Good? Genetic Engineering?

CNN of all places tuned me into this one. It would seem that scientists have developed a flood tolerant variety of rice. But it was apparently not done conventionally, nor does it make any reference to Monsanto's gene gun, or reliance on viral invasion to insert the gene.

The team relied on something called precision breeding, the ability to introduce very specific genes into plants without the associated baggage of other genes that might tag along in conventional breeding.

"This can be a problem for farmers," Ronald said. "The varieties that were developed from conventional breeding were rejected by farmers because they didn't yield well or taste good."

I'm cautiously optimistic which might strike my readers as an about face from my usual luddite tendencies.

First, the flood resistant gene came from another strain of rice. We are not talking about Monsanto's transgenic frankenfoods. Nobody is snatching genes from the animal kingdom and putting them into plant.

Second, their method at first glance appears to be through natural means (though I don't honestly think I know enough about this "precision breeding" to make an absolute judgment. The article does mention that

Because the plants are the product of precision breeding, rather than genetic modification, they are not subject to the same regulatory testing that can delay release of genetically modified crops.

Since the US regulation on GMO seems nonexistent, they must be referring to regulations elsewhere, but the differentiation between GMO and precision breeding in classification puts my mind at ease a bit.

Lastly, the intention of the developer seems largely benevolent. Unlike the ghouls at Monsanto, the developer (Dr. Joyce Ronald at U.C. Davis) seems by and large more concerned with helping farmers adapt to rising sea levels and climatic catastrophe than in protecting "Intellectual Property" (read profit margin).


There remains one question however. Does this plant have the genetic characteristics of a Hybrid? Are subsequent generations inconsistent in their properties, or could this strain be open pollinated? Can seed this particular strain of rice, once planted be regrown the next year without the need for farmers to purchase new seed.

The food crisis is twofold. Clearly science is willing to address environmental factors that contribute to decline in crop yield, but they must also include in the solution a willingness to address economic factors that contribute to a decline in the farming population.

This could turn out to be quite an interesting story, I hope more information will be forthcoming.

worse than you thought...but there is hope

Remember my rant about corn syrup? Maybe I was giving the environmental movement too much credit. It would seem the Corn Refiners Association was not reacting to the hordes of greenies turning up their noses, but pre-empting some bad news. It seems High Fructose Corn syrup often contains mercury. Mmmmmm delicious natural mercury.

The Bright side? Apparently our new pres is a fan of Pollan

cause for optimism?

Practice in practice pt 1d...enough already!

This last bed group sums up my rotation plans I'll be testing the limits of earliness, but I have blocked together what historically has been finished around the same time (peas, staggered radish plantings, and lettuce) knowing that when they come out first, they can be replaced by the curcubits which need more of a head start, and then when the second part of the early planting (beets, onions, broccoli) come out the more vigorous, "lets take over this place" curcurbits don't dominate the scene.

Nasturtiums of course being what I think much of last years surviving curcurbits owe their life to. The bugs pretty much left the squash and cukes alone because of them (the increased wasp population probably helped matters as well.)

So thats it, in terms of years, the beds follow the 1,2,3,4 numbering. I'm wary about having short periods between solanacea crops, but time will tell. I really should have 6 beds.

Movie Review: How to Save the World

One Man, One Cow, One Planet.

Well I finally had the opportunity to watch this, oft talked about film, and there are a variety of thoughts I had on the matter. The story takes place in semi rural India, showing a variety of scenes where farmers are switching back to organic farming after years of chemical dependent agriculture. The differnces between soil in a chemically managed field and an organically managed one are laid bare, and they are quite evident. Before I start cheering there are a few things I feel need to be discussed.

First is the issue of method. The primary technique being demonstrated is Biodynamic farming. If this sounds unfamiliar, its probably because by and large its not a popular practice here in America, despite being largely similar to other compost dependent organic methods. The reason for that, as acknowledged by the movies is due to the "preparations" which could arouse comments ranging from "kookie" from the cynic, "a bit esoteric" from the polite, to "wow that makes complete sense " from the believer. I wont lay out all the details but they are a bit esoteric for my taste, and many involve using animal parts which from my ethical perspective is a no no.

