|
A note and caution. This is a relatively easy process, you don't need to be a chemist or a wizard. All the ingredients are natural and safe if used with respect. Wear gloves, a mask and eye protection of course and be warned you may end up smelling a little like a volcano. Introduction : Lime-sulfur is a fungicide composed of inorganic sulfur and lime and is commonly used today to control a variety of agricultural fungal diseases. In Australia it is most commonly used as a winter protectant on roses applied after pruning and you will see it for sale under a number of commercial brands in most hardware and gardening stores. Lime-sulfur is believed to be the earliest synthetic chemical used as a pesticide, being used in the 1840s in France to control grapevine powdery mildew and save their precious wine crop! Anti fungal preparations are common place in food production, in the 'conventional' farming world the anti-fungal arsenal is extensive and generally toxic to people, to the soil and the environment. To avoid putting poisons on our food Organic solutions are however significantly limited. While there are a range of options for combating fungal problems in the home garden, from sprays made with garlic , whey, bi-carb, Epsom salts and essential oils, for the farmer the volumes required for crop protection are at a scale that requires some something more practical. Directions : Lime-sulfur is a mixture of calcium polysulphides formed by reacting calcium hydroxide (commonly called “brickies lime”) with sulfur. It is normally used as an aqueous solution for ease of application, and produces a reddish-yellow liquid with that familiar sulfuric smell. Ingredients and Equipment I make up 100L at a time but the ratio's can easily be reduced to make a smaller batch. However it will store well and Sulfur is much cheaper when bought by the sack. Pure (98%) Sulfur should be available from your agricultural supplier and brickies lime / quick lime will be available from any hardware store. 20kg pure Sulfur |
| To be perfectly honest we weren't quite sure what to expect stepping off the plane into Yogyakarta's pulsing heat on a Wednesday afternoon. We weren't prepared for the range of new experiences we would be exposed to over the next four days and the way in which it would move us. Forgive us for the cliché but you might say it was an eye-opening experience... We have pages and pages of notes diligently compiled over the week but below you'll find an overview of some of our key learnings as well as some personal insights we'd like to share with you. | |
We launched straight into business on day one with Kartini's presentation based on GRAIN's recent 'Food Sovereignty for Sale' report. (If you haven't read this yet its well worth your time) After identifying the challenges of supermarket expansion as an important issue in Asia, GRAIN has been engaging with a range of stakeholders across the food distribution chain including small scale farmers, fresh-market traders, hawkers and workers. This workshop was intended to tackle the issues raised by corporate take-over of the whole food system.
The rise of supermarkets in Asia poses a direct threat to the livelihood of people. More than 3000 fresh food markets in Asia were shut down between 2007 and 2011, with the overall number declining from 13, 450 to 9, 950. In 1989 China had no supermarkets. 25 years later there are 10 000s.
A common riposte to this situation is, "Why don't the farmers just sell to the supermarkets?!" For small scale producers it is almost impossible to fit the procurement requirements set by supermarkets. Supermarkets create their own procurement chain through direct contracts with Big Ag companies that undercut local production. Supermarkets also require constant big volumes at the lowest possible price and this often sees supermarkets importing product rather than sourcing locally.
The scale and speed of this transformation in the food system in Asia is astounding. The Asian market is being pursued aggressively and things are changing quickly. The next speakers on day one gave us some insight into how these changes are occurring in their own countries.
Dharmendra Kumar from the FDI Watch discussed how his organisation has been challenging the rise in foreign direct investment in the Indian retail sector. FDI Watch fought a long battle against Walmart and finally lost in 2011. Dharmendra shared some alarming statistics about the rate of closures of smaller retailers once a Walmart opens in the same area.
Kingkorn Narintarakul from Biothai spoke about the rise of convenience stores in Thailand and how their prevalence is altering consumer habits. RTE (Ready-to-Eat) meals first appeared in 2005 and they now sell about 5 million per month! Convenience stores can supply what street sellers supply at a cheaper price and with a 'cleaner' appearance. Kay also noted the decline of home cooking in Thai homes.
Reina Villaluna from The People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) in the Phillipines gave an overview of how corporate agriculture and market expansion are impacting on rural development. She pointed out how both horizontal and vertical integration are leading to a loss of biodiversity and less consumer choice.
Pathut Indroyono from the Sekolah Pasar (The School of the People's Market) shared the importance of the traditional market in Indonesia as the central point for millions of local farmers, fisherman and craftsmen to distribute their wares. Pathut highlighted the value of the traditional market as the centre for entrepreneurship for the middle lower class. We also heard from the Indonesian Market Trader's Union (IKAPPI), the Association of Small Business Women Entrepreneurs (ASPPUK) and the Yogyakarta Labour Alliance who shared insights on the situation in Indonesia.
