Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
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.
The Frugal Roundup
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)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 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
[I did not check this out]
Learn how Jean Pain heated his hot water, ran a vehicle and generator on methane, and produced compost, by decomposing wood chips.
http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2009/10/11/hot-water-and-methane-plus-compost-from-wood-chips/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/misc_survivalism_moderated/
[England is really pushing the WW2 “Make do and Mend” themes...granny]
=== Google News Alert for: ‘Make Do And Mend’ ===
Epping Forest District Museum hosts Make do and Mend exhibition
Guardian Series
The theme of the Make do and Mend show, at Epping Forest District Museum,
in Sun Street, Waltham Abbey, is Second World War thrift and all sort of
original ...
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4675789.EPPING_FOREST__Styles_of_the_40s_on_display/
See all stories on this topic:
http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4675789.EPPING_FOREST__Styles_of_the_40s_on_display/&hl=en
=== Google Blogs Alert for: ‘Make Do And Mend’ ===
Our Ageing Crafts « Devon Fine Fibres – Life on a very special ...
By devonfinefibres
A recent craft evening was on recycling clothes with a quirky look back to
the “Make Do and Mend” traditions of the 2nd World War. This group also
has a strong campaigning streak, getting involved in ethical issues at
grass roots levels ...
http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/our-ageing-crafts/
Devon Fine Fibres - Life on a...
http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com/
Epping Forest District Museum hosts Make do and Mend exhibition ...
SILK underwear made from a parachute, a dressing gown created from a
blanket, and an inside-out jacket used by a teenage clubber are just some
of the items on display at the district museum’s latest exhibition.
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4675789.EPPING_FOREST__Styles_of_the_1940s_on_display/?ref=rss
East London and West Essex Guardian...
http://m6live.guardian-series.co.uk/news/
Mis Estimados: Do Not Lose Heart. We Were Made For These Times ...
By fromthewilderness
Do not focus on that. Do not make yourself ill with overwhelm. There is a
tendency too to fall into being weakened by perseverating on what is
outside your reach, by what cannot yet be. Do not focus there. ... Ours is
not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out
to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm
thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of
this poor suffering world, ...
http://fromthewilderness.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/mis-estimados-do-not-lose-heart-we-were-made-for-these-times/
From The Wilderness
http://fromthewilderness.wordpress.com/
Thread and Thrift: Make Do and Mend
By Mandy Pattullo
Make Do and Mend. Unravel threads from seams and hems to darn cloth
materials. Do not wait for holes to develop. Repair where you can. Renovate
where you can’t. Mend all holes and tears before washing. Thin spots should
be reinforced ...
http://threadandthrift.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-do-and-mend.html
Thread and Thrift
http://threadandthrift.blogspot.com/
Warning - new Bank of America spam.
LOL, just received an email, said I must open the download at once, or there would be big trouble with my account at the Bank of America.
I sent it straight to SPAM, for I do not nor would I ever again deal with the Bank of America.
Who knows what virus was in the download.
So do not open to find out.
granny
[From Jeffrey Imm, links are live on at link]
Philippines: Elderly Irish Priest Kidnapped ‘By Muslim Gunmen’ — Father Michael Sinnott — Missionary Group Calls for Your Action
By R.E.A.L. Organization • on October 12, 2009
Missionary Society of St. Columban report: “Fr. Michael Sinnott Kidnapped in the Philippines”
Missionary Society – Microsoft Word Report on Fr. Sinnott Kidnapping
Photo of Fr. Michael Sinnott from Missionary Society of St. Columban
Photo of Fr. Michael Sinnott from Missionary Society of St. Columban
Missionary Society of St. Columban Action Alert: Fr. Sinnott Kidnapping
– Missionary Society of St. Columban states:
“Dear Friends,
“As some of you may already know, Columban Fr. Mick Sinnott was kidnapped in the Philippines on Sunday. We ask for your prayers and your action. We have attached two letters, one to send to the Philippine Ambassador and one for Secretary of State Hilary Clinton requesting that peaceful measures be taken to negotiate for his release. We ask that you respond in all due haste, as Fr. Sinnott has a heart condition and is, as far as we know, without his medication.”
