Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today - an On going Thread #2]

May 05th,2008

[nw_arizona_granny]

And yes... We want out. We love it here but things are getting out of control...,if the liberals would all move and take the illegals with them.... we’d stay.<<<

I don’t have a clue as to where you can escape them, you have sent so many over here, that my valley has been ruined and why people leave Calif. to escape the nutty laws and then get them enacted here, I will never understand.

I took a no destination trip and spent a week in Cedar City, Utah,fell in love with the town and even found a house, the Kuwait / Iraq war broke out that week and I had to come back and clean up the failing escrows, as so many of my real estate clients were from S. Calif. and as ex-military, got orders to come back.

Guess God didn’t want me there.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.westonaprice.org/splash_2.htm

he Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity founded in 1999 to disseminate the research of nutrition pioneer Dr. Weston Price, whose studies of isolated nonindustrialized peoples established the parameters of human health and determined the optimum characteristics of human diets. Dr. Price’s research demonstrated that humans achieve perfect physical form and perfect health generation after generation only when they consume nutrient-dense whole foods and the vital fat-soluble activators found exclusively in animal fats.

The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism. It supports a number of movements that contribute to this objective including accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. Specific goals include establishment of universal access to clean, certified raw milk and a ban on the use of soy formula for infants.

continues.

[Site is not known to me...But I don’t approve of soy formula’s...granny]

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/2379/

[He has the right photo to go with this story...LOL]

Priceless - Dog Tired

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard; I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head; he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep. An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.

Being curious, I pinned a note to his collar: ‘I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.’

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: ‘He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he’s trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/1354/

Beautiful dog.

Pest Control (Moles)

Tip from Ed Boomhower Vancouver, Washington

For years, I have rather successfully used water and my Belgian Malinois to search out and destroy moles. At first, I trained her to seek and destroy, but that was a mistake; turning a 6-oz. mole-digging problem for a 68-pound dog-digging problem. I re-trained her to snatch moles when they surface in the lawn area only - and do her search-and-destroy in the rest of the acreage.

My Belgian Malinois, Anka gets
her prey after water fills the runway,
and the nefarious mole has but one
way to go...permanently.

Anka get a mole.

Remove any sprayer from your hose. With your water turned on fully, firmly and continuously stick the end of the hose into the center of the mound until you reach the mole’s runway. Be ready to bend/kink your hose to slow or stop the flow.

Moles install ‘blockages’ within sections of runways, but I don’t know why. I DO know it’s true, because when the water starts to back up into the original hole opening, it often breaks away the dirt somewhere in the runway, allowing the water to continue flowing into further denizens.

This is a good thing, even if it only means you’re making more work for the mole.

If you find that the water is backing up out of the hole, kink your hose to stop the water, and - keeping the hose in the hole - place your foot over the hole and hose. Release the kink so the water will flow again. The pressure built up will 1) break the blockage, or 2) let you know that there is no more runway to be filled. The mole is either trapped and drowning - or it’s somewhere else, lurking around and waiting til you’re gone. It’s disturbing to think of a mole laughing at such a lot of work.

Once you have ‘made the rounds’ of the mole hills and cleared the dirt from the openings, attach the sprayer and clean up the area around the opening, washing the dirt into the holes. You have a few options at this point.

I go to the lowest and/or furthest mole hill and compress the area around the hole(s). These are hopefully the ends of runways. I then go to the highest or most central mole hill and run the water to flood the runways.

This usually either drowns the mole or the mole tries to escape, whereupon my trusty Belgian Malinois makes quick work of the beast. Whatever it is about moles, she will NOT eat them.

Alternately, if the area of infestation is relatively small - 5 to 10 meters or so - you can get your favorite beverage, a comfortable chair and a heavy shovel, then wait for the mole to push up some dirt.

Stealthily move to where the little varmint is doing it’s work (it may stop activity for a minute or two), and when you see dirt moving, slam the shovel base on the spot as hard as you can. Moles are highly sensitive to concussion, and that will usually do the trick... at least until the next mole comes around to use the runway.

To help prevent that problem, it is a good idea (and some work) to crush down the runways. This is best done in the Fall and/or early Spring when the ground is uniformly soft. I just soak whatever runways are detectable and rely on the rain to help, then go around and pound the runways with the hard heel of my rubber boots. It helps to be a big guy, but if you’re smaller, you can also use a couple of pieces of pipe made into a “T” - and filled with sand at the bottom for weight. Of course, that means you’ll build more muscles in your arms, back, shoulders, chest, etc., and that’s o.k., too...!!!

Once you are satisfied with that, get a load of dirt similar to your indigenous soil, spread it over the crushed down areas, apply grass seed and smooth it over with a rake (while making a crown - leaving the soil slightly higher along the center). Cover it with bark dust and you’re done. The end result looks awful until the new grass grows sufficiently, but it’s worth the effort in appearance AND you may well prevent a twisted ankle - or worse - later on.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/2527/

Pennyroyal for Fleas

Fleas on your pets

1) put 3 drops of pennyroyal on a nylon collar. This idea may be too strong for some cats. Pennyroyal should not be put directly on cats. Reports indicate that this technique works well even during heavy outbreaks.

2) There’s a new spinosad pill for pets that appears to be quite effective. It is called Comfortis

[Fred Nerks]

There's no doubt about you granny, you tell the best animal stories I've ever heard any one tell. I wish I had your talent... but let me tell about a terrible dream I had a couple of nights ago...

I dreamed we moved into an old farmhouse in the country with lots and lots of land, and (because it was a dream) the house came with a resident housekeeper. She did all the cooking and cleaning. My husband and I went for a walk, and as we were coming back, I asked him, where are the cats? And he said, Oh, I told the housekeeper she could make Pussy-Pate while we were away...we can always get another grey and another black cat...

Next thing I know, I am sitting up in bed, screaming at punching him! I'm so upset I want to kill him! Until I realized it was a nightmare. Poor fellow, it took me ages to explain why I was screaming at him and hitting him.

Here they are, my precious Bessie and her black brother Peppi:

sorry the image is so large, I don't know how to reduce it.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/127/

Paragmagnetism Effects on Plant Growth

Acres USA September 2000 by Thomas M. Dykstra, Ph.D.

Much has happened in the past 10 years since Phil Callahan first made the association between plant vitality and the force found in nature called paramagnetism. Many experiments have been conducted, including industry research, in which a significant increase in plant growth and vitality is observed when paramagnetic rock is incorporated into the soil or spread across its surface. Some of the earlier trials have been reported in Phil Callahan’s book entitled Paramagnetism -Rediscovering Nature’s Secret Force of Growth, and in Acres U.S.A. articles, while others have gotten less attention from the media, including research done in Florida by students in consultation Dr. Callahan and myself - with remarkable results. This article, however, is not so much an effort to show the effects of the paramagnetic force on growing plants, but rather an attempt to focus on disputing the major criticism of this type of research.

Throughout these years, I have seen criticism come from those who purport that it is not the force that drives plant growth, but rather the mineral content of the rock dust that affords the plant the proper nutrients. No one can deny the importance that minerals play in plant nutrition, but neither should mainstream science deny that forces, subtle or otherwise, have an important bearing on plant vitality.

What both proponents and critics of paramagnetism can agree on is that rock dust has been shown to increase plant vitality. This common ground is not enough for peaceful relations because it is the mechanism by which plant vitality is enhanced that is still not clear, and may not be for decades to come. Some recent experiments, conducted under our laboratory’s supervision, sought to shed some light on this dilemma.

In experiments conducted over the past year, we have attempted to isolate the paramagnetic force from the minerals through three different but related experiments. Since our laboratory deals with subtle forces in the environment on life, we felt it important to describe these results in order to help support the hypothesis that growing plants not only need certain forms of energy, such as from the sun, but also certain forces, namely paramagnetic forces, that may be found naturally in some soil systems.

Before I begin with the description of the experiments, it is worth analyzing the claim that volcanic rock dust effects growing plants strictly via the minerals it imparts to the soil. There can be no doubt that minerals leach into the soil due to weathering from all types of rock. However, most people are aware that rock erosion is not a rapid phenomenon. Rocks take thousands and even millions of years to completely break down. For this reason, erosion over the course of a growing season would be incredibly small and maybe even difficult to measure in some parts of the country. For a given quantity of rock, there will be far more surface area for pulverized material than for a single rock. Since many studies, including some conducted in this laboratory, have been able to achieve success using paramagnetic rock to increase plant growth/vitality, and considering the limited possibility of erosion and leaching in such a short span of time, this would seem to suggest paramagnetic force as a major factor.