And all this we heard within the first half of the first day! Overwhelmed?! Well, yes! We felt rather small and timid in that room full of people filled with such courage and conviction. The afternoon session saw us break out into workshop groups and you can read about the discussion more here.
Day two featured two more workshops that focused more on problem solving and mitigation strategies (to be shared with you another day!). We also had time during breaks and meals to talk more informally with our Asian counterparts. It was these conversations that provided the best opportunity for us to gain some deeper understanding of the issues at hand while also giving us a chance to express ourselves better in a more relaxed environment.
We arrived in Indonesia with some awareness of the problems farmers are facing but had no idea of the magnitude of issues like land grabbing, farmer suicides, the pushing of “food safety standards” and the insidious rise of the modern market at the expense of the traditional market. Hearing personal testimonies about the ways the modern food distribution chain is disrupting long cultural traditions is disturbing.
We found it difficult not to slip into complete despair over the state of these countries’ individual struggles and our shared collective global reality. After the second day of workshops a young woman from Yogyakarta approached Joel and I and after hesitating for a moment she asked us who we were and why exactly we were here when Australia appeared to be perfectly fine.
Good question, I thought. We explained that we’d started Future Feeders because we were worried about food security and the fact that farmers’ numbers are declining in our country with no apparent interest from young people. We explained that access to land in Australia can be challenging without large amounts of capital. We talked about the lack of engagement with our food system and how a renewed interest in connecting with food has emerged only recently. We talked about the lack of tradition around markets and the difficulties of setting up resilient alternatives to the major supermarkets. “I’m so sorry!” she said.
Perspective is a wonderful thing and something we gained in bucket-loads over those few days!
----
On the morning before our flight we piled into Pathut's car and drove to the local wet market at 5.00 am. There's nothing like the sights, sounds and smells of a food market at dawn to remind you of the significance of food. A reverence for beautiful produce is something easily shared across cultural boundaries. It was the perfect summation for our trip.
On the forty hour return trip home we had plenty of time to consider how we might be better advocates for our new friends as well as ourselves. We feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to gain such an insight into the struggles, losses and victories of our neighbours in their quest for an ethical food system. We feel a deep sense of responsibility to share what we have learnt and use it to inform the development of a genuinely fair food system for all.
The rise of supermarkets in Asia poses a direct threat to the livelihood of people. More than 3000 fresh food markets in Asia were shut down between 2007 and 2011, with the overall number declining from 13, 450 to 9, 950. In 1989 China had no supermarkets. 25 years later there are 10 000s.
A common riposte to this situation is, "Why don't the farmers just sell to the supermarkets?!" For small scale producers it is almost impossible to fit the procurement requirements set by supermarkets. Supermarkets create their own procurement chain through direct contracts with Big Ag companies that undercut local production. Supermarkets also require constant big volumes at the lowest possible price and this often sees supermarkets importing product rather than sourcing locally.
The scale and speed of this transformation in the food system in Asia is astounding. The Asian market is being pursued aggressively and things are changing quickly. The next speakers on day one gave us some insight into how these changes are occurring in their own countries.
Dharmendra Kumar from the FDI Watch discussed how his organisation has been challenging the rise in foreign direct investment in the Indian retail sector. FDI Watch fought a long battle against Walmart and finally lost in 2011. Dharmendra shared some alarming statistics about the rate of closures of smaller retailers once a Walmart opens in the same area.
Kingkorn Narintarakul from Biothai spoke about the rise of convenience stores in Thailand and how their prevalence is altering consumer habits. RTE (Ready-to-Eat) meals first appeared in 2005 and they now sell about 5 million per month! Convenience stores can supply what street sellers supply at a cheaper price and with a 'cleaner' appearance. Kay also noted the decline of home cooking in Thai homes.
Reina Villaluna from The People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) in the Phillipines gave an overview of how corporate agriculture and market expansion are impacting on rural development. She pointed out how both horizontal and vertical integration are leading to a loss of biodiversity and less consumer choice.
Pathut Indroyono from the Sekolah Pasar (The School of the People's Market) shared the importance of the traditional market in Indonesia as the central point for millions of local farmers, fisherman and craftsmen to distribute their wares. Pathut highlighted the value of the traditional market as the centre for entrepreneurship for the middle lower class. We also heard from the Indonesian Market Trader's Union (IKAPPI), the Association of Small Business Women Entrepreneurs (ASPPUK) and the Yogyakarta Labour Alliance who shared insights on the situation in Indonesia.
