Now Auckland with 100 gardens in all - 75 as a result of Richard and his small team and 25 other independent community gardens - we ask - what does this effort portend for a healthy ecological Auckland?
With the original intention to combat, diabetes 2, obesity and heart disease - this initiative has over 2,000 participants and growing. There are hundreds of others involved that are now taking these learned skills back to their backyard at home.
NZ a Nation of interlinked Community Gardens?
We ask, can Auckland be the template for the whole of NZ, becoming interlinked in a vast network of community gardens nationwide?
Imagine if this could be championed by someone - so that no child would go to bed hungry, when it has been ascertained that when the new Government took power in NZ, 18 months ago there was said to be 295,000 children living under the 60% income poverty line in New Zealand. That being 28% of all children.
That today 155,000 children are living in material hardship in New Zealand. That is 14% of all children. How could this come about in this country?
It is a known, that high quality whole food and vegetables, preferably organic has a very beneficial effect on brain function.
When we feed our brain, the dendrites are able to function to their highest potentiality - and in the decades to come - we need to have all children living at optimum levels of being. That nutrient dense food, in a loving family setting - is an imperative.
Community Gardens
Cooperative Community Gardens are increasing throughout the suburbs of greater Auckland and this subject is becoming a talking point for people wanting increasingly better health, wellbeing and a feeling of connection with community working together in camaraderie and joy.
Availability of land is becoming an issue.
Obtaining the use of more land is becoming a priority. As we all know, land is at a premium and Richard is keen to find more opportunities for land to be gifted, even for a few years. So if you know of any situation, he and his team would be very keen to hear from you.
Free Practical Advise
Gardens4Health provides free, practical advice and support to community groups, organisations, workplaces and schools for the setting up of new community gardens and ongoing maintenance of existing gardens. The Gardens4Health team is currently involved in over 50 community gardens or initiatives across Auckland and provides access to a wide network of other gardens and useful resources.
Being a gardening expert is not required, but time, enthusiasm, and commitment are. The experienced Gardens4Health team are there to provide practical advice and support for all seasons of food gardening in Auckland conditions.
For more information please download our one-page information sheet and contact the Gardens4Health manager at gardens@dpt.org.nz.
He aha te kai o te Rangitira? He Korero, he korero, he korero.
What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge, it is communication.
PS. I took a large number of notes regarding this interview, but even with the latest Mac tech - these can be lost in an instant, never to be retrieved - so with this sad loss - please instead, have a listen.
Richard is very embedded in community and garden settings - and it shows across a greater scope as in physical health of good high quality organic food, but the mental health of working with fellow humans with a common aim. Plus, with the added surroundings of nature and of both plants and flowers - caresses - ones soul - giving all involved - a deep sense of peace.
Richard says that working alongside various Pacific Island groups, Moslem women, Maori, Hindu, and many other ethnic and cultural groups, too many to mention here, it has allowed him to experience deeply, the happiness of people working and even singing together.
The camaraderie and friendship of working the soil and bringing forth a huge array of fresh vital vegetables and fruit gives everyone involved - immense satisfaction - that when shared with family and friends validates the vision of the good people behind this in the Health Board and Councils involved.
So how does a human live on a planet or should I say a human being - live on a planet - because we are not really ‘being’ are we?
Growth has become the secular religion of our time.
What Stephen answered with is that the so called ‘dominant culture’ and materialism is now in an extremely problematic phase. That growth in its many ways has become the secular religion of our time. This desire for consumerism is also consuming our future, yet ‘growth' - and even the ‘personal growth’ industry is exponentialising itself - as an idea that ‘inner growth and awareness can be sold as a commodity to people.
This preoccupation of ‘increase’ - which can be easily seen in the consumer culture, is becoming predominant.
Stephen who has worked in palliative care in what he called the 'death industry' he talks about - oncology, the study and treatment of tumours. He said they have a word that is a synonym for tumour and it is called - ‘a growth’ which is as a word widely used outside the industry too and it is called just ‘growth.’ He goes on to talk about what is this growth thing? Well, in cancer it grows itself to death. This can be seen in how industrial man keeps on growing his business and the repercussions are being seen in all areas of the biosphere.
Tumors grow themselves to terminate the host
A growth or a tumour has no concerns about anything other than its continued unrestricted growth until finally - it terminates its host. Its mania is its demise. And the collateral damage is the person in question.
Respect for the Elder Generation
‘Respect your elders’ … in his days this is what Stephen said was a description of the way things were.
That elders were to be held in generic high regard. Not elevating them over the top, not inflating them to some kind of heroic status but just a sense that they have endured as long as they have - has conferred upon them some sort of - what he calls reliability - and that is the way it was - however it is not the way it is now. And the change from then (only 75 to 100 years ago) - is now extreme. To the extent to respect your elders now is much more of a plea - that is his present day description of the way it is.
Stephen says that something very fundamental has happened to people’s willingness to hold older people in inalienable high esteem.
The other half of this equations is that he says: Respect your elders and they - behave and comport themselves - respectably.
Where is the respect of Elders today?
The young today are having difficulty in finding common ground with elders and are fundamentally challenging the term ‘respect your elders’ - if not dismissing this notion out of hand.
One reason is that youth are in a position where they are inheriting a world that is in considerable disrepair - and when they look to their elders they say but this has been done on their elders ‘watch!' Listen to the interview.
So the youth ask, how come we let this happen when we knew that there are going to be repercussions in the future and still the elders did nothing!
This being the case - we can understand why the younger generation have difficulty in respecting ‘the elders.’
Respect what? Becomes their question. See Stephen’s book ‘Come of Age.’ What happens when you do not hold older people in high regard? Plus how does this demean the culture fundamentally?
Stephen says that we today have inherited deeply troubling challenges and we can not 'wish them away' - we have to quietly and in a focused way deal with them … Listen ...
Wisdom
Wisdom - how does it come about? Can you inherit wisdom? Stephen says it is not the case - Listen ...
Prejudices …and bigotry
He also ask the question what can you inherit? He then states - Prejudices …and bigotry - how do we pick these up? There is no labour in picking these up. There is no wisdom involved. How come these be so easily picked up?
There are many subjects that are covered in this interview. Stephen’s intellect and its acuity, shows that he is very adept at the spoken word.
Awake?
Awake what is it? An elevated mindfulness or … a kind of achieved state?
