Green house gardeners are typically of two minds when it involves planting. One group of gardeners prefers to use seedlings to start their gardens, while another group would rather feel the sense of accomplishment from planting seeds. It all depends on what you personally prefer.
Sometimes transplanting seedlings can introduce problems such as disease or insect infestation to an existing garden. That is why planting from seed is a good alternative for green house gardens.
At first, it may seem difficult to plant from seeds. It really isn’t as long as you read and follow the directions carefully on the packet. And when the seedlings start to grow, it is important to protect them.
A good growing tray is a great accessory to have in your green house or garden and it is ideal for your plant seeds. Be sure to pick the best growing tray you can find. Your local garden nursery or center can recommend the best type to use.
Now that you have a good tray and seeds, you’re ready to fill it with a high quality seed mixture. Although it may be tempting to use regular potting soil, don’t. A “seed starting mix” is recommended and has been specially prepared for growing new seeds. (Sterile, no diseases or garden pests, etc.)
The next step is to plant your seeds in the starter mix after the growing trays have been prepared. Remember, seeds should be planted at least twice their own depth. If the seeds are very small, it might be a better idea to lightly cover the seeds with the planting mix. They may not sprout if they are buried too deep in the soil.
Don’t forget to label your seed plantings in the tray. You can use a nursery label or a waterproof marker. It is not advisable to use the package the seeds came in since it will quickly get ruined from the moisture.
When watering your baby plants, be sure to use a misting sprayer since a watering can or hose could damage or uncover the seeds. To prevent evaporation of the moisture, your growing tray should be covered. Plus, covering the tray will also promote germination.
Heat is another great source for speeding up the germination process. Studies have shown that heat increases germination and many successful green house gardeners use this technique.
by: David Ray
Friday, November 27, 2009
Seeds and more Seeds...What your Garden Needs
Seeds are the most important ingredient in all gardening. Without quality seeds it would be impossible to have a beautiful garden. True seeds vary in size from the dust-like seeds of some orchids to the large seed contained in the coconut. The period of dormancy undergone by many seeds before germination also varies. The seeds may lie dormant for a short period of time before you see growth sprouting above the soil, or they may be dormant for a long time. For some seeds a long dormancy is a result of the extremely hard outer coating of the seeds. Flower seeds, vegetable seeds and garden seeds all germinate very quickly and are therefore perfect for home use.
When your ready to start choosing your seeds here’s an important point to keep in mind; You can greatly increase your odds for having a great gardening year by buying from a seed company that's involved in continuous trial programs. In other words, they are always on the look out for better and better seeds. Remember, whether its grass seeds, tomato seeds or flax seed, the plant will only be as good as the original seed.
Quality soil rich in nutrients will help insure that the seeds you planted will reach their full potential. Of course an attentive, caring gardener such as yourself will provide that little extra ingredient that will insure the seeds you plant will experience beautiful growth.
Spend some time as your do research on the web and choose quality merchants that you believe will provide great seeds so you can plant your garden with full confidence that your efforts will be rewarded.
Gardening is a rewarding hobby for anyone and producing beautiful flowers and plants from health seeds will greatly enrich your experience.
by: Mike Yeager
When your ready to start choosing your seeds here’s an important point to keep in mind; You can greatly increase your odds for having a great gardening year by buying from a seed company that's involved in continuous trial programs. In other words, they are always on the look out for better and better seeds. Remember, whether its grass seeds, tomato seeds or flax seed, the plant will only be as good as the original seed.
Quality soil rich in nutrients will help insure that the seeds you planted will reach their full potential. Of course an attentive, caring gardener such as yourself will provide that little extra ingredient that will insure the seeds you plant will experience beautiful growth.
Spend some time as your do research on the web and choose quality merchants that you believe will provide great seeds so you can plant your garden with full confidence that your efforts will be rewarded.
Gardening is a rewarding hobby for anyone and producing beautiful flowers and plants from health seeds will greatly enrich your experience.
by: Mike Yeager
Germinating Seeds in Hydroponic Systems
Germinating seeds hydroponically has several advantages over using soil. Many common diseases can be avoided because the hydroponic medium is clean while soil may contain fungus or insects that can harm vulnerable seedlings. Root rot can also be avoided by using a good hydroponic growing system.
The area where hydroponic growing really shines over using soil is control of the growing environment. With hydroponics, the gardener is no longer at the mercy of the soil's nutrient or water content. Every aspect of the plant's growing conditions can be controlled by the grower, not Mother Nature. This can be a tremendous advantage for young seedlings because they will get the proper nutrients right from the start of their life, leading to much healthier plants in the long run.
Choosing a Growing Medium for Germinating Seeds
While germinating, seeds require both oxygen and water to sprout. This means that your growing medium must provide sufficient amounts of both to the seed or it will not germinate. Porous mediums such as perlite, rockwool, or vermiculite will do this along with having great drainage capabilities. Rockwool cubes can be used for quick set up and easy transplanting as the seeds sprout and grow into full-size plants. Simply place a larger cube around the cube holding the plant. The roots will expand and grow through both rockwool cubes, allowing your medium to easily adapt to the size of your plant.
Perlite makes another good growing medium for germinating seeds because its porosity allows for good drainage and oxygen availability. Just be sure to use the gardening-grade perlite rocks and not the finer grade masonry-quality powder. Plant your seeds about a half to one full inch deep in the perlite medium and cover them with a thin layer of perlite. The easiest way to set up a seedling tray with perlite is to use a plastic tub or similar container covered in black plastic to ensure that no light will penetrate to the roots of your plants. Add a drain hole about an inch from the container's bottom to cycle your nutrient solution through while keeping a minimum level of solution available to the plants at all times.
Nutrients for Germinating Seeds
Many seeds contain nutrients within their shell to provide initial nourishment to jumpstart the germination process. However, this is not true for all species. Orchid seeds, for example, contain very little nutrients, so be sure to research your particular plant before setting up your garden. To avoid stressing the seed at a vulnerable point, it is best to use a medium that is pre-prepared with a low concentration of nutrients. The first few initial waterings will give your seeds a small dose of nutrients until it is ready to absorb more. After a few days, switch to a regular nutrient solution in your water, but keep it at a lower dose than normal until the seed shows significant growth. Once the plants have developed strong, healthy stalks, you can change them over to your normal feeding and watering program and use your seedling tray for the next batch of germinating seeds.
by: Katherine Keleher
The area where hydroponic growing really shines over using soil is control of the growing environment. With hydroponics, the gardener is no longer at the mercy of the soil's nutrient or water content. Every aspect of the plant's growing conditions can be controlled by the grower, not Mother Nature. This can be a tremendous advantage for young seedlings because they will get the proper nutrients right from the start of their life, leading to much healthier plants in the long run.
Choosing a Growing Medium for Germinating Seeds
While germinating, seeds require both oxygen and water to sprout. This means that your growing medium must provide sufficient amounts of both to the seed or it will not germinate. Porous mediums such as perlite, rockwool, or vermiculite will do this along with having great drainage capabilities. Rockwool cubes can be used for quick set up and easy transplanting as the seeds sprout and grow into full-size plants. Simply place a larger cube around the cube holding the plant. The roots will expand and grow through both rockwool cubes, allowing your medium to easily adapt to the size of your plant.
Perlite makes another good growing medium for germinating seeds because its porosity allows for good drainage and oxygen availability. Just be sure to use the gardening-grade perlite rocks and not the finer grade masonry-quality powder. Plant your seeds about a half to one full inch deep in the perlite medium and cover them with a thin layer of perlite. The easiest way to set up a seedling tray with perlite is to use a plastic tub or similar container covered in black plastic to ensure that no light will penetrate to the roots of your plants. Add a drain hole about an inch from the container's bottom to cycle your nutrient solution through while keeping a minimum level of solution available to the plants at all times.
Nutrients for Germinating Seeds
Many seeds contain nutrients within their shell to provide initial nourishment to jumpstart the germination process. However, this is not true for all species. Orchid seeds, for example, contain very little nutrients, so be sure to research your particular plant before setting up your garden. To avoid stressing the seed at a vulnerable point, it is best to use a medium that is pre-prepared with a low concentration of nutrients. The first few initial waterings will give your seeds a small dose of nutrients until it is ready to absorb more. After a few days, switch to a regular nutrient solution in your water, but keep it at a lower dose than normal until the seed shows significant growth. Once the plants have developed strong, healthy stalks, you can change them over to your normal feeding and watering program and use your seedling tray for the next batch of germinating seeds.
by: Katherine Keleher
Be Selfish and Save the World
Why do we help others? There is a whole lot of pain and poverty, illness and despair in the world. I can't speak for you but I would like to make a difference and improve the quality of life for others. Volunteer work is a great way to begin.
No single person can change the entire world but you can have an impact on the lives of others in your own corner of the universe. That, in a small way, changes the world ever so slightly. Multiply that by a billion and it is a brave new world.
How many times have you heard people say " You can't change the world. You are just one person?" It begins with one. Forget all that nonsense the defeatists choose to fill there heads with. That's their business. The contents of your head is all that matters.
Your happiness counts. How can you share your happiness if you have none to share? You can't be happy if you put others happiness ahead of your own. You have to put yourself first in order to have the tools to affect change.
I don't know how many people I have met that speak of all the hungry people of the world living in poverty. And how they dream of helping them. These are people that are wallowing in consumer debt, the working poor, just inches away from bankruptcy. They want to help others when they cannot even dream of themselves living in prosperity. Such noble nonsense.
If you want to help your family, help your community or change the world, you have to help yourself first. You have to be selfish for pete's sake! It's not a sin or a crime to put yourself first. You have to lead by example. Nobody chooses to follow the disempowered.
Make your happiness and peace of mind your number one priority. Once you have that you have the power to really affect change. Helping others is a wonderful thing. Look at the global efforts to help the Tsunami victims and affected areas. You could rationalize it and say that helping is the right thing to do, that contributing to any good cause is the right thing to do. I agree.
But, we are not motivated by our intellect or rationalizations. It is emotion that moves us to act. Helping out makes us feel good and inversely we know that watching others suffer and not helping when we know we can will make us feel miserable. We don' t want to make ourselves unhappy.
If you can truly be honest with yourself you will see that beneath all the sentiment is a need to tend to our own happiness. I like to volunteer because it makes me feel good. That is the bottom line. The rest is just window-dressing. I have a selfish desire to feel good and so do you. There is nothing wrong with that.
Yoga, meditation and prayer make me feel good, too. Can you call those selfish pursuits? How about attending church or worshipping your higher power? Do those things make you feel good? Of course they do or you would not do them. If pursuing your own emotional well-being and feeling good is not what you would consider selfish, than I think that the term "selfish" is highly misunderstood.
Tend to your "self" first. Be selfish. Then and only then can you really make a difference.
by: David Parton
No single person can change the entire world but you can have an impact on the lives of others in your own corner of the universe. That, in a small way, changes the world ever so slightly. Multiply that by a billion and it is a brave new world.
How many times have you heard people say " You can't change the world. You are just one person?" It begins with one. Forget all that nonsense the defeatists choose to fill there heads with. That's their business. The contents of your head is all that matters.
Your happiness counts. How can you share your happiness if you have none to share? You can't be happy if you put others happiness ahead of your own. You have to put yourself first in order to have the tools to affect change.
I don't know how many people I have met that speak of all the hungry people of the world living in poverty. And how they dream of helping them. These are people that are wallowing in consumer debt, the working poor, just inches away from bankruptcy. They want to help others when they cannot even dream of themselves living in prosperity. Such noble nonsense.
