Ten Ways Monsanto and Big Ag Are Trying to Kill You – And the Planet

Energy-intensive industrial farming practices that rely on toxic chemicals and genetically engineered crops are not just undermining public health, they’re destroying the planet.

Here’s how:

#1 Generating Massive Greenhouse Gas Pollution (CO2, Methane, Nitrous Oxide) and Global Warming, While Promoting False Solutions Such as Industrial Biofuels, So-Called Drought-Resistant Crops, and Genetically Engineered Trees

#2 Polluting the Environment and the Soil-Food Web with Pesticides, Chemical Fertilizers, and Persistent Toxins, Including Dioxin

#3 Draining and Polluting Wetlands and Aquifers, Turning Farmland into Desert

#4 Poisoning Wells and Municipal Drinking Water, Lakes, and Rivers

#5 Chopping Down the Rainforests for Monoculture GMO Crops, Biofuels and Cattle Grazing

#6 Increasing the Cost of Food, While Reducing Nutrition and Biodiversity

#7 Spawning Pesticide-Resistant Superbugs and Weeds, and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

#8 Generating New and More Virulent Plant, Animal and Human Diseases

#9 Utilizing Wasteful Fossil Fuel-Intensive Practices and Encouraging the Expansion of Natural Gas Fracking and Tar Sands Extraction (Which Destroy Forests, Aquifers, and Farmland)

#10 Stealing Money From the 99% to Give Huge Subsidies to the 1% Wealthiest, Most Chemical and Energy-Intensive Farms and Food Producers

It’s not enough to stop eating genetically engineered food. If we want a liveable planet we’ve got to boycott all factory farmed food and make the Great Transition from energy and chemical-intensive agriculture to a relocalized and organic system of food and farming.
The World According to Monsanto is a recipe for disaster. Monsanto and Big Ag contaminate every link in the food chain, threatening the very foundation of life: living nutrient-rich soil, clean water, resilient crops, healthy animals, stable climates, and diverse food sources. The good news is that agro-ecological and organic methods can reverse this threat and sustain food production for future generations, but we don’t have much time to turn things around.

The Wholeshare Buyers Club is off to a great start – 21 people signed up so far.  On January 14, Amy sent all of you an email invitation to join.  Please click on the link in that email and spend some time looking at the site.   Once you have joined, you may also send an invitation through the website to invite others to join if you wish.  There is no cost to join.  If you have questions, feel free to email or call me.  I would be willing to give a demonstration on how    to use the website at my house in Sherburne if you think that would be helpful.

A pickup policy was posted under the INFO tab on the Wholeshare website.  Our order deadline is Monday, February 27 at noon, with delivery on Friday, March 2, so you still have plenty of time to join and become familiar with the ordering process, as well as join open splits and finalize your order if you’ve already joined.  The pickup date for this order is Saturday, March 3.

We want to encourage people who come to pick up their Wholeshare orders to recycle and reuse — consider saving large cottage cheese and yogurt containers, coffee cans, and other such containers to use for products purchased in bulk, such as rice, flour, dry beans, etc.

Amy and Brian are in the process of enclosing the now open-air space adjacent to the Farm Store so it can be utilized as  space for Wholeshare orders when they’re ready for pickup.  They have the siding and a door, but need a window or two.  Does anyone have some spare windows sitting in a garage or basement they might consider donating?

We’re also looking for grain scoops.  We’re investigating where we might buy them, but if anyone has any they’re not using, and could consider donating, that would be wonderful!

The newly formed Core Group will meet for the first time on Sunday, February 5.  Communications will follow.

We are all looking forward to the new year, the new growing season, and the exciting new changes at Alambria.  Your involvement is appreciated … valuable … and critical.  Suggestions, comments, feedback, and ideas are always welcome.

Thanks for all you do to support local agriculture — “We must be the change we want to see in the world!”

Chris Hoffman

Hi All!

If you have not done so already PLEASE go to our Alambria Springs Farm facebook page and “like” us!!

Please help us spread the word!

Thank you very much!!

Alambira

Winter has finally arrived…enjoy the beauty of the snow covered landscape!

Our 2o12 seeds arrived in the mail yesterday. Wait until you see what we have in store for you this season. We won’t ruin all of the surprise but new varieties of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and beans(to name a few) promise to keep it exciting and keep your taste buds bursting with delight and longing for more!! A great big “Thank you” to all shareholders that sent in payments in a timely manner and to the large amount of you that paid in full! We have cut off the sign up for renewing members and will only be taking a small amount of new members for 2012.

Thanks for the positive response in regards to the “Wholeshare” buying club this year.  Our meeting is definitely on for Jan 25th 6pm at the farm.  Please bring some sort of finger food snack to share as the idea of a dish and dinner won’t work with the amount of members attending and our modest sized home! Please RSVP if you have not yet so we can get an adequate count.

Thanks so much!

Amy and Brian

Hi all you fabulous locavores!!

Alambria will be at the indoor winters farmers market tomorrow Saturday Dec 31st from 9-1pm. We will be offering greens, bread, potatoes, carrots, Alambria pasture raised chickens, and Chenango fresh roasted coffee!  We have limited amounts on all items…get there early for the greens and bread!

Hope to see you there.

Tomorrow Dec. 31st  CSA deposits are due as well! Don’t forget to reserve your share with at least a deposit or pay in full and receive the early bird special price!

Happy New Year and much love to all.

Alambria Springs Farm

Greetings!

We trust this finds everyone fantastic and ready for the Holidays!

Please keep in mind that your CSA share deposits are due on or before Dec 31st, 2011 to reserve your share for 2012.  If you pay in full you receive the early bird special. We have  updated our share information for 2012 on our website. It can be found in the “join us” section or on the commitment/sign up form. Please email Amy at womandance@frontiernet.net if you have further questions and/or concerns. Also, please keep in mind that if you are having financial difficulties contact us to work out an alternate payment plan as we are willing to work with you to ensure you can still enjoy restorative organic food!

We are considering the idea of starting a buying club here at Alambria. Please check out this website for more info.  www.wholeshare.com.  Some of you may be aware of how buying clubs work but you can view the instructional video on their website for additional information.  A local buying club can provide members with many local products that Alambria does not produce, from around the region, at wholesale prices delivered here to the farm store.  We would like to hold a meeting for all interested parties. Please email us if you would  like to attend a meeting.

We will be attending the Parry’s winter farmers market on Dec 31st from 9-1pm. We hope to have greens, root crops, and broiler chickens(farmers market discount price). We hope to see some of you there!

We were able to make our initial deposit and reserved all of our potato seed for next season thanks to the early shareholder payments that came in this month. A great big  “THANK YOU” to all that paid in full already! You helped  secure our potato seed which was hard to come by this season as many farmers had huge losses from the 15″ of rain we experienced in August. Congrats and thank you for your cooperative efforts!

We wish you all a splendid holiday season. May this coming year bring much love, light, and peace to you. May you experience many beautiful blessings now and throughout the year!

See you soon.

Amy, Brian and the gang at Alambria

An article on the current sad state of affairs.

Farmageddon−The Unseen War to Shut Down American Family Farms

We will have carrots available on Wed.  as well for those of you who are picking up greens and may be interested in buying extra goodies!

Cheers!