“We have received word that actions are being taken in the Philippines. Bishop Manny Cabajar has attended a crisis meeting of various provincial/ government/police personnel and was informed that an intensive search is underway. ”
sinnot_action_alert_letter_clinton
sinnot_action_alert_letter_gaa
“Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach”
“Missionary Society of St. Columban”
“1320 Fenwick Lane, Suite 405
“Silver Spring, MD 20910
“301-565-4547
Recommended Action Alert Faxes to Secretary of State Clinton and Ambassador Gaa
October 12, 2009
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Fax: 202-647-8947
Dear Secretary Clinton:
It is with deep concern that I write to inform you of the recent abduction of an Irish missionary priest, Columban Fr. Michael Sinnott in Pagadian, Philippines. According to reports, he was kidnapped from his home on October 11, 2009 at approximately 7:20 p.m. local time. Fr. Sinnott was taken away in a vehicle by 4-6 men. The vehicle was later abandoned and burned. It is believed that the abductors took Fr. Sinnott to a speed boat and fled across Pagadian Bay.
I am writing as a person deeply concerned for Fr. Sinnott’s safety. Columban missionaries are deeply committed to the well-being of the people of the Philippines. Fr. Sinnott has lived for 40 years in the Philippines, and one of his most recent ministries has been in a school for children and young adults with special needs in Pagadian City.
We ask that all peaceful measures be taken to locate Fr. Sinnott and negotiate his release.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this most urgent request.
Yours sincerely,
October 12, 2009
Ambassador Willy C. Gaa
Fax: 202-467-9417
Dear Mr. Ambassador Gaa,
It is with deep concern that I write to inform you of the recent abduction of an Irish missionary priest, Columban Fr. Michael Sinnott in Pagadian, Philippines. According to reports, he was kidnapped from his home on October 11, 2009 at approximately 7:20 p.m. local time. Fr. Sinnott was taken away in a vehicle by 4-6 men. The vehicle was later abandoned and burned. It is believed that the abductors then took Fr. Sinnott to a speed boat and fled across Pagadian Bay.
I am writing as a person deeply concerned for Fr. Sinnott’s safety. Columban missionaries are deeply committed to the well-being of the people of the Philippines. Fr. Sinnott has lived for 40 years in the Philippines, and one of his most recent ministries has been in a school for children and young adults with special needs in Pagadian City.
We ask that all peaceful measures be taken to locate Fr. Sinnott and negotiate his release.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this most urgent request.
Yours sincerely,
News Media Reports:
Daily Mail: Irish priest, 78, taken hostage ‘by Muslim gunmen’ in Philippines — Father Michael Sinnott
– Daily Mail reports: “Six gunmen dragged the Rev. Michael Sinnott into a van in front of his horrified aides at his compound in Pagadian City on Mindano island in the south of the country”
– Daily Telegraph report
– Search operations for abducted Irish priest underway in Mindanao
– London Times: “Irish missionary Michael Sinnott kidnapped from convent in Philippines”
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inti-net/message/9963
“When The Military Takes Power”
a snippet:
The US has its own share of attempted coups. Documents from the Congressional
sub-Committee on Un-American Activities, which under Senator Joseph McCarthy
launched a witch-hunt for leftist-leaning American intellectuals in the late
1940s, reveal a coup plot against President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
It was
reportedly instigated by stock market and financial institution gurus, the
Morgan-Mellon group, to nip in the bud Roosevelt’s New Deal programme and create
a Fascist state modelled on Germany.
The plan was revealed in Congressional
testimony by Navy Major-General Smedley Darlington Butler who had been co-opted
to be part of the revolt. Prescott Bush, President George W Bush’s grandfather,
was named as one of the co-conspirators in the plot.
continues, with other countries...........
Amazing how twisted this one has become:
He did march:
It is going to take a lot of reading to sort this one out, so much history has been re-written:
Thanks much for the ping, granny. Lots of catching up to do.
I love this one:
Behold, elevator butt.
Lol.
No matter the cat, no matter their personality all cats have "elevator butt."
Cats love boxes.
Why is that? My one cat would love to sit in the Yatzee box lid. She'd get her little butt in there. So cute and funny to see her get cozy in there.