There is however a strong point to be made that the shift from industrial agriculture which has devastated the land and people, to organic agriculture (biodynamic or otherwise) has increased the well being of the farmers and their families. I found it particularly encouraging that they were including the concepts of living wage and medical care for the workers in the definition of sustainability.

I think this might be an excellent video to show to someone who looks at modern agriculture as "imperfect but the only option" in the modern market. Not only does it lay out ample evidence of the devastation caused by the "green revolution" (and Monsanto's culpability in the modern economic enslavement of farmers in the developing world) but it demonstrates that a shift, not only in method, but in the culture of farming, produces comparable (often better) results to industrial methods but can continue to produce in perpetuity, instead of exhausting the land. There was a particularly enlightening moment for me when they visited the museum to Mahatma Gandhi. Though I considered myself an admirer and distant student, I knew very little about how deeply he held self sufficiency in regard. There was a moment when the link between Ahimsa, Democratic Empowerment, and Self sufficiency clicked together in my mind in a way I had never realized.

The last point is one of impression. We (and by that I mean mainstream western society) thinks of third world areas like rural India as places of misery begging to be developed. Begging for modern comfort. That the people toiling away lead an unfulfilling existence of desperation. What I saw on the biodynamic farms were people who looked healthy and happy. The work was hard, but there was no sign of malaise. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are certainly improvements to be made in preventative medicine, water quality, etc, but I would hardly think them a pitiful lot. In fact they seemed somewhat empowered by the fruits of their labor.

The other impression I got was more shocking. To see people handling raw cow manure with their bare hands gave me pause. It certainly did little to endear me to the biodynamic method. But after reflection, could this collision of cultural perspective and my admitted revulsion be in some way similar to the revulsion others have to my ideal of life? I'm sure there are plenty of things (like adding diluted urine to the compost pile) which might cause others to be turned off to the more avant garde (or rather avant-garden) techniques. There are deep seated cultural preconceptions that must be overcome before any change can happen.

All in all I give it a thumbs up. I don't know if it is best to watch this before or after things like "the future of food," "King corn," or "the world according to monsanto," but it definitely deserves a place in the list.

How do I know they take us greenies seriously?

Backlash.

Two commercials have caught my attention, raised my ire, and therefore annoyed my wife.

The first is from the american chemical lobby, showing all the things that are essential to use that use "chemistry" by necessity, including cosmetics, healthcare, space exploration, and FOOD. Yeah guys thanks, we never actually ate before the 1950's. This food concept is great, thanks chemistry!

The second came from the corn refiners association who was promoting the "truth" about high fructose corn syrup. See their site and find the ad here. As if that isn't enough, they are now proclaiming that the FDA considers corn syrup to be "Natural." since it is derived from a plant source I suppose. By that definition, plastic is natural, since it comes from oil, and oil comes from plants too.

So in lieu of a pledge to be more positive, I am looking for a silver lining. If it were not for the growing strength of the environmental movement, these jokers wouldn't waste their money on this tripe.

There really is nothing as sad as a marginally useful industry that insists on its necessity. As if we couldn't live without it. Corn syrup is used so broadly as a sweeter because it is cheaper. The only reason that it is cheap is because corn is so abundant, the only reason corn is abundant is because we the taxpayers subsidize corn growers. We pay to have cheap sweeters. Make sense?

Another reminder if you haven't seen King Corn yet, do so, it lays bare the entire fiasco of industrial corn production in this country in about the most even handed and honest way possible.

Practice in Practice pt 1c

Here it is, bed number 3. Pretty simple. Two things will depend on its sucess, the ability to get the spuds in early, and immediately replace the first of the potatoes which will be harvested "new" with the shelling beans. The potatoes for storage, even though they are coming out more than a week later, should still be out in time for a decent green bean crop...should be.

By the way, with the exception of onion sets and a couple odds and ends I have my seed orders in. Given the rise in demand I thought it best to start early and make sure I get the types I want.

I pledge...

