"Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
-Acts 14:17
" 19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him."-1 Kings 19:19
Did you know?
MORRIS--John Stuart Ingle, professor of studio art, painted the new image of Betty Crocker that is a composite of 75 women from across the country. Portrait was unveiled March 19.Solo exhibition of work by studio art professor Alan Fierro will be at Humanities Fine Arts Gallery through April 14. Title is "Constructions--Works on Paper."-from from Brief 3/27/96 of UofM
I went to the Pride of the Prairie: Food Expo at UMM's Student Center just last week-Tuesday, February 17th @2-4pm 2004. It has been an annual event for several or more years now. I decided to do a website dedicating to this topic to increase the awareness of healthy foods-particularly from our neighboring farming community. I've been increasingly conscious in what foods I eat as I see an increasing focus on this issue (e.g. recent mad cow disease, and other various diseases in our foods). Also, with the increase of cancer (environmental factors), I want others besides myself to be aware of what consumers' are putting in their bodies!
Growing-up in the cities, I wasn't educated much about our agricultural system. I remember going with my mom to St. Paul's Farmers Market at times on Saturdays in downtown. I loved checking out the different vegetables and produces that were sold by area farmers. After living in Morris for 8+ years and interacting with many of the rural community, I've grew an interest on how the agriculture life is done. For example, I've told others this before-I never knew there was different types of cows. There is dairy and beef cows, and that is just the beginning! I hope the readers of this would also be intrigue as I am and really consider the popular saying, "you are what you eat!".
Genetically Modified Foods Issue
This afternoon (Wednesday, November 10th 2004), I attended the monthly "Limited Learning" at the Morris Senior Center. The topic for this month was "Genetic Modified Food" (bitech foods, transgenic foods, or modified organism food). I came in with the big health issue on what we eat from the grocery store as I've been getting more into organic foods. Well, after our talked, I decided to do some research on some of these topics discussed/questioned:
1. What opportunities are created by development of biotech foods and agricultural practices?
-mass production for global population
-more corn for renewable energy (biomass)
2. What potential problems are created by development of biotech foods and agricultural practices?
-abnormal cows
-health affects: cancer? allergies?
3. How can our responses shape incentives and choices for consumers, farmers, food companies, policy makers, and the global food system?
-more labels (this contains Bacillus Thurigiensis-toxin or citric acid for WARNING or allergic reactions
"Many Zambians believe that GMOs cause resistance to antibiotics, thereby cutting immunity to diseases, and that they may lead to the emergence of new food toxins or to allergies in people with poor health"
"With some 2.9 million Zambians facing famine conditions, the WFP implored President Mwanawasa to reconsider his position, explaining that the rejection of GM food would narrow the pool of available relief resources and possibly lead to breaks in the food pipeline."
Above is part of an article on an issue that I wasn't able to raise-feeding the poor. However, I feel there are other ways to feed them. The "rich" should stop consuming and learn how to eat moderately (e.g. obesity problem in the U.S.), which they should "share" with poorer countries. This would've not been a global debate if we dealth with helping one another out!
Droughts?
"I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit."-Leviticus 26:4
"
The ground is cracked because there is no rain in the land; the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads.-Jeremiah 14
Today (Saturday, August 11th of 2007) we finally had some good rain after a long summer drought! We've had a sprinke or there at times, but we finally had a good drench pouring rain last night and it continued till this morning-halleluah! A sign to keep persevering in prayer!
"Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."-James 5:18
"Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.-Psalm 85 9-12
"..Now, 50 years later the farm consists of over 800 registered cows, a 3000 head feedlot, 4000 crop and 1500 acres of pasture. We feed out a total of 18,000 head of cattle annually. Leonard Wulf & Sons is owned and operated by the second and third generations...
"..The "Home Grown Economy 2010 - Equipping You to Build Community Based Food Systems" conference is at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, on Feb. 15-16...
Ken Meter of Crossroads Research Center will present his insights on how food networks thrive and strengthen local economies. Panel presenters will provide information about what is happening at the local level and each regional site will be afforded an opportunity to discuss how they can expand upon their local community based food system.
More details will be available at http://collinpeterson.house.gov.
"Recently took a trip to Morris Minnesota to do a story about a farm that's in transition to being completely organic. I had fun spending time with the cows and the farmland scenery."
-Fehrs
West River Dairy
52755 280th St
Morris, MN 56267
Phone: (320) 324-7600
Related Sites: Beef Quality Assurance Program embraces Hispanics - Minnesota, from hispanictips.com "The Morris workshop was the perfect location for the council’s first bilingual effort. The Stevens County area has about 250 Hispanic workers on dairy and beef farms, said Dave Wulf, Minnesota Beef Council director and Morris beef producer. Wulf estimates the county has 10 dairy farms, 25 cow-calf operations and 20 beef feedlots.”*.." West River open house to showcase digester
Riverview to hold June 24 open house at West River Dairy
By: Tom Larson, Morris Sun Tribune Published June 18 2010 "
It's hard to mistake Riverview's primary business function considering that thousands of cows are milked daily at its dairies.
But Riverview takes pride in having diversified its operations. So much so that the phrase "Producing More Than Milk” is part of one of its company logos.
To celebrate Dairy Month in June, Riverview is preparing for an open house at its West River Dairy from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on June 24, on County Road 8 south of Morris.