If you want to help your family, help your community or change the world, you have to help yourself first. You have to be selfish for pete's sake! It's not a sin or a crime to put yourself first. You have to lead by example. Nobody chooses to follow the disempowered.
Make your happiness and peace of mind your number one priority. Once you have that you have the power to really affect change. Helping others is a wonderful thing. Look at the global efforts to help the Tsunami victims and affected areas. You could rationalize it and say that helping is the right thing to do, that contributing to any good cause is the right thing to do. I agree.
But, we are not motivated by our intellect or rationalizations. It is emotion that moves us to act. Helping out makes us feel good and inversely we know that watching others suffer and not helping when we know we can will make us feel miserable. We don' t want to make ourselves unhappy.
If you can truly be honest with yourself you will see that beneath all the sentiment is a need to tend to our own happiness. I like to volunteer because it makes me feel good. That is the bottom line. The rest is just window-dressing. I have a selfish desire to feel good and so do you. There is nothing wrong with that.
Yoga, meditation and prayer make me feel good, too. Can you call those selfish pursuits? How about attending church or worshipping your higher power? Do those things make you feel good? Of course they do or you would not do them. If pursuing your own emotional well-being and feeling good is not what you would consider selfish, than I think that the term "selfish" is highly misunderstood.
Tend to your "self" first. Be selfish. Then and only then can you really make a difference.
by: David Parton
"Can I Save the World?" Easy Solutions to Global Warming at our Fingertips
With so much information out there about global warming and the effects that are causing natural disasters, is there anything we as individuals can do to make a difference? Yep! You don't need to move mountains, but a small pebble can really make ripples that can create positive changes world wide. Here's a few "pebbles" you can use today!
We all feel we have a purpose in life. As more of us become aware of the damaging effects of global warming, we are also concerned about practical solutions to the problem. Most importantly, how can we fit in as part of the solution, instead of the problem?
Unfortunately, many of us become overwhelmed when we watch the ever-increasing natural disasters and it starts to feel like the world is crashing around us. I remember watching the plane hit the World Trade Center over and over and over again. I remember being completely paralyzed to the television. Sleep was optional, but only in between important news breaks. I felt helpless. I wanted to understand the reasoning behind the attacks to ease my fears of possible future attacks, but I mainly wanted a sense of control back into my life.
I do not like to focus on the doom of global warming because that's not the best mindset for me to find solutions and implement actions. I truly believe we all can make a difference in our lives, in the lives of our families, friends and community. I also am a firm believer that every single action taken produces a ripple effect throughout the world. When we take a simple action such as changing a light bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb, a positive motion is set in place.
Just for fun, let's see what can happen: (this will show how the action affects others)
o That old bulb in the living finally goes out. You go to your local hardware store and see miles of shelves of light bulbs! OY! (production of CFL bulbs)
o Someone comes over to help and maybe suggest a CFL. "A what?" you ask. The assistant tells you that even though the bulb is more expensive than a basic tungsten bulb, it will last years longer, it will not burn hot, uses way less energy, thus saving you money every month AND prevents the release of more than 450 pounds of emission from a power plant normally used to light the old style bulbs into the air! (increased sales and more potential advertisement of a green product, decreased amount of carbons released into the atmosphere)
o You read the advertisement and glimpse the familiar EnergyStar sign. So, you think, "Why not!" (increased awareness of a great program)
o You go home and your kids ask you about the funny looking bulb. (educates the kids and tell their friends how smart their parents are!)
o Your friends come over for dinner and recognize the bulb, but never really considered buying one until now. (increased awareness through word-of mouth [extremely powerful!!!] and more potential sales, advertisement, decreased emissions)
o You get the electric bill the next month and notice you really did use less electricity AND saved a little money. ($$$)
o You go to buy more CFL bulbs and realize the prices dropped a bit due to increased sales! (supply and demand of a product that improves our world)
That's just for changing one bulb! Just one action really can make an impact. Just because we do not always see the immediate results don't mean they aren't there!
So what are the best solutions of global warming? Can we help save the world? Yep. I would first suggest do whatever feels right for you. The level of comfort will be different for everyone. To me, it can be summed up as: AWARENESS and ACTION
AWARENESS
My first exposure to environmental issues came about while working at Home Depot. I watch as a person chained himself to our lumber shelves and awaited the local police. His actions, maybe a bit extreme to some, created awareness to the customers, Home Depot and the media. Many of those same actions ultimately changed the way Home Depot purchased and sold lumber.
For me, my level of comfort was turning off the lights. The more I learned, the more I did to help the environment. Learning about basic, easy-to-do home repairs really made a difference and increased my confidence as well as the confidence of my customers.
Now, years later, I must say living in Thailand has taught me a lot about saving energy as well as joining together for what you believe in. I've seen Thais go to the employment office and march because wages were too low. I have witnessed the ousting of a political figure because the Thais felt betrayed.
I have greater respect for Thais and for others I've met from different countries. Their views and actions have taught me so much about global warming. I also have greater appreciation for our abilities as Americans to make changes worldwide.
So to further answer people's question - "What are the best solutions to global warming?" My suggestions are all easy to do, but the main factor lies with what is comfortable for you. If I am given a great idea, but is too time-intensive, I probably won't do it. But if it's as easy as hitting the enter key, now you got my attention!
Ok. We are much more aware of what's going on. We understand we have a problem. Now what?
ACTION
I started with small steps. As I learned more, I found the bigger steps easier than I realized. I discussed my views with others and listened to their ideas.
My friends in Alabama recently installed solar heaters and a tankless water heater. Businesses are seeing the advantages of doing the right thing and stepping up their environmental cleaning efforts People from all walks of life have created petitions requesting a more proactive government. Even the 2008 Presidential Candidates are listening. Many are now including global warming as their primary issue.
Need some ideas to get your creative green juices flowing? OK! Here you go! Enjoy!
o Get the family involved - make it fun and educational.
o Make it a project during your child's science fair.
o Chat with your friends - they may have some unique ideas.
o Add a signature tag to your emails. I have a personal account with Yahoo. Whenever I send someone an email, my signature message or quote is at the end of the page. I create the signature once and forget about it. If you see a quote you like or have a message to share with others - signature it!
o Find out what tax incentives or refunds are available to you, i.e. hybrid car tax incentives, toilet replacement rebates, deduct the costs of energy-saving appliances and energy renovations in your home.
o Support greener businesses. Our money dictates what businesses sell. Our support encourages businesses to continue doing the right thing.
o Want to invest in the stock market? What companies are moving forward in clean-up? Researching new technologies? Contributing portions of their profits to support environmental organizations?
o Vote. What candidates are fighting for positive changes in the environment? Who seems to be making global warming a primary focus in their campaign? How does the candidate balance global warming and the economy? Does the candidate understand the threat and what solutions does he or she offer?
o Join others online and become a part of something bigger. In the past, petitions involved going door-to-door or standing near the mall entrance. Thanks to the internet, a letter to Congress has never been easier - or more effective! Read the letter already prepared. If you agree with it, type your name and hit ENTER !
o Submit your ideas to websites. I would love input from you! Your ideas can be just what someone else needed! Many websites would also benefit from your thoughts and appreciate the communication!
o Start a discussion group in your community. Barnes and Noble or Borders are excellent meetings spots. It's a great way to meet others and bounce around ideas.
o Help improve your neighborhood. In Tampa, there's a wonderful community group that has a Project Lottery. Each participant chooses a project they need completed on their house. A name is pulled every month. The neighbors spend one weekend on the project. The lucky owner provides drinks and snacks to the neighbors volunteering.
o Create a website of your own! Everyone has a voice. Today, websites are effective communicators and very inexpensive. Get the kids or the community involved. Let your voice be heard too!
by: Helena Jackson
We all feel we have a purpose in life. As more of us become aware of the damaging effects of global warming, we are also concerned about practical solutions to the problem. Most importantly, how can we fit in as part of the solution, instead of the problem?
Unfortunately, many of us become overwhelmed when we watch the ever-increasing natural disasters and it starts to feel like the world is crashing around us. I remember watching the plane hit the World Trade Center over and over and over again. I remember being completely paralyzed to the television. Sleep was optional, but only in between important news breaks. I felt helpless. I wanted to understand the reasoning behind the attacks to ease my fears of possible future attacks, but I mainly wanted a sense of control back into my life.
I do not like to focus on the doom of global warming because that's not the best mindset for me to find solutions and implement actions. I truly believe we all can make a difference in our lives, in the lives of our families, friends and community. I also am a firm believer that every single action taken produces a ripple effect throughout the world. When we take a simple action such as changing a light bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb, a positive motion is set in place.
Just for fun, let's see what can happen: (this will show how the action affects others)
o That old bulb in the living finally goes out. You go to your local hardware store and see miles of shelves of light bulbs! OY! (production of CFL bulbs)
o Someone comes over to help and maybe suggest a CFL. "A what?" you ask. The assistant tells you that even though the bulb is more expensive than a basic tungsten bulb, it will last years longer, it will not burn hot, uses way less energy, thus saving you money every month AND prevents the release of more than 450 pounds of emission from a power plant normally used to light the old style bulbs into the air! (increased sales and more potential advertisement of a green product, decreased amount of carbons released into the atmosphere)
o You read the advertisement and glimpse the familiar EnergyStar sign. So, you think, "Why not!" (increased awareness of a great program)
o You go home and your kids ask you about the funny looking bulb. (educates the kids and tell their friends how smart their parents are!)
o Your friends come over for dinner and recognize the bulb, but never really considered buying one until now. (increased awareness through word-of mouth [extremely powerful!!!] and more potential sales, advertisement, decreased emissions)
o You get the electric bill the next month and notice you really did use less electricity AND saved a little money. ($$$)
o You go to buy more CFL bulbs and realize the prices dropped a bit due to increased sales! (supply and demand of a product that improves our world)
That's just for changing one bulb! Just one action really can make an impact. Just because we do not always see the immediate results don't mean they aren't there!
So what are the best solutions of global warming? Can we help save the world? Yep. I would first suggest do whatever feels right for you. The level of comfort will be different for everyone. To me, it can be summed up as: AWARENESS and ACTION
AWARENESS
My first exposure to environmental issues came about while working at Home Depot. I watch as a person chained himself to our lumber shelves and awaited the local police. His actions, maybe a bit extreme to some, created awareness to the customers, Home Depot and the media. Many of those same actions ultimately changed the way Home Depot purchased and sold lumber.
For me, my level of comfort was turning off the lights. The more I learned, the more I did to help the environment. Learning about basic, easy-to-do home repairs really made a difference and increased my confidence as well as the confidence of my customers.
Now, years later, I must say living in Thailand has taught me a lot about saving energy as well as joining together for what you believe in. I've seen Thais go to the employment office and march because wages were too low. I have witnessed the ousting of a political figure because the Thais felt betrayed.
I have greater respect for Thais and for others I've met from different countries. Their views and actions have taught me so much about global warming. I also have greater appreciation for our abilities as Americans to make changes worldwide.
So to further answer people's question - "What are the best solutions to global warming?" My suggestions are all easy to do, but the main factor lies with what is comfortable for you. If I am given a great idea, but is too time-intensive, I probably won't do it. But if it's as easy as hitting the enter key, now you got my attention!
Ok. We are much more aware of what's going on. We understand we have a problem. Now what?
ACTION
I started with small steps. As I learned more, I found the bigger steps easier than I realized. I discussed my views with others and listened to their ideas.
