This is for a couple of reasons; one our computer is acting up( I think it's a memory problem, not sure though) and we don't have the $$ to take it in and have it looked at or buy another one at this time.
There are also some changes going on around here and well...... I simply am overwhelmed with the lack of time I have to get things done, so instead of sitting preparing a post for an hour or more, I can use this time productively elsewhere, hope that doesn't sound to harsh? Blogging is fun and I enjoy it very much, but it does take time to post pictures, edit and whatnot and right now I NEED this time for me.
Cortney is working away from home M-Sat., which requires me to driver her to and sometimes from her destination, then I'm alone doing all the animal chores, cleaning house, doing laundry, preparing and fixing meals and soon the gardening. Now please don't take this as I'm complaining because that is NOT the case at all, I'm just trying to explain the time situation. There are several other issues at hand as well, but not worth mentioning here.
It looks as if Mike may be working four- 10 hour work days with three day weekends, YEAH!!! Maybe we'll be able to get some much needed upkeep done around here. This will help me out because he can take Cortney to her Driver's Ed on Friday's and I can stay home and work at getting things done around here and visa versa. :o)
I can't tell you how long I'll be gone, and I'll work on getting back to posting as quick as possible.
Okay the computer is acting up so better post this. Anyone who'd like to email me, I'll try to answer back as quick as possible can reach me at kellemt@yahoo.com
See you all soon :o)
Blessings and Hugs,
Kelle
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Red Light district is back.....
I'm not sure what the count is now but I think Annabel and Cortney are at least half way through lambing. It's such a joy to see the lambs all racing and bounding about in the corral areas outside the barn.
We still have snow on the ground and it's forecasted to snow with rain mix for the next several days, then get back to sunshine and mid to high 50's by mid week, next week :o)
Cortney has Driver's Ed this afternoon, so a quick trip to the city and back home again to check on the chicks as well as feed the bum lambs. I'm looking forward to this weekend, this whole week has been so hectic and crazy, I'm looking to enjoy some peace and quite, down time and NOT have to run anywhere.
Blessings to each of you today.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
I hesitate to share this.....
Yesterday was our only Grandaughter's 1st Birthday. We have not been allowed contact with Jayla since last Easter. I'm not going to go into details but will add that our Ds has also disassociated himself from his entire family, his Father, sister and myself, as well as Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. I don't even begin to understand this, I've racked my brain over and over again and a still small voice keeps telling me, " It's beyond your control, let it go." So it is with a heavy heart that we think of our Grandaughter Jayla on her 1st Birthday, wondering how beautiful she must be now, , if she talks, crawls or maybe even walks. She is in our daily prayers and maybe someday we'll get to meet her again, God willing.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Today in Montana from our farm....
Peppers, peppers everywhere! Last year I couldn't get peppers to germinate for anything and this year we've had a 98% germination rate :o)
Monday, March 21, 2011
This and That happenings in our weekend
Mike also worked on three hydraulic cylinders, cut up some small branch firewood for our,"Take the Chill Off" fires at night and if needed in the mornings.
Cortney's been working so much I can't keep track of her :o) She worked M, T, W, Th, and Sat. last week and tonight she starts her first round of night lambing with Annabele, with hopes that she'll feel comfortable enough to fill in and give Annabele a few nights off during lambing season. She also will be bringing home two bum lambs on Wens.
We have our feelers out for a Dairy goat, but it seems we came onto this idea a bit to late and nobody has a fresh nanny or one ready to freshen, only kids and we don't want to wait for milk. I mean we've been dry for almost two and a half years and We WANT Milk!!!!! LOL!!!! All kidding aside, if it's supposed to happen it will. :o) We still have another dairy goat farm to contact and ask to take a tour, it's just finding the time right now.
Not much else worth sharing, so I'll sign off and wish each of you a very blessed week. :o)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Iowa legislature prompted by Big Ag to ban secret filming of animal abuse
Iowa legislature prompted by Big Ag to ban secret filming of animal abuse
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Many Natural News readers have probably seen at least one of the many shocking video clips found online or in movies that expose the horrors of animal abuse taking place at industrial factory farms. Such videos offer a glimpse at the horrific abuses taking place in industrial agriculture. However, a new bill put forth by agriculture committees in both the Iowa House of Representatives and the Iowa Senate seeks to outlaw and criminalize the undercover filming of such conditions.
If passed, the bill would turn into criminals those who merely seek to get the truth out about what is actually taking place in the confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) from where most of the nation's food supply is derived. Those caught filming workers beating pigs being beaten or chickens confined dozens to a single cage, for instance, would face fines of up to $7,500 and up to five years in prison for doing so.
Sponsored by Big Ag, the measure is a clear attempt to silence the truth about factory farming. After all, exposing the public to thousands of cows confined in filthy, disease-laden manure pits tends to turn consumers off to the idea of eating conventional beef or drinking conventional milk. And witnessing millions of chickens locked in tight cages walking on each other's dead corpses is not exactly good for the egg and poultry industries, either.
"It's very transparent what agribusiness is attempting to do here," said Bradley Miller, national director of the Humane Farming Association, a California-based animal protection group, to the Austin American Statesman (AES). "They're trying to intimidate whistle blowers and put a chill on legitimate anti-cruelty investigations. Clearly the industry feels it has something to hide or it wouldn't be going to these extreme and absurd lengths."
The industry introduced the bill after several undercover videos were recently released showing cows being shocked, baby chicks being ground up alive, and other heinous abuses. Big Ag claims the bill is merely an attempt to stop phony job-seekers from gaining positions at factory farms only to expose them.
But opponents of the bill say that it will only make abuses more secretive, and thus more prevalent, because it criminalizes those who would dare bring the truth to light.
"We feel the agribusiness industry should be trying to root out animal cruelty and expose it," said Nathan Runkle, executive director of Mercy for Animals, a Chicago-based animal protection group, to AES. "As a moral society, it is our obligation to prevent all cruelty to animals and it's difficult to end abuse when you can't expose it."
Sources for this story include:
http://www.statesman.com/news/natio...
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Many Natural News readers have probably seen at least one of the many shocking video clips found online or in movies that expose the horrors of animal abuse taking place at industrial factory farms. Such videos offer a glimpse at the horrific abuses taking place in industrial agriculture. However, a new bill put forth by agriculture committees in both the Iowa House of Representatives and the Iowa Senate seeks to outlaw and criminalize the undercover filming of such conditions.
If passed, the bill would turn into criminals those who merely seek to get the truth out about what is actually taking place in the confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) from where most of the nation's food supply is derived. Those caught filming workers beating pigs being beaten or chickens confined dozens to a single cage, for instance, would face fines of up to $7,500 and up to five years in prison for doing so.