And all this we heard within the first half of the first day! Overwhelmed?! Well, yes! We felt rather small and timid in that room full of people filled with such courage and conviction. The afternoon session saw us break out into workshop groups and you can read about the discussion more here.
Day two featured two more workshops that focused more on problem solving and mitigation strategies (to be shared with you another day!). We also had time during breaks and meals to talk more informally with our Asian counterparts. It was these conversations that provided the best opportunity for us to gain some deeper understanding of the issues at hand while also giving us a chance to express ourselves better in a more relaxed environment.
We arrived in Indonesia with some awareness of the problems farmers are facing but had no idea of the magnitude of issues like land grabbing, farmer suicides, the pushing of “food safety standards” and the insidious rise of the modern market at the expense of the traditional market. Hearing personal testimonies about the ways the modern food distribution chain is disrupting long cultural traditions is disturbing.
We found it difficult not to slip into complete despair over the state of these countries’ individual struggles and our shared collective global reality. After the second day of workshops a young woman from Yogyakarta approached Joel and I and after hesitating for a moment she asked us who we were and why exactly we were here when Australia appeared to be perfectly fine.
Good question, I thought. We explained that we’d started Future Feeders because we were worried about food security and the fact that farmers’ numbers are declining in our country with no apparent interest from young people. We explained that access to land in Australia can be challenging without large amounts of capital. We talked about the lack of engagement with our food system and how a renewed interest in connecting with food has emerged only recently. We talked about the lack of tradition around markets and the difficulties of setting up resilient alternatives to the major supermarkets. “I’m so sorry!” she said.
Perspective is a wonderful thing and something we gained in bucket-loads over those few days!
----
On the morning before our flight we piled into Pathut's car and drove to the local wet market at 5.00 am. There's nothing like the sights, sounds and smells of a food market at dawn to remind you of the significance of food. A reverence for beautiful produce is something easily shared across cultural boundaries. It was the perfect summation for our trip.
On the forty hour return trip home we had plenty of time to consider how we might be better advocates for our new friends as well as ourselves. We feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to gain such an insight into the struggles, losses and victories of our neighbours in their quest for an ethical food system. We feel a deep sense of responsibility to share what we have learnt and use it to inform the development of a genuinely fair food system for all.
This workshop enabled us to explore the range of causes and implications of supermarket expansion on communities and develop an understanding into the varying issues that are prominent across the countries represented.
~ Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Australia
~ Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Australia
Food Sovereignty
“Food Sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.”
~ La Via Campesina
“Food Sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.”
~ La Via Campesina
Supermarket expansion has already had an enormous impact on small-scale farmers, traders and consumers. Corporations and their supermarkets look to expand aggressively into new markets and are targeting a growing Asian population and its rapid urbanisation.
Globalisation has resulted in a number of damaging economic structural adjustments including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and trade and investment liberalization (Free Trade Agreements).
Increasingly powerful corporations now direct a modern food distribution system that leaves a void in the connection between food producers and consumers.
With access to global finance and the power to influence financial (de)regulation these operations easily dominate the smaller traditional marketplaces and their vendors.
We discussed how these effects reach far and deep into community networks and are disastrous because the people that are affected are already vulnerable and have no safety nets.
A lack of alliance and cohesion among social movements against this expansion results in ineffective opposition and provides little hope of a bright future for traditional workers.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Culture
Markets are deeply embedded in the Asian way of life and represent a key feature in their culture. They represent an essential element of Asian lifestyle and their ability to access fresh produce and goods. They also form an important part of the social fabric for communities.
Traditional Knowledge
Moves towards cash cropping and the homogenisation of food products through the commercialisation of food systems is a result of the expansion of supermarket and convenience stores. This has resulted in a reduction in traditional knowledge and diversity surrounding food preparation techniques, traditional foods, produce varieties and traditional seeds.
Particular impacts on women / Women’s Rights
Women are particularly vulnerable given that they represent a large component of the labour force involved in food production, distribution and trading.
With shifts in agricultural production methods, they are often exposed to unsafe practices and high levels of chemical sprays.
Brainwashing (the corporate media agenda)
Branding by commercial retailers that offer ‘the modern lifestyle’ encourages communities away from their traditional and sustainable way of life.
Advertising of convenience food products and their availability promotes changes in consumption habits.
Negative promotion / branding of markets as dirty and unhygienic ensures little opposition from community to the introduction of commercial food outlets.
Debt
Changes in consumption behaviour and convenience shopping results in compulsive shopping habits and an increasing culture of spending and consumption: with raising personal debt.
Health
Promotion and availability of cheap junk foods leads to poor health.
Resulting in rapidly increasing rates of diabetes in the developing world.
