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May 16, 2013

Hydroponics: How to Save Water

How to save water is a growing challenge. There are water shortages world wide. Hydroponics is one way to save up to 85% of the water it takes to grow our food. I have met some Great people who are sharing many great ways to save water. They are working to educate and advocate for us all. Go to their website and donate if you like to drink clean water. Who knows whose life you may be saving?

Saving water should never become a public concern only in times of drought when water is undeniably scarce. The world water supply is finite. Every drop of water wasted is a drop less in a wild and scenic river, a drop less of a needed salmon run. Every drop of water that circles a drain unnecessarily wastes energy through the manufacturing of chemicals in the cycle of sewage treatment.
The world water supply is dwindling, and yet it is only water supply we will ever have. The water we use in our kitchens does not indicate an endless supply of safe, clean water. This water will be treated, and eventually will be returned to us, but in a chemically altered state from the previous time we used it.The following are some water facts that you may not know.

Here is a Water Footprint Infographic.

Their website: Savethewater.org states their mission as follows: The mission of Save the Water™ is to conduct water research to identify toxic chemicals harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. Save the Water™ is committed to finding methods to eliminate the toxins and improve the quality of drinking water.

We respect the right of every individual to have access to safe and clean drinking water.

Save the Water™ is committed to the education of present and future generations on water sustainability issues in order to insure the protection and conservation of water. Without clean drinking water, no species plant, animal or human can be saved. We must insure that the water is not contaminated to the point where we can no longer drink it.

With proper funding Save the Water™ will provide the extensive educational instruction and research necessary. Your support and generosity will help us fulfill our mission.

How to Save Water in Agriculture

Hydroponics technology is a growing and becoming more and more popular. With limited resources, Aquaponics is also growing rapidly in technology and efficiency. There are groups and businesses like Earthwizefoods.com who are helping others grow their own food in remote areas.

Another company, Fodder Tech, is still emerging as a technology that will revolutionize the cattle industry. Imagine lowering the amount of water used to feed the cattle for the meat industry by more than 50%! The production of the Fodder that they produce uses hydroponics technology. A wonderful way to save up to 85% of the water to grow most of the cattle feed. That is not the only place that hydroponics is growing.

Urban Hydroponics is another answer in “How to save water” questions

There are hydroponic vegetable and herb gardens all throughout the world. Shipping containers can be turned into hydroponic growing stations! Very efficient especially when using Solar power to run the lights and the water pumps.

How to save water is an ever growing concern. Pesticides, pollution, waste, drought take a toll on the water. Now governments are taking water rights away from its own citizens. How can this be? We are allowing it to happen.

It is time for us to all be aware of our own water usage. Do we really require a chemically maintained green yard? How many children, animals and adults get sick each year because of the dangerous chemicals sprayed or applied to “Their Lawn”? Too many in my opinion.

Lawns do look nice, but they cannot feed your family. Hydroponics and home gardens do feed the family. And since we are looking for ways to save the water, Hydroponics is one of the best answers.

There is a beginners course about Aquaponics by my friend Jonathan White from Australia. They have had very intense droughts there for a while. I highly recommend that if you are interested in Aquaponics, that you check it out.

Turning Your Dreams into the Life of Your Dreams

Chris Downs, the Caretaker

Founder hisfarm.org and Ambassador of Natural News and Sustainable Living on How to Live on Purpose.com

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Natural News |

May 2, 2013

| by Chris Downs ("The Caretaker")

The Shocking Truth About Food Shortages

We have seen the news stories about food shortages. The shocking truth about food shortages is even documented by the news. Video footage of young children with bloated stomachs that are barely alive. Mothers and fathers asking for help from whoever will listen and help. Drought and famine seems to be growing in the news.

Drinkable water is quickly becoming more and more scarce. Chemicals are added to our drinking water to “protect” end users from disease and bacteria. Desalination technology is growing quickly as the need for more water continues to rise. Without clean healthy water, our food quality diminishes also.

What is the shocking truth about food shortages?

In my opinion, there does not need to be any food shortages. We have technology that can provide food even in the desert, using Hydroponics, Aeroponics and Aquaponics. We can grow fodder for animals using hydroponics like Foddertech systems that can produce up to 6,000 pounds (3 tons) per day.

I want to share with you an article that was shared with me from Eat Drink Better.com. On April 8, 2013 Jennifer Kaplan Shared the following report:

The article suggests that companies dealing in fertilizers/grains/trading, seeds/chemicals and farm equipment all stand to gain from the global food shortage. And, it comes as no surprise that environmentally unpopular companies like Archer Daniels Midland, DuPont and Monsanto are on the list.

From valuestockguide.com:

The inflation in the food prices is set to continue globally. The demand is rising faster than the supply can keep pace and in 2007 and 2008 there were riots in 60 countries due to run up in the prices of corn, wheat and soybeans …

Agriculture has the potential to be one of the most promising investment themes for the coming decade (sorry Facebook investors!). Here are some of the selected stocks that you can use to play the agriculture theme.