Sponsored by Big Ag, the measure is a clear attempt to silence the truth about factory farming. After all, exposing the public to thousands of cows confined in filthy, disease-laden manure pits tends to turn consumers off to the idea of eating conventional beef or drinking conventional milk. And witnessing millions of chickens locked in tight cages walking on each other's dead corpses is not exactly good for the egg and poultry industries, either.
"It's very transparent what agribusiness is attempting to do here," said Bradley Miller, national director of the Humane Farming Association, a California-based animal protection group, to the Austin American Statesman (AES). "They're trying to intimidate whistle blowers and put a chill on legitimate anti-cruelty investigations. Clearly the industry feels it has something to hide or it wouldn't be going to these extreme and absurd lengths."
The industry introduced the bill after several undercover videos were recently released showing cows being shocked, baby chicks being ground up alive, and other heinous abuses. Big Ag claims the bill is merely an attempt to stop phony job-seekers from gaining positions at factory farms only to expose them.
But opponents of the bill say that it will only make abuses more secretive, and thus more prevalent, because it criminalizes those who would dare bring the truth to light.
"We feel the agribusiness industry should be trying to root out animal cruelty and expose it," said Nathan Runkle, executive director of Mercy for Animals, a Chicago-based animal protection group, to AES. "As a moral society, it is our obligation to prevent all cruelty to animals and it's difficult to end abuse when you can't expose it."
Sources for this story include:
http://www.statesman.com/news/natio...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
* U.S. FDA has recalled large amounts of phenobarbital, for Veterinarians
* U.S. FDA has recalled large amounts of phenobarbital, a common
anti-seizure drug used by veterinarians, upon discovery that the pills are
acetaminophen.
Today in a press release by the American Veterinary Medical Association to
veterinary members, at 3:45 this afternoon, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) announced that a large amount of the common
anticonvulsant phenobarbital produced by the Qualitest Pharmaceuticals are
actually mislabeled acetaminophen and hydrocodone. This is a common drug
prescribed for veterinary patients who suffer from seizure disorders such as
epilepsy. The company announced a voluntary recall of the Phenobarbital
tablets on February 5th, 2011, and the FDA has recently received reports of
severe adverse events associated with administration of mislabeled product
to pets.
In addition, Phenobarbital is actually produced as a human drug that is
commonly used in veterinary medicine, but this recall also affects people on
the medication as well. According to the FDA's prior press
release< http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm242398.htm>,
the following information is given for human medical advice, "As a result of
this mix-up patients may unintentionally take Hydrocodone and acetaminophen
instead of Phenobarbital. ... Hydrocodone can lead to serious adverse
effects including respiratory depression, CNS depression, coma and death...
Unintentional administration of acetaminophen may result in liver toxicity
in patients on other acetaminophen containing medications, patients with
liver dysfunction, or people who consume more than 3 alcoholic beverages a
day. Additionally, missing doses of Phenobarbital could result in loss of
seizure control."
Possible Complications From Phenobarbital Recall for Patients Receiving
Wrong Medication
Two concerns arise from this situation for owners, patients, and prescribing
veterinarians. First, breakthrough seizures and uncontrolled neurologic
symptoms may begin to emerge in patients with a prior history of well
controlled signs in the past as a result of decreasing phenobarbital levels
in the bloodstream.
Read more at Suite101: Mislabeled Phenobarbital Drug Recall: Seizure
Patients at Risk< http://www.suite101.com/content/mislabeled-phenobarbital-drug-recall-seizure-patients-at-risk-a357744#ixzz1GJQHKs87 >
http://*%20u.s.%20fda%20has%20recalled%20large%20amounts%20of%20phenobarbital,%20a%20common/
*
In addition, adverse effects related to exposure to acetaminophen as a
non-steroidal anti inflammatory while owners are unaware greatly increases
the risk of co-treating with other similar common veterinary-use NSAIDS for
managing arthritis such as Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx, and Metacam. This
greatly increases the potential for adverse drug reactions related to this
class of drug including gastrointestinal ulceration, liver toxicity, and
kidney failure.
What Phenobarbital Drugs Are Affected?
The affected tablets are Phenobarbital Tablets, USP 32.4 mg, NDC
0603-5166-32 in 1000-count bottles. Affected lot numbers are *T150G10B,
T120J10E *and* T023M10A*. The lot numbers can be found on the side of the
bottle.
The recalled lots were distributed between *September 21, 2010* and *December
29, 2010*, to wholesale and retail pharmacies nationwide, including Puerto
Rico.
If an owner has discovered to possess any of the affected lots in stock,
discontinue the product immediately and contact *Qualitest *at*1-800-444-4011
* for reimbursement. In addition, if any patients have experienced adverse
effects from these products, medical providers should report the events to
the *FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting
Program*< http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm>via their online
reporting system or by calling
*1-800-332-1088* for a reporting form which can be completed and return to
the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit a fax to *1-800-FDA-0178*.
Additional Information For Owners Suspicious Their Pet's Medication Is
Mislabeled
According to today's information by *Veterinary Practice
News< http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-breaking-news/2011/03/10/label-mix-up-prompts-recall-of-human-drug-prescribed-for-animals-extralabel.aspx >
,* "Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endo
Pharmaceuticals, gave descriptions of each drug: Hydrocodone Bitartrate and
Acetaminophen Tablets are large (about 16.5 mm in length), pink,
capsule-shaped tablets, debossed (3600) on one side and debossed (V) on the
reverse side. Phenobarbital Tablets are small (about 6.4 mm in diameter),
white, round, biconvex, scored tablets, debossed (5012) and (V) on one side
and plain on the reverse side."
Owners should immediately consult their regular veterinarian if suspicion of
exposure has occurred, avoid additional NSAID anti-inflammatory drugs listed
above, and begin to administer genuine Phenobarbital tablets immediately to
avoid a breakthrough in seizure management. If seizures occur, additional
therapies may be given to assist control while rebalancing blood levels. If
preexisting liver or kidney disease is already known, rechecking blood work
to monitor current health may be a good consideration.
anti-seizure drug used by veterinarians, upon discovery that the pills are
acetaminophen.
Today in a press release by the American Veterinary Medical Association to
veterinary members, at 3:45 this afternoon, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) announced that a large amount of the common
anticonvulsant phenobarbital produced by the Qualitest Pharmaceuticals are
actually mislabeled acetaminophen and hydrocodone. This is a common drug
prescribed for veterinary patients who suffer from seizure disorders such as
epilepsy. The company announced a voluntary recall of the Phenobarbital
tablets on February 5th, 2011, and the FDA has recently received reports of
severe adverse events associated with administration of mislabeled product
to pets.
