The Organic View

For the avid gardener, growing one variety of a particular herb, fruit or vegetable is never enough. It is always interesting to see the difference in plant growth, production and finally the taste of the fruit in your cherished recipe. Especially for culinary enthusiasts, the more varieties you have the more amazing your dish is, complete with a horticultural biography to entertain your guests leaving them in awe. What if you found that through the years you had quite the assortment of organic tomato seeds in your collection? This is exactly what happened to Gary Ibsen who suddenly found himself the keeper of this huge seed bank of organic heirloom tomatoes that began to grow thanks to the contributions of his friends, neighbors and gardeners around the globe. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Gary Ibsen, founder of TomatoFest Garden Seeds (http://www.tomatofest.com). TomatoFest has revitalized the appreciation and desire for true heirloom tomatoes. Ibsen’s belief in sustainable, organic farming and seed saving has inspired him to develop and grow heirloom tomato varieties for more than 30 years. For the 2009 season, he, and his partner Dagma Lacey, are growing more than 600 varieties of certified organic, heirloom tomatoes from seeds originally sourced from family farms around the world. Their hands-on tomato production and seed harvest techniques ensure the highest quality product and help ensure that these precious heirloom tomato varieties will be sustained for years to come. In 2008 Ibsen retired from 18 years of producing the nationally celebrated Carmel TomatoFest event in Carmel CA. Through their TomatoFest Seed Donation Program, TomatoFest Garden Seeds has been donating heirloom tomato seeds to more than 250 urban garden projects, school gardens, community outreach gardens around the U.S., India, Africa, Europe, China.

Human beings will often make the assumption that because a creature is not soft, fluffy and conforms to what society dictates as being beautiful, that it is therefore offensive, ugly, is an enemy to mankind and therefore should be destroyed. Such is the case with snakes, reptiles and most cold-blooded creatures. Stephen Glasgow decided to take a stand when he founded The Alabama Reptile Rescue Sanctuary. The non-profit organization is based upon three principles: Rescue: Rescuing reptiles from unwanted, neglectful, or abusive homes and finding them good, permanent homes. Conservation: Working with conservation groups and organizations locally and world-wide for the future of reptiles and amphibians. Education: Educating the public with proper husbandry information, public awareness of the importance of reptiles in the ecosystem, and conservation efforts locally to get involved. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Stephen Glasgow about reptiles and how many species are close to extinction. These creatures are a critical component to the eco-system and without their existence, the landscape could change destroying the natural beauty of the landscape, not to mention contribute to decreasing property values.

Percy Schmeiser is a canola farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the first farmer to win a law suit against Monsanto. This landmark case, which went before the Federal Court of Canada, has attracted international attention because it could help determine how much control a handful of powerful biotech companies can exert over farmers. Schmeiser believes this precedent setting agreement ensures that farmers will be entitled to reimbursement when their fields become contaminated with unwanted Roundup Ready canola or any other unwanted GMO plants. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Percy Schmeiser about his battle with this agro-chemical giant.

There has been a great concern from the beekeeping community and other environmental preservation advocates about the role that systemic insecticides are playing in agriculture. One in particular is the neonicotinoid, Clothianidin which has been granted full registration by the EPA, despite the fact that it failed to meet the requirements for registration. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer, talks to members of the National Honey Bee Advisory Board Jeff Anderson, Dave Hackenberg and Clint Walker III. are going to be discussing the current impact these chemicals have on the honeybees and also the need to reform the current process in which the EPA grants registration for these dangerous pesticides. They will also discuss the lack of cooperation from the EPA to work together to come up with a solution even though the EPA is charged with the prevention of unreasonable risk to man and the environment. Jeff Anderson, is a seasoned commercial beekeeper from Minnesota for the last 35 years. Jeff is also a member of the NHBAB. Dave Hackenberg, is the Chairman of the NHBAB. He has over 40 years as a beekeeper. Clint Walker III, is also a member of the NHBAB. He is from Texas and continues to operate his family owned business, which has been in business since 1930.

What would happen if your car had no oil or the steering wheel had been removed or you had no more gas? Your car would not function properly and clearly, you would have problems driving. When it comes to nature, every plant, every creature, every micro and macro organism plays its part much in the same way. Human beings are notorious for quickly destroying wildlife for the simple reason being that these creatures are either difficult to cohabitate with or are just a nuisance. It is unfortunate that people are so disconnected with nature and do not see how each creature plays an important role that impacts other creatures (human beings included) “Leading scientists working around the globe are learning that these much feared predators may in fact hold a key to life itself. It is the presence or absence of top predators that affects the health of the entire ecosystem.”-Lords of Nature The Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators, is a captivating documentary which tells the story of a science now discovering top carnivores as revitalizing forces of nature, and of a society now learning tolerance for beasts they once banished. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Karen Anspacher-Meyer, Executive Director, Green Fire Productions and Craig Miller, Southwest Representative Defenders of Wildlife. We will also discuss the issues with efforts to minimize the protection offered to these species under The Endangered Species Act. Stay tuned!

