How to Grow Vegetables | Guide to Growing Vegetables. Some general considerations for growing vegetables: Sowing Tips When sowing seeds, a good general rule of thumb is to sow to a depth of approximately twice the thickness of the seed. Some smaller seeds require light to germinate and should not be sown too deep; otherwise they may never germinate or break through the surface of the soil. Conversely, large seeds planted too shallow may not develop properly. Keep seeds well-moistened while awaiting germination and check regularly.
Smaller seeds should be watered with care so as not to disturb or displace beneath the soil. Select a light-weight, well-drained medium for sowing to ensure good seed to soil contact. Growing Tips Most vegetables will produce better results if sown and grown in a soil-medium that is well-drained, rich in organic matter (fertile), and fairly lightweight. Most vegetables will prefer good quantities of natural, direct sunlight daily. Harvesting and Seed Saving. Being Vegan in a Speciesist World. “I will continue to be a vegetarian even if the whole world started to eat meat. This is my protest against the conduct of the world.” Isaac Bashevis Singer – Nobel Prize winning author We live in a world where the vast majority of people consider it perfectly acceptable to use and kill animals for food, clothing, entertainment and other unnecessary purposes.
Not only do we enslave, exploit, torture and slaughter animals by the tens of billions every year, we do so in order to provide ourselves with food that is not healthy for us, and other products that we simply do not need. The growing number of vegans who live healthy, fulfilling lives is a testament to this fact. Not only is this extreme violence against animals sanctioned by the legal structure of society and accepted almost without question by most people, but in some kind of bizarre confusion, it is actually promoted, encouraged, and even celebrated. Image: In Defense of Animals. The Immorality of Eating Meat: An all creatures Bible message.
Each sermon is published in large print for use in preaching, and for easy reading by several people gathered around the computer monitor. By Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor Genesis 8:21 9:3 Leviticus 19:18 Deuteronomy 6:5 Proverbs 12:10 Micah 6:8 Matthew 7:15-20 Galatians 5:22-23 For more than 30 years, my wife Mary and I have recognized the immorality involved in meat eating and in the exploitation of animals.
Unfortunately, this is something that the world largely ignores. Most of what we have been working on can be found in the more than 75,000 documents on our web site: www.all-creatures.org Today, we are going to limit our discussion to the immorality of meat eating as it applies to both the animals and human beings. More than 2,700 years ago the prophet Micah told the straying Israelites how God wanted them to live morally. 8. When it comes to the treatment of animals who are raised commercially, justice, love, and kindness have for the most part been removed from our sense of human morality.
Animals Killed for Food in the U.S. Increases in 2010. According to statistics pulled together by FARM (from U.S. Department of Agriculture reports), nearly 10.2 billion land animals were raised and killed for food in the United States in 2010, a 1.7% rise from 2009 totals. Globally, the number of land animals killed each year for food has exceeded 65 billion. Here’s a breakdown of which land animals were killed in the U.S. 91% were chickens raised for meat4.5% were chickens raised for eggs2.5% were turkeys2% were cows, pigs, other mammals, ducks and geese The 10.2 billion animals raised and killed for food accounted for 98% of all land animals abused and killed in the U.S.
In addition to all the unnecessary death of land animals, approximately 53 billion aquatic animals were killed for food in the U.S. in 2010. Per-person, an average American meat-eater is responsible for the suffering and death of 28 land animals and an estimated 175 aquatic animals per year, totaling over 15,000 individual animals over a 75 year lifespan. Fish in Home Aquariums are Angry. According to a new study in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, aquarium fish in the U.S.
(all 182.9 million of them) are at risk of becoming aggressive due to cramped, barren housing. “The welfare of aquarium fishes may not seem important, but with that many of them in captivity, they become a big deal,” said Ronald Oldfield, an instructor of biology at Case Western Reserve in a press release. Oldfield is the first to scientifically study how the environment of home aquariums affects the aggressive behavior of “ornamental” fishes. Oldfield suspects cramped, barren environments for humans may also serve as breeding grounds for comparable negative behaviors.
“This study might help us to better understand how human behavior changes when people are placed in different social environments,” he said, suggesting that violence in prisons might be linked in part to the smaller space and reduced stimuli. Do we even need to state the obvious? Angry Fish Image Source: Ramesh NG/Flickr. CNN Discusses Young Vegans and Nutrition. CNN has an excellent article that talks about young vegans.