For the first of three experiments, we coordinated with Hannah Horvath, of Titusville, Florida, who completed a project where she investigated the effects of regular potting soil, potting soil plus a vial containing paramagnetic soil buried under the soil line, as well as potting soil with the addition of a common magnet (ferromagnetic) on the wildflower Zinnia elegans. Horvath obtained from the lab a plastic vial containing some paramagnetic ash which measured a vigorous 3,000 CGS [CGS: centimetergrams-seconds; the weight of paramagnetic material that will move one centimeter to a magnet in one second], despite there being only 11 grams of the material. Horvath completely submerged the plastic vial in the soil. The paramagnetic soil was directly adjacent to the potting soil by virtue of its being buried in it, but no direct contact occurred.

The zinnias in the regular soil achieved an average height of 4.8 inches; the plants in the soil with the ferromagnetic material reached a height of only 4 inches; while the soil containing the vial of paramagnetic rock dust (ash) had plants averaging 6.3 inches in height Although there was no data collected to support other measurements, it was observed that the stems were thicker, the leaves were broader, and there was a more extensive root growth in those plants that grew in the soil containing the vial with the paramagnetic ash. These observations are no different from reports that have come into this laboratory where the paramagnetic rock was either spread over the soil or incorporated into the soil. The results are shown in Figure 1.

Ross Whitty is a local student here in Gainesville, Florida. For two years he completed his science projects regarding the effects of paramagnetic soil on growing plants. Because he received heavy criticism of the usual type from the judges, he decided in his third year that he would try and isolate the paramagnetic force from the minerals in the paramagnetic soil by enclosing I the paramagnetic soil in film canisters, similar to what Horvath did for her experiment. Whitty went further, however, and created serial type dilutions by filling the film canisters with increasing amounts of paramagnetic dust so that he could obtain readings of 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,000, and 2,000 CGS.. Whitty then proceeded to test these various canisters for their effects on radish development.

The gradual increase in paramagnetic force between the different canisters, when submerged in the soil, resulted in a proportionate increase in the developing root length, plant mass, and root density of the radishes, shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4.

These results should be clearly understood. Recall that it is only the paramagnetic material within the film canister that measured between 200 and 2,000 CGS, not the actual soil the radish was planted in. Phil Callahan has found that healthy sail, measured in many places around the world, will register between 300 and 700 CGS. He has found that simply adding rock measuring 5,000 around CGS will not increase the soil CGS to 5,000. What happens instead is that there will be a modest increase in the soil CGS reading due to the dilution factor. Therefore, it cannot be determined what the final CGS reading would be at different positions in the soil for Whitty’s experiments, only that the CGS levels have necessarily increased due to the presence of the very high-level paramagnetic substance in the film canisters. It is not known whether there is an upper limit for paramagnetic effects on growing plants, but if there is one, it seems Whitty did not reach that point because the results increased linearly and did not “level off,” which is what would be expected if an optimal effect has been observed. Carefully controlled research in the future may help to reveal some important questions regarding this phenomenon.

Finally, Roger Haring, an agronomist working in our laboratory, decided to test the effects of the paramagnetic force on growing plants as well. Haring decided to isolate the paramagnetic force from the soil by surrounding a mere 3 grams of paramagnetic, rock dust with parafilm. With previous experience growing mung bean, Vigna radiata, he decided to continue his work with this Asian crop by testing its interaction with the paramagnetic force. Since previous results had already shown that paramagnetism has beneficial effects on plants through out their life cycle, he chose growing mung bean, Vigna radiata, he decided to continue his work with this Asian crop by testing its interaction with the paramagnetic force. Since previous results had already shown that paramagnetism has beneficial effects on plants through out their life cycle, he chose solely to focus in on germination rates. For this reason, Haring ran his experiments for only 10 days and then observed the effect paramagnetism had on the seedling as well as the early stem and leaves. Even though his results were modest, owing to the short periods in which he ran the experiments, he still recorded significant effects.

Haring germinated mung bean seeds on moist cotton media with or without an adjacent pouch of paramagnetic soil wrapped in parafilm. He repeated this experiment a total of 15 times. Haring found that he could obtain, on average, a 19 percent increase in stem length, a 15 percent increase in leaf length, a 17 percent increase in total plant biomass and a 3 percent increase in the dry weight of the early roots after only 10 days. His findings are represented in Figure 5. The dry-weight increase of the early roots, though small, surprised us because the roots had absolutely no soil in which to grow. For this reason, we might not expect any difference to occur at this stage of development.

We have found that it is often the case that paramagnetism exerts its effects on the roots -through the roots may be more appropriate terminology. This is a trend that had been noted before the round of experiments just reported, and the results from these three experiments help contribute to this hypothesis. Both Horvath and Whitty found a significant difference between root development in their most recent experiments; however, the information they reported was only observational (qualitative versus quantitative) which far from disqualifying these results only prevents their publication in scientific journals. Even Haring achieved a small but surprising increase in dry root weight of mung bean after only a 10day experiment with no soil.

The paramagnetic effect exerting its force selectively or more powerfully on the root system shouldn’t be difficult to understand. The roots are in closer contact with the paramagnetic soil than the stem or leaves. Large, healthy roots would naturally lead to more vigorous growth of the plant above the soil as well, but it seems these benefits may only be a secondary effect. The primary effect appears to be on the roots, and it is strongly felt that long term controlled studies would reveal properties that would hold for all plants.

Once the paramagnetic rock has been discovered in a particular location, removal and distribution of the rock would be most efficiently accomplished by a mining company, since they have the infrastructure already in place. Additionally, many of the mines currently being excavated may already show great promise for paramagnetic, activity, especially those mines that are volcanic in origin (and there may be hundreds in this country alone). Furthermore, land reclamation has become increasingly important to American-based mining companies due to present environmental laws which require these companies to reclaim land which is disrupted due to mining activities. Since most of the high-level research on paramagnetism is currently being handled by mining companies in their research and development departments, continued involvement in this research can be anticipated, and we encourage others to do the same.

Recognizing the effects of paramagnetic forces on the growth of plants is the motivation behind Phil Callahan’s book Paramagnetism -Rediscovering Nature’s Secret Force of Growth. This book, and Harvey Lisle’s exploration of the same in The Enlivened Rock Powders, are both available from Acres U.S.A. Call 1-800-355-5313 to order.
Figure 1. Effects of soil containing sealed paramagnetic material and a Ferro magnet on the growth of zinnias.
Figures 2 - 4. Various exposures of sealed paramagnetic matter to young radishes; effect on root length, plant mass, and root density
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5. Results of in house study of mung bean sprouts exposed to paramagnetic material; percent increase over control plants.

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This article is about what i expected.

800 years ago, in India, they were experimenting with wrapping a copper wire around the branches of sick trees and it healed them.

It is thought that the wire attracts electricity of power to help them grow.

Rodale also experimented with the different methods of metals and growing plants.

I have for years, taken both ends out of a vegetable can and pushed it about half way down, being careful not to hit the roots, and used that to ward off cut worms and as a power ring.

I am not a scientist, never had a class in school, so can’t answer a lot of questions, but it is free and does no harm.

When I planted trees, Mary came and ‘directed me’, dug a super large hole and put many cans in the hole, then soil, then went on with planting the tree.

She said the can would hold and collect water and the roots would go deep to get to the water, stay cooler in the summer and the can will rot in time.

In the desert, we have a difficult time with plants putting out shallow roots and not deep ones.

granny

Very interesting:

http://www.google.com/search?q=paramagnetic+rock&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:8bfkd09ube0J:harmonygardens.blogspot.com/2008/01/paramagnetic-rock.html+paramagnetic+rock&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Paramagnetic Rock

Paramagnetic Rock for Increased Plant Growth

By Calvin F. Bey, CFBey1936@cox.net http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com

What Is Paramagnetic Rock?
Physicists tell us that all matter has an electrical ability to be either attracted or repelled by a magnet. If matter is attracted to a magnet, it is said to be paramagnetic. If the matter is repelled, it is said to be diamagnetic. There are big differences in degree of attraction and repulsion among various materials. The paramagnetic of many elements and compounds can be found in physics handbooks. The actual paramagnetic values of rocks, metals, fertilizers, elements, and soils can be measured with a magnetic meter (called the Phil Callahan Soil Meter), available from Pike Labs (see www.pikeagri.com ).

