Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

Weekly Harvest Newsletter

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - August 10, 2011

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project website. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#wh available online.

News & Resources

* 1,000 New Farmers Markets Appear in National Directory

* Farmers Markets Could Generate Many Jobs, New Report Finds

* Vegetable Chemical Use Data is Now Available Online

* Research Shows Complex Carbon Flow of Transported Agricultural Crops

* Dine Out for Farms Week Set for October 16-22

* USDA Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule for Animal Disease Traceability

Funding Opportunities

* Western SARE Producer Research & Education Grants

* National Organic Certification Cost Share Program

* Northeast SARE Farmer Grants

Coming Events

* Mother Earth News Fair

* Common Ground Country Fair

* Empowering Texas Women in Agriculture Seminar

__________________________________________________

News & Resources

1,000 New Farmers Markets Appear in National Directory
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2011/08/0338.xml
More than 1,000 new farmers markets have been recorded across the country, according to results released in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2011 National Farmers Market Directory, http://farmersmarkets.usda.gov . The annual report indicates a total of 7,175 farmers markets operate throughout the United States.
Related ATTRA Publication: Farmers’ Markets: Marketing and Business Guide
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=265

Farmers Markets Could Generate Many Jobs, New Report Finds
http://bit.ly/o9Nj1e
The Union of Concerned Scientists has released a new report showing that farmers markets benefit local farmers, consumers and economies, but that they could do even more with the support of federal food policies. Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems appears online.

Vegetable Chemical Use Data Now Available Online
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Newsroom/Notices/07_27_2011.asp
The National Agricultural Statistics Service recently published the 2010 Agricultural Chemical Use survey data for vegetables, including on-farm use of commercial fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and integrated pest management practices by producers of targeted vegetable crops.

Research Shows Complex Carbon Flow of Transported Agricultural Crops
http://www.pnnl.gov/news/release.aspx?id=880
New research published in the journal Biogeosciences showed that the most agriculturally active regions are carbon sinks while the regions with larger populations are carbon sources. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that crops take in — and later return — about 37 percent of the U.S.’s total annual carbon dioxide emissions.
Related ATTRA Publication: Agriculture, Climate Change and Carbon Sequestration
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=297

Dine Out for Farms Week Set for October 16-22
http://www.farmland.org/news/pressreleases/2011-Dine-Out-for-Farms-Announcement.asp
Restaurants across the country eager to show their support for local farms and food have begun enrolling in American Farmland Trust’s 2nd annual Dine Out for Farms event, which will take place October 16-22.

USDA Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule for Animal Disease Traceability
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2011/08/0343.xml
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule to establish general regulations for improving the traceability of U.S. livestock moving interstate when animal disease events take place. Consideration will be given to comments received on or before November 9.

>> More Breaking News https://attra.ncat.org/news/

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Funding Opportunities

Western SARE Producer Research & Education Grants
http://www.westernsare.org/Grants/Types-of-Grants
A producer, working with a technical advisor, develops a proposal to conduct research and education on a sustainable agricultural topic. Individual farmers or ranchers may apply for up to $15,000, and a group of three or more producers may apply for up to $25,000.
Applications are due by December 2, 2011.

National Organic Certification Cost Share Program
http://1.usa.gov/qrvAnD
This program will provide cost-share assistance, through participating States, to organic producers and handlers, limited to 75% of an individual producer’s or handler’s certification costs up to a maximum of $750 per year.
State Departments of Agriculture must apply by November 15, 2011.

Northeast SARE Farmer Grants
http://nesare.org/get/farmers/
Farmer Grants are for commercial producers who have an innovative idea they want to test using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, or other technique. A technical advisor is required as a project participant.
Proposals are due December 1, 2011.

>> More Funding Opportunities https://attra.ncat.org/funding/

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Coming Events

Mother Earth News Fair
http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/home.aspx
September 24-25, 2011
Seven Springs, Pennsylvania
The Mother Earth News Fair will bring its unique blend of practical, do-it-yourself programming to Seven Springs resort. Workshops on organic gardening, livestock, herbs, renewable energy and food are scheduled, along with presentations, speakers, exhibits, and activities for children. NCAT is a partner in this event.

Common Ground Country Fair
http://www.mofga.org/TheFair/tabid/135/Default.aspx
September 23-25, 2011
Unity, Maine
This 35th annual fair is a celebration of the rural and agricultural traditions of Maine that typically draws more than 50,000 visitors for presentations, exhibits, food vendors and activities.

