Re: NM Sustainable Ag Conference update

[Hugh Lovel]

Dear Pat,

Does the appropriate person know I hope to have a booth? And do they have
my bio and a brief description of my talk(s)? I'm not clear on this.

Also I will just be getting back from Hawaii and driving to Moriarty. When
should I be there and how do I find the place and the right people? I might
not have the luxury of linking up with you beforehand, while afterward I
have a chance to visit, put up your broadcaster, etc.

Best,
Hugh






>Hi Hugh,
> Here is the latest on the conference.
>
>Moriarty Farmer?s Market Conference Update
>
>12-30-2002
>Hi to everyone presenting and/or having a booth,
>Everything is moving along nicely for the conference and with little less
>than a
>month to go, several items need to be addressed. If you are a presenter, I
>need
>your bio (25 to 50 words) by January 7th as will be printing the conference
>program January 10th. Also needed for the program is any advertising ad
>copy for
>donors/sponsors. If you are a speaker/sponsor/donator and are going to have a
>booth, I need to know by the 7th so your booth is located on the program
>map for
>booths. This may seem like a lot to some of you, but remember it is one person
>who is putting all this together and timeliness is imperative.
>
>Below are verified donations for the door prizes and raffle items with more
>coming in:
>Harris Seeds: $100 gift certificate for seed purchase
>Broomes Feed: 10 ‡ lb. packets of pepper seeds
>Farm to Table: 2 T-shirts
>NM Farmer?s Market Association: 1 apron and 1 hat
>NM Organic Commodity Commission: 2 tickets for a seminar at Glorietta
>Barefoot Farmer: 1 Book ? The Barefoot Farmer? ISBN 0-9721378-0-7
>The Rodale Institute: 1 Book ? Empty Breadbasket; The Coming Challenge to
>America?s Food Supply and What We Can Do About It.?, and 1 Video ? A World of
>Sense; The life journey of Bob Rodale?
>Indiana Berry and Plant Company: Good and generous assortment of cucurbit
>seeds
>Peaceful Valley: TBA
>Johnny?s Seeds: TBA
>Seeds of Change: TBA
>
>Many thanks must also be given to local sponsors Estancia Cooperative
>Extension,
>NM Farmer?s Market Association, Organic Commodity Commission, Edgewood
>Soil and
>Water Conservation District and East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation
>District. We still have some tentative sponsors and those that add sponsorship
>will be listed in the conference program.
>
>Only two changes to the conference schedule. John McMullin of Embudo
>Turkey Farm
>will not be presenting. He has had a once on a lifetime opportunity offered to
>him visiting Antarctica and has all my blessings on going on that
>adventure. He
>will be speaking at one (or more) of the classes that will be held in
>conjunction with the Farmer?s Market.
>
>Replacing him is Theresa Gonzales Connaughton, newly elected President of the
>Santa Fe Farmer?s Market Institute and wife of Martin Connaughton, owner of
>Wilderness Flowers. She will be taking the 8am slot in Room B with the
>presentation ?The role of Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute in Sustaining NM
>agriculture?.
>
>The 1 pm, Room B slot is being filled with longtime La Montanita produce
>manger
>Dan Schuster. Look for an exciting announcement from Dan in the near
>future! His
>presentation is ? From the Field to Your Pocket, Marketing for Profit?.
>
>On the Farmer?s Market side of things, I?m organizing 5 trips throughout
>NM this
>year. These are for the benefit of farmers participating in NM?s Farmer?s
>Markets. If you have or know of a farm that would be a good location to visit,
>let me know.
>
>That?s it for now. Look for another update next Monday, as we get closer
>to this
>awesome event.
>
>Pat Maas
>Moriarty Farmer?s Market Conference
>505-832-1989

Visit our website at: www.unionag.org

Re: more buggy questions

[The Korrows]

> But why now? there isn't anything for them to eat, and it's too cold
> for them to be very active, yet year after year, they always do it.