The post goes on to accurately point to two factors causing rising food prices globally:

Increased demand from China. valuestockguide.com asserts that financial opportunities exist as “established players jockey to lock in supplies of essential grains and position themselves as a supplier to China.” They site the recent bid from the Japanese trading house Marubeni to acquire the US based grains merchant Gavilon (a spinoff from Conagra Foods) as being an obvious way of getting a footing in the Chinese supply channel.

Diversion of agricultural resources to produce biofuels. The articles suggests that global agriculture giants are investing, and diverting grain, for the Ethanol market.

The Great news is this: We as readers to such magazines like Grit, Mother Earth News, Cappers and others who believe that we are the solution are growing, literally, in numbers.

We have seen that in this world, that there is truly no “Lack” of food or water. There is a lack of knowledge on many peoples part, but not those of us who thrive on the lifestyle of growing our own food. It does not stop there either. Look at all of the innovations that are shared in each edition of Grit magazine.

We are growing our own food in extreme conditions here in Colorado. We use the food4wealth growing system, because of the ease of growing smaller gardens and food plots. Last year we grew enough food for ourselves and 2 other families. Even though we were in the middle of a drought, our harvest was plentiful.

I am excited as the time to plant our garden outside is getting closer. We have a new farm that is at 8,800 feet in elevation. We just got the well tested. It provides 6 gallons per minute. The water test is not complete, but there are others that are living in the area. They too grow their own food and live where city power or water is not available. This is a going to be a great year!

The best news is this: As we grow locally and grow healthy natural food or organic food, the food shortage myth can be eliminated. Again, this is my opinion, but I do believe that you feel the same way. Looking forward to hearing how you are living a life of Abundance!

Turning Your Dreams into the Life of Your Dreams

Chris Downs, the Caretaker

Founder hisfarm.org and Ambassador of Natural News and Sustainable Living on How to Live on Purpose.com

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Natural News |

April 16, 2013

| by Chris Downs ("The Caretaker")

Hydroponic Gardening-The Ultimate Guide

Hydroponic Gardening-the Ultimate guide, has taken me from 1985 until now to complete my experiments and understand how it works. I started my experimenting with hydroponics in 1980.

The thing I like about hydroponics (hydro=water and ponos=labor) is that the water does the work for me, to a certain extent. Hydroponic gardening technology has improved greatly since then and is now becoming very popular.

Hydroponic Gardening a Short History

In 1937, Time Magazine shared this story about hydroponics!

Last week a new science was given a new name. Hydroponics, by its foremost U. S. practitioner, Dr. William Frederick Gericke of the University of California. Set out in row’s at the University’s plant experiment station in Berkeley are a number of shallow tanks made of wood, concrete, metal. From some of these tanks grow thick, towering clumps of tomato plants bearing rich red clusters of fruit. From other tanks and in an equal state of vigor grow potatoes, tobacco, gladioli, begonias. The roots of the plants are not in soil but in chemically…

Hydroponic Gardening is not new, from Ancient Babylon to the Aztecs in what we call Mexico, there have been hanging gardens. Beautiful examples of how beloved and useful water is. The Chinese also have many examples of hydroponic gardens. Dr. Gericke from the university of But even in the last five decades, there has been some tremendous innovations and understanding of how to succeed using hydroponics. The United States Government studied hydroponics even in space on board the first space station. They also studied how to grow hemp, yes, marijuana for both fiber and for increasing the potency of the drug effectiveness of the pot plant. All of these tests used and refined hydroponic gardening.

You do not need soil

Without the restriction of having to grow in soil, hydroponics can produce a higher yield, as well as use less water. This makes the dependency on rain and massive irrigation resources, or lack of irrigation, less of a problem. Without having to worry about drought, the ability to live a sustainable life is greatly increased. Especially where the soil in the area is either very poor or contaminated by pollution or purposeful destruction. The need for massive doses of pesticides or Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is eliminated. Most pests live in the soil. This creates a our water, soil and food cleaner, while conserving HUGE amounts of Water. And you may have heard about the water shortages that the large corporations and the news is starting to talk about. Water is life. If WE do not start managing our water useage, do we really want our governments to manage it for us? They have done such a great job of keeping the rivers, lakes and land free from pesticides and other contaminants like mercury, PCB’s, etc….

Hydroponic gardening is becoming very popular with commercial growers as well. There is a US Military Veteran who has a hydroponic garden/farm in southern California. It is called Archie’s Acres, they are growing naturally healthy food using hydroponics. At the same time they are also helping other veterans and college students to become self sufficient and learn a business. A lot of our food, especially in the cold winter months comes from greenhouses growing hydroponically.

What can be grown hydroponically?

Most vegetables can be grown hydroponically. Pretty much most of what you grow in your soil garden can be grown in a hydroponic garden. Here is a small list of some of the vegetables that can be grown:

Tomatoes
Zuchinni
radishes
lettuce
cucumbers
melons
carrots
onions
peppers
herbs
spices
And the list goes on.

You are limited only by your desire to experiment and ask for help from others. Remember in school when you had a test? If you asked someone else for help, you would get in trouble. In Real Life, if you do not ask for help, you might get into trouble. Either your plants will fail or you could end up spending a lot more money learning the hard way.

