Your Local Grange

Until I read this story about the [California Grange being sued by the National Grange] I never gave a second thought to the Grange.  To me it was just a big building where they held square dances, but this article  [ What is the Grange?  ]  gives a much better description.

Gwen Schantz is chief operating officer of the Brooklyn Grange rooftop commercial farm in Long Island City, Queens.

According to this article, the California Grange has begun to attract "family sustainable farming".  Im guessing we backyard gardeners might fit that description.   The California Grange has also taken a stance against GMO.
Rick Keel, a spokesman for the California State Grange recently said this “For lack of a better term, it seems to be ‘foodies’ who care about community today and see the Grange as a way to provide community service,”

"Since 1873 the California State Grange has championed the interests of farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans. The Grange stresses community service, and its Youth programs are open to all, urban and rural alike. There are over 185 chapters across the state.  For more information contact the California State Grange at (916) 454-5805. " - California Grange

With the Farm to Fork movement catching on; aquaponics and the local Grange may be a very good combination.   Id like to encourage you to look into your local Grange for services.  It may take a while to bring the National Grange around to supporting sustainable farming, but it has to start somewhere.  The aquaponic and home gardening community have become forces of significant proportion.  I think we can make a difference.

If you are already a member I hope you will vote Ed Lutrell The National Grange Master out of office in November because he strongly supports GMO.

Read More..

Second sun evidence

Anyone out there able to explain this? I in no way believe this to be a lens flare, if it were so, when the guy shooting moved the filter/hand it would have made the flare move.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=736800573058867

Read More..

WEDNESDAY 15th DECEMBER

Busy, Busy. So straight into the fray.

And the first one is:
Trout don’t like hot water, nigh, trout don’t even like warm water. From my experience somewhere around 25 degrees C and they start to struggle. It’s not actually the temperature that gets ‘em, it’s the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) level. See as the temperature of the water rises, the saturation level of DO goes down. And trout are....

Aubrey Parsons, Richard Robotham and Aaron Stachowski, all seniors at Judson, studied the feasibility of an aquaponics operation — raising fish and vegetables in an urban environment.

They talked to two organizations already growing fish and food — one in New York City and one in Milwaukee, Parsons said. They also reached out to grocery store chains and found few willing to...

Enter aquaponics, a system of food gardening that has a small but growing following, not least because its advantages seem almost too good for being true. An aquaponics installation requires no soil, scant water (two-ten percent of that which is employed in usual vegetable garden), a modest financial outlay and minimal maintenance.

Buddhists in the Bathtub: Aquaponics, Boulder Style  by The Aquaponic Source

Olomana Gardens / In a concrete jungle, green dreams are made of aquaponics. How it works: Aquaponics combines aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (soil-less farming in nutrient-rich... 

ELGIN — If run as a non-profit and with the right marketing, an aquaponics business could be successful in Elgin.

However, turning the second floor of the Tower Building into a for-profit shared office space for small businesses likely would lose money

We’ve grown accustomed to hearing about sustainable endeavors like urban farming around town, but fish farming? Who knew? Thanks to the Massachusetts Avenue Project’s ambitious aquaponics (aquaculture plus hydroponics) system, fresh fish raised locally and sustainably on Buffalo’s West Side is...
Read more: http://artvoice.com/issues/v9n49/five_questions#ixzz18BOWde1l

Aquaponic systems need a fish tank and a separate plant tank. I had to choose between buying an existing, prefabricated tank or building my own custom tank. I couldn’t find an existing one that would fit into the space available....

Voices from the Good Food Movement: Aquaponics at Our school at Blair Grocery...

 

The Urban Conversion Visits Colorado Aquaponics

The great folks at The Urban Conversion recently paid a visit to JD Sawyer, of Colorado Aquaponics. JD has set up 3 different aquaponic systems in The GrowHaus, and hes showing Rodman the ropes.

From 120 thingsAquaponics Cheese Handmade fishing lures Mold making Solar hot water

Aquaponics - Duckweed auto feeder side view

To add clarity to the previous post, here is a side view animation of the duckweed auto feeder.