Cheep convenience products have higher levels of starch/sugars/salt/preservatives and have replaced the cheapest food types for the poorest people.
Studies tabled indicate rapid rates of Diabetes now affecting the poorest people in the world correlate to supermarket expansion.
Food Safety
Increasingly the determination of food safety has become regulated by corporations.
Negative promotion of natural foods as unhygienic / promotion of commercially produced foods as safe – even though contaminants are generally found to be higher.
Studies tabled indicate that market produce contains less external and system pesticide residues than supermarket produce.
Social Impacts
Growing individualism and loss of spirit of collectivism
People are alienated from the food they produce and consume
Erosion of freedom in our choices
Privatisation of vibrant and safe public space
Increasing dependence on corporations for food.
Privatisation of Public Space
Original market places on community land are being developed under commercial contract. This leaves traders often with no interim place to sell goods.
The cost of the development is passed on to market stall holders who may not be able to afford the new additional fees.
Evidence tabled suggests that government agencies are forcing eviction by starting ‘accidental’ fires in marketplaces. Some methods include firebombs and other extreme methods such as live rats dipped in kerosene are set alight in the marketplace and let loose.
Employment / Labor
Unemployment and magnetisation
Collapse of rural communities
Increasing exploitation of labour
Intensification of land grabs
Power
Imbalance of power supports corporations over small vendors/farmers
Concentration of wealth in the hands of a few through centralised food system and away from the greater collective of farmers.
Big business has the power and money to lobby government for changes in legislation to further their cause. They can also afford to run their operations at a loss in order to out-compete local traders.
Environment
Urban pollution.
Agricultural pollution through increased chemical use.
Destruction of natural resources in order to increase land available for commercial production.
Monoculture cropping destroys agricultural ecology of small farm systems.
Pollution through increased packaging etc
Globalisation has resulted in a number of damaging economic structural adjustments including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and trade and investment liberalization (Free Trade Agreements).
Increasingly powerful corporations now direct a modern food distribution system that leaves a void in the connection between food producers and consumers.
With access to global finance and the power to influence financial (de)regulation these operations easily dominate the smaller traditional marketplaces and their vendors.
We discussed how these effects reach far and deep into community networks and are disastrous because the people that are affected are already vulnerable and have no safety nets.
A lack of alliance and cohesion among social movements against this expansion results in ineffective opposition and provides little hope of a bright future for traditional workers.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Culture
Markets are deeply embedded in the Asian way of life and represent a key feature in their culture. They represent an essential element of Asian lifestyle and their ability to access fresh produce and goods. They also form an important part of the social fabric for communities.
Traditional Knowledge
Moves towards cash cropping and the homogenisation of food products through the commercialisation of food systems is a result of the expansion of supermarket and convenience stores. This has resulted in a reduction in traditional knowledge and diversity surrounding food preparation techniques, traditional foods, produce varieties and traditional seeds.
Particular impacts on women / Women’s Rights
Women are particularly vulnerable given that they represent a large component of the labour force involved in food production, distribution and trading.
With shifts in agricultural production methods, they are often exposed to unsafe practices and high levels of chemical sprays.
Brainwashing (the corporate media agenda)
Branding by commercial retailers that offer ‘the modern lifestyle’ encourages communities away from their traditional and sustainable way of life.
Advertising of convenience food products and their availability promotes changes in consumption habits.
Negative promotion / branding of markets as dirty and unhygienic ensures little opposition from community to the introduction of commercial food outlets.
Debt
Changes in consumption behaviour and convenience shopping results in compulsive shopping habits and an increasing culture of spending and consumption: with raising personal debt.
Health
Promotion and availability of cheap junk foods leads to poor health.
Resulting in rapidly increasing rates of diabetes in the developing world.
Cheep convenience products have higher levels of starch/sugars/salt/preservatives and have replaced the cheapest food types for the poorest people.
Studies tabled indicate rapid rates of Diabetes now affecting the poorest people in the world correlate to supermarket expansion.
Food Safety
Increasingly the determination of food safety has become regulated by corporations.
Negative promotion of natural foods as unhygienic / promotion of commercially produced foods as safe – even though contaminants are generally found to be higher.
Studies tabled indicate that market produce contains less external and system pesticide residues than supermarket produce.
Social Impacts
Growing individualism and loss of spirit of collectivism
People are alienated from the food they produce and consume
Erosion of freedom in our choices
Privatisation of vibrant and safe public space
Increasing dependence on corporations for food.
Privatisation of Public Space
Original market places on community land are being developed under commercial contract. This leaves traders often with no interim place to sell goods.