He breaks down words like A-Wake and explains what they convey
Hope?
What is hope? This was a big one and he deconstructs this word as well.
Tim here, I had a huge list of questions that I did not get around to asking many of these:
Questions that I had lined up - in any order ...
The Great Mystery … Life, death and beyond. What does he perceive as ‘the great mystery?’
The tyranny of hope … Pandora’s Box was the only gift that did not escape - We are in grim times. He did elaborate on hope.
Zen poet Thich Nhat Hanh was asked, “what do we most need to do to save our world?” His answer was this: “What we most need to do is to hear within us the sounds of the Earth crying.”
Did Stephen wish to add anything to this? We just did not have time ...
Psychology has become monotheism without God. This is what Stephen had mentioned in a video. Could he explain?
Anima Mundi, the Latin word for World Soul. His thoughts on this?
We are Spiritual Beings having an earth existence? Stephen did answer this, but not in a way that it was being asked. That as there are 7.7 billion humans on earth, were they not in someway on a spiritual journey? Or as many would say be inhabited by soul, or have a soul connection? He did no concur or he may have misunderstood my question. Listen
Many people today are generally perceived as so disconnected from any sense of the deeper self, or soul - having instead being so busy with the outside world with all its distractions and diversions - that they have omitted to cultivate any inner values, or ‘knowing thyself’ and deepening their inquiry into why they are here in human form. This translates to being in many ways, devoid of any spiritual context. Thus not peacefully knowing how to die - But dying by medication - sliding into a worsening stage of coma and drugged out - lacking any focus or coherency - 'dying badly.' Stephen has written on ‘dying badly.’
We are death phobic and grief illiterate - these are from his previous statements and we just never had the time to follow this up.
Re-wilding our Planet and E.O Wilson’s idea of ½ of or planet being 'locked away' to regenerate without or with very little human interference. With no extraction of anything from these areas.
https://eowilsonfoundation.org/e-o-wilson-on-saving-half-the-earth/
Lack of vernacular to express one’s feelings … that men in particular are generally unable to open themselves up to being more vulnerable in showing their feelings. This was a big one being, that men in general just seem to not have the ability to articulate and say how they feel.
Ecological connection - to a planet that is under siege. We did cover this, however not in the sense of that of an indigenous person, living immersed in nature. i.e have mystical experiences - as a result of fasting or a vision quest.
The denial and ability to hide from the responsibility to wake up to what is happening on earth. The Anthropocene stage that of humans now have overtaken the earth’s natural systems to self balance or heal itself from the ecological damage that we are doing it to it/‘her.' We did cover this to a small degree.
That so many contemporary adults are reading non fiction, i.e Mills and Boon books - (plural) and are engaged in living vicariously through literature that is increasingly becoming more risqué and going into fantasy. That we are not acting responsibly, but in fact - deluding ourselves.
A Planetary Cry In - that if we all did it - it could 'shift the field.’ This was a blue sky - 'what if question' -the fact that humans, especially men do not cry, (very few) thus are emotionally blocked - that in a grief filled moment that when we realised what we have done to the world and our collective future and continue to do so - if we realised this, have you Stephen, any opinion on such a concept?
That today especially in education that women lead the men in their fields - schools girls academic qualifications are higher - since 1893 when women emancipated themselves for the first time on our planet, do you see woman as being pivotal in bring our civilisation to its senses?
Stephen is in NZ from April 30th 2019
John Aldworth, the author of his book ‘Forbidden History’ states that virtually his whole life has been devoted to journalism. In particular with British newspapers including the Daily Mail to the Dominion and Evening Post in Wellington, NZ. He has always been interested in story and then sharing them.
He states that in the 19th century European historians and some Maori historians talked about things in their past that is now, virtually ‘politically incorrect’ today. That in fact there apparently were different peoples living here prior to the Maori or the Polynesians that came to this country.
Not taught in the NZ Education System
That today this is not taught in our schools or our universities and John says that if true, that there were other people here, then they are a real and genuine part of our history.
His book Forbidden History seeks to show that for Maori that their descendants are here among us - they are living today and the story of at least two of them are written about in his book.
A descendent of another DNA strand?
He introduces on person who maintains she is a descendant of the Patupaiarehe - fair skinned and fair haired - some with reddish hair that they have been here for around 2000 years right up until today. He says that there is a small tribe, (hapu) living near Taumaranui in the middle of the North Island. Her name is Monica Matamua an 85 year old woman and participated in a National Geographic Genome project and took a DNA test on her blood.
The main results showed 40% Mediterranean origin 12% European and only about 14% Oceanic or Polynesian. Note That this only totals 66% of the DNA. That the other DNA is of Peruvian or South American origin.
He furthers this by saying she is descended from people who had intermarried with Maori people - and he adds to this that certain Maori are in part descendents from these people themselves. He says certainly some of them are.
John then states that sales of his book has been bought well be Maori people. Who many are delighted to know that they have a longer whakapapa - or lineage - bloodline.
The test show that Middle Eastern especially Persian DNA is in her lineage. That as there was turmoil in Persia, the narrative says that they left there with the desire to find a place to live in peace … finally after many countries (so the story is conveyed) they ended up in Aotearoa just before the time of Christ.
Listen to the interview
Waitaha - who are they?
John then says that the Polynesian Waitaha nation arrived after that - according to recently deceased Paramount Chief George Connolly AKA Hori Manuka Manuka Kapenga. The Upoko Ariki or Head Chief of the Waitaha people. Who’s lineage supposedly came from the Middle East as well, according to George, who said that his people landed in NZ around 580 AD.
Then John says that there are actually other people but deferred to speak about it saying that it get confusing (I agree says Tim).
He said upon their arrival they had the desire to live in peace and with the Patupaiarehe and the Waitaha - they between them lived in peace for 1300 years and John says if this is true - then we owe it to ourselves if this is the history fo this country - to find out as to how did the achieve this peace. Because it is exceptionally unique.
See the YouTube Video 'Skeletons in the Cupboard' by Peter Marsh and Gabie Plumm … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z6PlYiQSTs
Poenamo is the actual name of the South Island actually means the Waters of Peace. This is where a good percentage of the Waitaha supposedly come from. Today the South Island is known as Te Wai Pounamu, the waters of greenstone.