While many materials are paramagnetic, it is the highly magnetic volcanic rock that is used as the soil additive and conditioner. To understand how it works, think of paramagnetic rock as a conduit for gathering the electro-magnetic energy of the cosmos. In the soil, this “gathering power” sets up a flow of energy from the paramagnetic material to other material that is diamagnetic (e.g. plant material and compost). The higher the soil CGS value, the higher will be the flow of energy. It is this flow of energy that is responsible for increased microbial development and the resulting plant growth. Other paramagnetic materials include charred wood, ash, air, oxygen, water, calcium, potassium, sodium, and soil. . As a rule, the paramagnetic rock is not a provider of minerals for the plants. The values of paramagnetic rock can be as high as 9,000 or more. Paramagnetic rock is sometimes referred to as lava sands. Many soils will have paramagnetic values that are less than 100, with some as low as 25. These will not be highly productive soils. The unit of measure is CGS, (centimeter/grams/second), which is gauss/million, i.e. the measurement of the magnetic flux density.

Most organic molecules, e.g. plants, are diamagnetic. You can actually observe this. Try transplanting very tiny carrot plants, with hair-like roots. As you stick the carrot root into a small hole in the soil, the carrot root actually bends as if attracted by the soil (which is exactly what is taking place).

Soils with high organic matter and high biological activity are usually higher in paramagnetic values. Paramagnetic values can also be increased by correcting the calcium/magnesium ratio (to the 7:1ideal ratio) and raising the oxygen levels in the soil. All the systems in the soil work together. The higher the organic matter in the soil, and the accompanying biological activity, the more effective will be the addition of paramagnetic rock. The following soil paramagnetic readings can serve as a guide:

0-100 = not good soil

100-300= good soil

300-700 = very good soil

700-1,200 = excellent soil

The Value of Paramagnetic Rock: The most important point about paramagnetism is that it contributes to plant growth. Dr. Phil Callahan, the guru in this discipline, says unequivocally, that paramagnetism is required for plant growth. He and others list the values of high paramagnetic soils as increased water retention, increased microbial stimulation, improved nutrient utilization, and something referred to as increased light energy. Other benefits in the soil include increased seed germination and flowering, improved insect resistance, increased frost and drought hardiness, and more earthworms in the soil. It has also been shown to assist in overcoming the effects of toxins (atrazine) in the soil.

Paramagnetic rock can also be beneficial when added to compost piles. It increases the biological activity, which in turn speeds up the rates of decomposition.

Australian agriculture consultant, Graeme Sait, (author of the book Nutrition Rules!)
now tests all his clients’ soils for paramagnetic value. If low, he recommends a highly paramagnetic rock. Callahan, in his book, Paramagnetism, writes about the great healing places in the world as being highly paramagnetic. Likewise there are interesting facts connecting paramagnetism to Round Towers in Ireland, as well as at Indian mounds and the Pyramids.

Rates Of Application and Placement: Paramagnetic rock of high quality (CGS 9,000+) is available from Nitron Industries in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area. The rate of application is dependent on the CGS values of paramagnetic rock and the soil to which it is to be applied. For my garden, my goal is to get the paramagnetic value in the 300-700 (very good) range. I have a good soil, and have increased the organic matter content to about 4%, but before adding any paramagnetic rock, the paramagnetic value averaged 85. I did some testing, and by thoroughly mixing paramagnetic rock (with a CGS of 9,000) to an 8-inch depth, with rates of ¼ pound, ½ pound, and 1 pound per square foot, I could raise the CGS values of my garden soil to 250, 475, and 565 respectively. A cup of paramagnetic rock weighs about ½ pound. I have tested many garden soils in the area, and almost all are below 100, with some as low as 25. I have now applied 1 pound per square foot over my entire garden. This may seem like a very high rate, but remember that the magnetic, energy-collecting value remains in place for centuries.

Preliminary testing of paramagnetic rock in my garden showed increased growth of newly set out strawberry plants, and slightly higher brix reading(0.5 ) for tomatoes. Be aware that the effect will likely increase with time. The likely first action in the soil is to increase the microbial activity, which in turn will likely release soil minerals. Paramagnetic rock is not a substitute for minerals, and will likely not fully correct soils that are seriously deficient or out of balance in minerals. However, as the soil improves, the paramagnetic rock will enhance plant growth and fruit production.

For gardens and other areas that can be worked, mix the paramagnetic rock into the top 6-8 inches of soil. The soil does not need to be roto-tilled. You can do the mixing with a garden fork.

For areas where plants are already established, like lawns and trees, simple spread it on the surface. Over time, the soil microbes and earthworms will move it down into the soil where it is most beneficial. By adding compost or mulch, you can increase the earthworm activity and speed up the incorporation process.

References:

Callahan, Phillip S. 1995. Paramagnetism —Rediscovering Nature’s Secret Force of Growth. 128 pages. See www.acresusa.com.

Sait, Graeme. 2003. Nutrition Rules! 308 pages. See www.acresusa.com

Callahan, Phillip S. and others. Paramagnetism Rountable - State of the Art. Tape from 2001 Acres U.S.A. Conference. See www.acresusa.com .
Posted by Harmony Gardens at 4:57 AM

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Insect control:

http://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+paramagnetic+forces+on+the+growth+of+plants&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

---

http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:NWcfMKgYln4J:www.gutenberg.org/files/25566/25566.txt+in+India,+they+were+experimenting+with+wrapping+a+copper+wire+around+the+branches+of+sick+trees&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Title: Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Fifteenth Annual Meeting
New York City, September 3, 4 and 5, 1924

Author: Various

Editor: Northern Nut Growers Association

Release Date: May 23, 2008 [EBook #25566]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTHERN NUT GROWERS ***

[The book appears to be at this link, has growing and healing of trees information...granny]

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http://www.google.com/search?q=wrapping+a+copper+wire+around+the+branches+of+sick+trees&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://www.google.com/search?q=in+India%2C+they+were+experimenting+with+wrapping+a+copper+wire+around+the+branches+of+sick+trees&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Bonzai trees:and wire

http://www.google.com/search?q=wrapping+a+copper+wire+around+the+branches+of++plant&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&sa=2

http://www.google.com/search?q=wrapping+a+copper+wire+around+the++plant+to+increase+growth&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&sa=2

#
Water relations, temperature, and growth of wheat grown with magnets
latter value agreed with the measured increase in temperature (0.5 ° C) for ... Two important factors controlling plant growth are water and temperature. ... Electromagnets were made by wrapping insulated copper wire on soft iron rods ...
www.springerlink.com/index/G9QJ4P3117T43822.pdf - Similar pages
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Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home - Google Books Result
by Denise Linn - 1996 - Body, Mind & Spirit - 308 pages
Here is a ritual you can perform with a house plant that contributes to ... times around a circular object. If you use small copper wire then you can wrap ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=034539769X...

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http://www.google.com/search?q=wrapping+a+copper+wire+around+the++plant+to++attract+electromagnetic+waves&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&sa=2

http://www.google.com/search?q=++around+the++plant+to++attract+electromagnetic+waves&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&sa=2

#
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
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blue.utb.edu/biology/Oliva/notes_photosynthesis.htm - 15k - Cached - Similar pages
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1500mm/420led/20w/T8 LED plant grow light
Grow lights are electric lamps designed to promote plant growth by emitting an electromagnetic spectrum ... Most plants use around 9% of the light emitted from Halide lamps and ... Grow Season Since the Chlorophyll does not have to battle with unwanted light-waves, ... Upload your photo to attract more business! ...
www.alibaba.com/product-gs/210058150/1500mm_420led_20w_T8_LED_plant.html - 47k - Cached - Similar pages
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HSC Online
The electromagnetic spectrum consists of waves of varying wavelengths. These waves include visible light, infra-red radiation and ultraviolet radiation. ...
www.hsc.csu.edu.au/biology/options/communication/2950/CommPart2.html - 24k - Cached - Similar pages
10.
Plant a Pollinator Garden… Please! « The Moral Equivalent of War
If you haven’t read about the rising wave of problems with crashing bee ... In a nutshell, bee colonies are dying off around the world, and no-one really knows why. ... Perhaps it’s due to microwaves and other electromagnetic radiation ... with some hop vines… hopefully those will attract more pollinators as well. ...
moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/03/24/plant-a-pollinator-garden-please/ - 41k - Cached - Similar pages

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This search, covers many interesting subjects:

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[nw_arizona_granny]

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Page 1

Radionics and Gardening

by Lutie Larsen

Our primary goal in gardening is to learn, and to teach our children, respect for
the earth and the life it supports. We try to understand and practice stewardship in
every aspect of our lives, home, family, flocks, and fields.
Second, we strive to be as self-sustaining as possible while still interacting with our community.