The cost of the development is passed on to market stall holders who may not be able to afford the new additional fees.
Evidence tabled suggests that government agencies are forcing eviction by starting ‘accidental’ fires in marketplaces. Some methods include firebombs and other extreme methods such as live rats dipped in kerosene are set alight in the marketplace and let loose.
Employment / Labor
Unemployment and magnetisation
Collapse of rural communities
Increasing exploitation of labour
Intensification of land grabs
Power
Imbalance of power supports corporations over small vendors/farmers
Concentration of wealth in the hands of a few through centralised food system and away from the greater collective of farmers.
Big business has the power and money to lobby government for changes in legislation to further their cause. They can also afford to run their operations at a loss in order to out-compete local traders.
Environment
Urban pollution.
Agricultural pollution through increased chemical use.
Destruction of natural resources in order to increase land available for commercial production.
Monoculture cropping destroys agricultural ecology of small farm systems.
Pollution through increased packaging etc
Fresh market in Manado City, Sulawesi, Indonesia (Photo: Trigana Udara)
If you read our latest newsletter you'd know that we're off to Indonesia this week. Yogyakarta to be precise.
(If you're wondering how to pronounce that you should click here.)
Joel & Anais have been invited(!) as representatives of the Family Farmers United Network to participate in a three-day workshop on the "Challenges of Supermarket Expansion in Asia" being held by GRAIN. This is an amazing opportunity for us to learn from our Asian counterparts about their struggles and set-backs. We are very excited to be able to share this experience with you and other farmers in whatever way we can on our return.
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems.
The goals of the workshop are
• To provide information and training on the relation between the expansion of modern retail and issues such as food sovereignty, free trade and foreign investment, labour rights.
• To create regional linkages between different groups and networks with different concerns related to modern retail expansion
• To Develop action strategies and highlighting information gaps.
Participants will be attending from across Asia representing national and regional farmers organisations, regional research networks, small scale traders' organisations, labour groups and NGOs.
We set off tomorrow leaving trusty Dane in charge as site manager for the week at FFHQ. You'll be hearing plenty more from us about our adventures and if you have any thoughts on the issue we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line at [email protected].
If you would like to learn more about the issue of supermarkets and how they are undermining food sovereignty look no further than this just published report by GRAIN: Food Sovereignty for Sale. GRAIN's Asian coordinatior Kartini Simon has been researching the impacts of supermarket expansion across Asia for the past six months and will be facilitating the upcoming workshop.
(If you're wondering how to pronounce that you should click here.)
Joel & Anais have been invited(!) as representatives of the Family Farmers United Network to participate in a three-day workshop on the "Challenges of Supermarket Expansion in Asia" being held by GRAIN. This is an amazing opportunity for us to learn from our Asian counterparts about their struggles and set-backs. We are very excited to be able to share this experience with you and other farmers in whatever way we can on our return.
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems.
The goals of the workshop are
• To provide information and training on the relation between the expansion of modern retail and issues such as food sovereignty, free trade and foreign investment, labour rights.
• To create regional linkages between different groups and networks with different concerns related to modern retail expansion
• To Develop action strategies and highlighting information gaps.
Participants will be attending from across Asia representing national and regional farmers organisations, regional research networks, small scale traders' organisations, labour groups and NGOs.
We set off tomorrow leaving trusty Dane in charge as site manager for the week at FFHQ. You'll be hearing plenty more from us about our adventures and if you have any thoughts on the issue we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line at [email protected].
If you would like to learn more about the issue of supermarkets and how they are undermining food sovereignty look no further than this just published report by GRAIN: Food Sovereignty for Sale. GRAIN's Asian coordinatior Kartini Simon has been researching the impacts of supermarket expansion across Asia for the past six months and will be facilitating the upcoming workshop.
Photo credit: Todd @ http://www.deeplivingproject.com.au/
Hello friends
In an attempt to keep you better informed we're going to try and post a weekly update of all our on and off farm activity. As we sat down to put together our newsletter we realised we simply had TOO MUCH to tell you!
We’ve weathered the freak August deluge and things are starting to bloom down at Future Feeders HQ. We’re planting, rat-proofing, hoeing, trellising, composting, weeding and even harvesting from our humble but blossoming market garden.
While we love being busy it’s pretty easy to be distracted in the midst of so many opportunities popping up, not to mention the butterflies flying past… We’re certainly recognising the importance of straightening out our priorities. We’ve even bought ourselves a whiteboard. Obviously, this means business.
