Nature, Agriculture, Erosion, Topography and the Natural Reality Discussed

Many folks do not understand the urgency of our nation ' s water supply or the issues concerning soil void of nutrients. These are sincere problems for agriculture, drinking water, and we are slowly polluting our civilizations around the world, the runoff is going into the sea and causing a awful problem. Saltwater outbreak and empty aquifers, along with rivers and lakes depleted are of grave concern. But what can be done?

An interesting occasion study is the Ventura Territory, CA coastal area, where they pumped out too much water and salt water intrusion from the ocean filled all the fresh water wells with salt water, destroying the crops and soil. Bummer there is like 50 feet of top soil there, probably the best Strawberries in the World were grown there, full of rich nutrients. So, they diverted river water into the underground aquifers and after 10 - years things are back to normal, but some fear they still pump out too much ground water.

The Mississippi River Mouth is a problem, once it was a huge river delta teaming with life and nutrients, however, when you channel that level of water flow it acts like a Jacuzzi jet blasting away anything there. Being a pilot I study erosion topography when I fly, you know as a hobby, you can see the changes and it ' s obvious we have a problem out there.

Erosion, water flows, and all these things can be put back to their natural states, and we can create natural states elsewhere; I believe it ' s all fixable? As I study US Droughts, weather, erosion, water flows, nature etc, it seems that we are making obvious mistakes as we try to force human views onto the natural patterns, and thus, we end up with the law of unintended consequences. We need better policies.

Mustard A Favorite Cover Crop - Try Other Cover Crops Also

There are many farmers, who are not satisfied with the gains from their fields despite inwardness best efforts. Governments worldwide are supporting the farmers, farm owners, agriculture research institutes and industries making the farming equipments in every possible way with the expectation of increased crops. Better crops dilute not individual the dependency over other countries but also instigate the farmers to hold out their existing farming profession. Cover crop farming is the aftermath of collective efforts and supporting environment. So far results of actuality cover cropping have been very favorable, so more researches are being initiated to make the cover crop farming more beneficial - practically and economically both. Since last couple of years, mustard is being used widely as an effective covering crop. The result of mustard crops are making it popular worldwide.

The major benefit of mustard crop is that it contains high level of glucosinolates. The practice of using mustard crops to manage pathogens is termed as biofumigation, which is the suppression of soil - borne diseases through naturally generated compounds. All the brassicas like cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and mustard naturally produce glucosinolates. It makes certain brassicas " hot ". Brassicas have been proved very rich containers of glucosinolates. The high glucosinolates level ensures better biofumigant. When the plant cells are damaged, glucosinolates comes in the contact with myrosinase. The reaction, in the presence of water, produces isothiocyanate ( ITC ). ITC triggers the suppressive effects.

Proven benefits of Mustard crop as cover crop:

Acts like natural biofumigant

Winterkills at 26 deg F

Easy to destroy with herbicides or tillage

Provides alleopathic weeding control

Helps in " cleaning up " the fields where nematode is a problem

Checks the germination or survival of ryegrass

Mustard crop should be planted 1 - 2 " deep as monoculture crop. To ensure the expected results, it must be destroyed completed by tillage at least three weeks before planting of cash crop. After the destroy of mustard crop, rain or irrigation is must because it helps in release of glucosinilates.

Mustard is not the only one crop that is being used as cover up crop; there are at least seventeen crops. Selection depends upon the particular purposes, geographical and climatic conditions. Cowpeas, Soybeans, Red Clover, Alfalfa, Crimson Clover, Sweet Clover etc are also getting popularity worldwide as cover crops. Many agencies offer free consultancy and even onsite services, so there is no need to take risk by adopting hit and try method.

Methods to Grow Plants Without Soil

Ponos is the god of labor in Greek mythology and the basis for the Greek confab ponics which means oppressive work. In modern English, ponics is combined with the Greek and Latin words for air and water to detail clashing methods of soil less agriculture. Photosynthesis in plants requires access to minerals, especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These nutrients are initiate naturally in the soil but the soil itself is not required for plant growth. So the common spun wool in all soil less gardening techniques is the existence of an alternative means via air and water of delivering those minerals at once to the roots of the plants.