Homemade Hydroponics

If you are limited by finances to get started, ask for some help. my first hydroponic system cost me $6 to make out of 2 buckets and some rope. We got about $50 worth of tomatoes out of the plant! We also grew some hydroponic strawberries.

Hydroponic gardeners are excited to help and the ones that I have met, have a passion for helping others. Life is an open source, ask for help, it makes for a more enjoyable journey. I know for myself, the more I share what I know and as I ask for help, the better I become at growing our food.

6 Different Types of Hydroponic Systems

I know of 6 different types of hydroponic systems. That is if you count the drip systems as one, as there is drip system-recovery and drip system-non-recovery. So I guess you could say 7 different types that I know of. Are there other systems? Possibly, but I am only going to share what I know. If you know of more please share!

Here they are, then I will go into more detail about them.

Wick System
Water Culture System
Flood and Drain (aka-Ebb and Flow)
Drip System (Recover and Non-recovery, yes, I am talking about recovering the water)
NFT System (Nutrient Film Technique)
Aeroponic System (is it really a hydroponic system? Yes)

Wick System is easiest and most inexpensive hydroponic system to build. It uses wicking material, like cotton rope or other non-polluting fibrous material. The material shout be absorbent, and will be used to move the nutrient solution from the reservoir into the soil. My first experiment I used two (2) buckets. One bucket to grow my tomato plants, and the other to hold the nutrient solution with the wicks floating in the solution. It was easy to build, and cost me about 6 dollars total including the soil, seeds and buckets. I made my own nutrient solution using compost. Our water supply was not treated with chemicals so I did not filter the water.

Water Culture System, or as I like to call it, the Floating garden. It is made up of a tank, of nutrient solution, an air pump that supplies air to an airstone (add air back into the water) and a float to hold the plant containers so that they will float on top of the nutrient solution. This system works great for growing lettuce ans other product that are fast growing and take larger amounts of water. Popeye must have had a floating hydroponic garden with all of the spinach he ate.

Flood and Drain (Ebb and Flow) System. This system works by flooding the grow tank with nutrient solution, but only temporarily. Then the nutrient solution drains back into the tank. It requires a submersible pump, and you now have two tanks. One for growing the plant, and one for the solution. In addition, there is an overflow drain from the grow tank back into the nutrient solution tank. If you do not have the overflow, if the pump fails to stop working, you would then have a mess.

Drip System (recovery and non-recovery) The drip system is one of the most used types of hydroponic gardening systems in the world! There is a grow tray, that has a pump to deliver the nutrient solution. For the drip recovery system, there is a drain from the grow tray to recover the solution, as well as an air pump and an air stone to add air back to the nutrient tank. The non-recovery drip system will just pump nutrient solution to the plants at a specific rate. This can be more difficult if you live in a hot climate or if you have problems with your automation of adding water and nutrients to you plants. However, if you are present all of the time, some of the drip systems are very simple. Take a watering container to the plants and drip the nutrients to the base of each plant you are growing! Low tech but it works great!

NFT System. The NFT system (Nutrient Film Technique) and no, I am not talking about hollywood or homemade films. The NFT system is actually a continuous flow system. the plants and their grow pots are placed into a long pipe or channel. the nutrient solution is continually circulated but in a very shallow stream of water. This water, also called the nutrient solution, flows past the bare roots of the plants. But the root mat develops in the bottom of the channel. The upper surface of the root, will be moist, but will be in the air to make sure that there is an abundant supply of oxygen to the roots.

Can there be problems for the plants if there is too much solution in the channels? Yes, so getting your flow right and keeping it clean and working properly is very important.

Aeroponic System is the most high-tech type of hydroponic gardening that I know of. The growing medium is mostly air. So instead of flooding the channel, the roots hang in the air and are misted with the nutrient solution. The roots are misted every few minutes, or as needed to ensure that they receive the food they need to grow healthy. Since the roots are “hanging out to dry” so to speak, if the spraying cycle is shut off by loss of power or other challenge, the plants could die . It is a great system, and I have see a couple of them. Majestic Hydrogardening has one that he has created. I am impressed with his ingenuity!

Hydroponic Gardening: grow you way to health

So I have taken you through the basics of Hydroponic gardening. This really seems simple, and in practice it can be, as long as you understand the plants, flowers included, that you want to grow. There is a lot more to learn. The more you learn and grow your own food, your health will continue to improve. Every journey starts with the first step. I hope that I have inspired you to take that first step to growing your own food and flowers using a hydroponic system.

Join us for more great information about this and other information that will allow you to live the life you dream of. I invite your to Sign up for our “Growing Newsletter” at the bottom of this page.

Turning Your Dreams into the Life of Your Dreams

Chris Downs, the Caretaker

Founder hisfarm.org and Ambassador of Natural News and Sustainable Living on How to Live on Purpose.com

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Inspirational Thoughts |

March 28, 2013

| by Ronda Del Boccio ("The Story Lady")

Guest Blog Post: 5 Classic Science Fictions That Are Facts Today

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NOTE FROM RONDA: I am a voracious reader. Ever since I was a young child, I read science fiction as well as fantasy. What an amazing time this is seeing people’s visions come into reality. Imagine when you publish a book that YOUR ideas, thoughts and teachings can become imprinted into the world like these books. Enjoy this guest post!