The ladybugs have been coming out around here also. Insects are very much
connected to the temp, though to understand this relationship we have to
expand our concept a bit. It's not just the temp from a maximum temp point
of view but also from the duration of sustained average temp plus an
internal mechanism that has been bound to their preys temp tolerance and
cycles for a millennium.
If it's happening inside your house it could be a false signal their getting
since the temps in the walls are obviously higher than the ones in say a
barn or a trees bark.Consequentially there are allot of dead ladybugs in the
house from about now till spring. They don't have any food. If it's
happening outside, all one has to do is look close enough & you'll find that
there is something there to sustain them. Insects are incredibly 2
dimensional, food and sex is virtually what they live for. (sounds a little
too much like much humanity for my comfort).

In Love and Light,
(Mr.) Chris

Penn State and Biodynamic Viticuluture Jan 28-29, Middletown, PA

[bdnow]

January 28 - 29 
A meeting to discuss alternative viticulture will be offered by Penn 
State Cooperative Extension of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The goal of 
the meeting is to bring perspective and information to the often 
fuzzy realm of non-conventional commercial viticulture, including 
sustainable, organic and biodynamic methods. Recently, there has been 
a tremendous interest in these new techniques of farming wine grapes. 
It is the objective of this meeting to give sound and practical 
information on subjects that exist outside of our customary 
agricultural experience, and are too often tainted with hyperbole. A 
group of serious individuals, researchers, growers, vendors and 
extension agents will present their views and experience of this new 
frontier in grape growing. It is hoped that, armed with this 
information, new and experienced growers will be able to decide for 
themselves if they want to employ these practices on their own farms.

This is a day and a half meeting, which will be held at the Spring 
Garden Conference Center in Middletown, PA, just east of Harrisburg. 
The cost will be approximately $100 per person for both days, which 
includes coffee, continental breakfast, drinks and snacks on both 
days, and lunch on the first day.  A list of motels and restaurants 
in the area list will be provided with registration materials. For 
more information and registration, please contact Mark Chien at 
717-394-6851 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED] 

Speakers will include Gunther Hauk of the Pfeiffer Center (NY), 
William Brinton from Woods End Research Lab (ME), Vicki Bess from BBC 
Labs (AZ), Al MacDonald, president of Oregon LIVE, Alan York, a 
private biodynamic consultant (CA), Alice Wise, viticulture extension 
agent for Cornell University on Long Island (NY), Don Lotter from the 
Rodale Institute (PA), as well as local (eastern U.S.) growers with 
experience in using alternative viticulture in their vineyards

 Travis and Elwin Stewart will offer updates on their research 
activities, including results from two years of compost trials on 
commercial cooperator plots.

Pre-registration deadline is Jan 17.

Re: CSA's

[Allan Balliett]

Another group's discussion turned to CSA last couple of days. Now
I'm intrigued, I know biodynamic farming was where the concept
probably began so I was wondering how many list members either
operate a CSA or belong to one?


Martha - I've operated CSA's for the past 4 years and plan to again this year.
CSA came to this country through the enlightened  3-Fold economic 
concepts of Steiner. Almost immediately, Robyn Van En started an 
American CSA movement, which was much more communal than today's 
typical CSA, but not as value-oriented as the Steiner CSA's. 
Unfortunatelly, the US Biodynamic Association was very ambivalent in 
their support for a national CSA program and we've seen CSA's move 
from a community movement that supports farmers to 'just another tool 
in the market farmers bag of marketing tools.'

The common enlightened definition of CSA is this one found at the 
Robyn Van En center page: http://www.csacenter.org

CSA is a relationship of mutual support and commitment between local 
farmers and community members who pay the farmer an annual 
membership fee to cover the production costs of the farm. In turn, 
members receive a weekly share of the harvest during the local 
growing season. The arrangement guarantees the farmer financial 
support and enables many small- to moderate-scale organic family 
farms to remain in business. Ultimately, CSA creates 
"agriculture-supported communities" where members receive a wide 
variety of foods harvested at their peak of ripeness, flavor and 
vitamin and mineral content. 

In reality, in America today, there are cooperatives posing as CSAs, 
and many farms advertise their CSA as the Blue Ridge Center is 
advertising next year's CSA: ' This season we will offer a farm 
market, pick your own flowers and fruit, sales to restaurants, and a 
CSA!"

