http://www.diggers.com.auumbracoClive Blazey's blogenhttp://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-9http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-9http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/bringing-food-growing-back-into-our-cities.aspx#comment-8http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/bringing-food-growing-back-into-our-cities.aspx#comment-8
Mary Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
Your should plant some tomătoes,
And Carmen potatoes,
And lettuces all in a row.

Said Prime Minister Curtain
I feel morally certain
You should cultivate cabbage & Beet,
These with onions and swedes
Will supply all your needs,
And asparagrass just for a treat.

It’s a positive pleasure
To work at your leisure
With hose, cultivator & hoe;
And I’d just like to mention
That without such attention
Your seedlings & seeds will not grow!

You will feel great elation
Growing food for the nation
And will do your own self a good turn,
What with carrots and beans
And the various greens
You soon should have veges to burn.

So root out your roses
And haul out your hoses
And spread super-phosphate around.
Now flowers are out –
It’s a regular rout
For veges have captured the Ground.

Richard Francis 1942

(N.B. Typed exactly as written in 1942.)

Richard Francis was my Grandfather. I recently found this verse that he wrote 70 years ago, a comment about the news of the day. If we substitute ‘your compost’ for ‘super-phosphate’ it still relevant for 2012!

Here is link to the War Memorial about the success of Victory Gardens: www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/homefront/victory_gardens.asp/

Thank you, Clive and Penny, for Diggers. Nineteen years ago, at a School Reunion (we were in the same class at school), Penny gave me a catalogue after I had inquired about some seeds. Since joining Diggers, my husband David and I have discovered the importance of vegetable gardening and Diggers has played a big part. Our garden has grown from a small, pre-Diggers, patch to gradually take over the back lawn. David is a keen recycler and ‘Umbrellia’ has developed with the help of 20 market umbrellas destined for landfill as hard-rubbish. They enable us to change the weather on scorching days, give us shade so we can work on an area any time, or protect sensitive seedlings. The umbrellas work individually or together, or wait until needed. As well, we have a big gum tree that kindly fell so we get more sunlight. We decided to leave it so we can see the beauty of nature, a giant sculpture over which to drape vines, pumpkins, cucumbers, Kiwi fruit, or Tromboncinos; and at night, it is a perch for the occasional Tawny Frogmouth to keep the snails in check. It is our world, relaxing, productive, magical and fun, our suburban Melbourne backyard.

Angela Sturdy
Mont Albert North, Vic.
]]>http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/why-australians-need-to-lead-on-climate-change-abatement.aspx#comment-11http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/why-australians-need-to-lead-on-climate-change-abatement.aspx#comment-11http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/who-do-you-trust-to-control-our-daily-bread.aspx#comment-21http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/who-do-you-trust-to-control-our-daily-bread.aspx#comment-21http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/why-potatoes-are-full-of-chemicals.aspx#comment-20http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/why-potatoes-are-full-of-chemicals.aspx#comment-20http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-19http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-19http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/3/27/introducing-the-diggers-trust.aspx#comment-18http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/3/27/introducing-the-diggers-trust.aspx#comment-18http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-10http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-10http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/why-australians-need-to-lead-on-climate-change-abatement.aspx#comment-17http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/why-australians-need-to-lead-on-climate-change-abatement.aspx#comment-17 The sea is not rising and I have not detected any change in the climate in my 70 years on the plannet and I go to the coast regularly]]>http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-16http://www.diggers.com.au/blog/2012/1/9/my-position-on-gm.aspx#comment-16 The report gives examples of patents on sunflowers, melons, cucumbers, rice and wheat. Patents were granted despite a decision of the highest court of the EPO (Enlarged Board of Appeal) in 2010, reaffirming the prohibition of patents on conventional breeding as written in European patent laws. As the new report shows, industry and examiners at the EPO are systematically using legal loopholes to grant patents on seeds, plants and even harvest and food products derived thereof.The last I heard this amounted to thousands of patents. So it's not only through GM that the corporations are determined to control our seeds - and animals. GM is worse because their is no evidence that the food is safe to eat but who wants to be looking over their shoulder every time you plant a seed.For more information http://no-patents-on-seeds.org/


animals in the EU.but can't : www.no-patents-on-seeds.org]]>