It was getting dark and I heard bees and finally went to check out what they were doing.   I wondered why they weren't going into the flowers and flying around, until I saw that the GOOD STUFF was on the red stamens far away from the flower.

Never noticed that before!

https://www.fermentedfoodlab.com/how-to-make-kale-kimchi/

Already have a cabbage in the fridge for kimchi, didn't know you could ferment kale.

Here's a video:

$25 + shipping for less than half a pound of fermented kale powder:
https://www.perfect-supplements.com/perfect-kale-health-benefits/

Powder just doesn't sound right.    I don't think I'd like powdered sauerkraut either.

And a great beginner's fermenting video including how to make Sriracha -- I didn't even know it is fermented.

I went back to coco coir for the seedling, don't care if a little coir end up in the water.   It works so well to start boatloads of seedling in the 10 / 20 trays and then transplant into the net pots.

It's also nice that I can reuse the coco coir as I shake the seedlings a little and most falls back into the tray.

And you get SO little, I'd have to spend at least $500/month in summer and my health would take a SERIOUS downturn (CRS, probably early Alzheimers).  

For the $5 shipping I could have bought a BIG box of Alden organic ice cream and while I'm trying to get off sugar, I believe the Alden ice cream is healthier than Fit Freeze.  Alden wasn't an option anymore -- I'm DONE poisoning myself with sugar.

So I bought an ice cream maker and I'm looking forward to making both dairy and non dairy ice cream with Erithritol.  I love that stuff, non GMO and a fantastic natural sugar substitute. 

I eat a box of whipped cream (OF COURSE organic!) sweetened with Erithritol about every two days -- and I actually lost weight (42 barely fit when I quit ice cream in summer 2018, comfortable in 38 now) -- without even trying!

Here is the Fit Freeze order page, with the fraudulent advertising of the FREE Fit Freeze while

https://fitfreeze.com/ffs/free-samples.php

When you see ANY of those long sales pitches, you should simply CLOSE the window.  Often that will get you a better deal, but I'm determined to NOT BUY any products that are advertised in this obnoxious manner.

If you do get suckered, take it public!

A new NIEHS-funded study reports that when a pregnant woman is exposed to chlorpyrifos, a commonly used pesticide, her child’s developing brain may be damaged, leading to lowered intelligence.

“The prenatal period is a vulnerable time for the developing child, and that toxic exposure during this critical period can have far-reaching effects on brain development and behavioral functioning,” said NIEHS grantee Virginia Rauh, Sc.D., a professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. “We have demonstrated that there is a relatively monotonic dose-response effect, suggesting that some small effects occur at even very low exposures.” 

The evidence comes from researchers who conducted a recent brain imaging study of children exposed prenatally to chlorpyrifos. In addition to Columbia University scientists, the team included researchers affiliated with Duke University Medical Center, Emory University, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. ...

There you have it! 

Doesn't THIS explain why people seem to get dumber all the time?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorpyrifos

...

Chlorpyrifos is considered moderately hazardous to humans by the World Health Organization.^[6] Exposure surpassing recommended levels has been linked to neurological effects, persistent developmental disorders and autoimmune disorders. Exposure during pregnancy may harm the mental development of children, and most home use was banned in 2001 in the U.S.^[7] In agriculture, it is "one of the most widely used organophosphate insecticides" in the United States, and before being phased out for residential use was one of the most used residential insecticides.^[8]

On March 29, 2017, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt denied a petition to ban chlorpyrifos.^[9] However, on August 9, 2018, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to ban the sale of chlorpyrifos in the United States within 60 days.^[10] ...

Don't know yet whether Trump will appeal to the supreme court.  The dumber the people, the more votes for industry, death, disease and destruction.

Normally I wouldn't even waste my time on imbeciles like "My hovercraft is full of eels", but I suppose I found it hard to believe that ANYONE could be THAT ignorant.

This anonymous coward actually credited GMOs for extending our life expectancy while it's ACTUALLY going down!

"Nothing to do with harmless GMOs or highly beneficial vaccinations. A life expectancy of 78 is a 50% increase in only a hundred years."

And that is just so typical for trolls, completely ignoring reality.

I have hosted several young people with terrible allergies.  One was 20 years old and couldn't eat anything with gluten, corn, soy, peanuts, tree nuts ...   He had a burger at a local restaurant and was stuck in the bathroom for 6 hours the next day.   Restaurants around here use the cheapest oil they can find: corn, soy, canola -- all GMO.  And that's what made him so sick.

