Re: [Biofuel] Herbicide-resistant weed worries farmers

2006-12-21 Thread Keith Addison
Hi Peter

Hi Keith ;

  So we just can't farm without Monsanto, right.

Sensible question.  Unfortunately the article does not
propose reducing the use of herbicides but only
increasing their use.

As usual. GMOs increase herbicide use anyway, even without superweeds 
to contend with, as intended I guess, contrary to the promises they'd 
reduce its use. Or at least Monsanto's Roundup Ready (glypohosate) 
GMOs do. All their promises have brought the opposite realities.

Don't they understand that it
is only a matter of time before another weed becomes
resistant to the new cocktail and even worse than the
first?

Seems not, and that's been going on much longer than just with GMOs, 
right from the start of chemicalised agriculture. Let alone that 
fighting weeds is a waste of time anyway, it's just the wrong 
approach.

Where does it end? The logical conclusion is the
creation of wide variety of superweeds which will
create havoc for all farmers.  Don't they see this
coming???  Apparently not.

I suppose they'll make a GMO a fix for it, upon which all farmers 
will then become dependent, to the greater glory of Monsanto's bottom 
line, and the new solution will have similarly havoc-causing 
runaway unforeseeable side-effects, so they'll make a GMO fix for 
it...

The idea that you have to fight weeds seems to be as endemic as the 
weeds are. Rodale's New Farm Newsletter of December 15, 2006 has 
this yarn:

http://www.newfarm.org/international/features/2006/1206/witchweed/vanm 
ourik.shtml
Kaata is making our millet plants wilt - Scientists and West African 
farmers learn together how to manage a devastating weed - and how to 
integrate agricultural science into a treacherous farming environment.

It's striga, witchweed. De-mystifying the witchweed mystery says 
one headline. Seems the good folks at Rodale's haven't read their 
Albert Howard, nor those at Wageningen University. More re which here:

http://journeytoforever.org/farm_pest.html#striga
Controlling weeds and pests: striga

It says Striga thrives under conditions of low soil fertility and 
decreasing plant diversity. (ECHO Development Notes, Issue 59, 
February 1998)

Er, maybe it's trying to tell us something?

  How is your patch of forest getting along, Peter?

Lots of things are doing really well, thanks.  But it
is a big project for me.  I'm pretty tired.

:-) I can say just the same for my patch, and me.

Anyone interested in my energy farm project can see
progress pics at :

www.cresard.com/pr01

The plan for this year is (budget permitting) :

1) Biogas from pig s**t.
2) Set up the ethanol still.
3) Get the wind turbine working.
4) 10K more teak seeds arriving Friday.
5) More of pigs, cattle, chickens, rabbits.
6) Plant about 10K oil palms this rainy season.
7) Dry season farming.
8) Breadfruit (for ethanol) and diesel tree (for
diesel).

Good stuff Peter, strength to your arm

Have you thought of using Muscovy ducks?
http://journeytoforever.org/farm_poultry.html#muscovy
We're using chickens,. Muscovies and geese, doing this:
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg62619.html
Re: [Biofuel] More Gardening News - micro ley farming
Keith Addison
Fri, 12 May 2006

It's advanced a lot since then. Main reason I've been so scarce 
around here, and such a really lousy correspondent. :-( I didn't 
manage to reply to Pannirselvam's message about sustainable farming 
because I was too busy doing it, nor to Robert's and others' messages 
on Closing the garden. Oh well.

All best

Keith the sporadic


  Best

And Best to you Keith.

Peter G.
Thailand (and Cambodia)


___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/



Re: [Biofuel] Herbicide-resistant weed worries farmers - and another one...

2006-12-21 Thread Luke Hansen
Ya'll will have to forgive my adolescent joy in saying this, but THAT'S 
AWESOME! Hemp yields far more usable fibre than cotton does...folks should get 
with the times...of course, hemp and pot are a little different...but 
hell...I'm all for legalizing ALL drugs, not just the ones that the 
pharmacutical industry can lobby into legality :)

(And no, I don't smoke pot...)





Guag Meister [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi All ;

Another SuperWeed from Yahoo homepage today.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061221/ap_on_sc/mexico_drugs

Hybrid marijuana plant found in Mexico By MARK
STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer 
Wed Dec 20, 8:29 PM ET
 
LAZARO CARDENAS, Mexico - Soldiers trying to seize
control of one Mexico's top drug-producing regions
found the countryside teeming with a new hybrid
marijuana plant that can be cultivated year-round and
cannot be killed with herbicides. 

PUBLICIDAD
 
Soldiers fanned out across some of the new fields
Tuesday, pulling up plants by the root and burning
them, as helicopter gunships clattered overhead to
give them cover from a raging drug war in the western
state of Michoacan. The plants' roots survive if they
are doused with herbicide, said army Gen. Manuel
Garcia.

