Eltawil Farm

Fluorescent nanoparticles present in Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola: physiochemical properties, cytotoxicity, biodistribution and digestion studies:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17435390.2017.1418443 #:~:text=Supplemental-,Abstract,Pepsi%2DCola%20(Pepsi).

Fluorescent nanoparticles present in Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola: physiochemical properties, cytotoxicity, biodistribution and digestion studies Foodborne nanoparticles (NPs) have drawn great attention due to human health concerns. This study reports the detection of the presence of fluorescent NPs, about 5 nm, in two of the most popular be...

🐝Happy World Bee Day!
Did you know that bees play a crucial role in pollinating our food crops and sustaining ecosystems?
Unfortunately, bee populations worldwide are declining, posing a threat to biodiversity and food security. On this special day, let's raise awareness about why bee decline matters to everyone.

If we take a moment to think about it, most of us assume our fruit and nut orchards continue to produce each year as a normal seasonal process. It's not so.
Beekeepers constantly truck thousands of hives across the country, supplying bees on a temporary basis to almond orchards in California, apple orchards in Washington and blueberry fields in Maine, just to mention a few. In many instances, if these farmers were to stop "renting" the service of these traveling bees, there would be no crops.

The naturally occurring pollination process for many of the foods we eat daily has become nonexistent since there are no longer enough bees to naturally pollinate the plants' flowers. Semi-trucks criss crossing the country hauling rentable beehives is now commonplace in our country.

Much of our vast farmland acreage, the "breadbasket" of our country's Midwest, is cultivated as a "monoculture." What that means is that, primarily, corn and soybeans dominate the farmscape for miles and miles. A few decades ago, it became important to our large scale farmers to simplify their cultivation methods, which involves heavy tilling, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Weeds, cover crops, and areas of untilled soil inevitably interfere with and add work to farming of neatly kept, row upon row of corn and soybeans. Simplification of large farm operations, both in terms of expense and practicality, has exacted a high price.

Vast expanses of our country's soil have become dead, in a sense. Monoculture farming and over-tilling of the soil has left thousands of acres with insufficient nutrients. Worms, insects and pollinators that once actively thrived in these vast areas are no longer attracted to the nutrient-poor environment. Bees are dying by the thousands due to chemical exposure and opportunistic mites. While simpler for the farmers, these methods have ravaged the formerly rich environment enjoyed by bees.

There is an award winning documentary film called The Pollinators. The cinematographer, producer/director of the film, Peter Nelson, describes it as "an important story people don't know they need to know." It's also a story that "matters only if you like to eat."

🐝 What We Can Do for the Decline of Bees
Bee decline impacts us all. And while Peter Nelson is an astute documentarian, he is also an optimist. As a long-time beekeeper with a keenly heightened insight into the pollination process, he feels the problems are scalable. Peter Nelson is certain that, as individual gardeners and consumers, we can have an enormous effect on encouraging and generating a return of the pollinator population.
Like me, you may be wondering what one individual can do to help bring about change.

🌱 As a gardener you can:
* Rotate and vary your garden crops each season. Learn about sustainable gardening.
* Set aside no-till areas in your yard where the soil won't be disturbed. Seeding cover plants like rye or vetch and adding manure and compost will allow these areas to grow, die and regrow, feeding the soil and attracting hungry pollinators.
* Plant lots of blooming shrubs, trees, herbs and flowers in your yards, planters and window boxes.
* Don't make your lawn a monoculture. Allow dandelions, clover and other seeds to grow. Adopt a new respect for a diversified lawn.
* Plant flowers in your yards, window boxes, planters and neighborhood sidewalks.
* If you have the space and means, maintain a beehive.
* Show your children and grandchildren the miracle of growing vegetables from a small seed, and teach them about where their food comes from. Some kids assume food is magically produced at the grocery store, wrapped in plastic.

Peter Nelson comments, "The reality is that most of us are 3-4 generations away from the farm; so many of us have lost the idea of where our food comes from and who grows it.

💰As a consumer you can:
* Eat seasonally - buy and eat what's naturally available during each season of the year. For example, avoid buying fresh raspberries in the dead of winter if you live in a cold-climate state.
* Buy regionally grown food - shop at farmer's markets and try to eat what's grown within 50 to 100 miles of your home. Talk to your grocers about obtaining locally grown produce.
* Encourage your supermarkets to offer more organically grown food, and pay a few extra cents for it. It's worth it in so many ways.

🗣️As a citizen you can:
* Talk to your local garden clubs, community centers bio-parks and municipal organizations about booking The Pollinators for a public screening at local theaters, universities, libraries and other public venues. Use the film as an organizing element for events like tastings and panel discussions. https://www.thepollinators.net/take-action?
* Encourage your city and county planners to plant for pollinators in public parks, median strips and municipal properties.
* Work toward a no-spray policy on public grounds, with local government agencies and highway departments. Counties can and do place bans on chemical spraying.
* Maybe you live in a state that already has or plans to pass legislation for pollinator protection. Encourage your state and county representatives to become educated about the issues.
* If your local schools are lucky enough to have a school gardening program, be sure your teachers are aware of sustainable methods, and that our children are learning how to treat the earth with respect.
* Knowledge and good habits all start when we're young. If your local schools don't have gardening programs, look into assisting them with grants and volunteer labor.