[History]
http://www.mail-archive.com/
an excerpt from:
A Man in His Times
John L. Spivak©1967
Horizon Press
New York, NY
LCCC#67-17783
—[1]—
23
THE PLOT TO SEIZE WASHINGTON
On or about the beginning of July 1933, the first overt move was made in one
of the most fantastic plots in American history. A representative of a group
of conspirators opened negotiations with a noted military man to head a
500,000-man army, seize the Government of the United States, put an end to
our democracy and supplant it with a dictatorship. The McCormack-Dickstein
House Committee, which was investigating un-American activities, turned its
attention to the plot; the probe ended abruptly. What was behind the plot was
shrouded in a silence which has not been broken to this day. Even a
generation later, those who are still alive and know all the facts have kept
their silence so well that the conspiracy is not even a footnote in American
histories. It would be regrettable if historians neglected this episode and
future generations of Americans never learned of it.
When the plot actually began or whose inspiration it was is not known, for
the Congressional Committee avoided probing into these aspects. News of the
plot, reported to have financial backing of “three million dollars on the
line and three hundred million available should it be necessary,” reached the
nation in a time which saw greater changes in political systems than any
previous period in history. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was first sworn in
as President, the country was teetering on the brink of economic chaos and in
the grip of a fear that almost paralyzed it. The capitalist system had
collapsed. Almost every bank in the country was closed, millions were
jobless, citizens were being dispossessed from their homes and their farms
and bankruptcies were reaching a torrential stage. There was no sign of
relief.
In desperate efforts to get the economy moving again, the President asked for
and received from the Congress more powers than any President had ever been
given in peacetime. He surrounded himself with advisers ranging from liberal
theoreticians to spokesmen for big business. The loose coalition which formed
around him soon became known as the “Brain Trust.” The President assured the
people that his administration would give them a new deal. Nazi agents who
were busy trying to split Americans into snarling racial and religious groups
promptly dubbed the New Deal a “Jew Deal,” because the Brain Trust was
“Packed with Jews and communists” out to destroy capitalism.
Roosevelt created Government work projects so that the unemployed would be
paid wages, their new purchasing power would enable manufacturers to produce
again and stores would once more see what customers looked like. But to the
rich this program was betrayal by a Government which in the past had always
protected them. It was interfering with the law of supply and demand; it was
taxing the rich and using their money to wreck the going wage scale in a
glutted labor market. A former high official of the du Pont Company wrote to
John J. Raskob, former Chairman of the Democratic Party and then a high du
Pont officer, a heart-wrenching complaint:
continues..........interesting event and close to today.....
The above url, does not seem to work, it is as I copied it and so here is the google link to the article...
[CTRL] [1] A Man in His Times - THE PLOT TO SEIZE WASHINGTON
[CTRL] [1] A Man in His Times - THE PLOT TO SEIZE WASHINGTON. Kris Millegan Sat, 10 Apr 1999 19:23:17 -0400. -Caveat Lector- an excerpt from: A Man in His ...
www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg09847.html
From this url:
Speaking of Spivek...
JANUARY 29, 1935 : (JOHN SPIVEK PUBLISHES HIS CLAIMS ABOUT "BUSINESS PLOT" IN COMMUNIST MAGAZINE----- See NEW MASSES MAGAZINE, COMMUNIST PARTY, LYNDON LAROUCHE CONSPIRACY THEORIES, ANTISEMITISM, SMEDLEY BUTLER, COAT, BEF ) Spivak publishes first of two articles in Communist magazine, arguing plot is part of a Fascist conspiracy of financiers, a few of whom paradoxically are Jewish, to take over USA; he alleges names of big business leaders, reveals deleted portion of congressional committee.---SEE WIKIPEDIA
“Dear Dogs and Cats:”
Very funny and oh, so true!
Harvesting Edible Chestnuts in Vancouver
Most people find Horse Chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) lying on the ground in
the Fall. They are a beautiful, shiny brown nuts but inedible. However, there are
in Vancouver a few Spanish Chestnut or Sweet Chestnut trees (Castanea saliva), the
nuts of which are edible, and elderly Asian and European residents are quick to
harvest them as they fall to the ground. They often use long poles to hit them out
of the trees.
Backyard wine makers in Norway at 60 degrees North
There’s nothing wrong with red or black currants, but grapevines are both more fun
and inspire more cooperation. Just ask Olav and Betsy Heen, who make wine from self-grown
grapes in Rodeløkka, Oslo.