The Arrival of the Warrior People
Then there was the arrival of warrior people … who took over the first inhabitants that were here and then engaged in inter-tribal warfare fighting among themselves.
John talks about a Moriori chief in Waikato that once were inhabiting an area from Raglan in the West to Tauranga in the East - his name being Philipp Ranga - Waikato University Professor Tom Roa when asked agreed and said that there were people in that area before the Maori arrived.
In the original history of the Tainui tribe they have in their official record a story that having landed in the Waikato that they drove out inhabitants and indigenous people that they found.
Listen about the Chief of the Moriori of the Chatham islands and what transpired right up until the time to the invasion of Maori who took a British sailing ship filled with warriors and went and took the lives of the population.
http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document//Volume_1_1892/Volume_1%2C_No._3%2C_1892/The_occupation_of_the_Chatham_Islands_by_the_Maoris_in_1835%3A_Part_II_-_The_migration_of_Ngatiawa_to_Chatham_Island%2C_by_A._Shand%2C_p154-163/p1
John says that his book has gone into bat for them, because these previous people were never a party to the Treaty of Waitangi. A treaty between the British Crown and certain Maori Tribes from around NZ. But not all.
J H Mitchell - in his book Takitimu which is about the canoe or waka of the Ngāti Kahungunu when they first came to the Hawkes Bay and Wairoa area they were received by people who were already here … but it is said that Ngāti Kahungunu eventually turned on these people
Other subjects covered:
The stone structures that have been locked away and made out of bounds in Waipoua forest - a city that may have supported some thousands … Listen … and do a web search.
Hear about the late Noel Hilliam, the curator of the Dargaville Museum and what he found as shipwrecks along the West Coast and his profound statement about what may have been a large stone city in the Waipoua forest. That is now a ‘no go’ area by the Department of Conservation. That carbon dating takes it back to 2000 BC.
https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2016/01/mike-butler-disinterest-in-pre-maori.html
There are 105 embargoes in place across NZ preventing any forensic research on ancient archaeological sites that go back in time - no one is allowed in to these places - by Law.
Learn about the ancient Auckland, Queen St stump and adze that were found during an infrastructure excavation that were so deep in the earth, that it had to have been there far longer than the arrival of present Maori.
http://www.kilts.co.nz/stump.htm
There is much more to this very interesting interview and in speaking with John Aldworth afterwards it gave me a sense that he is only looking for the truth on this matter of when was Aotearoa first settled.
http://www.ngatihotu.nz/2018/11/01/forbidden-history-by-john-dudley-aldworth/
http://forbiddenhistory.co.nz
She has dedicated a Facebook page called ‘Survival Movement NZ’ and invites everyone to come and participate.
This below is what Lisa leads with:
The world is in a dire state.
Climate change is lapping at our doors.
It is estimated that one fifth of the world’s population will become climate migrants, if they survive at all.
Global food security will be severely impacted. With food shortages, food prices spike.
There will be more floods, droughts, and forest fires.
Sea level rise will affect many places around the country and houses will become uninhabitable.
The world economy is unstable. At any time your local ATM could be shut and you could be unable to withdraw money. For how long you don’t know.
World trade could collapse as money markets fail.
If we don’t stop the widespread use of insecticides and herbicides the world will see an insect collapse in 100 years, which will cause the biosphere to collapse.. However our food supply will basically be destroyed at only a 75% loss.
How will we survive the next few decades if no changes are made to our lifestyles?
Lisa is asking us to get real and look at our uncertain future, and then do something about it.
What if?
Last year Lisa had no power for 4 days after a large storm hit Auckland and so experienced living with no electricity for that time. So she had to buy a BBQ, which she was able to drive and buy - so she was ok with cooking for those 4 days. She also had ready access to food and a generator to keep the freezer working.
But, what if a crisis was for a longer period? That it was city wide, provincial, or national? Fortunately Auckland has a gravity fed water reticulation system, from large storage facilities (with diesel generators as backup) - so water in most situations will get to everyone’s homes, as long as the economy is functioning.
If food in supermarkets runs out?
It is no good saying that you will be ok because you are off the grid or growing all your own food.
If there’s a major crisis there is the possibility of armed and desperate people coming in and taking all your vegetables from your garden and food from your house. We need to have in place staple food and essentials in localised storage facilities that is readily accessible for the supermarkets in the city?
Lisa states that if NZ put in place a well thought out strategy and plan to deal what nature or the global financial system issues occur - then NZ is well placed to weather it out. The proviso being - that the political process is involved.
So what does one do to make us resilient and more self reliant? We have to look at electricity, transport and food, especially food, and find efficient ways to get these items to people everywhere in the city and regions in the case of a major emergency or long term crisis .
Planning from both Central and Local Government.
This has to be planned for at both Local Government level and at Governmental levels. Lisa said contact both Local and Central Government and ask them what contingencies they have for this? Local Governments are easier to contact and have influence as well as contacts in Central Government.
Electricity Needs
In 2017 - 82% of NZ electrical needs were from renewables
In 2007 Helen Clark when PM set a national target of 90% renewables by 2025. With wind energy to make up most of this increase. Which is exceptionally and good for our country. Making it exceptionally high by world standards.
Lisa mentioned if a category 5 storm hit Auckland we could be without power for several weeks as a huge number of lines would be down.
However she says the key to this is preparation and in Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania in the USA - they are factoring in their cities future to be more green and aware.
http://pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/sustainability-resilience
Auckland Council’s website is a page where you can leave suggestions for consideration …. so she wants us all to support innovative ways to make Auckland (and New Zealand) resilient. However, there are some things that have to be done through Central Government as well.
Creating Money within New Zealand
Lisa wants the Reserve Bank of NZ to create money, not private banking, as in the NZ Social Credit Party’s financial policy. As a small country we might be able to get away with it, and not have the overseas bankers turn the screws on us. But, she said that if there was a crisis - all the major countries would be crisis too. https://socialcredit.nz Supporting local banks and co-operatives is also essential
So we need to be aware and prepare.
Oil Needs
Tim - NZ has the capacity to extract both oil and gas. We need to have enough to keep every truck and bus running on NZ roads and Lisa mentioned back in the 1970's, with the oil problems, that we in NZ had carless days.
We have 3 months of stored fuel in the country as an emergency measure, but Lisa mentions no food is currently stored. Most NZ wheat is now is grown in Australia and processed there too. As Dr Janice Priest mentioned a few weeks ago in a GreenplanetFM interview Australian wheat is a strain that is heavy in gluten, whereas NZ’s previous wheat had far less gluten.