These practices can have a positive impact, not only for bees and honeybees, but for the many thousands of pollinator species. Let's hope we have enough time and enough passion to turn things around for our priceless pollinator populations. Their importance to life on our planet is immeasurable. We each need to do what we can individually, if only simply to educate our friends and families about the issues, and we need to make it happen soon.

🐝
more info:
thepollinators.net/festivals?

Source gardeningknowhow.com/gardening-experts/why-does-bee-decline-matter?

Brood XIX is emerging after 13 years of living underground, sucking sap from the roots of trees and other plants. This brood consists of 4 different species of cicada, and the synchrony of their emergence is truly spectacular. I hope you realize just how fortunate we are to experience it. I see far too many posts from ignorant folks asking how to get rid of them or complaining that they are too noisy or people talking about cooking and eating them.

More than anything, insects like this need to be left alone to do what they do naturally. They only have a few short weeks to pull it off. The whole goal with this mass emergence is to swamp their predators and get down to the business of mating and ushering the next generation that will slowly mature underground over the next 13 years.

The impacts of this emergence will benefit the entire ecosystem. The soil is aerated as the cicada nymphs burrow up to the surface, allowing a mixing of water and air that is crucial for soil health. Countless birds, mammals, fish, and more will benefit from such an abundance of protein and fat rich food, no doubt having boom years of their own after this. The trees themselves will be pruned a bit as the female cicadas drill into stems to lay their eggs, but research shows that trees like oaks often experience banner crops in the years following cicada emergence. Moreover, the nutrients that will be returned to the soil as the cicadas die off over the next few weeks is a huge boost to plant productivity that doesn't always happen during normal years.

All told, Brood XIX and other periodical cicada emergence events are so much more than just an annoyance, a trendy meal, or even an amazing spectacle for folks like myself. They are an absolute boon to the ecosystems that supported them for 13 years and hopefully for millenia to come.

So, for the love of nature, please let these wonderful insects live out their last few weeks screaming for a mate and getting down to business. Appreciate it for what it is as it will all be over before we know it.

Thanks again for looking out for the critters!

Anybody else like to put little scenes in their potted plants?

tree love 🌳 ❤️

There is a viral post circulating that suggests putting dryer sheets in mailboxes to repel wasps and yellow jackets. I would not recommend doing this. These sheets are bound to blow out into streets and yards. Dryer sheets are toxic and harmful to pets and wildlife. Dogs are especially at risk as they are attracted to the fragrances and find them appetizing.

There is no evidence that dryer sheets work to repel wasps and yellow jackets. Which brand? What is the working ingredient? Why haven’t pest control companies capitalized on this ingredient? There are no studies proving dryer sheets repel insects, but there are many studies proving their harmful effects on people, animals, and the environment.

However, essential oils from a combination of clove, geranium, lemongrass and rosemary have proven to be highly repellent. A soaked cotton ball in these oils would be much more effective than any dryer sheet, without causing harm.

Also, be wary of placing any repellent in the presence of wasps or yellow jackets, as they will feel threatened and attack.

Thanks for looking out for the critters! All the best.

https://www.americanhumane.org/blog/these-surprising-pet-poisons-may-be-lurking-in-your-home/ #:~:text=Dryer%20sheets%20help%20to%20disperse,sheet%2C%20even%20a%20used%20one.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23081867/

These Surprising Pet Poisons May Be Lurking in Your Home Most pet owners already know that exposure to things like chocolate, bleach, and pesticide can be dangerous for our animal companions. But what about other lesser-known toxins? These common households items are probably already in your home, but you might…

💕 🌱

Put A Spoon Of Sugar In Your Backyard - Here’s Why

Some people may not care for bees because they think they only annoy us. However, in reality, these insects are gradually dying out of existence.

They are critical as these little insects are responsible for feeding 90 percent of the world’s population. Reportedly, we will have a major disaster on our hands on the off chance that we expel them from the ecosystem.

You don’t have to be a “tree hugger” to respect the environment. There are some amazingly simple things we can do to help the planet.

A single person can’t do everything, but all of us together can help. And we all have a responsibility to do something to preserve the beautiful world we live in, for our future generations.

Zoologist and author Sir David Attenborough has battled for animals, the environment, and nature for as long as he can remember.

Attenborough, who is perhaps best known as a television presenter, has a vital message which everyone ought to hear.

He said on Facebook:

“If bees were to disappear from the face of the earth, humans would have just 4 years left to live”

David Attenborough is not the first person to give this grave warning to us, but his post is a real reminder that it is a real issue and we all should take it very seriously.

They may be little, but bees have a huge task — close to 33% of the sustenance we get was pollinated by bees.

David Attenborough writes:

“In the last 5 years, the bee population has dropped by 1/3”

The situation is not hopeless at all though, one thing we can all do, an idea growing like wildfire…

David Attenborough gives us a simple little tip that every one of us should try: Mix some sugar and water in a spoon and then leave it in your backyard. It really could help save your life!

