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Keeping in Touch:  Danger of Extinction  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 06:19:56 AM
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I agree Amy Grace- when did food production become less about feeding the body (aka WHOLESOME FOOD) and more about money? It sure makes one think that that pharamcutical companies and the nasty giants like Monsanto are in league together. They sure have created one huge mill to churn out dull-witted, un healthy individuals. I know when I feed my body a bunch of processed junk I start feeling sluggish and slow not only in body but also in mind! Some days I feel like between the advertising and the behind the scenes stuff (like creating infertile plants), the big corporations view us and thereby treat us like dumb animals...like cattle to be herded from pasture to pasture. Only in this case all the green (our money) goes into THEIR pockets!! What excellent "ranchers" they have become in the past 50-60 years!
Phew! Okay sorry for the rant but the advertising was getting to me!
I want to be self sufficient someday and that means I HAVE to learn to save seeds! And my animals need to be able to reproduce themselves. I only want to have to add in genetics every few years (to keep from in breeding).
If Monsanto wanted to be helpful, how come they couldn't come up with some sort of nematode or something that would eat the foxglove and bindweed out of my garden! LOL
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 08:40:42 AM
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Good morning, Mavens! I took a break from posting yesterday to reprioritize. DH came home from work Wednesday evening to find my posting like mad on the computer. He needed some attention but my response was, "This is important! This is our future! This isn't foo foo! This is what you and I are working toward. It's about making a change, making a difference, educating people. I need to concentrate!" (I'm not proud of that moment.) Being the wonderful soul that he is, I was left to do my "important work." After I was done posting I did turn my attention to taking care of him. The next morning (yesterday) when he called to say he made it to work safely, he could tell my attention was somewhere else - on writing about what "heirloom" means to me. After we hung up I realized that the future I see for us isn't going to happen if I sacrifice our relationship in the process - even for a short time. So I decided to take a break yesterday and will be checking in less often, though I'm sure I'll still have my moments. And when I do, please feel free to rein me back in from my obsession with this topic.
And no, you didn't miss reading the heirloom post because I got long-winded and am saving it for another time. In essence, heirloom to me is - what's the word(s) I'm looking for - not a philosophy, not a state-of-mind, maybe tradition? It's not just the physical - seeds, animals, farming practices. Maybe it is a state-of-mind sort of. It's the entrusting something precious to the next generation and that generation being a good steward of the trust. So I'm finding myself fired up not so much about swapping seeds (although that is part of it) as swapping information, inspiration and motivation. It's about clearing out the clutter of things that have become important and getting back to what is truly healthy - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually - and passing it on. It seems to me that what's gotten us so passionate about this thread is not finding new plants for our gardens or even having healthy food for our families. We see the big picture. We see was could happen if we don't take steps right now to turn things around. What will the future hold if we don't change direction? What will the future hold if we do?
On a more practical note, having said all that, I think how we garden is up to us. We're all on the same journey but not at the same point on the path. The only reason our food can be called organic is that it's been too emotionally hard for us to have a garden until last year so we've hit that five-year mark for no commercial pesticides or fertilizers being used on that land. We're not going for USDA certification. That means less to me than being able to tell people my values and how the vegetables they're buying were grown. If some of you are here for the swapping, go for it! You couldn't get better seed. If some of you are here because you don't want to use GE seeds but will be using commercial products, go for it! If some of you are here because you want to garden like your grandparents did, go for it! To me it's all about education and carrying on the torch! Burn, baby, burn!!!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 08:43:37 AM
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Annika, my darlin', just wanted you to know how glad I am that you're here. I was reading through some of the old posts last night and you have such a gentle spirit and tender heart. You are a breath of fresh air. Autumn air, I think - crisp, clear, calming. You're a blessing, my dear.
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 08:53:37 AM
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Thank you Karen  You are a vital and spirited being with a strong need to nurture too. I feel that you will help keep us focused with your strength and passion. I know what a powerful friend you are to Dawn and that is important. I am a shy mouse sometimes and don't always say what I want to, and you usually say something that would have come from my heart. Bless you!
Annika
Farmgirl sister #13
Mud Hen Queen
http://innermountainmudhens.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoonsgarden.blogspot.com/ |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 09:49:22 AM
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Oh, Annika, thank you! I think I'll copy that and put it in my planner to look at when I need a boost!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:02:46 PM
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Had to hop on the computer and share this with ya'll.