Empowering Texas Women in Agriculture Seminar
http://bit.ly/lOo7JR
September 19 or 27, 2011
Cedar Creek or Lubbock, Texas
Holistic Management International is offering this free seminar that provides an opportunity to learn the principles of the Holistic Management whole farm/ranch planning system, and helps participants understand the market for local foods and how they can benefit from being a supplier for their local food system.

>> More Events https://attra.ncat.org/calendar/

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New Publication
Meat Plants: Improving Profitability in Small and Very Small Operations
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=364

Question of the Week
What information can you give me on factors that affect the flavor of my tomatoes?
http://bit.ly/ptc7yS

Webinars
Our latest webinars are available for viewing in the Sustainable Agriculture Video Archive https://attra.ncat.org/video/index.php

Cosecha Mensual Spanish Newsletter

Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (Monthly Harvest), NCAT’s Spanish-language e-newsletter, https://attra.ncat.org/espanol/boletin.php

Find Us on Facebook!
We feature breaking news on sustainable agriculture topics several times a week. http://www.facebook.com/pages/ATTRA-Sustainable-Agriculture/134541719898890?v=wall Add us to your FaceBook friends list today!

Twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/attrasustainag

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https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/427/personal2.asp?formid=signup

Comments? Questions? Contact us at https://attra.ncat.org/management/contact.html

Weekly Harvest Archives
Digital versions of recent and archived Weekly Harvest newsletters are available online at https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html.

The NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project was developed and is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), http://www.ncat.org. Visit the NCAT website http://www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php for more information on our other sustainable agriculture and energy projects.

c. 2011 NCAT

Home https://attra.ncat.org | Newsletter Archives https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html

-—————NEWS from CPSC-—————
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814, www.CPSC.gov
Report an Unsafe Product: http://SaferProducts.gov

********************************************************
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2011
Release #11-302

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (866) 622-6372
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Philips Lighting Recalls EnergySaver and Marathon Compact Fluorescent Dimmable Reflector Flood Lamps Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: EnergySaver a/k/a/Marathon or Marathon Classic Compact Fluorescent Dimmable Reflector lamps

Units: About 1.86 million

Manufacturer: Philips Lighting Company of Somerset, N.J.

Hazard: The glue that attaches the glass outer envelope or globe to the body of the lamp can fail allowing the glass outer envelope to fall and strike persons and objects below, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Philips has received 700 reports of lamps where the glue failed and the glass outer envelope fell, including two reports of minor injury and three reports of minor property damage.

Description: This recall involves Philips EnergySaver, a/k/a Marathon and Marathon Classic Compact Fluorescent dimmable reflector lamps, models R30, R40 and PAR 38 manufactured between March 2007 and May 2010. The following are the model numbers and Universal Product Code (UPC) numbers of the lamps included in this recall:

Product Description | Model Number | UPC
EnergySaver (a/k/a Marathon or Marathon Classic) Dimmable R30 Reflector Flood | EL/A R30 Dim 16w | 46677 13 7076 and 46677 15 0419
EnergySaver (a/k/a Marathon or Marathon Classic) Dimmable R40 Reflector Flood | EL/A R40 Dim 20w | 46677 13 7083 and 46677 15 0426
EnergySaver (a/k/a Marathon or Marathon Classic) Dimmable Par38 Reflector Flood | EL/A Par38 Dim 20w | 46677 14 6443 and 46677 15 0433

Model numbers are printed on the white ceramic area at the base of the lamps. For boxed products, the UPC number is on the bottom of the box. For products in blister cards, the UPC is at the top right corner of the back of the package.

The affected products also have dates codes from March 2007 through May 2010 as follows:

Date codes are located on the lamps themselves, either stamped into the metal gold base of the lamp or in the white ceramic area with other product information.

Sold at: Grocery and home center stores nationwide, online retailers, and professional electrical distributors from March 2007 through July 2011, for between $11 and $24.

