Green Pioneer

And let's keep working and praying toward peace, repentance, good works and grace this Thanksgiving!
God Bless!

We so appreciate people who are out there doing that paradigm shift groove thing and coming up with great new ideas and innovations! Since we now have new chicks and more chickens and turkeys on the way, we've been reading up on poultry raising and happened onto several great sights with info on making chicken tractors or 'arks', egg-mobiles or this one...and various styles of coops and hen houses.

Sorry for the absence, but you know how busy Spring can be! The photo above is a view of our 'backyard' now as the leaves are just coming in. Nothing like Spring Green!

So what have we Green Pioneers been up to? We're now making our first go at brooding our own chicks. The children are loving this new form of entertainment! We've also been out foraging fiddleheads that have grown prolifically in the woods on our land!

We have some updates and info to share with you, too!

1. Update on NAIS

From the Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance:

Federal Updates USDA Announces Locations For Listening Sessions USDA is holding a series of listening sessions to get input on NAIS.  USDA and Congress appear to be headed straight towards a mandatory NAIS program.  These listening sessions are an important opportunity to show the widespread opposition to NAIS and to get press attention on this issue!  PLEASE COME! 

You can also submit written comments online - more information is below.

Read Rest of Article

This may sound crazy...what else is new?...but we checked out The Treehouse Book from the library last week and have been inundated with mind-whirring ideas ever since! The co-author, Peter Nelson, has corroborated on the one above and these other two books below as well...and they all have some really great...out on a limb...ideas! Find out more on their Treehouse Workshop, too...

Right now you can 'take a look inside' these books on Amazon, if you'd like to take a peek. It's really amazing what a person can do with a really small space...and a big imagination! On the Out n' About Outfitters site you can find out more on treehouse construction as well as their famous Treehouse Treesort & Institute where you can choose from several styles of treehouse lodging 'amenitrees' and/or attend classes on various aspects of 'elementree' to advanced treehousing.

We're beginning to look at the trees and woods on our land in a whole new light now! Click on the images to take a look at some 'far-up' possibilities.

If you're already wondering where you plan to take the family this summer for vacation, why not skip Disney World and opt instead for a 'Farm House' get-away! Better yet, make it a Working Farm get-away...replete with cozy lodging, lots of fresh air and open spaces...and fresh off the farm fare for all your meals...including a picnic or two!

Blackberry Farm in TN sets the bar, as does Mary Jane's Farm in Idaho, but there are many more nationwide...and even abroad. Check out Homestead on The Romantic Mom for more lovely locales...including Maine, of course!

Well, let's just say that small farmers and backyard gardeners can rest assured that someone got the message about HR 875 and outlawing organic farming.

Why?

Because now they're trying to silence the bleating sheeple into submission by exclaiming that "this was never their intention"...that this hoop-la over HR 875 is just a "myth" and that they have nothing against backyard gardeners..or even organic farmers. They're wondering what "all the ruckus" is about in blog-land. This bill wasn't meant to "hurt" anyone but to "protect" us from large corporate farmers and contamination. What large corporate farmers? The ones beholden to, manipulated and controlled by global, bloated corporate agribusinesses like Monsanto...the company Rosa DeLauro's husband works for?

[From Wikipedia: Stanley Bernard Greenberg (born May 10, 1945) is a leading Democratic pollster and political strategist who has advised the campaigns of the Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry, as well as hundreds of other candidates and organizations in the United States British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He is the founder and CEO of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a polling and consulting firm, and co-founder, with James Carville and Bob Shrum, of Democracy Corps, a non-profit organization which produces left-leaning political strategy. He is married to current Rep. Rosa DeLauro, representative from the Third District from Connecticut.

Greenberg's corporate clients include British Petroleum, British Airways, Monsanto and General Motors. [1] ]


Don't believe it for a second...and we need to keep beating the drums to these politicians. R-Rosa DeLauro, whether she cares to admit it or not, has a major conflict of interest in even introducing a bill like this in the first place given that her husband works for Monsanto. She innocently claims that her hubby has nothing to do with this bill. Fine. It really doesn't matter who her husband is. But 'facts is facts' as they say. The verbiage of HR 875 speaks for itself. We are all fully aware of Monsanto's and all their related cohorts' dirty underhanded tricks. We can see what they have already done to small farmers in other countries around the world. We just witnessed their $1.4 billion CASH purchase of Seminis Seed Co.

We canNOT allow these people to deter and make us feel like idiots because we're alarmed over their outrageous deeds and misdeeds. Crank up the heat and keep it cranked. If Rosa DeLaura means what she says, then she will scrap this bill altogether. Note: she doesn't mention anything about not wanting to harm small farmers. She also never mentions backyard gardeners who might want to sell their produce or save their own seeds either.

Just take a stroll through the bill HR 875 and its implications. It's ALL right there. This frog won't suddenly turn into a prince. Rather it's like boiling the frog in the pot. Put a frog into warm water then slowly turn up the heat until the frog is cooked. That's how these people operate...and the only thing DeLauro's TRULY shocked about is the fact that people are actually onto their scheme...I mean, it's always worked so well before!