* * *

Imagination, as you might have considered, can do wonders in this material world. The fiction writers of yore had a powerful imagination, the intensity of which can be calculated by the number of inventions today. “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk,” Thomas Edison puts it well enough. Those imaginative minds simply lacked the pile of junk (you can imagine the level of cleanliness on the streets of the past). Right, enough of imagination too! Let’s get to the facts. I have listed below five of the most remarkable fictions that have become reality today.

The internet and Mark Twain: If you don’t know already, the internet first emerged in the 1960s, and Mark Twain’s year of demise is 1910. You can thus deduct that Twain was more than fifty years ahead of his time. In his short story ‘From the London Times of 1904’, Twain inadvertently described what would later be called the internet. In his words, “A global communication network where people could talk and see each other,” developed into the most extensive technology widely used by more than half the world population today.

Deep sea diving and Jules Verne: If you are a Jules Verne fan, you will quickly be able to reckon the name of book I’m about to suggest. ’20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’ it is. In this book, Verne has described almost the entire wildlife thriving underneath, as seen through a huge submarine! He even conceived the idea of deep sea diving much before its actual realization.

The planet with four suns and Star Wars: This is not an invention, but a discovery; a discovery which had been predicted years ago in the Star Wars books and movies. The fictional planet, Tatooine, which is held by the gravity of two suns, is an important part of the entire world of Star Wars. No such planet with two or more suns had actually been discovered then. Just last year, a couple of amateur astronomers discovered a similar planet, but one that orbits four suns. Scientists are still puzzled about this phenomenon. It’s a wonder that the planet is thriving under the gravity of four huge suns!

The credit card and Edward Bellamy: The idea of the credit card was first developed by no finance expert, but by a reputed fiction writer called Edward Bellamy. Way back in 1888, this college dropout charted the idea of a credit card in his book, ‘Looking Backward’. Credit cards became commercially available to the general public later in 1920.

CCTV and George Orwell: Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system may have been developed by an electronic expert, but the foresight of using it for security purposes was provided by the imaginative writer called George Orwell. In his book, ‘1984’, which he penned in the year 1949, he described the would-be world then, and it carried a reference to ‘secret surveillance’ on daily activities. While the CCTV are most certainly used for maintaining security today, but the harmony among people Orwell imagined for the year 1984 is still nowhere in sight.

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License: Creative Commons image source
License: Creative Commons image source

Linda Matthews is a book store owner. A mother of two, she often juggles between her responsibilities as mother and as a book store owner. Her book store consists of all kinds of books ranging from educational books to novels. Apart from running a book store, she also indulges in her hobby of writing articles and is a regular feature on many blogging sites.

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Guest Blog Post: 5 Classic Science Fictions That Are Facts Today

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March 21, 2013

| by Ronda Del Boccio ("The Story Lady")

Are Kindle Singles Authors Making Money?

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Are Kindle Singles Authors Making Money?

There are so many ways to publish a book today. Kindle Singles may be Amazon’s best kept secret for authors. There are just over 300 titles published to date, and, as you’ll see from the story below, some authors are making big bucks on these 99 cents or $1.00 short-to-medium-length books.

“All of this stands in evidence that in its Kindle Singles brand, Amazon is investing in a serious business model behind a quality editorial product. We all — readers and writers alike — stand to benefit from that combination.” Rebecca J. Rosen in “Authors of Kindle Singles Raking in Tens of Thousands of Dollars” (see below)

What are Kindle Singles?

According to Amazon, Kindle Singles are shorter works expressed in their “natural length.” To Amazon, this means 5,000 to 30,000 words. If you’re not sure how long that is, it’s roughly from 20 to 120 pages.

Works such as memoirs, novellas, short stories, special reports, and chapbooks (poetry collections) are ideal for Singles.

Currently there are only 322 Kindle Singles.

Kindle Singles considers ebooks recently published via Kindle Direct Publishing, manuscript submissions, or pitches. • To nominate your self-published book, email us at kindle-singles@amazon.com and include the title, ASIN, & brief summary. • If the work is not yet published, you can submit a manuscript or a detailed pitch for your Kindle Single. Send as much material as you have available to kindle-singles@amazon.com and include your name and a writing sample.

Here is an excellent article from The Atlantic showing how well authors can do with this way to publish a book on Kindle.

Authors of Kindle Singles Are Raking in Tens of Thousands of Dollars

by Rebecca J. Rosen – Rebecca J. Rosen is a senior associate editor at The Atlantic. She was previously an associate editor at The Wilson Quarterly, where she spearheaded the magazine’s In Essence section.

here’s been a lot of buzz lately about Kindle Singles, the e-publishing format that’s longer than a magazine article but shorter than the typical published book coming out of Amazon’s dedicated Singles shop.

First, a group of science writers launched a new site, Download the Universe, which is dedicated to reviews of new ebooks, many of which are Kindle Singles or other e-publications of a similar length.

Next, New York Times literary critic Dwight Garner set about reviewing 15 of these mini-books, and hailed the possibility of “what feels almost like a new genre: long enough for genuine complexity, short enough that you don’t need journalistic starches and fillers.”

