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BREAKING: European Commission to criminalize nearly all seeds and plants not registered with government

6 May

(NaturalNews) A new law proposed by the European Commission would make it illegal to “grow, reproduce or trade” any vegetable seeds that have not been “tested, approved and accepted” by a new EU bureaucracy named the “EU Plant Variety Agency.”

Most heirloom seeds to be criminalized

Nearly all varieties of heirloom vegetable seeds will be criminalized under this proposed EU law. This means the act of saving seeds from one generation to the next — a cornerstone of sustainable living — will become a criminal act.

In addition, as Gabel explains, this law “…effectively kills off development of home-garden seeds in the EU.”

This is the ultimate wish of all governments, of course: To criminalize any act of self-reliance and make the population completely dependent on monopolistic corporations for their very survival. This is true both in the USA and the EU. This is what governments do: They seize control, one sector at a time, year after year, until you are living as nothing more than a total slave under a globalist dictatorial regime.

An online petition has already been started on this issue and has garnered nearly 25,000 signatures so far.

NOAH’S ARK and 240 other organizations from 40 European countries have also initiated an “open letter” appealing to Brussels bureaucrats to stop the insanity. Click here for a translated version of their petition.

Government bureaucracy gone insane

“This is an instance of bureaucracy out of control,” says Ben Gabel. “All this new law does is create a whole new raft of EU civil servants being paid to move mountains of papers round all day, while killing off the seed supply to home gardeners and interfering with the right of farmers to grow what they want. It also very worrying that they have given themselves the power to regulate and licence any plant species of any sort at all in the future – not just agricultural plants, but grasses, mosses, flowers, anything at all – without having to bring it back to the Council for a vote.”

As a hint of the level of insane bureaucracy that gardeners and vegetable growers will be subject to under this EU law, check out this language from the proposed EU law:

Specific provisions are set out on the registration in the Union variety register and with regard to the possibility for the applicant to launch an appeal against a CPVO decision. Such provisions are not laid down for the registration in the national variety
registers, because they are subject to national administrative procedures. A new obligation for each national variety examination centre to be audited by the CPVO will be introduced with the aim to ensure the quality and harmonisation of the variety registration process in the Union. The examination centre of the professional operators will be audited and approved by the national competent authorities. In case of direct application to the CPVO it will audit and approve the examination centres it uses for variety examination.

Such language is, of course, Orwellian bureaucraticspeak that means only one thing: All gardeners should prepare to be subjected to total government insanity over seeds, vegetables and home gardens.

Future States – What it could be like

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The Source – All Is One ~

3 May

The source of all life, the source of all things is one – the music and vibration of all things like a symphony being played. We are part of the whole – we are within the source not external from it. Each and every living thing, everything is part of the source. You can bend it, wield it, as all things with practice. When you are connected to the higher level of source you will “just know” like a conscious thoughts shared between all things, a knowing. I was always a spiritual child, always connected forever listening and loving all things around me and to this day it has grown stronger. I feel that love growing for all of you especially those who are waking up faster and faster to the realization that something is coming… like a drummer we here the warning, telling us to hide, take refuge. You can call it God, the Holy spirit, you can call it any imaginable thing – you can reach understanding through Buddhism, Taoism, Meditation and reflection, Hinduism, or any other vehicle that brings you to higher consciousness. The source of all within the Universe. The Universal law will become clear to you, you will understand that death is nothing but a transition back to pure energy and perhaps life anew somewhere else or something else. Energy does not die, source does not die, energy is forever it just changes shape, it is mailable. Do not live in fear, live in love!

Focus on positive loving thoughts – Meditate and imagine a world and life that benefits us all – Focus on images of our planet healing – Share your positive knowledge with our children – Reach out to others your brothers and sisters all

Sending you Light and Love – Sparkle and Shine ~ You are here for a reason – make it count in the most positive way before we move to our next adventure!

Fantastic and funny Physicist Nassim Haramein presented new concepts explaining how we are all interconnected and can access infinite knowledge. SEE: http://theresonanceproject.org/

Nassim Haramein – Sacred Geometry & Unified Fields

Build Your Own Tumbling Composter

14 Apr

Super easy composting tumbler! Fantastic instructions makes this easy to build. Let me know if any of you have any variations on design or your own how to instructions, feel free to post them in the comments below!

