June 2007 Newsletter
Celebrating the 30th year of worm farming here!
Buy Locally Grown Meats and Produce
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Worm Castings
Working in dirt can be healthy!
The Ultimate Detox Solution – Liquid Zeolite from Waiora – Natural Cellular Defense
Are Children More Vulnerable to Pesticides?
How are kids exposed to pesticides?
Celebrating the 30th year of worm farming here!
We were surprised recently when a gentleman came in a few weeks ago and stated he and two other partners began worm farming here in 1977! His partners have passed, but he continues to grow worms. (He is also the only person I know that grows 100% of his and his family’s food with the exception of spices which he purchases.) Apparently, Yelm Earthworm & Castings Farm gained its name in 1991, but the roots go far back. The large harvester was welded up by one of the partners in 1978. Assuming a new generation of worms every 2 months, there have been 180 generations of worms that have called these barns home!
Buy Locally Grown Meats and Produce
Last issue, we mentioned that we would put a list together of places to buy locally grown meats and produce. Looking around, we found that in and around Yelm, there is a wide variety of local sources – so many it would take too much to list here. Just keep your eyes on the lookout as you are driving around, and you will find them. Worth mentioning though is that we will sell certified organic produce that we grow at the farm here, and the Yelm Food Co-Op in downtown Yelm has a limited amount of organically grown produce until they get a cooler up and running. Also worth mentioning as large organic farming operations in which you can buy direct or through the Yelm Co-Op are Paradise Organics, 18819 Sorenson Road, 360-894-1328 and Pigman’s Organic Produce Patch, 10633 Steilacoom Rd. SE, Olympia, 360-491-3276.
You can also search online for other farms, produce stands, CSAs, and farmers markets and more at these sites:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Worm Castings
A man phoned Yelm Earth last fall requesting information and a tour of our facility. Yelm Earth appeared just another heavy step in a 20 year unsuccessful mission to create organic vegetable gardens down the common boarders of a hand full of southern African countries. This spring he returned to YE and drove off with two truck loads of Barefoot Soil Earthworm Castings, and he has since sent a handful of friends. His frustration drove him to transform his modest property in Bellevue, WA into a demonstration garden. Apparently using our product he developed such an extensive and productive vegetable garden that he became the envy of friends and neighbors which quickly developed into giving tours and lessons. So impressive are his results that he either attracted or gained the confidence to pitch his project to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To date he is well in-the-tube for Gates funding of a 60 day 'organic vegetable garden installation tour of southern Africa where he will be building one garden a day using earthworm castings. At this point, he does not know where he will source the castings; logistically we don't foresee it to be ours.
BFS C-Gro test results
To test our new ORMUS product, BFS C-Gro, we put 10 drops on our rose plant 3 months ago. This rose is potted in our Barefoot Soil Deluxe Potting Mix, and we have also regularly worm tead it for the last two years. Look at the amazing results of just one application of 10 drops of BFS C-Gro!!! The leaves on the bottom of the plant are the old growth size of last summer and early spring this year. The leaves on top are about 3 times normal size, show no sign of disease, are shiny and vibrant, and … LOOK AT THOSE BUDS! The plant has apparently abandoned the old way of growing as the old leaves are beginning to die off. And did I mention, LOOK AT THOSE BUDS!
Photo 6-20-07
Working in dirt can be healthy!
Exposure to certain forms of soil bacteria can boost the immune system, which
can in turn improve mood as effectively as antidepressant drugs.
Mice exposed to a benign soil microbe, Mycobacterium vaccae, performed better
on a behavioral task commonly used to test the effectiveness of
antidepressants.
The mice were placed in water and observed to see how long they continued
swimming before giving up. The mice who had been exposed to
Mycobacterium vaccae continued swimming for a much longer time.
These results are similar to those from a previous study, in which human cancer
patients treated with the bacteria reported significant
improvements in their quality of life.
Researchers suspect that the microbes are affecting the brain indirectly by
causing immune cells to release chemicals called cytokines, which
stimulate the production of the mood-regulating chemical serotonin.