But while the form may hold literary promise, does it also carry the hope of remuneration? A new report from PaidContent finds that yes, a few authors are doing quite well from their Kindle Single efforts.

One, Mishka Shubaly, author of “The Long Run,” the ninth-best-selling Single of all time, told PaidContent that he is so pleased with the experiment, he hopes to name his first child Amazon. PaidContent estimates that Shubaly has made about $130,000 from his three Singles.

The other four writers in PaidContent’s report have brought in amounts ranging from a bit less than $9,000 to $65,000. The Singles in PaidContent’s round-up all sell for either $0.99 or $1.99 a pop, and authors see 70 percent of the revenue.

The authors characterize their experience with Amazon’s Singles shop, headed by former Village Voice editor-in-chief and Columbia adjunct David Blum, with glowing terms. David Dobbs, author of the Single “My Mother’s Lover,” which has sold about 40,000 copies, told PaidContent:

This has very much changed my thoughts about possibilities for ideas I get that previously I would have had to categorize as either a magazine story or a book.

One of the considerations is what magazine editors and book editors believe can work for them. I think most of the time they’re right about what can work for them. I also think some of the time they might be wrong, and when my belief in something is stronger than theirs, now I have a way to publish it.

In a related piece, PaidContent also reports that there are now 165 Singles available, and that number grows by about three every week. Amazon has sold a total of more than two million such Singles.

PaidContent’s reporter Laura Hazard Owen emphasizes the distinction between Kindle Singles and Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s self-publishing shop. Kindle Singles are curated and shepherded through an editing process by Blum, much like a traditional publishing house. The successful Singles authors aren’t undiscovered gems but professional writers who have published elsewhere before.

Nevertheless, that shouldn’t tamp down enthusiasm for these numbers. The fact is a new genre is emerging as a result of e-reading technologies, one that is proving successful both editorially and financially.

All of this stands in evidence that in its Kindle Singles brand, Amazon is investing in a serious business model behind a quality editorial product. We all — readers and writers alike — stand to benefit from that combination.

The Kindle Singles Selection Process

Unlike Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle Singles authors go through an approval process. This makes Singles publishing more like going through a publisher.

There are quality guidelines for Kindle Singles. Here is what they are seeking:

We’re looking for compelling ideas expressed at their natural length–writing that doesn’t easily fall into the conventional space limitations of magazines or print books. Kindle Singles are typically between 5,000 and 30,000 words.

Source Kindle Singles Submission Policy

How to Submit a Book to Kindle Singles

How to submit

We will consider ebooks recently published via Kindle Direct Publishing, manuscript submissions, or pitches.

• To nominate your self-published book, simply email us at kindle-singles@amazon.com and include the title, ASIN, and a brief summary.

• If the work is not yet published, you can submit a manuscript or a detailed pitch for your Kindle Single. Send as much material as you have available to kindle-singles@amazon.com and include your name and a writing sample.

• Writers or publishers wishing to propose an idea for a Kindle Single can write to our editors at kindle-singles@amazon.com.

Source Kindle Singles Submission Policy

Help to Publish a Book on Kindle

Even if you decide to submit to Kindle Singles, you’re free to publish a book on Kindle. It is free to self-publish a book on Kindle with Kindle Direct Publishing. However, you may find it helpful to have a little more guidance.

More Help: Publish a Book with Digital Publishing

Effortless Digital Publishing gives you:

a book writing template to make your life easier
Video tutorials to walk you through the KDP publishing process.
a Kindle publishing resource guide with all the links you’ll need in 1 place.
a Kindle FAQ audio with PDF guide where I answer the most common questions about publishing a Kindle book.
Free publicity from me when you publish your Kindle book (and you own Effortless Kindle Publishing or another program from me).
And a couple of bonuses, Claim it now at

Click to claim Effortless Digital Publishing NOW!

Follow your bliss!

Ronda Del Boccio, the Story Lady

#1 bestselling nonfiction and fantasy author

Creator of the BLISS Butterfly and the Awakened Author Challenge

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Are Kindle Singles Authors Making Money?

Natural News |

March 7, 2013

| by Chris Downs ("The Caretaker")

Hydroponics, The Answer to Thriving During Drought?

Hydroponics, is it the answer to thriving during drought? Many farmers say yes. Here in Colorado, as well as Texas and other states we have gone through a long drought. I had the opportunity to speak with Johnathon Wood from Majestic Hydrogardening this last weekend.

Meet Johnathon Wood

Johnathon has been involved with hydroponics since the 1970′s. He started his first garden when he was just 8 years old and has passion for growing food. He also enjoys growing other plants as well. He has seen the need for change in the United States. More people are growing their own food. Concerns about GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) is becoming a major concern. GMO foods put our health as risk. Even Mother Earth News has started sharing information on hydroponics.

Johnathan started with Hydroponics when the first Space Station was experimenting with growing food in space. NASA chose hydroponics as the best solution. So what better place to start than following the NEW space age technology?