Instructions for building your own composting tumbler – http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Tumbling-Composter

“One of the keys to composting is aeration. The bacteria need oxygen to carry out the aerobic respiration that creates rich compost. One way to aerate your compost is with a pitchfork or a compost turning tool. If you keep your compost in a tumbler, however, all you have to do is turn the container. Since most compost barrels can be expensive, you may be interested in building your own for much less money and an hour of your time.” (Source: WikiHow)

Tumbling Composter

 

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Homemade Lotions, lip Balms, and Herbal Salve Recipes ~

8 Apr

As things change and move forward (Those of you who are awake will understand) it is imperative that we are able to produce home care items that we have become accustomed to. Making your homemade lotions, lip balms, and salves will be healthier for you and your family, no toxins or “malohystemoxybalm” (Made up to make a point) ingredients for your family or ours!! It is a bit scary at first, I was expecting to destroy the cooking equipment so I purchased a small double boiler and a hand blender for only lotion and salve preparations. If you are growing your own spices, have your own bees, and have aloe Vera growing as well as coconuts well these ingredients come naturally to your property so no need to purchase them. You can create your own infused oils to add to the ingredients, you can purchase the ingredients or you can start growing them (which I recommend). Experimentation is key and lose your fear, if I can do this so can you. Below I have added some recipes I am playing around with and I thought they were easy and they worked out. I am however unable to produce a “whipped” body lotion cant seem to get it to whip, so still practicing that!

Chasing your family around the farm with your salve – emphasis on saying the “L” – saLve – is fun, they might not appreciate you chasing them around trying to put salve on them but they will eventually enjoy your recipes as you get better over time. Have fun as we go through the process of change, blessings to you and your family today and in the coming days.

Homemade lotion, salve, lipbalm

Favorite Homemade Lotions, lip Balms, and Herbal Salve Recipes (Add your recipes in the comments and feel free to add a link)

Dry skin moisturizer

Makes 2 applications

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa butter, melted
  • 2 drops bergamont oil (optional)
  • 1 drop lavender oil or tea tree (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and apply to clean, dry face.

This all-natural moisturizer can be covered and kept in a cabinet, but it will solidify. For a second application, heat in microwave for 10 seconds, stir and apply to skin same as before.

For an all-over body treatment, Watt recommends exfoliating and moisturizing with this sweet body scrub.
(Source: http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/100405/how-to-treat-dry-skin-with-honey)

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Organic Homemade Lotion Basic Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (can infuse with herbs first if desired)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup beeswax
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
  • Optional: Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference

Note: All ingredients and many essential oils are available here.

How to Make Lotion:

  1. Combine ingredients in a pint sized or larger glass jar. I have a mason jar that I keep just for making lotions and lotion bars, or you can even reuse a glass jar from pickles, olives or other foods.
  2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.
  3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
  4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to incorporate. When all ingredients are completely melted, pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage. Small mason jars (8 ounce) are great for this. It will not pump well in a lotion pump!
  5. Use as you would regular lotion. This has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and not water is added. Use within 6 months for best moisturizing benefits.

(source: http://wellnessmama.com/3765/luxurious-homemade-lotion-recipe/)

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Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Lip Balm

The honey in this recipe will act as a humectant, drawing moisture from the air, to your skin.  The combination of the cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and vanilla gives this balm a sweet and comforting scent and taste.  You should be able to find all of these ingredients in your local grocery or whole foods store.

As a precaution against spills or splashing, you may want to wear old clothing when mixing this because getting wax out of clothing is a nightmare.  It’s also very hard to get this off of a counter top, so I usually lay down some newspaper, especially on the area where I’ll be pouring the lip balm into containers.

