The Truth About Genetically Modified Organisms – GMO’s

The Truth About Genetically Modified Organisms – GMO’s.

A blog for people who are worried about GM foods might like to read. I am sharing this to enhacne our awareness of foods we , do not know , how it affects us.

Just saw this news item too from SFgate

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/29/MN1O1O5SS0.DTL

Scary!

Added on 10th May 2012

http://grist.org/industrial-agriculture/bitter-seeds-documentary-reveals-tragic-toll-of-gmos-in-india/

Again seeds, farmer suicide, a daughter’s trails with life, how sad!!!

Saying no to BT seeds-farmer Papamma

“Is there any solution to the ongoing BT brinjal controversy? Do we really need BT modified crops? These and other questions are being debated by farmers, food experts, politicians and multinationals. The proponents of BT brinjal say that it will herald a second green revolution. But the opponents argue that India can manage without modified crops because some farmers in Karnataka villages already practice community seed banks.

They cite example of farmers, like Papamma, who have already started a second green revolution. Her house is full of vegetation. Not an inch of waste land around Papamma�s house or farm can be spotted. �Do you see the black sprinkles on the leaves and the beans? That is cow dung water I sprinkled to avoid pests,� says the 60-year-old Papamma who lives in D. Kurubarahalli, a remote village in Kolar, nearly 90 KM from Bangalore.

Keeping farm green isn�t an easy task in hot weather. But Papamma has been managing it for almost 20 years now. She produces crops through organic way. Besides, the family is content with the yield they get from two acres and one acre of paddy field. In two acres, she grows almost 20 varieties of crops. �If we have sufficient water we can grow more than 50 varieties of crops in the farm,� says Papamma. “

This article appeared in the Sunday Indian . Link below.

This is another example of simple sustainable living, using the products available in the vicinity and producing organically. I am not sure everyone can follow, but avoiding BT seeds is an attractive proposition.:-)

City Paint 2 – 27th Street Gallery- My blog friend

City Paint 2 – 27th Street Gallery.

Isn’t it wonderful to have huge walls to paint. My blog friend Scott keeps posting these Visuals. Have a look.

Garden update March 2012

In the terrace garden, things bloom and colors open up, , one reaches for the camera and get co-bloggers to admire them.
Once in a while, one has to share some failures too , to make up for all the harvest consumed in the past months.
Yes, I am talking about the cabbages;while growing them I had more dilemma then good harvest.

They looked like this , and now you can see how it has progressed. I am disappointed that I did not get round heavy lush looking cabbages. They are coming up,fighting the heat and lack of proper watering . It looks like they are taking ages to grow properly.I went through another dilemma of “should I tie them or not”. I asked a few experts, did not get feedback, so I tied a few and left a few

In case you are wondering what the glistening on the leaves is, it is ginger garlic, chilli solution sprayed on the leaves to fend of cabbage loopers. Fairly successful I can say. Compared to last year,when the worms were eating off all the plants, this year they have been low lying. the heat also may be the reason. I did harvest 2 and made nice Kootu and enjoyed it. Of course, it tasted divine, without any pesticides, and hopefully organic.

Not all is negative news. The Dosakkaya seeds have sprouted up left right and centre. This time I am giving it a good attention, pruning and staking and feeding, to see a few good ones. I am getting some nice corn ( Butta) , as companion plant for Brinjal and Papapya. Fun.

All said and done, I am not giving up yet. I am keeping my fingers crossed for getting sufficient water for the plants. In Hyderabad , some areas are having water problem, power cuts, and the heat. This is the time when farmers take rest, may be I should too. I am trying to make lots of Amrit mitti, and look forward to the rains, like any farmer with parched fields. After 60 years of Independence we are still looking to the skies to pour and give succour. People will not do rainwater harvesting, will not plan , will waste water, and we pay.

World water day

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/index.html

This is the burning topic world over. Let us contribute in whichever way we can to conserve.

And also in my blog friend Nick’s pages

http://nicholasjv.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/world-water-day-2012.html

Abloom in Brooklyn, NY

Abloom in Brooklyn, NY.

I know, I do this often. But can’t resist these lovely flowers.

Cherry Blossoms in Virginia…

Cherry Blossoms in Virginia….

A sight for sore eyes of Hyderabadis who wont let any trees grow, and are specialists in cutting them down!!

Summer is here!

Looks like Summer is here with a bang. We hardly had any winter from end of Jan on wards. The mercury has been rising in the day time, creating a good chance for virus to spread infections like cold cough and throat pain. The garden is responding in two different ways.

