Monday, November 22, 2010

Protect Our Coral Sea

November 23, 2010

The Coral Sea is one of the last remaining places on Earth where
populations of large ocean fish – sharks, tuna and billfish -
have not been drastically reduced. With 90% of large ocean fish gone
from the world’s oceans over the last 50 years due to overfishing, this
makes the Coral Sea worth protecting.
Are you on Facebook? Fan us and keep up with all campaign news
and activities!
http://www.facebook.com/protectourcoralsea
Have you met Barry Wrasse, our spokesfish for the campaign?
You can check him out on our website and find out more about our
campaign at http://www.protectourcoralsea.org.au

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Growing your own strawberries organically

Strawberries. Image: Sharon Mollerus, Flickr

Growing your own strawberries organically

Date: 1-Nov-2010
Camilla from The Diggers Club often gets asked to advise people on what to grow in their vegetable gardens. Her usual response is strawberries. Why you might ask? The simple truth is so you can enjoy them without the risk of chemical contamination.
Strawberries in the home garden are relatively simple and easy to grow. Their size and habit allows them to be grown in nearly any position; in pots and hanging baskets on balconies, or in the ground amongst other vegetables.
Steps for good fresh home grown strawberry production
Purchase plants as ‘runners’ in winter or as potted plants in spring. Plant strawberries in a good quality potting mix if growing in pots, or in a compost rich garden soil if growing in the ground. Feed with organic preparations of seaweed solution or fish emulsion to help with establishment and fruiting.
If planting into the ground, ensure plants have good drainage by mounding soil or by planting into raised beds. Each plant needs an area of around 30cm to grow and fruit well. Ensure plants are positioned in a sheltered warm location that receives full sun. Keep plants well watered throughout their active growing period. Protect young plants from frost.
Other hints
Old fashioned strawberries including heritage varieties like Chandler produce fruit in late spring to summer, but there are also some newer varieties that are called ‘day neutral’ plants that will fruit from spring well into autumn. It is best to plant a combination of both.
Plants will want to grow side shoots called runners. It is best to remove these runners so that the energy of the plants goes into continual fruit production.
Plants will usually fruit best in their second year of establishment and will need replanting with new runners after their second to third year. Be sure to keep up production by replanting successively.
Protect fruit from slugs and snails by using beer traps or copper wire tape.
Last step: Enjoy juicy, tender, sweet, chemical free fruit.
Brought to you by The Diggers Club.

The Cove: Help Save Japan’s Dolphins

signatures: 312,321
deadline: December 31, 2010
signature goal: 300,000

Target: President Obama, Vice President Biden and Japanese
Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki
Sponsored by: TakePart.com/TheCove and SaveJapanDolphins.org

In The Cove, a team of activists and filmmakers infiltrate a heavily-guarded
cove in Taiji, Japan. In this remote village they witness and document
activities deliberately being hidden from the public:
More than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are being slaughtered each year
and their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in
Japan, often times labeled as whale meat.
The majority of the world is not aware this is happening.
The Taiji cove is blocked off from the public. Cameras are not allowed
inside and the media does not cover the story. It’s critical that we get the
word out in Japan. Once the Japanese people know we believe they will
demand change.
Send a letter to President Obama, Vice President Biden and Japanese
Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki urging them to address
this issue. Everyone who signs the letter will be able to have their name
displayed in a widget that will be posted on top social networks, web
sites and blogs in Japan.

Please TAKE ACTION NOW by visiting our website & signing our Petition
this will link to actions people there can take to help make a difference!