Hydro is the Greek confab for water and hydroponics literally means " working water. " It is the moniker for the process of growing plants in beds of ecru, gravel, or coinciding supporting material that is flooded with nutrient rich water based solutions. Hydroponics is the oldest of the soil less success methods and goes back 1000s of years to the early Egyptians, Aztecs and Chinese. Of the three soil less gardening methods described in this article, hydroponics is the simplest to implement but also the least efficient. Regardless it enables easy indoor gardening and will typically produce crops on about 20 % of the land and use about 10 % of the water as traditional agriculture.

Aero is the Greek word for air and aeroponics is the gardening technique for growing plants without anchoring them in soil or a nutrient drenched hydroponic media. In aeroponics, the plants ' roots are suspended in air in a chamber and intermittently spayed or misted with nutrient - laden water. The goal is to hold the humidity of the chamber at or close to 100 % which exposes the roots to abundant oxygen, CO2 and the necessary nutrients. Aeroponics is a relatively new high tech method of gardening dating back to the end of the 20th century. It is well suited to indoor gardening and can produce crop yields that exceed hydroponics by as much as 40 %. It is also more complicated and less forgiving than hydroponics. The wet / dry spray cycles must be consistently timed and crops can be severely damaged or completely lost due to even short electrical power outages or equipment failures.

Aqua is the Latin word for water and aquaponics is the modern practice of growing fish and plants in a closed water system utilizing the natural synergistic relationship between these two species. Aquaponics combines hydroponics with aquaculture to create a sustainable food producing process that yields organic fruits and vegetables plus healthy fish populations for either consumption or as ornamental pets.

Aquaculture or fish farming is the growing of aquatic species, such as fish, crayfish and prawns in a controlled environment. A key to the ability to grow healthy fish in an aquaculture system is to maintain the water quality through the removal of adverse elements produced from fish waste products. As previously stated, hydroponics is growing plants in a solution of water and nutrients. Hydroponic farmers must maintain the level of nutrients in the water as they are consumed by the plants adding labor and expense to the processes.

Aquaponics utilizes a symbiotic relationship between the two species to provide nutrients for the plants while at the same time sustaining clean water for the fish As they eat and grow fish produce waste that introduce ammonia into the water which is toxic to most aquatic animals. Through a natural multi - step process known as the Nitrogen Cycle, ammonia from fish waste products are transformed by bacteria into nitrates that are a source of the nutrients that are needed by plants. The plants feed on these nutrients and filter and clean the water for the fish. By combining these two older systems, aquaponics is the ideal answer to a fish framers problem of disposing nutrient rich water and a hydroponic growers need for nutrient rich water.

All three of these growing methods can be used for indoor soil less food production year around. They are a growing alternative for urban gardening and for full scale food production in areas of the world with limited access to arable land.

Obama ' s Wireless Stimulus Package

On the whole, the Obama administration ' s new wireless method is one of the cleanest and most uncontroversial budget proposals in recent reflection and it is supported by the truth that the GOP, which is currently balking at most of Controller Obama ' s budget proposals, has not elected to attack this one. The reason is intelligible; on the face of it, Obamas wireless proposition intends to dramatically expand the reach of wireless access providers, and so, the potential market as well.

Overall, bottom commodities will increase, as well the wireless network, allowing access providers to generate to deed out the disreputable last mile problem. DSL and Release Internet are admired to frame out and preserve, term wireless is not. With the recent FCC Snare Neutrality legislation, it is sunny there is a heated locus on expanding wireless infrastructure to shift the bulk of communication to the wireless model. Being, most new phone numbers are mobile. The Plain Mature Telephone network is being phased out, and a home phone makes dwarf sense in light of the convenience of cell phones.

Plan Details: The Money

Broadcast Spectrum Auction: One of the key parts of the proposal was the 500 MHz broadcast spectrum auction, currently held by television and radio broadcasters, and would be sold off specifically for licensed mobile access providers. The total cost of the program is currently estimated at $18 billion, and total revenue is $27. 8 billion over 10 years, hence the Obama wireless plan will realize a $9. 6 billion net gain. Some will go to the current holders of the spectrum to be sold off in exchange for voluntary surrender of the spectrum.

Infrastructure: The next major part of the plan is the investment of $10. 7 billion to build a public safety wireless infrastructure. This will provide police, fire, and other public services high - speed wireless access, allowing them to share video and exchange email. While a little vague, the scope of the plan is extensive and would involve dedicating the D Block of broadcast spectrum for public safety. Much of the cash would be spent on towers and infrastructure to support the use of the spectrum. The recent buyback of the Wireless Philadelphia, a multimillion - dollar effort to provide free wireless and its re - tasking to fire and police use is an example of the goal of this phase of the plan.

