[CitizensTruth] Building Community-food circles-preparation now, little by little

[Kris Knight]

Might I also suggest you invest in a small colloidal silver  
generator.  Anyone wanting one within this group, I can get you a  
wholesale one for about $65 or so, unless the cost went up a bit.   
Look this up.  Multiple uses for this; could easily save a life.   
Adrenal support also important.  B12 sublingual.  What do you all  
think about my coming up with a list that Hal could post?  With  
interest, I'd be willing to put in the time.  think I already have a  
list somewhere that I could find...
thanks for this info, Janice...

On Apr 21, 2008, at 7:29 PM, Janice Matthews wrote:


> Hello, Chicago comrades,

>

> I have begun this process last Fall. Have 14 hen chicks (pullets)  

> about ready to head outside to the coop I'm building now, to provide  

> eggs. Next is to build the shelter for my milk goats. Working to get  

> the garden in now... It takes a lot of planning and patience (and  

> work) but seems quite necessary now. I tell you this as hopefully an  

> encouragement...

>

> Second, Kansas City has a growing Food Circle. You might check to  

> see what's happening in/around Chi for that. Look for sustainability  

> and/or permaculture groups in the area, who then link to other  

> groups. In KC, farmers from a circle around KC participate in the  

> markets, but also offer an opportunity for people to sign up for the  

> produce before it becomes available, so the farmers have an idea of  

> where it will be going when it's ready. Also, as you said, no one  

> (hardly) grows everything, so some of these people trade with each  

> other, as well.

> Example: Lawrence, where I'm near now, has the Lawrence  

> Sustainability Network.  It's a clearinghouse of people working on  

> various things... sustainable energy, (fighing new coal plants in KS  

> now), learning to get off the grid via alternative energy, food,  

> healthcare/herbs, etc.

>

> I hope you'll find that there's already a network happening near  

> you, to which you can just plug in, rather than having to invent the  

> whole dang wheel :)  I've found that these are generally incredibly  

> kind and generous people for the most part, too--after all they're  

> building community, and we need various people doing various things  

> in order to complete a community.

>

> Just to end... I feel less hopeless, less depressed, less despondent  

> because of these linkages. I still see what's happening, I still  

> suffer information overload, but I feel a tiny bit less vulnerable...

>

> Just a reminder--Please don't put off stocking up on herbal/ 

> homeopathic remedies now (LDM-100, especially), while they're  

> available, no matter what you do for food. Knowing I can treat the  

> kids for virus/bacteria/fungus is a huge relief, and I can just sort  

> of check it off the list now. At least that's one thing, eh?!!

>

> Love to you all,

> Janice

> Jefferson County, Kansas--

> Home of a BAZILLION honeybees, by the way ... be encouraged :)

>

> Daniel Stafford wrote:

>>

>> I don't know how to get family members to listen - I have the same  

>> issue - they just see the downside and want to continue "as-is" so  

>> far.

>>

>> I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea to start with those of us  

>> who live in proximity and are awake to this. We could all start  

>> doing our gardening, and organize canning parties this fall in our  

>> local areas. Setting up something like an online social network  

>> specifically for urban agriculture might be a place to start, other  

>> than in your garden. After all, we all love company while we're  

>> working - and who knows how many of your neighbors might be  

>> wondering what they can do about it all. Also, if we all grow  

>> tomatoes and corn, where will we get onions, garlic, or carrots?  

>> Some coordination among urban growers on the local level is a great  

>> idea.

>>

>> By the way, here is an excellent article on how to put a no-till  

>> organic garden in any yard: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2008-04-01/Easy-Garden-Anyone-Can-Make.aspx

>>

>> When the food crisis really starts hitting, there's going to be a  

>> whole different attitude. That usually wakes people up really fast  

>> - the problem is, we are within about three-four weeks of planting  

>> season. It is pretty late to start seedlings for this year - so if  

>> you are going to take on a little urban agriculture of your own,  

>> choose varieties that mature rapidly. Seed savers and other seed  

>> sources will usually tell you how long a particular veggie variety  

>> takes to produce.

>>

>> On the home front, we need to approach our local municipalities on  

>> using eminent domain as a weapon against foreclosure. That won't be  

>> enough by itself, though. Those municipalities do have to pay for  

>> what they sieze, even if it's not market rate. They also lose  

>> property tax revenues on any such properties unless they can turn  

>> around ownership quickly.

>>

>> Maybe organizing non-profit "housing co-ops" that buy out mortgages  

>> and sell them back to homeowners at close to zero interest might be  

>> another approach to work with. Think about it - high-interest  

>> mortgages really cost many thousands of dollars over the long term  

>> than their initial loan amount. If people start pitching in to a co- 

>> op at $25.00 a month, then get in line to have their mortgage  

>> bought out by the co-op, a lot of capital that would have gone to  

>> pay interest will be conserved in the local communities. The co-op  

>> then sells the house back to the homeowner over time, but without  

>> the added interest costs raising their payment. Add this up over  

>> hundreds or thousands of houses, and the amount of money not sent  

>> to big corporations in interest gets truly immense - and makes it  

>> easier for communities to afford other things.