In addition, Phenobarbital is actually produced as a human drug that is
commonly used in veterinary medicine, but this recall also affects people on
the medication as well. According to the FDA's prior press
release< http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm242398.htm>,
the following information is given for human medical advice, "As a result of
this mix-up patients may unintentionally take Hydrocodone and acetaminophen
instead of Phenobarbital. ... Hydrocodone can lead to serious adverse
effects including respiratory depression, CNS depression, coma and death...
Unintentional administration of acetaminophen may result in liver toxicity
in patients on other acetaminophen containing medications, patients with
liver dysfunction, or people who consume more than 3 alcoholic beverages a
day. Additionally, missing doses of Phenobarbital could result in loss of
seizure control."
Possible Complications From Phenobarbital Recall for Patients Receiving
Wrong Medication
Two concerns arise from this situation for owners, patients, and prescribing
veterinarians. First, breakthrough seizures and uncontrolled neurologic
symptoms may begin to emerge in patients with a prior history of well
controlled signs in the past as a result of decreasing phenobarbital levels
in the bloodstream.
Read more at Suite101: Mislabeled Phenobarbital Drug Recall: Seizure
Patients at Risk< http://www.suite101.com/content/mislabeled-phenobarbital-drug-recall-seizure-patients-at-risk-a357744#ixzz1GJQHKs87 >
http://*%20u.s.%20fda%20has%20recalled%20large%20amounts%20of%20phenobarbital,%20a%20common/
*
In addition, adverse effects related to exposure to acetaminophen as a
non-steroidal anti inflammatory while owners are unaware greatly increases
the risk of co-treating with other similar common veterinary-use NSAIDS for
managing arthritis such as Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx, and Metacam. This
greatly increases the potential for adverse drug reactions related to this
class of drug including gastrointestinal ulceration, liver toxicity, and
kidney failure.
What Phenobarbital Drugs Are Affected?
The affected tablets are Phenobarbital Tablets, USP 32.4 mg, NDC
0603-5166-32 in 1000-count bottles. Affected lot numbers are *T150G10B,
T120J10E *and* T023M10A*. The lot numbers can be found on the side of the
bottle.
The recalled lots were distributed between *September 21, 2010* and *December
29, 2010*, to wholesale and retail pharmacies nationwide, including Puerto
Rico.
If an owner has discovered to possess any of the affected lots in stock,
discontinue the product immediately and contact *Qualitest *at*1-800-444-4011
* for reimbursement. In addition, if any patients have experienced adverse
effects from these products, medical providers should report the events to
the *FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting
Program*< http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm>via their online
reporting system or by calling
*1-800-332-1088* for a reporting form which can be completed and return to
the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit a fax to *1-800-FDA-0178*.
Additional Information For Owners Suspicious Their Pet's Medication Is
Mislabeled
According to today's information by *Veterinary Practice
News< http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-breaking-news/2011/03/10/label-mix-up-prompts-recall-of-human-drug-prescribed-for-animals-extralabel.aspx >
,* "Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endo
Pharmaceuticals, gave descriptions of each drug: Hydrocodone Bitartrate and
Acetaminophen Tablets are large (about 16.5 mm in length), pink,
capsule-shaped tablets, debossed (3600) on one side and debossed (V) on the
reverse side. Phenobarbital Tablets are small (about 6.4 mm in diameter),
white, round, biconvex, scored tablets, debossed (5012) and (V) on one side
and plain on the reverse side."
Owners should immediately consult their regular veterinarian if suspicion of
exposure has occurred, avoid additional NSAID anti-inflammatory drugs listed
above, and begin to administer genuine Phenobarbital tablets immediately to
avoid a breakthrough in seizure management. If seizures occur, additional
therapies may be given to assist control while rebalancing blood levels. If
preexisting liver or kidney disease is already known, rechecking blood work
to monitor current health may be a good consideration.
This day.....
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A thought to Ponder this Tuesday
Friends,
I came across this quote today, shared in an email from a dear friend and it has a very prophetic ring to it.
"Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God."
I would think that most would agree. However, what is really eye opening is who said this and even when it was said. Here is the rest of the quote.
"It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, who owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by a history that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. The awful calamity . . . which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God."
In 1863 President Lincoln designated April 30th as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer and these words were part of his proclamation.
[America’s Sin of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: Richard Halverson, "The Question Facing Us," Preaching Today]
I came across this quote today, shared in an email from a dear friend and it has a very prophetic ring to it.
"Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God."
I would think that most would agree. However, what is really eye opening is who said this and even when it was said. Here is the rest of the quote.
"It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, who owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by a history that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. The awful calamity . . . which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God."
In 1863 President Lincoln designated April 30th as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer and these words were part of his proclamation.
[America’s Sin of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: Richard Halverson, "The Question Facing Us," Preaching Today]
Monday, March 14, 2011
2011 lambing season is underway!
This is the first lamb of Annabel's lambing season, born a week ago. Now, so far the last total we had was 13 lambs, of which all but three are twins.
This is Cortney's 4th year working with Annabel and this year she'll be doing it alone for the most part. Her Dad and I are so proud of her and she is proud of herself and thankful that Annabel has worked with her and given her the opportunity to learn all of the skills she has, in dealing with sheep.
Here is the little fella just inside the door of the barn. The wind was blowing so hard the day this photo was taken.
Annabel's new herd dog, McKenzie. Coyotes have become such a problem in this area, now even the cattle ranchers are suffering losses of calves. Annabel shared with us, of how she saw tracks where McKenzie had chased off some coyotes. McKenzie will be worth her weight in gold if she keeps the coyotes at bay, especially during lambing.
"Denver", Annabel's other Llama is not so friendly, but he watches over his sheep!
I'm not sure how many of Annabel's ewes are due to lamb, but it sure is fun to drive up to the barn and see them jumping and playing! I know that Cortney is hoping for some bottle lambs, but also know that Annabel is hoping just as much NOT to have any bottle lambs.
