http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/how-does-ripe-fruit-look-taste

3. Study: No-Till Farming Reduces Greenhouse Gas

[digest]Cropland that’s left unplowed between harvests releases significantly smaller amounts of a potent greenhouse gas than conventionally plowed fields, according to a new study that suggests no-till farming can combat global warming.

Researchers said the findings could also help farmers make more efficient use of the costly nitrogen-based fertilizers used to promote plant growth. No-till farming apparently slows the breakdown of fertilizers in the soil, they said.

The three-year, federally funded Purdue University study looked at the amount of nitrous oxide released by no-till fields compared to plowed fields. No-till farmers don’t plow under their fields between crops and disrupt the soil surface as little as possible, although they do cut into it to plant seeds and inject fertilizers.

The study found no-till fields released 57 percent less nitrous oxide than chisel tilling, in which plants are plowed back into the soil after harvest, said Purdue agronomist Tony Vyn, who led the research. They also produced 40 percent less gas than fields tilled with moldboard plows, which turn the dirt over onto itself.

Those numbers are averages, he said. Researchers looked at fields where corn and soybeans were alternated from year to year and others that were planted each year from corn. Emissions in fields where crops were rotated were lower than in those where they weren’t, he said.

Vyn said he was stunned by the large amounts of nitrous oxide his team detected in the air above the plowed fields compared with those that had long been farmed using the erosion-fighting no-till approach.

The results are particularly disconcerting in light of the fact that nitrous oxide packs 310 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas largely blamed for climate change, he said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined that nitrous oxide can remain in the atmosphere for 120 years, adding to its global warming impact.

“Because it’s so long lived, we need to do everything we can in terms of farming practices to reduce these releases,” Vyn said. “Once it’s released, it’s going to be in the air for a long time – longer than anyone’s lifetime.”

His team’s research results appear in the January-February issue of the Soil Science Society of America Journal.

Robert Horton, a professor of agronomy at Iowa State University who was not involved in the study, called the results exciting and said they highlight another potential benefit of no-till farming, which has already been shown to reduce erosion and improve soil quality.

“Now we can add an air quality advantage of no-till rotations to the list,” he said.

Vyn’s team conducted its research in fields Purdue maintains near the West Lafayette campus in rich soils that once were tall grass prairie. The university has farmed those fields for three decades using either no-till or one of the common plowing practices. The differences seen in the nitrous oxide emissions are likely due to variations in microbial life and soil chemistry created by the different farming practices, Vyn said.

Rodney Venterea, a soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research arm, said the Purdue study supports his research, which also found that scaling back on field plowing reduces nitrous oxide emissions.

But he said the release of the gas is complex and not simply a matter of one farming practice versus another. For example, he’s found no-till fields release more nitrous oxide than plowed land when fertilizer is applied to the soil surface rather than injected into the dirt. The Purdue researchers injected the liquid nitrogen fertilizer a few inches into the soil.

Venterea said it’s important to note those different outcomes because some no-till farmers still use the surface-application approach, instead of injecting fertilizer below the surface, where plant matter accumulates and bacteria and fungi are active and can break down chemicals.

“So if you can get your nitrogen fertilizer down below that active zone then that’s the best scenario,” he said. “The more nitrogen fertilizer that stays in the soil, the more that’s available for the plants and there’s less that can be released as (nitrous oxide) and other forms that have other environmental effects.”

Sixty-eight percent of the nitrous oxide emissions in the U.S. in 2008 came from farmland, according to an EPA report leased last year. It said U.S. emissions of the gas grew about 6 percent between 1990 and 2008.

Although the study looked at conventional farming techniques and industrial fertilizers, Vyn said manure used as fertilizer by some farmers, including organic farmers, can also release nitrous oxide if it is applied in large amounts.

link source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013845708_apusfoodandfarmnotill.html?syndication=rss

4. Detoxify heavy metals and soothe chronic inflammation with cilantro, a powerful ‘superherb’

[digest](NaturalNews) The anti-inflammatory and detoxification power of cilantro, a medicinal herb whose seeds are known as coriander, is greatly underrated and largely unknown in Western culture today. But if you suffer from a chronic inflammatory disease, which can manifest itself as arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, heart disease, brain fog, fatigue, and irritable bowel syndrome, and a number of other debilitating illnesses, then cilantro just might be the natural solution for you.

Rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids, and active phenolic compounds, cilantro has long been used by ancient cultures to prevent indigestion and other digestive disorders, and recent studies have confirmed that the herb does, indeed, help alleviate various stomach ailments. Dr. James A. Duke, Ph.D., a retired botanist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and author of The CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, for instance, says that drinking a cup of cilantro leaf tea can remedy any form of stomach discomfort (http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/benefits-of/cilantro).

Cilantro contains two specific compounds known as cineole and linoleic acid that both possess anti-arthritic and anti-rheumatic properties. Cilantro also contains a substance known as dodecenal that is twice as powerful as the antibiotic drug gentamicin at fighting infection and eradicating harmful microbes from the body. Cilantro is also a natural antiseptic that can help wounds heal more quickly, and is a natural chelator of heavy metals from the body.

As far as inflammation is concerned, researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, India, found that rats given a powdered extract of coriander seeds to treat rheumatoid arthritis experienced far less swelling and inflammation compared to rats given a steroid treatment for the condition. The research team also found that coriander extract can alleviate joint inflammation associated with other types of arthritis as well.

“We undertook this experiment after we found [cilantro’s] mention in the traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Unani for its anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic activities,” said Surender Singh, co-author of the study which was published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research. Traditional Ayurveda and Unani, after all, have long used cilantro, with much success, to treat inflammatory conditions (http://www.everydayhealth.com).

A 2004 study published in the journal Food Chemistry found similar benefits for both cilantro and coriander, but noted that cilantro leaf extracts are the most potent. Since those suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions have been found to have lower-than-normal antioxidant levels, and cilantro is a powerful antioxidant, it is hypothesized that the mechanism by which this medicinal herb alleviates inflammation is via its unique antioxidant content.

So how can you integrate cilantro into your own diet? Blending a handful of fresh, organic cilantro into your daily smoothie is one option (http://mariefrohlich.blogspot.com). You can also throw some cilantro in your regular juicing recipes, and also sprinkle it into salads, stews, and other meals. Chopped cilantro also tastes great when added to fresh salsas and dips, so you can try adding it to those recipes.

link source: http://www.naturalnews.com/035741_heavy_metals_cilantro_detox.html

5. Organic Veganism to Heal the Planet

[digest]Veganism will save our world. Adopting a plant-based diet can halt as much as 80% of global warming, eradicate world hunger, stop war, promote peace, andit will free up the Earth’s water as well as many other precious resources, offering a lifeline for the planet and for humanity. In short, it will very quickly halt many of the global problems facing us right now.

Many of these areas where we are seeing such devastating effects of climate change, such as Arctic melt, lands sinking, water shortage from glacier melt and even storms increasing are all directly related to the Earth’s temperature increasing. So, we must cool the planet, first and foremost. And the best way to stop global warming is to stop producing the greenhouse gases that create the heat.

We already know about the efforts to reduce emissions such as from industry and transportation. But changes in these sectors are taking too much time—more than we can afford at this rate, at this hour. One of the most effective and fastest ways to reduce the heat in the atmosphere is to eliminate methane production.

Methane not only traps up to 72 times more heat than carbon, it also goes away from the atmosphere much faster than CO2. So if we stop producing methane, the atmosphere will cool more quickly than if we stop producing carbon dioxide.

Organic vegan will produce a beneficial, cooling effect as it will cut down methane and other greenhouse gases which are fatal to our survival.

Organic, because we don’t want harmful chemicals to be sprayed everywhere, and running into our water, poisoning the river, the soil and all living things, making humans sick as well. Also organic because this practice will absorb huge amounts of CO2 already existing in the air, thus cooling our planet.

link source: http://www.crisis2peace.org/book.php?b=&wr_id=27

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