Other Funding: $5 billion would go to fund an expansion of the Universal Service Fund, ensuring low - income families access to wireless services, and to support companies that invest money in building private infrastructure in areas traditionally too costly to develop profitably. Safelink wireless is an example of this initiative, providing cell phones and monthly airtime to low - income American.

An additional $3 billion would be invested in research and development of wireless technologies in the education, health care, and energy sectors, which would dovetail with existing health care technology initiatives. Additional funds are already allocated in the Commerce and Agriculture Departments through the Recovery Act and will be used to fund wireless development in rural areas.

Effects of the Plan

With the deployment of DTV and the end of analog broadcast television, a starting gun was sounded and the race was on. Much of the news, beginning with Google ' s attempt to enter the most recent spectrum auction and the recent FCC Net Neutrality Act has been the pole positions of the race. For many years, the federal government has supported efforts to bring telephone service to outlying areas of the country. Now the government will assist in the expansion of wireless access to replace the existing infrastructure and create a wireless broadband future.

The plan intends to be a win - win effort with commercial entities benefiting from the creation of a much larger market base, and lower cost of wireless access and America benefiting from a major step forward in technological development. Consumers will benefit by having mobile access nearly everywhere. Finally, the taxpayers will realize 9 billion dollars in revenue over the next ten years. It is rare that any federal program is this balanced and universally accepted.

Mayan Gods

The ancient Maya people had a diverse pantheon of deities that were worshiped and usually offered human red. The rulers of the Maya believed that they were the direct progeny of Mayan gods and that rubicund was the furthermost relinquishment.

The Maya ' s sight of the cosmos is one that is split into various levels, both supreme and below the earth. Upon dissolution they believed that the soul would be flying to the underworld ( Xibalba ), a accommodation of turmoil and fright were gods tested and punished shattered visitors.

One of the most important gods worshiped by the Mayan people was the being admitted as Quetzalcoatl. Also referred to as the Great Feathered Serpent Quetzalcoatl brought teachings of peace to the Maya. He is depicted as being a white deity with a long beard. It has been suggested that the carvings and drawings created by the Maya of Quetzalcoatl bear a striking resemblance to the god Enki in the ancient Sumerian culture.

Scholars disagree as to whether Quetzalcoatl and Thoth were worshiped as the same entity or different deities. The pyramid of the sun located in Teotihuacan seems to back up the former suggestion.

Another important Mayan god was Chac. Chac was worshiped as a benevolent god who could bring the rain. The ancient Maya people would often pray to Chac when they required water to help irrigate their fields. Chac is associated with the god of wind Kukulcan. Debate continues today as to whether Chac and Kukulcan were simply different forms of the same deity.

The sun god was known to the Maya as Kinich Ahau. Kinich Ahu was associated with the city Itzamal, were it was believed that he traveled to at midday each day disguised as a macaw. Kinich Ahu is usually depicted as having jaguar like features. This god was also called Ah Xox Kin, though this form was mostly associated with music and poetry and not the sun.

Agriculture was of fundamental importance to all ancient cultures. Yumill Kaxob was the Mayan god that represented agriculture. Yumill Kaxob is usually shown wearing a headdress of maize and is more youthful in appearance than other deities.

The god associated with death was known as Yum Cimil, though sometimes Ah Puch. He is represented in images as having a skeletal frame covered in black spots and adorned with ornamental bones. Yum Cimil is also depicted as having eyeless sockets, which was a typical symbol of the underworld.

Nutrients saved with pressure cooking

A lot has improved in the last 20 years with the modern infinity pressure cooker. They ' re most gladly safer than Grammies pressure cooker, and theyre built with style. Planate though the pressure cooker was first built around 300 years ago, it ' s become the leading cooking method for today. When food is cooked with pressure, it ' s cooked the healthiest way possible. Food comes out tastier and faster than share conventional method. Meats come out delicate and chewed, and vegetables are colorful and their flavors are burning. Pressure cooking makes it apparent for stable the busiest cooks to prepare meals. With a 70 % contraction in cooking times, your time spent tied up over the stove - top can be spent on more important things. Use your pressure cooker to make unreduced casserole style meals, or cook several foods at the alike time and have a home cooked feast served in minutes.