Johnathon found that the US Government was doing a study on growing hemp using hydroponics. The study contained information on the products and health benefits of hemp. He shared with me that durability is the reason Levi jeans were so popular with farmers. By adding hemp fibers, the clothing lasted a lot longer. Hemp is refined into many products:

Hemp oil
Food
Fiber
Seeds
Clothing
Textiles
Resin
Wax
Rope
Pulp
Fuel

Hemp is still used today, and Virginia is looking to legalize it once again for the fibers and food value.

Government Experimentation

The US Government completed a study on how to make the other types of cannabis (what most people call marijuana) more potent. They also studied its health effects. That type of marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington States.

Johnathan’s Hydroponics Passion

Jonathan has a passion to get people growing! Lettuce, Tomatoes, spinach or anything that will help them become self-sufficient. Health comes from healthy nutrition, he shared. It is easy to get caught up in his passion for growing food and herbs using hydroponics when you talk to him. Johnathon is going to start to teaching hydroponics soon. His will also be teaching Botany and other tips and tricks needed to be successful growing food and plants indoors and out.

Water Conservation at its best

Hydroponics is water conservation at its best. As I shared before, water has become a very sacred commodity. Cities, states and the federal government is doing whatever it can to control our water. Rain water, wetlands, even small lakes are being claimed by different governmental agencies. In some states it is illegal to catch rain water for your own use. Even if it falls onto your own property.

Johnathon Wood has a website: http://www.Majestichydrogardening.com is where you can see his videos and tips and tricks. He also has products that you can purchase to make your hydroponic food crops flourish and remain clean and safe for consumption.

We will be releasing videos of our conversation. These videos will tell when his classes are available. In addition Johnathon will be writing more books and reports as well. These will be available soon to feed your passion and desire to grow indoors as well as outdoors. Johnathon is an expert in all aspects of growing and sustainability.

We will be sharing more information with you in the coming Growing Newsletter. We will be sharing the videos of Johnathon in our newsletter members area.

P.S. Our next newsletter will be sharing information about Fodder Tech. This is a high-tech hydroponic growing company that is revolutionizing the feed for farmers and rancher who raise animals for sale. Lower cost, Lower workload and happier animals who produce more.

Turning Your Dreams into the Life of Your Dreams

Chris Downs, the Caretaker

Founder hisfarm.org and Ambassador of Natural News and Sustainable Living on How to Live on Purpose.com

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February 22, 2013

| by Ronda Del Boccio ("The Story Lady")

Inspirational Thoughts on Knowing Your Value: Would You Do This For Nothing?

by Ronda Del Boccio

A recent conversation inspired me to share these thoughts on value.

Please do this – but we won’t pay you.

A friend of mine asked me if I would run the webinar technology for a highly successful entrepreneur he knows.

He didn’t want my expertise as an author, mentor, speaker, or entrepreneur. He did not want me to facilitate the conversation or interview the panel of experts.

The webinar in question has nothing to do with the focus of my business, or with my life purpose. (My business is perfectly aligned with my purpose.)

He only wanted me to be there to do a task I would hire out rather than do myself. My thought was to outsource this to a reliable friend I know who does such things.

And heaping yet more insult, the businessman facilitating the call didn’t want to pay for the skill of having someone run the tech, even though he can well afford a few bucks to hire the help.

I was actually FURIOUS!

Running a webinar panel is indeed a skill. And even if I were to be the laborer for this, why should I not be compensated? I’ve long since paid my dues and learned how to steward my time and skills.

Why would I spend 2 hours volunteering my time to a high income earner who can afford to pay rather than doing something that would make me money or otherwise please me?

No. I have skills. I have value. You do not have permission to use or abuse me.

How does this relate to you?

This encounter made me think of YOU, because all too often, I see my mentoring students do things outside your skills and comfort just because someone asked.

Sure, I love bartering, and I love helping a friend, but I am really sick and tired of people trying to take advantage and get something for nothing.

After that, this same person suggested I offer coaching (which I don’t do since I’m an author mentor, not a coach) for a ridiculously low rate.

I was so insulted. It’s clear I’ve had a major SHIFT !

Stay ON Purpose

Taking yourself off-purpose serves neither you, nor the world, nor Divinity.

Never let yourself be used. Be true to who you are and why you are here.

Follow your bliss!

Ronda Del Boccio, the Story Lady

#1 bestselling author and mentor

Creator of the BLISS Butterfly and the Awakened Author Challenge

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Inspirational Thoughts on Knowing Your Value: Would You Do This For Nothing?

Founders, Life Purpose |

February 14, 2013

| by Terri Lynn TallTree

How Can Energy Transformation Give Me More Time?

Time is moving pretty fast, isn’t it? So what does time have to do with energy transformation? Well, it’s like this…

If you’re like most people, you started the New Year off with some pretty exciting goals – dreams and expectations that were really meaningful to you.

But life has a way of getting in front of your best intentions, right? I mean, there’s always SOMETHING that pulls you away from the promises you made to yourself.

How many times have you heard someone (maybe somebody close to you) say, “There’s not enough time in the day!”

* * * * *
If you’re already living the life of your dreams, then read no further (this message isn’t for you)…

* * * * *

But if you know you’re not where you thought you would be by now, and as much as you hate to admit it, you can feel yourself slipping further and further behind, then pay attention because we heard your cry and we’re reaching out to you.

