Biodynamic treechange (homesteading)

Is the Climate Change tide finally turning?

About two and a half years ago now, I left a cinema with my then fiance, (now wife), with a rather tight knot in my stomach, and a general air of despondency. We had just seen "An Inconvenient Truth", Al Gore's film about climate change and the implications of our collective global inactivity on the matter.

Garlic's up

This is so exciting!

About ten days ago we finally planted our first crop, and now it's popping up out of the ground!

Our farm "Near River" is located in an area that was previously known for it's milk and dairy producing ability - good soils, mild climate and reliable rainfall. Deregulation of the industry and so-called rationalisation has led to that changing somewhat now, but none the less, the main grass that covers the farm is suited to that type of agriculture - Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) and it is tenacious to say the least.

We are committed to bio-dynamic farming practices, which means no pesticide or herbicide use, so removal of the grasses and weeds needs to occur by alternate means - covering the area to block out light with grass slashings, tarpaulins, sheets of corrugated iron, black plastic, etc, and then once the material has died, undertaking the seriously laborious task of turning the soil and removing the runners. This will be a very long term mission, so expect a few more posts about it in the future.

Monsanto responses

A few days ago now I posted a story about the Monsanto documentary "The World According to Monsanto", a film that was originally aired in Europe on March 11th this year, but very unlikely to ever to be screened in America. (28.4.08 Sorry but Google pulled this video, so the link no longer works. Details of the documentary can be seen here, and copies of the DVD can be sourced here .)

The documentary is a detailed exposé on the company, how it has developed a stranglehold on American agriculture and by default, American food production, and how it is now stretching its tentacles around the globe, with similar Gestapo-like jack-booted authority and tactics.

The World According to Monsanto

I can't let this pass.

Following is a link to a documentary recently aired in Europe titled "The World According To Monsanto".

It is very unlikely to be screened in America.

 

Even if you only have an inkling of a concern about where your food comes from,  and more importantly, how it is produced, let alone what our children will consume, I cannot urge you strongly enough to view this.

Yes it's a long haul (it goes for 1hr + 50mins), but this is the information age, we are what we eat, and these companies seem to only respond to what consumers do and don't purchase.

 

After watching this you can then draw your own conclusions about Genetically Manipulated crops. Here in Australia that means that the States that are upholding their ban on these crops could well turn out to be the wise ones.

The World According to Monsanto

I also urge you forward this to others that may hold similar concerns.

Your comments and thoughts are most welcome.

(28.4.08 Sorry but Google pulled this video, so the link no longer works. Details of the documentary can be seen here, and copies of the DVD can be sourced here .)

A real working (long) weekend

It’s a given that as owners of a small farming enterprise who mostly work off farm during the week, we’ll get to spend our weekends labouring on the farm undertaking a whole range of tasks. And this is particularly the case at the moment as we are still starting out, (or maybe it will be that way for some time to come!) The plan is to have one of us ‘employed’ on the farm in the not too distant future, but that’s another story.

Part of our farm plan includes an orchard that will provide fruit for us and shareholders in our as yet to be launched CSA. Already the property has a fine collection of citrus in a grove, and the adjoining small paddock has been deemed the location of the extended orchard. The aspect is close to perfect (north facing, slight slope) and installing irrigation will also be easy as the supply line is fairly close by.

This site and 'tree-changers'

 

This blog and site is your window into what we are out to achieve, and how we can make a difference in the world through our commitment to be the most productive, efficient and profitable bio-dynamic farmers in the country, supplying the highest quality produce to our community.

This will be achieved by; 1) working in tandem with our environment, enhancing and repairing the surrounding area, being leaders in this field within the community; 2) having our enterprises be models on which others can learn from and replicate, and be a lasting contribution to society by demonstrating what is possible; and 3) having the food we grow and produce be the most nutritious, mouth-watering, gorgeous and delicious food ever tasted!

All of this will be achieved by using sustainable practices, minimising our impact on the planet and all of its inhabitants.

The content of the posts will primarily be about what we are doing on the farm and matters that relate to that, like organic food, bio-dynamics and community supported agriculture. We may wander slightly off topic to include material on sustainability, the environment, climate change and the like, but generally we'll remain in the green arena.