Olav and Betsy Heen managed to convince their neighbors in Oslo, Norway, to join
them in growing grapes on the south facing walls of their houses. The result is
a very local wine called “Côte de Rodeløkka”. They’ve had record crops of 75 kilos
of grapes between them, but normally end up with 30 - 40 kilos, enough for 25 to
30 litres of wine. At 60 degrees North, comparable to Labrador or Anchorage, cultivating
grapes is pretty impressive.
Boxer - Evander Holyfield to create one acre teaching garden
Holyfield said, ‘I will give you 40 acres for the solar farm and another acre for
the children’s garden’ - continues,
“In addition to this milestone solar project, an additional acre of my land will
be used to create a working organic garden to teach neighborhood youth the importance
of going green. The organic garden will be installed in cooperation with local community
groups and administered by the Evander Holyfield Foundation.”
Bear-Proof Compost Bin
Bears are a part of city life in many municipalities in and around Vancouver. Our
Hotline receives calls from residents about bears strolling into yards and knocking
over compost bins in North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Whistler, Squamish and parts
of Vancouver Island.
Laurie Chambers of Lund, BC, designed and built this beautiful bear-proof composter
and we are lucky to have one at the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden.
Aquaponics Projects - growing fish and vegetables
Prototype aquaponic (combination of hydroponics and aquaculture) system using 700
gallon elevated ferro-cement flood tank technology developed by Travis W. Hughey
which uses no float switches, electronic timers or microprocessors to control the
flood and drain parameters of the system. It is a large version of the flood tank
in the “Barrel-Ponics” manual found on this site as a free download.
The system
uses approximately 400 gallons of water per flood cycle. There are 37 barrel half
growbeds also of Travis’s design incorporated. In the shallow pond water hyacinth
and water lettuce are grown for fish feed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All stories here:
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102760535180&s=1304&e=001YHVNX2QjVlr10SXjqy_encuZH5Ont9ZXuh96oA6s3egKf6yFvvEzMBEC5sxm8WpBs526CRWOe0TthObsnh7eei5ajjIRXOfeb3tK2N9VGW96r8iVdkU8bQ==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture
With so much going on, it is difficult to keep up.
“Dear Dogs and Cats:”
Very funny and oh, so true!<<<
I thought it was.
I have to laugh at TT, he does not forget that he starved a couple days, before I found him.
If her canned food dish is empty, she goes bonkers, racing from the empty dish to me, over and over.
She even claw me.
Then when I put down fresh, she takes a nibble or two and is full.
TT is about 3 times as big as Purr Baby, difficult to remember they were the same size in the beginning, now they must be about 3 months old.
(JOHN SPIVEK PUBLISHES HIS CLAIMS ABOUT “BUSINESS PLOT” IN COMMUNIST MAGAZINE<<<
I started reading at part 3 and it was later that I found parts 1 and 2.
There appears to be no doubt that a takeover was planned.
I read about it most of the night and never did figure out who was the real “good” side of the situation.
I have never been a Roosevelt admirer, but when I got into the takeover plan and found it linked to the Hitler Nazi’s, I sure was not admiring the takeover side either.
Still it is a bit of our history and I do give give Roosevelt credit for creating jobs, for my father took one of the WPA jobs, in order to feed his family.
Do you know if Smedley Butler is related to the Butler that was so involved with the Aryan nation compounds in Idaho and elsewhere?
Something that I read last night, made me wonder if it was so? and I did not get a chance to check it out.
Wickipedia, is too big for my computer and dial up internet and it usually crashes me, so I rarely attempt to go there.
Thank you for commenting on the posts and do add more if you will, for to me it was history and now so many are wanting to ‘take back the White House’, it caught my eye.
Please let me be the first to post this valuable info, since :
DW lives in a state where they send a 6 year old to reform school ( we didn’t even start school until 7) for having a camping knife
( and we would have been jap slapped if we were caught Without our pocket case,treeboker or barlow )
and I live in a state where they are Violating the privacy of every Driver’s License holder with Face recognition searches
and since fascism is looming closer::
Here it is folks:
Official New Zealand Travel Advice
http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/
‘oy Mate,, care for a spot of tea ??
Local Meat Company Recalls More Than 900 Lbs. Of Beef
A San Diego-based meat wholesaler has recalled some 925 pounds of ground-beef
that might be contaminated with E. coli.
MORE DETAILS: http://www.10News.com/tu/5KveFKW2c.html
At least New Zealand is a pretty country, LOL, they want you to tell them where you are going, before you get there.