Last Sunday as we soaked up the sun weeding our mint patch a lovely Colombian woman wandered by. We had a friendly chat before she went on her way… only to return five minutes later and ask if she could join in. She spent about half an hour alongside us shovelling compost onto our welcoming mint bed. It’s moments like these that capture the beauty of small scale urban farming. So simple and so rewarding - turning strangers into friends through shared experience.
Sunday sessions are our open invitation to you to come a join us at FFHQ and get a feel for what this is all about.
If you haven't yet subscribed to our newsletter you've still got time: Click here to subscribe. It'll be arriving in your inbox later this week.
In an attempt to keep you better informed we're going to try and post a weekly update of all our on and off farm activity. As we sat down to put together our newsletter we realised we simply had TOO MUCH to tell you!
We’ve weathered the freak August deluge and things are starting to bloom down at Future Feeders HQ. We’re planting, rat-proofing, hoeing, trellising, composting, weeding and even harvesting from our humble but blossoming market garden.
While we love being busy it’s pretty easy to be distracted in the midst of so many opportunities popping up, not to mention the butterflies flying past… We’re certainly recognising the importance of straightening out our priorities. We’ve even bought ourselves a whiteboard. Obviously, this means business.
Last Sunday as we soaked up the sun weeding our mint patch a lovely Colombian woman wandered by. We had a friendly chat before she went on her way… only to return five minutes later and ask if she could join in. She spent about half an hour alongside us shovelling compost onto our welcoming mint bed. It’s moments like these that capture the beauty of small scale urban farming. So simple and so rewarding - turning strangers into friends through shared experience.
Sunday sessions are our open invitation to you to come a join us at FFHQ and get a feel for what this is all about.
If you haven't yet subscribed to our newsletter you've still got time: Click here to subscribe. It'll be arriving in your inbox later this week.
Stage 2 of our worm farm experiment.
We now have introduced two new species of worms to our worm collection. In individual bath tubs we have now established three separate colonies of worm in an effort to explore their different characteristics; including breading rates, efficiencies at composting materials and outputs.
Composting worms can eat up to their own weight in food each day. They actually eat the bacteria growing on the dead organic matter. Bacteria usually causes unpleasant odours but in a worm farm the worms keep it in check so there is no smell.
The term Composting Worm relates to the fact that these particular worms only burrow down in the top 300mm of soil.
Red Wrigglers (Eisenia Andrei) and African Night Crawlers (Eudrillus Eugeniae) and Indian Blues (Perionyx Excavatus) are all well suited for warmer climates.
AFRICAN NIGHT CRAWLERS (Eudrillus Eugeniae)
African Night Crawlers lay eggs at about the same rate as the Reds but take 2 weeks to hatch.
They take 2 months to mature and start to reproduce. They are also about 3 times longer and thicker than the Red Wrigglers and only take up to 6 to 8 weeks to reach 150mm to 200mm long.
Africans live for about 2 years.
They are the worm of choice for home composters who love fishing. They can eat up to 3 times more organic material than Red Wrigglers
We got ours from : www.briansworms.com
African Night Crawlers lay eggs at about the same rate as the Reds but take 2 weeks to hatch.
They take 2 months to mature and start to reproduce. They are also about 3 times longer and thicker than the Red Wrigglers and only take up to 6 to 8 weeks to reach 150mm to 200mm long.
Africans live for about 2 years.
They are the worm of choice for home composters who love fishing. They can eat up to 3 times more organic material than Red Wrigglers
We got ours from : www.briansworms.com
INDIAN BLUES/BLUEYS (Perionyx Excavatus)
Also known as Spenceralia, an Australian native, this worm species is the fastest breeding worm in general composting use (1 worm will produce 18 worms per week under ideal conditions). This worm also eats faster than any other worm we have come across. If you want to convert organic waste into worm compost in as short a time as possible, then you can't beat this worm. On the downside this worm prefers warmer climates and is likely to crawl from its bedding if conditions are not right for it. The Indians can grow up to 150mm long.
We got ours from : ww.kookaburrawormfarms.com.au
Also known as Spenceralia, an Australian native, this worm species is the fastest breeding worm in general composting use (1 worm will produce 18 worms per week under ideal conditions). This worm also eats faster than any other worm we have come across. If you want to convert organic waste into worm compost in as short a time as possible, then you can't beat this worm. On the downside this worm prefers warmer climates and is likely to crawl from its bedding if conditions are not right for it. The Indians can grow up to 150mm long.
We got ours from : ww.kookaburrawormfarms.com.au
image : www.goodlifepermaculture.com.au
Worm farming is great way to reduce your waste and turn your food scraps into an awesome soil improver and plant fertilizer. Fun and fascinating!
For information on worm farming, read our previous blog entry :
http://futurefeeders.weebly.com/our-blog/worm-farming-the-new-black-gold
If your going to start your own worm farm here is a handy list.