  • 3 tbsp. pure cocoa butter
  • 1/2 c. olive oil or sweet almond oil
  • 4 tbsp. beeswax
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 vitamin E capsule
  • 5-8 drops of pure vanilla essential oil
  1. Use a double-boiler on the stove to melt the beeswax.  If you don’t have a double-boiler (or a stove!) you can put the beeswax in a glass, microwave-safe container and heat it in the microwave slowly, taking it out and stirring every 25-35 seconds.
  2. Once the wax is melted add the room-temperature cocoa butter and sweet almond oil.  Continue to slowly heat the mixture until the cocoa butter is melted, stirring often.
  3. Add the honey and the vanilla essential oil.  Then pierce a vitamin E capsule and squeeze the contents into the mixture.
  4. Remove the mixture from the stove and pour into individual containers.  Allow your new lip balm to cool for 1-2 hours before use.

(source: http://hellogiggles.com/diy-cocoa-butter-and-vanilla-lip-balm)

Do it yourself Lotion, salve, lip balm

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What To Do With All Of Our Beeswax?

12 Mar

OK so we have plenty of pure delicious honey! (Bees by the way are easy to tend and one hive is currently splitting and we are making tons of honey!) We also have plenty of beeswax, pair that with some coconut oil and our growing medicinal herb garden and voila a recipe for salve’s! I’, a left brained technical person, not really used to working with recipes, long gone are the days of weekly spa treatments and afternoon sushi. So we are going to make these niceties ourselves! Salves can be beneficial as face cream’s, hand cream’s, medicinal salves, as well as salves for pain relief. Here are some recipes I have found online, I will post back my end result so we can all see how it turned out and which recipe we chose to work with. We can also make our own candles but I wanted to try a salve first as it looks easier to make.

Pictures of our beeswax

organic_beeswax

(Source: These recipes are from http://www.rachelssupply.com/bwax.htm)

BEESWAX RECIPES Moisturing Vitamin E Cream

4 oz. sweet almond oil
1 oz. beeswax
2 oz. water
10 drops Vitamin E oil
10 drops lavender essential oil

Melt the oil and the wax in a double boiler, Remove from heat, add water, and stir thoroughly.
Add your Vitamin E, essential oil and stir continuously until cool. This cream is very moisturizing and emollient.
It is nice for rough, dry, or chapped complexions and should help promote healthy looking skin.
After you have added the essential oil and the cream is still warm enough to pour, carefully pour it into Salve Jars or Metal Tins, we offer both below.
Antiseptic Balm ( Use instead of antiseptic ointment, this is far superior! )
Ingredients:
2 ounces Beeswax
3 ounces Sweet Almond Oil
1 ounce Jojoba Oil
20 drops Wheatgerm Oil
20 drops Myrrh Essential Oil
20 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

( Makes enough to fill 4 each 1 ounce salve jars or 1 ounce metal tins )

A rule of thumb is 2 parts oil to one part beeswax. Simply heat the Sweet Almond and Jojoba oil in a saucepan and add Beeswax. If you want a thin consistency ( such as a cream or Vaseline ) add only a little bit of Beeswax. Want it thicker like wax? Just add more Beeswax.

Allow the base to cool down to see what the consistency is like. If it’s too thick, add more Sweet Almond oil and reheat, too thin?, add more Beeswax.

As the base is cooling add the essential oils to enhance the healing effect of the balm. These essential oils can be found in our Essential Oil List.
After you have added the essential oil and the lip balm is still warm enough to pour, carefully pour it into Salve Jars or Metal Tins, we offer both below.

Herbal Salve
Make different Herbal Salves simply by changing/mixing differnet essential oils!
Ingredients:
2 ounces Beeswax
3 ounces Sweet Almond Oil
1 ounce Jojoba Oil
1/2 oz. Canola oil
40 drops total essential oil of your preference

( Makes enough to fill 4 each 1 ounce salve jars or 1 ounce metal tins )

Simply heat the Sweet Almond, Canola oil and Jojoba oil in a saucepan and add Beeswax. If you want a thin consistency ( such as a cream or Vaseline ) add only a little bit of Beeswax. Want it thicker like wax? Just add more Beeswax.

Allow the base to cool down to see what the consistency is like. If it’s too thick, add more Sweet Almond oil and reheat, too thin?, add more Beeswax.

As the base is cooling add the essential oils to enhance the healing effect of the balm. These essential oils can be found in our Essential Oil List.
After you have added the essential oil and the lip balm is still warm enough to pour, carefully pour it into Salve Jars or Metal Tins, we offer both below.