We'll post more photos of the lambs, maybe later this week
Saturday Mike worked on tearing apart some hydraulic cylinders he was given to repair, Cortney cleaned her room and helped me trim up all but our plum trees. Our established apple trees were a mess of sucklers. For some reason the "Wealthy" seems to have 50% more sucklers than the "MacKintosh"*sigh* I trimmed all but the very top ones, Mike came and did those because I won't crawl up on a ladder tall enough ( not afraid of heights, just unstable ladders*wink*) We have two established plums to trim and top and we'll be done with the fruit trees, then onto finishing cleaning up branches from the fruit trees as well as the elm Mike took down in our front yard, last weekend. Maybe if our weather holds and we don't get alot of moisture, we can begin cleaning up some of our larger flowerbeds, getting the seeds shaken in for our flowers this year. You see; I love to garden, but I am an admitted lazy flower gardener, LOL! I like to just shake the seeds back in and see what comes up. It's ALWAYS beautiful and besides God combines colors I would have never thought to :o)
Yesterday was our local volunteer Fire Departments annual "Chili Feed" So most of our day was consumed with setting up, serving, visiting and then clean up and tear down. They netted around $2,000 between their Silent Auction, Chili dinners, and Donations. The Fire Dept. was very happy with the turn out. Cortney and I enjoyed visiting with old friends, as well as meeting and making some new ones.
It looks as if our CSA memberships may be; "SOLD OUT!" A lady approached me and asked if we still have memberships to our CSA available, I shared that we still had one 1/2 share and we were waiting in a deposit for a "Full share". She said she and a friend would be splitting one and I told her the 1/2 share would most likely suit their needs the best. She's going to drop off her deposit this week
I bid on one silent auction item, as a surprise for Mike, it was a toy replica of a Farmall IH Super M tractor, just like the two we own. It became a bidding war and unfortunately I had a cap and lost the bid*sigh* Cortney's necklace had several bids and I believe it sold for $35, which was good, the materials involved were approx. $25
Not much else new here, just working, cleaning( Spring type) and enjoying our warmer weather.
Blessings for your week
Friday, March 11, 2011
A to Z about me
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore you dislike: dusting
D. Dogs: Casino and Tuffy
E. Essential start to your day: Eating breakfast with Mike
F. Favorite color: all shades of green
G. Gold or silver: I’d take either *wink*
H. Height: 5' 9"
I. Instruments you play(ed): none, I’ve tinkered and played via ear on a piano
J. Job title: Wife, mom, 'retired' home school teacher (after 17 great years),farmer
L. Live: Montana
M. Mom’s name: Betty
N. Nicknames: Honey, sweetheart
O. Overnight hospital stays: when our two children were born, that’s it and let’s hope it stays that way!
P. Pet peeves: People who are late
Q. Quote from a movie: “Life is Like a Box of Chocolates“; Forrest Gump
R. Righty or lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: a younger brother
T. Time you wake up: 5am but on weekends we get up at 5:30 to feed then sometimes sneak back into bed until 7-8ish
U. Underwear: Always yes! Reg. In Spring Summer and Fall and long in winter
V. Vegetables you don't like: Brussels Sprouts, I’ll eat them but not fond of them
W. What makes you run late: vehicle breaking down. I’m always early otherwise
X. X-rays you've had: very few, one 22 yrs ago for pneumonia and dental
Y. Yummy food you make: Any of our homemade, homegrown, home raised food
Z. Zoo animal favorites: I’ve never been to a large zoo, but I will add that I am fond of colorful birds and Big Cats
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Getting Monsanto Out of Your Kitchen, Gas Tank, and Clothes Closet
This challenge comes from Organic Bytes!
Getting Monsanto Out of Your Kitchen, Gas Tank, and Clothes Closet
March is the Millions Against Monsanto campaign's Month Without Monsanto. Join in on Twitter by tweeting #MonthWithoutMonsanto or through the Facebook page "Month Without Monsanto."
For someone who's already been eating organic, a month without Monsanto seems pretty simple.
But, as original Month Without Monsanto blogger April Dávila found, Monsanto's tentacles reach far beyond the grocery aisles.
Our non-organic, often sweatshop-manufactured, cotton clothing has sprouted from Monsanto's seeds, too.
Even the gas is our cars is Monsanto-made! About 35% of the U.S. corn crop is made into ethanol. (The rest feeds factory farmed animals or becomes "food" ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.) It's tough to choose between supporting Monsanto or Big Oil. The fact is, we need to drive less and carpool more or, better yet: walk, bike, and use public transportation whenever possible.
The Obama Administration's USDA recently approved a new corn variety genetically engineered by Syngenta to be easier to convert to ethanol. Like crops that are modified to produce pharmaceuticals, genetically modified ethanol crops present a huge contamination danger to our food supply.
Who's protecting consumers? The USDA's deregulation decision is final. The only thing we can do at this point is scream bloody murder at the politicians we elect to provide oversight on these issues.
Time to write the president and your congressional representatives!
Learn More and Take Action
More Tips for Getting Monsanto Out of Your Kitchen, Gas Tank, and Clothes Closet
Getting Monsanto Out of Your Kitchen, Gas Tank, and Clothes Closet
For someone who's already been eating organic, a month without Monsanto seems pretty simple.
But, as original Month Without Monsanto blogger April Dávila found, Monsanto's tentacles reach far beyond the grocery aisles.
Our non-organic, often sweatshop-manufactured, cotton clothing has sprouted from Monsanto's seeds, too.
Even the gas is our cars is Monsanto-made! About 35% of the U.S. corn crop is made into ethanol. (The rest feeds factory farmed animals or becomes "food" ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.) It's tough to choose between supporting Monsanto or Big Oil. The fact is, we need to drive less and carpool more or, better yet: walk, bike, and use public transportation whenever possible.
The Obama Administration's USDA recently approved a new corn variety genetically engineered by Syngenta to be easier to convert to ethanol. Like crops that are modified to produce pharmaceuticals, genetically modified ethanol crops present a huge contamination danger to our food supply.
Who's protecting consumers? The USDA's deregulation decision is final. The only thing we can do at this point is scream bloody murder at the politicians we elect to provide oversight on these issues.
Time to write the president and your congressional representatives!
Learn More and Take Action
More Tips for Getting Monsanto Out of Your Kitchen, Gas Tank, and Clothes Closet
Is America's breadbasket aquifer running dry ????
America's breadbasket aquifer running dry; massive agriculture collapse inevitable
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
(NaturalNews) It's the largest underground freshwater supply in the world, stretching from South Dakota all the way to Texas. It's underneath most of Nebraska's farmlands, and it provides crucial water resources for farming in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and even New Mexico. It's called the Ogallala Aquifer, and it is being pumped dry.
See the map of this aquifer here: http://www.naturalnews.com/images/O...
Without the Ogallala Aquifer, America's heartland food production collapses. No water means no irrigation for the corn, wheat, alfalfa and other crops grown across these states to feed people and animals. And each year, the Ogallala Aquifer drops another few inches as it is literally being sucked dry by the tens of thousands of agricultural wells that tap into it across the heartland of America.
