Great read on composting

What is Compost?
Compost is previously living material that has been broken down by the combined action of water, air and the huge appetites of a wide variety of small and even microscopic organisms. Some of the active compost creatures in nature in nature such as earthworms, beetles and slugs can be seen, but there are also millions of microscopic organisms that actually result in most of the compost action. It is these microorganisms that will work their magic in home compost containers by greatly reducing the total mass of the plant material and ultimately result in compost for your garden. Without the action of these hungry little creatures we would literally be buried under generations of dead plants and years of fallen leaves. Picture a 100 year old maple tree that might create a six inch layer of leaves on a forest floor every autumn. Without a natural composting action this would have produced up to 50 feet of leaves which certainly would have choked life out of the tree many years ago. If you were to start digging down under this tree before the leaves fall you would first find a few inches of last years leaves, the top portion of which may be quite dry. Next you will find a thinner layer of damp partially decomposed leaves and further down just a rich loose composted soil that is damp and has a rich earthy smell. This layer is often a foot or so thick before you get down to a less organic soil and finally a substrate of sand, rock, clay or whatever the geology of your region has provided.


Compost that you make can be a critical component of your garden soil. Compost provides many benefits: it improves soil structure; helps retain water and provides nutrients for you plants. If your garden soil is high in clay content you can work compost in to help break up the tiny mineral particles that make up clay which will actually decrease their ability to again adhere to each other thereby allowing water and nutrients to continue to easily enter the soil an reach the root systems of your plants. At the same time by keeping the clay particles farther apart, you will lower the potential for your garden to turn to ‘concrete’ if it dries out a little. If on the other hand you are dealing with very sandy soil, adding and working in compost will allow moisture and nutrients to be retained much longer. You can think of it this way, if you grab a handful of wet sand and try to squeeze water out, nothing will happen. If on the other hand you squeeze a handful of compost it is like squeezing out a sponge because the compost particles are flexible and contain millions of small cavities or pores that equal an enormous amount of surface area and actually hold water. An ideal type of soil is often referred to as ’sandy loam’ this is a blend of sand, decayed organic material (compost) and a low enough clay content that it remains loose and porous even when dry.

A compost rich soil is often thought of as being high in nutrients but this is not usually the case. Most compost made from yard and kitchen waste should be considered as primarily improving the structure of the soil and not a main source of nutrients needed to make your plants flourish. The exception to this is when the compost contains a high percentage or is totally made up of composted manure such as horse or cow manure. Composted manure is rich in a number of nutrients especially nitrogen. In fact manure that has not been thoroughly composted or mixed with other composting materials can do as much harm to your plants as would happen if you added too much plant fertilizer, resulting in nitrogen burn. Your home made compost will be appreciated by your plants and will have a rich, dark, loose texture and a wonderful fresh earthy smell like the forest floor.

Derrick Walters MBA has degrees in biology and chemistry. Derrick is a partner in a business that markets “green” products. To contact Derrick you can email him at derrick@midstateproducts.com or if you would like more information about the newest in high tech compost tumblers you can visit http://midstatecomposters.com where you will find top rated composters and lots of composting information and tips.

Dear Readers - June 12, 2009

I've noticed every once in a while, there will be a day--or a week--when everything seems to happen at once. And, each one of those "everythings" is a demand for either attention or resources, or both. Quickly, life feels like a quagmire, and the priorities I thought were neatly in place are now nowhere to be found, and there is that sinking feeling. You know you need focus, but it's just not there, and you've lost track of what is most important physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

I'm reminded of the movie "Pulp Fiction," when Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel Jackson) are freaking out about an inadvertant mess they'd created. Their friend, Jimmy (Quentin Tarantino), calls in "The Cleaner," hilariously portrayed by Harvey Keitel. The Cleaner comes in with all the correct and brutally practical priorities, takes the immediate actions necessary to prevent the mess from getting bigger, minimizes the damage, all the while putting everyone at ease and back in control.