Nutrients

How meals are cooked can have a huge impact on their nutrient content. Cooking your food in an open pot of boiling water is the most effective way to destroy the vitamins. To conserve the most nutrients feasible, many experts recommend that you use as little water as possible. You should also cook your food as rapidly as you can because many vitamins are sensitive to water, heat and air exposure. Water used for cooking can dissolve and wash away water soluble vitamins, while the high temperature deteriorates them. Many vitamins including " B " and " C " are water soluble and the simple act of washing them takes away some of the vitamins. Fat soluble vitamins such as " E " and " D " are stored and metabolized with the fat in our bodies. Fat Soluble vitamins are not as sensitive as water soluble vitamins and are not cooked away so easily.

It is crucial to select the best cooking method that optimizes and keeps the nutrients in food. In a study published by Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, experts looked at the effects of different means of cooking broccoli. Up to 97 percent of specific antioxidant compounds were ruined by microwaving, while steaming the broccoli caused only 11 percent loss. Therefore, any cooking that lessens the time, temperature, and water will help to retain nutrients. Pressure cooking under steam is one of the best methods because it minimizes time and calls for little water.

The super - heated steam which is created by high temperatures within a pressure cooker, makes the food cook swiftly, and intensifies the natural flavors. This enables cooks to use less salt, sugar, and use less costly herbs and seasonings and also get a far better taste. Pressure cooking creates an airless atmosphere that holds more nutrients than other cooking methods. When food is cooked with less liquid, more vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are preserved and not boiled away during cooking. The procedure of cooking in a steam environment is virtually a fat - free method of cooking as well.

As a rule, accelerated cooking approaches are much better for preserving nutrients than slower methods. Any type of cooking alters food in some way, and more nutrients are wasted when food is subjected to heat, light, moisture and air. The order in which nutrients are typically preserved from quickest to slowest is: Pressure Cooking, Microwaving, Steaming, Stir - frying, Poaching, Roasting, Baking and Broiling.

There are a few tips you can utilize to maintain nutrients. Leaving vegetables in larger portions will minimize the surface area of food. That way fewer vitamins are damaged when they are subjected to air. Always cover your pot to hold in steam and heat. This will also assist in decreasing your cooking times. Leftover cooking water can be used for: sauces, stews, soups or vegetable juice.

It ' s not tough to see why a lot of people are beginning to catch on to pressure cooking. They ' re efficient, save electricity, lock in nutrients, safe to use, designed to last and highly flexible.

Pepsi Takes Fight With Coca - cola Into Potato Fields

PepsiCo, the $60bn - a - year source company of Walkers crisps, Quaker Oats, and Tropicana fruit juices, is Britain ' s biggest crisp maker, buying more than 350, 000 tonnes of potatoes a year.

The sort says it will now supplant the three varieties of potato it grows in Britain with types that need less water in production and which store better.

The 350 farms which cultivate the matter ' s potatoes will also handle to low - carbon fertilisers and use more precise irrigation. Instead of applying about 10 tonnes of water in the field, to grow one tonne of potatoes in dry areas, after 2015 the farms will use about five tonnes.

" These are ambitious but achievable targets, " said David Wilkinson, PepsiCo ' s agriculture director for Europe, " Britain is a testbed. If it goes well we will be able to use these methods worldwide. "

Pepsi and Coke, which sell their products in almost every country in the world and are two of the best known global brands, have long fought each other over taste, price, sugar content and market distribution. Each has been criticised by communities, courts, and developing countries, for depleting water supplies in drought - prone areas and for allegedly poisoning water with pesticides. A massive movement has now emerged in India to hold multinational companies accountable for their water use. The state of Kerala in India banned the sale and production of Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, Fanta, and other soft drinks made by the firms ' local subsidiaries.

The Indian environmental activist Vandana Shiva has calculated that it takes nine litres of clean water to manufacture a litre of Coke, though Coca - Cola says the correct figure is 3. 12 litres on average.

Research has shown both companies that most of the water they consume is used for growing ingredients rather than in the manufacturing process itself.

" The food industry is starting to recognise that a large part of its focus must be on the agricultural supply chain. PepsiCo has taken a leadership role in recognising that it is, at its heart, an agricultural business. The focus of the business on improving its key environmental impacts is most welcome, " said Richard Perkins, commodities adviser at WWF.