This problem with all this is that the Ogallala Aquifer isn't being recharged in any significant way from rainfall or rivers. This is so-called "fossil water" because once you use it, it's gone. And it's disappearing now faster than ever.
In some regions along the aquifer, the water level has dropped so far that it has effectively disappeared -- places like Happy, Texas, where a once-booming agricultural town has collapsed to a population of just 595. All the wells drilled there in the 1950's tapped into the Ogallala Aquifer and seemed to provide abundant water at the time. But today the wells have all run dry.
Happy, Texas has become a place of despair. Dead cattle. Wilted crops. Once-moist soils turned to dust. And Happy is just the beginning of this story because this same agricultural tragedy will be repeated across Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and parts of Colorado in the next few decades. That's a hydrological fact. Water doesn't magically reappear in the Ogallala. Once it's used up, it's gone.
"There used to be 50,000 head of cattle, now there's 1,000," says Kay Horner in a Telegraph report (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/83...). "Grazed them on wheat, but the feed lots took all the water so we can't grow wheat. Now the feed lots can't get local steers so they bring in cheap unwanted milking calves from California and turn them into burger if they can't make them veal. It doesn't make much sense. We're heading back to the Dust Bowl."
The end of cheap food in America?
It's a sobering thought, really: That "America's breadbasket" is on a collision course with the inevitable. A large percentage of the food produced in the United States is, of course, grown on farmlands irrigated from the Ogallala. For hundreds of years, it has been a source of "cheap water," making farming economically feasible and keeping food prices down. Combined with the available of cheap fossil fuels over the last century (necessary to drive the tractors that work the fields), food production has skyrocketed in North America. This has led to a population explosion, too. Where food is cheap and plentiful, populations readily expand.
It only follows that when food becomes scarce or expensive (putting it out of reach of average income earners), populations will fall. There's only so much food to go around, after all. And after the Ogallala runs dry, America's food production will plummet. Starvation will become the new American landscape for those who cannot afford the sky-high prices for food.
Aquifer depletion is a global problem
It's not a problem that's unique to America, by the way. The very same problem is facing India, where fossil water is already running dry in many parts of the country. It's the same story in China, too, where water conservation has never been a top priority. Even the Middle East is facing its own water crisis (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/...). This has caused food prices to skyrocket, leading directly to the civil unrest, the riots and even the revolutions we've seen taking place there over the last few months.
The problem is called aquifer depletion (http://www.eoearth.org/article/Aqui...), and it's a problem that spans the globe. It means that today's cheap, easy food -- grown on cheap fossil water -- simply isn't sustainable. Once that water is gone, the croplands that depend on it dry up. Following that, erosion kicks in, and the winds blow away the dry soils in a "Dust Bowl" type of scenario.
A few years after that, what was once a thriving agricultural operation is transformed into a dry, soil less death pit where nothing lives.
The Ogallala supply is going to run out and the Plains will become uneconomical to farm," says David Brauer of the Ogallala Research Service, part of the USDA. "That is beyond reasonable argument. Our goal now is to engineer a soft landing. That's all we can do." (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/83...)
Such is the legacy of conventional agriculture, which is based almost entirely on non-sustainable practices. Its insane reliance on fossil water, petroleum fertilizers, toxic pesticides and GMOs will only lead our world to agricultural disaster.
Be prepared and be safe
I want all NaturalNews readers to be prepared, informed and safe when facing our uncertain future. We know that trouble is stirring around the world, and much of it is either caused by or will lead to food shortages.
The GMO companies, of course, will exploit this situation to their advantage, claiming that only GMOs can grow enough food to feed the world. This is a lie. GMOs and patented seeds only enslave the world population and lead to great social injustice. The days of food slavery are fast approaching for those who do not have the means to grow at least a portion of their own food.
As part of our effort to help people become more self-reliant -- with greater food security -- throughout 2011 and 2012 I plan to bring you more articles, videos and webcast events that focus on home food production, self-reliance, family preparedness and sustainable living. Recently we announced a live webcast event on financial preparedness but the available seats at that event sold out in a matter of days (http://www.naturalnews.com/Economic...).
Based on the huge demand for this event, we have decided to roll out a second preparedness event in April, focused on food preparedness and security. Watch for an announcement on that soon.
In the mean time, I am personally working on growing more of my own food and will be creating a new series of videos and articles based on some of what I learn along the way. From living in South America and producing quite a large amount of food there, I have a fair amount of experience on home food production, but of course there's always more to learn, right?
My gut feeling on all this is that learning to grow and store some portion of your own food is going to become a crucial survival skill over the next few years. And that means understanding water, soil, open-pollinated seeds, organic fertilizers, soil probiotics, insect pollination, growing with the seasons, sprouting, food harvesting, food drying, canning, storage and much more. It's a whole set of skills that have faded away in America in just two generations, leaving very few people who now know how to live off their own land.
What's becoming increasingly obvious from events such as the drying up of aquifers is that home food production is going to become a critical survival skill. I want NaturalNews readers to know and practice these skills as much as possible so that you can experience the comforts (and freedoms!) of genuine food security.
Watch for more stories about preparedness, home food production and self-reliant living here on NaturalNews.
Sources for this story include:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/83...
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
(NaturalNews) It's the largest underground freshwater supply in the world, stretching from South Dakota all the way to Texas. It's underneath most of Nebraska's farmlands, and it provides crucial water resources for farming in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and even New Mexico. It's called the Ogallala Aquifer, and it is being pumped dry.
See the map of this aquifer here: http://www.naturalnews.com/images/O...
Without the Ogallala Aquifer, America's heartland food production collapses. No water means no irrigation for the corn, wheat, alfalfa and other crops grown across these states to feed people and animals. And each year, the Ogallala Aquifer drops another few inches as it is literally being sucked dry by the tens of thousands of agricultural wells that tap into it across the heartland of America.
This problem with all this is that the Ogallala Aquifer isn't being recharged in any significant way from rainfall or rivers. This is so-called "fossil water" because once you use it, it's gone. And it's disappearing now faster than ever.
In some regions along the aquifer, the water level has dropped so far that it has effectively disappeared -- places like Happy, Texas, where a once-booming agricultural town has collapsed to a population of just 595. All the wells drilled there in the 1950's tapped into the Ogallala Aquifer and seemed to provide abundant water at the time. But today the wells have all run dry.
