September 2021 - Page 3 of 6

Pasture Cropping – Profitable Regenerative Agriculture

The Soil Learning Center is a hub of resources for farmers & growers who are on the regenerative journey. A platform created by soil lovers at Farming Secrets Media Group.

The goal of Soil Learning Center is just that: creating a central online space bringing together resources, education, content and inspiration, to better your growing practices, boost profits and product quality with an emphasis on sustainability and promote freedom from climate change.

For today’s modern farmers, you can’t afford to not know about regenerative farming and how these practices can help you succeed.

We’ll also discuss successful stories from other farmers and growers who have found their unique solutions using nature’s tools with this new form of agriculture.

EPIC, Coalition Urge DHS to End Broad, Unwarranted Surveillance Programs

DHS Facial Recognition facial recognition social media monitoring

EPIC, Coalition Urge DHS to End Broad, Unwarranted Surveillance Programs

In a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, EPIC and a Coalition of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties organizations demanded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) end some of the agency’s more pervasive surveillance programs. The coalition called for DHS to end its practice of purchasing sensitive data (e.g. cellphone location and utility information) from third-party vendors and cease the collection of social media identifiers. The coalition also urged DHS to implement a moratorium on the use of face recognition for immigration enforcement. In previous comments to DHS, EPIC opposed DHS collecting social media identifiers and called for DHS to suspend the use of facial recognition.

How to Create a Prepper Hideout

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by Jeff Thompson

It’s strange to even think of writing a piece about creating prepper hideouts in “The Land of the Free.” Sadly, that freedom has long ago died a bloody death. I think we’re getting much closer to an America akin to the late 1930s Germany. Other countries throughout the world (Australia comes to mind) are already there.

For those who are thinking a “we need to hide our Jewish neighbors” type scenario could quickly unfold again, I’d like to take a moment to give some of my thoughts on how to create a prepper hideout. We need only look at the venom and animosity that is being directed at the unvaccinated to see that this might actually become a necessity in our lifetime.

A hideout is different than a bug-out location, a survival cache, or a safe room. It’s meant to house a person or group of people secretly in the event they are targeted for some reason. Where you will locate this space will vary based on your home, your geography, and other factors.

Let’s talk about what a prepper hideout requires, and what we can glean from history.

The first things a prepper hideout requires are food and water

Without a doubt, this needs to be your #1 priority. Read through any of the diaries of those trapped in Nazi-occupied territory throughout World War II. You’ll see just how large of a presence hunger played in their daily lives. You have to have ample food stores for these environments. Without food, you cannot stay in a hideout for long.

Water is even more critical. Although a person can technically survive three days without water, your motor skills and mental capacity will diminish on the first day. Here’s an article on calculating how much water to store.

In addition to food, you need to consider a way to open cans and a hidden means of cooking food. Can-openers easily solve the first problem. A plug-in stovetop is liable to be the best means of providing the second. Another option is storing food that doesn’t have to be cooked at all.

Plug-in stove units aren’t going to have the massive energy draw of a real stove. If an energy allotment is in place and people are punished for breaking electricity rationing rules, you may want to consider one of these. Plug-in stoves genuinely don’t take up much space and can quickly heat a pot full of chili. I usually use mine to…

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Soils Alive

The Soil Learning Center is a hub of resources for farmers & growers who are on the regenerative journey. A platform created by soil lovers at Farming Secrets Media Group.

For today’s modern farmers, you can’t afford to not know about regenerative farming and how these practices can help you succeed.

We’ll also discuss successful stories from other farmers and growers who have found their unique solutions using nature’s tools with this new form of agriculture.

Senators Announce Probe into Facebook’s Alleged Coverup of its Negative Influence on Children and Teens

children consumer Facebook FTC teens

Senators Announce Probe into Facebook’s Alleged Coverup of its Negative Influence on Children and Teens

Today, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn announced an investigation into Facebook’s knowledge and coverup of the harmful effects of Facebook’s Instagram on children and teenagers. The announcement follows a Wall Street Journal investigation which revealed that Facebook’s researchers found that Instagram is harmful to a “sizeable percentage” of its young users, most notably teenage girls. Internally, Facebook knew that Instagram’s effects on young people included increased anxiety and depression, body image issues, and thoughts of suicide. Publicly, CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress that Facebook’s research suggested that the use of its social media apps had positive mental health benefits to users. The Wall Street Journal uncovered several documents that “show that Facebook has made minimal efforts to address these issues and plays them down in public.” In response to Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn’s August 2020 request for Facebook to release its internal research on the matter, Facebook sent a six-page letter that did not include the company’s studies. EPIC has fought for transparency and accountability for Facebook’s privacy abuses for over a decade, from filing the original FTC Complaint in 2009 that led to the FTC’s 2012 Consent Order with the company, to moving to intervene in and filing an amicus brief challenging the FTC’s 2019 settlement with Facebook.

What do the crops you know from the shops look like before harvest? Some photos will surprise you

The time when we only knew fruits and vegetables that grew in our climate is long gone. Thanks to globalisation and the possibilities of fast transport, food from all over the world has gradually made its way to every possible country and state.

Most of the exotic crops we never had the opportunity to see for ourselves in the run-up to the harvest. We have therefore selected images that may surprise many of you.