Say what you will about the value of celebrity culture, but the bottom line is, it exists. And lately it seems to have been put to good use. The message could not be more true. One man cannot change the course of this nation. We can. And unlike economics, it seems leadership can have a trickle down effect.

See the pledge

What do I pledge, I'm not sure but the hardest thing for me to take on would probably involve situations where I had to meet and work with strangers, so perhaps that is what I need to do.

I think I've said enough on the subject of today's monumental occasion elsewhere. I could pray that the problems of the world go away, but I don't believe thats the way things work, so instead I'll pray for the courage to do the right thing even when it may be frightening.

parctice in practice pt.1b

Ok, bed module 1 is out of the way...onward.


Remember that the first module included some pretty hungry feeders, so other than the dowsing of compost in between, the first crop to follow is primarily a recharger, and opportunity to produce enough peas at a time to make for a good amount of stored (frozen) peas.

Following that (mid may hopefully) in goes the corn, beans for soups, and Cosmos. I haven't seen anything about Cosmos in a companion relationship other than as an attractant, but Jeavons recommended it with corn so I'll take his word for it. In addition, they look great and it goes with another part of this year's plan: grow some manner of flower along side the food crops.

Its my way of acknowledging to some of the other members of the family that I know this isn't your favorite thing in the world. Thank you.

Happy Belated Blorthday

as of the 11th, officially 1 year old. I have made several attempts at keeping a journal in the past which never lasted more than a week at a time, perhaps I just didn't have the right inspiration to keep going.

Anyway, in the year since I started much has changed and much has stayed the same. The anxious tendencies which got me interested in a more simple life seem to have been justified unfortunately. I still have to sublimate my urge to go overboard with this, knowing this is an evolution rather than revolution in our house. I have to give much credit to my wife who has for the most part gone along with each of these projects, though often expressing veto power on the scale of some things.

Will our house one day resemble the Dervaes Homestead? Not likely. What will it be then? I don't really know.

Do any of us really know?

Putting Practice into Practice

In keeping with last year's Theory and Practice series of posts I took what Jeavons had written and tried it in my particular spot of land. Results varied but I think the overall principles I learned are sound. I decided to once again document my plan for all the world to see, and lay out the results.

I tried to follow the sample layout as closely as possible, this time I have taken my favorites, added a few newbies and come up with a list, arranging them by companion guidelines at a spacing density as recommended in "How to grow..." The entire list does not exist in any one place, but in planning I came upon a theory of my own...or at least a method. Rob over at Onestraw described a great rotation system based on keeping plant families together using a six bed rotation model. I don't have the kind of space he does, so my beds have to be more diverse, but that doesn't mean it can't follow the same kind of orderly system.

As discussed in the previous post, nutrient cycling based on plant rotation is not much of a concern. Like a lot of people by now I dump compost on the bed wherever and whenever possible. I'm a firm believer. Crop rotation will be to satisfy disease avoidance. That being said I get considerably more freedom to plan and plant what I choose (within reason).

Therefore I've divided my plans into "Bed Modules," groups of plants with known complimentary properties and seasonal requirements. As it stands I believe I have four beds planned. Currently I have been alloted two officially, and two unofficially. Were I to have six I could put comfrey and other compost crops in rotation. Back to the modules. Each one has its own specific single year succession and place in the overall rotation.

Since I've already written quite a bit I'll just introduce one bed module. This one is probably the simplest as it goes pretty much unchanged throughout the season, until the middle zone gets replaced in the fall by something else. The onions (leeks actually) and carrots go in the ground first to get a head start. As things warm up, the tomatoes and peppers go in before the petunias which will try to take of the place if not kept in check. Note that orientation matters with north being at the top of the diagram.

So thats bed module #1

Rotation Roundup

A question for those in the know. When planning crop rotations, which matters more, time or # of crops in the interval.

Say for instance I use the same spot of land for more than one crop in a year, does simply having "x" number of different crops on that spot count? Or should I wait the recommended number of years? Growing say cabbage crops in a spot in spring of this year, then in the fall of next year. Assuming two-three crops per spot per year, it technically means 3 crops have been grown between cabbage plantings.