All of our rice is grown overseas - and Lisa says it's a big Achilles heel, that needs to be seriously addressed. Many other staples have to be imported rather than being grown here.
She mentions a TV series in Britain many years ago where a virus caused mass deaths and what few survivors there were had to scavenge and eventually fight for food and she says hungry people will fight till the death - that it was a very dark story - so why not prepare for the future especially as climate change may have unparalleled effects.
Transition Towns
Tim mentions 'Transition Towns' is operating in a number of places in NZ.
http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz - Originally it was set up in response arising from climate change, resource depletion and an economy based on growth.
Lisa says they at one level are fantastic but asks if they have solutions for a crisis in a large city.
Farmers Markets
Tim mentions that in the meantime farmers markets are a way forward and you can network from there and build relationships and have also sales of items other than food.
https://www.ourplanet.org/greenplanetfm/jeff-griggs-transition-towns-mens-sheds-localised-food
Community Gardens across the Nation?
We hear that the Manukau Health Board are involved with 75 community gardens in their area and there are a further 25 community gardens happening in the Auckland City area. This too is a good start to enable community to come together and meet and cooperate and collaborate. There are many different ethnic groups as wells cultures involved, being a great melting pot.
Living Economies - Is Very important
Tim mentions Living Economies - a NZ web site that can help anyone anywhere develop a system for your local community - especially setting up a Time Bank as well as Financial Pools and creating Green dollars and they have all the connections for you - just go up to LivingEconomies.nz and you can download computer programs to set up a Time Bank for example. Learn about Local money (also known as local currencies or complementary currencies) which is an approach to trading using voluntary vouchers (like “green dollars”) or tokens (print or electronic) instead of legal tender (such as New Zealand Dollars).
Project Lyttelton have over 700 people with their time bank for example.
Project Lyttelton a very good role model
We also learn that Project Lyttelton was very prepared for the devastating Earthquake that struck Christchurch in 2011 and they were pivotal in saving lives, because they had a telephone tree and so many people knew each other and being experienced in cooperation that the Civil Defence HQ recommend that all communities follow the way Project Lyttelton has gone about pulling the strings of community together.
Project Lyttelton received letters of thank you from the NZ Police, St Johns Ambulance, the Fire Brigade, the NZ Navy and especially Civil Defence, due to the fact they were able to mobilise rapidly and work tirelessly for the benefit of the community.
Neighbourly - Lisa says this is important for us to either be aware of and or join.
https://www.neighbourly.co.nz/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8ZaZwPXP4QIVSyQrCh1j7wMjEAAYASAAEgKJ_fD_BwE
Get Through - is a New Zealand Government sponsored website giving pointers to prepare ourselves for emergencies and other contingencies with at least 3 days of water, 3 days with of food and other preparations, like First Aid kits, batteries for radios, etc . This is good preparation for storms or earthquakes.
We Need a Champion
It would be good to have a New Zealander of sufficient mana to champion the need for a secure long term future to both Local and Central Government. Please assist us in finding this champion.
Lisa also mentions what other future challenges there are.
Insect collapse - If we carry on the same agricultural and chemical practices scientists state that 100 years out we will be in a dire situation, so we need to stop using pesticides and herbicides. The drop in numbers of bees and Monarch butterflies is showing us we are taking down our future.
Note that there are no insects on your car windscreen or moths at night or when you do not draw the curtains or close the blinds. Why?
Get off insecticides Neonicotinoids is the number one culprit for the decline of bees.
Go organic but first transition via Biological and Regenerative agriculture.
Do a search in GreenplanetFM.com
Now that France has finally banned glyphosate and now Monsanto products. Can NZ follow?
Lisa mentions Auckland Council contractors are using glyphosate which is very problematic, but so are home owners and farmers. Glyphosate / Roundup is a disaster. It is contaminating our food and killing grasses and weeds where insect lavae live and birds feed, and is now found in our bodies owing to its prevalent use.
Sikkim in India goes organic.
The state of Sikkim gets a jump on NZ agriculture. Why can’t NZ follow?
Lisa also mentions possible economic collapse. Some people are keen to go self sufficient but how do old people and retirement villages survive such challenges. Not everyone is young enough or fit enough to grow their own food. What are the contingency plans for those who can’t do their own gardening, and if there is flood, fire or drought, growing our own food wouldn’t be much help anyway.
Tim mentions that all the parks and golf courses in cities can be dug up and put into gardens - realising that the golf course greens would be very chemically toxic. But, this could be doable in a prolonged emergency.
There were many other interesting subjects mentioned in this interview.
Lisa talks about strong visionary leadership that can direct what needs to be done to manage the future. She says we must prepare now and not wait until it is too late. She says a government Think Tank, or similar, is needed to study where this country is insecure.
New Zealand must be self sufficient in food, go local, and be prepared to cope not only with our own climate migrants, but with those from overseas.
Climate change will transform more than 143 million people into “climate migrants” escaping crop failure, water scarcity, and sea-level rise, a new World Bank report concludes. See here - https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/climate-migrants-report-world-bank-spd/
On Facebook - Survival Movement NZ - Lisa invites people to participate.
Nature is our teacher
Darren as a child was influenced very much by his grandfather who had a wide ranging understanding of farming in the rural sector of sun affected Australia, where water was a major priority as well as the need for trees and the protection they offered.
So this early education, became critical in his connection to nature and recognising what this hardy land produced. Especially his relationship to the Australian flora and fauna, and with the added factor that he was quite well read - played a large part in his life when growing up.
He now sees his life learnings and that of the ‘Regrarian’ revolution as becoming the broad church of ‘regenerative agriculture’ - that focuses a wealth of attention on forestry (trees) and water. Added to this was that central Victoria, the region that he lived in happened to be the epicentre of organic farming.
Becoming Knowledgeable
During his calling, he has over the years given about 250 Regrarian courses around the world - in about 50 countries - he calls himself as basically ‘a sink’ having been able to take in a huge amount of information as well as glean knowledge from the many people he has rubbed shoulders with. He says that this has been his intention as he feels that he has very good observational skills, which are very important - in that when we look at what a farmer is - they have to be very good at working the land, engaging in drainage, creating swales, tree visioning, fencing, crop rotation. Plus the need to observe the weather, wind direction, the movement of birds flying - aware of temperatures, barometric pressure, sniff the air, and feel the texture of the soil in one’s hands etc. It’s grokking every nuance of the natural world.
