In the News...

The forum does not have a news section.  I thought it might be a good idea to start one.  News stories, articles, essays, reading material, blogs, whatever.  We've got the entire internet out there, every now and then I find one worth reading and sharing.  This would be a good place to post a link as many of us have some common interests and may gain something. 

Long Term Agricultural Overshoot

After the recent discussions in the Greenhouse thread, I thought Mt Goat would appreciate this one.

Do we also discuss the articles ar will it clutter up the thread?
Do we ask the admins for a news forum if this idea becomes popular?
What sort of a scope do we impose on ourselves as far as relevance?

I think limiting news stories and links to subjects which are pertinent to the permies.com site is an appropriate step:

[li]agriculture[/li]
[li]homesteading[/li]
[li]farmsteading[/li]
[li]permaculture[/li]
[li]self-sufficiency[/li]
[li]cast iron skillets [/li]
[li]websites[/li]
[li]What else have you got?[/li]

Farmers: Apply for Hoop House Funding

Farmers in 38 states can apply for funding by Jan. 15, 2010 to build a hoop house.   This pilot will test the potential conservation benefits of growing crops under hoop houses. Participating farms can receive funding for one hoop house. Hoop houses in the study can cover as much as 5 percent of 1 acre, or approximately 30 feet by 72 feet.

USDA news release on the High Tunnel Pilot Study

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide financial assistance for the project through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the EQIP Organic Initiative, and the Agricultural Management Assistance program. NRCS will fund one high tunnel per farm. High tunnels in the study can cover as much as 5 percent of 1 acre. Participating states and territories are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Pacific Islands, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

To sign up or learn more about EQIP assistance for high tunnel projects, contact a local NRCS office.

Safety of Beef Processing Method Is Questioned

and people wonder why on earth permies produce our own food

GREAT idea for a new forum, kpeavey.

I want one for Market Farming, per se.

LFLondon

Anyone see this? Article on Daily Kos about the Department of Justice investigating Monsanto, et al.

I've read several articles concerning a reduction in nutrient density in commercial crops. 

RIP Howard Zinn

Toby Hemenway on The Myth of Self Reliance.

Ken Peavey wrote:
Toby Hemenway on The Myth of Self Reliance.

It is absolutely a myth that one _cannot_ become self reliant, i.e. frugal, self sufficient and independent. It is a matter of what you think you need to own or have access to when becoming self reliant. Add communities of individuals and families seeking the same goal that assist each other and you make the process easier and more self-sustaining. 

Ken Peavey wrote:
Toby Hemenway on The Myth of Self Reliance.

Can he write or what!?  Just so great!

Food as instrument of economic security

Short article promoting local food production.

Just wandered across co2now.org.
Regularly updated CO2 data from the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii.

Leagle.com, MONSANTO CO. v. GEERTSON SEED FARMS has been ruled upon by the Supreme Court.

Grist.com sums it up

More importantly, the Supreme Court has also now ruled for the very first time that "environmental harm" includes economic effects such as reduced agricultural yield or loss of market due to genetic contamination, as well as the concept of what biologists refer to as "gene flow" (in practice, the idea that genetically engineered material may get into conventional plants through cross-pollination). The Supreme Court now accepts that this phenomenon in and of itself is harmful and illegal under current environment protections.

This is  MAJOR blow to GMO.

Ken Peavey wrote:
Toby Hemenway on The Myth of Self Reliance.

Brilliant!  And realistic.  I enjoyed his writing style in Gaia's Garden.  Now I can appreciate his wisdom and practicality.

i really love these articles on his website..they are so insightful. A lot of people enjoy bashing his work, but I LOVE it.

I'm so grateful for people like him who are willing to share their knowledge. His book arrived here a few months ago and i have not only re read it several times but have also lent it out to be read by neighbors and have encouraged family members to buy it.

Neil Young has invented electronic musical devices like guitar pedals and communication aides for disabled people during his entire career . Now he wants to improve the quality of digital musical listening devices : http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2014/03/19/291130878/neil-young-wants-you-to-truly-hear-music

Bad news from my area. Massive mudslide. It seems like these are becoming yearly events. These areas have been heavily logged, cut up by roadways and graded for residential properties, and are farmed often with resident large hoofed animals.

Its actually been a fairly dry late winter/spring thus far - but the rains have been coming down heavy when they come. No mention of land use being a major contributor to events like these.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/18-people-still-missing-deadly-mudslide-more-flooding-feared-n59981

The big story one year ago one county over:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/landslide-washington-island-leaves-34-homes-danger/story?id=18824425

Totally totally a land use issue. And no one will cover it from that angle.

On a much much lighter note, and likely of little surprise to most on this forum after watching a super goat parkour its way past a 6 foot wall, goats are smarter than science has thus far given them credit for:

http://www.statecolumn.com/2014/03/goats-are-apparently-smarter-than-anyone-thought/

More GMOs in the news. Uruguay to use RFID and genetic markers to track all Cannabis plants produced in the country

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/uruguay-to-track-pot-by-genetic-markers/story-fn3dxix6-1226868455160

Whale manure in the news . Everything Gardens .

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2014/04/03/298778615/the-power-of-poop-a-whale-story

550 years of celebrating Basque Ham :

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/04/18/304537880/like-ham-theres-a-festival-for-that-in-france

Rent-A-Chicken :

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/business/rentals-that-let-you-fly-the-coop.html?_r=0

File that under "I wish I had thought of that" !

This is cool. A new found bio-accumulator

http://dailydigestnews.com/2014/05/rare-metal-eating-plant-discovered-in-philippines/

I somehow doubt the solution the NY Times and the new Ukrainian government pursue will be a permie one, but an interesting article on Agriculture and land use policy in Ukraine

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/business/ukraine-faces-hurdles-in-restoring-its-farming-legacy.html

Well, Looks like Foster Farms Salmonella Brand chicken is still in the news for spreading anti-biotic resistant Salmonella

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/california-chicken-still-linked-salmonella/nf8rX/

At least 27 states and Puerto Rico and the outbreak continues over a year later. Still very little action from anyone over it.

Damn wasteful Feds. I would totally pickle and eat 11,000 cormorant eggs.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/31602/20150208/to-save-columbia-river-salmon-federal-govt-planning-to-kill-11000-cormorants-in-oregon.htm