Posted on

GMO corruption: Grocery Manufacturers Association fined $18 million for violating campaign finance laws

(Law360, Los Angeles (November 2, 2016, 10:45 PM EDT) — A Washington state judge slapped the Grocery Manufacturers Association with a record $18 million fine Wednesday for violating campaign finance laws while fighting a GMO labeling ballot initiative, levying what state prosecutors say is the highest campaign finance penalty in U.S. history.
The court previously found that the Grocery Manufacturers Association unlawfully hid the names of contributors to its account funding opposition to Initiative 522, a 2013 ballot measure requiring the labeling of genetically engineered foods, and that the group failed to file required disclosure forms….

They got a slap on the wrist.
The Organic Trade Organization also sold out to the biotech industry and SUPPORTED the DARK Act. 
https://www.organicconsumers.org/press/60-groups-call-companies-withdraw-organic-trade-association
Sometimes I could cry.  It is so frustrating to see so much deceit.
Things aren’t getting better, but WORSE!

Posted on

Giant melon and wonderful dinners

The other day we were cleaning up in the orchard, cutting back and taking out plants that were killed off by the hail.  Lost one of my Armenian cucumber plants and had to harvest damaged veggies.
One of my helpers was pulling on a melon vine, it didn’t move and he went to investigate. Wedged behind the growbags and the fence he discovered our biggest melon of this season:

Moon and Stars Melon
Red Moon and Stars Watermelon

Everybody got to hold it and we thought it was around 30 – 35 lbs.  My scale stops at 10 lbs.
Continue reading “Giant melon and wonderful dinners”

Posted on

Various squash and Armenian cucumbers for sale

All that rain last week really made everything grow like crazy!
We’ve been eating the occasional Armenian cucumber and Black Beauty and Yellow Crookneck squash, but the last few days I got to harvest way more than we can eat:
8-10-16-squash-Armenian-cucumbers
This is the first time we actually get to harvest Ronde De Nice summer squash.  I’ve tried for years, but apparently the seedlings never made it and I’ve mostly harvested Black Beauty zucchini.
Ronde De Nice Reviews and recipes at Baker Creek.
Right now I’m getting the light green Armenian Cucumbers.   I had ordered seeds for the DARK green striped variety this year, but apparently also planted some of last year’s seeds.  I prefer the dark green variety because it looks more like a cucumber and it is smooth — easier to clean and/or peel.  I think they taste the same and it’s just a visual thing.

7-31-13--Armenian-cucumbers
Cut the Armenian cucumbers in half and EASILY remove ALL SEEDS with a spoon in a second or two.

Armenian cucumbers are actually MELONS, so people who can’t eat cukes might well be able to eat these guys.
I don’t grow “real” cucumbers anymore because they’d get bitter and I got so tired of tasting, spitting, peeling, … repeat …
I haven’t had many tomatoes yet.  Some plants died from sudden death syndrome and one actually died after a tomato worm attack. That’s never happened before, but I’ve been so busy, missed a day of checking for worms and the plant was so leafless, it died.
I still have 3 or 4 peace vine tomato plants going and I’ve eaten a few tomatoes as they got ripe while watering.  Am hoping for a lot more tomatoes in fall when it cools off.
Southern Giant Curled Mustard
I just started eating it and it is HOT!   Let me know if you’d like some.

LIMITED supply for sale.

If you’re local and you’d like to buy squash or Armenian cucumbers, please contact me.  I’m in Meadview at the Collectors Corner Sundays 1 – 4 pm and if you’re in LMC or Unit 6 or 7 we could meet up out here or you could come by.
We do not use any herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers.  Everything is organically grown in OMRI listed / native soil.
Zucchini / squash are $1.50 ea or 4 for $5
Armenian cucumbers are $2.50 each.
Southern Giant Curled Mustard is free with purchase, just let me know if you want some.
Please call me at 564-2642 or email christine@highdesertdirt.com.

Posted on

Artificial glaciers to combat drought in the Tibetan high desert

In the news section at http://icestupa.org/ you can find pictures of the 5000 trees they planted and watered with water from the melting glacier.  What a fascinating project!

If we could only store at least some of the water that runs off during monsoon season.  This year we got much more rain than usual (everything’s been growing like crazy!) after a dry June and I sure wish we could have a very deep pond.  The trouble is that digging is so hard. And then you have to waterproof the hole, not cheap!