Use Bayleaf Essential oil for relieving rheumatism.
Use Bergamot Essential oil for colds, bronchitis systems, i.e. chest rub.
Use Caraway Essential oil for antiseptic quality.
Use Cardamon Essential oil for aphrodisiac quality. Use Clary Sage Essential oil for anti-ainflammatory, aphrodisiac and scalp problems
Use Cedar Essential oil for relieving Chronic anxiety and stress.
Use Citronella Essential oil for making a insect repellent salve.
Use Eucalyptus Essential oil for chest rub, relieves congestion, eases breathing.
Use Frankincense Essential oil for asthma and other respiratory problems.
Use Gardenia Essential oil for chest rub, said to relieve flu conditions, fever, hypertension and palpitations.
Use Juniper Essential oil for emotionally cleansing effect. Calms the nerves.
Use Orange Essential oil for a lighter body lotion, said to relax, relieve sexual apprehension, and is antiseptic and antibactericidal.
Use Patchouli Essential oil for antiseptic, aphrodisiac qualities.
Use Rosemary Essential oil for relieving tired muscles.
Use Tea Tree Essential oil for Antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral qualities.
Itch Relief Salve ( Good for posion ivy, posion oak )
1 pint Sweet Olive Oil
2 ounces Beeswax
1 tablespoon Chickweed Powder
1 tablespoon Comfrey Powder

Put chickweed and comfrey powder into sweet olive oil and simmer 3 hours. Strain and add beeswax. Pour into salve jars or tins.
Coconut Butter Body Moisturizer ( Good for wind and sunburned skin )
Ingredients
2 tablespoons beeswax
2 teaspoons distilled water
4 oz. cocoa butter
4 tablespoons sweet almond
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Melt the beeswax over low heat with the water. Spoon in cocoa butter and blend. Gradually blend in oils. Pour into glass jar.
The lotion will thicken as it cools.
organic_beeswax2Vaseline Type Jelly
This makes a great vaseline type jelly.
1 ounce (weight) beeswax
1/2 cup baby oil

Melt the beeswax in a microwave or a double boiler. Stir in the baby oil.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until cool.
Skin Cream ( by Elaine White )
2 1/2 ounces (weight) beeswax
4 ounces (weight) lanolin
2/3 cup baby or mineral oil
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon borax (sodium borate, CP)
Fragrant oil (optional)

Melt the oil, lanolin and beeswax to 160 degrees F. Heat the borax and water in a separate container to 160 degrees F. Be sure the beeswax is melted and the borax is dissolved. Add the water mixture to the oil mixture while stirring.
When a white cream forms, stir slowly until the mixture cools to 100 degrees F. Pour the cream into small, wide-mouth jars.
Pain Releif Salve
1 tablespoon Chickweed powder
1 tablespoon Wormwood Powder
10 drops Tea Tree oil
2 pints Sweet Olive Oil
3 ounces Beeswax

Mix together chickweed, wormwood powder, add the mixed herbs to sweet olive oil and simmer 3 hours. Strain and add beeswax and Tea Tree Oil. Pour into salve containers.

HAND CREAM
2 ounces beeswax
1 cup sweet almond oil
1 cup water
10 drops essential oil (if desired, for fragrance)
Heat beeswax and sweet almond oil until the wax melts. In another container, heat water until warm. Both mixtures should be warm, but not so hot as to be uncomfortable to the touch.
Place warm water in a blender. Cover the blender, leaving open the small opening in the cover. With the blender running on high speed, slowly pour in the beeswax-oil mixture in a thin stream. When most of the oil has been added, the mixture should begin to thicken.
At this point, add the essential oil. Continue to add oil and blend until the mixture is sufficiently thickened. Turn off the blender. You should have a thick cream. Spoon into salve jars or metal tins.

Body Lotion
This is a great recipe that does not spoil easily without the aid of refrigeration. It makes about 2 cups of lotion.

1 cup of aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon of lanolin 1 teaspoon of pure vitamin E oil
1/3 cup of coconut oil
1/2 ounce of beeswax
3/4 cup of almond oil
Up to 1 and 1/2 teapoons of essential oil of your choice or more to prolong scent

Place aloe vera gel, lanolin and vitamin E oil in a blender or food processor. Place coconut oil and beeswax in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, microwave on high for 30 second and stir. Repeat in ten second blocks until fully melted.

