Free Republic

It's not hard to see how the sapphire tower gets its name. Image Credit: HannaTor/Shutterstock.com Sometimes in nature, there are events that we have to wait for. Some, like the upcoming American cicadapocaplypse might not be so popular – whereas, across the pond in Birmingham, UK, botanists are thrilled to reveal the blooming of their sapphire tower. The sapphire tower plant (Puya alpestri) from the Chilean Andes can take up to 10 years to flower. The plant is a member of the bromeliad family, distantly related to the pineapple. Normally found at high elevations of up to 2,200 meters (7,218...

NATIONAL CHERRY CHEESECAKE DAY April 23rd recognizes the food holiday National Cherry Cheesecake Day. Cookbooks and bakers offer a large variety of recipes for cherry cheesecake. Some cherry cheesecake recipes call for the cherries to be mixed into the batter and others place the cherries on top. #CherryCheesecakeDay This smooth dessert hits the spot when the end of the meal rolls around. While most cakes have a crumb, cheesecake’s texture is nothing like cake. Indeed, its creamy, thick pudding-like character comes from the soft cheese used as the main ingredient. Depending on the recipe, either cream cheese or cottage cheese...

Looking for the easiest landscape roses to grow? Look no further! These roses are low-maintenance and perfect for adding beauty to your garden. [WATCH THE VIDEO]

Despite the fact that fasting diets are all the rage, if you simply cut your daily caloric intake, weight loss will occur no matter when you eat, the study authors concluded. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News A head-to-head trial of obese, pre-diabetic people who ate the same amount of daily calories -- with one group following a fasting schedule and the other eating freely -- found no difference in weight loss or other health indicators. So, despite the fact that fasting diets are all the rage, if you simply cut your daily caloric intake, weight loss will occur no matter...

Irish folklore has many mythical characters such as the banshees or Tir na nOg, but according to one man Leprechauns are 100 per cent real. Kevin Woods, recognised as Ireland’s one and only leprechaun whisperer, recently shared astonishing claims on Ireland AM. During the broadcast, Woods, who comes from Carlingford, County Louth and affectionately known as McCoillte, shared some of the secrets involving leprechauns and their long history which has become intertwined with human spirits. Is British wine the next big thing? According to woods’ official website: ‘He talks to the 236 leprechauns that still exist there. They are affectionately...

The nurse in Germany jabbed up to 8,600 elderly people with ~saline solution The nurse administered the fake vaccines and left people without protection The defendant shared anti-vaxxer posts on social media during the pandemic Antje T jabbed up to 8,600 patients who were mainly hospital employees, educators and doctors above the age of 70 between March 5 and April 2021, leaving them with no protection against the deadly virus. Police told the court that she was able to introduce the saline solution undetected, because she was in charge of vaccine and syringe preparation during her shift at the vaccination...

Grow Culinary Herbs right at home. Includes tips on Soil Preparation, Planting, Fertilizing, Watering, Weed Control, Insects, Diseases, Harvesting and Storing.

14% of American adults are affected by chronic kidney disease – and anyone in that category should be very careful about how much watermelon they eat. A new series of case studies examines how a favorite fruit can cause life-threatening issues. There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a slurpy bite of watermelon on a hot day. With the US watermelon season fast approaching, many are looking forward to eating the naturally sweet fruit. And because watermelon is made up of 92% water, nothing in it can cause health problems, right? Not quite. A collection of three case studies recently published...

Popular kids’ food Lunchables has been found to contain large amounts of lead and ingredients linked to cancer in its pre-packaged meals, according to a new study. 12 Lunchable products were tested by Consumer Reports, which found that five contained over 50% more lead than California’s legal amount. Following the revelations, the quick-fix children’s lunch product, which has been used by parents for decades, could soon be removed from the shelves. Amy Keating, a dietitian at Consumer Report, stated: “There’s a lot to be concerned about in these kits.” “They’re highly processed, and regularly eating processed meat, a main ingredient...

Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra.

There are a lot of concerns about what may happen during the Total Solar Eclipse. Some well founded, and some...not so much. But what's going to happen to my garden? Let's take a look. - WATCH THE VIDEO -

Vermiculite. Learn what it is, the benefits of using it in gardening, and if it's safe to use. - Watch the Video -

A map of where two periodical cicada broods have been observed across the eastern U.S. shows the areas in which they are likely to emerge in the next few weeks. Experts are predicting that the two populations, which have been hibernating underground for over a decade, will appear at the same time, carpeting an area from southern Wisconsin to the Carolinas with as many as a hundred trillion bugs.

Ready to build a Raised Garden Bed? Here is detailed information on the Pros, the Cons, and the Costs of materials you can use such as stone, brick, metal, concrete block, and a variety of types of lumber...WATCH THE VIDEO

Spring is here, but still too cool here in N.W. Jersey too start my garden, and way too muddy with all of the rain. Need to dry out before I can work with it. Got a source for manure to turn in and a good sunny spot. Last year I planted some "Yellow Teardrop Tomatoes" never had them before and they were awesome! So sweet and full of flavor. Going to do more this year, 3 or 4 times as much, my friends keep asking me if I'm going to have them again.

The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the...

Short video on why you should not eat the Chinese garlic..................

Mar 18, 2024 As A Man Thinketh PODCAST - Making Sense of Agriculture and Society 0:08 Oregon enforces laws to shut down small farms in the name of water conservation, affecting many farmers. 4:26 Legal battle in Oregon impacting small farmers and agricultural practices. 8:50 Oregon implements restrictive water regulations impacting small farms, potentially labeling them as confined animal feeding operations. 12:51 Government crackdown on small farms in Oregon impacting market gardeners and farmers. 16:51 Government regulations impacting small farms and animal farmers despite sustainable practices

A railcar carrying 60,000 pounds of Dyno Nobel ammonia nitrate, a chemical fertilizer that also can be used to make explosives, left Cheyenne full and arrived two weeks later in California empty. (Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nearly a year after 30 tons of ammonium nitrate went missing on a train ride from Cheyenne to an old salt mining town in California, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is still investigating where and how the explosive fertilizer vanished. “The FRA investigation is still being finalized,” a spokesman with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s FRA told Cowboy State Daily in an...

Research in mice shows limited intakes of one particular essential amino acid can slow the impacts of aging and even lengthen their lifespan. Scientists are now wondering if these findings could help people improve their longevity and quality of life. Isoleucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids we use to build proteins in our bodies. It is essential for our survival, but since our cells can't produce it from scratch, we have to get it from sources like eggs, dairy, soy protein and meats. But there can always be too much of a good thing. Earlier research using data...