In addition to a free meal of cheeseburgers, beans, chips and malts, West River will conduct tours of its dairy and its digestion facility, which turns the dairy’s abundant supply of manure into electricity.
West River currently operates digesters in two of its dairies and a third will be installed and operational this fall, said West River’s Kevin Wulf.
"We’re not only gaining the green electrical piece," said Kevin Wulf, of Riverview, "but we're taking something that has value and using it efficiently."
"We're going to have manure anyway," said Jim Nieland, who handles Riverview’s digester operations. “We might as well benefit from it."
Riverview installed its first digesters at the end of 2008 at its Riverview and West River dairies. The District 45 dairy digestion system will be completed this fall.
The manure from the dairies’ "day pits" is moved into the digester, which is a 150-foot by 300-foot concrete tank that is about 16 feet deep. The tank can hold about 3-1/2 million gallons, Nieland said.
About 14 feet of the tank is manure and it is “digested” at 100 degrees for 21 days. Methane gas rises to the top two feet of the tank during the process and is drawn into the digester building. It’s chilled to remove moisture and then the gas is burned to run turbines that produce the electricity.
The digestion process produces electricity equivalent to that needed for 1,200 homes. The power is fed to a substation and to a power company grid.
And, in keeping with "Producing More Than Milk," the manure is eventually emptied and separated into fiber and liquids. The digestion process makes the solids, which are reused as cow bedding, cleaner. Somatic cell counts are lower when post-digestion bedding is used, Nieland said.
The liquid are pumped to ponds and eventually used as fertilizer.
The technology is changing quickly. The digester system being installed at the District 45 dairy is a little more advanced than the other two, despite being only two years newer, Nieland said.
"The last few years have brought about growth in the industry,” he said. “Just five years ago, there was a lot less known about it. Vendors keep coming up with better ways of doing this."
The diversity digestion offers helps the business, too, Wulf said.
In 2009, when milk prices fell significantly, the electricity and fertilizer production served as a buffer, he said.
"This extra income helped pull that bottom line up," Wulf said."
-ESL
"
Sandy Schroepfer submitted this topic outline for a 15-week ESL class offered on a dairy farm in the Alexandria consortium area during the 2005/2006 school year."
Russian visitors tour Riverview Dairy
A group of Russian farmers and agri-business representatives were in Morris on Wednesday for a tour of Riverview Dairy as part of a multi-state tour of agricultural technology.
By: Kim Ukura, Morris Sun Tribune Published March 25, 2012, 05:00 AM morrissuntribune.com
"MORRIS, Minn. - A group of Russian farmers and agri-business representatives were in Morris on Wednesday for a tour of Riverview Dairy as part of a multi-state tour of agricultural technology.
Alexander Zhukovsky, Agro Director of Pepsico and WBD Russia, served as a spokesperson for the group. Zhukovsky said Pepsico recently purchased a large dairy company in Russia – the biggest acquisition in the company's history – as part of an effort to move into offering healthier products.
“Russian people are used to a lot of dairy, and for us it's a very important part of our operation,” said Zhukovsky.
The 32-member delegation arrived in Minneapolis on Tuesday and will be stopping in St. Peter, Minn. and Green Bay, Wisc. – areas with a climate similar to their locations in Russia.
The goal of the tour is to build familiarity with dairy technology and research in the United States.
“We have a target to understand what is new here, what we do not know,” said Zhukovsky.
Zhukovsky said dairy operations in Russia are still quite underdeveloped. Over the last 20 years, different Russian industries have developed at different paces, and Russian dairy has been left behind.
"We need more milk with our ambitious business plans and to secure our strategic supply for the future,” said Zhukovsky. “Right now, unfortunately, we have a lack of milk. The price of raw milk in Russia is the highest in Europe.”
Many of the dairy farms in Russia are quite small (20 to 30 cows, perhaps up to 300) that still use old practices that result in small yields, said Zhukovsky. However, 300 to 400 herd farms are not profitable.
While there are a few dozen modern farms, most are still owned by families or a small number of local investors.
The Pepsico purchase included more than 20 dairy production plants around a large area in Russia. Zhukovsky said the company is interested in developing different practices for plants in different climate zones.
“People are very interested in the cows and dairy,” said Zhukovsky. “It's not just about getting profits, getting money, it's heart, soul, it's life.”"
Spring has sprung so it's time to hone those garden techniques at WCROC workshop "
Field of Greens, Herbs, Small Fruits, and the Cutting Garden will combine to create the Hands-On Horticulture Workshop, a full day of garden techniques for adults of all experience levels.
The 2010 Hands-On Horticulture Workshop is Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration form and payment are due by April 14.
Participants are asked to choose one morning session and one afternoon session.
Here’s the schedule:
•9 a.m. Registration and Welcome at the WCROC Administration Building.
•9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Morning Session:
Field of Greens – Growing your own Salad plus Tomatoes.
Learn about the wide variety of vegetables that you can grow and use in a salad. Jerry Tilden, Chippewa County Master Gardener, and Dean Risa, owner of Risa Family Gardens, will discuss growing techniques to keep your salad garden producing beyond the average growing season.
Growing, Harvesting and Preserving Herbs
This session will focus on culinary herbs, but will also include information on some medicinal herbs. Marcia Neeley, owner Honey and Herbs in Benson, will demonstrate a wide variety of preservation techniques in which you will have a chance to participate.