Happy, Texas has become a place of despair. Dead cattle. Wilted crops. Once-moist soils turned to dust. And Happy is just the beginning of this story because this same agricultural tragedy will be repeated across Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and parts of Colorado in the next few decades. That's a hydrological fact. Water doesn't magically reappear in the Ogallala. Once it's used up, it's gone.
"There used to be 50,000 head of cattle, now there's 1,000," says Kay Horner in a Telegraph report (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/83...). "Grazed them on wheat, but the feed lots took all the water so we can't grow wheat. Now the feed lots can't get local steers so they bring in cheap unwanted milking calves from California and turn them into burger if they can't make them veal. It doesn't make much sense. We're heading back to the Dust Bowl."
The end of cheap food in America?
It's a sobering thought, really: That "America's breadbasket" is on a collision course with the inevitable. A large percentage of the food produced in the United States is, of course, grown on farmlands irrigated from the Ogallala. For hundreds of years, it has been a source of "cheap water," making farming economically feasible and keeping food prices down. Combined with the available of cheap fossil fuels over the last century (necessary to drive the tractors that work the fields), food production has skyrocketed in North America. This has led to a population explosion, too. Where food is cheap and plentiful, populations readily expand.
It only follows that when food becomes scarce or expensive (putting it out of reach of average income earners), populations will fall. There's only so much food to go around, after all. And after the Ogallala runs dry, America's food production will plummet. Starvation will become the new American landscape for those who cannot afford the sky-high prices for food.
Aquifer depletion is a global problem
It's not a problem that's unique to America, by the way. The very same problem is facing India, where fossil water is already running dry in many parts of the country. It's the same story in China, too, where water conservation has never been a top priority. Even the Middle East is facing its own water crisis (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/...). This has caused food prices to skyrocket, leading directly to the civil unrest, the riots and even the revolutions we've seen taking place there over the last few months.
The problem is called aquifer depletion (http://www.eoearth.org/article/Aqui...), and it's a problem that spans the globe. It means that today's cheap, easy food -- grown on cheap fossil water -- simply isn't sustainable. Once that water is gone, the croplands that depend on it dry up. Following that, erosion kicks in, and the winds blow away the dry soils in a "Dust Bowl" type of scenario.
A few years after that, what was once a thriving agricultural operation is transformed into a dry, soil less death pit where nothing lives.
The Ogallala supply is going to run out and the Plains will become uneconomical to farm," says David Brauer of the Ogallala Research Service, part of the USDA. "That is beyond reasonable argument. Our goal now is to engineer a soft landing. That's all we can do." (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/83...)
Such is the legacy of conventional agriculture, which is based almost entirely on non-sustainable practices. Its insane reliance on fossil water, petroleum fertilizers, toxic pesticides and GMOs will only lead our world to agricultural disaster.
Be prepared and be safe
I want all NaturalNews readers to be prepared, informed and safe when facing our uncertain future. We know that trouble is stirring around the world, and much of it is either caused by or will lead to food shortages.
The GMO companies, of course, will exploit this situation to their advantage, claiming that only GMOs can grow enough food to feed the world. This is a lie. GMOs and patented seeds only enslave the world population and lead to great social injustice. The days of food slavery are fast approaching for those who do not have the means to grow at least a portion of their own food.
As part of our effort to help people become more self-reliant -- with greater food security -- throughout 2011 and 2012 I plan to bring you more articles, videos and webcast events that focus on home food production, self-reliance, family preparedness and sustainable living. Recently we announced a live webcast event on financial preparedness but the available seats at that event sold out in a matter of days (http://www.naturalnews.com/Economic...).
Based on the huge demand for this event, we have decided to roll out a second preparedness event in April, focused on food preparedness and security. Watch for an announcement on that soon.
In the mean time, I am personally working on growing more of my own food and will be creating a new series of videos and articles based on some of what I learn along the way. From living in South America and producing quite a large amount of food there, I have a fair amount of experience on home food production, but of course there's always more to learn, right?
My gut feeling on all this is that learning to grow and store some portion of your own food is going to become a crucial survival skill over the next few years. And that means understanding water, soil, open-pollinated seeds, organic fertilizers, soil probiotics, insect pollination, growing with the seasons, sprouting, food harvesting, food drying, canning, storage and much more. It's a whole set of skills that have faded away in America in just two generations, leaving very few people who now know how to live off their own land.
What's becoming increasingly obvious from events such as the drying up of aquifers is that home food production is going to become a critical survival skill. I want NaturalNews readers to know and practice these skills as much as possible so that you can experience the comforts (and freedoms!) of genuine food security.
Watch for more stories about preparedness, home food production and self-reliant living here on NaturalNews.
Sources for this story include:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/83...
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Girls Gone Trashy
Oh! that got your attention didn't it?
I'd like to invite you to come over and take a look at this new blog. It's not what you think, it's a blog made up of several talented bloggers who will blog about recycling, re purposing, dumpster diving, green treasures, etc..... I was very blessed when I was asked to be a guest blogger. Once a week, my posts will appear on; Girls Gone Trashy Hope to see you there, it looks like it will be a very fun and informative blog on using what you have. What a blessing, learning from many other bloggers how to save $$, re purpose and make do!
I'd like to invite you to come over and take a look at this new blog. It's not what you think, it's a blog made up of several talented bloggers who will blog about recycling, re purposing, dumpster diving, green treasures, etc..... I was very blessed when I was asked to be a guest blogger. Once a week, my posts will appear on; Girls Gone Trashy Hope to see you there, it looks like it will be a very fun and informative blog on using what you have. What a blessing, learning from many other bloggers how to save $$, re purpose and make do!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
More news of antibiotics in animal feed.....
This article comes from a newsletter I receive( promoting GMO's and alike) I get this newsletter so I understand the WHOLE picture. What it does is confirm the drive we have to provide for our own animal feed issues and to steer clear of commercial feeds. Read and see just what the FDA, you know the ones who have made it their life's mission to keep raw foods from the public, especially dairy, but..... what are they doing in the cases for REAL CONCERN?
Antibiotics in DDGS may raise some concerns 04 Mar 2011
Of the distillers grains produced in North America, 90% is going into animal feeds with 80% of that going into ruminant diets. Now, public concern has arisen over the safety of the product.
The reason for this concern is a recent survey of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which found that 53% of the US distillers grains (DDGS) sampled had antibiotic residues.
General fear is that these residues could potentially lead to the development of bacterial resistance in animals and eventually also in humans.
Wet or dry milling
DDGs are primarily produced through dry or wet milling. In dry milling, the whole grain is milled and used for ethanol production.
Wet milling, on the other hand, separates out all of the grain components and only uses the starch for ethanol production. The remaining portion of the grain is used to create a variety of other marketable products.