My friends in Alabama recently installed solar heaters and a tankless water heater. Businesses are seeing the advantages of doing the right thing and stepping up their environmental cleaning efforts People from all walks of life have created petitions requesting a more proactive government. Even the 2008 Presidential Candidates are listening. Many are now including global warming as their primary issue.
Need some ideas to get your creative green juices flowing? OK! Here you go! Enjoy!
o Get the family involved - make it fun and educational.
o Make it a project during your child's science fair.
o Chat with your friends - they may have some unique ideas.
o Add a signature tag to your emails. I have a personal account with Yahoo. Whenever I send someone an email, my signature message or quote is at the end of the page. I create the signature once and forget about it. If you see a quote you like or have a message to share with others - signature it!
o Find out what tax incentives or refunds are available to you, i.e. hybrid car tax incentives, toilet replacement rebates, deduct the costs of energy-saving appliances and energy renovations in your home.
o Support greener businesses. Our money dictates what businesses sell. Our support encourages businesses to continue doing the right thing.
o Want to invest in the stock market? What companies are moving forward in clean-up? Researching new technologies? Contributing portions of their profits to support environmental organizations?
o Vote. What candidates are fighting for positive changes in the environment? Who seems to be making global warming a primary focus in their campaign? How does the candidate balance global warming and the economy? Does the candidate understand the threat and what solutions does he or she offer?
o Join others online and become a part of something bigger. In the past, petitions involved going door-to-door or standing near the mall entrance. Thanks to the internet, a letter to Congress has never been easier - or more effective! Read the letter already prepared. If you agree with it, type your name and hit ENTER !
o Submit your ideas to websites. I would love input from you! Your ideas can be just what someone else needed! Many websites would also benefit from your thoughts and appreciate the communication!
o Start a discussion group in your community. Barnes and Noble or Borders are excellent meetings spots. It's a great way to meet others and bounce around ideas.
o Help improve your neighborhood. In Tampa, there's a wonderful community group that has a Project Lottery. Each participant chooses a project they need completed on their house. A name is pulled every month. The neighbors spend one weekend on the project. The lucky owner provides drinks and snacks to the neighbors volunteering.
o Create a website of your own! Everyone has a voice. Today, websites are effective communicators and very inexpensive. Get the kids or the community involved. Let your voice be heard too!
by: Helena Jackson
Go Green: Turning Your Jealousy Into Strength
The other day I read about an acquaintance, another author, I know who was featured in The New York Times. As I came upon the story, try as I might to fill my mind with the bird songs and daisies of good will, I felt sandpaper scrape my soul. Immediately, her shiny success became my failure.
Jealousy stung me like tear gas, laced with longing and sadness. Yes, of course, I’d much prefer you think I’m someone who levitates on my good desires for everyone else. And, really, I am sometimes. But other times, I’m tiny-hearted, insecure and ratty with psychic holes that leak out precious energy.
But finally, I’m no longer interested in making myself wrong for these falls from grace. I’m interested in restoring my natural light. I’m devoted to using everything I have, at every moment, to take me into the life of my purpose, my peace, my freedom and my own true success.
Since everybody’s “going green” these days, and proud of it, I thought I’d like to turn “green with envy” into an alternative power source as well. Lord knows, many of us have warehouses of this fuel. Besides, our emotions are never wrong. They are simply the yellow check engine lights, telling us that something needs our attention and care.
Jealousy is an emotion that many creative, intelligent, ambitious people feel. It’s the darkened cousin of the wholesome desire to reach your own dazzling potential. Unfortunately, it’s the wounded one that feels powerless or as though life is unfair or that somehow you will be forever deprived of what you need and deserve. It’s a misguided focus. It happens. But the good news is that you can use this activated energy to get even more focused, loving, and graceful in your own life.
Here’s three different approaches I’ve found helpful to turn jealousy into strength:
Put Your Focus Where It Belongs
I imagine drawing a circle around myself and staying inside my circle. It’s my reminder to focus on my own good life, and the purity and power right in front of me. I choose to bless my life, just as it is, for all that I have and all that I do not have. I choose not to reject my own life, but to embrace it with the ultimate tenderness and reverence.
I remind myself that Spirit is the source of my good. I am never deprived of what is truly mine. My job is to tend my own garden. When I’m jealous, I’m so busy watching my neighbor’s garden grow, that I allow my own fruits and flowers to wither with neglect. Jealousy reminds me to water my own plants, stand on my own soil, take important and timely actions, and focus on tending the bounty I have and the harvest yet to come. If I look outside my circle to see what someone else has, it drains energy from my sphere, my budding wonder, and my responsibility.
Turn Jealousy into Clarity
Your jealousy is a powerful flashlight. It shines a beam on your true desires. Take the focus off what the other person has, and begin to notice and name what you truly want. Jerry and Esther Hicks, in “The Law of Attraction,” write that it’s the contrast of what we don’t yet have that causes us to “launch rockets of desire.” When you see something that stings you, it helps you to stir up passionate energy about your desire. Take a moment to imagine having that desire come true for you. Stay in the good feeling place, of “yes, this is exactly the kind of thing I want in my life,” perhaps as though you found something in a catalog you’d like to order. Pretend you’re ordering it now. Avoid the negative backlash of “but I don’t have that in my life and I probably never will.” Bring your attention back to your clarity. Is there an action you’d like to take now that you have this clarity? Would you like to take this moment and commit to this desire? Or pray for this desire, ask f or help in seeing what thoughts or attitudes you might want to shift? Real clarity often inspires commitment, movement, and right action.
Bless the Ones Whose Turn It Is
I find it helpful to celebrate the success of others. Of course the first time someone suggested this to me, it sounded as though I was supposed to swallow arsenic and call it pepperoni. But it works. Instead of standing in the shadows, and seeing myself as different, (read in inadequate), I cross the finish line with them and enjoy the ribbons. I imagine the dreamer in them that hoped for a triumph such as this, and I’m grateful they got it. I’m grateful dreams come true. I don’t see us as different. We’re all going to win and we’re all going to lose. I choose to bless the ones whose turn it is now to stand in the sun for a moment. I also know I don’t know their whole story. Even if I think “they just lucked out,” I don’t know the road they walk on, what struggles they have faced or yet will face. I know that no one is where they are by accident and that we’re all the favored children of a loving, generous Universe. I also know I can block my good, by resisting their good. It’s hard to be in the flow, when you’re grinding your teeth.
A friend of mine, a speaker, once told me that she loved seeing other speakers who spoke on her topic get better speaking engagements than her. I must have looked as though I’d seen a ghost, because she quickly explained. “We’re on the same team. They’re teaching the same message. And the more people they reach, the more people are now available for my message.”
So next time you hit some healthy jealousy in your life, don’t allow that hot stone to sit upon your heart. Go green. Recycle. Use that disagreeable fire. And burn your way back into grace.
by: Tama J. Kieves
Jealousy stung me like tear gas, laced with longing and sadness. Yes, of course, I’d much prefer you think I’m someone who levitates on my good desires for everyone else. And, really, I am sometimes. But other times, I’m tiny-hearted, insecure and ratty with psychic holes that leak out precious energy.
But finally, I’m no longer interested in making myself wrong for these falls from grace. I’m interested in restoring my natural light. I’m devoted to using everything I have, at every moment, to take me into the life of my purpose, my peace, my freedom and my own true success.
Since everybody’s “going green” these days, and proud of it, I thought I’d like to turn “green with envy” into an alternative power source as well. Lord knows, many of us have warehouses of this fuel. Besides, our emotions are never wrong. They are simply the yellow check engine lights, telling us that something needs our attention and care.
Jealousy is an emotion that many creative, intelligent, ambitious people feel. It’s the darkened cousin of the wholesome desire to reach your own dazzling potential. Unfortunately, it’s the wounded one that feels powerless or as though life is unfair or that somehow you will be forever deprived of what you need and deserve. It’s a misguided focus. It happens. But the good news is that you can use this activated energy to get even more focused, loving, and graceful in your own life.
Here’s three different approaches I’ve found helpful to turn jealousy into strength:
Put Your Focus Where It Belongs
I imagine drawing a circle around myself and staying inside my circle. It’s my reminder to focus on my own good life, and the purity and power right in front of me. I choose to bless my life, just as it is, for all that I have and all that I do not have. I choose not to reject my own life, but to embrace it with the ultimate tenderness and reverence.
I remind myself that Spirit is the source of my good. I am never deprived of what is truly mine. My job is to tend my own garden. When I’m jealous, I’m so busy watching my neighbor’s garden grow, that I allow my own fruits and flowers to wither with neglect. Jealousy reminds me to water my own plants, stand on my own soil, take important and timely actions, and focus on tending the bounty I have and the harvest yet to come. If I look outside my circle to see what someone else has, it drains energy from my sphere, my budding wonder, and my responsibility.
Turn Jealousy into Clarity
Your jealousy is a powerful flashlight. It shines a beam on your true desires. Take the focus off what the other person has, and begin to notice and name what you truly want. Jerry and Esther Hicks, in “The Law of Attraction,” write that it’s the contrast of what we don’t yet have that causes us to “launch rockets of desire.” When you see something that stings you, it helps you to stir up passionate energy about your desire. Take a moment to imagine having that desire come true for you. Stay in the good feeling place, of “yes, this is exactly the kind of thing I want in my life,” perhaps as though you found something in a catalog you’d like to order. Pretend you’re ordering it now. Avoid the negative backlash of “but I don’t have that in my life and I probably never will.” Bring your attention back to your clarity. Is there an action you’d like to take now that you have this clarity? Would you like to take this moment and commit to this desire? Or pray for this desire, ask f or help in seeing what thoughts or attitudes you might want to shift? Real clarity often inspires commitment, movement, and right action.
Bless the Ones Whose Turn It Is
I find it helpful to celebrate the success of others. Of course the first time someone suggested this to me, it sounded as though I was supposed to swallow arsenic and call it pepperoni. But it works. Instead of standing in the shadows, and seeing myself as different, (read in inadequate), I cross the finish line with them and enjoy the ribbons. I imagine the dreamer in them that hoped for a triumph such as this, and I’m grateful they got it. I’m grateful dreams come true. I don’t see us as different. We’re all going to win and we’re all going to lose. I choose to bless the ones whose turn it is now to stand in the sun for a moment. I also know I don’t know their whole story. Even if I think “they just lucked out,” I don’t know the road they walk on, what struggles they have faced or yet will face. I know that no one is where they are by accident and that we’re all the favored children of a loving, generous Universe. I also know I can block my good, by resisting their good. It’s hard to be in the flow, when you’re grinding your teeth.
A friend of mine, a speaker, once told me that she loved seeing other speakers who spoke on her topic get better speaking engagements than her. I must have looked as though I’d seen a ghost, because she quickly explained. “We’re on the same team. They’re teaching the same message. And the more people they reach, the more people are now available for my message.”
So next time you hit some healthy jealousy in your life, don’t allow that hot stone to sit upon your heart. Go green. Recycle. Use that disagreeable fire. And burn your way back into grace.
by: Tama J. Kieves
Going Green at Home by hart of Green
Going green is not much simple to follow. Though it is not simple and also the expenses for it are more people are following it. People are going green for different reasons; for some of them it is a matter of common sense, for some others in order to get rid of tensions. Going green usually costs more, not less but there are reasonable contributions that the average family can easily make toward green living.
