MLK Quote

MLK Quote

Nature's Inspiration Movie

http://www.flickspire.com/m/HealthierL433/NaturesInspiration -- Nature's Inspiration Movie: The photographs in this short video are from award-winning photographer, Ken Jenkins, and they are breathtaking. However, this video is much more than beautiful photographs! Peggy Anderson has compiled beautiful quotations from the likes of Emerson, Thoreau, and many others that truly capture the beauty of nature and solitude. Absolute must watch for nature lovers.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Pollinator Day

I came across this post through Donna of Gardens Eye View. The post says that Monsanto bought one of the leading Bee Research Firm. If you have had enough of juicy Monsanto, and can't take any more bite, then please do not leave the table and hang out a little bit for the cake. And here it is: 

EPA has sided with industry lobbyists over public health in approving a highly dangerous pesticide that the European Union recently decided to ban over fears of environmental devastation.Not only have neonicotinoid pesticides been linked repeatedly to mass bee deaths, also known as Colony Collapse Disorder, but the continued use of such pesticides threatens other aspects of nature (and humans) as well.

You can read the full article here. I talked about the effect of the neonicotinoid pesticide in my blog post located here.

Top up the cake with rich nice icing: For the first time in human history, concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are expected to pass 400 parts per million across much of the Northern Hemisphere in May, according to scientists who study data from the Mauna Loa Observatory, the world's longest-running CO2 . The whole article can be found at this address.

So, on one hand we are already experiencing the devastating effects of climate change with drought, Sandy, tornadoes, heavy monsoon, freezing winter or warm winter; and, then on the other hand we are destroying our pollinators. This might sound as conspiracy theory, but I am sure that Monsanto is developing seeds and crops of all sorts of fruits and vegetables which does not need pollinators. When no more pollinators will be left on earth, we-the-gardeners will be forced to buy such Monsanto seeds. In history, we learned about about Genghis Khan, Caesar, Alexander the Great and other such domination by kings and queens. 21st century and beyond will see the domination of companies like Monsanto unless we civilians do something.

So, I was thinking of adopting a pollinator day. All of us gardeners and garden-bloggers will pledge to do something for our pollinators on that day. Perhaps, we can plant some native pollinator-loving plants; or we can swap plants and seeds with our friends/neighbors/bloggers; or discuss about some issue related to pollinators. Again Donna of Gardens Eye View
and her friend Susan of Life Change Compost gave away seeds, that attracts pollinators, to bloggers. We can adopt one such day for northern hemisphere and one such day for southern hemisphere. It should be a weekend and sometime in summer when planting activities are in full swing. What do you all think? Interested? Then, which day shall we choose? May be first Saturday of June when it is not too hot to stress the plants, neither too cold? Also, if you are interested, please spread the word around through your blog and any other related means. We desperately need to do something for mother earth, nature, climate, environment, our friendly pollinators and send a message that when we unite for a good cause, nothing can stand against our way.

On Saturday (May 18, 2013), I bought many native plants from one of the certified, authentic native plants grower and steward of New Jersey, the Wilde Ridge Plants:

Virginia Waterleaf; liatris spicata and monarda didyma. He and his wife has the permission to collect seeds from the wild and propagate. Thus, these are true wild flowers of New Jersey.

I also got from them tall coneflower (Rudbeckia Laciniata), wild strawberry (Fragiria Virginiana) and wild sunflowers. These are all summer bloomers. So, I will post pictures as they bloom.

15 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great idea for June.

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  2. Good luck with your plants! M. didyma is performing well in my garden so far this year. I hope to try the leaves for salads and tea.

    The liatris spicata did not do so well for me the past two years, but it is looking stronger this year and I hope it will finally produce flowers (which bees and butterflies are supposed to like, I believe).

    PS - Thanks for your comment on my blog (http://www.gardenofaaron.com)! Would you like to exchange blogroll links?

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    1. Aaron, thank you :-). I didn't know that the leaves of M. didyma can be eaten. Thanks for the info; I have to try out. Any idea why liatris was not working in your garden? It would be helpful to know. I also blogrolled you :-). You blog is very nice.

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  3. That sounds like an excellent idea KL. Regarding your question on my post Mount Tomah, I use an entry level Nikon which is good for me, and most of these shots I used a standard lens. Some of them I used Nikons 300mm telephoto lens.

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    1. Karen, thank you :-). I have a Nikon DSLR. I have to start using it more often.

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  4. Great plant choices, but watch the wild sunflower, it can sometimes get out of control. As to the news, it is very upsetting. It is hard to believe that the powerful people in this world are too blind to take climate change as a serious threat that must be addressed.

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    1. Jason, more sunflower better it will be as I absolutely love them. People say too much yellow in your garden is not good but I can't have enough :-). Also, if I get many more plants, I can then share it others.

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  5. Sounds like a wonderful idea! I protest in my own little way - buying organic, heirloom seeds, and growing my own vegetables with no pesticides. I also purchase organic vegetables. A pollinator day would be a great way to bring attention to how much we need them for survival.

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    1. HolleyGarden, thank you :-). I also try to protest but more people needs to be involved.

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  6. There is a Pollinator Week.... http://pollinator.org/npw_resources.htm June 17-23 and here is more info.

    Also great info on pollinators.. Xerces Society http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/

    Bring Back The Pollinators Pledge... http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/gardens/

    I am a new gardener of 3 years...I am planting native plants for native wildlife...Michelle

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    1. Rambling, thank you for dropping by :-). Please come back again. I know about the pollinator week. But week is too big to involve lots of ordinary people and have any impact. I am thinking if only pollinator day could become famous like Valentine's Day.

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  7. So sad that demonic people are willing to sacrifice the health of our planet for money. What good will the money be when the bees are gone, the rivers are dead and our lands are barren save for the frankenseeds of the evil doers.

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    1. Bridget, I agree but I think money will be good for these billionaires; they will have all the compfort and luxury. Who know they will have saved bees for their personal gardens; we the ordinary folks will be the sufferer.

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  8. Thanks for the links to my blog and I love the idea...perhaps you can choose a day during pollinators week...or whatever you like...I was going to give away more seeds and I am happy to share any natives folks see in my Wildflower Tales. Maybe some of us can commit to doing things like planting more natives or bee friendly plants and others commit to giveaways and seed/plant exchanges. Let us know.

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