Manufactured in: Mexico and Poland.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lamps and contact Philips to receive instructions on how to receive a free replacement lamp.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Philips toll-free at (866) 622-6372 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the company’s website at www.recall.philips.com/en_us.html

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11302.html

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Visit our blog, OnSafety at www.cpsc.gov/onsafety
See our videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/uscpsc
Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OnSafety
See our photos on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uscpsc

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm267773.htm

Unilever United States, Inc. Issues Allergy Alert for
Mislabeled 24-Count Boxes of Popsicle® Sugar Free Orange,
Cherry and Grape Flavor Due to Undeclared Milk

Contact:
Consumer:
800-896-9552

Media:
Anita Larsen
201-894-7760
mediarelations.usa@unilever.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 11, 2011 - Englewood Cliffs, NJ – Unilever United States, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of mislabeled 24-count boxes of Popsicle® brand Sugar Free Orange, Cherry and Grape flavored ice pops that mistakenly contain Popsicle® brand Sugar Free Healthy Bunch® Fudgsicle® and Creamsicle® ice pops. Milk, a known allergen, is undeclared on these boxes. Persons who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the Sugar Free Healthy Bunch® Fudgsicle® or Creamsicle® ice pops.

The affected boxes may contain Fudgsicle® and Creamsicle® ice pops that are individually wrapped with the “Fudgsicle®” and “Creamsicle®” logos. This limited voluntary recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The affected product is sold in a paperboard box, containing 24–1.65 FL OZ (48.7 ML) POPS with a unit UPC code of 7756702295, with date codes of OCT0312GCD, OCT0412GCD, OCT0512GCD, OCT0612GCD and OCT0712GCD.

The product was manufactured in the United States and distributed in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. No product was shipped outside the U.S.

No other Popsicle® brand products are affected by this limited voluntary recall. There have been no reported cases of illness.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product containing milk was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk.

Consumers who have purchased boxes of the above product with the affected UPC code and date code are asked to immediately discontinue use of the product, retain the outer box and call 800-896-9552, which is operational 24 hours a day, to request a replacement coupon. A consumer services representative is available between the hours of 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM EDT.

The company is placing a notification on the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) web site www.foodallergy.org1 and notifying FAAN’s individual members.

For additional information, please visit www.popsicle.com2.

###

RSS Feed for FDA Recalls Information3 [what’s this?4]

Photo: Product Labels5

Recalled Product Photos Are Also Available on FDA’s Flickr Photostream.6

-
-
Links on this page:

1. http://www.foodallergy.org/
2. http://www.popsicle.com/
3. /AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/Recalls/rss.xml
4. /AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm
5. /Safety/Recalls/ucm267774.htm
6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdaphotos/sets/72157624901041809/

Page Last Updated: 08/11/2011

Summer Vegetable Dishes

Posted: 12 Aug 2011 08:32 PM PDT

When I came home from a weekend away I had three green peppers and 6 cucumbers. It didn’t take us long to eat those, but we picked more cucumbers this afternoon. I grew three plants up a wire fence piece, and they are doing wonderfully. I thought I’d share fresh vegetable recipes today. I’m only growing tomatoes, green peppers and cumcumbers this year, but we have three farmer’s markets within a half hour of our house that I can visit to buy fresh produce.

Green Beans With Tomato

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. minced green pepper
1 cup diced tomato
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook the beans in salted water until just tender. Drain. Heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add tomato, salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add beans and heat through. 6 servings.

Tomato Cabbage Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
5 cups finely cut cabbage, chopped or cut into strips
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet; saute the onion for a minute or so. Add the other ingredients and cook covered for 8-10 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid uncover and cook for a few minutes to reduce.

Cucumbers with Sour Cream

Ingredients:
5-6 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. vinegar, lemon juice or juice from pickles
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
3 tbsp. grated or finely minced onion

Combine the salt, sour cream, onion and vinegar. Stir in the sliced cucumbers. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Marinated Tomatoes

Ingredients:
5 large tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. or so of chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Slice the tomatoes. Combine the other ingredients and drizzle over the tomatoes.
You can chill them, or serve room temperature.

Sweet Corn Stir Fry

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
3 cups fresh corn, cut from cob
1/2 cup light cream
2 tbsp. fresh chives, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Optional: Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a skillet. Add the other ingredients. Cover and simmer until the corn is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the top before servings. 6 servings.

On OFL we have harvesting and cooking tips from Green Bell Peppers:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/bellpeppers.html

~Brenda

Antique Map of Barth, Germany, 1598

Commentary By Braun: “Barth has a large market at which one can buy all the necessities
of daily life at a fair price, thanks to its fertile land and its favourable location
by the sea. For since there are fertile soils not only all around the city but in
the whole duchy, it has an abundance of salt water and other fish, game, cattle,
grain, butter, honey, wax and other such things. The wealth of the citizens comes
from livestock farming and from trade, which they conduct very profitably with the
kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and other distant lands far across the ocean. They brew
a tasty beer, which they also trade in.”