Stir in almond oil, reheating if necessary. Run blender at low to medium speed, then pour in melted oils in a thin stream. As the oils is blended in the cream will turn white and the blender’s motor will begin to grind. As soon as you have a mayonaise-like consistency, stop motor, add essential oils and pulse blend. do not overblend Transfer cream to glass jars while still warm because it thickens quickly.
This recipe was found in the Winter 97 issue of Handcraft Illustrated Magazine. The article was written by Amy Jenner

Sweet Lavender Ointment

4 ounces sweet olive oil
3 to 4 ounces beeswax
1 ounce cocoa butter
15 drops vitamin e oil
25 drops lavender oil

Combine the sweet olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and heat thoroughly in the top of a double boiler. Remove from the heat. Add the vitamin e, lavender oil and beat well. Pour into salve jars and allow the mixture to cool before covering.
Basic Lotion Bar
From an email from Patti’s Pleasures

Ingredients:
3 ounces beeswax
2 ounces cocoa butter
3 ounces sweet almond oil

Melt and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Mold into desired shape.
Rich Hand Cream

by Rosemary Gladstar in Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sweet almond oil
1/3 cup coconut oil or cocoa butter
1 Teaspoon lanolin
1/2 ounce grated beeswax
Melt ingredients together over low heat and cool to room temperature. When cool, add:
2/3 cup rosewater
1/2 cup aloe vera gel
1 – 2 drops rose blend EO
5 drops Vitamin E oil
Whip all ingredients to a smooth consistency. Store in a sterile covered jar.
Solid Perfume
Ingredients:
3 parts Sweet Almond or Jojoba oil
2 parts White beeswax
1 part Cosmetic Grade Fragrance Oil, choose from our huge line of Rachel’s Cosmetic Grade Fragrance Oils
Melt all ingredients over double boiler until well mixed and integrated. Pour into containers and let cool.
LIP GLOSS
2 teaspoons beeswax
2 tablespoons, sweet almond oil or coconut oil
5 drops essential oil (such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, coconut or mint)
2 drops vitamin E capsule
(optional: to tint, up to 1/4 teaspoon lipstick)
Melt the oil and beeswax together. Remove from heat. If coloring, stir in the lipstick. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in essential oil and the vitamin E. Transfer to a small container.
Stir occasionally while cooling . If a thicker gloss is desired, increase the amount of beeswax. (Experiment with other additions such as baking chocolate, crushed peppermint candy, cocoa butter, vanilla bean, oil of cinnamon, oil of camphor or eucalyptus for soothing chapped lips, wheat germ oil, etc.
Add oil-based ingredients to the oil phase, and water-soluble ingredients to the water phase.) This is a great way to use up leftover or too-dark lipstick.

BEESWAX WOOD FINISH (for bare wood)
1 pound beeswax
1 pint turpentine (odorless, if you can find it)
1 pint boiled linseed oil
Melt wax. Remove wax from heat source, then stir in turpentine and oil. Before applying to bare wood, warm the mixture to achieve better penetration. Apply with a soft cloth, let dry, then buff with a wool cloth. Old coats can be removed with an organic solvent such as turpentine. This can also be used on leather. (Another wood finish can be made with 1 pound beeswax and 1 pint turpentine, omitting the linseed oil.)
BEESWAX WOOD CONDITIONER (for previously finished wood)
1 ounce beeswax
1 pint turpentine
2 cups water
1 ounce Ivory soap flakes
Shred wax into turpentine; cover and leave in a warm spot. Shake container from time to time.
Bring 2 cups water to a boil.
Add soap and stir until dissolved. Add it to the wax/turpentine, stirring briskly until an emulsion forms.

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP: Beeswax melts at 143-148 degrees. It is pliable at 100 degrees. All waxes will ignite explosively when they reach their flash point temperature. To melt beeswax safely, place it in the top of a double boiler, or place the container of wax in a larger container of hot water. Do not melt beeswax in a microwave, as it could become hot enough to ignite. Do not cover the beeswax while melting in a container of water, as steam may condense on the inside of the cover resulting in water in the wax.