The availability of more 'organic' produce in local grocery stores 
will undoubtedly bring more stress to CSA's farmers in the near 
future.

To learn more about 'real CSA,' read Trauger Groh and Steve 
McFadden's swell 'Farms of the Future Revisted.' The vision in this 
book is truly inspiring and is a sad testament to what the world lost 
when this the CSA concept became dissipated.

Thankfully, some of the NE CSA members on this list can say that CSA 
life is still pristine for them and that does make me happy.



I have a table of what one farm offers and it's really not much food
for what they ask for subscriptions. 5 winter squash, 3 eggplants, 1
melon, etc.
Does this sound like reasonable harvests or rather skimpy ones?



Our goal has always been 1 bushel of seasonal produce per week per 
share. We have a 20week season. If I could harvest winter squash, 
eggplants and melon in the same week (and I guess I could if the 
weather stayed warm through September or I planted my winter squash 
earlier), I'd probably would throw in  a couple of heads of heirloom 
lettuce, a bunch of chard and a bunch of kale and call that a share. 
(And keep all the beans and raab and beets and carrots and herbs and 
so on for myself...and the soup kitchens!!)

Our share will be around $400 this season. We've done price-outs on 
share boxes before and our produce is always cheaper than the market, 
PLUS the shareholder gains a dividend of freshness, wholesomeness and 
the common sense bonus of letting their money support someone who is 
tending the local viewshed rather than fatcats in broker offices in 
California.

-Allan

Re: more buggy questions

[Allan Balliett]

But why now? there isn't anything for them to eat, and it's too cold
for them to be very active, yet year after year, they always do it.


Martha - I don't know texas, but our piles of winter lady bugs only 
started a couple of years ago. Have they been happening there for 
longer? I actually saw piles of Boxelder bugs on a the side of the 
barn last week...

Re: NM Sustainable Ag Conference update

[Scakya]

Hi Hugh,
 Here is the latest on the conference.

Moriarty Farmer?s Market Conference Update

12-30-2002
Hi to everyone presenting and/or having a booth,
Everything is moving along nicely for the conference and with little less than a
month to go, several items need to be addressed. If you are a presenter, I need
your bio (25 to 50 words) by January 7th as will be printing the conference
program January 10th. Also needed for the program is any advertising ad copy for
donors/sponsors. If you are a speaker/sponsor/donator and are going to have a
booth, I need to know by the 7th so your booth is located on the program map for
booths. This may seem like a lot to some of you, but remember it is one person
who is putting all this together and timeliness is imperative. 

Below are verified donations for the door prizes and raffle items with more
coming in:
Harris Seeds: $100 gift certificate for seed purchase
Broomes Feed: 10 ½ lb. packets of pepper seeds
Farm to Table: 2 T-shirts
NM Farmer?s Market Association: 1 apron and 1 hat
NM Organic Commodity Commission: 2 tickets for a seminar at Glorietta 
Barefoot Farmer: 1 Book ? The Barefoot Farmer? ISBN 0-9721378-0-7
The Rodale Institute: 1 Book ? Empty Breadbasket; The Coming Challenge to
America?s Food Supply and What We Can Do About It.?, and 1 Video ? A World of
Sense; The life journey of Bob Rodale?
Indiana Berry and Plant Company: Good and generous assortment of cucurbit seeds
Peaceful Valley: TBA
Johnny?s Seeds: TBA 
Seeds of Change: TBA

Many thanks must also be given to local sponsors Estancia Cooperative Extension,
NM Farmer?s Market Association, Organic Commodity Commission, Edgewood Soil and
Water Conservation District and East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation
District. We still have some tentative sponsors and those that add sponsorship
will be listed in the conference program.

Only two changes to the conference schedule. John McMullin of Embudo Turkey Farm
will not be presenting. He has had a once on a lifetime opportunity offered to
him visiting Antarctica and has all my blessings on going on that adventure. He
will be speaking at one (or more) of the classes that will be held in
conjunction with the Farmer?s Market.

