Good Evening Earthlings!
SuperMoon tomorrow on my birthday. I hope we all can see it. I know we’ll all feel it!
I hope you can join us Friday for the Second Annual Tour of Earthship Home in West West! I’m sure it will be as fascinating as it was last year. See our August 14th Post for more details. Bring snacks to share. Lisa will provide herb tea and maybe some ice cream from her scoop shop, The Blue Pig.
If you want to carpool, meet me at the West West Church at 4:45 Friday.
Otherwise, motor on down to 165 Upper Hourglass Road in Putney/Westminster West. ( Off of Beebe Road). Tour begins at 5:00 pm, ends at 6:30.
Local Event Reminder: the Westminster West Church Fair is Saturday, September 9th. Be there or be square (as they used to say about a thousand years ago…
And the very next day, Living Earth Action Group sponsors:
A Beaver Year Presentation and Field Trip September 10th at the Westminster West Church 2-4pm with naturalist Patti Smith.
In other news, a handful of folks prepared the flower beds at the West West School using “sheet composting” techniques. A summary:
cut or mow everything close to the ground.
Spread any plant material you have on top of where you’ve mowed. (this can be hay or weeds or grass clippings).
Add soil amendments if you have them, such as manure, lime, fertilizer (I use Pro Grow Organic, made in Vermont).
Wet it down.
Cover with 1 to 3 layers of corrugated cardboard, after removing the tape. Wet the cardboard on both sides. (Very important!) then
Put some composted manure on top of the cardboard, about 2 inches was all we had. Wish it was more…
Then we spread back mulch over it all.
In a few weeks it should be easy to dig holes through the soggy cardboad and plant
We plan to plant perennial sunflowers along the wall on the south side of the school. Thanks, Cheryl Charles, for the idea and for organizing the rest of us! It was fun and the school surroundings look so much nicer, ready for the kids.
Another Local Event:
Mid-day with Pollinators
Come join the Westminster Conservation Commission for a mid-day session of observing our fascinating local pollinator population such as bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies, native bees, and more. The event will be held on Saturday, September 16 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM location TBD (somewhere in Westminster). Rain date Saturday, September 23.
Please bring a notebook or sketchpad, writing implement, a device with a camera (optional), an insect guide (optional), tick smart clothing and/or bug repellent, a water bottle, and your observational skills.
Limited to 12 participants. To register or for more information send an email to westminstervtconservation@gmail.com or call Rachael Shaw at 802-869-3184.
Miyawaki Forests have been in the news lately. What are Miyawaki Forests? They are tiny, fast-growing circles of closely-planted indigenous trees, shrubs and perennials that grow up to 6 times faster than more conventionally-spaced plantings. Why? The synergy of biodiverse plants that have evolved together. They create a rich community of soil microbes and plants, attracting insects birds and other fauna, who seem delighted to find food and shelter and community! I hope you will read The article sent by Grace Gershuny. She writes "Wouldn't it be nice to turn downtown Montpelier into something like this, and put the buildings on higher ground? No paywall --
Enjoy!” (Great idea, Grace!Thanks!)
Grace Gershuny GAIA Services Barnet, VT - USA 802-633-4152 gracegershuny@gmail.c Author of Organic Revolutionary: A Memoir of the Movement for Real Food, Planetary Healing, & Human Liberation - 3rd Edition now available www.organic-revolutionary.com
Judith Schwartz is concerned about Biotech and Pesticide companies creating GMO soil micro-organisms to add to their ’toolbox’ of agri-chemicals and fertilizers. What could possibly go wrong??? Judith writes: "With all the uncertainty involved, this is probably the most dangerous frontier we could have crossed toward the disruption of the biosphere as we know it…” Kendra Klein of Friends of the Earth writes:
Hi all,
I’d like to share a new Friends of the Earth report that may be of interest to many of you, Genetically Engineered Soil Microbes: Risks and Concerns. Biotech companies are developing genetically engineered microbes for use in agriculture, including the largest pesticide corporations — Bayer, Syngenta, and BASF. The first of these products are already being used across millions of acres of U.S. farmland.
Please help us spread the word!
Retweet this thread
Share this op-ed, Biologicals 2.0: Why genetically engineered soil microbes are concerning, with these sample tweets -
What are genetically engineered soil microbes, and why should you care about them? https://shorturl.at/acmq4
Pesticide companies are rushing to commercialize genetically engineered soil microbes. Not sure what that means for our food system? https://shorturl.at/acmq4
Or create your own post using this social media toolkit
Many thanks,
Kendra Klein, PhD
Deputy Director of Science
Friends of the Earth U.S.
And on last piece of news today:
Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch of Four Season Farm in Harborside, Maine are looking for new stewards of the farm.
To find out more and perhaps apply for this amazing job, go to www.fourseasonfarm.com, and click on “Work with Us”
The following message from the June newsletter bears repeating, with love:
Remember to Be Kind to the Earth by Being Kind to Yourself. You are a unique and precious being. You deserve your own kindness and caring, the best care you can give. These are challenging times emotionally as well as every other way. Love your land, love your local wildlife, love your family, your community and especially LOVE YOURSELF. That means different things for everyone. Recognize what YOU need to be happy and love yourself the very best way you can. I think I’ll end with that message. Be Well, Caitlin Adair for Living Earth Action Group Westminster West, Vermont
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