MEASURING TIP : To measure a small amount of beeswax, grate it before melting

Source: http://www.rachelssupply.com/bwax.htm

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Understanding OPPT – One Peoples Public Trust

9 Mar

Ok so this is going around the globe fast. You must research to understand how to use the courtesy notices and documents that are available to you in template form from the One Peoples Public Trust.. Here are some videos that will help you get started, let me know in the comments your thoughts on this growing paradigm shift.

Links for Researching OPPT
http://opptbook.com/
http://www.peoplestrust1776.org/
http://kauilapele.wordpress.com/tag/the-one-peoples-public-trust/
http://oppt-in.com/oppt/
http://americankabuki.blogspot.com/
Templates > http://oppt-in.com/templates/

Desmond Grundy Interviewed about OPPT by Hugh Reilly on Liquid Lunch in Toronto. Explains OPPT

The One People’s Public Trust How To (OPPT Perspective v5)

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20 Quick Resources to Find Local Food, Farms, Markets, Stands, Co-ops and more!

9 Mar

Amazing post by the ActivistPost.com showcasing 20 resources to find local food, farms, etc. I have a few listed below – check out the post on ActivistPost.com to get the complete list of 20 – supporting local farmers and enjoying organic, healthy meals for the family is one of the most important steps you can take. Happy finding farms!!
Farmerspal - Click the map or your state to find organic, markets, grocers, online shopping and more. Make sure you like their Facebook page for other great resources.

FarmMatch - Unique because whoever you are, you can put yourself on the map to be matched with producers in your area. Create your food profile today.

Eat Wild – #1 website for all things grass fed. Their map includes Canada and connects you with grassfed wild foods, even companies who ship directly to you.

LocalHarvest - Another mapping site that allows you to find CSAs, Co-ops, open farms, markets, delis, stores and more. Thankfully, it’s been around for awhile. Unfortunately, that could mean some of the info is outdated. Always good to call ahead – don’t be afraid to talk to farmers and ask questions.

Homegrown.org – Created by FarmAid (another educational farm source) is a wealth of education that provides some of the links in this article and also its own map to find local fare. FarmAid also has a list of open Winter Markets worth checking. They also list two maps to find wild catch and pastured cattle and dairy farms. Local Catch and HomeGrownCow.

Source: http://www.activistpost.com/2013/03/20-places-to-find-local-food-and-family.html

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History ~ Repeats?

9 Mar

Tip: Physical Gold and Silver should be hidden on your property, I like PVC pipes and the idea of burying them under something that would set off a metal detector.. They find the metal object then stop looking in that spot. Hide in plain site (Under garden beds, down spouts) Get inventive!

A History of Gold Confiscation

For more infographics check out MINING.com.

Can you Feel The Change Coming?

25 Feb

Our world is going through a paradigm shift. Can you feel it coming? We are waking up to our current corrupted societal, economic, and governmental systems and how they truly function. Humans around the world are moving towards the direction of a brighter more rewarding future for us all. Can you feel the change coming?

Free Food to Families ~ Okinawan Spinach – Gynura crepioides

24 Feb

IMG_0823OK so we are self sufficient! We are now ready to assist in supporting our local and greater communities! We have set up a donation page and are in need of two additional greenhouses to further the cause. The Okinawan Spinach cuttings are thriving and growing and I have begun handing out the amazing spinach bush cuttings to neighbors, friends, and local community. We believe we can extend this outreach to people not only in our local area but to places around the world where these amazing fast growing spinach bushes will tolerate the climate. In stead of getting roses in the mail (That don’t last very long) imagine families around the world getting Okinawan spinach bush cuttings for food for a lifetime! Well the vegetable part is handled anyway!

Check out our donation page here: http://www.gofundme.com/freefoodtofamilies Also please support the amazing Trees That Feed Foundation: http://www.treesthatfeed.org

Okinawan Spinach – Gynura crepioides

Okinawan spinach is a fast-growing, small ornamental shrub that produces large amounts of nutritious leaves for years. It requires little maintenance and is particularly valuable because it grows well under a variety of tropical conditions, including atolls. Okinawan spinach is a low, spreading shrub that forms a solid stand, reaching 3 ft (1 m) in height. Its narrow leaves are dark green on the surface and purple underneath. It has numerous small, orange, composite flowers, but viable seed is rarely produced.