Kiwi, bananas, peanuts or pistachios. No news, we all know what they taste like. They are commonly found in our kitchens. As well as the increasingly popular avocado, which is the most popular in the world and is consumed in California. Avocado sandwiches are very popular in Hollywood and are making their way into many hipster bistros.

Yet avocados are still one of those crops we know neatly stacked on supermarket shelves. But how does it grow? On a tree, a bush, a field? And what about the wasabi we most often encounter in sushi? All these questions are answered in our gallery.

Which crop surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!

pistachios

Mango

Almonds

kiwi

Capers

Cocoa

Artichoke

Brussels sprouts

sesame seeds

Cinnamon

avocado

vanilla

wasabi

bananas

Peanuts

black pepper

coffee

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Bread From Stones

The book “Bread from Stones: A New Rational System of Land Fertilization and Physical Regeneration” explores the ancient idea of nourishing plants with stone dust so they can flourish. Originally written in German by Julius Hensel, this book was translated into English so that people of the U.S. can understand that plants, just like people, need proper nutrition to grow and thrive. Criticizing the older salt fertilization hypothesis, Hensel discovered that plants fertilized with stone dust are healthier and free of disease.

“Bread From Stone: A New And Rational System Of Land Fertilization And Physical Regeneration” is a free ebook offered by Farming Secrets.
Written a century ago, Hensel’s book was a groundbreaking attack on the salt fertilizer theory.
Hensel discusses how using stone dust to fertilize plants can make them healthier, safe, and more nutritious.

“Translated from the German writings of Julius Hensel, the book was designed to introduce the people of the U.S. to the idea that plants require healthy food in order to flourish, just as a human being does.”

EPIC, Coalition to Senators: Reject Plan Requiring SSN Collection by Peer-to-Peer Payment Services

SSN consumer

EPIC, Coalition to Senators: Reject Plan Requiring SSN Collection by Peer-to-Peer Payment Services

EPIC and a coalition of privacy and consumer rights group today sent a letter to Senators Ron Wyden and Mike Crapo of the Senate Finance Committee regarding a proposal under consideration in the budget reconciliation bill to expand the mandatory reporting regime for private financial information in the United States. The proposal would require peer-to-peer payment apps and other similar services such as Square Cash and Venmo to collect Taxpayer Identification Numbers (“TINs”) for virtually all payee accounts in order to comply with new reporting obligations. Because most individuals do not hold a separate TIN from their Social Security Number, unlike businesses, this means that these private entities will be collecting SSNs of millions of Americans. The groups urged the Senators to reject the Treasury Department’s proposal and instead explore ways to improve tax compliance that do not put Americans’ SSNs at risk. “At minimum, the expanded reporting requirement should be scaled back to apply only to business accounts or individual accounts with a high de minimus threshold, adjusted for inflation over time,” the groups said. “Peer to Peer payment apps and other similar services that currently do not collect TINs should not be required to do so under the new reporting requirements.”

Canning Cherries in Apple Juice Recipe

On average, as a very rough guideline, expect to need about 1 kg (2.5 lbs) of cherries per 1 litre (US quart) jar of canned cherries

8 (17.5 lbs) of cherries = 7 litres (US quarts) canned cherries
5 kg (11 lbs ) of cherriess = 9 x ½ litres (US pints) canned cherries

Quality: Select bright, uniformly colored cherries that are mature (of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking).

Canning Cherries in Apple Juice Recipe

Prepare a very large pot or bowl of water that has been acidulated (by adding lemon juice or ascorbic acid.)
Wash the cherries, stem them, and pit them.
Place pitted cherries in that acidulated water to prevent the exposed flesh from browning.
Continue until all your cherries are prepped.
Remove cherries from water, drain well.
Measure them as you put them into a pot.
For each 750 g (1 litre / 1 quart / 4 cups volume / 1 ½ lbs) of fruit you put into the pot, you will add 125 ml (½ cup / 4 oz) of water.
Bring this pot to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes until all cherries are heated through (don’t cook them.)
Pack cherries into jars.
Leave 3 cm (1 inch) headspace.
Top up with the water you boiled them in from the pot or if there isn’t enough, clean boiling water (such as from a kettle, for instance).
Leave 2 cm (½ inch) headspace after being filled with liquid.
Debubble, adjust headspace.
Wipe jar rims.
Put lids on.
Process in a water bath or steam canner.
Processing time: ½ litre (US pint) jars for 15 minutes; litre (US quart) jars for 20 minutes. Increase time as needed for your altitude.

Can I use cornstarch or some other type of thickener while canning?
This is a great question, and undoubtedly the one I get THE MOST on this topic! The answer is NO, it is recommended that no starch should be added during the canning process.

It really only takes about 3 minutes to thicken the syrup when you go to use it, so I like to air on the side of caution and “follow the rules” on this one!

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Davo’s Recipe For Making Worm Tea

The Soil Learning Center is a hub of resources for farmers & growers who are on the regenerative journey. A platform created by soil lovers at Farming Secrets Media Group.

For today’s modern farmers, you can’t afford to not know about regenerative farming and how these practices can help you succeed.

We’ll also discuss successful stories from other farmers and growers who have found their unique solutions using nature’s tools with this new form of agriculture.