High-end consumers taking up urban farming

Sam Roddick, co-founder of London boutique Coco de Mer and daughter of Body Shop
founder Anita Roddick, is also passionate about the preservation of the honey bee.

She is part of a new campaign entitled “Bee Lovely,” run by natural-remedy store
Neal’s Yard, which aims to help address the problems facing bees and educate those
who want to keep them. “I went to the Natural Beekeeping Trust course a few years
ago and, soon after, started transforming my garden,” Ms. Roddick says. She has
planted what she calls a “bee buffet” in her London garden, including lavender,
rosemary, thyme and hawthorne, and plans to start keeping bees there soon.

TEDxManhattan - Dr Melony Samuels - Campaigning Against Hunger with urban farms

Dr. Melony Samuels is the Founder and Director of the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against
Hunger. She not only helps provide food to low-income families in Brooklyn, she’s
started an urban farm to help residents get the healthiest, freshest food possible.

Allotments Lead to “Staggering” 51% Fall in Anti-social Behaviour

In 2009, the early days of Landshare, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall visited a community
allotment for local residents in Leigh, Greater Manchester, as part of a River Cottage
programme. Two years on, the allotments are thriving, and local police are amazed
to find that anti-social behaviour has fallen by over 50% in the area.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read stories here:
City Farmer News [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=fclqmpbab&et=1107105439927&s=1304&e=0017IFcZ9xWanUttezxqH50uCUo1GQP_BK_4QsaGY-yHx0A4GV-DuGEPoWxAfoDF3ZKoaqqlDcDR2oUJmN31dT7G4bnl0ntyeM3TrrC01LYRPy_oBAgoMCvQw==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2011
Release #11-306

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (855) 652-9019
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Table-Top Clip-on Chair Recalled by phil&teds USA Due to Fall and Amputation Hazards

Name of Product: “metoo” Clip-on Chair

Units: 54,000 (these were the subject of a product safety alert issued May 6, 2011)

Importer: phil&teds USA Inc, of Fort Collins, Co.

Hazard: Missing or worn clamp pads allow the chairs to detach from a variety of different table surfaces, posing a fall hazard. In addition, when the chair detaches, children’s fingers can be caught between the bar and clamping mechanism, posing an amputation hazard. Also, user instructions for the chairs are inadequate, increasing the likelihood of consumer misuse.

Incidents/Injuries: phil&teds and CPSC have received 19 reports of the chairs falling from different table surfaces, including five reports with injuries. Two reports of injuries involved children’s fingers being severely pinched, lacerated, crushed or amputated. The three other reports of injury involved bruising after a chair detached suddenly and a child struck the table or floor.

Description: The product is an infant/toddler chair with a nylon fabric seat and a metal frame that clamps onto tables using two metal vise clamps. The upper part of each clamp rests on the table top and has either a rubber pad on its underside or a rubber boot covering the clamp. The chair is sold in three fabric colors - red, black and navy. Chairs subject to this recall do not have black plastic spacers between the cross bar and the clamps.

Sold through: Buy Buy Baby, Target, Toys R Us and their online sites; philandteds.com; Amazon.com; other online retailers; and a variety of independent juvenile specialty stores from May 2006 to May 2011 for between $40 and $50.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact the company to receive a free repair kit and revised user instructions. Consumers who previously received a repair kit with only rubber boots should also stop using the chair and contact the company for the new repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact phil&teds USA at (855) 652-9019 or visit the company’s website at www.philandteds.com/support

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11306.html

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Weekly Harvest Newsletter

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - August 17, 2011

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project website. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online at https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#wh.

Early Bird Gets the Worm
Early registrants to the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, in September will catch a very special deal: an extra day-long training by our program specialists on small-scale intensive farming. We are partnering with Mother Earth News Fair to provide a full day of workshops related to small-scale farming that will help you learn sustainable food production for personal and commercial use. These workshops are in addition to the regular Fair workshops and exhibitions, and will be presented on Friday, Sept. 23. Seating for our training is limited to 400 and is only offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you need to purchase your tickets today. Visit http://bit.ly/ouoK7c for more information and to purchase your weekend pass.