Which is better Hydroponics or Aquaponics?Posted on December 9, 2010 Which is better to have, considering maintenance, yield, costs

Fishy Farm Creates Polyculture System for Home Use:Fishy Farm out of Hillsboro, Oregon has created both an indoor and outdoor aquaponic-horticulture-vermiculture system that can grow food and raise fish all within the comfort of your humble abode or backyard

Planting a vegetable garden is a great way to save money on grocery bills, enjoy fresh, healthy, and delicious foods, and reduce your carbon footprint, but across much of the United States, 

Affnans Aquaponics: Conceptual 3D Rendering of Aquaponics - Abhar Amir...: "Receive pictures from Abhar Amir Alias The following picture are interesting 3D rendering by Abhar Amir Alias. The siphon below is an impr..."

 That will do for today
All the Best
OZZIE

Read More..

Water manifold for a solar heater

Many people get the idea to heat water after attempting to drink from a hose that has been laying in the sun.  The water is hot so wouldnt it be easy to get a 100 of black irrigation tubing a coil it up. Yes this will heat water but there are problems involved with this method.

First is poor efficiency. As the water travels the length of the tube it begins to quickly gain heat, but the hotter it gets the slower it gains additional heat.  It would be better to use several short lengths to warm the water only as much as you need.  Adjusting the optimum length is more than I wish to get into, but with some experimentation you will find a range that suits your needs.

Another problem with one long coil is resistance to flow.  The longer you make the tube the slower the water will flow.  A manifold  can solve both these problems. Fabricating a manifold may appeal to some DIY folks, but hot tubs often use manifolds and so they are readily available for about $10.00
Water Manifold 2"S x 2"S (6) 3/4" Ports



Its been pointed out to me that a better choice would be CPVC due to the high temperatures these systems can reach especially when not in use and the water is not moving.

Flow Gaurd MultiPort CPVC Manifold

By using several short lengths you will increase the effective diameter and reduce the resistance as well as the demands on your pump.

Dont forget to use a high temperature water pump.  They are easy to find, but this is an important consideration that could be over looked.

Also the roof may look like an ideal place for a solar collector but you will have to have a pump tha can provide enough head pressure which will influence the cost of the pump and your choice of locations for the collector.

Read More..

Thinking Local knowledge

When I was in Papua New Guinea - Madang in particular (I think) Mum found some locals that were willing to let us borrow their canoe for a dollar or two per day. I was quite young at the time, and remember being scared when I could see the bottom, but completely relaxed when I couldnt.

That has baffled me for many years until I experienced a recent fishing trip near Port Pirie (South Australia). The clear waters brought on a vivid memory of the Medang canoe trips. The problem I was having was a fear of heights.The water was so clear, that I felt I was going to fall the thirty feet to the bottom.

Not such a strong sensation when witnessed as a grownup, but as a little kid, it was enough to scare.

The point of this is to introduce a story that will be wrapped up much more quickly than he introduction.

I nabbed a cowrie as a result of spending every day I could snorkelling. (sorry nature). It was a real treasure to me, and I was desperate to take it home to South Australia. It was only a few days before our departure date, and I had no idea how to get the now dead snail out of its home in time for a trip through customs.

A local kid offered a solution.

Juts let it sit next to an ants nest for a bit.

It worked a treat.

The moral...

Have a problem that needs solving?

Ask a kid.

Read More..

Why I Buy Organic Non GMO Support Local Organic Farmers

Organic farmers are stewards of the land rather than soil rapers
 
Organic food is free of chemicals

GMO farmers use more aggressive control measures, such as increased use of chemical sprays. 

Organic food is free of unsustainable petroleum fertilizers
 
Organic food promotes better health.
 
Organic food tastes richer, sweeter and is more satisfying
 
Organic food uses natural defenses, and has no unhealthy pesticides

Bio-engineered crops harm species that are not their target, such as monarch butterflies. 

Organic growers use sustainable methods of growing food that promote soil health rather than destroying the soil

GMO transfer pesticide-resistant genes to related weeds may produce "super weeds"  immune to commonly used control methods

Nature adapts and may begin to produce super bugs putting heirloom plants at a disadvantage.

Locally grown food costs less to ship
 
Locally grown organic food uses less fuel to deliver to consumer
 
Locally grown organic food is fresher
 
Locally grown organic fruit tastes better
 
Locally grown organic fruit has a higher nutrient value than fruit picked early.
 