With a family of 12 my husband and I, eight boys, and two girls a garden is a necessity for self-sufficiency.

We eat the fruits in season and freeze and dry the surplus. I previously canned much of our food, but now
prefer the food value-retaining quality of frozen or dehydrated produce. And even in the middle of
winter, at least 50% of our diet comes from fresh garden vegetables. In addition to our main vegetable
garden, we have two orchards of peach, apple, and cherry trees; a grove of walnut, almond, and filbert
trees; berries and grapes; and a feed garden and an alfalfa crop for our animals. Our livestock includes
chickens, ducks, rabbits, bees, and a few cows.

Our 1985 main garden consists of a 55’ x 100’ plot of eight 85’ North-South raised beds and two 50’
east-west raised beds. Small trenches, used for composting or for sheltering nursery plants, run alongside
each North-South bed. A squash area (containing spaghetti, zucchini, acorn, and crookneck varieties), a
grape arbor, tomato and potato boxes, a celery bed, and sage and eggplant plots form the western
border of the garden. The eastern edge is made up of herbs and naturally growing plants: nettles,
peppermint, bamboo, parsley, Comfrey, horsetail, Jerusalem artichokes, and purple loosestrife.

THE PLAN — Much of our garden’s success is due to an organized system of rotating beds and succession
planting. Let me give some examples of what we’re doing this year (1985). We started with three early
vegetable beds. When the spinach and peas are picked, the vines will be used to side-dress the early
corn, some of which is planted in trenches as well as in the beds.

In May, cantaloupe, honeydew melons,
and watermelons will be inter planted with the corn, and by the time they start to spread, the adjacent
beds will be free to provide runner room. When the corn is ready to harvest, the stalks will be pulled and
fed to the cows and chickens, and a fall crop of beans will go into the beds.

A summer planting of beets
will occupy the trenches alongside some of the bean beds, and will provide fall greens.

After we harvest the early peas and carrots in another bed, we will plant a wide variety in a small area, so
I can just nip right out before dinner and cut everything I need for a salad from one bed. There are leaf
crops (spinach, lettuce, summer savory) root crops (beets, onions, carrots, radishes, green onions, turnips),
cold crops (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts), fruiting and leguminous crops (peas, beans,
cucumbers, peppers, patio tomatoes), sprouts (sunflowers, buckwheat, wheatgrass, oats), and lots of
herbs. Most of these crops can be replanted during the summer to provide a steady supply.

In the late
fall, the beds will be planted in peas for an early crop next spring. Another fall planting will be of early
spring greens. This will go in the trench next to the bed that now holds tomatoes, basil, and parsley.

SPECIAL TECHNIQUES — One of our special techniques is to compost all of the plant material in the
trenches beside the beds rather than in a separate compost pile. This way, the compost is easy to make
and readily accessible. We throw all the weeds into the trenches, and once a week we fill the remaining [continues below]

Kelly Research Report

is published by Kelly Research Technologies, Post Office Box 128, 121 Oasis Road, Lakemont, Georgia, 30552.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Ed Kelly.

Kelly Research Report
is published bimonthly. Copyright in the United States. Reproduction in whole or in part is
forbidden unless written permission has been granted by the publisher. Annual subscription rate is $25.00 in North America, $40.00 (U.S. Dollars) else
where. Single copies and back issues are $5.00 each. Correspondence and subscription requests should be sent to
Kelly Research Report
at the above
address. Expiration date for a subscription is shown in brackets following the subscriber’s name on the address label. Publication of this newsletter in
no way constitutes a claim that psychotronic, radionic or scalar technology devices are effective in the treatment of disease or other human ailments.

These devices are designed to be used for personal research and/or agricultural purposes only. We are not in the business of treating people and/or
teaching to treat people to treat people. Persons with mental or physical illnesses should be referred to qualified medical practitioners licensed by
federal, state or local agencies. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the accuracy, efficacy or effects of material presented here or material
submitted by readers. This material represents research that is being passed on for enlightenment of others who are following, or wish to follow,
similar paths.

Find us online at www.kellyresearchtech.com!
Kelly Research Report
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Vol. 1, No. 4
Page 2
Kelly Research Report
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Vol. 1, No. 4

space with any other plant residue, as well as cuttings from the many Comfrey plants. The greens are
chopped up with a shovel and tilled or turned under to begin the composting process. Then, for the next
three to five days, the trenches are watered and turned each morning and evening. The result is lovely
and quickly made compost. We also add barnyard manure and soiled litter to some compost trenches
each year for a slow-curing but even better product. This year we’ll make manure compost in two of the
trenches and weed compost in two others.

P.S. July 1985: So far our production has been amazing. In fact, we took video pictures of the plot
because it was so unbelievable! At the time of this writing, seven spaghetti squash have produced 80
fruits; each potato plant we’ve dug has 15 to 18 pounds of potatoes, many of which measure 9 to 10
around, with no hollow centers; and the cherry tomatoes hang in huge grapelike clusters. I attribute the
vitality of the plants and the pest and disease free conditions of the garden to one of the more
controversial methods in agricultural research today:

radionics.

RADIONICS — The study of radionics/psychotronics in agriculture has developed enormously over the
past ten years. Radionics is based on the theories that (l) all matter radiates electromagnetic waves,
known in the science world as NMR (neutron magnetic resonance) and EMR (electronic magnetic
resonance), and (2) the radiation’s emitted by different matter (plants, insects, organisms) can be
detected and selectively measured. A radionic tuner is a remote-control electronic device that uses
electromagnetic frequencies to produce profound physical and chemical changes within an organism.

Much of the work in radionics has centered around pest control, in which certain vibrations that will
disturb and destroy the growth of a particular insect are introduced into a specific area of cropland
(often by treating a photo of the plot). The research that’s been done in the past few years has pointed
out that there are basic natural energies, and the key to good agriculture lies in working with these
energies. For example, anything that distorts the naturally occurring electromagnetic flows through the
land will also affect the plants growing on that land. The idea is to balance the electromagnetic flows in
the earth and support plant growth with vibrations that encourage plant vitality.

Now where do I come in on all of this? My interest in radionics began as I better understood companion
and succession planting. As I watched the plants more carefully, I realized that they affect one another
and that there seemed to be fields of energy around each plant and its root system. About this time I was
introduced to the principles of biodynamic/French-intensive gardening and matrix planting.

The garden
became my personal laboratory and Mother Earth my teacher. When I was later invited to speak about
my gardening techniques at the United States Psychotronics Association convention, I discovered that my
radiant gardening ideas closely followed those of radionics.

My techniques include using magnets to polarize seeds...orienting my transplants (using the pendulum
method) to reduce shock...spraying the plants with bug juice (a blend of undesirable pests)...

string a
copper wire antenna in a North-South orientation above a row of plants to attract and focus energy on
the plants...and placing stone pillars on the north and south ends of the garden to help create an energy
flow through the garden.

Another technique I use is watering new plants with a strong, jelly-like mixture of
Comfrey tea. The Comfrey stimulates growth and the jelly-like quality holds the water close to the roots.
I purchased a radionic tuner for $650 in 1981, and since than I have used it to electronically treat the
transplants to prevent shock or to stimulate plant growth. By introducing vibrations that balance the
electromagnetic flows around the plants, I am able to sustain vigorous growth in the plants and thus
discourage pests from attacking. For me, radionics has been an ideal, practical means for becoming a
true steward of my land.

The above article has been reprinted with permission from Green Thumbs & Blue Ribbons, Special Edition
#15. Copyright Mother Earth News 1986 all rights reserved.)
The above article is also available in KRT’s own Psychotronics Book I: Ideas and Innovators ($15.00)

[nw_arizona_granny]

They are beautiful babies.

I can show you their twins, both feral and untouchable.

I wanted the Blue in the house, but could never catch her, she is so sweet and sits for hours watching me through the window, less than 6 feet from me.

Her mother is the black wild cat that got in, never knew when or how and it took almost a year to get her out.

When I was getting desperate to get rid of her, she laid so I could see she was a mother and in time, the babies appeared, one was a blue and wild, one black and siamese.