Replacing him is Theresa Gonzales Connaughton, newly elected President of the
Santa Fe Farmer?s Market Institute and wife of Martin Connaughton, owner of
Wilderness Flowers. She will be taking the 8am slot in Room B with the
presentation ?The role of Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute in Sustaining NM
agriculture?.

The 1 pm, Room B slot is being filled with longtime La Montanita produce manger
Dan Schuster. Look for an exciting announcement from Dan in the near future! His
presentation is ? From the Field to Your Pocket, Marketing for Profit?.

On the Farmer?s Market side of things, I?m organizing 5 trips throughout NM this
year. These are for the benefit of farmers participating in NM?s Farmer?s
Markets. If you have or know of a farm that would be a good location to visit,
let me know. 

That?s it for now. Look for another update next Monday, as we get closer to this
awesome event.

Pat Maas
Moriarty Farmer?s Market Conference
505-832-1989

more buggy questions

[flylo]

Not that we've had too terribly cold weather so far, only some frosty 
nights, but everyone's insect sitings made me want to ask the list 
about my ladybugs. Every November thru January, they hatch out 
in droves. In the framework of my windowsills, around the edges of 
anything remotely still like the south side of the house. I think 
they've got future generations nestled in the insulation underneath 
somewhere.
But why now? there isn't anything for them to eat, and it's too cold 
for them to be very active, yet year after year, they always do it. 

I just now saw a very fresh (very large) snake skin so maybe their 
sole reason is to give the other cold blooded creatures something 
to feed on during the 'off season'. 

CSA's

[flylo]

Another group's discussion turned to CSA last couple of days. Now 
I'm intrigued, I know biodynamic farming was where the concept 
probably began so I was wondering how many list members either 
operate a CSA or belong to one? 
I have a table of what one farm offers and it's really not much food 
for what they ask for subscriptions. 5 winter squash, 3 eggplants, 1 
melon, etc. 
Does this sound like reasonable harvests or rather skimpy ones? 

Fwd: OFF: Need help with color work on the chakras

[bdnow]

Status:  U
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 10:13:42 -0800 (PST)
From: Michael Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Request Please
To: Allan Balliett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=10.0
	tests=none
	version=2.43
X-Spam-Level:

Allan,

I need someone who can help with color work on the chakras.  Are you 
able to recommend anyone with whom I can communicate via email?

Thanks,

Michael



Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! 
Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. 
Sign up 
now

Re: Observed today, Dec 30 at 10 am

[The Korrows]

> Out feeding the chickens a little late today, ice still in the
> buckets, but the promise of 60+ days between now and the end of the
> week in the air, I saw a brown spider the size of a quarter walking
> slowly, but with intention, across the crusted snow.
>
> Maybe I'm learning the hard way: last February I transplanted tatsoi
> from the greenhouse to beds and lost a great many of them within a
> couple of nights to CUTWORMS. I eventually gave up all of my mystic
> theories on why the plants were whithering or disappearing and took a
> walk in the cold one night. With a flashlight, I saw that almost
> every plant had a large worm working on it. I harvest a handful in a
> 30ft row. All of this, at the time, was well outside of my belief
> system, since I thought that the cold blooded had no choice but to
> slow down when the temperatures were below 40.


Hey Allan, Wrote this last year, the above made me think of it so...