These plants have been genetically improved, he told
a handful of journalists allowed to accompany soldiers
on a daylong raid of some 70 marijuana fields. Before
we could cut the plant and destroy it, but this plant
will come back to life unless it's taken out by the
roots.

The new plants, known as Colombians, mature in about
two months and can be planted at any time of year,
meaning authorities will no longer be able to time
raids to coincide with twice-yearly harvests.

The hybrid first appeared in Mexico two years ago but
has become the plant of choice for drug traffickers
Michoacan, a remote mountainous region that lends to
itself to drug production.

Yields are so high that traffickers can now produce as
much marijuana on a plot the size of a football field
as they used to harvest in 10 to 12 acres. That makes
for smaller, harder-to-detect fields, though some
discovered Tuesday had sophisticated irrigation
systems with sprinklers, pumps and thousands of yards
of tubing.

For each 100 (marijuana plots) that you spot from the
air, there are 300 to 500 more that you discover once
you get on the ground, Garcia said.

The raids were part of President Felipe Calderon's new
offensive to restore order in his home state of
Michoacan and fight drug violence that has claimed
more than 2,000 lives in Mexico this year.

In Michoacan, officials say the Valencia and Gulf
cartels have been battling over lucrative marijuana
plantations and smuggling routes for cocaine and
methamphetamine to the United States. In one incident,
gunmen stormed into a bar and dumped five human heads
on the dance floor.

The president, who took office Dec. 1, sent 7,000
soldiers and federal officers to Michoacan last week.

Officials have arrested 45 people, including several
suspected leaders of the feuding cartels. They also
seized three yachts, 2.2 pounds of gold, bulletproof
vests, military equipment and shirts with federal and
municipal police logos. More than 18,000 people have
been searched, along with 8,000 vehicles and numerous
foreign and national boats.

We are determined to shut down delinquency and stop
crime in Mexico because it is endangering the lives of
all Mexicans, of our families, Calderon said, calling
the operation a success so far.

In the past week, soldiers and federal police have
found 1,795 marijuana fields covering 585 acres in
Michoacan, security officials said.

Officials estimate the raids could cost the cartels up
to $626 million, counting the value of plants that
have been destroyed and drugs that could have been
produced with seized opium poppies and marijuana
seeds.

On Sunday, federal authorities announced the capture
of suspected drug lord Elias Valencia, the most
significant arrest since the operation began.

Calderon's predecessor,Vicente Fox, started
out with enthusiastic U.S. applause for his own fight
against drug trafficking. U.S. officials called the
arrest of drug bosses early in his six-year term
unprecedented, while Fox boasted that his
administration had destroyed 43,900 acres of marijuana
and poppy plantations in its first six months and more
than tripled drug seizures.

Yet drug violence has spiked across the country in
recent years, with gangs fighting over control of
routes following the arrest of drug lords, authorities
say.

Mexico has also continued to struggle with corruption
among its law enforcement ranks. Garcia said
authorities did not tell soldiers where they were
being sent on raids and banned the use of cell phones
and radios.

Best Regards,

Peter G.
Thailand



__
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 

___
Biofuel mailing

Re: [Biofuel] Herbicide-resistant weed worries farmers - and another one...

2006-12-21 Thread Guag Meister
Hi Luke ;

Agreed on all points.  It's not a Superweed, it's a
Super Weed ;-))).

I also don't smoke.

BR
Peter G.
Thailand

--- Luke Hansen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Ya'll will have to forgive my adolescent joy in
 saying this, but THAT'S AWESOME! Hemp yields far
 more usable fibre than cotton does...folks should
 get with the times...of course, hemp and pot are a
 little different...but hell...I'm all for legalizing
 ALL drugs, not just the ones that the pharmacutical
 industry can lobby into legality :)
 
 (And no, I don't smoke pot...)
 


__
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/



[Biofuel] Duke Interview about Zionism - Not to be missed...