Since biblical times, dates have been eaten not only as a delectable snack but also as a part of many religious feasts during the high holidays. They are highly nutritious, have a long shelf life due to the natural sugars and can grow year round. Although there are many kinds of dates, the most preferred variety is the Medjool date. The name “Medjool” actually means wealth and royalty. They are the Bentley of dates. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Dr. Daryoush Davidi from United With Earth (www.unitedwithearth.com) about the nutritional value of dates, the origin and the historical incorporation of this delicious fruit as a key staple in many traditions. Stay tuned!

What would you do if your dog suffered from an allergy or even worse, began scratching relentlessly from a rash until he or she drew blood? For pet lovers, it's a heart wrenching experience to watch your dog suffer. Even the use of an Elizabethan collar is pointless and almost cruel. Your beloved pet bites at it, desperately trying to free itself, longing to scratch the itch as it whimpers in agony. Unfortunately, such itching can result in bald spots and open wounds, which, if exacerbated can lead to bacterial infections. The condition of a dog’s skin and coat is indicative of its general health. Everything from pet food, medications, flea collars and the environment can be the problem. Finding a solution, however, is not an easy task. Unlike humans that can opt for over the counter remedies, dogs are not so fortunate. Due to the high costs involved with veterinary testing and treatments,a solution is often not feasible. People will spend thousands of dollars on a myriad of treatments, with no hope of finding a cure. What if you had access to the best vets in the world but still could not find a cure? What if you could source your own ingredients and formulate your own remedy? This is exactly what Prince Lorenzo Borghese did when he founded the Royal Pet Club (www.royalpetclub.com). When his precious dog, Belle suffered from severely dry skin, he was completely distraught. He decided to utilize his contacts within the cosmetic industry which his family has been involved in since the 1960s, to find a solution. Like many other pet lovers, he decided to share his knowledge and manufacture a whole line of organic upscale pet products that have won the approval of pet parents around the world. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Prince Lorenzo Borghese about his work as animal advocate and about the great lengths he has gone through in order to prevent other pet owners from experiencing the same heartache.

Recently, the USDA deregulated genetically engineered alfalfa. Although many organic advocates and activists are in an uproar, most of the general population still does not understand how or why this will affect them much less the organic industry. Unfortunately, until people are faced with a health crisis or have a loved one affected, people will continue to remain ignorant of this disastrous decision. Barbara Peterson is an activist and also the host of the hit internet radio show called Farmwars (www.Farmwars.info) Barbara has devoted her life to protecting our environment and the creatures we share it with. Being an activist can be tough but this woman is truly a crusader for organic. Barbara is actually retired from the California Department of Corrections, where she worked as a Correctional Officer at Folsom Prison. She was one of the first females to work at the facility in this classification. Barbara lives on a small ranch in Oregon where she raises geese, chickens, horses, her dog Oggie, a variety of cats and an opinionated Macaw named Rita. Her rural lifestyle is being threatened by a combination of increasing federal regulations and corporate shenanigans such as NAIS and Monsanto’s invasive GMO technology designed to make it next to impossible to raise animals and organic food. Barbara’s motto is “It is time to step up to the plate and fight or lose it all without a whimper. Choose to make a stand and fight. We can make a difference!” In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Barbara Peterson, about the dangers of genetic modification, organic contamination, how the technology use agreement entraps farmers and what you can do about it. Stay tuned!

Backyard beekeeping can be very rewarding not only to avid gardeners but to anyone who wants to really connect with nature and experience a whole new world. People often think that beekeeping is just about producing honey but it is so much more than that. So, what did bees do before beekeepers? Unable to find a logical answer to what seemed to be a simple question, Christy Hemenway launched an investigation of her own. She came to the conclusion that with bees, less is more, meaning: less human interference equals more health for the honeybee. In 2007, Christy founded Gold Star Honeybees to advance a beekeeping system known as the “top bar” hive - the original movable-comb, managed beehive. The most important feature of a top bar hive is that it lets bees make their own beeswax honeycomb in a natural, chemical free way. Working to build the top bar beekeeping community, Christy has done presentations to beekeepers, gardening groups and organic farmers all over New England and as far south as Atlanta for The American Community Gardening Association. She teaches Top Bar Beekeeping 101 - a Weekend Intensive class where students not only learn the how-to’s of stewarding their bees, but also come to understand the connection between bees and our own well being. The importance of bees to our health, the health of the planet and to all of nature becomes quite clear!Gold Star Honeybees manufactures the Gold Star top bar hive kit and its accessories which are sold nationwide. Christy has been published in The Northeast Organic Farmers Association periodical, The Natural Farmer, with the essay entitled Shifting the Paradigm –Towards More Natural Beekeeping. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Christy Hemenway to discuss the top bar hive method of beekeeping. Stay tuned!