Posted on

Chickens, turkeys, koi and fruit trees in Lake Mead City

A few weeks ago I visited Jeff and Shannon in Lake Mead City after hearing about their pond, poultry and fruit and nut trees. It’s great to see neighbors so dedicated to raising food animals cruelty free and I hope they will advertise “never frozen” chicken and turkey at our local Buy – Sell – Trade forum.   I really don’t want to have to drive to Vegas again to buy a free ranged turkey or chicken at Whole Foods, much rather buy LOCAL — knowing the animals have been treated well!
pondI LOVE to see water in the desert.  There are MANY fish in the water and it will eventually be pumped to water the trees — excellent fertilizer!
And here are the chickens and turkeys:

chickens-bird-of-paradise
Bird of Paradise for shade and it’s also a nitrogen fixer

Continue reading “Chickens, turkeys, koi and fruit trees in Lake Mead City”

Posted on

The first Armenian cucumber

FINALLY!
It didn’t even see it growing since the plants aren’t staked (yet) and all of a sudden there it was:
2016-7-21-first-Armenian-cucumber
A friend just asked me what Armenian cucumbers look like and I put the letter sized catalog next to it for size reference.  It’s not one of the heavier cukes we’ve grown (12 or 15 pounders), but I decided to pick it because I wanted the cucumber salad so bad and I was worried about some critter getting it first.  It was so GOOD!
Last year we had the other kind of Armenian cucumbers, light green without stripes and I think they taste the same, but I just like the look of the dark green striped cukes better.
This one was so young, I didn’t even peel it or cut it lengthwise in half to de-seed.  I’m hoping for many more!
I don’t grow regular cucumbers anymore because they got bitter and it was such a hassle always having to taste test.  Armenian cucumbers are actually melons and don’t get bitter.

Posted on

Tell Obama to VETO the DARK Act!

Last week our corrupt representatives in the Senate voted for death, disease and destruction.

You have to confirm your email address after you signed the petition – click on the link in the email you’ll receive after signing.

To get an official update from the White House within 60 days, we need 100,000 signatures within 30 days.

I rarely post a petition, although I sign many, but this is one petition that should get MILLIONS of signatures.
The money the protestors threw at the corrupt thugs in the Senate doesn’t compare to the many millions of dollars the industry donated to our “representatives” — obviously they’re NOT representing the people who elected them, but the corporations who PAID them.

President Obama LIED when he was campaigning in 2007 and 2008 and he promised GMO labeling:

We can’t make Obama finally do what he promised, but if he ignores a petition signed by hundreds of thousands (hopefully millions) and he refuses to VETO the DARK Act, I hope that many Americans get angry enough to take action to restore democracy, leave this corrupt system — do “something” to stop this madness!
It’s not only about Americans being able to avoid toxic food, but it’s about ending the destruction of farmers, soil and the environment.
I have glyphosate in my drinking water in the middle of the desert and we have never had any farms anywhere near our aquifer.  A few people spraying Roundup on weeds was enough to put small amounts of glyphosate in our drinking water and I am so sorry for the people who are poisoned with this “probably carcinogen” by America’s farmers.

GMO Labeling In Congress

You have to confirm your email address after you signed the petition – click on the link in the email you’ll receive after signing.
Thank you!

Posted on

Wakimoto Farms corn is genetically modified

I was planning an outing to the Wakimoto Farms for the High Desert Gardening Club and had called earlier to confirm the hours posted at the website, but forgot to ask the million dollar question:
Is the corn GMO?
So I just called back and unfortunately was advised that the corn is genetically modified and that that’s what they’ve been growing for 25 years.  BUMMER!
The lady hung up when I asked why they don’t grow non GMO corn.
Obviously, we won’t be visiting the Wakimoto Farms.
I didn’t get to ask the lady at Wakimoto whether their alfalfa is also genetically modified.
LKH Farms (Kingman Farms, former Rhoades on Stockton Hill) alfalfa is supposed to be non GMO (that could well be a lie as I’m finding out that the people of Kingman are extremely gullible), but it’s sprayed with pesticides and/or herbicides, so I can’t use it for mulch.
Maybe I’ll order some corn seed from Native Seeds / SEARCH:
http://shop.nativeseeds.org/pages/seeds
With corn and also onions day-length requirements can be important:

Mountain Pima Yellow

Dulcillo del noroeste, a folkrace from western Chihuahua, Mexico at 5000′. Grow with summer rains in the low desert due to day-length requirements. Ears are 6 inches long with yellow kernels. Approx. 50 seeds (10 g).