Internet a Critical Component of Rural Communication
Darren says that the internet now is becoming a very critical component in sharing not only ideas but connecting farmers over a huge distance and can constantly keep them in the loop as to very current happenings as they occur, especially sharing critical information be it drought resistant methods, or establishing innovative ways of feeding plants, including making compost or and humus in critical weather events and other untimely occurrences that may quickly appear.
He also says that the most successful pathways will be from farmer to farmer - sharing tips etc as opposed to going through a consultant or a Govt official - and the costs that are involved, can be heavily reduced.
He emoted that he and others in the movement are very excited that they can facilitate the rapid movement of information to assist farmers. Especially producer to producer
Holistic Perspectives are Important.
Being involved in the ‘holistic land management movement’ and the methods of integrating with the ‘key line’ plan and design - by the late PA Yoeman’s and by extension Allan Savory - has extended his observation and understanding of grazing cattle and ruminants.
He also talks about the holistic way of being able to self determine what you want out of your future and what to do with your land in relationship to the whole. He said you have to recognise where you are at, (and not at) how resourced you are internally and where your land is at. Is it broken in land, or is it ,say bush and scrub, with no fences, cattle races, drainage etc.
Restructuring One’s Life
He talks about debt and ratio that can lead to serfdom, if you are not aware as to how to handle this. Like, it’s about restructuring ones life.
These are practical matters that he sees and that farmers to be have to get a handle on - they need to be talked about and talked out.
10% of Australian farmers are now doing ecological agriculture but a good percentage are still waiting on the evidence as well as the market to change. This other 90% group find it difficult due to their debt to equity ratio as well as their inability to finance the transition - and if your soil is lifeless - this can be quite a challenge. Same for the availability of water.
In the US the biggest movement that has been identified is that there are 3 different strands of Regenerative Agriculture.
These are the Regrarians and Permaculture practices.
Then the Savory Institute https://www.savory.global with its holistic management system and then there is the cover cropping and soil knowledge - led by Gabe Brown - http://brownsranch.us.
The third still focuses on wheat, so the change is not as great as they can still use the tech that they uses - ie. harvesters and seed sowers etc.
For grazers the change too is not a big change - fencing being a important component - electric fence developed in 1936–1937 by New Zealand inventor Bill Gallagher.
But, for a cereal grower to go from non organic to organic that is a huge change and very challenging.
Darren emphasises that we have to be very honest with yourself around being self determined and have all the available information - to make all of your decisions from being very well informed. He does not want people to diss-enable themselves by making decisions that have not been fully understood and researched. That the following generation on that land need to have the best possible start in this new land management system.
Keyline Method.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyline_design
There are 10 points of Regrarian agriculture of which two have been added to P. A. Yeomans
One to 8 as the scale of permanence. Yoemans work not really holistic, but definitely broke into new territory that excuse the pun. was groundbreaking.
Other Topics Covered.
Greg & Rachel Hart in there Southern Hawkes Bay Farm - that they are brave going outside the box - and doing a deal with Air NZ to plant trees and sequester aircraft carbon dioxide.
https://www.ourplanet.org/greenplanetfm/greg-hart-new-zealand-pioneer-of-the-family-farm-on-regenerative-agriculture-restoring-ecosystems
Darren maintains that NZ agriculture is very innovative by world standards.
European Farmers are Heavily Subsidised
Within the OECD - The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development NZ farmers receive the least subsidies. Where as the EU farmers get 50% of their farm income from Government subsidies. This is why Darren is impressed with the resiliency of the kiwi farmer.
He also mentions that farming has entered a new phase of rural resettlement and it is happening globally.
Far more people are doing degrees and diplomas and as a result farming is increasing. With 7.7 billion people and 5 5 billion hectares of agricultural land = about 7,000 square meters for each person. However, one figure is going up and the is other going down, yet he says we need more people in the production of food, fibre and energy crops.
He mentions Harry Weir of KiwiTech International in Bulls, NZ as very capable - a genius in productivity - based around land, family, and society sales@kiwitech.co.nz
Nutrient dense foods Jairo Estrepo from Columbia and his use of Chromatography to give you a soil/element read out
http://www.ragmans.co.uk/learn_with_us/courses/regenerative_agriculture_and_chromatography_id_65/
Cost is about $1.00 a sample - It gives you a read out about the minerals and living organism in the soil and can assess the mineral availability that comes from our food. Darren says this tech bridges both chemistry and biology and it’s an important tech to assist us. That humans and their needs are more complex - and Darren talks to that. That new fertilisers are now being put together to address all sorts of soil conditions .
Darren talks with clients about honesty - it’s a big question - especially that we don’t use claims of others - unless you can verify by testing these claims yourself.
Key line plan - is a farm planning method that in Yoemans words - controls water which is to control a greater part of your agricultural destiny … listen
Even if you only get 8 inches of rainfall, Yoeman reckoned that you could survive on a farm - that’s a lot of acreage of water - what are you doing with it?
Dr Rattan Lal, who is known as the soil god from University of Ohio in the USA - If we increase the soil carbon content by about one and half % in all of the world’s arable soils where we basically have the greatest influence - then that would draw down and sequester about 100 parts per million of Co2 which would bring us down to pre industrial levels - but have we the will?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTb63CDJ5sA
In finishing Darren said that humans must start behaving like perennial species - not annuals - and look further ahead in time.
That we also can take agriculture into more innovative areas by doing novel seed coatings and adding mycorrhiza fungi mixtures to soils etc - plus compost teas …
My final question to Darren, was that seeing he is constantly on the land, does he get a sense of our planet as a greater being - like indigenous peoples do? And he said that yes - there is a far greater presence than is acknowledged by the so called Western understanding of the world - or words to this affect - have a listen - his answer will delight you.
http://www.regrarians.org/about/darren-j-doherty-cv
Val who has been a natural healer for over 50 years has had her intuitively written song reach the last 10 finalists in the Global Peace Song Awards. Yet, she says it’s a collaborative work with her Canadian travelling friend Lorna Eastman and especially Cameron Barclay, of the Ten Tenors who agreed to sing ‘Peace to the World’. Also friend Paula Feather who wrote the music, which was arranged and produced by Mike McCarthy of Manuka Studios in Orewa.