•11:30 a.m. Lunch
•12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Afternoon Session
Growing Berries in Western Minnesota
Learn the basics of growing strawberries and raspberries in western Minnesota. Topics that will be covered include site preparation, varieties, and care the first year. Presenter is Thaddeus McCamant, Specialty Crops Management Instructor at Northland College in Detroit Lakes.
The Cutting Garden
Learn the plant characteristics that produce a flower suitable for use as a cut flower, as well as specific varieties that lend themselves well to a garden devoted to cut flowers. Class will experience planting cut flower seeds and time to design your own cutting garden. Presenter is Linda Kellerman, Douglas County Master Gardener, of Alexandria.
There is a cost for the workshop, which includes lunch.
For more information contact Jean at (320) 589-1711, or by email at spohrjm@morris.umn.edu. Visit the WCROC Web site at the address http://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu and click on Calendar.
Tags: stevens county, news, morris, education, hometown, gardening
"
A collaborative effort in Morris is helping to shape how we access fresh foods.
The Morris Healthy Eating Coalition and the Eat Fresh Eat Local campaign have teamed up with the Morris Farmers market to offer local food enthusiasts more options at a more visible location.
Paula Feuchtenberger is the manager of the farmers market. She says working with the Morris Healthy Eating Coalition they had the opportunity to ask local food shoppers what the farmer's market could do to improve access. Buyers said extending the hours, adding venders and mainstreet visibility were good places to start. Feuchtengerger says they have moved their site to the Aaron Carlson parking lot on Atlantic Avenue and have added organic beef, herbs and some more produce venders and evening hours on Thursday. The Morris Farmer’s Market will open June 17th.
Local foods can also be found at Willies, Pomme de Terre Food Cooperative, the Common Cup and at La Tienda.
"
Dividing and transplanting rhubarb only requires a bit of stem and a bit of root to grow a new plant, and transplants should take place in the fall, winter or early spring to give the new plant time to establish new roots in the ground. Replant rhubarb immediately after dividing it with advice from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
"
-Summer 2011
The operation will increase its grain storage capacity to 3,430,000 bushels from 1,084,000 at its grain elevator, and the project also will include a new covered truck receiving area, increasing the unloading capacity to 55,000 bushels per hour from 25,000 "Cargill AgHorizons in Alberta will increase its grain storage capacity to 3,430,000 bushels from 1,084,000 at its grain elevator here with the addition of six steel bins, the company announced Thursday.
The project also will include a new covered truck receiving area, increasing the unloading capacity to 55,000 bushels per hour from 25,000. That receiving area also will have more roadway into the facility, a double scale system and traffic logistics office.
"All of these improvements will speed up the waiting times when our farmer customers bring crops to the elevator,” said Andy Daberkow, AgHorizons Farm Service Center Leader at the Alberta elevator. “They will also greatly improve the traffic flow through the main streets of Alberta.”
"These upgrades to our receiving and storage areas will allow us to provide faster and more efficient service to our customers, reducing the amount of time they need to spend away from their farm operations,” said Jonathan Lopez, Farm Services Group Leader for Minnesota and the Dakotas.
The expansion project is also linked to the facility’s loading capabilities for the BNSF Railway, Lopez said.
The expansion will be completed in time for the fall harvests. Cargill AgHorizons in Alberta handles corn, soybeans and wheat, with a full-service crop-inputs business providing seed, fertilizer and chemicals. Cargill has operated the grain business in Alberta since 1914.
Cargill employs 23 people at its Alberta grain elevator."
Research
geothermal.mov
"Morris Minnesota's West Central and Research & Outreach Center installs geothermal heating and cooling in 2009."
Planting Potatoes in Rolled Canola (WCROC Morris)
I went bowling last weekend and a guy who helps with the local farms just spontaneously shared with me about the making of sugar. He told me if the public knew how they make sugar (using chemicals), they would never want to eat it...
Morris FFA members make impression on urban youth
By Carol Stender
cstender@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 06/17/2010 9:15 AM "MORRIS, Minn. —Thirty six Morris Area FFA members and a livestock trailer of farm animals traveled to Minneapolis last week for an "Ag in the Classroom" event.
The FFA'ers visited Northrop Urban Environmental School and the Wenonah Campus of Lake Nokomis Community School to help students make a link between their food and ag production.
The idea for the program grew from Morris Area FFA advisor Natasha Mortenson's experiences as a University of Minnesota ag education student. Mortenson recalls how she and her classmates visited Twin Cities primary schools teaching the youth about agriculture. The children had little knowledge of farming and food production, she said.
She wanted to continue the farm and food message with youth.
After Mortenson was hired by the Morris Area school district, she developed a program called Pals. Once a month FFA members visit the district's kindergarten to second grade classes teaching them about agriculture production.
Mortenson wanted to deliver the message to the metropolitan area as well. The problem, she told former student and Morris Area alumnus David Larson, was funding.
"That was something I said I could help with," Larson said.
The area farmer and local feed company employee contacted several Stevens County commodity groups for donations. The local pork producers, corn growers, Farm Bureau, West Central Cattlemen's Association and IFAS, a feed company, gave money to Morris Area FFA's Ag in the Classroom program. The money was used to purchase educational supplies and covered meals and transportation costs for the day-long trip.
With the funding secured, Mortenson put things in motion to develop the educational program. Work began in earnest after the Minnesota FFA convention in April.
