Some facts about Glyphosates that you may not know, that cause birth defects.
According to Dr. Stephanie Seneff from MIT, Glyphosate disrupts the transmitters during gestation that inhibits the neural tube to close and cause Anencephaly (water on the brain).
Wow, I was shocked to hear her presentation. I love science.
Glyphosates are sprayed on our grains when they are being harvested to dry quicker. The glyphosate makes the grains void all of all nutrients. It causes Vitamin A levels to be at a toxic level and Vitamin D to be a deficiency. I recently attended the Weston A Price Foundation annual conference where they talked about this in our modern diet. It is good to have reminders of what our modern diet is doing to us.
Anencephaly is one of the most severe forms of neural tube defects (NTDs), reflecting closure failure in the cranial region. It results in the absence of much of the brain, skull, and scalp, and is incompatible with long-term survival. In anencephaly, the brain initially protrudes through a defect in the cranial vault (termed exencephaly), and the brain is then gradually destroyed because of mechanical injury and vascular disruption. Damage to the hypothalamus results in adrenal hypoplasia due to insufficient expression of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) by the pituitary gland, which in many cases fails to develop at all.
Farmers often have trouble getting wheat and barley to dry evenly so they can start harvesting. So they came up with the idea to kill the crop (with glyphosate) one to two weeks before harvest to accelerate the drying down of the grain. The process is known as desiccation according to Dr. Charles Benbrook, Ph.D. This is astounding information. We have the right to this information.
Monsanto has done such an effective job marketing glyphosate as ‘safe’ and ‘biodegradable’ that farmers here still believe this even though such claims are false. Consumers don’t realize when they buy wheat products like flour, cookies, and bread they are getting glyphosate residues in those products. It’s barbaric to put glyphosate in food a few days before you harvest it.
I know you must be wondering what this has to do with your yard or at least pondering the facts.
When spraying roundup we are poisoning the waterways that we drink from and the animals that drink from them. Have you read my blog, if not here is the link about our water. Scientists are proving every day the harm to ourselves and the environment by using Glyphosate to kill the unwanted vegetation. We are the only ones that can do something about this. My point is we are killing ourselves with what some call convenience in that little bottle. This is the reason I switched to organic grains years ago.
I feel one of my missions to educate my community about Glyphosate and to stop using it. A recent job with the goats a neighbor told my client that paying goats to clean up his property is ridiculous and that the bottle of Roundup is cheap. In other words, he wasn’t giving up that bottle. Sad to say this property was waterfront on the Chesapeake Bay.
During the winter I reflect on the year that the goats and I have had and are proud of every property we did this year to save the environment but more importantly I hope I’m saving a human.
Butterflies are in danger because glyphosates are wreaking havoc on the very existence of the monarch butterfly. When we kill our ecosystem everything goes with it.
Each November, monarch butterflies embark on an incredible cross-country migration that begins in the United States and Canada. Generations of monarch’s travel thousands of miles until they reach Mexico. They overwinter until it’s time to begin their migration back home in March. The monarch’s spend their time in concentrated areas of forest where they form colonies by clinging to the branches of trees, forming beautiful cascading clusters. Monarchs are a truly magnificent species – and they’re in danger.
Just like every other organism, plant, insect or animal on the planet, monarchs play a crucial role in the survival of our ecosystems. Butterflies – just like bees, which are also in grave danger – help pollinate plants, making them a vital contributor to crop growth and food production. They also serve as a food source to birds and other animals.
The population of monarch butterflies has taken a substantial drop over the past few decades – a devastating 96.5 percent to be exact. This has placed monarchs in danger of moving toward extinction, something that will cause a negative impact on the ecosystems in which butterflies play an important role.
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.What is in your drinking water?
Everyone needs food to survive. Our population is estimated to almost double in the United States alone by 2050. It is further estimated that in 4 years our countries consumption of meats will also double. In order to accommodate growing meat demands, livestock production has become increasingly more industrialized.
The use of antibiotics in Industrialized livestock farms has become a common management practice. They are used to control bacterial pathogens that cause disease and especially as growth promoters to produce marketable meat quicker.
Let’s stop right here! Do you really want that?
I am not writing an article so that you will give up eating meat. I’m writing an article how that affects our drinking water. When we as a society demand more and more something has to give.