This was a light-hearted laughing - interview - that was both entertaining and softly enlightening. Val in her natural healing practice has devoted her life to health, happiness and wellness.
Early Life
Val took up a nursing career but was unable to complete her training as she left to nurse her mother for the last few years of her life, who became critically ill as a result of a contaminated vaccine. She took her mother to Dr. Murdock Ross, a colour therapist who diagnosed her condition (with no background knowledge) as the result of the vaccine and by using colour therapy he assisted her mother where orthodox medicine was not able to help her.
Going back 60 years, colour therapy was a method of dispensing what is essentially sunlight and the colours of the spectrum to assist in healing.
This experience sparked Val’s interest in natural therapies. She became Murdock’s practice nurse and trained under his guidance.
Also, she studied reflexology and used this modality to alleviate her own migraine headaches.
Later on, with her husband she bought the hot mineral water thermal springs in Parakai near Helensville. For many years as an adjunct to her healing practice, used warm to hot water to sooth bodies and allow them to take in minerals to relax and heal the self.
All this time she was open to assistance from higher energies and when she wants assistance she asks and invariably - the answer and solution comes.
EAV 'electro acupuncture according to Voll.’
Professor Reinhard Voll from Germany devised this method to be able to measure human frequencies back in 1958 and Val experienced 30 years of practice with these machines - especially when she moved into Orewa House where she practiced for 22 years. https://www.biontologyarizona.com/dr-reinhard-voll
The EAV bio energy machine was computerized in 2008 - and things became far more extensive, not only does this technology scan every cell, it checks for chemicals and even emotions that affect your health then corrects the underlying imbalances.
People who ended up seeing Val invariably came by word of mouth (with no advertising) and so her relationship with her patients was far more personal.
As Val evolved her understanding of healing she became more known as a practitioner of frequency medicine ... because we humans though made up of cells, tissue plus blood and bone, we - at a deeper level of being - consist of a subatomic field of energy that vibrates.
Thus, Val is passionate about raising one’s frequency so as to oscillate to a higher and lighter level of being.
Writing a song for humanity.
Over the years she has realized that humanity is still challenged by the difficulty of living in peace and understanding. So in looking at the world today she intuitively thought that we needed a song to sing, that lifted our vibes and one that centered on the human heart and brought humanity together.
We now know that every word we speak, or sing and every thought we think has a frequency, and Val, knew she could make a difference in the wider world by sharing the frequency of Love and Peace in a song.
And from this intent she started to ‘download’ words that came to her in the middle of the night so she wrote them down and made them into a song, and with the help of her friends brought about a collaborative effort that is simply called 'Peace to the World.'
This song was entered into the global peace song awards and is now in the finals - out of ten finalists.
Cameron Barclay one of the 'Ten Tenors' agreed to sing the song with his beautiful voice.
If the song is successful Val wants to support the NZ’s Peace Foundation, which introduced the concept of Conflict Resolution to classrooms under the name of Cool Schools and guided by Yvonne Duncan’s work. There is a huge need for champions of this important skill - right across NZ and the greater world. Once learnt, the children will have unique and important life tools to then take home and teach their parents. The ripple effect will be a huge boost for World Peace’.
In this interview, Peace to the World is played twice and if you enjoy it and it lifts your spirit, we ask you to please vote for it.
Voting is being done on FB and you are encouraged to follow the link below and vote for this song.
https://www.facebook.com/2018-PSA-Classical-Opera-A-Cappella- 298310317702500
The song is now in the finals for the Global Peace Song Awards so the next stage is the public vote, which is judged on the number of 'Likes' on FaceBook and its outreach. The good thing being you don't need a FB account to vote.
Click on the link which takes you to the category “Classical, Opera & A Cappella”, scroll down to find the song. The finalists are in alphabetical order so towards the bottom, you will see Peace to the World.
Please help spread these Words of Peace and Love as far and wide as possible by sending a ‘LIKE’ on the link. The purpose is to raise awareness that World Peace is possible if we all play our part and be kind to one another. The saying 'Be the change that you would like to see in the World' is very apt here and you can help by sending this link to all your family, friends and contacts.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Valemma Wright, I have been a Natural Health Practitioner for 50 years, specializing in frequency medicine for the last 30 yrs. We now know that every word we speak, or sing and every thought we think has a frequency. I knew I could make a difference in the wider world by sharing the frequency of Love and Peace in a song. That is why I wrote ‘Peace to the World’, (which was inspired of course). Then, in amazing serendipity, (and given there are no accidents) - I met Cameron Barclay of the Ten Tenors. Cameron agreed to sing Peace to the World and put his heart and soul, along with his beautiful voice into raising the harmonic frequency of Peace and Love.
Click on the link below and please "LIKE"
‘Together we can make a difference.’
Thank you!!! Love and Light Valemma.
https://www.facebook.com/2018-PSA-Classical-Opera-A-Cappella- 298310317702500
The next stage is the public vote, which is the number of likes on facebook and the reach throughout the world of the voting public. You don’t need to have a facebook account to vote. If you want to vote, then email valemma@xtra.co.nz and we will send you the link.
When are the winners determined?
Voting completes on the 22nd of April, a master number and Earth Day. The finalists will be announced in Los Angeles, on a date to be advised.
Congratulations, Valemma, I am going to vote right away. Now you listeners out there, all over the world, yes, do vote. Vote for Peace to the World.
Vote for the message of peace, carried on the beautiful voice of Cameron Barclay of the Ten Tenors.
Together we can make a difference.
New Zealand was once a country of many backyard gardens.
Janice talks about how NZ used to be a very localised, cooperative community-orientated country that used to grow a lot of its own food. That many people had gardens and orchards and that today with urbanised living and houses squeezed on to small sections - farmers markets have become more common as urban people still want to purchase fresh food that is preferably organic as well.
She said that up until 1996 NZ was self sufficient in growing its own wheat, a good healthy wheat, like you would find in Italy as they as a pasta making country grow good quality wheat. However in 1996, Fonterra the NZ dairy giant took over the wheat fields and turned them into dairy and instead NZ now imports a more unhealthy wheat into the country as to fill our bread eating needs. This is when 'gluten free' started to really emerge. She says if we go to Italy they have a very clear understanding of wheat as they are a spaghetti, lasagne and pizza eating country and she said we need this type of wheat to grow back here once again. (preferably organic).