Senior Lauren Kill was a mastermind behind the project. She wrote the script the chapter members used as they told students about their food and farm connections. Three others, senior Jeff Knobloch, who is also Region III FFA president, and juniors Sami Searles and Amanda Moser, joined Kill to get all the materials purchased and ready for the trip.
Using the Internet and National FFA's Food for America program, the students developed their own "Ag in the Classroom" booklets. Two versions were made. One was geared for kindergarten to second grades and the second for third to fifth graders. Each booklet was filled with worksheets, activities and information about farming.
Mortenson also called Minnesota Ag in the Classroom program director Al Withers for educational materials and the names of schools the chapter could visit. The first two schools Withers contacted said yes.
"If I would've contacted 10, I probably would've had the same response," he said. "That shows me the interest and need for more efforts like this."
The 36 FFA'ers were split into nine four-member teams in an effort to deliver their message to as many students as possible.
Fun crafts were included in the visits. Circles drawn on the bottom of paper ketchup container cups became pig snouts the children could color and wear as elastic string kept the "snout" in place.
A soybean seed placed in a wet cottonball was placed in a plastic bag. Students were instructed to place the bag in a window where they could watch the seed germinate.
And amidst all the activity was a visit by each group to the livestock trailer where students could see and pet lambs, a dairy calf, beef animal, baby goat and rabbit.
The schools the chapter visited were diverse.
Northrop Urban Environmental has around 500 students in pre-school to grade 5, said school principal Kathy Alvig. Since the school is an environmental school, it does focus on nature. Students collect samples for study from a nearby creek.
There are 14 different languages in the school with 71 percent of the students eligible for free or reduced lunches. About 38 percent of the students are hispanic. Some of the students had never seen a live cow.
"Many of them have seen pictures of animals in books," Alvig said. "They don't know what the actual size is."
The Wenonah Campus of Lake Nokomis Community School is part of a partnership with the University of Minnesota. College ag students visit the school and help with educational programs including a chick hatching unit.
Wenonah has 305 students and offers kindergarten through third grade education. The school has two autism classrooms and has a diverse student body with 35 percent African American, 20 percent Latino and five percent native American.
"We have kids here who've never seen a pasture," said school principal Joan Hultman. "Kids don't travel far. They've been to the Nature Center but that's not like going to the farm."
At day's end, it was evident the message was well received. Some students, like senior Esther Koehl, were surprised at how much some of the students already knew about the link between their food and ag production.
Mortenson said she was thrilled with the day's activities and opportunities. She was pleased with her students' leadership abilities and how they delivered the ag message.
Through their efforts, Mortenson's Ag in the Classroom vision was realized. And it's not going to stop there, she said. Plans are underway for a similar visit next year. It's something she hopes other FFA chapters embrace as well so more metropolitan youth can learn about agriculture."
FFA students use cheeseburgers to teach 5 inner-city kids w
"FERGUS FALLS, Minn. - The Fergus Falls Farm Elevator is just one of the many elevators across the state overwhelmed by this years fall harvest.
"A year ago with the wet conditions and late plantings we were just getting a good start on soy beans at this time," Fergus Falls Farm Elevator General Manager Tim Schonhard said. "This weather has just been something else."
Because of the soggy September and the recent rash of dry weather, farmers in Greater Minnesota have been harvesting all at once.
"In the soy bean and corn harvest you will probably have a six week window and it looks like it's going to be done in a months time." Schonhard said.
With the enourmous amount of soy beans and corn coming into the Fergus Falls elevator in such a short amount of time, they were forced to pile up the excess corn in a field a few miles down the road on Highway 210 East of Fergus Falls.
"There is a million dollars laying in this pile on the ground," Feed Mill Operator Jerry Ouren said. "All over the country, there is so much grain coming in that you have to pile it on the ground to keep everything moving."
Schonhard said he hopes the elevator will be all caught up by the end of October.
Written for the web by Tony Seeman"
This is a picture of my Uncle (Lou) posing in front of these wheat fields. It's located close to Sauk Centre along Highway 28 coming from Morris going to the Twin Cities.
*rumor has it-Sauk Centre has the best Dairy Queen in the state; probably because of this only locally-owned dairy processor of fluid milk remaining in central Minnesota!
Helios Nutrition Organic Kefir w/FOS, also produced in Sauk Centre, is America�s leading organic kefir brand (boosts calcium, fiber and vitamins)
Minnesota Zoo Milking Demo
"MINNEAPOLIS, Minn – (KSAX) Alvin Schlangen hasn't stolen anything, rather he's almost giving his dairy away and although re-distributing the raw milk is illegal in Minnesota, these advocates say it's not the government's decision it should be theirs.
She’s not on Schlangen’s milk route,
"Wish i was."
But Shelly Galde drinks the same raw milk he's been criminally charged with for delivering.
"Alvin's been faced with four criminal counts, fines and possible jail time." Galde said.
Something everyone here isn't so happy about, especially, when it comes to their health.
"The only kind of milk we can tolerate without with out rashes and digestive issues is raw milk." Elisa Berry said.
So with a cow bell on and milk in hand, they signed a proclamation promising to stand up for Schlangen and any other organic farmer all across the nation.
"This about trying to satisfy a demand for food that is growing every day." Schlangen said.
But now the jury has to choose whether the Freeport farmer is guilty for giving the people their choice.