It features a mother and daughter that are both vegan and discusses some of the common concerns parents have about vegan children getting adequate nutrition for their growing bodies. The article has lots of useful information and reiterates some important facts about vegan nutrition. It includes the mandatory “take a B12 supplement” warning, but also highlights how a vegan diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease, and vegans also appear to have lower overall cancer rates, lower blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension than non-vegans. Remember, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has advised that well-planned vegan diets are appropriate for all phases of life.
In addition, the ADA projects that the number of vegetarians in the United States is expected to increase over the next decade. YAY! Read the article on CNN. Image Source: CYN74/Flickr. The Animal Power of Video. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a thousand pictures. One of the rewards of being a passionate animal observer in this day and age is the proliferation of video clips that circulate on YouTube and Facebook. These authentic segments of animal lives provide precious glimpses of their emotions, and they often belie common prejudices about animals and nature. In recent weeks four videos stand out as exceptional examples. One—filmed and narrated by Karen Paolillo of Turgwe Hippo Trust—depicts a scene that, on paper, has “doom and gloom” written all over it.
The locale is the murky waters of an African riverbank, and the three participants are a mother hippo, her just-born infant, and a mid-sized crocodile. Don’t get me wrong: this croc is out for some meat. For me, this video conveys a mutual understanding between a reptile and a mammal; as I watched it (repeatedly), I couldn’t help feeling that they had been in this situation before. Image Source: Liz West/Flickr. Making MOGO (most good) Choices: The True Price of a Cheeseburger. The MOGO (most good) Principle Every day we make myriad choices. We choose what to wear and eat and which products to use. For most people, the primary factors that determine these choices are desires and resources. Most of us buy what we buy and do what we do based on what we want and can afford. Meanwhile, our planet is warming, species are becoming extinct at an escalating and alarming rate, children are trafficked, sweatshops proliferate, and a trillion sentient animals are killed every year across the globe for food.
The good news is that each of us can make different choices by adding new criteria to our choicemaking beyond desire and affordability, and these new criteria can launch us on a path that is not only more restorative and humane but also more meaningful, joyful and healthy. This column will look at the true price, beyond the monetary cost, of common, everyday items and ask these two questions: The True Price of a cheeseburger The effects on you The effects on other people. Who Are You Eating? How Simple Changes In Our Eating Habits Can Profoundly Change the World. What’s a hamburger? To put it bluntly, this iconic ground-beef-patty sandwich that is revered in America and around the world is nothing more than a dead cow on a bun. We can serve it grilled, barbecued, square, round, filled with holes or other ingredients such as flour, vegetable protein, or ammonia treated defatted beef trimmings (really!) Or topped with assorted items including ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise or seasonings that enhance or mask its taste rendering the burger palatable.
However, we can’t change the fact that behind the innocent looking burger (that people don’t blink an eye before sinking their teeth into), lies the story of the life and death of a cow who experienced more pain than pleasure during her journey from birth to her grave in a bun. The plate on which this unnecessary meal is sitting is nothing more than a platter of pain, a graveyard. Ethics Health The Environment So, what can we do? Image Source: Jo-Anne McArthur. Veganism is Elitist? Baloney! Chances are – especially if you are a vegan, or interested in becoming one – you’ve heard veganism dismissed as a lifestyle choice of the privileged. But why? Vegans work wonders with simple ingredients. In towns and cities worldwide, no-frill Mediterranean diners offer spinach and onion pies, and smoked baba ghanouj or smooth hummus with salad in a fresh, warm wrap.
For about the same amount as one would pay at a burger joint, we come out with simple, real food from a local business, and more nutrients for the money. Creative vegans find a use for most everything. A cashew roast saves bread by employing breadcrumbs, and any remaining roast can fill large vegetables the next day. Once we learn to make Vietnamese spring rolls (“Red Rose” wrappers, sold cheaply at many corner shops, work like a charm), we’ve got a simple way to share attractive, zesty and healthful plates of food. The Real Elitism The time is ripe for shifting perspectives. Another Culture Is Possible.
The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Bake Sales. Spring is here and you know what that means? It’s BAKE SALE season! Bake sale season? You may be thinking of a million other things that the start of Spring ushers in, but those of us in the know start planning delicious ways to help others, come the first hint of sun. Bake sales are not only an American tradition, they’re a fabulous way to rally the people in your local community and raise money for worthy causes. Of course, the best way to help everyone is to have a VEGAN bake sale, so nobody gets hurt. Are you thinking about organizing or volunteering for a bake sale? First thing’s first: pick a date, time, and location! Pick a charity There’s an amazing range of charities to donate your earnings to, ranging from animal rights groups to earthquake victims in Japan.