Educating the local public in Natural Health
Very early in her life Janice became a qualified naturopath, who assisted people to get well and who lived on a lifestyle block on an acre of land with her 4 children. She had lost her husband - and to supplement her income, used to have bus tours drop in to look at her herb garden because she had the Herbal Education Resources Centre which she still has today.
Janice also put on some small Health Expos and the media would show some interest - as she was self sufficient with her large organic veggie garden and orchard - doing her own preserves and baking her own bread and home cooking. However, due to her ‘different' life style she was visited by Social Services who came to her house one day because some unknown person complained that she was neglecting her 4 children's eating needs. Yet, though she had food that she could pick, prepare and cook, they noticed that her deep freeze did not have any ice cream, green peas and white bread - and because she did not have - what they called 'the basics’ - she was taken to court for medically neglecting her children.
The need for more Health Information lead her into Publishing
Keen to share her herbal knowledge Janice continued to give talks to community groups as well as church gatherings and youth clubs and so on. This was when, she began to notice kids turning up with inhalers and she realised that in a number of ways this is a world going unhealthily crazy. That seeing she had a corporate background she started a little newsletter and published more health information because in the mid to late 1970s to have a plate with many greens on was unusual especially for the standardised commercial NZ family. It was from these humble beginnings Healthy Options came into being - and when she focused on meditation etc Rainbow News became an additional holistic publication.
The Old Ways from Grandmothers
One of the main features of Healthy Options was about the old ways - Grandmother recipes, stories and cures were printed as they were being forgotten and also being whitewashed by the sanitised medical profession. Yet, today scientists are starting to track back and investigate old grandmother cures. Because over the last 3 generations or so, many of them have been forgotten yet they are a very rich repository of century old remedies that not only work they also have no side effects either. She also states that old recipe books were disappearing off the shelves and forgotten.
Even the NZ Women’s weekly magazine, up until 1975 always had home tips in it and the magazine thrived - however in those days women would go to their doctor and say that they were using some kawakawa or calendula on their leg - or whatever herb they chose and the doctor would rubbish them! As the allopathic medical (drug) model was what doctors had only been trained in. This was one of the critical reasons why Janice started Healthy Options.
So with Healthy Options and Rainbow News it was in many ways a networking arrangement that gave out all sorts of suggestions for simple living, and easy to use tips for a healthy body. These cures were for basic as well as even more chronic ailments. Also, that while moving around interviewing people and networking she would hear of or meet practitioners who had actually had their officers raided and all of their stuff taken. This being sanctioned by the Government. Listen
The Rise of the Medical Establishment and the drug culture.
Whilst the NZ media spent a good couple of decades rubbishing natural health (and organics too) - the Medical establishment was made to be seen as the truth - the way and the light! But, in reality it was just creating more drugs, more reactions and more health statistics - that dramatically increased.
This is when it became very noticeable that the pharmaceutical industry started lobbying politicians …
Natural Medicine then morphed into Alternative Medicine - that changed to Complementary Health and has now morphed again into Integrated Medicine - when once upon a time it was simply called Natural Health. Listen to this little story ...
Natural Health = Traditional Medicine
Janice tells how this came about yet she mentions that all 'these names' actually are what the World Health Organisation calls - Traditional Medicine. As Janice says, that 80% of the world’s population still follow traditional medicine. That they will use their traditional medicine first before turning to drugs.
Being of Health Boards gives Janice an Overview
Janice mentions that she was also on certain boards that oversaw the natural health industry so she had an overview of what was happening especially who were the main players as well as the forces at play.
The NZ 'Round Table’ (of Top Industry Leaders) in researching successful businesses realised that with such a large number of New Zealanders taking supplements etc that if the National Government made laws against the 'natural health industry' - they would lose a huge number of voters - so they did a 180 turn and instead supported the industry here.
Fending off Australian Trans Tasman Harmonisation Control
Listen to this story on how we stopped the Australians from taking over our medicine regulations. This was a 12 year battle with thousand of people protesting (sound familiar?) Because the Regulatory Board was made up of big Pharmaceutical and medical appointees lock-stepped with MultiNational Corporations. This was the reason for wanting to conduct a ‘harmonisation proposal (between Australia and NZ).
Invoking an 1835 Aotearoa Maori Trade Agreement
In 2009 the Pharmaceutical Industry lost the chance to monopolise NZ - where they had been more successful in Australia - so they called up a meeting with the Trade Ministers and due to a particular 'trade agreement with Maori’ back in 1835 - NZ is now in a situation that the NZ Government can not make any legislative changes in our food and medicine. We are instead being influenced by other pressures - Listen
Becoming Aware of Industrial or Factory Food
Spraying of Round and Glyphosate - Bees are being destroyed.
In her practice today she is seeing malnutrition because New Zealanders are eating ordinary sprayed standardised crop food. Better known as Industrial or Factory food. For example, broccoli and lettuce are very high in organic phosphates. Saying, for good health you MUST eat organic broccoli, organic lettuce and organic green vegetables. Also, they are a greens that the insects just love - hence the spraying of them.
The best quality food grown in NZ is Exported
Supermarkets - basically all the best food in NZ is exported. Supermarkets get the best of the 2nd grade and then the 3 grade usually goes to independent grocery stores (with a few exceptions)
NZ’s Unconscious Health Priorities?
Note that the top two commodities sold in NZ supermarkets are Coca cola - because it is often cheaper than water. But, it does give you an understanding of the consciousness or the lack of consciousness of the average New Zealander - hostage to both advertising and being a 'walking desire body.'
After those two we have bread - white bread and then ice cream following up. So there we have it. An unconscious consumer base self sabotaging themselves for short term indulgences. Yet gluten free products are selling more now as a result of consumers starting to become - more conscious.
Organophosphates are getting into our food chain and Janice says they affect our memory. Organophosphates are a group of human-made chemicals that poison insects and mammals. Organophosphates are the most widely used insecticides today. New Zealand fruit and vegetable growers are using three pesticides restricted in the United States. ... A fourth organophosphate, chlorpyrifos, has been banned for home garden, non-agricultural use in the United States but is widely used in New Zealand.Jan 13, 2005 (Taken from latest Google search).