Do Feed:
· Fruit Waste - Non Citrus (Apples, grapes, bananas, plums, peaches, pumpkin)
· Vegetable Waste (carrots, lettuce, beans, peas, limited amounts of potatoes, leaf vegetables)
· Egg shells - In moderation and best when crushed up a bit.
· Coffee Grounds (Filters too) - An excellent worm food, but again in moderation
· Tree leaves - Yes in moderation, stick to common species, avoid exotic tree leaves
· Cardboard - Yes, shredded cardboard doubles as food and bedding.
· Garden Waste - Bean stalks, pea vines, beet tops,
· Starchy- Yes in moderations (Pasta, potatoes, rice, grains)
· Aged animal manure - Yes, it's best to stick with horse manure in the beginning.
Do Not Feed:
· Citrus fruit
· Meat products
· Dairy waste
· Cooking oil or grease
· Human waste
· Pet waste
The title of Dan Barber's recently released book lends itself to a very broad scope. What exactly does the future of food mean? What will food look like? How will we produce it? Who, if anyone, will farm in the future?!
As a future feeder, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. The pages now bear illegible scrawl and increasingly emphatic pencil underlining (a hangover from my university days) as the chapters continue.
Not sure Barber has all the answers to the questions posed but the book certainly makes for hopeful and engaging reading. Through his meandering tales he provides a window into a vast and wonderful world of fish farmers, grain growers, dairy farmers, livestock breeders, free-range foie-gras goose lovers, seed savers and breeders, scientists, activists and foodies. Barber champions the fringe farmers, the innovators and rule-breakers and will have you believe that anything is possible for the future of food. Indeed, it is happening already.
As a chef Barber has always been preoccupied with produce and the food production system. His passion for sourcing ethical produce led him to eventually believe that the farm to table movement has failed. It is this disillusionment that fuels Barber's search for a more real concept of the farm to table movement that develops through the chapters of the book.
The Third Plate is Barber's attempt to go "beyond raising awareness about the importance of farmers and sustainable agriculture." If we are to truly understand the connection between farm to table we must go beyond. Nostalgia for the agrarian lifestyle and heirloom vegetables is just not going to cut it.
Food should truly reflect the land, culture and people that created it. Not only that, food should taste good too. Barber believes that by working together "farmers, chefs, and breeders can become part of a complex web of relationships that supports the health of the land." Which is to say, the health of the land sits above all else.
To do this, chefs will need to learn to "cook with the whole farm," as Barber puts it. For example, 80 percent of American farmland is currently in grain production while fruit and vegetables occupy about 8 percent. What everyone, including chefs, fixates on is vegetables. Barber argues that in this instance whole farm cooking would mean accurately reflecting the prevalence of grains rather than the vegetables in a given dish - use more of what you've got. Whole farm cooking adheres to what the landscape provides.
You many not find answers here but you will find a compelling and refreshing view of the past, current and potential of a redesigned food production system. Barber does extremely well to peel back the deceptively shiny veneer of the farm to table movement, breaking down the idealism to reveal an incredibly complex world of competing structures and vested interests.
The overriding message is one of hope. As grain farmer Wes Jackson (founder of The Land Institute) says to Barber, "If you're working on a problem you can solve in your own lifetime, you're not thinking big enough."
If you're a farmer, chef, foodie, consumer, fisher or sometime eater you'd be well advised to sink your teeth into this wonderful offering. 10/10
As a future feeder, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. The pages now bear illegible scrawl and increasingly emphatic pencil underlining (a hangover from my university days) as the chapters continue.
Not sure Barber has all the answers to the questions posed but the book certainly makes for hopeful and engaging reading. Through his meandering tales he provides a window into a vast and wonderful world of fish farmers, grain growers, dairy farmers, livestock breeders, free-range foie-gras goose lovers, seed savers and breeders, scientists, activists and foodies. Barber champions the fringe farmers, the innovators and rule-breakers and will have you believe that anything is possible for the future of food. Indeed, it is happening already.
As a chef Barber has always been preoccupied with produce and the food production system. His passion for sourcing ethical produce led him to eventually believe that the farm to table movement has failed. It is this disillusionment that fuels Barber's search for a more real concept of the farm to table movement that develops through the chapters of the book.
The Third Plate is Barber's attempt to go "beyond raising awareness about the importance of farmers and sustainable agriculture." If we are to truly understand the connection between farm to table we must go beyond. Nostalgia for the agrarian lifestyle and heirloom vegetables is just not going to cut it.