Spex CertiPrep (http://www.spexcsp.com) recently published part 1 and part 2 of their test results about heavy metals found in pet foods. Susan Thixton, Founder of TruthAboutPetFood.com has been trying to find the answers as to how this could even have happened and what the FDA’s plans are to improve the safety of pet food. "The analysis of all the pet food samples showed that the highest concentrations of toxic elements were found in the dry foods of both cats and dogs. Out of the elements studied, dry food had the highest elemental content for 13 of the 15 elements examined. Dog food had the highest result for nine of the 15 toxic elements and cat food had the highest concentration for six of the 15 elements." -Analysis of Toxic Trace Metals in Pet Foods Using Cryogenic Grinding and Quantitation by ICP-MS, Part 1 published in the January 2011 Spectroscopy Magazine. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Susan Thixton to discuss in depth her exploration of this highly disturbing research and to also discuss options that pet owners can take. Stay tuned!

Most people use sugar whether it is in your morning cup of coffee, afternoon tea or just an ingredient used to bake your favorite cookies. There are many different choices these days for consumers to choose from. We can use granulated sugar, honey or even agave. With the rapid number of issues being raised due to the genetic engineering of our natural sweeteners, consumers are becoming more cautious and are demanding that their sweeteners are clearly labeled as being certified organic. The Fair Trade certification has become a necessary certification in order to insure that the products are grown sustainably, ethically and will offer consistency in quality. Wholesome Sweeteners is the nation's leader in Fair Trade Certified, USDA Organic, Non-GMO Verified and sustainably produced sugars, syrups, nectars and honeys. In addition to bringing the best organic, sustainable and unrefined sweeteners to the N American market, Wholesome pioneered the certification process for Fair Trade Certified sugar and honey in 2005. They have paid more than $2.5 million in social premiums to benefit farming and beekeeping cooperatives in the developing world. Fair Trade Certified™ is their guarantee that insures that the farmers are paid a set premium for their crops. The money is actually wired directly from their accounts to the cooperatives' accounts in Costa Rica, Malawi, Mexico and Paraguay. This has created a viable economic incentive to protect communities, traditions and the environment. Farmers in these countries can compete against factory farms, are able to keep their land, send their kids to school, develop the quality of their crops and build community resources. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Pauline McKee, Co-Founder and Vice–President Marketing of Wholesome Sweeteners. She will talk about how it all began and what Wholesome Sweeteners is doing to promote sustainability and organic. Stay tuned!

Last year, when the great city of New York lifted the ban on beekeeping, people rejoiced as they were now legally free to openly support the honeybee and help nurture the most important pollinator known to mankind. In other cities, people are also working together to help others understand and embrace the importance of the honeybee. Two beekeepers from the city of Melbourne, Australia decided to do something to promote urban beekeeping while giving back to the community and more importantly, to the bees. RooftopHoney.com is an amazing success story in which business owners and residents can participate in a very unique opportunity to enjoy locally produced honey, straight from their own rooftops. The hives are maintained with loving, knowledgeable care, with the primary concern being on bee health and wellness. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Vanessa Kwiatkowski and Mat Lumalasi, founders of Rooftop Honey. They will explain how they got started, the challenges they faced and the overwhelming demand for more programs such as theirs in other cities around the globe. To learn more about bringing this fabulous method of beekeeping to your city, stay tuned!

Fear is defined as the belief that something that has not happened has happened. Especially when dealing with change, we are dealing with the unknown which can easily lead us to fear. Change is not always such a bad thing. Sometimes even the most difficult situations can create a clear path to a new horizon. Getting through the difficult periods and coping is the hardest part. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Lydia Proschinger , an Advanced EFT Practitioner and the Host of Living La Vida Healthy (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/serendipity-jane). Lydia is a life coach, advanced (level 3) EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) (http://livinglavidahealthy.org/) and Matrix Reimprinting practitioner, experienced in working with clients on emotional challenges, and serious health matters. She leads her clients to goal achievement with focus, persistence and enthusiasm. To learn more about coping with fear and change without reaching for a pill, stay tuned!

Graham White is an environmental author, a beekeeper and has worked in environmental education for over 20 years. He is an expert on John Muir and created the John Muir Award which challenges people of all ages to do something for the conservation of nature and wildlife. Graham published the Scottish Environmental Handbook which was the first publication of its kind. He also published The Nature of Scotland as well as a number of John Muir's works. In 1977, Graham hiked from Yosemite to Mt Whitney in a life changing journey which inspired him to create the first environment center in the United Kingdom. Graham began raising awareness against the use of neonicotinoids in 2004 and has also been working to raise awareness about the toxic impact on the entire eco-system. His message is that we are in danger of creating an agricultural environmental that is toxic to wildlife of every kind. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Graham White about his work to raise awareness. Stay tuned!

Alfalfa is a key crop to all farmers. It is used by dairy farmers because of its high protein content and highly digestible fiber. It is also fed to other livestock raised for human consumption. Recently, the USDA approved the deregulation of genetically engineered alfalfa. Leaders in the organic community have been outraged and have been speaking out against this decision. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Joel Greeno, the President of the American Raw Milk Producers Pricing Association (ARMPPA ) and is also the Vice-President of Family Farm Defenders. Joel will explain why this is a massive problem for dairy farmers. If you are not sure what all of this controversy is about and want to find out how this is going to impact you and the food you eat, stay tuned!