High Mowing Seeds also has quite a few varieties of organic corn, both open pollinated and hybrids:
http://highmowingseeds.com/_search.php?page=1&q=corn
I’ve been very happy with the High Mowing seeds and there’s no minimum order for FREE shipping.
If you have any recommendations for late corn that does well in our area, please let me know!
In 16 years living in Mohave county I have never found non GMO corn cobs in any Kingman store and I haven’t had any corn on the cob in many years.
Since I don’t want to wait for the corn I might grow, I checked on stores in Vegas / Henderson:
I called Trader Joe’s in Henderson (702) 433-6773 and they have some non GMO corn cobs left today, will get several cases tomorrow and the next day and they’ll even set some aside for you when you call so you don’t make the 2 hour trip for nothing.
Next I called Sprouts at (702) 777-0650 and the produce guy told me that there’s no such thing as non GMO corn. I’ve read that all corn has been contaminated and that’s why Bob’s Red Mill would not advertise their corn products as GMO free — a few years ago.   But as I just looked for that info, Bob’s Red Mill CHANGED their approach:
http://blog.bobsredmill.com/featured-articles/update-our-non-gmo-pledge/
Sweet corn was not nearly as contaminated as corn flour, but Monsanto is hard at work:
http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/sweetcorn/
I don’t know why Sprouts won’t at least make an effort to source corn that’s non GMO.
It’s so important that we vote with our wallets — the only votes that count!
Every day I receive numerous emails about the DARK Act and evil companies like WHOLE FOODS (notice I did not call them — will NOT shop there again!) supporting Monsanto in its effort to preempt state law just as the Vermont labeling law goes into effect.  Our corrupt legislators (McCain and Flake in AZ) vote for death and disease because they’re bought and paid for by the industry and they have no morals whatsoever.  Even in our “pristine” Meadview aquifer — no industry or farming EVER — we have traces of glyphosate in our drinking water, probably because ignorant residents use Roundup on weeds.
I’ll be damned if I knowingly buy toxic food and pay Wakimoto Farms or anyone else to destroy the planet.
Shame on Wakimoto Farms!

Emailed to wakimotofarm1@gmail.com:

Request for comments regarding my post about Wakimoto GMO corn

Hi,

I’ll greatly appreciate your comments for publication at
http://highdesertpermaculture.org/blog/2016/06/30/wakimoto-farms-corn-is-genetically-modified/  — preferably AFTER you read the studies linked at the end of my post.
Sincerely,
Christine Baker

I also requested comments from Sprouts at https://sprouts.service-now.com/contact_us.do and will update here with any comments from Wakimoto or Sprouts.

FYI, if you don’t think that glyphosate kills, please read the studies.

UPDATE 11/20/16:  The Wakimoto GMO corn was sold at the Kingman Farmers Market on 11/19/16.

Shame on the Kingman Farmers Market! 
I just found out that the Kingman Farmers Market management DELIBERATELY decided to allow the sale of GMO corn because they don’t have a source of non GMO corn.
The kicker:  They did not even disclose to the customers that the corn is GMO!

I truly regret that I have supported and promoted the Kingman Farmers Market and quite likely some of my readers even bought and ate that GMO corn.  I am so sorry!
And I promise that I will do whatever I can to get GMOs out of the Kingman Farmers Market.

Posted on

Dig-It Kingman Community Garden BBQ

Yesterday we attended the Dig-It Kingman Community Garden bbq and I signed up as an occasional monitor.  They are looking for volunteers to be at the garden for two hours to inspect the beds for any signs of pests, watering issues, etc. and to answer the gardeners’ questions.  More info on monitoring at the Dig-It site.
A great idea to keep the food cool:
food
It was delicious:
food-2
I hadn’t been at the garden in a while and I was amazed how much they accomplished:
colorful-beds
Continue reading “Dig-It Kingman Community Garden BBQ”