"I wish my government would go after some of the sex offenders or human traffickers that may be in the area instead of going after a peaceful farmer for putting real food into the hands of people who want it.” Berry said.
People like Shelly Galde,
“I think all of this should be thrown out because this is ludacris." Galde said.
Today, Alvin Schlangen’s trial was pushed back and rescheduled to begin next Monday.
Written for the Web by Andrea Hubbell
ahubbell@ksax.com
Bookmark and Share"
"..In 1978 we opened our first Machine Shed Restaurant on the outskirts of Davenport, IA. We had just 100 seats and we were all still pretty young and green, but we started with a powerful commitment. That was a five-word constitution: "Dedicated to the American Farmer." That dedication meant that we worked hard to have a restaurant that wasn't just 'farm themed' but would be something that farmers could be proud of. ..
*visited here for the 1st time on Friday, November 18th 2011 with family as my pre-thanksgiving
Address
8515 Hudson Boulevard
(I-94 & Innwood Ave, Hwy 13 Ex. 250)
Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042
Ph: 651.735.7436
Get Driving Directions
Mon - Sat:
Breakfast: 6am - 11am
Lunch: 11am - 3pm
Dinner: 3pm - 10pm
Saturday Brunch: 7am - 1pm
Sunday:
Breakfast: 7am - 10:45am
Brunch: 8am - 1pm
Dinner: 11am - 9pm
Gardens
"He You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!"-Songs 8:13
Homegrown heats up
A shaky economy, concerns about food safety and an urge to reconnect with the land have spurred a new generation of gardeners to grow their own vegetables.
By KIM PALMER, Star Tribune
Last update: June 4, 2008 - 9:31 AM
"
Here's hoping this is a real, long-term thing and not just another "trend" for a year or two. I grow veggies for all the reasons listed in � read more the article, plus it's an excuse to be outside in sun and fresh air....mood-enhancing without drugs! And yeah, it's fun to be able to grow and eat some of the "exotics" you otherwise couldn't afford and some of the heirlooms you've read about in cooking and gardening mags. Now if I could just figure out how to keep the critters from eating it before I can!
Lori Erickson set a goal for this summer and fall: Buy no produce. That doesn't mean she won't be eating veggies. She'll be growing them -- all of them -- on her small city lot in northeast Minneapolis...
"MOUND, Minn. (WCCO) — A newspaper advertisment called Tami Clark Pehrson to Mound’s Bethel United Methodist church, but she unexpectedly found nourishment outside, among the rows of lettuce, onions and asparagus.
"I did pray for a garden. I wanted a garden to do something,” Clark Pehrson said.
She turned to the church’s community garden when life was uprooted. Clark Pehrson was laid off like many of her Mound neighbors.
"Both parents are laid off now, and if you get the kids involved, they are here in the dirt, playing, learning what our history was all about,” said Clark Pehrson.
Last year, church leaders cultivated a place where low income families and seniors could grow their own food. The church also donates food to those in need.
"This is called GROW Gardens and it’s an acronym for Giving Roots of Westonka,” said Jessie Pinney, one of the founders of the GROW community garden. “The biggest problem in Mound is there if you looked an at area photo, there is no open area, everyone has trees in their yard, it’s a very shaded environment.”
The GROW community garden is possible, thanks to grant from the community gardening organization Gardening Matters.
Outreach coordinator Margaret Shields says Mound is one of eight Twin Cities communities without access to local food, during a time of economic crisis.
She says Twin Cities is home to more than 300 community gardens, but several communities need more fresh produce: Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, Hopkins, Mound, New Hope, Osseo, and Robbinsdale.
“What’s really important is right now gardens aren’t existing in those types of places,” said Shields, pointing to an even greater stress with the economic crisis. “High gas prices and transportation costs for food, to people just wanted to feel more connected to the communities where they are from and where their food comes from. It’s something we really lost along the way.”
"To teach the kids to start eating vegetables, I think we’ve gotten away from that by spending our money at fast food places,” Clark Pehrson agreed.
In the second season, Clark Pehrson says she got much more than she asked for. In a small plot, she found purpose.
“It brings us back together again,” she said.
Gardening Matters would like more communities to follow GROW Gardens example. They are offering a community garden mini-grant program for the 2012 season in the eight food insecure communities.
Five mini-grants for up to $1,500 will be awarded to gardens started in those areas, as part of Hennepin County Healthy Eating Minnesota. Applications are due by April 22.
Interested applicants can also attend an information session on April 4 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brookdale Library.
Learn more by visiting the Gardening Matters website.
Westonka residents can also apply for plots at the downtown GROW gardens. Twenty percent of the produce is donated to the Westonka Food Shelf.
Registration is required by April 18, 2011. Call 952.472.9801 or email at growgardenswestonka@yahoo.com."
"Snow slowly melts (March 20th 2011) in this farm field along State Highway 28 between Sauke Centre and Villard, Minnesota"
"[ Patience in Suffering ] Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains."-James 5
"Agronomy offers students a rich history and tradition in the discovery and dissemination of information needed to make informed decisions about the environment and agriculture. The goal of an Agronomist is to develop sound approaches from information gathered on how to solve problems as they relate to agriculture."
*w/ picture "Anatomy
You should be able to find 17 different body parts on the cow. Run the mouse over the cow's body and each body part will be given to you in it's Spanish translation. Learn them well and be prepared to take a quiz!!!"