I won’t be moving, but will be cussing a lot, as I read the news of today.
Maybe that is why I keep slipping back to history, at this stage, there is no need to worry if it is true, for it is twisted history, no matter who wrote it.
Stay safe.
Weekly Harvest Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - October 14, 2009
Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Web site. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online (http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#wh).
Share The Harvest: Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues who might be interested in the latest sustainable agriculture news, funding opportunities, and events.
News & Resources
* Minnesota Food System Study Released
* Report Discusses Grass-Based Dairy Products
* Aquaculture Law Reading Room Available
* Nominate Farmers and Leaders for ‘Growing Green Award’
* USDA Forms New Research Institute
* Video Highlights Sustainable Cotton Project
Funding Opportunities
* Strolling of the Heifers Microloan Fund for New England Farmers
* Annie’s Homegrown Sustainable Agriculture Scholarship
* Community Food Projects Competitive Grant
Coming Events
* Growing Food and Justice for All Conference
* Soil Food Web and Compost Technologies Workshop
* Community Farming Conference
News & Resources
Minnesota Food System Study Released
A new study, “Mapping the Minnesota Food Industry,” (http://www.crcworks.org/mnfood.pdf) (PDF/1.3MB) concludes that an emerging cluster of food businesses drives economic change by building trust with their commercial partners. Ken Meter, president of Crossroads Resource Center and author of the study, said, “The most successful firms are creating new ways of doing business, not only providing higher quality foods. They do this by building relationships of trust with both suppliers and customers.” Meter’s study was based on a thorough financial review of the state food industry combined with close interviews with key local firms.
Report Discusses Grass-Based Dairy Products
http://www.cias.wisc.edu/economics/grass-based-dairy-products-challenges-and-opportunities/
This report (http://www.cias.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/gbdairyreportfinallowres.pdf) (PDF/627KB) is intended to provide guidance for future grass-fed dairy marketing efforts. The lessons that pioneering graziers have learned will help the grazing community create a premium market for their products. If grass-fed dairy products command a premium price, more farmers may adopt this environmentally friendly farming system.
Aquaculture Law Reading Room Available
http://nationalaglawcenter.org/readingrooms/aquaculture/
Aquaculture, or the raising of fish and other aquatic creatures for human consumption, is an increasing and developing area of agricultural law. As a result of the growing demand and production, the 2005 Census of Aquaculture reported farm-level sales of $1.1 billion, resulting from the industry’s 11.7% growth over the previous seven years. The industry’s growth has been accompanied by laws and regulation. As a result, the National Agricultural Law Center assembled and posted an Aquaculture Reading Room. An overview article on the subject is included in the reading room, along with a listing of and links to major statutes and regulations that currently affect the industry.
Related ATTRA Publication: Aquaculture Enterprises: Considerations and Strategies
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/aquaculture.html
Nominate Farmers and Leaders for ‘Growing Green Award’
http://www.nrdc.org/health/growinggreen.asp
Through this national award, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) will recognize extraordinary contributions that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, climate stewardship, water stewardship, farmland preservation, and social responsibility from farm to fork. A Growing Green Award will be given to an outstanding individual in each of four categories, including Food Producer, Business Leader, Thought Leader, and Water Steward. A $10,000 cash prize will be awarded in the Food Producer category and all winners will be widely celebrated through outreach to media and NRDC’s networks. Nominations are due December 4.
USDA Forms New Research Institute
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009/10/0501.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NE
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) with a major speech regarding the role of science and research at USDA. ‘Formed in the main from the existing Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, NIFA will be the Department’s extramural research enterprise. It is no exaggeration to say that NIFA will be a research ‘start-up’ company - we will be rebuilding our competitive grants program from the ground up to generate real results for the American people,’ said Vilsack.
Video Highlights Sustainable Cotton Project
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQVjp7I7Saw
Located in California’s Central Valley, the world’s most productive agricultural region, the Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP) focuses on the production and use of cotton, one of the most widely grown and chemical-intensive crops in the world. In this short video you will hear from the farmers, researchers, and community members involved in the project.