Janice introduces her very powerful and compelling book: Ocean of Drugs - the demise of healthy options. She talks about patients who show up at her clinic who are taking up to 12 different medications.
For so many people today are awash in pharmaceutical drugs that to be healthy is really a challenge - because many people do not know what these particular drugs are actually for! Plus the side effects are in many case very pronounced.
Janice still has her own garden and grows much of her own food and she says we have to become very aware of what's happening across the spectrum and that todays chemical input is extremely obvious and that we must take steps to eat a clean diet of organic produce.
Especially as cancer is increasing at an astonishing rate - that we have to ask the question, why is this so and what am I eating and what are we doing to ourselves to cause cancer to manifest? Especially that my body has rebelled against me.
There is so much more in this interview - that I realise Janice has a huge amount of knowingness on healthy living and choices that the imperative is to interview her again in the very near future.
This interview is a must for New Zealanders wanting to reset their health priorities and embark on a new regime of healthy options. To download and listen is only the equivalent of about 7 photographs.
For her Book - 'Ocean of Drugs' or Health Enquiries:
JanicePriest.com
HealthyOptions.co.nz
In this interview he powerfully articulates that what we take into our bodies can have a lasting effect and of the necessity and urgency to clean up our act - is an imperative.
The old adage that ‘the greatest pollution we face is that which is between our ears’ - ‘is our thought process’ and that the sooner we recognise our situation, the sooner we will be able to clean up both our inner and outer world.
David is touring NZ over the next few months to share with all concerned the latest knowledge on natural ways to regain optimum health and remain that way for the rest of our life.
Some important tips and reminders are:
Organic food, especially veggies and fruit is exceptionally important.
No Fizzy drinks for children.
Kamboucha* Tea is OK.
*Sugar is dangerous.
Fasting for adults is good for us all.
Watermelon juice fast – detox your kidneys as it is alkalising.
Rehydration is important as forty year olds and older are seriously dehydrated.
90% of David’s patients are dehydrated. He has machines that test for this .
Do not drink chlorinated fluoridated ‘tap water.’
Electronic Devices – don‘t use them before bed.
Turn your wifi router off at night before you go to bed.
David calls this sleep hygiene.
A good 7-8-9 hours every night.
Naturopaths in NZ devote 2 years to nutritional knowledge and if you get less than 70% in your exams you have to sit the entire course again.
Whilst MD’s in University have only 3 hours on nutrition, if they miss those lecture they do not need to repeat that lecture. Which clearly shows that food and nutrition are not a priority.
Aging gracefully
Every generation we are extending our life span by 5 years …
Zinc is crucial especially for men. Pumpkin seeds are important.
5 G wireless mobile phone clarion call.
NB: If you need information specific to the proposed NZ 5G system it is summarised at this link: http://www.5g.org.nz/2018/10/11/facts-about-5g-in-nz/
2019 NZ Wellness & Anti-Ageing Health Plan launch
& Biomat Tour Feb-March 2019:
Proposed dates - changes may be made all number dependant, (minimum 20 people per talk to hire a hall)
NB all talks are 7-10pm, 120 min PP presentation with DH and 30 mins presentation from Dianne Keen with a cuppa herbal tea afterwards other speakers by arrangement.
$25 at the door, $20 pre booked on Eventbrite pages to be linked to this here:
Queenstown Monday 25th Feb 7-9pm – St Johns Ambulance Hall, Frankton, Queenstown
Christchurch Wednesday 27th Feb 7-9pm – Avebury House, Richmond, Christchurch
Wellington Monday 1st March 7-9pm – Quakers Hall, Moncrieff Street, Mt Victoria, Wgtn City
Auckland North Shore Monday 4th March – Browns Bay Community Hall, Sherwood Room, Browns Bay
Auckland East Wednesday 6th March 7-9pm – Anchorage Park Community House, Pakuranga
Auckland Central Friday 8th March 7-9pm – Ferndale House, Pink Room, Mt Albert
Kerikeri Monday 11th March 7-9pm – Turners Centre, Kerikeri central
New Plymouth Monday 18th March (after WOMAD) – venue to be advised
Waiheke Island Thursday 21st March 7-9pm – Waiheke Sustainability Centre, (ex Bowling Club) Mako St, Oneroa
In this ground breaking 120 minute presentation David has mapped out and distilled his 30 years of clinical practice into an easy to understand Strategic Wellness, Health & Anti-Ageing Plan designed to help you live longer, healthier and reach your wellness goals faster than ever before.
Utilising state of the art scientific measurement technology (QXCI / VLA / S3) coupled with ancient healing knowledge & wisdom (Yoga & Qi Gung / Tai Chi) gleaned from native peoples all over the planet David has brought together a unique and insightful Wellness & Anti-Ageing Plan that works. He has been very lucky to have studied over the decades with some of the top names in Natural Medicine worldwide and has distilled their knowledge into one unified workable Health Plan that will give you results faster than you dreamed possible limited only by your time & effort and health budget.
David has been taught by Masters around the world including Dr’s Bernard Jensen, Gary Gordon, Jonathan Wright, Gabriel Cousens, Christopher Hills, Deepak Chopra, Bruce Lipton, and other Metaphysical luminaries like Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Neale Donald Walch, Robert Kiyosaki, John Kehoe, David Duggan, Brian & Amy Murray, et al.
David’s search for knowledge & truth in medicine & healing has taken him to many places both physically and metaphysically. Most of his teachers where truly holistic in their outlook and wrote and lectured on medicine & healing, and modalities that don’t give serious side effects without the use of cyto-toxic pharmaceuticals. The areas covered in this presentation include whole food nutrition, herbal medicines, essential oils, dietary supplements, genomics, epigenetics and the new biology. It also touches on the science of quantum physics & deep healing. This enables people in the early 21st century to truly benefit from a blended approach to health & wellness that really can act to turn back the clock if you are prepared to give a tailor-made fitness & nutrition plan coupled with state of the art nutrition and the new stem cell enhancers a serious 6 month trial.
In David’s multi-media presentation, he will be covering:
1) All 11 types of Arthritis including RA
2) 3 types of Diabetes (DIM1 & 2) including Metabolic Syndrome (DIM3)
3) All type of Cancers including all organ cancers & blood & brain cancers
4) All types of CVD including Strokes & Heart Attacks (MI).
email: david@hhc.nz