2006-12-21 Thread Kirk McLoren

  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v2f-WC4cjo




 __
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com ___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/



Re: [Biofuel] Herbicide-resistant weed worries farmers

2006-12-21 Thread Kirk McLoren

  
US Town Uses Hot Water -- Not Herbicides -- To Control Weeds
Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)  
  Carrboro, North Carolina, is killing weeds with water instead of chemicals. 
The town is using a machine that superheats water and dispenses it in a 
carefully controlled stream to kill weeds without using toxic chemical 
herbicides. The equipment, which is made in New Zealand, is in use in several 
other countries but is almost unknown in the United States.   Carrboro is 
testing the equipment to implement the town's least toxic Integrated Pest 
Management policy, adopted in March 1999. The policy calls for phasing out use 
of conventional pesticides, including herbicides, on town property, but does 
not apply to the local residents, their property or businesses. City leaders 
hope to show how beautiful grounds can be achieved without poisoning the 
environment.   To date, efforts to reduce pesticide use have emphasized 
alternatives to conventional herbicides. An earlier analysis of Carrboro's pest 
management practices showed that more pesticides were used on weeds than for any
 other purpose. Weeds are a problem around buildings and parking lots, along 
curbs and gutters and in parks. The town is using a comprehensive approach, 
rather seeking a single solution, including a biodegradable herbicide made from 
corn gluten, propane flamers which kill plants by singing them, thick mulch on 
plant beds to smother weeds, and now hot water.   The machine in use in 
Carrboro produces a steady stream of near- boiling water that kills weeds by 
melting the waxy outer coating of their leaves. The self-contained machine is 
mounted on a small truck with hoses connected to long-handled applicator wands. 
A quick spray on unwanted weeds kills them; the plants darken almost 
immediately and turn brown within a few hours. The flow of water is low and 
cools quickly. While the results look very much like that of a contact 
herbicide, there is no toxic residue and the area is immediately safe for play. 
  That's what it is all about, said Allen Spalt, Director of the
 Agricultural Resources Center and a member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. 
We want to find ways to reduce pesticide use so that we can eliminate the risk 
of any child being poisoned. Carrboro already uses only small amounts of 
pesticides; we believe that this hot water system may be part of the solution 
to reducing use completely.   The hot water system, on loan to Carrboro until 
the end of June, will be used by town staff, who will also demonstrate it for 
other interested parties. At the conclusion of the trials, a final decision 
will be made whether or not the town will purchase the equipment.   
http://www.ghorganics.com/HotWeedKiller.htm 
http://metalab.unc.edu/arc Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) ~ 
http://www.panna.org/ 

 __
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com ___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/



Re: [Biofuel] Herbicide-resistant weed worries farmers

2006-12-21 Thread Tom Irwin

Hi Kirk and all,
I much prefer hot water to herbicides but why not just pull them and compost them. It still looks like it´s tied to fossil fuel.
Tom Irwin





From:Kirk McLoren [EMAIL PROTECTED]Reply-To:biofuel@sustainablelists.orgTo:biofuel@sustainablelists.orgSubject:Re: [Biofuel] Herbicide-resistant weed worries farmersDate:Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:26:08 -0800 (PST)



"US Town Uses Hot Water -- Not Herbicides -- To Control Weeds"

Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)

Carrboro, North Carolina, is killing weeds with water instead of chemicals. The town is using a machine that superheats water and dispenses it in a carefully controlled stream to kill weeds without using toxic chemical herbicides. The equipment, which is made in New Zealand, is in use in several other countries but is almost unknown in the United States.
Carrboro is testing the equipment to implement the town's least toxic Integrated Pest Management policy, adopted in March 1999. The policy calls for phasing out use of conventional pesticides, including herbicides, on town property, but does not apply to the local residents, their property or businesses. City leaders hope to show how beautiful grounds can be achieved without poisoning the environment.
To date, efforts to reduce pesticide use have emphasized alternatives to conventional herbicides. An earlier analysis of Carrboro's pest management practices showed that more pesticides were used on weeds than for any other purpose. Weeds are a problem around buildings and parking lots, along curbs and gutters and in parks. The town is using a comprehensive approach, rather seeking a single solution, including a biodegradable herbicide made from corn gluten, propane flamers which kill plants by singing them, thick mulch on plant beds to smother weeds, and now hot water.
The machine in use in Carrboro produces a steady stream of near- boiling water that kills weeds by melting the waxy outer coating of their leaves. The self-contained machine is mounted on a small truck with hoses connected to long-handled applicator wands. A quick spray on unwanted weeds kills them; the plants darken almost immediately and turn brown within a few hours. The flow of water is low and cools quickly. While the results look very much like that of a contact herbicide, there is no toxic residue and the area is immediately safe for play.
"That's what it is all about," said Allen Spalt, Director of the Agricultural Resources Center and a member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. "We want to find ways to reduce pesticide use so that we can eliminate the risk of any child being poisoned. Carrboro already uses only small amounts of pesticides; we believe that this hot water system may be part of the solution to reducing use completely."
The hot water system, on loan to Carrboro until the end of June, will be used by town staff, who will also demonstrate it for other interested parties. At the conclusion of the trials, a final decision will be made whether or not the town will purchase the equipment.
http://www.ghorganics.com/HotWeedKiller.htm http://metalab.unc.edu/arc Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) ~ http://www.panna.org/ 
__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar MSN Toolbar Get it now!


___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/



[Biofuel] Amory Lovins

2006-12-21 Thread Kirk McLoren
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4569577556800822039q=energy
 __
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com ___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/



Re: [Biofuel] Duke Interview about Zionism - Not to be missed...

2006-12-21 Thread Frank Navarrete

Freedom of speech (and thought), is certainly being threatened in our
country right now.  So much so that I almost thought twice about writing
this.  ALL ideas should be open for dialogue.  That's what a civilized
society is -- diplomatic, peaceful and open.

On 12/21/06, Kirk McLoren [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v2f-WC4cjo



__
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000
messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/




___
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org

Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/