Food should truly reflect the land, culture and people that created it. Not only that, food should taste good too. Barber believes that by working together "farmers, chefs, and breeders can become part of a complex web of relationships that supports the health of the land." Which is to say, the health of the land sits above all else.
To do this, chefs will need to learn to "cook with the whole farm," as Barber puts it. For example, 80 percent of American farmland is currently in grain production while fruit and vegetables occupy about 8 percent. What everyone, including chefs, fixates on is vegetables. Barber argues that in this instance whole farm cooking would mean accurately reflecting the prevalence of grains rather than the vegetables in a given dish - use more of what you've got. Whole farm cooking adheres to what the landscape provides.
You many not find answers here but you will find a compelling and refreshing view of the past, current and potential of a redesigned food production system. Barber does extremely well to peel back the deceptively shiny veneer of the farm to table movement, breaking down the idealism to reveal an incredibly complex world of competing structures and vested interests.
The overriding message is one of hope. As grain farmer Wes Jackson (founder of The Land Institute) says to Barber, "If you're working on a problem you can solve in your own lifetime, you're not thinking big enough."
If you're a farmer, chef, foodie, consumer, fisher or sometime eater you'd be well advised to sink your teeth into this wonderful offering. 10/10
The humble worm farm!
In all shapes and sizes this miracle of organic technology is found in many a household. Hidden in the gardens back corner this beacon of sustainability receives few of the merits it deserves.
At Future Feeders however we are super excited to have our worm farm going and we want you to know about it! Today we installed our first or many - a modular bathtub design worm farm.
After our recent call for bathtubs was answered with a delivery of tubs we have all been eager to get this project on the go and the worms into action.
As with all new projects, development offers the opportunity for learning and skills sharing so our Sunday session in the market garden proved to be the perfect time to get together and get worm farming.
A rummage around the community gardens integrated resource centre provided the necessary materials for the simplest of systems and so with little more than some 44gallon drums and old steel girders we had a sufficient platform to bear the weight and to mount the bathtubs at a practical height. Its great when striping things back to their simplest form work so well - and costs us nothing!
In all shapes and sizes this miracle of organic technology is found in many a household. Hidden in the gardens back corner this beacon of sustainability receives few of the merits it deserves.
At Future Feeders however we are super excited to have our worm farm going and we want you to know about it! Today we installed our first or many - a modular bathtub design worm farm.
After our recent call for bathtubs was answered with a delivery of tubs we have all been eager to get this project on the go and the worms into action.
As with all new projects, development offers the opportunity for learning and skills sharing so our Sunday session in the market garden proved to be the perfect time to get together and get worm farming.
A rummage around the community gardens integrated resource centre provided the necessary materials for the simplest of systems and so with little more than some 44gallon drums and old steel girders we had a sufficient platform to bear the weight and to mount the bathtubs at a practical height. Its great when striping things back to their simplest form work so well - and costs us nothing!
Once the foundations were there the next steps where just as simple and relevant to any worm farm design!
`1 : Wire mesh and shade cloth was laid over the plug hole and in the bath base to assist drainage
`2 : A layer of damp cardboard was put down first
`3 : Followed by a thick layer of hydrated coconut coir peat.
`4 : In finally go the worms
`5 : Covered thereafter with a good feed of kitchen scraps
`6 : and finally with layer of old carpet to keep them worm, dark and moist.
`1 : Wire mesh and shade cloth was laid over the plug hole and in the bath base to assist drainage
`2 : A layer of damp cardboard was put down first
`3 : Followed by a thick layer of hydrated coconut coir peat.
`4 : In finally go the worms
`5 : Covered thereafter with a good feed of kitchen scraps
`6 : and finally with layer of old carpet to keep them worm, dark and moist.
`7 : we covered the whole tub with a sheet of corrugated iron to keep excess rainwater out
`8 : and little more is needed to collect the 'worm-juice' than to leave a bucket under the hole
`8 : and little more is needed to collect the 'worm-juice' than to leave a bucket under the hole
So from small things big things grow. We plan now as the worm population establishes itself to expand into the other two tubs and then as we can, source more baths to continue to build our worm farm operations.
We are all excited about the prospects of having this amazing nutrient dense fertilizer available to feed our market garden with and having the fresh worm casts to add to our seed raising mix.
Simple pleasures from a simple system, turning waste into a valuable resource!
We will be looking for more baths so If you have one or more available please let us know.
We are all excited about the prospects of having this amazing nutrient dense fertilizer available to feed our market garden with and having the fresh worm casts to add to our seed raising mix.
Simple pleasures from a simple system, turning waste into a valuable resource!
We will be looking for more baths so If you have one or more available please let us know.
Author
Future Feeders Team
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