The siamese and I were getting right friendly, until the mother had a talk with her and then I realized that she was actually teaching all 3 of them how to attack me, and my legs were masses of scratches.

Ha ha, came the day that I had a chicken carcass and put it just outside the door, LOL, got the babies out, but not her, until she came in season, that she needed her rump rubbed and kept rubbing my foot, wham, I had her and out the door, only took about 9 months to catch her.

I can believe that you were beating your husband, I would also.

Lots of folks are having nightmares, between the failing economy and terrorism, it is not a surprise.

Did you see the dog story, just below the one I pinged you to.

So much beauty in the world, and your cats are beautiful.

Thank you for sharing.

[nw_arizona_granny]

[On this page about the middle are Organic garden classes in Arkansas and Oklahoma]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/

Sweet Corn, Paramagnetic Rock, and More

By Calvin F. Bey

The seed catalog says, “Sweet Corn, Country Gentleman (Shoe-peg) - 95 days.” I grew this 1890 Heirloom variety successfully in 2007, and decided to grow it again in 2008, using some new techniques. I have been a gardener for more than 50 years, but what followed surprised me.

I teach a gardening course, Biological/Organic Gardening and More, so I am always trying new crops and new ideas that may help gardeners become more sustainable. In addition, I strive to develop practices that make for effective but easy gardening. I have double-dug, raised beds and actually work the soil as little as possible. I never use a tiller. I have a silty-clay-loam soil, with 5 percent organic matter content, and have been fertilizing with organic materials for seven years. Here in Northwest Arkansas, we have a long growing season, so sweet corn can be planted over an extended time to get several successive pickings, even with 95-day corn.

Oats and/or Austrian winter peas make excellent fall/winter cover crops in our climate. The oats is my cover crop choice for beds that can be planted from mid-August through September. The oats will grow to 30 inches in height by the end of November, and then winter-kill when the temperature gets below 20 degrees. The oats generally fall over, mat down, and provide a thick bed of straw mulch for soil protection and weed control until I am ready to plant in the spring and summer. The Austrian Winter Peas are my choice for a late season cover crop, i.e. anything planted after October 1. The peas stop growing in December and resume again in February, and in the process, fix a lot of nitrogen in the soil.

For the bed where the 95-day corn was to be planted, I used Austrian winter peas for the fall/winter cover crop. In mid-May I cut off the 3-foot pea vines at the ground line, and laid them back on the beds for mulch, I did not till or work the soil in any way. Two weeks later, (June 2), I planted the Country Gentleman corn.

This year I added soil and foliar fertilizer mixes, as recommended on the basis of soil tests, by International Agriculture Labs, basically following the Reams system. All the soil fertilizers were simply added to the surface. In addition, I have become a strong believer in the use of paramagnetic rock for building soil energy. In the fall of 2007, before I planted the peas, I added one pound of paramagnetic rock per square foot, to all of my garden beds. My original garden soil had paramagnetic values of 80 -100 CGS, but by mixing the paramagnetic rock in the soil, to an 8-inch depth, I raised the CGS values to over 500. I felt that would be a good paramagnetic value starting point.

I have been gardening for 50 years and have been following the organic approach for more than 35. Yet what happened with this year’s sweet corn is an unusual story. Remember now, this is 95-day corn, and I planted it late, so we could be eating it in late August and early September.

Here are the results. In three days after planting, the corn was up and it began to grow. In 30 days the corn was 6 feet tall, in 40 days it was 9 feet, in 50 days it was 12 feet, and on the 59th day from planting, we ate sweet corn with a Brix reading of 20. A few days later, the harvested corn had Brix values from 24-30. Any gardener would be happy to have these results. So what is the explanation for my corn reaching maturity in 59 days?

I strongly suspect that the paramagnetic rock was a big contributor for the rapid growth and early maturity. Many studies by Dr. Phil Callahan, Malcom Beck, and others attest to an increase in growth and other desirable traits for plants in soils where paramagnetic values are high. Dan Skow, D.V.M. and Charles Walters Jr. in their book, Mainline Farming for Century 21, point out that the growing season for 110-day corn can be shortened by creating a powerful magnetic field. In the mid-west corn belt, 110-day corn matures in about 110 days, whereas in central Mexico, where the magnetic field is less, it takes 9 months. See also The Non-Toxic Farming Hand book by Phillip A Wheeler, Ph.D. and Ronald B Ward, Biological Farm Management System Handbook by Bruce Tainio, and Graeme Sait in Nutrition Rules! for explanations and the value of paramagnetic rock. It’s critical to understand that paramagnetic rock does not substitute for lack of minerals. The mineral content and mineral ratios need to be correct. Besides increasing growth and shortening the time to maturity, paramagnetic rock can increase frost hardiness, winter hardiness, insect and disease resistance, soil water holding capacity, microbial activity, flowering, and drought hardiness, as well as improve nutrient utilization.

Although what I have done, shortening the growing season, is not new, it’s the magnitude of the change that is amazing. I point all this out because I think that we as gardeners can all decrease the time from planting to harvest, and simultaneously increase production and quality simply by following good soil nutrition rules and by raising the soil paramagnetic values. Shortening the growing season is not an academic endeavor. It’s important from an economic standpoint for market gardeners, and it’s critical in the northern climates, where early frosts can often curtail production. I will be experimenting further to shorten the growing season for a marginal crop in this area – figs.

If there is a negative in this, it’s that the season for harvesting the sweet corn was also shortened. I had a similar situation with my Golden Bantam sweet corn this year, in that the time to maturity and harvesting period were both reduced. I believe that the shortened harvesting period can be remedied for growers simply by planting smaller, successive crops. In fact, once you understand the dynamics for your crops, it may make marketing easier to manage. After seeing what was occurring with the corn, I planted some cherry bell radishes, just to observe growth rates. When planted on August 9th, we were eating fully developed radishes in 18 days. Again, that was a substantial reduction from what I normally expect in our area.

I encourage gardeners and farmers to give paramagnetic rock a fair trial. For measuring the paramagnetic values, you will want a Phil Callahan Soil Meter, which is available from Pike Agri-Labs Supplies, Inc. located in Jay, Maine. The bottle-neck for many will be finding a source of the paramagnetic rock. Fortunately here in Northwest Arkansas, we have an organic farm and garden supply store (Nitron Industries in Johnson, AR) that purchased a big load of paramagnetic rock. The paramagnetic value of the rock is very high, testing over 10,000 CGS. The rock was purchased from Doug Murray, in Paw Paw, Michigan. Call Doug Murray at 269-930-9309 for details. He gets the rock from Canada, and can deliver it to any site.

I have been excited about this energy-building rock, since I first read about it. My vision was that my entire garden and eventually my entire 2 acres would be fully charged with magnetic energy, assisted by the paramagnetic rock. I visualize the entire site as an energy bubble, extending from below ground to above the plant surfaces. This was the first full year that the rock was applied to the garden, and the Brix levels of the produce have increased considerably. Better nutrition surely helped too. I have grown Moon and Stars watermelons for several years and their size has been in the range described in the catalogues, i.e. 10 - 25 pounds. Not this year! All the melons were considerably larger, several exceeding 40 pounds.

Another observation this year has been the increase in the number of birds and their activity. Since early spring, we consistently had more bird species in our garden area, in pairs, mating and nesting, than any previous year. It was like they found our energy bubble island, they liked it, and they decided to stay. We didn’t mind, even the feeding of 30 or more hummers all summer.

The idea that energy is a key component to the biological gardening and farming approach is not always easy to explain or sell, especially to the conventional gardeners and farmers. When folks see my 12 foot corn in 50 days, eating it at day 59, and with a Brix of 20 plus, they want to know more. For some, it leads to a stop at the garden store to get a bag or two of paramagnetic rock. I never criticize the gardeners for their past gardening practices. I do coach them to move in the Go-Natural approach. For some it is the first small step to healthier eating, a friendlier approach on the environment, and hopefully someday realizing the social injustice that is currently being imposed on many farmers and indigenous people of developing countries, who are losing the use of their heirloom seeds with the infusion of GMOs.

I will be following up with observations on other crops in the future. For those who have observations and/or questions, I welcome your information and inquiry. In the currently existing “world food crisis” era, and the rapidly growing interest in raising our own food, we as gardeners have valuable skills to share. I hope we can all be working together to provide the best information possible.