Get people involved! While you can certainly have a bake sale on your own at your office or school, in general, the rule is “the more, the merrier”. Details, details Okay, you should be set! Vegans in the Rise of Ultra Running. It used to be the case that completing a marathon was seen as the pinnacle of achievement for the keen long distance runner, whether professional or amateur. There is certainly something quite magical about that distance of 26 miles, 365 yards (or 42.195 km for those who prefer the metric measurement). Marathons have great history surrounding the event and deservedly so. Anyone who completes a marathon has accomplished a great feat, with those doing it in world record pace, or simply finishing in any time, or anywhere in between, often being hugely admired by both runners and non-runners alike. But now the marathon is sometimes seen as a mere stepping stone en route to taking part in longer races, known as ultras. There is some debate as to what the minimum length of an ultra might be, but there are some common distances (50 or 100 kilometers, and 50 or 100 miles) as well as many more events of seemingly randomly chosen length.
Vegan Ultra Running My ultra running story. How YOU Can Help Change USDA Policy On Sick And Injured Animals. Although most U.S. citizens are opposed to the slaughter of animals too sick or weak to even stand for human consumption, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently allows this deplorable practice to continue. As a result, many farm animals are forced to endure immense suffering across the country. These debilitated animals, known as “downers,” can languish for days without veterinary care or anyone to see to their most basic needs. Frequently subjected to extreme cruelty, they are prodded, kicked and beaten in attempts to get them to slaughter. As a whole, the factory farming industry treats these suffering animals as mere commodities, ignoring their plight as well as the increased risk to human health associated with consuming their flesh.
It’s all to make a quick profit. Representatives from the meat industry assert that the practice of using these downed animals for food should continue, saying that it poses no risk to human health. Click here to help! Why Go Vegan? This article was also featured on The Huffington Post Why bother going vegan? Aren’t there a million more important things to worry about? What about world peace? What about poverty? Here’s why: You’re curious and you know deep inside that this is something you need to think about. The good news is you don’t actually need to eat animal flesh or drink animal milk to lead a happy, healthy and productive life, and you certainly don’t need to wear animal skin to look good.
Veganism is not hard; ever noticed how picky almost every person placing their drink order at Starbucks is? Now remember that veganism is more than food, because you don’t want to be that person talking about making ethical and ecological food choices, while strutting around town in a fur coat or wearing makeup that’s tested on animals. The amazing part is your vegan journey has already begun! Still Not Convinced? Cartoon Image Source: Mimi & Eunice. Gluten-Free, Vegan Living: Yes, You Can! Whether you suffer from gluten intolerance, or you’ve chosen to try eliminating gluten from your diet to explore how you feel without it, adapting a gluten-free diet as a vegan can be quite the challenge. It is estimated that 1 in 200 people around the world have the most severe form of gluten sensitivity known as Celiac Disease, but large numbers are still undiagnosed.
Adapting a gluten-free diet can often seem like a daunting task. Many gluten-free recipe guides will suggest meals based mostly on meat and rice, which leave many gluten-free vegans cringing. There is hope, and by following some simple guidelines, you can make the transition into gluten-free vegan living without much hassle. It’s important to consider the origins of gluten, so that you can eliminate them completely from your diet. Gluten is a protein that is found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. For a great meal to jump start your gluten-free vegan endeavor, try this recipe. Roasted Winter Vegetable Potato Pie Salt. Home for the Free: Cultivating Animal Rights. Practicing Peaceful Advocacy: Tips On Avoiding Arguments With Non-Vegans.
Vegan Reads You Should Gift Your Friends. Art And Activism: A Spotlight On Animal Rights Artivists (Part 2) 6 Easy Tricks To Get Your Kids To Eat Their Greens. San Francisco to Make its Buildings Bird-Safe. Why Occupy Wall Street Needs Food Policy on its Plate. Why no one but calves should drink cow's milk: 3 Good Reasons To Stay Vegan (that only vegans know about!) Explain Veganism To Your Grandmother In 3 Easy Steps.
Home Composting 101. 5 Tips On How To Be A Happy Vegan. What if Slaughterhouses Really had Glass Walls? The Angry Vegan: Why Not? Vegan Consciousness: Reflections of a New Vegan. It’s Time to Replace Animals in Harmful, Painful Experiments. Label Whore: The Animals Deserve Truth in Advertising. Vegan Cafeteria Sets a New Standard. Coming Out as a Vegan: Dealing with Parents.