With each method, the grain or the starch is added to water to create a mash. The mash is heated and enzymes are added to the mixture which allows the starch to breakdown and form glucose.
Protecting the yeast
Next, the mash is fermented. During fermentation, yeast is added to the mixture. The yeast converts the glucose to alcohol. However, during this step bacteria can compete with the yeast, utilizing the glucose to grow. This in turn reduces the amount of ethanol produced from the fermentation process.
In order to combat these competing bacteria, antibiotics are added to the fermentation process. Antibiotics can kill the unwanted bacteria during the fermentation process allowing the yeast to utilize all of the glucose.
Separation of solids
Once fermentation is complete and all of the glucose has been converted to alcohol, the alcohol is separated from the water and solids through a distillation column.
After distillation all that remains are the solid (wet cake) and liquid (thin silage) components of silage. The silage is made up of protein, fibre, oil, and non-fermented starch at a concentration three-fold greater than that in the original corn.
Additionally, antibiotic residues from the fermentation will be present.
Dosing problem
Antibiotics have been used in fuel ethanol production for decades in order to improve production efficiency by reducing levels of contaminating bacteria present during the fermentation of ethanol, allowing for a more productive fermentation.
Antibiotic resistance develops in bacteria during ethanol production due to the misuse of antibiotics. This includes antibiotic overdosing when no effect is observed and underdosing when efficient control is observed.
Overdosing affects the rate of fermentation. Underdosing, on the other hand, leads to a lack of effectiveness of antibiotics. It also carries a greater risk of causing resistance, as bacteria can become accustomed to the antibiotic in low doses and thus develop resistance mechanisms.
FDA responsibility
It is the responsibility of the FDA Centre for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) to approve the use of drugs in animal feeds, as well as monitor and establish limits for feed contaminants.
Antibiotic residues in distillers grains used as feed or feed ingredients are considered feed additives and regulated by the FDA.
FDA’s primary concern is that antibiotic residues may be present in distillers grains and that those residues could be transferred to animal tissue upon ingestion.
Viginiamycin
The only antibiotic currently approved for use in ethanol production is virginiamycin.
The FDA/CVM issued a letter of no objection for the use of virginiamycin in the fermentation phase of alcohol production at 2 to 6 ppm.
In addition, the CVM did not object to potential residues of 0.2 to 0.5 ppm in distillers by-products. This statement was based on an animal diet containing no more than 20% DDGS.
Moreover, it was stated that the FDA/CVM is unlikely to take regulatory action against DDG-containing feed with residual levels of virginiamycin below 0.5 ppm.
Activity not tested
Although antibiotic residues have been confirmed in distillers grains by the FDA, the activity level of those residues has never been tested.
It is possible that the residues present have been inactivated by the ethanol production process, as the antibiotics are exposed to high and low temperatures and a wide pH range.
Further studies will help to confirm the potential implications of feeding distillers grains with antibiotic residues.
Related article: Multiresidue detecting antibiotics in DDGS
Distillers grains glossary
In order to separate the liquid portion of the silage from the solid portion, centrifugation is used. The wet portion, or thin silage, is evaporated further to produce a thick syrup called condensed solubles. The condensed solubles can then be added to the wet cake to produce a variety of products.
•DWGS – condensed solubles mixed back with partially dried wet cake to create 65% moisture distillers wet grains with soluble;
•DDS – dried condensed solubles or distillers dried soluble;
•DWG – dried wet cake without condensed soluble known as distillers wet grains;
•DDG – further dried DWG to produce dried distillers grains;
•DDGS – dried DWG with solubles to 10 to 12% moisture creating distillers dried grains with soluble;
•MDGS – 50% moisture wet cake with condensed soluble creating modified distillers grains with solubles.
Antibiotics in DDGS may raise some concerns 04 Mar 2011
Of the distillers grains produced in North America, 90% is going into animal feeds with 80% of that going into ruminant diets. Now, public concern has arisen over the safety of the product.
The reason for this concern is a recent survey of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which found that 53% of the US distillers grains (DDGS) sampled had antibiotic residues.
General fear is that these residues could potentially lead to the development of bacterial resistance in animals and eventually also in humans.
Wet or dry milling
DDGs are primarily produced through dry or wet milling. In dry milling, the whole grain is milled and used for ethanol production.
Wet milling, on the other hand, separates out all of the grain components and only uses the starch for ethanol production. The remaining portion of the grain is used to create a variety of other marketable products.
With each method, the grain or the starch is added to water to create a mash. The mash is heated and enzymes are added to the mixture which allows the starch to breakdown and form glucose.
Protecting the yeast
Next, the mash is fermented. During fermentation, yeast is added to the mixture. The yeast converts the glucose to alcohol. However, during this step bacteria can compete with the yeast, utilizing the glucose to grow. This in turn reduces the amount of ethanol produced from the fermentation process.
In order to combat these competing bacteria, antibiotics are added to the fermentation process. Antibiotics can kill the unwanted bacteria during the fermentation process allowing the yeast to utilize all of the glucose.
Separation of solids
Once fermentation is complete and all of the glucose has been converted to alcohol, the alcohol is separated from the water and solids through a distillation column.
After distillation all that remains are the solid (wet cake) and liquid (thin silage) components of silage. The silage is made up of protein, fibre, oil, and non-fermented starch at a concentration three-fold greater than that in the original corn.
Additionally, antibiotic residues from the fermentation will be present.
Dosing problem
Antibiotics have been used in fuel ethanol production for decades in order to improve production efficiency by reducing levels of contaminating bacteria present during the fermentation of ethanol, allowing for a more productive fermentation.
Antibiotic resistance develops in bacteria during ethanol production due to the misuse of antibiotics. This includes antibiotic overdosing when no effect is observed and underdosing when efficient control is observed.
Overdosing affects the rate of fermentation. Underdosing, on the other hand, leads to a lack of effectiveness of antibiotics. It also carries a greater risk of causing resistance, as bacteria can become accustomed to the antibiotic in low doses and thus develop resistance mechanisms.
FDA responsibility
It is the responsibility of the FDA Centre for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) to approve the use of drugs in animal feeds, as well as monitor and establish limits for feed contaminants.
Antibiotic residues in distillers grains used as feed or feed ingredients are considered feed additives and regulated by the FDA.
FDA’s primary concern is that antibiotic residues may be present in distillers grains and that those residues could be transferred to animal tissue upon ingestion.
Viginiamycin
The only antibiotic currently approved for use in ethanol production is virginiamycin.
The FDA/CVM issued a letter of no objection for the use of virginiamycin in the fermentation phase of alcohol production at 2 to 6 ppm.