Antibiotic contaminated groundwater and surface water are threatening the health of humans. Seventy-five percent of antibiotics delivered are not absorbed or used by the animal. These contaminated manures eventually end up in groundwater and surface waters as a product of runoff.
In no way am I proposing a vegetarian diet or kill off the American farmer/farms. My point is this, we need to stop demanding more and more. Most Americans aren’t even aware that a serving size is a 1/2c veggies or 6 oz of meat. Overeating leads to so many health problems but that is for another blog post.
In order to eliminate this problem, I propose to ban the use of all non-therapeutic and sub-therapeutic antibiotics in livestock. Administering only therapeutic antibiotics will constrain bacteria from becoming resistant and infecting surrounding area waterways.
With that said, I do understand that the ban on antibiotics for sub-therapeutic and non-therapeutic purposes will have an economic impact on meat production and sales. The practice of antibiotic overuse has resulted in animals weighing more at the time of slaughter.
We have to decide if we are willing to pay the farmer upfront for quality meat or pay later with our health from antibiotic ridden drinking water? I say pay the farmer upfront to make a profit to stay in business long term. We need clean drinking water. It is our own fault.
Moving On…
What else can be in our drinking water? Do you know? Let’s take a look.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, has recently been detected in groundwater samples at such high levels that 41 percent of them exceeded the limits of quantification. Groundwater feeds springs, wells, and aquifers – the natural source of drinking water — and when contaminated, threatens the health of everyone who depends on it.
Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, has long claimed that Roundup is safe and environmentally friendly, but studies show it does not readily break down in the environment. They can’t claim this any longer. A recent lawsuit Monsanto has to pay $294 million dollars to a man with cancer.
Glyphosate has been linked to more than 20 adverse health effects, including birth defects, infertility, and cancer. It’s also a wise choice to have your well or city water tested for contaminants, and install a whole-house filtration system to remove pollutants.
I ask this, why do we keep poisoning ourselves on a daily basis using glyphosates around our homes. Even if hiring goats isn’t the best option for you, you can make up a natural solution to kill the weeds on your property without using Glyphosates.
Herbicides are not biodegrading in the soil, it is trickling down below the soil to the groundwater. These findings have devastating environmental and human health implications. Glyphosates are the most widely used herbicide in the world and is being found virtually everywhere it has been tested.
Think long term when you are about to spray herbicides on your property. What are you doing to your drinking water and that of others? Take responsibility that we as humans must change our ways. Our environment depends on it. We must have clean drinking water.
We’ve all heard the saying being eco-friendly what does that mean?
For landscapes or gardening here is what it means. An “eco-friendly” garden or landscape is really just about working with nature, not against it! In fact, you may already incorporate eco-friendly practices into your garden without even knowing it.
The term “eco-“ in the phrase “eco-friendly garden” refers to “ecology”—the interactions between organisms and their environment. Such a garden or landscape is one that is designed with nature and the environment in mind. You may also know the practice as “environmentally friendly” or “sustainable gardening.”
1. Choose the proper plants.
The eco-friendly rule of thumb is to go native! Plants that already fit your climate will thrive with less care and stress. They’ll support the health of your entire yard, too, attracting pollinators and beneficial bugs. Non-native, invasive plants often wipe out native species which harms the entire ecosystem.
In general, group plants that have similar needs: Put shade lovers together, heavy drinkers together, pH partners together, and sandy vs. loamy soil seekers together. Match plants and conditions and think of your property as having different zones. The results will save you time, effort, and replacement expense.
For example, lavender enjoys dry, sandy soil and full sun; avoid planting lavender next to elephant’s ear which loves moist soil and shade!
2. Welcome pollinators and friendly bugs that eat pests
Pollinators—from bees to butterflies—are vital to our flowers and food. In fact, about one-third of every bite of food comes from pollinators!
- Having native plants and reducing pesticides are two big ways to encourage pollinators in the garden.
- Bees are the most important pollinators in most ecosystems. Are you familiar with native bees? They are small, solitary bees such as Mason bees which are responsible for most pollination. (Honeybees are not native.) Native bees support sustainable native plant and pollinator communities.
Other insects—wasps, flies, ladybugs, and beetles—are beneficial to plants for pest elimination. For example, lacewings and ladybugs eat aphids which destroy crops.