This really hit home last Wednesday when we heard our friend John say that he was so busy that he didn’t have enough time to do everything he needed to do to grow his business AND invest in himself — in his own personal growth and self-mastery.

Like You, He’d Been Working Day and Night…

John is an entrepreneur, and he’s been working on his business day and night for several years. And although he’s making progress, he’s hard-pressed to fit anything else into his life. Even if that means setting aside the things that give his life the greatest meaning and make his heart sing.

He is too busy DOing…can you relate?

“Oh God, to reach the point of death only to find that you have never lived at all.” – Thoreau

WOW! Think about how sad that is…

Especially when you’ve got someone just waiting to help you get there! There’s nothing that would make us happier than celebrating your successes with you at the end of this year. Seriously, what could be better than that?

“I’ll Have Time to Do That When…”

Waiting until you have ENOUGH time to do the things you said were the MOST important is like waiting to go on a diet until AFTER you’ve lost weight!

(That’s paraphrased from something T. Harv Eker, best-selling author of “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” said, but you get the drift, right?)

So if you have goals you want to achieve, but are having trouble fitting your goals – your hopes and dreams – into your busy life, then you MUST do something NOW! (Yes, I’m talking to YOU)

You’ve got the exact number of minutes in a day as anyone else, no more — no less. So how is it possible to transform that same amount of time into…more?

In order to transform the energy you have around time, you need to understand that there are Universal Laws that are operating to support your life purpose.

The Time to Begin is…NOW

Let’s not waste another day! By the end of this week you can be well on your way to taking better care of yourself (mind, body AND spirit) so that it’ll seem like you have MORE time because you’ll be making steady progress in the direction of your dreams. Honest!

What makes us so certain that energy transformation can get you more time to keep your important promises you make to yourself…to realize YOUR dreams? The answer might surprise you…

We’re not going to tell you to manage your time better. That’s a game of the intellect.

Instead, we’re going to show you what our Native American elders taught us. It’s a subtle shift in energy that Indigenous people know about and practice every day.

It’s funny, how something so ancient can be so effective in this modern world that is ruled by technology!

How About a Simple Example?

Remember a time when you were rushing to get somewhere, only to discover once you arrived that someone else was running late and you were there in plenty of time?

At one time or another, that’s happened to each of us. Yet, the energy about ‘running late’ creates tension and stress, and unnecessary pressure that pulls you off-center. It impedes your ability to focus and get things done. You actually LOSE time when you’re rushing.

Now, switch gears and think back to an experience you had when time stood still.

Why Time Stood Still at the Mesa Verde

The photograph above was taken at the Mesa Verde in western Colorado. We took a trip with our chosen family, Ron and Bobbi, and it felt as if every minute was an hour. Time moved slowly, and we relished each moment as it felt whole and complete, in itself.

There was no concern about what we’d do next. And we weren’t looking in our rear view mirror, either, if you know what I mean.

When you learn how to stay fully present and luxuriate in THIS moment, you begin to notice things that would otherwise pass you by.

Start by paying attention to synchronicity in your life. Watch for it, make note of it. Notice it in your own life and in the lives of people around you. This will help you begin to ‘tune’ yourself to the Universal flow that is available to you.

It’s all about transforming the energy (your own).

The Power of Your Mind

To begin with, time isn’t what you think it is anyway (but that’s an advanced topic we cover in detail with our “Self-Mastery and Personal Transformation” program). For now, suffice it to say you can stretch and shrink time. Absolutely. It starts with your mental energy. You must understand the power of your Mind.

Wouldn’t you rather flow through your life, really KNOWing that you are exactly where you are meant to be? Putting yourself in that frame of mind happens automatically when you know how to do it.

And, here’s a free gift for you : go sign up for the FREE “Life Purpose Quest” on our sister-site, How to Live on Purpose. You’ll get Seven Rites of Passage with no strings attached, that will give you a road map that shows you how to create the life you’ve been longing for…a life filled with passion and peace, a life worth living.

If you’d like to know the fastest, easiest and least expensive way to master energy transformation in your life, I invite you to join us on a LIVE group coaching call that happens every Tuesday. It’s called the Voyager Gold call, and it’s for people like you who know that life is a spiritual journey.

You’ll have an opportunity to upgrade your membership, if you chose to see just how easy this is – and instead of trying to figure it out on your own you’ll be gently guided each week to make sure that you get there!

Live on Purpose…Change the World!

Gakina-awiiya (We Are All Related),

Terri TallTree
Guide and Mentor to Self-Mastery and Personal Transformation
Co-Founder: http://HowToLiveOnPurpose.com – Live on Purpose…Change the World!

“Teach us love, compassion and honor…that we may heal the Earth and heal each other.” – Ojibwe

Originally posted here:
How Can Energy Transformation Give Me More Time?

Natural News |

December 29, 2012

| by Chris Downs ("The Caretaker")

Sustainable Gardening, How to Plan for Success

Planning properly will keep you from buying useless tools bring you higher yields and better quality food/products to keep your garden sustainable.