The lead researcher on the study, Chris Lowry, added that, "These studies
help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and
why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health. They
also leave us wondering if we shouldn't all be spending more time
playing in the dirt."
Neuroscience March 28, 2007
Carnivorous Fungi
From an article in Science News (Vol. 159, April 7, 2001):
"For some plants, a nitrogen-rich diet from dead matter in soil just isn't
enough. Researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario are
discovering that these plants also rob nitrogen from the flesh of tiny soil
dwelling insects. But instead of doing the job themselves, the plants
rely on fungal partners in crime.
Fungi of the species Laccaria bicolor attach to the roots of the eastern white
pine, where they lure tiny insects commonly known as springtails, says study
leader John N. Klironomos, a soil ecologist. The fungus then kills the
insects, perhaps with a toxin, and sucks up nitrogen from the insects' bodies
to nourish itself. The host plant takes any leftover nitrogen. In
return, the plant supplies the fungi with energy rich carbohydrates.
About 95 percent of plants get nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus with
help from various types of fungi, says Klironomos...Fungi typically attach to
plant roots and then send out fibrous branches, which can infiltrate dead
matter. When that happens, the fungi break down the organic materials
using enzymes and absorb nutrients...To see how much of the plant's nitrogen
came from the insects, the researchers radioactively labeled nitrogen atoms in
the insects' bodies and followed their trails in eastern white pine
seedlings. They found that after 2 months, 25 percent of the plant's
nitrogen had come from the insects. "That's very significant,"
says Gopi K. Pidila, a molecular biologist at Michigan Technological University
in Houghton. "It's almost like (the plant is) actively seeking
nitrogen from the insects and getting it through the fungus"
Evolving US Food Crisis
Continuing to monitor what is happening to our food supply:
21 states are now in severe drought. Many farmers were not able to plant at all this year, and cattlemen have severely reduced their livestock numbers to ensure they have enough water. In exploring tells in the Middle East, it appears that cities vanished in as little as 4 years when severe climate change has interfered with bountiful agriculture! Over the last 12,000 years, all major civilizations and societies have disappeared when agriculture failed – usually because of climate change. This drought will have lasting affects for years to come.
In what possibly may be America’s biggest blunder,
agribusiness has successfully lobbied for massive amounts of money to build
massive ethanol plants craving for corn – our main food staple. To learn how insensible this move is, you
can read a comprehensive, well written and well researched report written by Alice Friedemann here.
Already, because of the lure of higher
corn prices driven by ethanol demand, many farmers are moving away from soybean
production into corn.
Results of this move into ethanol are already affecting poorer nations of the world as the US outbids corn producers to feed ethanol plants. Read an article by Noam Chompsky how a 50% increase in corn tortilla prices in areas of Mexico spawned massive protests requiring government intervention here.
We Are What We Eat
Aaron Lucich, a film director, is putting together a movie
called "We are what we eat". He will be submitting the movie at
the Sundance Film
Festival this fall. It's not finished
but he has a 15 minute preview that is very thought-provoking. The short
includes interviews with ecologists, farmers, medical doctors and scientists. Here is the preview: http://wearewhatweeatthemovie.com/short.htm
An Inconvenient Truth II
The last two newsletters referred to a recent book, The Hundred Year Lie, by Randall Fitzgerald ( www.hundredyearlie.com ). In this well researched book, Fitzgerald summarizes conclusions derived from reports and studies all pointing to this: chemicals in everyday products are ruining your health. Most every paragraph of the book points out astounding facts or reports summaries that show this to be true.
Although the previous summaries of the book should have been shocking to all, perhaps the most shocking is that synthetic chemicals are now threatening the future existence of humanity! “Medical scientists rarely make alarmist statements or apocalyptic predictions to the public in fear of ridicule or being ostracized by their peers. Sounding an alarm about the link between synthetic chemicals and infertility, forty U.S. and Canadian physicians and scientists representing the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Stanford University’s School of Medicine, Harvard’s school of Public Health, and a dozen other prominent research institutions signed and released a public statement in October 2005 affirming key findings in this book.” The book goes on to list the points of the statement; it all comes down to synthetic chemicals are a major threat to humanity and wildlife interfering with fertility, causing birth defects and demasculiniztion. The joint declaration is knows as “The Vallombrosa Consensus Statement on Environmental Contaminants.”