All the leaves have fallen from the trees, except Sapota. What was a lush Seethaphal tree has become sticks and bones now. But the tree has its renewal too. The new light green leaves have already appeared. Strange is the ways of autumn/spring in our area.
What was like this…

has become this..

The squirrels and the birds are busy in the garden. Waking me up at 5.30 a.m. by calling each other. Isn’t it a welcome way to start a day?. There’s still a little bite in the air. Walking in the compound is noisy, what with all the dry leaves crunching under the feet. The Adeneums are flowing like crazy, and a new color in Canna! So cheerful.. Hey.. Love this spring season.

The Jasmines too are flowering in dozens. Has the summer arrived so soon? May be 15 days early, I wonder. The jasmine like flower plant is also giving out buds. I do not know the name of this plant!

Here is another plant with gourd like leaves. I do not know what it is . But he leaves are fanning out , and many buds are appearing in the centre. There are no tendrils, and no shooting stalk! I am not going to ask anything about this plant. ( once again.. she goes…clueless:-)

Any of you would like to enlighten a dumb gardener, you are welcome.

Oh , yes the cabbages.. I am still struggling with the cabbage loopers, more on that later.

Meanwhile, I am forced to cover the terrace with the shade net, and I was busy since a week, doing the operation. It is tiresome, and hot and I am kind of sad to see the terrace in a mess. Still a lot of space to coverup.

One welcoming news is, the cow and the old man are back. He has started charging exorbitant rate for the cow dung and the cow urine, saying that ” it is sacred and lots of people need it for Pooja”. So I don’t really grudge him. But his daughter in law says he is squandering the money in drinks!

Therefore , Panchagavya production continues , once again. My amrit mitti preparations are also in full swing. The dry leaves sacks are filling up the terrace, with the neighbors being cajoled by my domestic help to pitch in some 5 bags.It is crunchy time , the smell of those leaves are divine., and I have to make many layers, before the rain catches up ( not for another 5 months In Hyderabad).

More pictures on the next instalment, till then have a good time with the mangoes. Please click to enlarge and view the pictures.

Hey.. Crossing a milestone!

(courtesy Google )

Hey, I have crossed it, yes… 10000 hits since I started this blog… I am clapping my hands, hugging my children, they are shouting ‘woo wooo..” I feel great. I know for a 60+ it is not the done thing, to show so much excitement.. But I had declared that I am not a quiet serene person. ! As Reese Witherspoon says in the graduations scene.” I have come to find that passion is a key ingredient ..of life.”;-)

I understand, there are many thousands of bloggers who have crossed million hits. Mine is ‘small change”. For me , it has given a new direction, a great hobby and very satisfying.

When I started this blog, I was fully fired up to share my new passion of growing plants. When my children gave me that I pod it was a blessing to record my flowers and vegetables.

I did not know whether I would continue with plants or with the blog.

Both flourished. One led to other and made me learn a million things, before doing. What a good learning experience.

It has also given me many blogging buddies, who are with me in my problems in the garden. Whenever I face a problem, I simply blog!

Thank you all who read these pages, who have followed my posts, who commented. You have been the inspiration for me to write more and learn more.

I appreciate your help.

Namaskaram

(courtesy Google )

Hyderabad Organic Food Mela-2012 on 3-4th March

This is the notice I had received from one of our Garden enthusiasts.Anyone interested can attend.
“It is our pleasure to inform you that, CSA and Sahaja Aharam Consumers Coop wish to bring organic food producers and consumers together and create awareness about organic food to this extent we plan to organize ‘Hyderabad Organic Food Festival – 2012 on 3rd & 4th of March 2012 at IICT staff club premises , Tarnaka, Secunderabad.
‘Hyderabad Organic Food Festival – 2012’ aims at creating awareness about good, seasonal, nutritionally-dense food & drinks, Cloths, NTFP etc that has been produced in a sustainable and ethical way and bring consumers directly in contact with the producers. This two days event will have a rich display of diverse foods, grown organically, processed locally and packed in a healthy way by the farmers and farmers’ cooperatives.
The specialities on display including Brown Rice, Millet based foods, Vegetables, processed foods, Pickles and publications on good food, home & terrace gardening, handicrafts,NTFPs, etc.

you can also see and learn from the live demos on composting, home gardening, terrace gardening etc and get the required material”

Last time , I attended I had paid some subscription. I do not see such plan here. It looks like it is free.

Enjoy!