I suspect that there may be two separate issues involved, one of soil recharge which would be satisfied by a required number and type of crop in between, and a whole other matter altogether of diseases which I am guessing probably need the time between crops.

Am I off base?

Tempting frost

According to Cornell's map (which is great if you live in NY like me) Our final expected frost date is somewhere between april 10 and 30th (we live on the boarder between two areas). Last year the spring crops went in the ground on the 21st. Though I had a bit of a frost scare, everything pulled through. One of the problems I found with the time table I used last year was that some seedlings were a bit small, and some which I know are cold tolerant tended to take a long time to mature and were holding up the succession plan.

Since I have a new bed I will be working with I am going to try an experiment. I am still determined to grow corn, but I know I have to get it in the ground long before july 7th which is when it went in last year. I figure between 70-80 days should be enough to get a decent yeild from a pea variety rated at 65 days. Cornell rates mid may as optimum planting time in accordance with IPM. This means the peas would have to go in mid march. On more than one occasion I have heard people suggest planting peas on st. patrick's day, which is of course mid march. The problem is, I don't remember a st. patty's day in syracuse where I have not sputtered some inappropriate metaphor about the cold. What the heck! lets do it! Its so crazy it might work, and I have seen fall planted pea vines shrug of frost and even a dusting of snow. My concern is germination. I'm thinking a floating row cover or makeshift cold frame to protect the seedlings, but will they germinate without outside help? do I put some peas in flats for a week, and then pop them in the ground once they sprout?

I'd like to do a similar think with the potatoes though not as radical. Last season I followed the potatoes with bush beans and I'd like to do so again, but the beans had just started producing when they were frost killed. A week or two sooner (say Aug 1) to get the potatoes out and the beans in would probably give me a full crop. Since last year I dug the first new potatoes on the 29th of July and the last full sized Aug 13, it seems feasible if memory serves that so long as they get to me in time, It should be warm enough and safe to plant by April 15th or so, roughly two weeks earlier.

Picking up the gauntlet

and slapping Monsanto in the face with it.

I will admit it, I take very few of the challenges people post on their blogs, and its not because I don't think they are worthwhile or because I am lazy...well maybe a little lazy. Time management is a problem for me, and I think it is difficult enough to get my clark kent existence squared away, let alone track the goings on of my green caped kal-el persona. There is also the issue of lois lang and the kids. I know the road to sustainability for us must be a slow one, and as much as I would jump at some of the great ideas, to get the rest of the family on board means evolution not revolution.

That being said there is particular challenge that I will be participating in again, and that is the growing challenge over at one green generation. They've upped the ante. Not only must you grow something new from seed, but save seed as well. And if the goons at Monsanto are reading this because somehow this entry shows up in a google search...I have a message for you. This simple act of saving seed shall be your undoing...muwahahahaha.

When we garden we take control of our food supply, when we save seed we take control of the future.

I hate resolutions

because nobody (nobody I know at least) ends up keeping them.

so rather than resolve to do anything,

I'll lay out my to do list for the year

1.) sunroom Nary a hole has been dug nor post been laid, but I'm exhausted already. After going back and forth with the zoning board, we are shaving a foot off the front and pressing forward. No date yet from the builder, but they expect all their ducks will be in a row by the end of the month. Should leave plenty of time to get the seedlings going.

2.) trees, a veritably orchard will overtake the front lawn, but first, the old emaciated monster needs to come down. I've been begrudgingly picking up its dropping branches for 3 years now, I just needed a reason.

3.) third bed, I need to expand the garden, and I've no where else to dig but a spot in the perennial area, where the sunflowers sat last year. I'm planning out the layout and rotation schedule, and will post that soon.

4.) And even if I don't actually build the house portion of it, I'll be redoing the wooden boarder of the two main garden beds to fit the floorplan of a hoophouse I would like to put there eventually.


So far the seed catalog count is up to six. I've got my tomato order back (I'll be growing a different strain of brandywine than last year, a Cherokee purple, an a fistful of Amish paste in the hopes of making my own sauce. We're planning our trip to the nursery in early May for the trees. But I've still got a lot of ordering to do for this year.