"A short documentary we made giving details on some of the major events in Knott's history. The footage was taken and edited by us. Please give feed back!"
"She Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere. Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits."-Song of Solomon 4
"paulamae
06-08-2010, 06:23 AM
Natural Hygienists have known for a long time that fruit doesn’t combine well with other foods. The reason is that fruit contains simple sugars that require no digestion. Thus, they will not stay for a long time in the stomach. Other foods, such as foods rich in fat, protein and starch, will stay in the stomach for a longer period of time because they require more digestion. So if you eat fruit after a meal, the fruit sugar will stay for too long in the stomach and ferment. This is why people experience digestive trouble when eating fruit that way. They then blame that particular fruit for their trouble and claim that they are “allergic” to it...
"choc1969 - Aug 24, 2008 17:18 -
1 person likes this
It's true, a dietician advised me to actually eat fruit before a meal, leave at least 30 minutes to an hour before eating a main meal. Was also advised not to drink with a meal but wait another 30 minutes to give your body time to digest the food too as it gets mixed signals if you add a liquid to the equation.
..
"General Tips
If you're eating fruit to comply with specific dietary needs, consult with a nutritionist or your primary health provider before adopting a new eating plan. You may receive different advice, according to your specific dietary needs. For example, combining citrus fruits with rice increased the body's absorption of iron, according to findings published in the "British Journal of Nutrition." The Guelph Food Research Center has found that combining certain berries with legumes, such as strawberries with adzuki beans, can improve the antioxidant properties of each food.
"Take the fruit before a meal: it is usually advised to eat fruit before a meal to people who follow a weight loss plan, since it produces satiety for his contribution of fibers, thus avoiding excessive ingestion of other foods to mealtime...
Genetic
MONSANTO * One of the Most Evil Corporations on Earth (PT.II)
"le letter at bottom or Send an Instant email: www.cban.ca/corn)
Filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin discussed her recent film 'The World According to Monsanto' in which she exposes many of Monsanto's controversial practices, from concealing knowledge of toxicity of PCBs to producing genetically modified seeds and related herbicides.
Monsanto has a long history of manufacturing dangerous products. In 1949, an explosion in Nitro, a Monsanto factory in the US, caused 228 workers to develop an extremely disfiguring illness caused by dioxin, a highly toxic by-product of 2,4,5-T, a powerful herbicide manufactured in the factory.
Monsanto's product Roundup, an herbicide which Monsanto advertised as biodegradable, is still sprayed on crops by unprotected farmers in Paraguay even though Monsanto has already been convicted twice of false advertising for the product.
Robin also denounces Monsanto for not only denying that it ever heard of Agent Orange, a herbicide sprayed by the US Army on crops during the Vietnam war and which Monsanto had in fact manufactured, but also for manipulating scientific studies to hide links between Agent Orange and cancer.
According to Robin, Monsanto has bought fifty seed companies in the last ten years. In a clip from Robin's film, physicist and ecologist Dr. Vandana Shiva warns: "Once [Monsanto has] established the norm that seed can be owned as their property, we will depend on them. If they control seed they control food. It's more powerful than bombs. This is the best way to control the populations of the world."
Sample Letter:
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health
Aglukkaz.L@parl.gc.ca
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Aglukkaq,
I am writing to demand that Health Canada protect me and my family from untested genetically engineered 'SmartStax' com. It is unacceptable that Health Canada did not assess this GE food for health safety. This 'SmartStax' corn, with its combination of eight GE traits, was not examinied or approved by Health Canada but was authorized by Danadian Food Inspection Agency anyway.'SmartStax' was allowed to fly under the radar of Health Canada and shows me that our government's regulations of GE foods are too weak to protect me and my fellow Canadians.
I demand that Health Canada stop the introduction of 'SmartStax' and that the federal government start an immediate review of all regulations for GE foods and
crops.Thank you for your attention to this urgent and serious matter. I look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
CC Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agricluture and Agri-Food RitzG@parl.gc.ca; Carol Swan, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency,
carol.swan@inspection.gc.ca; Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP Health Critic, WasylJ@parl.gc.ca; Hon. Carolyn Bennett, Liberal Party Health Critic,
BenneC@parl.gc.ca; Luc Malo, Bloc Quebecois Health Critis, MaloL@parl.gc.ca"
"What's scary is that Monsanto has almost completely (they sue seed savers) taken all natural seeds from farmers hands and replaced them with their own blend that only lasts for one season. So whenever they want to, they can say fuck the human race, hold the seeds, and start global famine. Imagine if these guys are part of the Georgia Guidestone master plan. Go and watch "FOOD Inc." and "THE CORPORATION" then "EARTHLINGS" & "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THEY SPRAYING". Go to documentarywire dotcom"
"Sponsor: http://PatriotInternet.com - A piece of outside-New-Hampshire-news so important even I can't avoid reporting on it. Remember Stalin and Mengistu? The Ukraine Famine and the Ethiopian wastelands? What Washington is doing now is similar to what those dictators did before their genocide...except I don't think even Mengistu ever tried to outlaw farming. This vid was first shot and/or produced in early 2009. Disclosure: Most Ridley Report advertisers are liberty activists. So's Ridley. Ridley Reports are biased in favor of liberty. However...opposing views are much sought after and welcome here.