So many people want to save the environment by going green at home. It is an easy way to go green in our home comparing to other places like offices, or any other public places etc. In our home we will use number of chemical based products which are very poisonous. For going green try to avoid these types of products which are very harmful in nature. By this we can help the environment and also whole planet.
Another way of helping the environment is to follow your municipalities outline for re-cycling. For going green use the home base containers.
For decorating home use no or low volatile organic compounds which are helpful for going green at home. Also if you plan on re-sealing sealing wood doors or floors etc, latex is a best option which has no pollution and which is helpful for going green at home.
There are so many home based products which are helpful for our environment in the market. And so many companies are coming forward by new innovations. Today many appliances are in market which helps for going green. Some of the appliances are Washing machines, dish washers which save lot of energy, money and also water. Water is a main thing which helps our environment. To protect water is a main responsibility of us. For going green water conservation is also one of the main factors.
Another way of going green at home is choose an appliance which has energy star rating. Many of these appliances are designed with a healthy environment in mind, and the stainless steel look of them will bring your home up to the little.
Going green at home has a many possibilities but some of them are as follows:
Recycling the glass and plastic bottles is one of the going green processes. Give them to recycling centre if they are not used, by this we can also get some money.
There are number of products which are reusable. Without knowing how to use we will generally through away. But the people with creativity will generally use these products. This helps for going green at home.
Solar heaters are helpful for us for going green at home. Solar heaters for water are also available now in the market in almost all the countries. Using solar energy helps to save the power and also money.
Almost all the people today are using cars. To maintain the car keep the car clean by washing. Washing our cars in our home is a good thing and also it saves money. And also try to wash the car by hand by this we can save lot of water. These are some of the things we have to follow for going green at home.
by: James Kores
So many people want to save the environment by going green at home. It is an easy way to go green in our home comparing to other places like offices, or any other public places etc. In our home we will use number of chemical based products which are very poisonous. For going green try to avoid these types of products which are very harmful in nature. By this we can help the environment and also whole planet.
Another way of helping the environment is to follow your municipalities outline for re-cycling. For going green use the home base containers.
For decorating home use no or low volatile organic compounds which are helpful for going green at home. Also if you plan on re-sealing sealing wood doors or floors etc, latex is a best option which has no pollution and which is helpful for going green at home.
There are so many home based products which are helpful for our environment in the market. And so many companies are coming forward by new innovations. Today many appliances are in market which helps for going green. Some of the appliances are Washing machines, dish washers which save lot of energy, money and also water. Water is a main thing which helps our environment. To protect water is a main responsibility of us. For going green water conservation is also one of the main factors.
Another way of going green at home is choose an appliance which has energy star rating. Many of these appliances are designed with a healthy environment in mind, and the stainless steel look of them will bring your home up to the little.
Going green at home has a many possibilities but some of them are as follows:
Recycling the glass and plastic bottles is one of the going green processes. Give them to recycling centre if they are not used, by this we can also get some money.
There are number of products which are reusable. Without knowing how to use we will generally through away. But the people with creativity will generally use these products. This helps for going green at home.
Solar heaters are helpful for us for going green at home. Solar heaters for water are also available now in the market in almost all the countries. Using solar energy helps to save the power and also money.
Almost all the people today are using cars. To maintain the car keep the car clean by washing. Washing our cars in our home is a good thing and also it saves money. And also try to wash the car by hand by this we can save lot of water. These are some of the things we have to follow for going green at home.
by: James Kores
Funny Questions About Life
Ever had one of those funny questions about life? Then please read on. When it comes to funny questions and thoughts about life, every time I think I've seen them all I find one I've never seen before or come up with more of my own. The following are some of the ones I've discovered or written however, I know there's more because thats, well... life. So, if you find while reading these funny questions and thoughts about life make you smile, pass them along. All right, let's get started!
Funny Questions about life - Group 1 Why does Hawaiian pizza also contain Canadian Bacon? Grape Nuts cereal. No grapes - no nuts. Huh? What's the difference between regular ketchup and fancy ketchup? Do Dutch people always split the bill? If you use Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread, do you have to use Heavenly Ham?
Funny Questions about life - Group 2 Is there ever a day that mattresses aren't on sale? They make bullet proof vests, why not bullet proof pants? Why are oriental rug stores always going out of business? Is there any difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny?
Funny Questions about life - Group 3 If it only takes one match to start a forrest fire, why on earth does it take me a whole box of matches and a can of lighter fluid to light my grill? When they ship those styrofoam peanuts, what do they pack them in? How do you know when pickles or sour cream has gone bad?
Funny Questions about life - Group 4 How does one know when their bagpipes need tuning? Allstate Insurance has a disclaimer that reads: not available in all states. What? If Donkey Kong's main character is a monkey, why isn't it called Monkey Kong? Why does the word lisp have an "s" in it?
Funny Questions about life - Group 5 How come you never read the headline, "Psychic Wins Lottery"? The next time someone says, "Now I've seen everything", ask them if they've ever seen a UPS truck parked in a parking space. Has anyone ever really seen a Jolly Rancher? If you get a club soda stain, how do you remove it?
Funny Questions about life - Group 6 Has anyone (besides Donald Trump's wife) ever been fooled by a comb over? Is it really possible to change the direction of a bowling ball by waving your hands? There's senior citizens, so why aren't there junior citizens?
Funny Questions about life - Group 7 They say laughter is the best medicine - so who came up with the phrase, "I died laughing"? Why do doctors leave the room when your getting dressed? After all, they've already seen you naked. What's wrong with the United States? They only have two choices for President, but fifty for Miss America. Any reason they nail down the lid of a coffin? When butterflies get upset or nervous, what do they get in their stomachs?
Funny Questions about life - Group 8 Where do they put price stickers on non-stick pans? If it's called lipstick, why is it always coming off? When they sing, "Take me out to the ball game" they're already there. Why? Who's idea was it to make the word abbreviation so long?
Yes, these are just a few of the Funny Questions about life that try men's -and women's souls. And there's a ton more funny questions about life not listed here. Some of them come to me during the course of a day. For example, why does every shampoo bottle say, lather, rinse, repeat? I'm sorry, did I miss my head entirely the first time or do you just want to sell more shampoo? If you have or have thought up any funny questions of life yourself, feel free to send them along and thanks for wasting a few minutes of your life pondering these funny questions of life. Now get out there and do something good. Like figuring out what people in China call their good plates...
by: Hal Lacious
Funny Questions about life - Group 1 Why does Hawaiian pizza also contain Canadian Bacon? Grape Nuts cereal. No grapes - no nuts. Huh? What's the difference between regular ketchup and fancy ketchup? Do Dutch people always split the bill? If you use Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread, do you have to use Heavenly Ham?
Funny Questions about life - Group 2 Is there ever a day that mattresses aren't on sale? They make bullet proof vests, why not bullet proof pants? Why are oriental rug stores always going out of business? Is there any difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny?
Funny Questions about life - Group 3 If it only takes one match to start a forrest fire, why on earth does it take me a whole box of matches and a can of lighter fluid to light my grill? When they ship those styrofoam peanuts, what do they pack them in? How do you know when pickles or sour cream has gone bad?
Funny Questions about life - Group 4 How does one know when their bagpipes need tuning? Allstate Insurance has a disclaimer that reads: not available in all states. What? If Donkey Kong's main character is a monkey, why isn't it called Monkey Kong? Why does the word lisp have an "s" in it?
Funny Questions about life - Group 5 How come you never read the headline, "Psychic Wins Lottery"? The next time someone says, "Now I've seen everything", ask them if they've ever seen a UPS truck parked in a parking space. Has anyone ever really seen a Jolly Rancher? If you get a club soda stain, how do you remove it?
Funny Questions about life - Group 6 Has anyone (besides Donald Trump's wife) ever been fooled by a comb over? Is it really possible to change the direction of a bowling ball by waving your hands? There's senior citizens, so why aren't there junior citizens?
Funny Questions about life - Group 7 They say laughter is the best medicine - so who came up with the phrase, "I died laughing"? Why do doctors leave the room when your getting dressed? After all, they've already seen you naked. What's wrong with the United States? They only have two choices for President, but fifty for Miss America. Any reason they nail down the lid of a coffin? When butterflies get upset or nervous, what do they get in their stomachs?
Funny Questions about life - Group 8 Where do they put price stickers on non-stick pans? If it's called lipstick, why is it always coming off? When they sing, "Take me out to the ball game" they're already there. Why? Who's idea was it to make the word abbreviation so long?
Yes, these are just a few of the Funny Questions about life that try men's -and women's souls. And there's a ton more funny questions about life not listed here. Some of them come to me during the course of a day. For example, why does every shampoo bottle say, lather, rinse, repeat? I'm sorry, did I miss my head entirely the first time or do you just want to sell more shampoo? If you have or have thought up any funny questions of life yourself, feel free to send them along and thanks for wasting a few minutes of your life pondering these funny questions of life. Now get out there and do something good. Like figuring out what people in China call their good plates...
by: Hal Lacious
The 5th Way Team Discusses Physical Fitness
It is Wendell's first time with the 5th Way team at their gym. Let's see what happens through Wendell's eyes.
Addison: "Wendell, since this is your first time here I would like for you to just go around the gym observing what everyone is doing, then come to me last."
Wendell: "Okay, Addison."
Addison: "Alright, everyone have a great workout and I will see you in the dining area for refreshments afterwards."
Wendell: Boy, this is so exciting. I can't wait to see this! Hhhhmmmm... I think I will start with Zhi and work my way from there. There he is. Wow, Zhi is doing some kind of Tai Chi form. He is so graceful, so captivating to watch. I could sit here all day just watching him.
Splash!
Ah, someone must be in the pool swimming. I will check it out. Oh my goodness, Waneta is naked in the pool!!! How embarrassing. (His face is turning red) I better get out of here before she catches me looking at her. I have to say she does seem to be in very good shape for her age though. Whew!
"Ooooosh.... Eeeyiii!!!"
What was that? Oh, Naruto and Catharsis are doing some kind of martial art. Wow, they are great...I can see why Naruto is in charge of security for the team. (laughing) Even when he is doing martial arts, Catharsis is a character! Well, I better move on and see what Kailoken is up to.
Hhhhmmmm...why Kailoken is just sitting there looking at the weights. "Sorry to disturb you Kailoken but are you not working out today?"
Kailoken: "Good timing on your part there. Would you please remove 20 pounds of weight off that bar for me?"
Wendell: "Why sure I will. Are you doing bench presses?"
Kailoken: "Actually, I am lifting the weight with my mind. It seemed a little heavy so I asked you to remove the extra weight."
Wendell: (rolling his eyes) "Well, I will let you get back to your workout there. Talk with you later." That Kailoken is a real nutcase. You never know what he is going to do. Okay, well, that leaves Addison... I better get on over there.
Addison: "Wendell, I see you have made the rounds already. As you can see I am in the middle of my aerobic workout. This Nordic Track gives a great workout. Why don't you take about 25 minutes, get a good workout on your own and meet up with the rest of us later?"
Wendell: "Will do, Addison."
--- The team is forming up in the dining area---
Wendell: "Hello, everyone." "Greetings" "Namaste" "Welcome" "As salaam alikum" "Aho"
Catharsis: "Did you get yourself a good workout there, Wendell?"
Wendell: "Yes, I did some yoga...it was quite peaceful and relaxing."
Addison: "That is great; I highly recommend many forms of yoga. Go ahead and grab yourself some refreshment and join us around the table here... Now that Wendell is settled let's see what you have observed today. Feel free to comment on and question everyone at the table on what he or she was doing for a workout. Everyone feel free to join in at any time."