News & Resources

* Poultry Farms that Go Organic Have Fewer Drug-Resistant Bacteria

* CRP Land Conversion to Biofuel Cropland Incurs Carbon Debt

* James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards Recognize Sustainable Food Visionaries

* Study Shows Support for Animal Welfare Labeling

* Crop Production Cost Studies Released

* Small Wind Bulk Buy Program Offered in Minnesota

Funding Opportunities

* Raising Organic Family Farms Program

* National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Grants

* Practical Farmers of Iowa Savings Incentive Program

Coming Events

* Hoes Down Harvest Festival

* All Things Organic

* NMPAN Webinar: To Build or Not to Build: Is a New Processor Really Needed?

__________________________________________________

News & Resources

Poultry Farms that Go Organic Have Fewer Drug-Resistant Bacteria
http://newsdesk.umd.edu/uniini/release.cfm?ArticleID=2480
Poultry farms that have adopted organic practices and ceased using antibiotics have significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria that can potentially spread to humans, according to a groundbreaking new study led by a researcher in the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health.
Related ATTRA Publication: Organic Poultry Production in the United States https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=177

CRP Land Conversion to Biofuel Cropland Incurs Carbon Debt
http://news.msu.edu/story/9646
A new study by a team of Michigan State University researchers shows that the carbon cost of converting Conservation Reserve Program lands to corn and soybean production is high. Alternatively, growing CRP grasses harvested for cellulosic ethanol would create no debt and provide immediate energy and climate mitigation benefits.

James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards Recognize Sustainable Food Visionaries
http://www.jamesbeard.org/files/2011%20Leadership%20Awards%20Release%20FINAL.pdf
The James Beard Foundation has named the recipients of its inaugural Leadership Awards. The honorees — who range from urban agriculture heroes to tireless healthy school food pioneers — include Will Allen, Debra Eschmeyer, Fred Kirschenmann, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Alice Waters.

Study Shows Support for Animal Welfare Labeling
http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=1701&yr=2011
Consumers may be willing to pay extra for meat and eggs with a mandatory label indicating animal welfare information, according to a study conducted by Kansas State University and Michigan State University. Agricultural economists examined U.S. resident support for mandatory labeling of animal welfare information on pork and egg products.

Crop Production Cost Studies Released
http://ucanr.org/news/?uid=1409&ds=191
New studies showing production costs for table olives, peaches, cherries, almonds, strawberries and safflower are now available from the University of California Cooperative Extension.
Related ATTRA Publication: Enterprise Budgets and Production Costs for Organic Production
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=187

Small Wind Bulk Buy Program Offered in Minnesota
http://bit.ly/nV7L1T
Windustry and the Region Nine Renewable Energy Task Force have launched a Small Wind Bulk Buy Program to help rural enterprises take advantage of Minnesota’s wind resources and net-metering laws. The program includes training and technical and permitting support.
Related ATTRA Publication: Small-Scale Wind Energy on the Farm
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=305

>> More Breaking News https://attra.ncat.org/news/

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Funding Opportunities

Raising Organic Family Farms Program
http://raisingorganicfamilyfarms.com/apply-for-grant/
Lundberg Family Farms has launched a new initiative that will award up to $50,000 total in grants and scholarships. Aspiring commercial organic family farmers can submit a 500-word essay in one of three categories:
+ Seed money for equipment, supplies or repairs
+ Education funding towards schooling or conference registration
+ Mentorship with experts in business planning, marketing, retail, livestock management or crop planning.
The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2011.

National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Grants
http://1.usa.gov/oDRJqm
The National Sheep Industry Improvement Center has approximately $1 million available in grants funds for proposals that help accomplish six specific objectives designed to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep and goat industries.
Proposals will be accepted through September 15, 2011.

Practical Farmers of Iowa Savings Incentive Program
http://www.practicalfarmers.org/programs/youth-and-next-generation/sip.html
The Savings Incentive Program will entice beginning Iowa farmers to save $100 a month for two years; after two years, SIP will match their savings $1:$1. The beginning farmer can then use this savings to purchase a farm asset .
Applications must be received by October 14, 2011.

>> More Funding Opportunities https://attra.ncat.org/funding/

__________________________________________________

Coming Events

Hoes Down Harvest Festival
http://www.hoesdown.org/
October 1-2, 2011
Guinda, California
The festival on Saturday offers music, food, children’s activities, farmers’ market and agricultural workshops. Sunday’s schedule offers hands-on activities and workshops on different farms in the Capay Valley Region.