Calvin F. Bey, Ph.D., is a retired agriculture scientist, living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with a passion for teaching others about eco-gardening. He and his wife Doris use their demonstration garden and energy-efficient home to help others understand the concept of sustainability. He can be reached at CFBey1936@cox.net or see http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com
Posted by Harmony Gardens at 9:49 PM 0 comments Links to this post
November 25, 2008

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/

Science Based Organics

By Calvin F. Bey CFBey1936@cox.net

I spent several evenings this month reading scientific papers published in the Proceedings of the Second Scientific Conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research. The conference was held in Modena, Italy in June of 2008. The Proceedings include over 400 papers. These are science based papers and include every kind of agriculture topic, coming from all over the world.

Many scientists from the United States had papers in the Proceedings and I was interested in those with long-term results. Iowa State University scientists reported on their 9-year corn and soybean tests, comparing conventional and organic systems. Here are their conclusions: (1) No differences in production figures between organic and conventional. (2) Costs of production were lower for organics. (3) Revenues for organic corn were 1.67 times greater than for conventional. (4) Revenues for organic soybeans were 2.32 times greater than for conventional. (5) Soil organic carbon and mineralizable nitrogen were greater in the organic tests.

The Proceedings included a lot of papers on soil development, plant nutrients, and beneficial micro-organisms. The conclusions or themes that are revealed include: (1) organic systems are better than conventional systems for building soil organic matter and fertility; (2) there is less leaching of nutrients, especially nitrogen, from organic systems, and (3) organic systems with good microbial populations utilize nutrients more effectively and also increase production. In a different vein, one study in Italy showed that residue from transgenic (Genetically Modified Organism) corn (with the Bt gene) reduced the establishment of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. It’s another reason why “certified organic” growers in the US are not allowed to use GMO seeds.

In another recent publication, ACRES USA, there are several articles on compost. The authors, with many years of personal experience dealing with farmers and gardeners, quote long standing research studies dealing with soil fertility and compost. I am a firm believer that compost is a key element as you garden, whether it is a conventional or an organic approach; but, with the following qualification…the amount of compost to use must be considered in light of soil nutrient availability. If used wisely, compost is a great product for many soils and it will pay great dividends. Compost provides nutrients, aids in promoting life in the soil and neutralizing toxins, improves soil water holding capacity, and improves soil tilth (structure and workability). As with any soil amendment or process, there are some misconceptions and cautions about the use of compost.

The misconceptions about compost, are as follows: (1) All compost is alike. In fact, the quality of compost depends on the composting process and what special products have been added. (2) The more compost you use, the better. You can’t add too much. In fact, the amount to apply should be dependent on the soil nutrient analysis. There are times, e.g. when K levels are high and Ca is low, you should probably not be adding any compost. Remember, if a soil has too much of something, it will always have too little of something else. Nutrient-dense foods do not come from soils that are excessive in any of the required nutrients. (3) Compost should be applied regularly. In fact, compost should be applied when the soil analysis calls for it. (4) For good fertility, compost is all the gardener needs. In fact, soils often need some nutrients beyond what compost provides. It is entirely possible for a soil to already have too much of what compost provides. (5) Compost is far superior to all other fertilizers and soil amendments. In fact, compost is a tool for a specific job, and not an either/or decision.

If you are new at gardening, by all means become familiar and committed to composting. You can compost essentially all of your yard, garden, and kitchen wastes. It can be applied to the trees, bushes, vegetables, and flowers. Using compost moves you closer to becoming sustainable. As the price of fertilizers rise, and the economy weakens, compost becomes more and more important and valuable. Use it wisely.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-11-25T20%3A55%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=7

Nitrogen-Fixing Plants — Money in the Bank

By Calvin F. Bey CFBey1936@cox.net

To most of us, the idea of getting something free is appealing. The old adage, “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours,” was originally said with the idea of people doing favors for each other. In a very similar way, that is what happens in nature with plants that extract nitrogen from the air, bottle it in little containers called nodules on the plants roots, and in turn use the nitrogen for their own growth. What a deal. It’s like winning the lottery without buying a ticket, putting the money in the bank, and drawing interest.

There are well over 1,000 nitrogen-fixing plants, from bacteria, algae, ferns, shrubs, and commercial crops to many species of trees. These plants serve as important components in the intricate way Nature has designed complex ecosystems. We have learned how the “fixation” process works and which plants can generate the most nitrogen. Some of the nitrogen-fixers, which are classified as legumes, include garden peas, Austrian winter peas, beans, cowpeas, vetch, clover and alfalfa, to name just a few. Many farmers have used alfalfa in their crop rotation system, for building better soils. Alfalfa penetrates deep into the soil (even heavy clay soils), extracts minerals, increases soil organic matter, and add lots of nitrogen in the process.

Our air is 78 percent nitrogen, which means we have almost 3 tons of nitrogen above each acre of land. Unfortunately, plants cannot normally use it directly from the air in the stable gaseous state. It needs to first be converted into the various nitrate compounds. In most legumes that conversion comes about because of a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria, which form those little white (pink inside) nodules on the plant roots.
The plants provide the bacteria with carbohydrates for energy and a stable environment for growth, while the bacteria give the plants nitrogen and other nutrients. Dig up a clover or bean plant in your garden and see if the nodules are present. If not, you may need to add bacteria (inoculum) to get the “fixation” process started. Most seed companies have the specific inoculum that you will need for your crop.

The amount of nitrogen produced by nitrogen-fixers can be very significant. Depending on soil conditions and the species, you can get 75-150 or more pounds of nitrogen produced per acre. Best of all, it is in a form that the plants can use and will be slowly released for use over the season. It’s not likely to be leached out of the soil, and it is not going to be toxic or burn the plants.

I see many gardens and most gardeners are not using the nitrogen-fixing plants to their advantage. They are rejecting this free offer to put money in the bank. Organic growers apply nitrogen using a great variety of slow-release fertilizer sources – compost from vegetation and manures, alfalfa meal, fish meal, feather meal, and blood meal. These are all good, non-leachable forms, which will benefit plant growth. To move in the direction of being more sustainable, it would pay to use more of the nitrogen-fixing plants.

I use Austrian winter peas, and like to have them in the ground by October 1. They will grow for 6-8 weeks in the fall, and then resume growth again in February. By May 15, they will 30 inches or more tall and have produced a lot of nitrogen. The Austrian winter pea vegetation makes excellent compost, or you can use it for mulch on the garden. It’s money in the bank!

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-11-25T20%3A55%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=7

Genetic Diversity and Heirloom Seeds

Calvin F. Bey CFBey1936@cox.net

To understand the basics of growing organic crops, it’s necessary to deal with ecological principles. One of those principles, or otherwise referred to as a law of nature, deals with genetic diversity and heirloom seeds.

The central principle on this subject, in a nutshell, is this: the more genetic diversity we have in a garden, field, forest or major ecosystem, the more stable will be that system. We often refer to that diversity as a measure of the buffering capacity of that system to adjust to whatever forces of nature are present. Nature promotes that diversity at several different levels, and for good reasons. Walk into a hardwood forest in this area, and you see trees, shrubs, bushes, herbs, and grasses – all above ground. Beneath the soil surface you see an equally rich plethora of plant and animal life. It’s all tied together and functioning for the most ulterior goal of all — to maintain a sustainable system. Nature is not obsessed with producing bins and bushels, as has been man in gardening and farming over the last century. In each plant class in that same forest, you see a variety of species, and within the species a variety of genotypes (a slightly different genetic make-up.) All of that diversity is important for buffering the system from disaster. Certainly with a natural system, genetic diversity is considered a positive value. When we make selections within a species (as in all crop breeding), we begin to narrow that diversity. We are basically trading off the diversity value for some improved traits.

Obviously, we can’t expect to grow crops under the forest conditions, nor can we grow 20 garden vegetables in the same square foot. However, in our gardens, the more crops and companion species we grow (increased diversity), the greater is the buffering capacity to disaster. Grow three kinds of beans, and depending on the season, one will usually do a little better than the others. I suppose since domestication of crops began, we have been selecting plants for a variety of traits – yield, pest resistance, drought hardiness, etc. The hybridization approach was only a more complex way of doing the same thing. The same is true of the gene insertion procedures, to give us the genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Whatever the procedure, the trade-off has been the decreasing of the genetic base, and thus reducing the capacity to resist specific disasters.

