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  • From: "Ava Devenport" <essenheal AT iname.com>
  • To: market-farming
  • Subject: Odds and Ends
  • Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 10:36:29


I'd just like to take a few moments to share a few tips I received from
friends and also a web address that everyone involved in organic farming
should visit.

As we all know, in December of 1997, the USDA proposed national organic
standards that were HEAVILY influenced by the chemical-agriculture
industry. Those standards could have allowed "organic" labeling even if
foods had been grown using genetically modified organisms, sewer sludge,
chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc., etc.

Organic advocates played a major role in opposing these standards and WON.
But now there is an "Action Alert", once again, as the new proposal will
not be final until June 12, 2000. There are efforts being made to
counter-act the new National Organic Program standards. Organic Gardening
urges everyone to appeal to Daniel Glickman to keep the policy that was
unvieled in March "as is". Information on how you can send your appeal to
Mr. Glickman is on Organic Gardening's website: www.organicgardening.com

For full details of the Organic Standards guarantee, visit the USDA's
National Organic Program Website at: www.ams.usda.gov/nop

Now, here's a few tips some friends offered me that I'd like to share.
Easy seed germination of Echinacea Purpurea: put seeds in a sandwich bag
with BARELY damp sand and place the bag of seeds in the refrigerator until
you see the very beginnings of root-sprouts. Very gently transfer the
seedling to a seedling flat to ready for transplanting outside. She has
done very well with this procedure for over 20 years and has had a very
viable plant ready by February, giving her a BIG headstart on the growing
season.

Another friend sows her Echinacea Purpurea seed in beds from November to
March. Seeds should lie just on the SURFACE of the soil and then be
covered with 1/8 - 1/4 inch of well composed leaf mulch. In spring, she
has 90% germination rate with her natural stratification technique. You do
have to have some cold weather for this technique to work.

This tip is so simple, I don't know why I never thought of it. I'm always
complaining about sowing very small seed, as it's so hard to see what I've
done. Jackie gave me this simple tip: Once your rows are ready, lay down
a lenght of white toilet paper over the top of your row, put down your seed
on the top of the toilet paper and then cover it. This way you can see
your seed perfectly, the toilet paper will hold a little extra moisture to
help germinate the seed and it's bio-degradable! How Cool! I may use
Jackie's technique with all my seed sowing!

Blessings,
Ava



  • Odds and Ends, Ava Devenport, 04/10/2000

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