>>

>> Such cooperatives could also have rules about urban/suburban  

>> organic gardening - say, in favor thereof...you join, you agree to  

>> produce food using organic means.

>>

>> Approaching municipal governments about city, town, or village-wide  

>> composting programs can also help. Many municipalities that do this  

>> provide free organic fertilizer - compost - back to their residents  

>> at little or no cost while reducing their landfill use by about  

>> thirty percent.

>>

>> Organize classes in your area on gardening, canning, and composting  

>> - share seeds and knowledge. Get people working together. Target  

>> classes to specific neighborhoods, so that you're teaching the same  

>> neighbors at the same time - making it easy for them to garden  

>> together cooperatively.

>>

>> Also, make your garden as attractive as possible, so you avoid  

>> those "going hillbilly?" looks and grumbles from suburbanites with  

>> a well-developed sense of aesthetics.

>>

>> The bottom line, we just need to start taking whatever positive  

>> action we can. E-mail lists need to become better than gripe  

>> sessions - they need to become the inspiration for beneficial,  

>> peaceful grass roots action.

>>

>> Dan

>>

>>

>>

>> Mike Kirk wrote:

>>>

>>> Any advice on how to get family members and relatives to "see the  

>>> light" on these issues?   Most of mine live in "Disney World" and  

>>> don't even bring it up.

>>>

>>> Too much of a downer at holidays and get togethers - la,la, la -  

>>> "the government will step in and make the problems go away."

>>>

>>> With these events coming at a more rapid pace, at some point it  

>>> will be hard to avoid the reality.

>>>

>>> Thanks for the post.  Time to get my bicycle ready for the daily  

>>> commute.  :-)

>>>

>>> -Mike

>>>

>>> Daniel Stafford <aqmstaffo at mailbag.com> wrote:

>>> I said this first this past January as the foreclosure crisis  

>>> started dragging on the economy. Dire predictions were flying all  

>>> about. Now, there are major retailing chains and restaurant chains  

>>> closing stores or going bankrupt. We've lost 3/4 of the Bakers  

>>> Square, Joes Crab Shack, and Lonestar Steak Houses in our area  

>>> already. Wickes Furniture was just built last spring, and they  

>>> went out of business - it's empty now. Wilson's Leather is going  

>>> out of business nationally, their entire store, fixtures included,  

>>> is on clearance.  Food rationing is starting to happen on both  

>>> coasts. Oil has spiked over $117.00 a barrel and gasoline is  

>>> looking to head north of $4.00 per gallon this spring, let alone  

>>> this summer.

>>>

>>> Wage erosion cuts deeper in US	America faces food rationing?	Oil  

>>> spikes to over $117 per barrel

>>> Average pump price hits $3.50; Fuel panic begins, oil capacity  

>>> rise on hold.	

>>> Food prices could harm security	

>>> US dollar hits record low

>>> AU drought worsens global rice crisis	States tackle foreclosure	 

>>> Foreigners sustain NY's economy	Foreclosures up 57% in 12 mos.	AP:  

>>> More won't be buying home soon

>>> Ohio town fore- closures up 178%	US housing woes spread globally	 

>>> Citigroup, Merrill Lynch's $15b loss	'Poor go hungry, rich fill  

>>> tanks'	Soros sounds world economy alarm

>>> Middle class hit by debt, econ. woes	'Bleaker hopes' for  

>>> retirement years	Foreclosures hit McMansions	Delinquent loan  

>>> payments soar	UN World Food Program struggling

>>> Corn rationing predicted for 2008	Banks abandoning student loans	 

>>> Economic downturn hits states hard	Food stamp use nears new high	

>>> Wave of Bankruptcies Will 'Remake' Shopping Malls Across the  

>>> Country	"Foreclosures Prompt Cities to Make Plea for Aid :

>>> The United States Conference of Mayors (usmayors.org)As more than  

>>> 250 mayors , agreed that the collapse of the subprime market had  

>>> left a growing problem of vacant houses, depressed property  

>>> values, tighter credit, and a need to cut services to close  

>>> municipal budget gaps.

>>> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/24mayors.html? 

>>> _r=1&oref=slogin "	

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>> How do we beat this in the absence of help from the federal  

>>> government?

>>> It's Time To Develop Community Volunteer Pools

>>>

>>> It's Time To Develop Community Volunteer Pools -

>>>

>>>

>>> With news like this, and many other stories threatening the  

>>> possibility of a global Depression, (Based on a repeat of the land  

>>> speculation mistakes of the 1920's and other factors) it is time  

>>> to organize volunteer labor pools. Absent any real leadership from  

>>> the government, the unemployed and bankrupt will increase in  

>>> numbers dramatically over the next few years. This represents a  

>>> lot of economically desperate people and a huge pool of idle talent.

>>>

>>> Food security is going to become difficult under these  

>>> circumstances. It will become vital to begin massive vegetable  

>>> gardening efforts in urban and suburban areas. It is also going to  

>>> become necessary to build large scale shelters as housing  

>>> foreclosures continue to skyrocket, driving up the ranks of the  

>>> homeless.