All Things Organic
http://www.ota.com/allthingsorganic.html
September 21-24, 2011
Baltimore, Maryland
For All Things Organic at Natural Products Expo East the Organic Trade Association has created a one-of-a-kind conference program with critical information on the issues that impact your organic business.

NMPAN Webinar: To Build or Not to Build: Is a New Processor Really Needed?
http://www.extension.org/pages/59962/to-build-or-not-to-build:-is-new-processing-needed
September 28, 2011
Online
This Niche Meat Processing Assistance Network free one-hour webinar will discuss when building new facilities makes sense and when it doesn’t, with real stories — and lessons — from the field.

>> More Events https://attra.ncat.org/calendar/

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New Publication
Disease and Insect Management in Organic Small Grains
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=363

Question of the Week
What are some resources for designing and connecting rain barrel systems?
http://bit.ly/npWt5f

Webinars
Our latest webinars are available for viewing in the Sustainable Agriculture Video Archive https://attra.ncat.org/video/index.php

Cosecha Mensual Spanish Newsletter
Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (Monthly Harvest), NCAT’s Spanish-language e-newsletter, https://attra.ncat.org/espanol/boletin.php

Twitter
http://twitter.com/#!/attrasustainag

Donate
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/427/donate.asp?formid=support

Subscribe to the Weekly Harvest
https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/427/personal2.asp?formid=signup

Comments? Questions? Contact us at https://attra.ncat.org/management/contact.html

Weekly Harvest Archives
Digital versions of recent and archived Weekly Harvest newsletters are available online at https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html.

The NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project was developed and is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) http://www.ncat.org . Visit the NCAT website http://www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php for more information on our other sustainable agriculture and energy projects.

c. 2011 NCAT

Home https://attra.ncat.org/index.html | Newsletter Archives https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html

NaturalNews Insider Alert ( www.NaturalNews.com ) email newsletter
(Unsubscribe instructions at bottom)

Dear NaturalNews readers,

The often-invoked story of polar bears drowning in arctic waters because of melting ice caps was a complete fraud, invented by dishonest scientists who have now been publicly outed for fabricating their data.

Here are the details on this latest example of politically-motivated fraudulent science:
http://www.naturalnews.com/033370_polar_bars_scientific_fraud.html

I recently interviewed Sally Fallon from the Weston A Price Foundation about the Rawesome Foods raids and the arrest of a Weston Price representative (Victoria Bloch). Hear the full interview in this article:
http://www.naturalnews.com/033371_Sally_Fallon_Weston_A_Price.html

Ridiculously, more corn is now being used to make corn ethanol than is being consumed as food. Apparently, the USA would rather burn its food as fuel instead of keeping food prices affordable for American families:
http://www.naturalnews.com/033369_corn_ethanol_food_prices.html

Farmers are speaking out against GMOs in a new mini-documentary that explains how GMOs are a “Monsanto trap” that ensnares farmers in a situation from which they can almost never escape:
http://www.naturalnews.com/033368_farmers_Monsanto.html

Watch out for these top five dangerous ingredients in deodorant products:
http://www.naturalnews.com/033364_deodorants_chemical_ingredients.html

P.S. Dont’ miss the Leigh Erin Connealy event this weekend, which presents breakthrough information on conquering diabetes and cancer - naturally!
http://www.naturalnews.com/Leigh-Erin-Connealy.html

More stories continue below on the Orwellian attack on raw milk, how to stop obsessive compulsive behaviors, how to improve the health of your hair with a little-known source of silica, and much more (see below)...

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Urban Homesteading

Last August I was approached by the editors from Penguin Publishing, who oversee
“The Complete Idiot’s Guide” books. Despite their goofy-sounding titles, I’ve always
been a fan of the Idiot’s Guides. I like the way they’re structured, and I feel
like I’m getting comprehensive information when I read them.
The editors asked me if I would write the book, and what followed was a period that
was both challenging and immensely rewarding.

Atlanta Grows Lettuce in Freight Containers as Urban Farms Bloom

More farmers are marketing their products directly to consumers than ever, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture said Aug. 5 when it released its 2011 National Farmers
Market Directory. The guide lists 7,175 markets, up 53 percent from 4,685 in 2008.
States experiencing the most rapid growth aren’t in the West or Northeast, where
the local-food movement germinated, the USDA found. The agency reported a 46 percent
increase in markets in Alaska, and a 38 percent jump in Texas, Colorado and New
Mexico.