Wendell: "Since I started watching Zhi first, I would like to ask what form of Tai Chi you were doing? I mean, it looked so fluid whatever it was."
Zhi: "Ah, very good. I was doing The Eight Treasures. It is a very ancient form of energy enhancement exercise, and is said to be at least six thousand years old. With this exercise I tone, strengthen, and stretch to maintain my good health and prevent disease."
Wendell: "Can anyone do it? It looked so easy the way you were going through the motions."
Catharsis: "Don't let your perceptions fool you kid, Zhi has been doing those forms since he was a child. I would not be surprised if his parents started him off doing the moves while he was still in the womb! Heck, he probably even helped his mom do the flying dragon by lifting her off the ground a few inches with his movement from within."
Zhi: "Ah, that's a very interesting idea. The great thing about The Eight Treasures is that anyone at any fitness level can do them."
Wendell: "I would like to learn that if you would teach me. And I would like to learn what Naruto was doing too. What kind of martial arts were you and Catharsis doing?"
Naruto: "It is called Ju Jutsu. I began learning this as a child in my homeland of Japan. With this form not only do you get a great workout, you can properly defend yourself and others."
Addison: "I suggest that you start with one discipline and work at it until you have a solid grounding and then move on to another with the consultation of your instructors. Zhi would you be willing to take Wendell on as a student?"
Zhi: "I would be much honored to have new student. Wendell and I can talk about it later."
Catharsis: "You know what's scary to many people when they think of physical fitness? They think they will get hurt doing it. 'I am not going to go running, what if I step on a rusty nail, what if a rabid chipmunk gets a hold of me?!'"
Addison: "Yes, people have fears about practically everything in life. Some people fear they will hurt themselves just getting out of bed in the morning. However, there are people that do hurt themselves while performing various types of physical exercise. These injuries are usually due to overdoing something or using a wrong technique."
Catharsis: "Or, they beat each other to a pulp 'playing' rugby, football, etc."
Naruto: "If people pay attention and have good instructor, then no problem. Staying physically fit is very important. Even the blessed Buddha say so."
Waneta: "While many of my people have followed the white man into gluttony and physical laziness, physical fitness has been important to us for centuries. We like to run, swim, dance and play outdoor games." Wendell's face starts to turn red.
Catharsis: "Is something the matter there kid? You didn't happen to catch Waneta swimming in the buff did you?" (laughing)
Wendell: "I, uh, yes. I am sorry Waneta for seeing you like that, I mean for invading your privacy."
Waneta: "Boy, being naked is a natural thing and I am not ashamed of it. Just wait until you see me swimming in the moonlight!" Wendell's face turns even redder and he looks down and away.
Addison: "Try not to let it bother you Wendell, we are all one happy family here. Many things you have been taught by society do not hold up as being true here. What did you observe Kailoken doing?"
Wendell: "Well, I did not observe him doing anything but sitting there. He did say he was lifting weights with his mind though."
Catharsis: "That is great, how much did you manage to lift this time?"
Kailoken: "I managed to lift 200 pounds. I was taking it easy so as not to strain my mind."
Addison: "What do you make of that Wendell?"
Wendell: "Well, uh.... I am not sure."
Addison: "As is typical of my wonderful associate here, Kailoken was making a point that one can actually run through exercises using one's mind alone. And, as most of us here know, when it is real to the mind, it affects the body as well. Many athletes actually use this technique to help perfect their performance. This is something that people who are bed-ridden and otherwise not able to do physical fitness that well can utilize to get some physical benefit. Those that are really out of shape can perhaps start imagining that they are doing the actual exercise within their minds and then move on to the real thing from there."
Wendell: "That is very very interesting. I never thought of that before."
Catharsis: "You know what I find weird about physical fitness? People who need it the most are the most resistant to doing it. It is like they fall into some black hole of atrophy and cannot break free. 'Help me! Help me! Get me out of here, somebody!'"
Addison: "Yes, many people just do not seem to be able to break that inertia to begin getting started to a healthier state of being. That is why I suggest just gentle movement to start with. Walking, mental exercise, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Hatha Yoga, and swimming can all be good forms of gentle movement for most people at any age. 1.5 miles of walking has been shown to be as good as 1 mile of running, for instance." "Okay, Zhi and Wendell can talk about Tai Chi instruction. May you all have a spiritually productive day. Love and Light to you."
"Namaste" "Later, Addison" "Peace to you my friend" "I will catch up with you later, Addison"...
by: Addison C. Arthur
Addison: "Wendell, since this is your first time here I would like for you to just go around the gym observing what everyone is doing, then come to me last."
Wendell: "Okay, Addison."
Addison: "Alright, everyone have a great workout and I will see you in the dining area for refreshments afterwards."
Wendell: Boy, this is so exciting. I can't wait to see this! Hhhhmmmm... I think I will start with Zhi and work my way from there. There he is. Wow, Zhi is doing some kind of Tai Chi form. He is so graceful, so captivating to watch. I could sit here all day just watching him.
Splash!
Ah, someone must be in the pool swimming. I will check it out. Oh my goodness, Waneta is naked in the pool!!! How embarrassing. (His face is turning red) I better get out of here before she catches me looking at her. I have to say she does seem to be in very good shape for her age though. Whew!
"Ooooosh.... Eeeyiii!!!"
What was that? Oh, Naruto and Catharsis are doing some kind of martial art. Wow, they are great...I can see why Naruto is in charge of security for the team. (laughing) Even when he is doing martial arts, Catharsis is a character! Well, I better move on and see what Kailoken is up to.
Hhhhmmmm...why Kailoken is just sitting there looking at the weights. "Sorry to disturb you Kailoken but are you not working out today?"
Kailoken: "Good timing on your part there. Would you please remove 20 pounds of weight off that bar for me?"
Wendell: "Why sure I will. Are you doing bench presses?"
Kailoken: "Actually, I am lifting the weight with my mind. It seemed a little heavy so I asked you to remove the extra weight."
Wendell: (rolling his eyes) "Well, I will let you get back to your workout there. Talk with you later." That Kailoken is a real nutcase. You never know what he is going to do. Okay, well, that leaves Addison... I better get on over there.
Addison: "Wendell, I see you have made the rounds already. As you can see I am in the middle of my aerobic workout. This Nordic Track gives a great workout. Why don't you take about 25 minutes, get a good workout on your own and meet up with the rest of us later?"
Wendell: "Will do, Addison."
--- The team is forming up in the dining area---
Wendell: "Hello, everyone." "Greetings" "Namaste" "Welcome" "As salaam alikum" "Aho"
Catharsis: "Did you get yourself a good workout there, Wendell?"
Wendell: "Yes, I did some yoga...it was quite peaceful and relaxing."
Addison: "That is great; I highly recommend many forms of yoga. Go ahead and grab yourself some refreshment and join us around the table here... Now that Wendell is settled let's see what you have observed today. Feel free to comment on and question everyone at the table on what he or she was doing for a workout. Everyone feel free to join in at any time."
Wendell: "Since I started watching Zhi first, I would like to ask what form of Tai Chi you were doing? I mean, it looked so fluid whatever it was."
Zhi: "Ah, very good. I was doing The Eight Treasures. It is a very ancient form of energy enhancement exercise, and is said to be at least six thousand years old. With this exercise I tone, strengthen, and stretch to maintain my good health and prevent disease."
Wendell: "Can anyone do it? It looked so easy the way you were going through the motions."
Catharsis: "Don't let your perceptions fool you kid, Zhi has been doing those forms since he was a child. I would not be surprised if his parents started him off doing the moves while he was still in the womb! Heck, he probably even helped his mom do the flying dragon by lifting her off the ground a few inches with his movement from within."
Zhi: "Ah, that's a very interesting idea. The great thing about The Eight Treasures is that anyone at any fitness level can do them."
Wendell: "I would like to learn that if you would teach me. And I would like to learn what Naruto was doing too. What kind of martial arts were you and Catharsis doing?"
Naruto: "It is called Ju Jutsu. I began learning this as a child in my homeland of Japan. With this form not only do you get a great workout, you can properly defend yourself and others."
Addison: "I suggest that you start with one discipline and work at it until you have a solid grounding and then move on to another with the consultation of your instructors. Zhi would you be willing to take Wendell on as a student?"
Zhi: "I would be much honored to have new student. Wendell and I can talk about it later."
Catharsis: "You know what's scary to many people when they think of physical fitness? They think they will get hurt doing it. 'I am not going to go running, what if I step on a rusty nail, what if a rabid chipmunk gets a hold of me?!'"
Addison: "Yes, people have fears about practically everything in life. Some people fear they will hurt themselves just getting out of bed in the morning. However, there are people that do hurt themselves while performing various types of physical exercise. These injuries are usually due to overdoing something or using a wrong technique."
Catharsis: "Or, they beat each other to a pulp 'playing' rugby, football, etc."
Naruto: "If people pay attention and have good instructor, then no problem. Staying physically fit is very important. Even the blessed Buddha say so."
Waneta: "While many of my people have followed the white man into gluttony and physical laziness, physical fitness has been important to us for centuries. We like to run, swim, dance and play outdoor games." Wendell's face starts to turn red.
Catharsis: "Is something the matter there kid? You didn't happen to catch Waneta swimming in the buff did you?" (laughing)
Wendell: "I, uh, yes. I am sorry Waneta for seeing you like that, I mean for invading your privacy."
Waneta: "Boy, being naked is a natural thing and I am not ashamed of it. Just wait until you see me swimming in the moonlight!" Wendell's face turns even redder and he looks down and away.
Addison: "Try not to let it bother you Wendell, we are all one happy family here. Many things you have been taught by society do not hold up as being true here. What did you observe Kailoken doing?"
Wendell: "Well, I did not observe him doing anything but sitting there. He did say he was lifting weights with his mind though."
Catharsis: "That is great, how much did you manage to lift this time?"
Kailoken: "I managed to lift 200 pounds. I was taking it easy so as not to strain my mind."
Addison: "What do you make of that Wendell?"
Wendell: "Well, uh.... I am not sure."
Addison: "As is typical of my wonderful associate here, Kailoken was making a point that one can actually run through exercises using one's mind alone. And, as most of us here know, when it is real to the mind, it affects the body as well. Many athletes actually use this technique to help perfect their performance. This is something that people who are bed-ridden and otherwise not able to do physical fitness that well can utilize to get some physical benefit. Those that are really out of shape can perhaps start imagining that they are doing the actual exercise within their minds and then move on to the real thing from there."
Wendell: "That is very very interesting. I never thought of that before."
Catharsis: "You know what I find weird about physical fitness? People who need it the most are the most resistant to doing it. It is like they fall into some black hole of atrophy and cannot break free. 'Help me! Help me! Get me out of here, somebody!'"
Addison: "Yes, many people just do not seem to be able to break that inertia to begin getting started to a healthier state of being. That is why I suggest just gentle movement to start with. Walking, mental exercise, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Hatha Yoga, and swimming can all be good forms of gentle movement for most people at any age. 1.5 miles of walking has been shown to be as good as 1 mile of running, for instance." "Okay, Zhi and Wendell can talk about Tai Chi instruction. May you all have a spiritually productive day. Love and Light to you."
"Namaste" "Later, Addison" "Peace to you my friend" "I will catch up with you later, Addison"...
by: Addison C. Arthur
Different Materials for Automatic Livestock Waterers
Through the years there have been different materials used for automatic livestock fountains. Traditionally, the most common materials were galvanized, painted steel or concrete.