Sustainable Gardening is part of Sustainable Living: Sustainable Living

Sustainable living is the way of growing food and products that works with nature to produce more while wasting less. It is a long term way of living life that helps create land and keeps the water clean over time. Profits are achieved over time rather than instantaneously.

What do you want out of Sustainable Gardening? Plan for what you want.

How do you plan for success with sustainable gardening? First of all, remember that YOU are the one picking what you need and want in a sustainable garden.

There are all sorts of advice, even from me, that may not be right for you.

No one can know your every desire for what you want to grow or what you like to eat. As far as your growing season, there are also many “micro-weather” parts of each state, county, neighborhood and even areas of the same property.

That is where you come in as THE most important part of planning your sustainable gardening endeavor.

If you are not quite sure what you want exactly,

Seek To find what you want and how you want to live.

Observe What others who are successful are doing and build relationships

ACT On the information that you learned and gain new skills, outsource to Others what you can’t or don’t want to do yourself

REAP The benefits of your hard work, but always be observing, learning and implementing new ideas. Test, test, test all of the time.

You can visit friends or neighbors who are living the life that you want to live.
Make a list of the foods that will increase your health and strength that you will actually eat
Go to the library and look at all of the recipe books to see what sounds good to you, then cook some of those recipes.
How hard do you want to work? Are you willing to “rough it”?
What products can you sell that can be made from materials available on your land?
Observe the land that you have or want to purchase to see what grows and lives on it.
Go to the local markets and observe what sells at different seasons
Research greenhouses that may work for you that you can build inexpensively or for a price that is easily affordable for you if needed
Find organic ways that heal the land and your body rather than take the shortcuts that many use.

I have learned many different ways to garden, and have failed at many different experiments. Frost, drought, pests, horses or other animals coming in and making a mess of our garden have taught my wife and I many lessons. I have also grown gardens with my family since 1968. I learned about fruit trees first hand, as has Heather my wife.

She use to pick fruit in the fields in California. I have eaten many fruits picked from the fields from California! I grew up in Washington state, and fruit trees were all around us. Sweet tree ripened plums, fresh picked apples and many more!

We have helped other families to be self-sufficient from small farms (less than 200 acres) to owners of a small private island. Horse ranches, cattle ranches, large wheat farms and alfalfa/hay farms are some of the farms that I have worked on. The one thing that has stuck with me the most was there was always a garden.

If you do not want to research all alone, we are starting a membership site where you can ask questions of us and an exclusive community where both Heather and I will share our decades of experience. There will be a fee to pay for the technology for the membership site, but in the long run, the value is priceless.

We are looking forward to serving you no matter how you ask us questions, either through comments on our website, or by joining us in our membership area.

Looking forward to helping you live the Sustainable Life that you dream of.

Turning Your Dreams into the Life of Your Dreams

Chris Downs, the Caretaker

Founder hisfarm.org and Ambassador of Natural News and Sustainable Living on How to Live on Purpose.com

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Sustainable Gardening, How to Plan for Success is bought to you by hisfarm

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Sustainable Gardening, How to Plan for Success

Inspirational Thoughts |

August 14, 2012

| by Ronda Del Boccio ("The Story Lady")

Free Events This week: Storytelling Techniques: How to Write a Book that Attracts Customers, Professional Public Speaker Training

Can you come out and play? Lots and LOTS happening this week!

Everything in this message is FREE!

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that’s it!

Follow your bliss!

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PS Imagine being able to Measure the Good You
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Ronda Del Boccio, the Story Lady

#1 bestselling author & Celebrity Author Mentor

Twitter http://twitter.com/thestorylady

Facebook http://asktsl.com/vippage

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Free Events This week: Storytelling Techniques: How to Write a Book that Attracts Customers, Professional Public Speaker Training

How to Save Water in Agriculture

What is the shocking truth about food shortages?

The article suggests that companies dealing in fertilizers/grains/trading, seeds/chemicals and farm equipment all stand to gain from the global food shortage. And, it comes as no surprise that environmentally unpopular companies like Archer Daniels Midland, DuPont and Monsanto are on the list.

Hydroponic Gardening a Short History

You do not need soil

What can be grown hydroponically?

Homemade Hydroponics

6 Different Types of Hydroponic Systems

Hydroponic Gardening: grow you way to health

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Are Kindle Singles Authors Making Money?

Currently there are only 322 Kindle Singles.

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Meet Johnathon Wood

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Water Conservation at its best

Inspirational Thoughts on Knowing Your Value: Would You Do This For Nothing?

*** 1. Zero Cost book for Kindle Reader or f-r-ee Kindle app – Stop the time Bandit***

*** 2. Tues & Thurs this week + for several more weeks…***

*** 3. Storytelling Techniques for telling the story of YOU on Relationship Marketing 101 Radio ***

*** 4. Wednesday Webinar – Make Your Book a Customer Magnet***

* 1. Zero Cost book for Kindle Reader or f-r-ee Kindle app – Stop the time Bandit*

* 2. Tues & Thurs this week + for several more weeks…*

* 3. Storytelling Techniques for telling the story of YOU on Relationship Marketing 101 Radio *

* 4. Wednesday Webinar – Make Your Book a Customer Magnet*