The continual narrowing of the genetic base has been a major concern, and from that has come many programs to find plants and seeds from which modern lines were derived, and many seed-saving efforts. The Seed Savers Exchange is a formal effort to find and perpetuate ‘lines” of crops that are not found in the commercial ventures today. The “lines” are open-pollinated (free to cross with the neighbors), and anyone can save seed from those lines and grow a like-kind of crop the next year. That in not the case with seed saved from hybrids. They do not breed true. Basically, GMOs are hybrids with special gene insertions. With GMOs, the seed companies own the gene patents, so it is illegal to save and use any seed that contains the patented genes. For GMOs, just as in hybrids, you must go to the company for new seed each year.

In my garden, I mostly use open-pollinated seeds, and in some cases they are heirlooms. Heirloom seed is simply seed that has been handed down in families over many years. Some will refer to heirlooms as seed that was originally collected over 50 years ago. If you grow vegetables, it’s likely that you have grown some heirloom varieties. There are hundreds (one catalogue lists 1100 heirloom varieties for sale) and the list is growing as new ones are discovered. If you have grown Arkansas Traveler or Ox Heart tomatoes, Contender bush beans, .Detroit Dark Red beets, Nantes or Danvers Half Long carrots, Late Flat Dutch cabbage, Moon and Stars watermelon, and Golden Bantam or Country Gentleman sweet corn, then you have grown an heirloom line. Many of the lines go back to the 1800s and some even earlier.

Yields and quality from heirloom varieties can be very good. Because there are many unusual types, it is sometimes just fun to plant them for the novelty and education. You don’t need 12-foot sweet corn to get good production, but as I showed last month, Country Gentleman sweet corn turned out to be a good choice this year. Through some special soil treatments, I grew this 95-day corn, from planting to initial harvest in 59 days. The cobs were large and the corn had an excellent Brix rating (nutrient dense). I had equally excellent results with the heirloom Detroit Dark Red beets and the Nantes carrots. See the photos.

I encourage you to look in specialty seed catalogues and get some of the heirloom seeds. You will find that you have many choices to select from, and you just may find some tasty varieties, that have been long gone from some of the hybrids. Then, by saving your own seed, you take another step to becoming more sustainable. For good sources to further explore this topic, see heirloomseeds.com, rareseeds.com or seedsaver.org.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-07-07T12%3A55%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=7

Organic Gardening and More

Meet “Myc” and Associates

Calvin F. Bey CFBey1936@cox.net

So who is “Myc?” He is, or should be, your best gardening and landscaping friend. This is especially true if you are concerned about healthy trees and shrubs. “Myc” is short for the mycorrhizae, (mike-or-eye-z) fungi. The word “mycorrhizae” is from the Greek and means “fungus-root.” In short, it is a symbiotic relationship between the plant roots and the fungi. In return for the exudates from the plant roots, mycorrhizal fungi seek out water and nutrients and bring them back to the plant. Neither can survive well without the other. An acre of healthy soil should contain a few thousand pounds of this fungus. What a great working relationship and what an amazing, wonderful natural system.

Mycorrihzae have been known since 1885, when German scientist Albert Frank compared pines grown in sterilized soil and those grown in sterilized soil but inoculated with forest fungi. Those with the fungi grew much faster and larger. We now know that more than 90 percent of all plants develop mycorrhizae, and only perform at their best when they are present. Clearly, fungicides and other pesticides, high salt inorganic fertilizers, and soil disturbances like roto-tilling destroy the fungal hyphae (the thread-like network of the fungi that you see in leaves and decaying wood chips).

The primary function of fungi is to break down organic matter in the soil. They are first rate decomposers, even better than bacteria. The enzymes that the fungi release allow them to penetrate not only the lignin and cellulose in plants (dead or alive) but hard chitin shells of insects and the bones of animals. The enzymes produced by fungi are decidedly acidic and can contribute to lowering of the soil pH. It is important to remember that they are living off plant root exudates, and it is the plant (through the production of the root exudates) that is in control. In the process of doing all this, the mycorrhizae move water and nutrients into the plant.

Mycorrhizal fungi are of two kinds. The first, ectomycorrhizal fungi, grow close to the root surface of roots and can form webs around them. This type is associated with hardwood trees and conifers. The second type,

endomycorrhizal fungi, actually penetrate and grow inside the roots, as well as extend outward into the soil. This type is preferred by most vegetables, annuals, grass, and shrubs. Both types increase the effective surface area of the plant’s roots, from 10 to 100 times.

Mycorrhizae are very important in bringing phosphorus to the plant. The acid produced by the fungi can unlock, retrieve, and transport chemically locked-up phosphorus back to the plant. They can also free up copper, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron for plant use.

Mycorrhizae can be considered mineral storage facilities. They begin by breaking down organic matter, transporting the minerals to where they are needed, and leaving a storehouse full of reserves when they die. This is the way it works in Nature, and will work for us if we are not abusive to our soils with pesticide toxins and chemical fertilizers. For soils that have been poisoned with toxins, it is fungi, bacteria, and other soil organisms that can restore those soils. Just as they breakdown organic matter, they can breakdown the toxins. But why give them this added burden, if not necessary.

Is there anything I can do to increase the bacteria and fungi in my garden, orchard, and landscape trees? Yes indeed. First, you can change the cultural things you are doing. Remember, you want both bacteria and fungi in each situation. But, you want higher bacterial populations in the garden and higher fungal populations for the orchard and landscape trees. In the garden, the fungi:bacteria ratio should be at the 1:2 level; for the trees it should be at the 10:1 or greater level.

For the garden with a high bacterial requirement, follow these guidelines:

1. Slowly build the organic matter in the soil to 5 percent. Good compost will help.

2. Get the mineral ratios in the soil corrected.

3. Keep the soil in a crop, cover crop, or mulch at all times.

4. Avoid using anything toxic – pesticides, high salt chemical fertilizers, and even chlorinated water.

5. For better aeration, use raised beds.

6. Till as little as possible. No roto-tilling.

For the orchard and landscape trees, which require a high fungal population, follow these guidelines.

1. Slowly build organic matter to 5 percent.

2. Get the mineral ratios in the soil corrected.

3. Use some wood chips for mulch. A couple inches will do. Keep it away from the tree trunk.

4. Avoid using anything toxic on the soil.

5. Avoid situations where you will have drainage problems. Drain if needed.

6. No tilling. In addition to destroying fungi, you will tear up tree roots.

A second important improvement technique is simply to add fungi and bacteria inocula directly to your soil. Many landscapers are now adding mycorrhizal fungi as they plant shrubs and trees. These bacteria and fungi are available from many sources. For the garden, be sure you have a good mixture of bacterial and fungal species. For trees, look for sources that contain several species of the endo- and ectomychorrizal fungi types.

Severely abused, disturbed and polluted soils are the ones that will benefit most from the added inocula products. Whatever microbes you apply are not likely to hurt the soil. The plant and many other organisms already in the soil ecosystem will sort out which ones are needed, and the desirable ones will prevail. See the book by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis, Teaming with Microbes, as well as the web, for much more detailed information on this subject.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-07-07T12%3A55%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=7

Organic Gardening and More — Use Compost Wisely

By Calvin F. Bey CFBey1936@cox.net

April is the month that draws a gardening crowd. Soil temperatures will soon be 50 degrees F, and there is still time to plant all the spring crops. I deal with a lot of people who are already involved or want to be involved in the organic gardening approach. Many say that for the sake of their family’s health they don’t want pesticides on their gardens and lawns. They know the facts: pesticides are toxic, they are designed to kill, and they continue to compromise human health. For anyone switching to the organic approach, it is advisable to spend some time learning the principles and guidelines involved in the organic discipline. There are many good books on organic gardening and much information available on the web. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call or send me an email.

When we think of going organic, we automatically think in terms of adding compost to our gardens. The average soil in Arkansas has 1.25% organic matter, and a desirable level in the garden is 5%, so compost is generally needed. The nutrient quality of the compost will only be as good as the material that went into the pile. It can vary a lot. Decomposed cotton burs are exceptionally high in potassium, and too much of that kind of compost can upset desirable mineral ratios in the soil.

How much compost to add depends on the soil’s current organic matter level. It is best to think in terms of building the soil to a good organic matter and nutrient level, and then doing a maintenance program. As a guide for starting new garden beds, I recommend double-digging garden beds at least one time. When double-digging the first time, add 40 gallons of compost per 100 square feet to the lower layer (10-20-inch) and 20 gallons per 100 square feet to the to the top 10 inches. While building to the 5% organic matter level, add another 20 gallons per 100 square feet for each new crop. With this plan, in 3 or 4 years you will have a crumbly, sponge-cake like soil, vastly different from the original. Once you get to the 5% organic matter level, and you get the right amounts and ratios of minerals, and have good biological activity, the compost can likely be cut to 20 gallons per 100 square feet per year.