Note: You don’t need (or want) to “buy” native bees or these “good” bugs. It’s better that they are local. By providing native plants and the right habitat, they will come to you!
A garden with diversified sources of nectar (e.g., shrubs, trees, and flowers—ideally, natives) that bloom from early spring through late fall can attract insects and ultimately benefit the entire garden. For example, bright flowers such as sunflowers, candytuft, and marigolds create places where ladybugs and lacewings can shelter and lay eggs.
3. Encourage birds.
A healthy ecosystem invites a wide variety of wildlife into it. Many of your feathered friends will snatch up slugs, snails, grubs, caterpillars and other pests that destroy plants.
- Select native plants that attract the kind of insects, berries, and seeds that birds eat.
- Put up bird feeders and nesting boxes (including those you have made) to encourage more to visit.
- Birds also need water. Install or make a birdbath for them! It should be shallow (1 to 1.5 inches deep) and contain a few small stones or pebbles for birds to rest on.
4. Plant companions
With companion planting, certain plants are grown near each other improve each other’s health and yields. Usually, companion plants help ward off pests. For example, dill and basil planted among tomatoes can protect from tomato hornworms.
Also, mix flowers and vegetables together! You don’t have to choose between ornamentals and edibles. Many types of flowers confuse the “bad” pests and help you grow a healthier garden.
5. Give grass a chance.
If you’re going to grow grass, eliminate the chemical pesticides you spread on lawns in favor of alternatives that are healthier—healthier for you, for the lawn, and for the environment.
- I worked at garden center for several years. I was surprised to learn that people didn’t know you should test your soil first to know what it needs to be healthy. We are so brain washed into thinking that chemicals are the answer.
- Start by checking your lawn’s pH (acidity) with a test kit available at most nursery and garden supply stores. Soil pH affects the ability of plants to absorb nutrients. Spread limestone to raise the pH level; spread aluminum sulfate to decrease the pH level.
- Grow grass that is suitable for your needs, not just in terms of climate and soil, but also purpose.
Last but not least.
6. Avoid harmful chemicals
All gardens have some pests, but deter them in ways that won’t harm the food you are growing but especially the environment as a whole.
For example, slugs and snails can really chow down on lettuce. However, instead of spraying with chemicals, create barriers such as crushed eggshells which these soft-bodies pests will avoid.
From Diatomaceous Earth to Neem Oil, there are many less toxic methods now that really work. Remember that chemical fertilizers run into rivers, oceans, and wetlands. Pesticides and herbicides tend to kill many more creatures than the one or two bugs, as annoying as they might be.
We hope these eco-friendly ideas help you create a more natural, low-maintenance garden and landscape. Join our monthly newsletter to stay up to date on everything environmentally friendly
.Dr. Whitlock is the czar for the bog turtle. “For those who’ve been working with bog turtles for years, we’ve had a gut feeling that they’re holding on in these small populations, but they’re still there and still worth saving.”
Developers in Pennsylvania or New York or wherever else must take their prospective project to your individual state agency.
The greatest threats to bog turtles include habitat degradation and fragmentation from land conversion. This also includes habitat succession due to invasive exotic and native plants. Worst yet threats can come from illegal trade and collecting.
Private landowners own the majority of remaining bog turtle habitat. Good livestock grazing management has helped to conserve bog turtle habitat. Which demonstrates the important role that agriculture can play in conservation.
Four goats can clear an acre of land of unwanted vegetation that is threatening the habitat. Goats are light on the ground, and when watched will not eat to the roots.
Proper application of brush management and herbaceous weed control using prescribed grazing/browsing can repair and foster a healthy habitat for the bog turtle.
Where to find them?
Bog Turtles are typically found in small wetlands or contiguous wetlands.
Sedges, grasses, rushes, cattails, and mosses, with mixed patches of shrubs and trees, are the dominant plant that grows in bog turtle habitats. Sedge and moss are ideal for Bog Turtles to deposit their eggs.
When shrubs and trees invade an emergent wetland the resulting canopy of leaves shade the sedges and mosses leaving the Bog Turtles without nesting areas.
In conclusion, we must remember the environment in everything outdoors. Spraying is not the answer. Hiring goats save the environment, period.