So there you have it. You may survive An Inconvenient Truth I, climate change and resulting environmental change, but unless you do something to rid your body of these chemicals, you will be sickened or die by them. That’s An Inconvenient Truth II! You may have an impact on Truth I by reducing your carbon footprint, but you may not see it in your lifetime. With Truth II, you can take total control – see below!
“It is well known that chemicals cause 95% of all cancers caused by humans.” -2001 US patent owned by Lifelink Pharmaceuticals, Inc. entitled Epithelial Cell Cancer Cure.
This poisoning of the world also happens to be an inconvenient truth for chemical manufacturers. Read how 3M in Minnesota is now being taken to task for contaminating groundwater and entire communities with residents finding a smoking gun for the possible (probable?) reason why they are so sick and cancerous here. Be sure to read the related links at the bottom page to understand the consternation of these communities whom lived with a multinational giant in their back yard they thought was benevolent and benign only to learn it may have been the unspoken of elephant in local child delivery and hospital rooms and morgues.
The Ultimate Detox Solution – Liquid Zeolite from Waiora – Natural Cellular Defense*
Detoxification strategies and methods have been around for a long time, and I am sure you have heard of them or possibly participated in one or more. Some are home kits, some are retreats such as the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida or the Optimum Health Institute in California and Texas. Dr. Schulze promotes many herbal detoxifications to restore health. The problem with most of these strategies is they require lots of time, possibly travel, require dietary changes, are expensive, may cause you to get sicker as the toxins are leaving your body, and according to some, no detox gets rid of all heavy metals and other synthetic chemicals.
EDTA Chelation therapy removes heavy metals but also removes calcium and magnesium causing problems for those doing multiple sessions. And until this point, no detox binds to and removes synthetic chemicals although they may coax them out of your cells.
Now comes zeolite in a new and activated form – nature’s method of sequestering heavy metals. Zeolites are cage like crystalline structures that are formed when lava hits water. The cages just happen to be negatively charged and are sized to fit – and capture – heavy metals. They have been used for years in agriculture to address fields high in heavy metals, they were used to clean up the Chernobyl radiation disaster, and they are used to line the glass containers that radioactive waste is stored in. In all these applications, there is varied success depending upon how many of the cages are occupied with heavy metals already, as only empty cages can take on more heavy metals.
Zeolite Structure
A recent discovery found how to empty the cages and thus fully “activate” zeolite through heat and acetic acid (vinegar)!! Furthermore, the discovery also micronized it so it is colloidal in water. So now this liquid form of zeolite can be ingested in a product considered by the FDA as completely safe (listed as “Generally Regarded as Safe” or GRAS). When ingested, the zeolite attracts heavy metals and captures them in the cage for elimination from your body. Moreover, two zeolite molecules effectively capture synthetic chemicals and again make them available for elimination from your body.
So now you have one product that can be used to effectively remove heavy metals (it does not remove Calcium and Magnesium – they don’t fit in the cage) and synthetic chemicals from your body! It is a liquid that can be taken in any form – directly, in your drink, or on your food. No special diet is required, no traveling or time off, no other inconvenience. Liquid zeolite then exists your body in 4 to 7 hours.
The beautiful thing about this, too, is that it is entirely testable. You can measure the toxins (a very expensive test) and heavy metals (~$135) in you body, you can measure them in your feces and urine as they are coming out, and you can measure the toxicity of your body after detox. These studies have been done with this product, and they prove the zeolite is working as claimed.
Dr. Gabriel Cousens M.D.,
M.D. (H), D.D. of the Tree of Life
Rejuvenation Center in Arizona said that Natural
Cellular Defense is the only product (herb, food, superfood, clay, etc.) he has
ever found, that can remove all 14 of the major pesticides he tests people for.
In fact, nothing else is even close.