Stilt Bugs
Once again it has happened. The repetition of walking across these fields
though the changing seasons day after day, year after year has been
transformed once again into an awe inspiring event.
Stilt bugs. That's right. Stilt bugs. Do you know what they are? Well
neither did I until tonight. Oh I've seen them plenty of times, flittering
about in the evening sky. Or the occasional loner that gets trapped inside
and bobs around under our reading light in the summer, but I never paid them
much mind until tonight. Why should tonight piquant my interest in these
insignificant little creatures after thirty some odd years of almost
completely ignoring them? Tonight was different. It was about 36 degrees and
the sun was setting, when I pointed out the ever-changing cloud of gnat like
bugs to the kids. Their reaction did not disappoint me. " So? Big deal" they
said. This is the reaction that I had been expecting and I instantly assumed
my alter ego "Jim". "Jim" for those of you who don't know, refers to that
poor guy on the old Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom show that seemed to
always be introduced in a way such as. And now "Jim" will wade into these
crocodile infested waters and bring us out a small (8 foot) croc so that we
can get a closer look at it. Or, now "Jim" will jump off the front end of a
speeding jeep to wrestle down an antelope (with very sharp horns) that is
running approximately 45 mph., so we can fix this radio collar to it. While
the host Merlin Perkins would be watching from a safe distance (very
possibly NY city). Anyway when we come across some unusual critter in the
wild, I become "Jim" to my kids. Admittedly, though these stilt bugs are
about as benign a creature as you are likely to find in the wild and did not
appear to pose the slightest threat whatsoever. Still the spirit of "Jim"
was upon me. I started pointing out to the kids that there was absolutely no
other insect activity anywhere else. "It's too cold for them". And yet these
stilt bugs were buzzing around like it was a balmy evening in July.
Realization quickly blossomed in their cute, little, round faces and their
enthusiasm for this unusual event rose to its ultimate crescendo for a 6 and
an 8 year old, which is. Let's show "Mom"!

I kept marveling over how and why such an event like this would take place
on such a cold evening. Then it became clear to me as if it was a memory of
a time and place long ago that someone has just reminded me of and the
memories came flooding back. This cold evening dance took place to remind us
of the wonders that abound everywhere around us, at all times of the year,
The world is seeped in the miraculous, if we only take the time to see it.

Re: Best Chance to Help Cuban Elementals

[Allan Balliett]

Wouldn't the BDA offer subscriptions to those who can't afford it? Christy


I should have brought the group up to date on this: the BDA has 
offered a subscription to the requesters and, as I understand it, 
backissues to a Cuban university.

Good work on the part of the BDA, eh?

-Allan

Re: Best Chance to Help Cuban Elementals

[The Korrows]

Wouldn't the BDA offer subscriptions to those who can't afford it? Christy

Re: Best Chance to Help Cuban Elementals

[brad rader]

greetings all:
sorry to resend the first message but the original message is now a few
weeks old, so, for this group it's ancient history. my question to everyone
here is: has anyone picked up Carlos' (see original message) challenge? has
anyone donated a subscription? i never saw a response even in the negative
regarding this request. it seemed to suffer from the old Egyptian 'Mosiac
death by silence'. or perhaps no one felt it was a particularly worthwhile
cause?

- Original Message -
From: Allan Balliett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 7:13 PM
Subject: Best Chance to Help Cuban Elementals


> Friends -
>
> Today I received a postcard from Carlos Alberta Hernandez M.S. of
> Villa Clara, Cuba. I am unable to assit him. Hopefully, someone on
> the list can step up to making this important publication available
> to this interested person in Cuba. -Allan
>
> He says:
>
> Dear Allan Balliett
> estimated (sic) colleague.
>
> Please, if available I need a free subscription to BIODYNAMICS:
> Farming in the 21st Century.
>
> Faithfully Yours,
>
> Carlos Alberta Hernandez M.Sc.
> Independeucia #126-B
> Camajuaui 52500
> Villa Clara, Cuba
>

Phil Forbes

[Allan Balliett]

Does anyone have contact info for former Forntie Herb Farm Farm 
Manager, Phil Forbes. If you do, please pass it on to me off-line at 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Thanks -Allan Balliett

Observed today, Dec 30 at 10 am

[Allan Balliett]

Out feeding the chickens a little late today, ice still in the 
buckets, but the promise of 60+ days between now and the end of the 
week in the air, I saw a brown spider the size of a quarter walking 
slowly, but with intention, across the crusted snow.

Maybe I'm learning the hard way: last February I transplanted tatsoi 
from the greenhouse to beds and lost a great many of them within a 
couple of nights to CUTWORMS. I eventually gave up all of my mystic 
theories on why the plants were whithering or disappearing and took a 
walk in the cold one night. With a flashlight, I saw that almost 
every plant had a large worm working on it. I harvest a handful in a 
30ft row. All of this, at the time, was well outside of my belief 
system, since I thought that the cold blooded had no choice but to 
slow down when the temperatures were below 40.