In the mid 80’s a new material, plastic, was introduced to the market. Plastic (low linear density polyethylene) waterers are very tough and when properly manufactured, can withstand the most severe conditions. They will withstand the abuse of livestock and extreme temperature changes from very cold to very hot. The insulation has a higher r-value than the insulation found in steel fountains and will not need to be replaced or repaired as it is encased in the walls of the plastic instead of on the walls as in steel fountains. This is dependent on the manufacturer’s design of course. Some manufacturers leave the insulation exposed, which leads to eventual water saturation and deterioration of the insulation. They cut corners to reduce costs resulting in a waterer that will not perform well and will have a short life. The cliché “You get what you pay for” is particularly true with plastic fountains.
In recent years a series of hybrid fountains have appeared and are proving to be the most rugged, dependable, and efficient automatic fountains on the market. These fountains employ the best features of steel and plastic. The casing, frame, and cover are heavy duty, heavily insulated plastic, while the heated trough is made of 304 stainless steel. This combination allows for very efficient watering in the most severe conditions, and can withstand the harshest deteriorating feed lot environment. In the winter of 2006/7 a mid-sized 4-ft fountain was monitored for electric consumption in Iowa.* The results were energy usage of less than $30 for the entire cold season and this was without a properly set adjustable thermostat. This new rugged design comes in sizes ranging from very small fountains that will water up to 20 head to models that are 12 feet long and will water up to 500 head.
No matter what material are used the most important factor is the design and the manufacturer. Again, the “you get what you pay for “ adage applies. It is important to study the materials, features, and design of any fountain before you make your purchase.
*The test was performed in Nevada, Iowa for a 4-1/2 month period. There were 94 days of below freezing temperatures, with the coldest periods reaching –10. The fountain used for the test was a 548 watt Ritchie model CattleMaster 480.
For more information about Ritchie Automatic waterers, please visit http://www.ritchiefount.com or Horse waterers and to purchase online, vist http://www.ritchieequine.com
by: Ruth Peterson
In the mid 80’s a new material, plastic, was introduced to the market. Plastic (low linear density polyethylene) waterers are very tough and when properly manufactured, can withstand the most severe conditions. They will withstand the abuse of livestock and extreme temperature changes from very cold to very hot. The insulation has a higher r-value than the insulation found in steel fountains and will not need to be replaced or repaired as it is encased in the walls of the plastic instead of on the walls as in steel fountains. This is dependent on the manufacturer’s design of course. Some manufacturers leave the insulation exposed, which leads to eventual water saturation and deterioration of the insulation. They cut corners to reduce costs resulting in a waterer that will not perform well and will have a short life. The cliché “You get what you pay for” is particularly true with plastic fountains.
In recent years a series of hybrid fountains have appeared and are proving to be the most rugged, dependable, and efficient automatic fountains on the market. These fountains employ the best features of steel and plastic. The casing, frame, and cover are heavy duty, heavily insulated plastic, while the heated trough is made of 304 stainless steel. This combination allows for very efficient watering in the most severe conditions, and can withstand the harshest deteriorating feed lot environment. In the winter of 2006/7 a mid-sized 4-ft fountain was monitored for electric consumption in Iowa.* The results were energy usage of less than $30 for the entire cold season and this was without a properly set adjustable thermostat. This new rugged design comes in sizes ranging from very small fountains that will water up to 20 head to models that are 12 feet long and will water up to 500 head.
No matter what material are used the most important factor is the design and the manufacturer. Again, the “you get what you pay for “ adage applies. It is important to study the materials, features, and design of any fountain before you make your purchase.
*The test was performed in Nevada, Iowa for a 4-1/2 month period. There were 94 days of below freezing temperatures, with the coldest periods reaching –10. The fountain used for the test was a 548 watt Ritchie model CattleMaster 480.
For more information about Ritchie Automatic waterers, please visit http://www.ritchiefount.com or Horse waterers and to purchase online, vist http://www.ritchieequine.com
by: Ruth Peterson
Facts About Goat Farming
Demand for products related to goats itself is an indication about good prospects in goat farming. There are some important facts that you have to keep in mind, while you start goat farming. You can opt either diary goat farming, which solely focuses on milk production, or meat goat farming that deals with production of meat. Decide the number of goats you want to have in the farm, relative to the overall space in the farm.
Goat housing is an important aspect in goat farming. Location with low as well as hilly areas that are away from highway and boasts of good irrigation, quality air, tree shades etc is suitable for goat housing. Goat housing must have good height so that goats can stand tall. There should be good ventilation, sufficient space for feeding, proper drainage system.
Housing should give protection against wild animals, weather conditions. Floor space of at least four meter square is required for an individual goat. Fresh water supply, milking space, dry space for keeping feeds etc are also required. Good dry flooring with proper bedding is required.
Then select the best goat breed by checking lineage as well as breed, conformation or body shape. Look out for the growth pattern, milk production capabilities, and fertility before selecting the goats for farms. South African Boer, Nubians, Tennessee meat goat, kiko etc are some of the good meat goat varieties. Alpine, Nubian, Toggenburg, LaMancha, Saane etc are some of the goat breeds for dairy farming.
There is need for live stock management to the taking care of goats in various conditions. In the case of does’, special care is required during pregnancy until kidding. Breeder bucks, kids need different care. Management of goats fattening is vital, in the case of meat production.
There should be a proper management schedule for all activities in the farm. There should be enough staff to carryout the activities like feeding, cleaning, hair trimming, dehorning, hoof trimming, hair trimming, separation etc. As chances of infection are greater, effective cleaning mechanism is necessary.
Free grazing system is suitable for farms, which are larger, but management of wandering goats is a big task. Letting goats’ to graze during days at controllable space will be good, as it will help them to graze good herbs as well as grass. Kids will get chance to run around and feel the sun’s heat.
The goats feed must contain proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc. Forages, goats’ feeds made from grains along with energy supplements will be useful for keeping goats in a healthy manner. Special feed is required for goats meant for meat as fatty goats fetches more money.
For breeding farms may use breeder bucks or artificial insemination depending upon the facilities available. In the case of dairy farms, milking machines are necessary for milking the goats. Good storage facilities for milk are necessary.
Presence of fulltime veterinarians and regular health checkups is necessary. Relocation of ill will help in prevention of spreading of illness to other goats. Keeping goats is a business with pleasure, as they are lovely animals.
by: James Pickavance
Goat housing is an important aspect in goat farming. Location with low as well as hilly areas that are away from highway and boasts of good irrigation, quality air, tree shades etc is suitable for goat housing. Goat housing must have good height so that goats can stand tall. There should be good ventilation, sufficient space for feeding, proper drainage system.
Housing should give protection against wild animals, weather conditions. Floor space of at least four meter square is required for an individual goat. Fresh water supply, milking space, dry space for keeping feeds etc are also required. Good dry flooring with proper bedding is required.
Then select the best goat breed by checking lineage as well as breed, conformation or body shape. Look out for the growth pattern, milk production capabilities, and fertility before selecting the goats for farms. South African Boer, Nubians, Tennessee meat goat, kiko etc are some of the good meat goat varieties. Alpine, Nubian, Toggenburg, LaMancha, Saane etc are some of the goat breeds for dairy farming.
There is need for live stock management to the taking care of goats in various conditions. In the case of does’, special care is required during pregnancy until kidding. Breeder bucks, kids need different care. Management of goats fattening is vital, in the case of meat production.
There should be a proper management schedule for all activities in the farm. There should be enough staff to carryout the activities like feeding, cleaning, hair trimming, dehorning, hoof trimming, hair trimming, separation etc. As chances of infection are greater, effective cleaning mechanism is necessary.
Free grazing system is suitable for farms, which are larger, but management of wandering goats is a big task. Letting goats’ to graze during days at controllable space will be good, as it will help them to graze good herbs as well as grass. Kids will get chance to run around and feel the sun’s heat.
The goats feed must contain proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc. Forages, goats’ feeds made from grains along with energy supplements will be useful for keeping goats in a healthy manner. Special feed is required for goats meant for meat as fatty goats fetches more money.
For breeding farms may use breeder bucks or artificial insemination depending upon the facilities available. In the case of dairy farms, milking machines are necessary for milking the goats. Good storage facilities for milk are necessary.
Presence of fulltime veterinarians and regular health checkups is necessary. Relocation of ill will help in prevention of spreading of illness to other goats. Keeping goats is a business with pleasure, as they are lovely animals.
by: James Pickavance
Gold Farming Secrets in WOTLK - Luke Brown's Updated Guide For Wrath of the Lich King - Free Tip
Gold Secrets Guide by Luke Brown WOTLK update has taken gold farming and profiting to another level after it's updated release. He extensively tested these methods when the game was still in beta and was able to add to his already huge and highly respected Gold Secrets Guide. The guide literally has hundreds of different methods of getting some serious gold. I wanted to give you an overview of the updated Wrath of Lich King section of the guide.
Gold Secrets was released soon after World of Warcraft was and immediately gained the reputation as the best and most comprehensive WoW gold guide. This was due to Luke's desire to really help out the struggling gamer. He set himself apart in many ways, obviously in the guide itself but also in his constant updates as soon as he found a new and profitable tactic. Another thing that set Gold Secrets apart was the ability to contact Luke Brown if you needed help. This was a great idea. You can contact Luke Brown using a ticket system, this ensures that your email is not missed. I've used it and can vouch for Luke's willingness to help.
Now Luke has done it again with his recent WOTLK updates. The update has no fewer than 50+ gold making strategies just for the Wrath of Lich King expansion. He teaches you methods normally reserved for the elite of the elite gold profiteers.The main guide currently stands at 365 pages. Along the other 4 guides it comes with: The Auctioneer guide, the Fishing Facts manual, the Profit Chart guide, and theTwing Profits guide, this makes Luke Brown's Gold Secrets the best overall package if what you seek is how to make gold in WoW
The update is broken down by what new elements and ores are available, where to find them and how to put them to use immediately. Remember, it's not just where and how to get the materials that counts, it's also about how you strategize and set yourself up for maximum profit. Luke covers this as well, telling you exactly how best to set yourself up for success. The guide also gives you a complete rundown of the Daily Quests available in WOTLK, what faction the quests are for, where to get the quest, what's needed to complete the quest and where to complete the quest, as well as the reward. It's good to know what the reward is since you want to know whether it's worth your time.
Well, I must say that the update is well worth the wait. All updates are free I might add, you receive an email and just download. With that said let me leave you with a valuable tip you can put to use in Wrath of the Lich King.
Engineers will be able to create a BOE motorcycle mount that allows a passenger to ride with them! Now engineers usually complain about being unable to make gold, well I think this new mount will put an end to that. In order to make gold off of this though you will need some capital to work with because a lot of the materials are purchased off of vendors.