Recently my friend, Sherry, alerted us to the Monsanto buy-out of Seminis Seed Co. and how this was affecting one of our local seed companies here in Maine that we use...Fedco.

Fedco Seeds gave the run-down in this article about Monsanto's 1.4 billion dollar CASH payment for Seminis as well as assuming all of their unpaid debt. They do an excellent job of explaining the ramifications of what this means for seed companies and why this is such an ominous problem as they begin to explain the question:

Why Drop Monsanto?

The current industrial seed system rests upon the unholy trinity of biotechnology, corporate concentration and intellectual property rights. Each is mutually reinforcing and none of the three stands without the support of the other two.
Read Article

To me just the fact that Monsanto can slap down that amount of cash in the first place tells us something right there. Then the fact that they would slap down that kind of cash for a SEED COMPANY tells us even more. Please don't even begin to imply that Monsanto has no agenda here.

What I was so heartened to see, though, was that when Fedco polled their customers, they received an overwhelming response...and the major response was not to compromise...which means continuing to provide honest to goodness untainted-by-Monsanto seeds. Which also boils down to telling  Monsanto to take a hike!

Here are some the  responses Fedco provided in the article:

Fedco Drops Monsanto/Seminis

We responded to the news by polling our customers. Should we drop the Seminis/Monsanto line, phase it out, keep it but give it its own customer code, or maintain it without change? We received an unprecedented 1,157 responses. 54.8% voted for us to drop the Seminis/Monsanto line immediately, and an additional 17% to phase it out over time. Many included thought-provoking comments such as these:
• Drop the Seminis varieties unless this puts the entire coop in jeopardy. • Every dollar that goes to Monsanto does not go to a producer who is protective of agriculture, our world, our health. • You don’t need to sell your soul for a Sunsugar. • Let the customers decide! • Phase out as you find quality replacements. • Call upon my sense of adventure to try the new varieties you find! • Unbury the supplier codes and make them more prominent. • Give your customers a choice on their purchases for a transitional period…tax the b…ds for the public good…and spread the money like manure for our new crop of seed providers—breeders, growers and distributors. • It’s a hard thing to fight a Monsanto when we’re so deeply embedded in a system that produces Monsantos. Sort of like Jefferson hating slavery while owning slaves. • Buyers’ choice is real democracy. We, the buyers either keep them in business or put them out of business. • Double the retail price for Monsanto seed and send the additional receipts to those who suffer from Monsanto like Percy Schmeiser. • Monsanto should be Rounded Up and composted. • We’ll survive on the sweet tastiness of the moral high ground.
Read Article

I'm sure this decision's  going to cause Fedco some major readjustments, no small amount of disappointments, a bit of confusion, a likely hit to the bottom line...but at the end of the day, that's OK! Let's not compormise" was the resounding sentiment...and for that sentiment alone among so many is a triumph in and of itself.

The other thing that's really great is that so many more people out there are truly gettin' it...including myself! I haven't understood the whole corporate food dilemma entirely..it's taken me some time to connect all the dots. And I've learned so much about what's at stake not only for us here in America, but for all of us around the world... in really only the past couple of months or so. But now our children are gettin' it too...so much in fact that they call Wal-Mart 'slavery food' and want to pray for small farmers around the world when we say our bedtime prayers. That totally warms my heart and gives me some real hope for the next generation!

So "You GO Fedco" ... we're here to support you! And I hope this can encourage and strengthen all of us to bravely stand firm with our local food, farm, garden, and seed producers and providers as well!

Please tell me... is this your idea of limited government? Is it Republican conservatism...or Democratic liberalism? Or would a more appropriate definition be "Cloaked Corporate Fascism"...what do you think? Is this "protection" or is it really "policing"...where does one draw the line? Should we ask the regular person on the street in Russia, China, or Cuba what they think it is...or where they see the line being drawn?

I sent this e-mail out today:

I can't believe that Olympia Snowe calls herself a Republican... which used to imply limited govt. WHICH also means I voted for her. I'm absolutely cringing inside. She's been nothing but a complete trouble-maker! Now look at who she's in cahoots with!! Of course, the Rockefellers are long entrenched up here in ME so, no wonder...


Should President Obama have the power to shut down domestic Internet traffic during a state of emergency?

Senators John Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) think so. On Wednesday they introduced a bill to establish the Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor—an arm of the executive branch that would have vast power to monitor and control Internet traffic to protect against threats to critical cyber infrastructure. That broad power is rattling some civil libertarians.

A new bill would give the President emergency authority to halt web traffic and access private data. —By Steve Aquino

The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 (PDF) gives the president the ability to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" and shut down or limit Internet traffic in any "critical" information network "in the interest of national security." The bill does not define a critical information network or a cybersecurity emergency. That definition would be left to the president.

The bill does not only add to the power of the president. It also grants the Secretary of Commerce "access to all relevant data concerning [critical] networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule, or policy restricting such access." This means he or she can monitor or access any data on private or public networks without regard to privacy laws.