Back to the "if it was a snack it woulda bit" routine............I'm taking Gus out for his poop walk and he starts sniffing at the same place he's been sniffing the last few days. I'm thinking it's where Leo (our outdoor girl) has done her business. Just as I'm pulling him back from eating the kitty candy, a snake slithers away! He uncovered a snake hole and woke the slitherer up. Get this: if I hadn't pulled him away he would have had a snake for a snack - and it woulda bit him!!! Bah dum bum!!! (Rim shot) I was laughing so hard I almost fell off the stoop!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:06:23 PM
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For those who missed my original goof that started all of this, see my post at the top of page 18. What a goof I am!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:42:21 PM
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For those who haven't seen it yet, check out Tina Michelle's "In the news today......" post in the Across the Fence forum. Now there's some non-food for thought.............
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311
P.S. Tina, you will need to take me by the hand and walk me to the petition because I'm not finding it. Of course I'm trying to do this in a hurry so that could be the problem. |
Edited by - LivingWell4You on Sep 19 2008 1:46:28 PM |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:44:55 PM
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Found this article on the "Ebay Guides" on how to prepare your soil for growing bumper crops of tomatoes/heirloom tomatoes:
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The soil should be deep, loamy, and well-drained for the best harvest. Tomatoes prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.2 to 6.8. The term pH balance refers to acidity or the alkalinity of your soil from a numerical scale of 1.0 to 14.0. The neutral point on the pH scale is 7.0. Higher than 6.5 indicates alkaline soil, lower than that indicates acidic soil.
Tomatoes prefer to be planted by chives, parsley, marigolds, nasturtiums, garlic bulbs, and carrots. Avoid planting tomatoes by potatoes or members of the cabbage family.
For large healthy tomatoes, give them plenty of room to grow. Space plants twenty-four inches between rows and leave twenty-four inches between plants.
With your shovel or spade, make holes slightly larger than the plants. Tap gently on the bottom of the individual container, loosening the soil and gently removing from the pot. Tomatoes are susceptible to cutworms, but placing a 3-4 inch nail next to each stem before planting or wrapping strips of newspaper around the bottom of the stems will help prevent these pests. A paper cup surrounding the stem also works well.
Place tomato plant in hole and back fill with soil until it is well compacted. Place a rack or cage around each individual plant to help support future growth. Water around the base of the plant, avoiding the foliage. Do not over water or soak the seedlings as this can promote disease and rot. Water early in the day to discourage blight.
Using a rake, spread organic mulch, such as weed-free straw, over plants at least two inches deep. These is an effective way to prevent weeds, preserve water and keep the soil warm, thus reducing the maintenance required for vegetable gardening.
Fertilize the plants throughout the growing season with compost or organic matter. Water when needed and inspect leaves periodically for the signs of tomato blight and insects.
If blight is discovered, remove any infected leaves and destroy them. Treat plant with a fungicide. Be sure to remove all debris from your garden in the fall, as blight can survive on the dried tomatoes over the winter.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:47:23 PM
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thought that some of you could go ahead and have this info on hand during the fall for when you start preparing garden beds for next Spring.
can check your soil ph levels and start adding to it before hand if need be to get the proper ph levels you'd need.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:57:02 PM
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Off topic for just a moment Mavens- Thanks to this thread, I joined the sisterhood and received the "official stuff" in the mail today. I am now sister #356.
On topic now- I agree Tina, this is the time of year to start preparing your garden for next year. I just went and harvested the last few item in the garden this morning. Hubby will be putting up a section of chicken wire across the raised bed area tonight and the my chickens will be let in for a few weeks to do their magic! Then it's time for a cover crop, and start planning what is going to be planted next year!
Lillian |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 2:03:43 PM
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Now I've got the giggles too 
I am eager for our hen house so that I can get on with all of our linking and book listing . I've always loved making lists and organizing things, tho' you wouldn't believe the latter if you saw my house
We are going to be a fired up chapter of wild, seed saving, ranting women! [:D} (teasin' just a bit, but I'm proud of all of us)
This is going to be so fun to learn. I went and splurged on some of the important books from Amazon and am waiting for them to arrive with no great patience.
We, the world, have been sold the bigger, better, faster, more package and that is why we have the Monsantos' and a other major food barons running things now. We NEED strawberries the size of apples, no matter that they taste like paste, we have been sold the whole package and everyone but the public is making a killing on it. We get giant sized tasteless fruit and poor health for all of the additives and chemicals and GE stuff that we are feeding our bodies. I am hoping to make a dent in this way of life we've been sold ( the public, not us ladies)and if I change just one mind about the way things are going, I am a success. I want to know what I'm being sold and eating and to have a choice in the matter, therefore, I'm saving my own seeds, I'm supporting smart farming and saying no to GE and GMO products. Part of the big problem is so much of it is done behind our backs and there is a lot of money being spent in keeping us in the dark and clueless as to what we are actually eating and using. We need to individually do what we can to gain full disclosure of what is what. I feel that I have the right to make the choice to say yes or no to a product based on it's content and origin. Thankfully I can grow some of my own food if I'm smart with my water and mulch like crazy.