In addition, the CVM did not object to potential residues of 0.2 to 0.5 ppm in distillers by-products. This statement was based on an animal diet containing no more than 20% DDGS.
Moreover, it was stated that the FDA/CVM is unlikely to take regulatory action against DDG-containing feed with residual levels of virginiamycin below 0.5 ppm.
Activity not tested
Although antibiotic residues have been confirmed in distillers grains by the FDA, the activity level of those residues has never been tested.
It is possible that the residues present have been inactivated by the ethanol production process, as the antibiotics are exposed to high and low temperatures and a wide pH range.
Further studies will help to confirm the potential implications of feeding distillers grains with antibiotic residues.
Related article: Multiresidue detecting antibiotics in DDGS
Distillers grains glossary
In order to separate the liquid portion of the silage from the solid portion, centrifugation is used. The wet portion, or thin silage, is evaporated further to produce a thick syrup called condensed solubles. The condensed solubles can then be added to the wet cake to produce a variety of products.
•DWGS – condensed solubles mixed back with partially dried wet cake to create 65% moisture distillers wet grains with soluble;
•DDS – dried condensed solubles or distillers dried soluble;
•DWG – dried wet cake without condensed soluble known as distillers wet grains;
•DDG – further dried DWG to produce dried distillers grains;
•DDGS – dried DWG with solubles to 10 to 12% moisture creating distillers dried grains with soluble;
•MDGS – 50% moisture wet cake with condensed soluble creating modified distillers grains with solubles.
Sharing this from www.naturalnews.com They have a newsletter that is always packed full of interesting info., feel free to visit and sign up for yourself.
Dirt! The Movie, explores the vital importance of soil and why we must do everything possible to preserve and protect it
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Life on earth depends on the health and vitality of a seemingly simple and often overlooked natural element -- dirt. Ignorance, greed, and plain lack of appreciation has led to the widespread decimation of this precious resource throughout at least the last century. A documentary Dirt! The Movie tells the important story of soil and why it is absolutely essential that we start treating the soil right, not only to preserve the integrity of the environment but also to simply maintain life on the planet.
Narrated by actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Dirt! offers insight into the environmental, economic, social, and political impact that soil has around the world. Packed with countless billions of microscopic organisms, soil ultimately provides life and fertility to plants, animals, and humans. It also purifies and heals the very systems that sustain us, without which nothing could survive.
Many modern interventions, including industrialized and pesticide-based farming methods, have all but depleted the health of much of the world's soil. One expert in the film explains that one-third of the world's topsoil has been depleted just within the past century. Topsoil, of course, is the outermost layer of soil that contains the highest concentration of organic matter, including the microorganisms that convert waste and replenish vital nutrients. Without it, life could not be sustained.
Far from just a dire tale of the way things are, Dirt! provides a lens through which to view the situation as an opportunity to reverse it and restore proper soil health to much of the world. By starting to replant and bio-diversify agriculture now, the system can be largely repaired within ten years, says one film expert. And by bringing back the organic agricultural methods that utilize natural systems of soil regeneration from year to year, the world's soils can be raised from dead to life.
To learn more about Dirt! The Movie, check out:
http://www.dirtthemovie.org/
Dirt! The Movie, explores the vital importance of soil and why we must do everything possible to preserve and protect it
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Life on earth depends on the health and vitality of a seemingly simple and often overlooked natural element -- dirt. Ignorance, greed, and plain lack of appreciation has led to the widespread decimation of this precious resource throughout at least the last century. A documentary Dirt! The Movie tells the important story of soil and why it is absolutely essential that we start treating the soil right, not only to preserve the integrity of the environment but also to simply maintain life on the planet.
Narrated by actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Dirt! offers insight into the environmental, economic, social, and political impact that soil has around the world. Packed with countless billions of microscopic organisms, soil ultimately provides life and fertility to plants, animals, and humans. It also purifies and heals the very systems that sustain us, without which nothing could survive.
Many modern interventions, including industrialized and pesticide-based farming methods, have all but depleted the health of much of the world's soil. One expert in the film explains that one-third of the world's topsoil has been depleted just within the past century. Topsoil, of course, is the outermost layer of soil that contains the highest concentration of organic matter, including the microorganisms that convert waste and replenish vital nutrients. Without it, life could not be sustained.
Far from just a dire tale of the way things are, Dirt! provides a lens through which to view the situation as an opportunity to reverse it and restore proper soil health to much of the world. By starting to replant and bio-diversify agriculture now, the system can be largely repaired within ten years, says one film expert. And by bringing back the organic agricultural methods that utilize natural systems of soil regeneration from year to year, the world's soils can be raised from dead to life.
To learn more about Dirt! The Movie, check out:
http://www.dirtthemovie.org/
Monday, March 7, 2011
We're growing and dying
Seeds are all started now, finished them on Friday. This morning Cortney says to come take a look
and to my surprise the Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and early cabbage are up. :o)
Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts
Cortney is experiencing a developing talent. She's never been one for coloring or drawing, never seemed to like it much. That is until a few months ago, when she expressed interest in drawing animals and scenery.
When in the city one day, we stopped at a local craft shop and picked up some "How to Draw" books on animals and flowers. Although she isn't a perfectionist in many areas, she seems to be in this area and therefore gets frustrated easily. I think she's off to a really good start, don't you?
Now I hope I didn't worry anyone with the dying part of the title. I was simply referring to a dying tree in our front yard, destine to become part of our next winter's firewood. We still have branches to clean up, those that I don't sneak off and save for kindling bundles*wink* and Mike is going to cut the stump down lower and then work on removing it entirely. I hate mowing around things and weed whacking is hard on my back. Not sure we'll plant another tree in the front yard, as it tends to shade the garden all afternoon.
Blessings for your week :o)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
We've been awarded a VERY fitting award!
We certainly resemble the award title, PTL for; gardens, homestead animals, homemade soap and mud rooms, LOL!
We are to pass this award to three other blogs, as directed. Now I find this hard to do, as we have so many blogs we love. Here goes:........
Good Wife Farm
Subsistence Pattern
Self Sustained Living
We enjoy many, many, many more blogs( actually to many, LOL!!!!) feel free to check some of these out on our side bar" Favorite Blogs" as well as listed under "Blogs Followed" , listed in our Profile. :o)
Blessings for the remainder of your week,
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
We've been interviewed, check it out!
Patrice over at; Everyday Ruralty posted her "Barn Chicks Who Blog", today, and we are the "Barn Chicks" she interviewed. Please go over and check out her lovely blog. :o)
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