Rockefeller made cybersecurity one of his key issues as a member of the Senate intelligence committee, which he chaired until last year. He now heads the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which will take up this bill.

Read Article Mother Jones News


Well, we can't have all these people out here questioning Obama's eligibility for the Pres. demanding him to show us "your papers, please" as well as coordinating Tea (Taxed Enough Already) Parties...among stirring up all sorts of other craziness...like opposing NAIS, HR 875, (BTW, turns out another Mainer, Rep.Chellie Pingree-D was one of the 39 who co-sponsored that bill!) and GMO's. We can't have stockholders actually requiring corporate execs to give them real numbers and making wise business decisions. Nope, can't have any of that going on!

You may be wondering how this fits in with "Green Pioneers" but if we don't maintain our freedoms in this country, there won't be much "pioneering" to do. We'll be given our marching orders and our rations for the day or week. It'll be Plato's Utopia pure and simple...in its most unadulterated form.

As coincidence would have it, WND's news breaking headline this morning was this:







Lose your property for growing food?
Big Brother legislation could mean prosecution, fines up to $1 million

...and jail sentences up to 10 years...for each separate infraction. Interesting, huh? And guess who the culprits are in submitting this legislation in the first place...

"House Resolution 875, or the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, was introduced by Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in February. DeLauro's husband, Stanley Greenburg, works for Monsanto – the world's leading producer of herbicides and genetically engineered seed.

DeLauro's act has 39 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 4. It calls for the creation of a Food Safety Administration to allow the government to regulate food production at all levels – and even mandates property seizure, fines of up to $1 million per offense and criminal prosecution for producers, manufacturers and distributors who fail to comply with regulations."

DId you get that? DeLauro's husband, Stanley Greenburg, works for none other than that lovely, altruistic, looking-out-for-everyone's-best-interest...Monsanto!

OK and let's see which other highly-begrieved-over-our-food-safety Congress person introduced a similar bill...

"Another "food safety" bill that has organic and small farmers worried is Senate Bill 425, or the Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act, sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Brown's bill is backed by lobbyists for Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland and Tyson. It was introduced in September and has been referred to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee."

So our very concerned Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH is backed by whom..??? Let's see.. Monstanto, ADM, and Tyson. Minor detail. Hmmm. Does anyone smell a rat here..or several rats? Or is it just me?

Well, it doesn't end there. Please read the rest of the article. And please also understand that this is NOT about "food safety" here...or food "modernization"...give me a break. This is about controlling the food supply on a global scale that already allows these global corporate giants to poison us, hide it, and treat animals abominably. It's a cowardly coup is what it is. And we need to wake up and smell the coffee...or the rats.

And for those of you who think this is only about small farmers and so what? Our small farmers are our meal ticket to safe food. They're our only ticket to safe food...that is if you don't want to grow and harvest everything yourself. Backyard gardening and self-sufficiency is where our true security lies in this country. This is a Biblical precedent and it is fundamental to our Constitution and our liberty. Don't get wrapped up in the political spin and jargon. It's meant to scare, placate, and confuse...and they're very good at it.

Moving on..

I found another excellent article by Linn Cohen-Cole  relating again to this HR 875 and our "food safety" issue... or crisis...or whatever it's being termed at the moment. She states:

The "food safety" bills in Congress were written by Monsanto, Cargill, Tysons, ADM, etc.  All are associated with the opposite of food safety.  What is this all about then?

In the simplest terms, organic food and a rebirth of farming were winning. Not in absolute numbers but in a deep and growing shift by the public toward understanding the connection between their food and their health, between good food and true social pleasures, between their own involvement in food and the improvement in their lives in general, between local food and a burgeoning local economy.

Slow Food was right - limit your food to what comes from your region and from real farmers, and slow down to cook it and linger over it with friends and family, and the world begins to change for the better.  

And as we face an unprecedented economic crisis, and it is hard to be sure what has value, one thing that always does is food.  Which is why the corporations are after absolute control over it.  But what obstacles to a complete lock on food do they face?  All the people in this country who are "banking" on organic farming and urban gardens and most of all, everyone's deepening pleasure in and increasing involvement with everything about food.

Farmers markets.  Local farmers.  Real milk.  Fresh eggs.  Vegetable stands. 

Those are things we not only all want, but things we are actively getting involved in, and things we very much need.  And where they are truly good, they are growing.

The international financial corporations which have wreaked havoc around the world with astounding nonsensical "solutions" that are destructive of everyone but them, are brothers to the international agribusiness giants (Monsanto, Cargill, Tysons, ADM, etc.) which are just as aggressively after their own form of "taking."  Just seeds, animals, water, land.  

And freedom.

Read the rest of Goodbye farmers markets, CSAs, and roadside stands
And more of Linn Cohen-Cole's articles

If you simply can't imagine these corporations being capable of such cut-throat insidious practices, then please just view the video below. It's less than 5 minutes and is 4-5 minutes well worth watching.

Also see Monsanto Monopoly
Action Against NAIS (National Animal Identification System)
Outlawing Organic Farming HR 875