Of course it's not just the GMOs causing painful chronic gut problems and all sorts of "new" autoimmune diseases, but vaccines, pesticides and herbicides are all part of the problem.

I just watched Episode 2 of The Human Longevity Project, a very well done documentary. 

Door prizes:  Seeds, seedlings, plants and gardening supplies

GRAND PRIZE:  Hydroponic Grow Tub complete with seedlings

Sponsored by the Dolan Springs Community Council

Door prizes:  Seeds, seedlings, plants and gardening supplies

GRAND PRIZE:  Hydroponic Grow Tub complete with seedlings

Sponsored by the Dolan Springs Community Council

I had set up a tub for a customer/friend on her patio on a shelf next to the house.  It was AMAZING how the plants thrived, the lettuce was going NUTS!  Despite several high wind days the plants did fantastic and the only problem was that one plant got blown out of the tub.   So that's something to consider, somehow securing the net pots so they'll stay in place.

I took the basil inside because it was going to freeze.  It's cool how you can just put the net pots into a glass:

I started to run out of space inside and the plants needed more light.  So we used a hole in the orchard (originally intended to grow mushrooms) for a couple of grow boxes.   It worked very well, they got more light and were sheltered from the horrible wind. 

Of course harvesting is very difficult 2 ft below ground level and I ended up moving the plants to the Collectors Corner in Meadview where I'm now renting a little room to sell plants and supplies. 

1/2 inch hardware cloth kept the plants safe from critters:

At the Collectors Corner 11/11/17:

5 Things You Need to Know About Beneficial Bacteria:

.... Beneficial bacteria break down nutrients and minerals into smaller parts that plant roots can absorb more easily. These bacteria are an important part of the carbon and nitrogen cycles and increase nitrogen fixation in the soil.

According to the Annals of Microbiology, beneficial bacteria can also synthesize certain compounds, like hormones, that are good for plants.

They can have either a direct beneficial impact or an indirect beneficial impact on plants, depending on the type of bacteria present and its mechanism. ...

So much to read and learn!

... Baras has focused his research trials on Pre-Empt, a plant-derived organic fertilizer which has blackstrap molasses as its major component. He has been comparing organic vs. traditional fertilizers in several hydroponic production systems, including flood-and-drain grow racks, two different nutrient film technique (NFT) systems, deep water culture floating rafts and a ZipGrow Tower system.

“We have successfully grown butterhead lettuce and basil in all of these systems using organic inputs,” he said. “We have several other crops that we are running through these systems in smaller trials, including spinach, cilantro, arugula, strawberries and other lettuce and herb varieties. Most of research is still focused on butterhead lettuce and basil. ...

I found a 2.5 gallon bottle of Pre-empt for $52 at http://hortamericas.com/catalo.....tilizer-2/

Sadly, shipping would be $34.55 -- from Florida.   I'm going to have to find a local source, maybe in Vegas, now that cannabis is legalized and everybody is growing.

I'd also be very interested in Terra Bella, but $225/gallon!  And the microbes would probably die before I used it all. 

I had a $77 order as prices are VERY good at Hort Americas, but shipping would have been $105.77! 

I'm VERY glad to see organic options, just have to get a closer source.

I don't know what to do with the chemical fertilizer water when I'm done with a tub.  Don't want to pollute my organic gardens. Toilet?  Seems like a giant waste.

It sure would be cool to be organic and to be able to use the old water in the gardens.

http://highdesertpermaculture......-tomatoes/

They taste even better than they look!  Sweet!

They brixed at 8 with a fuzzy line, not bad at all!

Closeup of the label:

So they're from Mexico and I know that some people don't eat Mexican grown food, but I don't mind.   I especially appreciate that they are Fair Trade certified.   It's hard to believe that you can buy 3/4 lb for a dollar.

My own tomatoes are just finally starting to produce and I've tried a few cherry tomatoes and there's really nothing like home grown (I like acidic tomatoes), but these little romas are a great substitute.

I checked out http://divineflavor.com and it looks like Mexico is serious about food safety and producing high quality produce for the American market.

http://divineflavor.com/index......od-safety/

Food And Drug (FDA)

In 2000 due to outbreaks of Salmonella caused by Mexican melons entity Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has closed the doors of the U.S. market for Mexican melons. After several years and several discussions between governments of the United States and Mexico through its and entities FDA and SENASICA in 2002 they made an agreement by which the United States reopens the doors to Mexican melons from companies that meet adequate safety and health requirements. We are one of the 7 companies authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to export Cantaloupe Melons to the U.S.

http://www.fda.gov

I've read that many Mexican growers are switching to organics, way to go!