Browsing Green Goats Maryland, and VirginiaSome 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.
Each time I am called to a site for an estimate I have compassion for the environment. I often wonder if the environment could talk what would it say to me. I hope it would be good things.
Since as a small child learning about phosphates in laundry detergent to now as an adult learning about glyphosates I have to have compassion for the environment. Some people would say that is silly thinking or call me a tree hugger. Either way, I’m responsible for my environment.
We are born with compassion. If you watch a young child and their interactions with each other or with small animals you can see the light in their eyes, that light of compassion for another human or animal. I take it one step further and say we must have compassion for the environment.
Here I go aging myself.
As a child there was a commercial of an Indian riding the prairie and he comes to the edge and all of a sudden the scene changes he is looking out over a city and it is filled with trash everywhere as in a landfill. The Indian sitting on that horse was so majestic and had compassion for his environment and then you see what the next generation has done. A very sad state of affairs. The final scene of the commercial was the Indian crying for the environment. That is compassion.
I was called for an estimate for the goats and in the conversation I mentioned I was a Master Gardner. The client was so happy to ask me about his roses. One of his roses looked like it was dying it was one of two things. Either he had developed the disease rose rosette or that rose bush had been sprayed by glyphosates. He assured me he didn’t use such a thing. That’s what it looks like to me. I told him to prune the rose bush back but to put the trimmings in a trash bag and seal it up and take to the landfill. I said give the bush a few weeks and see what happens. Presto! The bush started putting out new shoots. I knew then it wasn’t rose rosette. Come to find out his neighbor had been spraying his yard with glyphosates and the drift lifted to his yard.
I was mad for that client.
Where is the compassion for your neighbor and the environment. We must extend beyond the end of our noses and realize we control what is happening in our yards. If we spray, it is lifted to everything around us. Don’t let anyone tell you spraying doesn’t travel.
Here is the definition of compassion from the dictionary:
Sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. To me that includes the environment and how we treat it. If we don’t have compassion for the environment our neighbors suffer! A synonym for compassion is KINDNESS. Think about what we are doing not showing kindness towards each other and our environment when we continue to think it is okay to spray herbicides.
I’m called on a regular basis about Japanese knotweed taking over a clients property. They would think it foe.
On the other hand.
Some of the most important health benefits of Japanese knotweed include its ability to prevent and treat cognitive disorders, improve heart health, lower your risk of cancer, reduce gastrointestinal distress, lower blood pressure, maintain proper insulin levels, and many other unique benefits, people that take it as an herb would think it is friend.
I’m hired by the foe clients. Japanese knotweed is extremely invasive to the environment. It chokes out everything in it’s path and is a weed that spreads rapidly.
“Spraying isn’t cool”. Mary Bowen
Japanese knotweed can grow up to 10cm per day, and because of this rapacious growth, it has been known to cause damage to building structures by targeting weak points, such as cracks in masonry, and attempting to grow through them. To destroy Japanese knotweed on site, hiring goats will clear out the invasion by eating the plant to the ground, this would be your first phase of the project. The next phase is you must dig out and remove as much root as possible, then repeatedly destroy the regrowth.
Japanese knotweed produces seeds. It is extremely unlikely that they would germinate in the wild. New plants can grow from the nodes of pieces of green stem, in soil or water. Machinery such as strimmers or flails will spread it in this way. Hiring goats will eliminate the spread of seeds because the goats eat all of the plant. Goats do not spread seeds of invasive plants they eat because of their digestive system and how it functions. They will eat the invasive plants, digest them, and when spreading their manure it will not pass back into the environment. A win/win eco-friendly way of cleaning up the environment.
Goats will trample their manure into the ground providing much needed nutrients for the eco-system to flourish and bring back the pollinators that have been pushed out of the environment from the invasive growth of the Japanese knotweed.
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I am concerned about the decline in pollinator health and am working to protect bees and other pollinators from herbicide risks.
Here are two reasons that they are at risk:
- Poor nutrition (e.g., due to loss of foraging habitat and increased reliance on supplemental diets).
- Pesticide/Herbicide exposure.
There you have it. Two of the key factors in the decline in pollinators happens right in our own backyards. Since I was a child and my science teacher gave a talk about the health of our habitat I’ve want to do the best I could to protect the environment.
Many types of plants, including fruit and vegetable crops, depend on animals for pollination. In addition to honey bees, many other types of animals pollinate crops and wildflowers, including:
- Wild bees.
- Ants.
- Beetles.
- Wasps.
- Lizards.
- Birds.
- Bats.
- Butterflies.
We as humans rely on pollinators so we can EAT! At will use of pesticides/herbicides is a serious issue that we can do something about immediately. We don’t need a committee to gather to tell us how to fix the problem, we ourselves have the power within ourselves to do something. We are responsible for the environment all we have to do is STOP using pesticides/herbicides at will, period. It’s just that simple.
Every year as my business grows larger and larger the number one concern of my clients is spraying, they don’t want to spray. That is a good thing to hear. Why are we spraying? Unwanted vegetation comes back if left alone. What I tell people is that the goats are the first phase of your project. They are not the end all be all. Even spraying is not the end all be all when it comes to managing unwanted vegetation. Unwanted vegetation still grows back if the area is left alone.
There is no perfect way to clean up unwanted vegetation but the bottom line is what are we doing to save the environment and save the pollinators? Pollinators are VITAL! We must do everything we can to protect them and encourage their habitat to grow. One of the many advantages to hiring goats is that their manure is trampled into the ground and it is a natural fertilizer. Sign up for my newsletter to stay in touch with tips on how to clean up the environment naturally
. But, most of all read about the goats shenanigans and be entered in our monthly drawing for a free bar of handmade goats milk soap.Fill out the contact form to get your estimate. Contact Us
Do you dream of spring? I’m already dreaming of spring and my rose bush.
Spring of 2018 I went on numerous job estimates of homeowners that had beautiful rose gardens. Two homeowners were so upset about their rose bushes. They were in the process of figuring out how to dig them up. They were big bushes and I couldn’t image digging them up without proper research. I asked could I take a look at them. Each homeowner said sure, but it is hopeless the leaves are turning up and look funny on the end. They were throwing in the towel. I had a feeling I knew what was wrong with the bushes that’s why I asked to see them.
The homeowner thought the bush had rose rosette. It is a disease that rose bushes can get and it spreads to other rose bushes. The only solution is to dig it up. I looked at the bushes and told the homeowner that isn’t rose rosette. Your bushes have been sprayed with glyphosate. The owners were aghast. They said I don’t use that here on my property. I said you may not have but someone near you did and the drift caused it to land in your yard and on your rose bushes.
I advised the homeowner to trim back their bush and give it time to come back. Fortunately for that homeowner, it was not rose rosette, it was drift from spraying. I advise consumers all the time that you may not be using it but someone is. Glyphosates don’t stay where they are intended. They creep wherever they want to go.
That is why you can’t spray on your property and not wonder if you are the culprit that is causing damage to someone else’s property. Glyphosates are meant to kill whatever it touches. We are harming the environment and harming ourselves.
Roses bring me such joy and I know they bring joy to anyone that plants them. While it is snowing this winter dream of all the ways that you can tend your property without using glyphosates. If you didn’t get your roses cut back in the fall that’s okay February/March timeframe is a good time for that. Always trim branches that go from the outside in. You want to make sure that your bush can breathe. That helps to promote a disease free (blackspot) bush.