Helen and Hugo’s Organic Farming Blog

Muhammed Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize winner 2006, is urging big business to make a difference in their hearts and not just their pockets. Yunus calls it ’social business’, a business which succeeds on helping other people not just for benefitting ourselves. A business that tackles chronic problems such as malnutrition, environmental decay and/or unemployment.

Yunus claims that human beings whilst being selfish we are also selfless, kind and do want to help people and make a difference to lives and make the planet better for ourselves.

We agree and support him. In particular we have a bank account with the Grameen bank here in Australia which loans money to the poorest of the poor to help end their poverty. It is a brilliant organisation and we encourage you to find out more if you too want to be effective in providing opportunity to those who have little choice in this world.

Visit: www.grameen.org.au and be inspired. For so little you can make a world of difference.

This video is a great overview of the organic farming process from seed to harvest and putting food on the table. A must see for anyone interested in organic farming and the process of growing food organically and putting on our tables.

It supports our drive at Farming Secrets that all farmers seek ways for more sustainable farming for the benefit of all. Ask for our Free “Starter Tool Kit” by going to: http://www.farmingsecrets.com/ to find out more.

With healthy, natural soil, learn how your plants and the environment can thrive in this free gardening video about how to use organic fertilizers on plants.

It supports our drive at Farming Secrets that all farmers seek ways for more sustainable farming for the benefit of all. Ask for our Free “Starter Tool Kit” by going to: http://www.farmingsecrets.com/ to find out more.

The article in The Age “Thornley blasts power bosses over coal use” (p.2 by Adam Morton
25.04.09) is spot on. The Victorian Government led by John Brumby seems more interested in
jobs for the boys than jobs for the people. Brumby’s lack of leadership in applying rational,
logical thinking that would serve to create long term solutions is starkly evident once again.


Thornley claims that coal should not be burnt but rather have the carbon extracted and burn
the gas. This way we would not only have carbon to sell for $1200 a tonne to India and China to use in water purification, we would cut emisssions by two thirds, save the equivalent of 2
desalination plants worth of water and double the number of coalminers jobs. Presently we are
getting nothing for the carbon and at best a negative $30 when there is a carbon price and
“killing the planet”.


Seems like simple and obvious arithmetic to me. Just like it is not to provide water by building an energy guzzling, environmentally disastrous, shortlived desalination plant or a pipe from the Goulburn River to supply Melbourne. The latter is nowhere near finished and already been
declared a failure! On top of that, the ratepayers are being told that they will carry the burden of these Government projects. When will the Government serve the people instead of lining the pockets of yet another mate’s company?


What we need are leaders who have vision and the courage to plan for our future and
to not bow to the self serving needs of big business. A great leader creates a sound future for all and enrols the people in making it happen. It has nothing to do with protecting entrenched views from people trying to protect their jobs and their ego. Nor is it about taking easy options.

“Greenpeace Wrong About GM farming” is one of 2 letters in Opinion, Stock and Land, 2.4.09 p. 10

It is written to make 2 organic farmers who are going from town town with Greenpeace look like misinformed, ignorant farmers spreading mistruths GM. They are riding “side saddle …pump(ing)
out loads of misinformation about litigation-prone agribusiness, compensation, seed supplies and other bulldust”

The writer, Wayne McKay of Billimari, NSW, says that they are “trying to whip up a fever of bother about GM canola” His proof that they missed their mark is that 1000 farmers, up from 100 farmers last year, have turned a “deaf ear to the doomsayers” because “Guess what? Farmers see through such stunts” Wayne’s last comment that these 2 farmers “have only demonstrated that their opposition to GM technology is stronger that their knowledge of farming”.

It amazes me that Wayne hasn’t stopped to realise how illogical his claims are.
Firstly the 1000 farmers were always going to plant GM canola because they see it as their best way to farm profitably. They are unaware of the benefits of biological farming and know no other way to farm apart from getting rid of weeds - competition - and adding inputs to make plants produce.

Secondly why would 2 organic farmers spend their time going around to the towns to oppose GM? Organic farmers do not need GM technology to grow their crops without weedicides so maybe these 2 farmers are extremely concerned about the future for all of us if GM crops are widely grown. They know that there is a better, healthier way to farm because they know their soils and look after them.

I am extremely grateful that people do take the time out to get the information out there. Due to the huge influence that the big agribusinesses can exert on our governing bodies and the media, it is difficult for the ordinary bloke to access a balanced stream of information.

One excellent source of current information is to be found at: www.madge.org.au

just reading “Good Fruit and Vegetables” March edition p. 23 where there is an article about Dr. Bruce Cockroft who is leading research on 8 top orchards in order to increase yields by up to a 150% while reducing water usage.

Dr. Cockroft says that “increased biological activity is critical as it increases plant roots (and) water absorption” One of the trial farmers can see that increased biological activity means that his soils are less compacted (and) water absorption levels are greater.

In other words, follow practices that are an aid to help develop better soil biology.

Just finished reading a review of philosopher Peter Singer’s new book “The Life You Can Save” subtitled “Acting Now To End World Poverty”. I was extremely interested to read more as it is a subject that I too have wrestled with and actively did what I could do about it for many years.

While you are reading this short piece, about 300 children will die, many from easily treatable, poverty-related causes?

(Based on UNICEF estimates that 27,000 children die every day)

These figures are hard to comprehend but nevertheless true.

In the past I have watched a short documentary, which was made about child mortality. To highlight the enormity of the figures, they showed that every few minutes this was the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every few minutes. I have never forgotten the parallel and am confronted when journalists highlight the tragic loss of a single life in our society and I ask “Why, when we can relate to one death can’t we relate to thousands every day?” I came to the conclusion that we just fell totally disempowered in the face of such enormous tragedy.

Singer in his book deals with this confrontation to find out why many of us do nothing to address this gross world imbalance. He is not seeking in this book to make us feel guilty or bad but essentially putting forward an argument to empower us as individuals to end poverty. This he suggests is unavoidable if we want to live an ethical life.

Singer argues that if you are reading his book and drinking bottled water or maybe a soft drink, then you have money to spend on things you don’t really need. He rightfully claims that around the world a billion people struggle to live each day on less than you paid for that drink.

So what to do to make a difference? Hugo and I chose to contribute to the Grameen Bank which in turn provides loans for the poorest of the poor to have access to credit and in turn end their own poverty. We came to understand as we lobbied our Federal Parliamentarians that our Australian Government aid programme is not designed to do this.

Singer suggests that we can all in fact make a difference and end extreme poverty by allocating small regular amounts to reputable non government agencies (such as Grameen, or Oxfam)

Singer continues to question the eating of meat and the biofuel industry which robs grain which could instead feed the world. He examines the enormous wealth squandered on lifestyle and philanthropic trusts set up to buy valuable art objects. Is it morally responsible to spend millions on 1 painting when the money spent could have saved thousands of lives?

I find the whole discussion provocative, empowering and timely and will buy the book to read more in depth.

The Age Sat 31^st Jan 2009 Features p. 12 - 13