You must be level 450 Engineering and exalted with Horde Expedition or Alliance Vanguard in order to learn the schematic. Here are the materials you need to get this going:
Material - Approx. Cost - How to Get It/Created
12x Titansteel Bar - ~200G Each - 1x Eternal Earth
1x Eternal Fir
1x Eternal Shadow
3x Titanium Bar
20 Hour Transmutation by miners
40x Handful of Cobalt Bolts - ~28-60G for 40 - 2x Cobalt Bar per 1-3 bolts
2x Arctic Fur - ~200G Each - Skinning-rare drop from mobs 73+
1x Salvaged Iron Golem Parts - 3000G - Each Purchased from Roxi Ramrocket in K3 in Storm Peaks
8x Goblin-machined Piston - 1000G Each - Purchased from Roxi Ramrocket in K3 in Storm Peaks
1x Elementium plated Exhaust Pipe - 1500G Each - Limited Supply:Purchased from Roxi Ramrocket in K3 in Storm Peaks
Total - ~15360G
Good luck!
by: Carlos Castro
Gold Secrets was released soon after World of Warcraft was and immediately gained the reputation as the best and most comprehensive WoW gold guide. This was due to Luke's desire to really help out the struggling gamer. He set himself apart in many ways, obviously in the guide itself but also in his constant updates as soon as he found a new and profitable tactic. Another thing that set Gold Secrets apart was the ability to contact Luke Brown if you needed help. This was a great idea. You can contact Luke Brown using a ticket system, this ensures that your email is not missed. I've used it and can vouch for Luke's willingness to help.
Now Luke has done it again with his recent WOTLK updates. The update has no fewer than 50+ gold making strategies just for the Wrath of Lich King expansion. He teaches you methods normally reserved for the elite of the elite gold profiteers.The main guide currently stands at 365 pages. Along the other 4 guides it comes with: The Auctioneer guide, the Fishing Facts manual, the Profit Chart guide, and theTwing Profits guide, this makes Luke Brown's Gold Secrets the best overall package if what you seek is how to make gold in WoW
The update is broken down by what new elements and ores are available, where to find them and how to put them to use immediately. Remember, it's not just where and how to get the materials that counts, it's also about how you strategize and set yourself up for maximum profit. Luke covers this as well, telling you exactly how best to set yourself up for success. The guide also gives you a complete rundown of the Daily Quests available in WOTLK, what faction the quests are for, where to get the quest, what's needed to complete the quest and where to complete the quest, as well as the reward. It's good to know what the reward is since you want to know whether it's worth your time.
Well, I must say that the update is well worth the wait. All updates are free I might add, you receive an email and just download. With that said let me leave you with a valuable tip you can put to use in Wrath of the Lich King.
Engineers will be able to create a BOE motorcycle mount that allows a passenger to ride with them! Now engineers usually complain about being unable to make gold, well I think this new mount will put an end to that. In order to make gold off of this though you will need some capital to work with because a lot of the materials are purchased off of vendors.
You must be level 450 Engineering and exalted with Horde Expedition or Alliance Vanguard in order to learn the schematic. Here are the materials you need to get this going:
Material - Approx. Cost - How to Get It/Created
12x Titansteel Bar - ~200G Each - 1x Eternal Earth
1x Eternal Fir
1x Eternal Shadow
3x Titanium Bar
20 Hour Transmutation by miners
40x Handful of Cobalt Bolts - ~28-60G for 40 - 2x Cobalt Bar per 1-3 bolts
2x Arctic Fur - ~200G Each - Skinning-rare drop from mobs 73+
1x Salvaged Iron Golem Parts - 3000G - Each Purchased from Roxi Ramrocket in K3 in Storm Peaks
8x Goblin-machined Piston - 1000G Each - Purchased from Roxi Ramrocket in K3 in Storm Peaks
1x Elementium plated Exhaust Pipe - 1500G Each - Limited Supply:Purchased from Roxi Ramrocket in K3 in Storm Peaks
Total - ~15360G
Good luck!
by: Carlos Castro
An Introduction to Factory Farming
Wikipedia states that "Factory farming is a term used to describe a set of controversial practices in large-scale, intensive agriculture, usually referring to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, and fish. The methods deployed are geared toward making use of economies of scale to produce the highest output at the lowest cost."
At first glance, one can't help but notice a few interesting terms in this definition, like "controversial practices", "intensive agriculture", and "industrialized production", words that certainly conjure up a set of powerful images. But of even greater importance than these is the phrase: "...making use of economies of scale to produce the highest output at the lowest cost." And, what does this mean exactly for the purposes of a discussion about farm animals? Simply that the owners, developers, and managers of factory farms, under whose care reside hundreds of millions of farm animals, have only one primary concern in mind, one goal that drives them - the bottom line! The animals themselves have no value beyond their ability to "produce the highest output at the lowest cost". A far cry from the caring farmer and concerned caretaker from whom our meat and dairy products were obtained not more than just a few years ago.
No indeed. What's going on today cannot by any perturbation of meaning be referred to as farming. With the exception of a few surviving family farms, our meat and dairy production is now completely dominated by large corporations. While the creatures, whose lives are owned and controlled by agribusiness, are looked upon as mere commodities, food machines if you will. And in the quest for greater profits, the treatment of these animals has become more and more barbaric.
At this very moment, countless numbers of animals that possess the exact same feelings and sensitivities as your dog or your cat are being forced into lives of protracted suffering and pain. Pigs spend the majority of their lives confined in small metal cages known as "gestation crates" where they're not provided enough room to even turn around. Calves are confined in small cages known as "veal crates" where, for their entire lives, they're chained by the neck to prevent them from stretching, lying down comfortably, or turning around, thereby inhibiting muscular development and making their meat more tender. Egg-laying hens spend their lives crammed together with four or five other hens in "battery cages", where they're not allowed enough room to even walk or stretch their wings. And, tragically enough, these practices are but the tip of the iceberg!
Factory farms have gained an immeasurable foothold in our economy, and until such time as the movement to rid ourselves of this cancer gains enough momentum, other means must be found to protect the animals. At the very least, we should strive to provide relatively humane living conditions for them.
The proponents of factory farms will, of course, do and say anything they can to defend their "business as usual" position. The lobbies which support and protect these interests are numerous, and they're powerful. They'd have you believe that the arguments being made against them are extremist or alarmist, that the animals really don't mind the treatment they're receiving, or that the task of feeding a hungry populace must take precedence over the feelings of the animals.
My response to this is quite simply that you should decide for yourself what is right and what is wrong, or whether or not the treatment of the animals should be considered and to what extent. Please, therefore, take the time to educate yourself about what is going on in this country for the sake of corporate profits and at the expense of the welfare of defenseless creatures, who, of all things, look to us for their stewardship.
by: Larry Parker
At first glance, one can't help but notice a few interesting terms in this definition, like "controversial practices", "intensive agriculture", and "industrialized production", words that certainly conjure up a set of powerful images. But of even greater importance than these is the phrase: "...making use of economies of scale to produce the highest output at the lowest cost." And, what does this mean exactly for the purposes of a discussion about farm animals? Simply that the owners, developers, and managers of factory farms, under whose care reside hundreds of millions of farm animals, have only one primary concern in mind, one goal that drives them - the bottom line! The animals themselves have no value beyond their ability to "produce the highest output at the lowest cost". A far cry from the caring farmer and concerned caretaker from whom our meat and dairy products were obtained not more than just a few years ago.
No indeed. What's going on today cannot by any perturbation of meaning be referred to as farming. With the exception of a few surviving family farms, our meat and dairy production is now completely dominated by large corporations. While the creatures, whose lives are owned and controlled by agribusiness, are looked upon as mere commodities, food machines if you will. And in the quest for greater profits, the treatment of these animals has become more and more barbaric.
At this very moment, countless numbers of animals that possess the exact same feelings and sensitivities as your dog or your cat are being forced into lives of protracted suffering and pain. Pigs spend the majority of their lives confined in small metal cages known as "gestation crates" where they're not provided enough room to even turn around. Calves are confined in small cages known as "veal crates" where, for their entire lives, they're chained by the neck to prevent them from stretching, lying down comfortably, or turning around, thereby inhibiting muscular development and making their meat more tender. Egg-laying hens spend their lives crammed together with four or five other hens in "battery cages", where they're not allowed enough room to even walk or stretch their wings. And, tragically enough, these practices are but the tip of the iceberg!
Factory farms have gained an immeasurable foothold in our economy, and until such time as the movement to rid ourselves of this cancer gains enough momentum, other means must be found to protect the animals. At the very least, we should strive to provide relatively humane living conditions for them.
The proponents of factory farms will, of course, do and say anything they can to defend their "business as usual" position. The lobbies which support and protect these interests are numerous, and they're powerful. They'd have you believe that the arguments being made against them are extremist or alarmist, that the animals really don't mind the treatment they're receiving, or that the task of feeding a hungry populace must take precedence over the feelings of the animals.
My response to this is quite simply that you should decide for yourself what is right and what is wrong, or whether or not the treatment of the animals should be considered and to what extent. Please, therefore, take the time to educate yourself about what is going on in this country for the sake of corporate profits and at the expense of the welfare of defenseless creatures, who, of all things, look to us for their stewardship.
by: Larry Parker
Saving Seeds from Your Garden
For many gardeners, the garden actually begins in January when the first seed catalog arrives in the mailbox. While the cold wind howls outside, we retire to a cozy chair and leaf through the catalog, carefully notating which varieties of lettuce and tomatoes to try and wishing we had the space to plant each and every flower so artfully displayed on its pages.
But have you ever wondered where your great-grandparents acquired the seeds for their gardens, before there were seed catalogs and fancy garden centers?
They saved seeds for the next year from their own gardens!
Saving seeds from your own flowers or vegetables is a wonderful way to fully experience the cycle of plant growth. It’s also much less expensive than buying seeds each spring, and seeds saved from your plants will be well suited to the peculiarities of your own garden’s growing conditions. Not only that, it’s also quite a simple process.
Save seeds only from vigorous, healthy plants. Some plant diseases may be harbored in the seed where it will then be passed on to the next generation of plants. So don’t save seeds from a plant that is obviously diseased or has struggled all season. Collect seeds from the plants that have the characteristics you desire, such as height, hardiness, early or late ripening, flavor or vigor.
It is not recommended to save seeds from hybrid plants. Hybrids are the result of crossing two genetically different parent plants, both of which have been severely inbred to concentrate the desirable characteristics. The first generation, referred to as an F1 hybrid, is superior to the parents. But succeeding generations of plants grown from seed saved from an F1 plant tend to randomly revert to the characteristics of the original inbred ancestor plants.
Plants that are not hybrids are referred to as open pollinated. Many seed catalogs will identify which of their seeds are hybrids or open pollinated. If you intend to save your own seed, always start with open pollinated seeds. Some of these may also be identified as heirloom seeds. These heirloom varieties have been passed down for generations, often saved within one family for many years before becoming available to the general public.
Cross pollination is another concern for the seed-saving gardener. Cross pollination often results in seeds which have a different genetic makeup than that of the parent plant. Pumpkins, squash and small gourds may cross pollinate with each other, resulting in seeds that will grow to produce rather picturesque fruit. Sweet corn will cross pollinate with field corn or popcorn, and your 6-inch marigolds will cross with your neighbor’s 18-inch pompon marigolds. However, crossing will only occur within a species. Cucumbers won’t cross with squash, and cosmos won’t cross with pansies.
To avoid cross pollination, keep two varieties of the same species separated by as much space as possible. Some species, such as corn, are wind-pollinated and the pollen can travel great distances. These plants must be pollinated by hand and kept isolated from other varieties of their species. This can be done with corn, for example, by tying a small paper bag over selected ears before the silk emerges, then once the silk has appeared it is hand pollinated with pollen from the same plant or its healthy neighbors.
Seeds should be collected on a dry, sunny day. Frost doesn’t hurt most seed as long as the seed remains dry. Vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes should be allowed to become slightly overripe before their seeds are collected. Flower seeds and vegetable seed such as lettuce should be collected after the seedheads have become dry, but don’t wait too long, as many will shatter, meaning they’ll be dropped from the seedpod or seedhead if they remain on the plant too long.