I hope all of you wild and wonderful women have a great weekend.
Annika
Farmgirl sister #13
Mud Hen Queen
http://innermountainmudhens.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoonsgarden.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - Annika on Sep 19 2008 2:05:58 PM |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 2:05:30 PM
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Thanks Tina, I have been reading your magazine and website, Very, Very Cool!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 2:13:55 PM
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aww thanks Rene. :0)
I have always had a mind for researching and learning more.
have always as long as I can remember been extremely interested in growing things/learning all about different plants and how to grow them.
and to learning all I can about all sorts of topics.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 3:03:58 PM
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Lillian, welcome to the sisterhood! You rock, girl!!!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 3:06:29 PM
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Annika, you are the mouse that roared! With the above post and the one on the "in the news today....." thread, you are a force to be reckoned with. Go, mousey, go!!!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 3:55:03 PM
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Dawn email me your address and I will send you the money for the bracelet, the mailing fee and the money that goes in the sponser fund. I would like it to have mostly purple glass beads with a few green, red, & blue beads thrown in. I think until we have the hen house set up you should keep the money for our sponser fund. Does everyone else agree with that?
As far as the badge goes I was thinking each of us could embroider our own. If there is anyone in the group that doesn't know how to do this they need to speak up so we can figure out how to get yours done. You could use this opportunity to earn your embroidery badge for the Sisterhood....just a suggestion. We all could do that of course! Also depending on how the image comes out after it is shrunk, we could embroider the whole thing, or have it all drawn in ink or have it drawn in ink and just do embellishment embroidery on it. There are many options.
Wouldn't it rock when we go to the BBB and the jackets of the MJ's Heirloom Mavens were covered with badges?
Annika and Amy Grace don't worry it will be about 2 years before we are moved onto our place in Idaho and will be getting livestock. We have plenty of time to work out our bird swapping. By then we should really be on task and know just what we want. Alee really has a great plan to have heirloom and standard poultry and slowly replace the standard with the heirloom. Smart girl. If you are interested in sheep the spinning weaving group I'm in is really supportive about sharing stock for decent prices, even the older breeds.
I can't wait until we have our hen house too. I think it will be easier to organize everything so I don't have to keep re-reading all the posts, lol.
I checked out the Thomas Jefferson site Tina put up, it's cool, you can type in your growing zone and then it only shows you the plants that will grow in your zone. It's a good thing we have you computer farmgirls, because I'm not so hot on the computer. I can't find what you said on your blog Annika.
Congratulations Lillian, welcome to the Sisterhood. I still haven't got my badge embroidered. Too bad I didn't have a computer I could just speak to and it would key in my words, then that would leave my hands free to do hand work,lol.
Everyone have a great weekend.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 4:01:44 PM
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Tina,
I share that with you, although I tend to spend more time with Poeple these days. I love seeing, hearing and enjoying what poeple are doing, creating, and "being" and write on that. You are really, really a gift. Just amazing! Thank you for sharing yourself and your gifts with all of us.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 4:21:52 PM
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just wanted to mention that if you are looking for particular seed..I am hostessing a seed exchange over on my blog..it will be starting soon..but might be a way for some of us to be able to get a few different varieties of things to grow. I will be inviting some other folks from my big blog list of blogger friends soon..so if you want to join in..nows the time to do so.
oh and Rene..yes I actually spend time with people too.:0) my life isn't all about the computer/learning/researching. I am just the type if I get a new plant/seed I have to know how to grow it and will research about it...ha. And if there is something I am highly interested in I look it up and learn what I can.And as a home school mom I am always looking up stuff to share with the kids.
I do have a life outside of the forum and my blog..ha. But no friends locally..they are all scattered hither and yon.
And don't all have the heart for the farm style life that I do.Found it to be rather extremely challenging to find locals even interested in this type of thing.
So for now I sort of have a hermit type existence, but not by choice of my own. I actually do interact with people though...smiles.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
visit me at:
http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and at www.stliving.net
you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Keeping in Touch: Danger of Extinction |
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Danger of Extinction