Okinawan Spinach – Environmental Requirements

Okinawan spinach is native to Indonesia. It is well adapted to the hot and humid tropics, but will grow under much drier conditions than other perennial vegetables from the humid regions. Cultivation is possible outside of the hot tropics, but the rate of growth will decrease as the average temperature decreases. Okinawan spinach grows under a variety of soil conditions, from heavy clays to sandy soils. It is tolerant of the alkaline and calcarious soils often found on atolls. Full sun or partial shade is best for good growth, while heavy shade will inhibit growth.

Okinawan Spinach – Uses and Preparation

The tender leaf shoots and young leaves are the main product from this perennial vegetable. In the markets of Taiwan, the shoots are sold tied in a bundle. Okinawan spinach can also be used to give a red coloring to other foods, such as rice. The young, raw leaves and shoots have a flavor that most people find agreeable. However, the flavor of Okinawan spinach is strong and it is generally mixed with other types of green leaves. The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw in salads, after being washed in clean water. It is often mixed with other greens. When cooked as a green vegetable by itself, it is somewhat slimy. It is best to cook it with other leafy greens. The shoots and leaves can be added to soups, stews and stir-fry dishes.

Okinawan Spinach – Nutritional Value

Everyone in the family should eat some green leaves everyday. Children, pregnant women and nursing mothers especially need the protein, vitamins and minerals found in green leaves. For many children, green leaves are the sole source of vitamin A, an essential vitamin in preventing blindness. Green leaves also contain phytochemicals, thousands of chemical tongue twisters like sulforaphane, genistein and indole-3-carbinol, that are the new frontier in cancer-prevention research. Serving a variety of green leaves will keep the whole family healthy.

Okinawan Spinach – Propagation

Okinawan spinach is propagated by cutting. To prepare cuttings, take a 10 inch (25 cm) length section of the tip or midsection of the stem. Remove all leaves and plant slanting or vertically with 1 or 2 nodes exposed. Cuttings can be planted in nursery containers or directly in the ground, and must be kept moist. Container grown cuttings will be ready for planting within 4 to 8 weeks. Good results have been obtained from direct planting where rainfall is adequate or irrigation is used. Cuttings can be spaced close together, 12 inches (30 cm) apart, to establish a solid stand in a short time. It is important to keep the cuttings weeded until they have grown together, which takes 4 to 8 weeks.

Okinawan Spinach – Establishment

Transplanting is best done at the beginning of the rainy season to ensure high survival and good growth. A thorough watering is important before planting. Containers should be carefully lifted and spiraled roots should be cut so that all roots are growing downward. The planting hole must be deep enough to allow the roots to hang down vertically. Plants can be spaced 20-40 inches (0.5 to 1.0 m) apart, or even closer if desired. Adding compost or green manure in the planting hole will provide nutrients for good establishment. Soil should be firmly packed around the plant after planting. Mulch placed around the transplant will reduce soil moisture loss and help to control weeds.

Okinawan Spinach – Management

Okinawan spinach is probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Once it is established, it is virtually weed free and doesn’t require much fertilization. It will grow on atolls, but growth will be slow without green manure. Green manure from woody legumes is a good source of  nutrients. Okinawan spinach is harvested weekly to stimulate growth. In Hawaii, a 160 ft (14 m) raised bed of organically-grown Okinawan spinach can produce 5-8 lbs per week, continuously. It will outgrow its boundaries very rapidly, when not harvested on a regular basis. It can be trimmed monthly to promote new, tender growth for consumption. The abundant trimmings can be used as a garden mulch or around trees.

A few plants scattered around the home will provide beauty and enough nutritious leaves and shoots for the entire family. It can be grown along walkways to suppress weeds and on steep areas to control soil erosion.

Okinawan spinach can be planted around the drip line of fruit and nut trees to provide a living ground cover. It will prevent weed growth near the tree, control soil erosion, create a suitable habitat for beneficial organisms, conserve soil moisture, and add organic matter through the decay of older leaves.

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