Salt Lake County’s urban farming project yields bumper crop

That’s the goal of the farming leases, said Julie Peck-Dabling, director of Salt
Lake County’s urban farming program. The three parcels - one in Holladay and two
in Draper - were originally bought for future parks land, but funding shortages
left them undeveloped.

“It actually takes staff time to go out there a few times a year and cut the weeds
and spray them,” Peck-Dabling said. Until the space is converted to parks, leasing
the land to local farmers is more productive, she said.

Urban agriculture group to launch petition for public consultations in Montreal

MONTREAL - A group of Montrealers is about to test the public’s newly bestowed right
to initiate public consultations in the city.
The threshold is high, though.
The Work Group on Urban Agriculture, composed of university and community groups,
will have to collect 15,000 signatures on a paper petition by Nov. 8 to oblige the
city to hold a public consultation on the state of urban agriculture in Montreal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read more here:
City Farmer News [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=fclqmpbab&et=1107169554661&s=1304&e=001qEm6v3qFuNi9O00u4s76OxOrIKoabgKo09nahZqR-93MO1ql4qRkDpz2sgZHVstM52BTdWEYhmxwg0E81J_jMOKMYl2h9fN5uuJ2wA9C25uqIUwQMGRKEA==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colourful brassieres support weighty cantaloupes

Now in August, tomatoes and cantaloupes are crowding the plastic shelter and the
heavy, growing cantaloupes need some support. They are “EarliChamps” from West
Coast Seeds. Using a tip from a visitor, Maria visited a local Sally Ann thrift
store and bought a variety of different sized brassieres to help hold up the growing
melons.

PBS Video: Seeds of progress: How urban farming is changing Detroit’s future

If the Republican presidential hopefuls agreed on anything at last week’s Iowa debate,
it was the need for America to create jobs. And one city that needs jobs is Detroit.
The city itself has an unemployment rate hovering around 24 percent. The lack of
jobs is one reason that nearly one-quarter of the population left the city in the
last decade.

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport has Bee-Love

The sweet smell of success is in the air at O’Hare International Airport with an
unusual collaboration aimed at giving honeybees and their keepers a second chance.

Twenty-three beehives were installed on a vacant piece of property on the airport’s
east side this spring.

Paris Community Gardens

Just by chance, we met Sylvie Laurent-Begin and her husband Christophe at “Grow”,
a small garden on False Creek. Sylvie is Deputy to the Paris Vice-Mayor in charge
of Parks and Gardens. Christophe her husband is president of Potager des Oiseaux
in le Marais neighborhood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read stories here:
City Farmer News [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=fclqmpbab&et=1107223658419&s=1304&e=001grsbXjuM48IO3Q7asN0MNIbhmPpRGLzb3Mpa3h-_tZjnHe6tgKg3qj2tR8RzgEtVZHZP1dx2GkFJ1x_wUrpiIgq0LQi9Cr_ha8EYQA0Se7l1xyPM-VWYkw==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture
1978-2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colourful brassieres support weighty cantaloupes
Now in August, tomatoes and cantaloupes are crowding the plastic shelter and the
heavy, growing cantaloupes need some support. They are “EarliChamps” from West
Coast Seeds. Using a tip from a visitor, Maria visited a local Sally Ann thrift
store and bought a variety of different sized brassieres to help hold up the growing
melons.
PBS Video: Seeds of progress: How urban farming is changing Detroit’s future
If the Republican presidential hopefuls agreed on anything at last week’s Iowa debate,
it was the need for America to create jobs. And one city that needs jobs is Detroit.
The city itself has an unemployment rate hovering around 24 percent. The lack of
jobs is one reason that nearly one-quarter of the population left the city in the
last decade.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport has Bee-Love
The sweet smell of success is in the air at O’Hare International Airport with an
unusual collaboration aimed at giving honeybees and their keepers a second chance.
Twenty-three beehives were installed on a vacant piece of property on the airport’s
east side this spring.
Paris Community Gardens
Just by chance, we met Sylvie Laurent-Begin and her husband Christophe at “Grow”,
a small garden on False Creek. Sylvie is Deputy to the Paris Vice-Mayor in charge
of Parks and Gardens. Christophe her husband is president of Potager des Oiseaux
in le Marais neighborhood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture
1978-2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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