Cucumber, squash and tomato seeds need an additional step before they are ready for storage. First the seeds must be separated from the pulp, then dried. Scoop the seeds from these vegetables, pulp and all. Place the whole mess in a container of water and give it a good stir, then let it settle a bit. The pulp will rise to the top while the seeds will sink to the bottom. Carefully pour off the pulp, and repeat the process until most of the pulp has been poured off. Then strain out the seeds and set them on newspapers to dry.
Seeds should go into storage as dry as possible. Give all seed a post-harvest drying period of at least a week, just to be sure they’re dry. Spread them out on a paper plate or newspapers in a warm area out of the sun while they dry.
It’s very important to keep the seed dry during storage. Store your dry seeds in tightly sealed jars, metal film containers, or old vitamin bottles. To save space, smaller quantities of several varieties of seeds can be stored in separate envelopes inside a jar. A cool, but never freezing, garage, closed-off spare room or cool basement can all be good places for storing seeds. Or simply keep your sealed jars of seeds in the refrigerator. Temperatures between 32 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal.
Be sure to label your jars and envelopes so when spring comes around again you’ll know which flower seeds and vegetable seeds you’re planting, and include the date the seeds were collected. Some seeds will remain viable for several years, but most will grow best if planted right away the following spring.
Try saving some vegetable or flower seeds from your garden this year and grow them next season. This endless cycle can allow you to realize the endless joy of gardening through all the seasons and all the stages of a plant’s life.
by: Kathy Anderson
But have you ever wondered where your great-grandparents acquired the seeds for their gardens, before there were seed catalogs and fancy garden centers?
They saved seeds for the next year from their own gardens!
Saving seeds from your own flowers or vegetables is a wonderful way to fully experience the cycle of plant growth. It’s also much less expensive than buying seeds each spring, and seeds saved from your plants will be well suited to the peculiarities of your own garden’s growing conditions. Not only that, it’s also quite a simple process.
Save seeds only from vigorous, healthy plants. Some plant diseases may be harbored in the seed where it will then be passed on to the next generation of plants. So don’t save seeds from a plant that is obviously diseased or has struggled all season. Collect seeds from the plants that have the characteristics you desire, such as height, hardiness, early or late ripening, flavor or vigor.
It is not recommended to save seeds from hybrid plants. Hybrids are the result of crossing two genetically different parent plants, both of which have been severely inbred to concentrate the desirable characteristics. The first generation, referred to as an F1 hybrid, is superior to the parents. But succeeding generations of plants grown from seed saved from an F1 plant tend to randomly revert to the characteristics of the original inbred ancestor plants.
Plants that are not hybrids are referred to as open pollinated. Many seed catalogs will identify which of their seeds are hybrids or open pollinated. If you intend to save your own seed, always start with open pollinated seeds. Some of these may also be identified as heirloom seeds. These heirloom varieties have been passed down for generations, often saved within one family for many years before becoming available to the general public.
Cross pollination is another concern for the seed-saving gardener. Cross pollination often results in seeds which have a different genetic makeup than that of the parent plant. Pumpkins, squash and small gourds may cross pollinate with each other, resulting in seeds that will grow to produce rather picturesque fruit. Sweet corn will cross pollinate with field corn or popcorn, and your 6-inch marigolds will cross with your neighbor’s 18-inch pompon marigolds. However, crossing will only occur within a species. Cucumbers won’t cross with squash, and cosmos won’t cross with pansies.
To avoid cross pollination, keep two varieties of the same species separated by as much space as possible. Some species, such as corn, are wind-pollinated and the pollen can travel great distances. These plants must be pollinated by hand and kept isolated from other varieties of their species. This can be done with corn, for example, by tying a small paper bag over selected ears before the silk emerges, then once the silk has appeared it is hand pollinated with pollen from the same plant or its healthy neighbors.
Seeds should be collected on a dry, sunny day. Frost doesn’t hurt most seed as long as the seed remains dry. Vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes should be allowed to become slightly overripe before their seeds are collected. Flower seeds and vegetable seed such as lettuce should be collected after the seedheads have become dry, but don’t wait too long, as many will shatter, meaning they’ll be dropped from the seedpod or seedhead if they remain on the plant too long.
Cucumber, squash and tomato seeds need an additional step before they are ready for storage. First the seeds must be separated from the pulp, then dried. Scoop the seeds from these vegetables, pulp and all. Place the whole mess in a container of water and give it a good stir, then let it settle a bit. The pulp will rise to the top while the seeds will sink to the bottom. Carefully pour off the pulp, and repeat the process until most of the pulp has been poured off. Then strain out the seeds and set them on newspapers to dry.
Seeds should go into storage as dry as possible. Give all seed a post-harvest drying period of at least a week, just to be sure they’re dry. Spread them out on a paper plate or newspapers in a warm area out of the sun while they dry.
It’s very important to keep the seed dry during storage. Store your dry seeds in tightly sealed jars, metal film containers, or old vitamin bottles. To save space, smaller quantities of several varieties of seeds can be stored in separate envelopes inside a jar. A cool, but never freezing, garage, closed-off spare room or cool basement can all be good places for storing seeds. Or simply keep your sealed jars of seeds in the refrigerator. Temperatures between 32 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal.
Be sure to label your jars and envelopes so when spring comes around again you’ll know which flower seeds and vegetable seeds you’re planting, and include the date the seeds were collected. Some seeds will remain viable for several years, but most will grow best if planted right away the following spring.
Try saving some vegetable or flower seeds from your garden this year and grow them next season. This endless cycle can allow you to realize the endless joy of gardening through all the seasons and all the stages of a plant’s life.
by: Kathy Anderson
Planting Seeds
I was having coffee with a director friend of mine and we were talking about how business was going. He has been very busy with a good stream of projects coming his way. I told him that things were a little slow for me but I was using that time to try some new ideas to spread the news about my speaking business. To that he responded, “Oh, so you’re just planting seeds right now.” “Yes,” I said, “I’m planting seeds.”
That assessment of my current pursuit really stuck with me after we left. I had been harvesting a lot in recent months while I was taking full advantage of work that had come my way. But once things slow down, we all can forget that our “crops” need to be replanted in order to reap another great harvest.
In the acting world, it typically gets slow from late April until after the fourth of July due to most TV production being on hiatus, which was the time period of our meeting. This also means commercial production slows down because they want to wait and produce new commercials for use during the new fall TV shows. Feature films have no real “seasons”, but the TV slowdown means there are fewer opportunities out there for actors to stay busy.
I have always tried to make good use of these times in my career, and I’m sure many of you have them too, when the phone gets quiet and you find yourself in a dry spot “between jobs.” Many people tend to worry and even panic during these periods instead of using them to refocus their energies on creating new avenues for success. Updating your business materials, websites, equipment upgrades, renew your marketing strategy—can all be great uses of these breaks in the flow of work.
As with many things, it really is a matter of how you choose to see it. Do you look at these times as an obstacle or an opportunity? Do you see a door or a window? These slowdowns are often due to circumstances beyond our control, like seasons in anyone’s business, so isn’t it better to prepare to use them to our advantage instead of dreading their arrival?
The key to coping with and even maximizing your productivity at these times is planning. Whether you know these slowdowns are coming or not, you should always keep a list of things you can accomplish when there are fewer demands on your time. In the midst of juggling your projects while you’re in demand, make a habit of noting things you see along the way that should be dealt with when time allows. New brochures, pictures, résumé’s---so that you can easily move from harvesting to seeding. And not only is it important to get these things done for the sake of your business, you need to stay busy in some form during slow times so you don’t just wait and stress over the lack of work. That can do great damage not only to your business but also to your own psyche—and that’s not good for business either.
Part of your downtime planning must include some time for you to recharge yourself by taking some time off, or to reengage yourself with a class or workshop. Either way, you plant your own seeds that enable you to be in a better position to maximize the opportunities that come your way. Rest has always been a great way to recharge the spirit, especially if you’ve spent several weeks working long, intense hours. I spent much of the first five months of this year on the road working so I really enjoyed that part of my slow time that allowed me to catch up on some rest.
But once I had sufficiently rested, I took on a big and very unique project here at my house replacing all our windows. Never done anything like that before in my life, but the fact of having this new, manual labor task was very invigorating for me. I’ve always enjoyed fixing things around the house but to do it on this scale was thrilling and engaging in ways I don’t use very often in my work. Once that was done, I found myself very inspired to jump back into my work to begin a new cycle of planting and harvesting.
No farmer can harvest what he doesn’t plant. In our case, we must plant not only in the fields of our business but within ourselves. Invest in good seeds that will enable you to grow your business as well as yourself.
by: Mike Pniewski
That assessment of my current pursuit really stuck with me after we left. I had been harvesting a lot in recent months while I was taking full advantage of work that had come my way. But once things slow down, we all can forget that our “crops” need to be replanted in order to reap another great harvest.
In the acting world, it typically gets slow from late April until after the fourth of July due to most TV production being on hiatus, which was the time period of our meeting. This also means commercial production slows down because they want to wait and produce new commercials for use during the new fall TV shows. Feature films have no real “seasons”, but the TV slowdown means there are fewer opportunities out there for actors to stay busy.
I have always tried to make good use of these times in my career, and I’m sure many of you have them too, when the phone gets quiet and you find yourself in a dry spot “between jobs.” Many people tend to worry and even panic during these periods instead of using them to refocus their energies on creating new avenues for success. Updating your business materials, websites, equipment upgrades, renew your marketing strategy—can all be great uses of these breaks in the flow of work.
As with many things, it really is a matter of how you choose to see it. Do you look at these times as an obstacle or an opportunity? Do you see a door or a window? These slowdowns are often due to circumstances beyond our control, like seasons in anyone’s business, so isn’t it better to prepare to use them to our advantage instead of dreading their arrival?
The key to coping with and even maximizing your productivity at these times is planning. Whether you know these slowdowns are coming or not, you should always keep a list of things you can accomplish when there are fewer demands on your time. In the midst of juggling your projects while you’re in demand, make a habit of noting things you see along the way that should be dealt with when time allows. New brochures, pictures, résumé’s---so that you can easily move from harvesting to seeding. And not only is it important to get these things done for the sake of your business, you need to stay busy in some form during slow times so you don’t just wait and stress over the lack of work. That can do great damage not only to your business but also to your own psyche—and that’s not good for business either.
Part of your downtime planning must include some time for you to recharge yourself by taking some time off, or to reengage yourself with a class or workshop. Either way, you plant your own seeds that enable you to be in a better position to maximize the opportunities that come your way. Rest has always been a great way to recharge the spirit, especially if you’ve spent several weeks working long, intense hours. I spent much of the first five months of this year on the road working so I really enjoyed that part of my slow time that allowed me to catch up on some rest.
But once I had sufficiently rested, I took on a big and very unique project here at my house replacing all our windows. Never done anything like that before in my life, but the fact of having this new, manual labor task was very invigorating for me. I’ve always enjoyed fixing things around the house but to do it on this scale was thrilling and engaging in ways I don’t use very often in my work. Once that was done, I found myself very inspired to jump back into my work to begin a new cycle of planting and harvesting.
No farmer can harvest what he doesn’t plant. In our case, we must plant not only in the fields of our business but within ourselves. Invest in good seeds that will enable you to grow your business as well as yourself.
by: Mike Pniewski
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)