TDG ~ Telling the Bees When David’s sister sent me this story yesterday, I immediately felt called to share it here. I was running out the door to give a presentation, though, so I made a mental note to post for later. While waiting on the porch for my ride, two notifications came through from a blog called “The Bees Knees,” linking to two pages on my own blog. Not only did “The Bees Knees” seem like a message, but the post itself was unusual even for that blogger: “I normally read Tyberonn’s posts on Spirit Library, but this is a link to Laura Bruno’s Blog (27 October article) that has this wonderful affirmation.” OK, bees, you’ve got my attention, and I am now keeping my word by sharing the article and link back to the original. Telling the Bees posted by Shadows Bees figure largely in folklore although these days people are mostly uninterested in the old stories of how bees are an important part of our society. But what happened next convinced me like nothing else ever could.
Colony Collapse Disorder Is a Fraud: Pesticides Cause Bee Die-Offs Heidi Stevenson, Green Med InfoWaking Times Years ago, Gaia Health informed that bee dieoffs are a direct result of pesticide nerve agents called neonicotinoids. The term, Colony Collapse Disorder, is fraudulent, designed to direct attention from the known cause. The massive bee die-off is not a great mystery. Although the bee die-offs that have occurred recently are more severe, there have been many in the past from the same and similar products. Clothianidin and imidacloprid are both members of a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids. We have been pointing out the risks of neonicotinoids for almost 10 years now. Not a Surprise That neonicotinoids are potent neurotoxins, especially in insects, is unsurprising. There are many problems with this. Even then, it’s impossible to believe that a fair amount of these pesticides won’t become airborne. Pharmaceutical Connection Here’s a list of corporations — not expected to be complete — that profit in both pharmaceuticals and pesticides:
Grow Your Own Bee Garden: 7 Tips for a Bee-Friendly Habitat Planting a bee garden is becoming increasingly important as across our planet, bees are thought to be suffering increased stress as a result of global warming, and the effect that this has on flowering times and nectar availability. It will take many generations of bees to evolve into stronger colonies able to deal with the change in climate. We depend on the work of bees and other insects more than most of us realise; almost 70% of the food we consume relies on pollination from insects, and bees are a critical part of this army of fertilizers. Meanwhile there is plenty we can do to help. Whether we live in an urban area or deep in the countryside, we can actively encourage bees to thrive in the vicinity of our homes by creating a bee garden, however small that might be! 7 eazzzy tips for your bee gardenCreate a bee garden and plant bee -friendly flowers and shrubs. What plants do you plan to include in your bee garden? Suggested reading from the garden section of Natural Mothers Store
Ten Commandments of Butterfly Gardening Are Mushrooms the Solution to the Worldwide Bee Colony Collapse? Jefferey Jaxen, ContributorWaking Times As humanity becomes more conscious to the language of nature, it is clear that mushrooms in their many forms come in peace and are here to help. The uses, benefits, and applications of mushrooms currently seem to be limitless cutting across all industries, cultures, and modalities. Embraced by the medical community, gardeners, architects, spiritualist, religions and others, their boundaries are yet to be found. The intricate matrix of mushroom mycelium under our feet represents rebirth, rejuvenation, and regeneration. It waits patiently to reveal secrets for those with the courage to sidestep mainstream assumptions in search of something better. Presenting at the recent Bioneers Annual Conference, Paul Stamets gave bombshell evidence that there is hope for bees, colony collapse, and our entire ecosystem. It has also been confirmed in previous tests that fungicidal contamination reduces beneficial fungi in honey bee colonies. Additional Sources:
Sacred Lessons from the Bees, Honey Flows, and Honey Harvesting | The Druid's Garden I’ve been making the transition to Pennsylvania and to my new life here (I spoke of this transition in an earlier blog post). Sorry for the delay in a regular weekly post–I’m back on track now, and have many wonderful things to share with you in the coming weeks. Today I’m going to talk about bees and share photos of my first honey harvest. Bees moving to their new home in early May! I’ve now been a beekeeper for over a year, and I have begun to deeply resonate with the honeybee. One of the decisions I made, in my transition from my 3 acre homestead to small-town renting (renting until I find my new land) was to keep my two beehives. Beekeeping Ethically I’ve become very vigilant about the protection of bees. Beekeeping class I gave recently! Beekeepers are faced with a lot of choices and the “standard” approach advocated in many books is not the best–its very similar to the choices one faces with other kinds of farming or animal husbandry. Protecting Bees more Broadly Bees as Alchemists
How to Start a Vegetable Garden - Vegetable Garden Plans Even if you've never tried growing food, there are good reasons to sacrifice some of that green carpet for a starter bed. First, chances are you don't use your lawn as much as you think—how long has it been since you played Frisbee out there? Second, most turfgrass has a thirst that can only be satiated by overhead sprinklers, which lose a lot of water to evaporation and runoff; veggies, by contrast, can be watered by efficient drip irrigation. Then there's dealing with the weeds, the grubs, and the chemicals needed to keep that grass glossy. If you're going to put that much effort into your yard, why not get a little payback? Finding the right spot is simple. The most effective way to dig up a patch of lawn is to rototill it, which will remove the turfgrass and allow you to mix in soil amendments at the same time. It's essential that you clear your bed of as many weeds as possible, especially perennial monsters such as Bermuda grass, dandelions, and bindweed. Three Edible Layouts
gardening Planting Plant 2 seeds per small starting pot, or scatter seeds across the top of the mix in a seed tray. Lightly tamp them in place and cover them with more mix to the recommended depth given on the seed packet. Moisten the soil on top but don’t overwater it. Label the container or tray with the plant name and planting date. You can find plant labels at nurseries and home stores, but popsicle sticks also work well. At this point you may want to cover the seeds with plastic wrap or a plastic cover to help keep the soil damp and warm, which will speed germination. Keep the soil temperature above 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) for heat-loving warm-season plants by setting them on a heating mat or on top of a water heater or refrigerator. Watering from a tray placed under the seedling containers is good way to keep the soil moist but not overly wet. Caring for Seedlings Transferring to Larger Pots Tempting as this is, especially if the seedlings look crowded, be patient.
Windowsill Sprouting my way through the Winter. My orchids are dark speckled and bruised from the cold. The flowery Lantana shrubs are like coarse twine unraveled in a pile on the ground. The tall ornamental grasses, which I love for their swaying grace, stand in stiff bunches like little scarecrows scattered across the lawn. My windowsill, on the other hand, is more alive than ever- with lentil sprouts galore! Tricking yourself into thinking its springtime is one way of looking at it, but sprouting lentils is also a great way to add a super fresh, nutrient packed component to a meal or salad. Lentils help cleanse and stimulate the kidneys and adrenal system, strengthen the heart and circulation and increase energy and vitality. The sprouting process is super easy, and though today we’re talking about lentil sprouts, you can use this process to sprout many other seeds and beans (alfalfa, clover, mung, garbanzo, lentil, sunflower). The next morning your beans will be nice and plump. There are a million ways to eat them.