H.R. 875
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill....
"Senate S 425
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill....
Feds move against farmers markets, gardens
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-glad...
Feds move against water purification
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed...
Images from: http://commons.wikimedia.org -
Audio from http://FreeTalkLive.com
Info from: http://CampaignForLiberty.com
To buy an ad like the one in this vid you can simply email RidleyReport at live.... period com. Ad rate details are at:
http://nhunderground.com/forum/index....
RidleyReport name of advertiser dave ridley report ron paul nh gardening illegal garden food production monsanto starvation ukraine stalin ethiopia free state project libertarian new hampshire john stossel home small farmers farming production tomatoes onions spinach carrots secession big brother bureaucrat thugs states' rights states u.s. constitution porcupine david nwo politics rebellion political porcupines resistance protest demonstration demonstrators civil war opponents protesters alex jones ron paul bill hillary clinton
new hampshire monsanto starvation outlaw gardening backyard gardens hybrid seeds heirloom congress president barak obama john mccain election amendment anarchist v for vendetta second american revolution penn and teller's tyrrany thomas jefferson anarchism anarchy opppose stop new world order campaign for liberty dollar vote 2008 2012 doug wead jesse ventura peter schiff rand operation live free or die r3volution debates aimee allen sarah palin ronald reagan crash federal reserve feds fed secede bailout ben bernake depression recession economy peter schiff gold silver hyperinflation deflation inflation precious metals breakup wall street dollar collapse gary north spot price platinum palladium commodity market boom neal cavuto neil the street prime interest rate rates creature from jekyl island bernard von nothaus stimulus package bill wiemar germany stock market zimbabwe mugabe rand dr. doom budget deficit paul volcker rescue plan emergency crisis run on the banks banking holiday black market hr price controls .... Please thank our sponsor by visiting ... PATRIOTINTERNET.COM"
"
111th Congress
This is a bill in the U.S. Congress originating in the House of Representatives ("H.R."). A bill must be passed by both the House and Senate and then be signed by the President before it becomes law.
Bill numbers restart from 1 every two years. Each two-year cycle is called a session of Congress. This bill was created in the 111th Congress, in 2009-2010.
The titles of bills are written by the bill's sponsor and are a part of the legislation itself. GovTrack does not editorialize bill summaries.
2009-2010
Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009
The Fall of the Republic 1/5
Inside USA - The state of agriculture - 22 Aug 08 - Part 1
"The big business of farming in the US is booming but undocumented migrants make up more than half of the farming workforce. They are ripe for exploitation and face low salaries, substandard housing, risk of injury, pesticides and heat stroke. Some literally work themselves to death. In this episode, Inside USA investigates farming in the era of free trade. "
"opened in 1998 with the primary purpose of developing a farm that would be open to the public for teaching and providing a "farm" experience. As the farm has evolved from the fall pumpkin patch harvest tours, our goals include expanding the program to include spring and summer tours that more specifically teach children and adults about the food that is grown for their consumption."
Miscellaneous
Midwest Food Alliance (MWFA), a seal of approval that have been certified as environmentally friendly and socially responsible producers
"1. Rev. Lenard Griffis - his father's potato crop
"In the late 1920's my dad had a large crop of potatoes. Frost hit that section of Oklahoma and killed all the potato plants. But my dad did not give up. He decided to pray and trust in God for his potato crop instead of plowing them under like his neighbors had done. My dad knelt down at the side of his field and prayed over his crop.
His neighbors soon replanted new crops and their new crops were killed again by frost (that fall). My dad's original crop came out and made a beautiful crop.
God blessed marvelously that year. So much so, that my dad provided the neighbors with seed potatoes for the following year."
Types
Farming Vocabulary - ESL British English Pronunciation
"... Dairy cows donated to 47 of the most food insecure households in Khashmi village in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia will be a valuable source of food and nutrition for struggling families thanks to a World Vision and Heifer International Food Security Enhancement (FSE) initiative.
A World Vision media release circulated by Reuters says that 20 cows were bought through World Vision's Gifts in Kind project 'Livestock for Vulnerable Families' and the other 27 were provided by Heifer International.
The release states: "These vulnerable households were chosen from a village population of some 1,537 people, including families who had previously participated in the FSE project, those with multiple children, single mothers, and unemployed families."
"We don't have cattle in our family so for me it is a huge support; I cannot even express it in words. Before I had to buy diary products for my grandchildren, and I could rarely afford them. Now my children will have cheese and other products," said 60-year-old Mary, who received one of the dairy cows.
"In this region our organization is implementing projects that really can change the financial situation of households. Livestock is the main source of income in this village. People in Khashmi were very active -- they attended our training for farmers, and this was one of the reasons why we have chosen this village," said Ina Berulava, FSEI Extension Worker.
World Vision says that traditionally the main source of income for villagers in the Kakheti region is their agricultural activity, including cattle breeding, wine-growing and vegetable-growing.
As part of the initiative, World Vision has provided people in some 13 villages with high quality vegetable seeds and tree plants.
According the media release, the broader Food Security Enhancement Initiative, implemented in four districts of Kakheti region, aims to help improve families' economic situation by improving farmers' capacity, crop and animal production, strengthen household income and facilitate the marketing and acquisition of food through the creation of farmer schools.
Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe office (MEERO) as circulated by Reuters. The original article has been adapted for use by this news service. More information: World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org ."