David Attenborough writes:

“This time of year bees can often look like they are dying or dead, however, they’re far from it. Bees can become tired and they simply don’t have enough energy to return to the hive, which can often result in being swept away.”

“If you find a tired bee in your home, a simple solution of sugar and water will help revive an exhausted bee.“

“Simply mix two tablespoons of white, granulated sugar with one tablespoon of water and place on a spoon for the bee to reach. You can also help by sharing this post to raise awareness.”

Here’s yet another way that will help bees and mankind thrive: plant flowers on your balcony maybe even let wildflowers take over a corner or strip of your backyard. Your local bees will really love it!
Bees can save our planet. Together, we could save the planet! Please SHARE this with your friends and family and let’s spread the word!

So true lol

Overwhelming Evidence Linking Neonicotinoid Insecticides To Massive Die-off Of Bees AND Songbirds: 🐝🐦☠️

Full Report: ► https://herbshealthhappiness.com/overwhelming-evidence-linking-neonicotinoid-insecticides-to-massive-die-off-of-bees-and-songbirds/

Isn't it time the USA stepped up to the plate and did something about this?? Learn more with our detailed investigative report and list of links to 20+ sources & scientific studies.

A sobering comparison:

"A small pine tree grown in a glass box reveals the level of white, finely branched mycorrhizal threads or "mycelium" that attach to roots and feed the plant." - David Read

A view of what's needed to support a pine tree seedling. Sustainable and climate-wise gardeners protect the soil. This means:
- minimal compression from big machinery
- no poisons, because fungicides will inhibit mycorrhizae fungus that help plants gain moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Soil sequesters 3 times more carbon than all the terrestrial plants--the rainforests, other forests, fields, and our yards. We must stop treating our precious soil like dirt!

We only have one Earth

How awesome is this? Got empty boxes laying around? Retailers such as Amazon are teaming up with local charities to use empty shipping boxes to get rid of the clutter filling homes. After removing your order from your shipping box, fill it with clothes, etc. you want to donate, and visit GiveBackBox.com to print a free shipping label. The box can be dropped off with USPS or picked up. You can also print a receipt for tax purposes.

Give Back Box

Know what you are buying…

Almost at Star Trek replicator status.
A factory in Holland 3D prints 500 tons of steaks a month. Redefine Meat company will supply German restaurants with printed fillets.
Approximately 110 German restaurants are already buying "meat" from Redefine Meat. Redefine Meat is in over 1000 restaurants across Europe

thoughts..?

This season, please remember to help protect your homes and farms by Protecting Our Herd! Chronic Wasting Disease/Prion Disease is a fatal neurological disease caused by malformed proteins called prions. CWD is highly contagious among cervids, spreading from animal to animal through environmental contamination, including soil and plants, and has spread from 2 to 22 states since 2000. It can remain infectious within soil for several years.

There has been a lot of talk recently, as it has been suggested to have the possibility to infect humans who eat diseased deer or elk. CWD is well studied, and human transmission has not yet been proven.

Important to note that the Canadian study being cited suggests that under *forced* conditions, humanized mice exhibited some but not all clinical signs. There was no positive test confirmed among them. There are those of us who question the methodology of the study, as it does not follow standard diagnostic criteria.

There has been no evidence to date that CWD can cross the species barrier and infect humans.

DEER URINE BANS
Deer urine bans are still in place in South Carolina. Hunters in SC are not allowed to use scents, lures or attractants made with natural deer urine or other bodily fluids. By doing your part this deer season, you can help our herd populations and prevent our state from suffering the effects of CWD.

For more information on CWD regulatory efforts in SC, please visit:
https://www.dnr.sc.gov/cwd/index.html

Hey friends, I made a video going over the important role of magnesium, its benefits, foods and common recommended forms. I also demonstrate a very simple way to up your magnesium intake with an all natural easy to make body spray, and go into how to boost with a few different essential oils.
All the best!

Benefits of Magnesium and How to Make Your Own Magnesium Spray A brief description of Magnesium, it's benefits and common forms, as well as a super easy way to make your own topical magnesium spray at home.

Dr Buckhaults of USC just shared his findings in a South Carolina Senate hearing. ‘I’m kind of alarmed about this DNA being in the vaccine – it’s different from RNA, because it can be permanent,’ he told those present.
‘There is a very real hazard,’ he said, that the contaminant DNA fragments will integrate with a person’s genome and become a ‘permanent fixture of the cell’ leading to autoimmune problems and cancers in some people who have had the vaccinations. He also noted that these genome changes can ‘last for generations’.
Dr. Phillip Buckhaults is a molecular biologist and cancer geneticist who has extensive experience with next-gen sequencing applications for global gene expression analysis and gene mutation detection.

SC Senate Hearing - USC Professor Dr. Phillip Buckhaults University of South Carolina Professor Dr. Phillip Buckhaults testifies before South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs Ad-Hoc Committee on DHEC.