More Breaking News (http://attra.ncat.org/news/)
Funding Opportunities
Strolling of the Heifers Microloan Fund for New England Farmers
http://www.thecarrotproject.org/farm_financing
The mission of the fund is to address the difficulty that some New England farmers have in obtaining credit for projects that improve their operations and increase their income, as well as for emergency needs. Loan applications for amounts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, for terms of up to five years, will be accepted. In 2009, applicants will be limited to farms located in Vermont or in Western Massachusetts (Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin counties), with a primary focus on loans to small- and midsized farms that use sustainable or organic methods (or are moving toward them), and that are marketing at least a portion of their products to local markets.
Proposals are due November 27, 2009.
Annie’s Homegrown Sustainable Agriculture Scholarship
http://www.annies.com/sustainable_agriculture_scholarship
Annie’s Homegrown Sustainable Agriculture Scholarship Program is open to full time undergraduate and graduate students beginning or returning to an accredited 2 or 4 year technical or college program or graduate school in the U.S. for the 2010/2011 school year. Students must be focusing on classes in sustainable agriculture. International students may apply as long as they are studying at a U.S. school. Through the Sustainable Agriculture Scholarship program, Annie’s will award $50,000 in scholarship assistance each year to some very deserving students.
Proposals are due October 31, 2009.
Community Food Projects Competitive Grant
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=49620
The primary goals of the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program are to: (1) Meet the food needs of low-income individuals; (2) Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; (3) Promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and (4) Meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs including: (a) Infrastructure improvement and development; (b) Planning for long-term solutions; or (c)The creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
Proposals are due November 19, 2009.
More Funding Opportunities (http://attra.ncat.org/funding/)
Coming Events
Growing Food and Justice for All Conference
https://www.growingfoodandjustice.org/Home_page.html
October 30-November 1, 2009
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This conference is for individuals, organizations, institutions, agencies, community-based entities, and anyone who wants to participate in a process to create a food-secure and just world. Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative is striving to create a network of activists who are working toward a just food system and world.
Soil Food Web and Compost Technologies Workshop
http://www.carboneconomysb.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89:soilfoodweb&catid=34:courses-category&Itemid=61
October 30-November 1, 2009
Santa Barbara, California
In this course, you’ll look at the elements of a healthy soil food web, learn how to analyze and improve your own soil, and learn how to make composts and extracts to strengthen the soil food web. The Soil Food Web course provides knowledge and research findings for those at the grass roots level of working with soils. That includes not just farmers who grow crops, but also those who graze cattle, sheep and other livestock, fruit and vegetable growers, greens keepers, parks and gardens workers, nursery operators - in fact, anyone who grows things. The course offers a way of improving the soils we work with now and a way to keep soils in this healthier state without damaging any other eco-system.
Community Farming Conference
Farming/2009_community_farming_conference.html
October 31, 2009
New Haven, Connecticut
For people who are involved in or hoping to start a community farm, this conference will provide the opportunity to learn about important aspects of these farms and to network with others involved in this movement.
More Events (http://attra.org/calendar/)
New & Updated Publications
Small-Scale Egg Handling
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/10/06/small_scale_egg_handling
Biodiesel: Do-it-yourself Production Basics
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/08/27/biodiesel_do_it_yourself_production_basi_1
Procesamiento de Aves a Pequeña Escala
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/08/20/procesamiento_de_aves_a_pequena_escala
Question of the Week
What information can you give me on growing saffron?
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/question.php/2009/10/13/what_information_can_you_give_me_on_grow_1
Website of the Week
The Southwest Marketing Network
http://attra.org/wow/
Ask a Sustainable Agriculture Expert
Submit questions to our professional staff online
http://attra.ncat.org/ask.php
ATTRA Spanish Newsletter
Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (http://attra.ncat.org/espanol/boletin.php)
(Monthly Harvest), ATTRA’s Spanish-language e-newsletter
ATTRA on the Radio
This week’s discussion features new tools local governments can use to support local agriculture. Listen to the show: (http://www.attra.ncat.org/radioshow2009/).
Subscribe to the Weekly Harvest
(http://visitor.roving.com/optin.jsp?m=1011223551022&ea=)
Comments? Questions? Go to http://www.attra.ncat.org/management/contact.html.
Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews Archives Available Online
(http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html)
Digital versions of recent Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews newsletters are available online. ATTRAnews is the newsletter of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
(http://attra.ncat.org/)
ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/index.html). Visit the NCAT Web site (http://www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php) for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.
Copyright 2009 NCAT
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