>>>

>>> Grass lawns are a waste of precious crop-growing space. If you add  

>>> up the aggregate land area of lawns in the USA, that is a large  

>>> area of "farmable" land. Putting in a home garden now, before it's  

>>> too late, could help many avoid hunger if the economy collapses as  

>>> many are predicting. Community garden plots need to rise up, and  

>>> so do back yard garden plots. "Canning days" for whole  

>>> neighborhoods could mean the difference between just missing  

>>> certain food items or going hungry over the next few winters. http://www.seedsavers.org 

>>>  is an excellent source of vegetable seeds and plant seedlings,  

>>> with over 25,000 varieties of heirloom vegetables that are  

>>> optimized for different parts of the country.

>>>

>>> Why not begin forming the structures of a "citizens' W.P.A." now,  

>>> before all this happens? Strapped municipalities could use these  

>>> pools of labor to avoid much of the cost of infrastructure  

>>> improvements, focusing their dwindling property tax intake on  

>>> purchasing materials for volunteer workers to use. In return, such  

>>> municipalities could provide materials and space for shelters and  

>>> gardening projects to feed the volunteers and their families.

>>>

>>> Additionally, judicious use of eminent domain laws could foreclose  

>>> on the Foreclosers - seizing bank-owned vacant properties and  

>>> using them to house homeless laborers in return for their labor  

>>> hours on community projects. They do not need the federal  

>>> government to solve the problem. This could be a way for rural  

>>> communities and suburbs to turn the situation around - since such  

>>> efforts would in effect fall outside the purview of the failing  

>>> capitalist economy.

>>>

>>> Obviously, recycling and local sourcing of materials would be  

>>> driven higher by such measures. Energy efficiency could also be  

>>> built into such plans.

>>>

>>> Just as the States are taking action on renewable energy and  

>>> climate change through local initiatives, the States and local  

>>> communities could begin a national turn-around absent help from  

>>> the federal government, in a legal and moral manner.

>>>

>>> Idle union workers could initiate apprenticeship programs within  

>>> the volunteer pools, creating a vast pool of skilled workers for  

>>> when the economy does rebound. Municipal energy projects such as  

>>> wind, solar, and biomass (not using food grains, but rather  

>>> agricultural and yard waste) systems could be built also, driving  

>>> up local renewable power generation.

>>>

>>> Local sustainable forestry programs could also be developed and  

>>> maintained, providing a source of lumber for furniture and  

>>> interior building structures. Earthen housing using lumber only  

>>> for floors, windows and roofing could provide highly durable and  

>>> energy-efficient housing in place of the current lumber-intensive  

>>> methods of buildings. Existing vacant structures could be tapped  

>>> for materials and space to build with.

>>>

>>> Municipalities that embark on such paths could begin to draw  

>>> people back out into the small towns and suburbs without the need  

>>> for long-distance commuting.

>>>

>>> Small family-owned farms might even work with such communities,  

>>> providing much-needed food in return for volunteer labor to help  

>>> with growing and harvesting. Composting and sustainable farming  

>>> methods are age-old ways of working farms without the need for  

>>> petroleum-based fertilization. Natural methods of controlling  

>>> pests would leave enough production in place, when combined with  

>>> urban/suburban gardening efforts, to feed local populations.

>>>

>>> I also wonder if milkweed pod fiber and cattail fiber couldn't be  

>>> used to produce small quantities of local textiles in a manner  

>>> similar to the way cotton is used today. Does anyone out there  

>>> know if there are small-scale textile mills that could be used or  

>>> built to operate with such materials? Milkweed and cattails are  

>>> ubiquitous in the Midwestern US in my experience.

>>>

>>> It's time to think outside the traditional box, and recover some  

>>> of the skill sets that were our heritage from times when  

>>> communities had to be much more self-reliant in the past, combined  

>>> with modern technologies in ways that are harmonious to the  

>>> natural environment and the natural rhythms of the human body.

>>>

>>> There are things we can do to head the worst effects of a severe  

>>> economic downturn off, while making the lives we lead more  

>>> sustainable and healthy. More walking, biking, and horsepower in  

>>> the flesh, more local foods, more local work, shared computers at  

>>> libraries, community fire brigades, and many other means are  

>>> available.

>>>

>>> Open private schools where laid-off teachers could educate  

>>> children and recover from the closures of public schools resulting  

>>> from No Child Left Behind and lack of federal funding.

>>>

>>> There are ways to do these things, using non-profit entities and  

>>> local initiatives that would bypass the failures of national-scale  

>>> systems. A mixture of the best from the past and present could  

>>> lead to a more sustainable, stable, and bright future.

>>>

>>> It's not necessary to go down in flaming despair at all - if we  

>>> work together, and start now.

>>>

>>> JMHO,

>>>

>>> Dan Stafford

>>> _______________________________________________

>>> CitizensTruth mailing list

>>> CitizensTruth at six.pairlist.net

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>>> website: http://citizenstruth.info

>>>

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>>>

>>

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>>

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Kris Knight of WellAware Life Enhancement Center
Phone:  1-608-ALL-LIFE
welaware at merr.com





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