*see GoodnewsEverybody: Europe-Georgian
"...2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’"....17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’.. ..
"choc1969 - Aug 24, 2008 17:18 -
1 person likes this
It's true, a dietician advised me to actually eat fruit before a meal, leave at least 30 minutes to an hour before eating a main meal. Was also advised not to drink with a meal but wait another 30 minutes to give your body time to digest the food too as it gets mixed signals if you add a liquid to the equation.
..
"The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them."-Ezequiel 34
Hog Farm
ASIA
-Philippines
Mango & Hog Farm-Cebu, Philippines
"Mango and Hog Farm in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines "
Horticulture
" 20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [a] to plant a vineyard...-Genesis 9:20
Horticulture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "..is the industry and science of plant cultivation. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic engineering, plant biochemistry, and plant physiology. The work particularly involves fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, and turf. Horticulturists work to improve crop yield, quality, nutritional value, and resistance to insects, diseases, and environmental stresses..." Growing Great Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits & Berries in the Home Garden
By Marie Iannotti, About.com Guide to Gardening "Nothing tastes as good as home grown, fresh-picked fruits and vegetables. It doesn't take a lot of skill or space to grow something delicious in the backyard. Here's a collection of great tips and ideas to turn your home garden into a gourmet's delight..."
VEGETABLE
Home Vegetable Gardening Part I
"Join Robert Norris, Associate Professor and Associate Botanist at UC Davis, as he discusses home vegetable gardening. Topics include tools needed, recommended reading, ground preparation, planting dates, selection of varieties, and seed planting depths. Series: "California Master Gardener Lecture Series" [7/2002] [Science] [Agriculture] [Show ID: 6675] "
-Vegetables Gardening - Profiles, Growing "Tips and Ideas
Learn which vegetables will grow best in your area with suggestions on vegetable varieties, heirloom vegetables, increasing the harvest from your vegetable garden and organic pest control. Then get the most from your vegetable garden with techniques like intercropping, succession planting and season extenders...
"...
Carrots are among some of the most popular root crops grown and consumed in the world. Root crops like carrots are hardy and grow best under cooler conditions. Carrots will survive light frosts, making them a great crop to start off your garden in the early spring. Some varieties also grow well in the fall and even into the winter. .."
-SUNFLOWER
" Harvesting:
Harvest sunflower seeds after the flower begins to die back, and most if not all, of the petals have fallen off. Pull out a seed and open it to see if it is full. Cut off the head, leaving a few inches of stalk. Hang the stalks to dry in a well ventilated area. Do not stack them in a box, as mold can develop during the drying process. As soon as the flowers have dried, extract the seeds by rubbing two flower heads together. They should come off of the flowerhead fairly easily.
Sunflowers are also used as dried flowers in vases and for craft projects. They can be cut just before the flowers die off and dried over a few weeks. Miniature sunflowers make lovely fresh bouquets also. For craft projects, it is important to leave a sufficient amount of stalk.
We enjoy sharing this crop with wildlife. We also enjoy eating the seeds, too. Birds and squirrels will begin their assault before the seeds are completely ripe. You can protect against this annual invasion by covering the entire flower with an old nylon stocking, a cheese cloth bag, or any other covering that allows light and especially air to flow through. Do not use plastic bags, as moisture buildup will rot the flower and heat buildup will scald it. Some people will put a bag below the flower to catch any seeds that fall. "
-TOMATOES
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other."
ECHO: Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization
"is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization located on a demonstration farm in North Fort Myers, FL. ECHO has been assisting a global network of missionaries and development workers since 1981 and is currently serving agricultural workers in 180 countries.
ECHO exists for one major reason, to help those working internationally with the poor be more effective, especially in the area of agriculture! We are a technical support organization helping community development organizations and workers do what they do . . . better!
"
Farms Int'l, a Christian ministry that serves the church by equipping families in poverty with the means for self-support. Working through the local church, FARMS provides loans, technical support for income generating projects and spiritual training for families. The result? Families find a biblical path out of poverty!
*referred by Wayne Maanum (local church brother in Morris) on Dec. 31s of 2006 after my trip to Duluth.
AFRICA
-Liberia
Agriculture Training
"Liberia is a country that with a very harsh landscape, something that is bad for the people who farm for their very survival. In addition to providing Medical Care, Mercy Ships also have began to set up training programs to teach locals effective agricultual techniques."
-Uganda
Lemar in Uganda 1: Climate change
"http://www.christianaid.org.uk/
Lemar visits Uganda in east Africa with Christian Aid and meets a farmer who tells him that they are noticing the effects of climate change with weather patterns becoming confused and less predictable. Read more about Lemar's trip at http://www.christianaid.org.uk/news/s... "
"Widespread rain that has fallen over much of Australia's driest regions in the past couple of months has not yet broken the drought but is bringing widespread hope that prayers are being answered with farmers beginning to make future plans for the first time in years."
"She speaks about the recent lack of rain. It appears that the weather gods are unhappy with us. This has deeply affected agriculture; there is no water even for drinking, let alone for crops and cattle."
"10 He also built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil."-2 Chronicles 26:10
Thank you for visiting GoodnewsEverybody! Please feel free to e-mail me (Sal) at info@goodnewseverybody.com on any comments, suggestions (e.g. any new websites),complaints, or anytype of feedback to improve this website.