11 Plants That Repel Mosquitoes The days are finally getting longer, the snow is (slowly!) beginning to melt, and spring officially arrives in just a few days! While the prospect of warmer weather has us all a bit giddy, we can’t forget the unwelcome intruders that tag along with the sunny summer weather. Yes, we are talking about mosquitoes, and everybody knows that they can be a huge nuisance. However, using chemical products to keep them away is not on the top of everyone’s wish list. Read on for some ideas of plants that repel mosquitoes – naturally! Citronella Chances are, you’ve heard of this one before- it’s one of the most common ingredients in most mosquito repellents. You can actually buy live citronella plants from this page on Amazon. Lemon Balm Another great choice for a mosquito repelling plant is lemon balm. Catnip Your feline friends will be happy to know that catnip is a great mosquito deterrent! Marigolds A bright, hardy annual plant, marigolds are a great choice for repelling mosquitoes. Basil Lavender
El invento ecológico que destronó al iPad Quizás no conozcas el invento que fue elegido el mejor del año 2012 por la revista Popular Science por delante del mismísimo iPad. Es Groasis Waterboxx, el invento de Pieter Hoff, un empresario holandés que tuvo una magnífica visión al observar una gota de rocío sobre el pétalo de una flor. Algo tan sencillo llevó a Hoff a plantearse si podría crear algo que recogiera a gran escala, igual que lo hacía la flor, la humedad del ambiente, y poder así llegar a plantar árboles en lugares de extrema sequía. Gracias a su invento, con una eficacia del 90%, hoy están creciendo árboles en el desierto del Sáhara o en el desierto de Los Monegros. Por 270 dólares se pueden comprar 10 cajas. María Mazariegos de ideas4all Artículos relacionados: Top 10 Recommended Grasses Grow Posted By Andrew McIndoe @ 7:41 on August 17th 2015 Category: Blog, Ornamental grasses Our Top 10 Recommended Grasses Grow Love them or loathe them, grasses have become essential subjects in today’s planting palette, mainly because they mix well with perennials in prairie style schemes, adding light height and movement, especially later in the year. I have resisted writing about grasses to grow with perennials, maybe that’s a subject for another time. Instead I’ve chosen my top ten grasses that I reckon fit into any garden. Over the past few years I have come across many planting schemes which are grass-heavy. Designers love them and plant them in great drifts, most have clearly never divided a miscanthus after a couple of years. Phalaris arundinacea ‘Feesey’ My first choice is the grass I knew as a kid as gardener’s garters. Stipa tenuissima I first came across this wispy, gossamer grass on a trip to France. Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ Stipa gigantea Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ Further Study
Most Expensive Specialty Crops in the World - Insider Monkey Growing fruits and vegetables in the home garden is becoming an increasingly popular secondary income source for many people, but what are the most expensive specialty crops in the world and how much profit can they bring a small farmer? While grains and even pricey vegetables like asparagus or cherry tomatoes can boost your regular salary by investing little time and money, the reality is that the market is full of home-grown, organic crop suppliers. Specialty crops, on the other hand, can reap up to $60,000 per acre and require the same caretaking as common vegetables. In a previous article we talked about the 10 most common genetically modified foods and how they’re affecting human health. Due to this, the organic food market is growing significantly, but the biggest earnings remain on a different spectrum. Take a look at our list of the most expensive specialty crops in the worlds and how much you can really earn by selling them. 7. Estimated price per pound: $18 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.
Container gardening vegetables indoor outdoor gardens Container gardening is an easy way to garden, especially when you lack yard space. Here are our recommendations on which vegetable varieties are container-friendly—and which container types are most suitable for each veggie. For supplies, you only need a good container, the right soil mix, and appropriate seed (or transplant) varieties. In addition to providing 5 hours or more of full sun, watering is critical. You may need to water daily or twice daily; in hot weather the soil can dry out quickly. Beans, snap Container: 5-gallon window box Varieties: Bush 'Blue Lake', Bush 'Romano', 'Tender Crop' Broccoli Container: 1 plant/5 gallon pot, 3 plants/15-gallon tub Varieties: 'DeCicco', 'Green Comet' Carrots Container: 5-gallon window box at least 12 inches deep Varieties: 'Danvers Half Long', 'Short 'n Sweet', 'Tiny Sweet' Cucumbers Container: 1 plant/1-gallon pot Varieties: 'Patio Pik', 'Pot Luck', 'Spacemaster' Eggplant Container: 5-gallon pot Varieties: 'Black Beauty', 'Ichiban', 'Slim Jim'