A yard of compost is about 200 gallons and is enough for 270 square feet for the initial double-digging phase. For subsequent applications, a yard will do about 1000 square feet.

Do not add excessive amounts of compost to your garden. Do not build a garden bed with compost and vermiculite or sand only. Unfortunately, I have seen gardens where this has been done. Nitrogen levels are too high and the plants are highly vegetative, but yield little. In addition those high nitrate plants attract insects, and the fruit produced is bound to be high in nitrates (not good). Excess compost can also bring the P and K to excessive levels. If that happens, back off on the compost and be sure the other nutrients are at the proper amounts and ratios. I use the Arkansas soil tests reports to look at pounds of nutrients per acre available, but depend on other sources for making organic recommendations.

Increased organic matter in the soil also improves the soil tilth (soil structure), and makes for a lighter,
fluffier, and easy-to-work soil that we all desire. Perhaps the most noticeable characteristic of increased organic matter is the increased ability of the soil to hold water. The following table demonstrates just how important the organic matter is for holding water. “Humus” is the organic matter that has been digested by microbes.

Table 1 — APPROXIMATE WATER HOLDING CAPACITY OF HUMUS

(Note: 1 inch of water yields 28,000 gallons/acre or 643 gallons for 1,000 square feet.)

HUMUS LEVEL———SOIL DEPTH———WATER HOLDING CAPACITY

-——percent—————————inches-——————————inches of rain

-———1—————————————7-————————————————.36

-———2—————————————7-————————————————.72

-———5—————————————7————————————————1.80

———5-————————————21————————————————7.40

The other important values of organic matter include its ability to provide nutrients and buffer the soil against pH changes. The organic matter also serves to hold nutrients in the soil. This is especially important in sandy soils. High organic soils are generally darker in color and can warm up faster in the spring. High organic matter soils have higher biological activity, which helps to keep the plants healthy.

It is wise to get a soil organic matter content analysis to check the effectiveness of your soil building activities. This organic matter test is done separately, so take an extra pint of soil when you get your other soil test done by the Extension Service. The regular soil test is free, but the organic matter test now costs $6.00.

Building the soil organic matter content requires a long-term commitment. Expect major improvement over the first few years, and then generally a slower process for the next 5-10 years. Remember to get soil tests and add minerals to the soil, where needed, at the same time you are adding the organic matter. It all works together, and eventually you reach a healthy, well-balanced soil that gives you tasty, nutrient-dense produce.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-07-07T12%3A55%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=7

Organic Gardening and More

Soil Tilth, Soil Structure, and Soil Microbes

Calvin F. Bey CFBey1936@cox.net

The most frequent garden question this time of year is, “when should I plant my potatoes, onions, etc?” My answer, use the Extension Service Year–Round Home Garden Planting Guide. It has a good list of garden plants with recommended planting dates. I also have a document on my web site, where I describe gardening activities, month by month. http://harmonygardens.blogspot.com

I have already started a few hardy things outside, but they are under plastic. In fact, I have some lettuce and spinach that survived in the mini-greenhouse all winter. At this time of year, I have to open up the mini-greenhouse or it gets too hot on the warmer days. The biggest problem with mini-greenhouses in this area is the struggle with the wind.

Planning and record keeping are important aspects of gardening. I do it for two main reasons—to keep up with crop rotations and for keeping detailed records on soil fertilization. I really encourage you to keep up with all fertilizers and compost added to the garden. I also keep records on crop production, and do regular brix testing on the harvested produce.

Soil Tilth. To understand gardening, first and foremost you must understand that what goes on below the surface is the key to production. It’s simple cause and effect. The healthy soil is the cause, and the production is the effect. Soil tilth refers to how easy the soil is to work, and is a general indicator of soil structure and health of the soil. Teaming with Microbes, by Jeff Lowenfel and Wayne Lewis is an excellent reference on this subject.

Soil structure refers to how the soil particles are held together, and is a very good indicator of how much life is in the soil. The more life there is in the soil, the better the structure and the better the tilth. Soil life means bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, earthworms and more. All of these produce sticky carbohydrates that act like glues, binding individual mineral and humic particles together in aggregates. The question of how to improve soil tilth, can be answered in three words. Improve soil life! Here are the do and don’t rules in simple and straightforward form:

* Do add compost and compost tea to increase soil organic matter to 5 percent or more, and to add beneficial microbes.
* Do keep the soil covered at all times. Use cover crops and mulches.
Do keep the soil well aerated. Use raised beds.
Do remineralize the soil to the proper level to produce nutrient dense produce.
Don’t work the soil excessively. Roto-tilling destroys fungi and soil structure, and reduces the ability of soil to hold water.
Don’t add hostile, toxic compounds to the soil. Avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

These rules apply to all kinds of soils – sandy, heavy clays, shallow, deep, rocky, acid, alkaline, anaerobic, humus, unadulterated or virgin, and those where excessive toxins have been used in the past. These rules are essentially the organic gardening methods—the preferred future, sustainability approach.

[WestCoastGal]

Only Walmart yesterday, I’m going to the big city tomorrow.

Yes those pancakes looked yummy and they actually have some good/healthy ingredients. :)

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/2272/

Paint Haint Blue Repelling Bugs

Haint Blue Paint for Repelling Bugs and Evil Spirits

A few years ago, I started getting calls about painting outdoor ceilings blue to repel insects. Well, it’s called “haint blue” and may repel more than just insects, thus the name. The South Carolina Low Country, blue paint has been used on porch ceilings and some say this color blue extends daylight at dusk and helps keep bees, wasps and other insects away. It seems to be a spiritual and cultural custom in the South. In cities such as Savannah you will see the blue color painted on the door frames, porches and window sills of many homes. This blue/green color or “Haint Blue” is not only calming and aesthetically pleasing, but also it apparently helps repel bugs. It also has an important folk lore purpose of warding off evil spirits.

Haint blue paint is reported to have been first used by African slaves to secure the entry of their homes from spirits. According to the Geechee/Gulla culture of the Low Country, the haint blue color represents water which spirits can not pass over.

Haint blue can be seen on doors, shutters, entire buildings and most commonly on porch ceilings all over the world. Milk paint formulas in the early days were mixed in pits dug right on the properties where the painters were working. One ingredient in the milk paint formula was lime. Some think that lime in the blue paint mixtures is what deterred the insects, not the color itself. Most modern paint formulas do not contain lime, so painting your porch ceiling blue may or may not help shoo the bugs away, but it definitely looks good and provides a relaxing “feel”.

Prospect Place in Trinway, Ohio is reported to be one of the most haunted mansions in the state and was a station on the Underground Railroad. George W. Adams, the builder of Prospect Place, was an abolitionist and his servants of African origin migrated from the South and were employees, not slaves. They had their own quarters in the house and they painted many of the rooms with haint blue. Haint is a variant of the noun “haunt” meaning supernatural being or ghost. The historical significance of “haint blue” ceilings goes back to slave folklore. This is why the color for baby boys is light blue, in order to protect them from spirits or “haints”. Girls for some reason got stuck with pink.

The Savannah Historical Society reproduced and authorized the use two haint blue paints in 1980. Haint Blue Light is almost a mint green. Haint Blue Dark is a mid tone teal. Haint blue is probably more of a culturally iconic hue that falls in the light blue to blue-green range rather than an actual, specific color. Here are some color chips that will give you an idea.

Haint Blue Dark Haint Blue Light

My opinion is that it is worth a try, especially on porch ceilings, gazebo ceilings, etc. And yes, I still recommend allowing the mud daubers and wasps to be present and help with insect control, but this method might help controlling them in high use areas.

[It is a pretty color, there are photos on the page...granny]

[nw_arizona_granny]

Good shopping in the big city, hope you find all on the list.

Spring is coming, honest it is.

You might even find a garage sale if you drove around a little.

Be safe.

[Wneighbor]

Mornin’

I don’t see anything out of my scallions yet. Did I plant mine after you did? I *think* I did mine just about a week ago but I can’t pinpoint the day. I’m falling down on keeping up with when I’m doing what.

Got me a little money paying job today so I’m in the house at the computer. LOL - can’t freep long, gotta get the cash job done and get back out to the plant children.

Found 2 more cantaloupe in my stuff yesterday. Thought of ya. I’d send ya one if I thought it would make it.