Seasonal vegetables taste better and deliver diversity through out the year
 
Organic growers are more productive
 
Organic growers use less fuel hungry machinery
 
Local organic farmers employ local people
 
Organic growers use  less water
 
Organic growers use Non GMO seed
 
Organic growers do not use toxic Roundup.  Glysophate is the listed active ingredient, but the other ingredients are even more toxic
 
Organic growers do not have to lie about the toxic chemicals in and on their food
 
GMO crops are infecting heirloom crops
 
Organic growers provide better variety and seed diversity
 
Less wasted produce when you buy from local organic farmers.

Ordinary, familiar foods can become allergenic through the addition of foreign genes.
 

Locally grown food lasts longer


Maybe you can help be think of more reasons to support local and organic farmers.

For more detailed information about GMO [CLICK HERE]

Read More..

the make me happy with pictures blog

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Check out more pix at uberpix.net!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

see more Epic Fails

see more Epic Fails

see more Epic Fails

Read More..

Local Food Production another review

National Geographic image of Earth circa 2210

When I reviewed "A Crude Awakening," CTD suggested I watch three other films:

Fuel - watched that, enjoyed it.

I.O.U.S.A. - havent watched it yet.

Collapse - I think I watched it today.

There are two "Collapse" movies on Netflix.

The first one I watched was a National Geographic film that was part history lesson, part current events tour, and part apocalyptic sci fi.

The conceit was that scientists circa 2210 would have no idea how "we" lived and why our great cities collapsed. Pretty fun, actually, as a dramatic device. Except how did these clueless future scientists manage to have 2010-era equipment (Ray-Bans and scuba gear, for crying out loud)?

The show talked about how dwindling water, food, energy, and trust destroyed past civilizations (the Anazasi, the Romans, and the Mayans).

What happens when your water runs out

The second "Collapse" film was 90 minutes of listening to Michael Ruppert talk. Michael Ruppert is a Cassandra - one who [accurately] foretells the future, but who is largely ignored.

It isnt fun to watch Ruppert talk. Hes mostly angry and bitter, and the future vision he paints is dark and painful. But I did garner a few gems:

Ruppert said, "Local Food production is perhaps the most fundamental key to human survival in the collapse of industrialized civilization. [57:00]" He goes on to talk about what happened when two communist dependencies lost access to oil when the Soviet Union collapsed.

The first state was North Korea. Rigid, hierarchical, and cursed with a harsh climate, the people starved. I remember hearing about how people were trying to survive eating grass.

The second state was Cuba. Castro immediately promoted a return to local food production - every square inch that could be exploited for food production was converted to making food. It didnt hurt that Cuba is a tropical country. Anyway, folks in Cuba now eat better than ever.

I also liked Rupperts suggestion that "Community will save us."

At the end of the day, denial, anger, bargaining, and depression wont help as we face a challenging future. Acceptance of lifes reality, with belief-inspired action will allow us to find the way out.

And when we have discovered the way out, we can learn from the parable of the hundredth monkey.

Ruppert tells of the experiments detonating nuclear bombs on the Bikini Atoll in 1946. And yes, the two-piece swimsuit was introduced around that time.

In the 1950s scientists introduces thousands of monkeys to the island, to study the effects of any lingering radiation. Turned out most things were back to normal. But the coconut husks were still slightly radioactive. If the monkeys continued as they had been going, they would all eventually succumb to radiation poisoning. No one wanted to deal with thousands of dead monkey corpses.

Unable or unwilling to train all the monkeys to wash the coconuts in fresh water to remove the radiation, researchers trained 10 of the monkeys to wash their coconuts. Slowly the ten nut washers converted others to their odd practices. 12 nut washers, 20 nut washers, 50 nut washers.

Then the 100th monkey became a nut washer and overnight the other 9,900 started washing their coconuts.

One assumes the monkeys survived, but I cant find any mention of the state of Bikini Atoll monkeys in our times. At least I didnt find mention of mass extinction of the nut-washing primates.
_________________

So, we already knew aquaponics is a great system for producing food in warm, barren deserts, not to mention how awesome it can be in warm, moist climates.

But if we can get "100 monkeys" to demonstrate a robust aquaponics system that works year-round in cold climates, life starts to get sweet, indeed.

Read More..