It's The Cleaner within that we sometimes need to call up to handle these periods of "everything happening at once." I found a great article on the blog, Margaret's Ramblings that describes how to activate this energy and put it into action, returning that sense of stability, hope and perspective.

She says, "My Nana always told us, 'The sun will still come up in the morning,' and she was right. You will get through this. It will not be easy. There will be times when you feel despair. And this is when your support system will be needed. Family and friends you can rely on to just listen, maybe offer practical advice and provide a soft place for you to dwell in for a while."

Because most of our loss of perspective happens around financial issues, Margaret lays out the priorities on that mostly, but her larger point struck me as a certain dimension of empowerment--a way of simultaneously letting go of our resistance to the situation, and letting our larger Self shine through with the Big Picture.

Once perspective has been re-established, it's time to lick your wounds, relax and nurture self. I love a hot herbal bath, and RepairZyme enzyme formula for this, and of course, our good ol' E-3 Energy Cream, to soothe away those aches and pains.

And, shine on!

In vibrant health,


Shay Arave
President
Subtle Energy Solutions
ShaysWays.com

The End of Overeating

June 11, 2009
When you've had a bad day, most folks don't reach for carrots or broccoli to feel good. Really, when was the last time you watched a sitcom and the desperate housewife came home, cracked open a package of carrots and chomped down to drown out her frustrations?


According to a multi-nation survey of more than 10,000 people conducted by Synovate and reported this month in USA Today, 45 percent of Americans turn to junk food to "feel good" and 44 percent of us like the taste of fast food too much to give it up. These statistics aren't surprising if you've read or listened to Dr. David Kessler.

His book, "The End of Overeating" features a cover photo of carrots and carrot cake. Which one would you go for when you're feeling down? I'll bet the carrot cake. But why? One reason is we're biologically geared up to fall in love with sugar, fat and salt. When we get all three layered in a creamy slathering mix that melts in our mouth, most of us will finish the food wanting more and recalling how good we felt after eating it.

Our food industry pushes roughly $333 billion into the economy and knows this. According to Kessler's book, United Stated Department of Agriculture data shows our per capita fat consumption is up 63 percent over the past 33 years. And you thought you were diligently eating low-fat food.

Sugars and sweeteners are up 19 percent, and grain consumption 43 percent. While only 8 percent of American women, who tend to eat healthier than men, are consuming the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day needed to promote health.

Although the food industry now is working overtime to create healthy menu options and convenience products, these aren't the ones we reach for under stress. Instead, we tend to go for the traditional thick monster burger, mac and cheese, nachos, pizza, ice cream, cookies or cheesecake. Foods high in fat, salt, sugar and, yes, comfort.

When we continually treat stress by rewarding ourselves with highly palatable food that also is high in calories, we're likely to gain weight, driving up our risk for chronic disease. We know this. So how can we reign in a treat and reward system that seems to push us toward chronic disease?

Here are some suggestions:

Clean out the pantry. Make sure you dump the high-calorie comfort foods you overeat when you feel bad. Replace them with healthy options you've never had a love affair with. Like an bad relationship, you've got to cut the cord, move on, and don't look back.

Move the healthy food you're supposed to reach for when your tired, hungry, anxious or angry, or lonely front and center in the fridge or pantry. When we're not thinking we tend to eat what we see first. Make sure the food you need to eat more of is out on the counter, and at eye level in the pantry or fridge. Put this food on your desk and offer it to coworkers as treats and to your kids as rewards. Seriously, work against the advertisers and make stuff like apple slices and green tea a treat.

Find some calorie-free fun like a good laugh, a riddle, walking with a friend, good music on the way home from work, a quick comedy clip from YouTube instead of a calorie-laden pick-me-up. Music, humor and activity can elicit a feel-good response. You'll immediately feel better without the guilt. By doing something different in response to your emotions you can create a new reward system aimed at making you feel better for life.