And here is a testimonial from David Wolfe, the author of Naked Chocolate, Eating For Beauty and The Sunfood
Diet Success System: “I was tested recently for a wide panel of viruses,
bacteria, pesticides, toxic metals, etc. and came up zero on both heavy metals
and pesticides. This is a shocking and unusual result in our toxic world. I
suspect that this result is in large part due to taking 20-50 drops of Natural
Cellular Defense nearly every day, with my water, for the previous six months
leading up to the testing.”
Everybody needs this, because everybody (except for a short time until he is exposed again, David Wolfe) is toxic. If you have had a high exposure to heavy metals or toxins at any time in your life, you particularly need this.
The truth is that for healthy living into the foreseeable future, this type of toxin elimination will continue to be necessary. Not only are these chemicals not going away in or environment, but they continue to be manufactured and used throughout the world!
Waiora’s Natural Cellular Defence Liquid Zeolite 15ml bottle can be purchased online here or here for $49.95 plus shipping, handling and tax, or we are carrying it at the farm for $45.- One bottle lasts one month at a 3 drop 3 times a day maintenance level. At the recommended 10 drop 3 times a day detox level, it lasts about 1/3 of a month.
The most complete website about Natural Cellular Defense (Liquid Zeolite) is:http://www.liquidzeolite.org Other websites with great info:http://www.cancerfightingstrategies.com/zeolite.htmlhttp://www.zeoliteinfo.comhttp://shop4health.info/INTERVIEW.htm
http://zeoliteautismstudy.com/1-Rik-clips.htm
http://www.celestialshaman.com/scripts/Wiaora_Natural_Cellular_Defense_WhitePaper.pdf
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Are Children More Vulnerable to Pesticides?
From Earthbound Farm’s website (www.earthboundfarm.com):
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recently issued
its final draft of revised cancer assessment guidelines. This draft updates
guidelines developed in 1986 [Note the date here! – it is now 2007. Have you been told about this? Apparently, it is still a “draft” version!],
based on new scientific understanding of how cancer is caused and the effects of
cancer-causing substances on different groups, such as children. When finalized,
the new guidelines will apply to pesticides and other chemicals that may be
released into the environment. Government analysis on which the new standards
are based shows the following:
• Children accumulate half of their lifetime
cancer risk by age two.
• On average, children up to age two are 10
times more vulnerable to cancer-causing chemicals than adults.
• Some cancer-causing substances are up to 65
times more potent for infants than adults.
• Children from age 2 to 15 are 3 times more
vulnerable to carcinogens than adults.
• Children are exposed to more cancer-causing
substances because pound for pound, they eat more food and breathe more air
than adults do.
• Children's bodies can't process or get rid of
toxins as easily as adults.
• Children's organ's continue to grow for years
after birth and are easily damaged by chemicals in their food and in their
environment.
• Early exposures give cancers time to develop.
Cancers are not caused by one event or one chemical; they grow over time. Over
the years, new exposures may trigger cancers in cells damaged during childhood.
Source:
CHEC (Children's Health Environmental Coalition)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
How are kids exposed to pesticides?
From Earthbound Farm’s website (www.earthboundfarm.com):
• A study conducted by the Department of Public
Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of
Washington measured pesticide exposure of pre-school children in Seattle,
Washington. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected from 18 children with
organic diets and 21 children with conventional diets.
The study found that metabolite concentrations
indicating organophosphorus (OP) pesticide exposure were approximately six
times higher for children with conventional diets than for children with
organic diets.
Diet, not environmental exposure, appears to have been
the primary pathway for OP pesticide exposure for the children in this study.
Results suggest that consumption of organic fruits, vegetables, and juices can
reduce children's exposure levels from above to below the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's current guidelines, thereby shifting exposures from a range
of uncertain risk to a range of negligible risk.
Source: "Organophosphorus pesticide exposure of
urban and suburban pre-school children with organic and conventional
diets" Cynthia L. Curl, Richard A. Fenske, and Kai Elgethun, Department of
Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
14741 Lawrence Lake Rd SE
Yelm, WA 98597
360-894-0707
M-F 9-5, except W 9-6
Sat 10-5
Sun 10-4