Facebook It really IS depressing!

I didnt want to believe it when I stumbled upon an article stating that social networks like Facebook are depressing.  Well, I vowed to take the day off.  I have logged on to play my games and usually went and did something else (like look up raw food recipes that husband will enjoy.)  I kind of read a picture or two but once I caught myself, I would immediately leave.  So how has my day been?  Fucking fantastic.  I mean...holy cow.  Now I realize that the articles were right.

According to some research by some people that I dont remember because I originally thought it was bullshit, most Facebook/social network users post their success.  When we see how successful they are, we start beating ourselves up for stuff.  Most people post happy things.  We see how happy they are and wonder why were not happy.  That makes us even more depressed.  For the people that post depressing things...well you know...its depressing all by itself.  I realized this was very true.  I have wanted a baby for a while and most of my Facebook news feed is plastered with babies and how happy people are.  It is also plastered with weight loss stories and here I am, hating myself for my weight and eating problems.

Now the interesting part is, I decided to use my free time to use Stumble Upon to stumble....babies.  I didnt feel bad then.  I used to feel horrible stumbling on the "babies" section but today I felt just fantastic.  Cute baby here, cute baby there....

Then I played the Sims.  Im on a challenge using mods.  The family can only have children with family members because...you know...its the best bloodline.

Today is a fantastic day.  Enough said!

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I Wish I Was a SAHM

Or a mom or had the intent of being a stay at home wife.  Im not though which is why I had to give up.  Husband and I talked about my stress levels for a while.  Made my own laundry detergent, deodorant, household cleaners, vacuum powder...and so on.  I was doing this on top of school work and my internship. Holy crap.

I broke down and bought some Pine Sol mostly because I found that most green cleaners arent green at all! While I loved using baking soda, lets be honest.  It really is hard to rinse the fridge or the floors.  My time I used to make detergent is now spent studying and I have a little more me time.  Oh how fun life is again!  Yep we bought some detergent for the first time in almost a year.

It is nice to be able to relax when I get home.  I get to spend time with husband, play with my fur babies, and  just...you know...be me.  Now when I came onto the whole idea of having a child, I thought about buying my own diapers and the whole nine yards.  You know what?  I think I will just do a diapering service.  Besides it was never about the cost but about reusing.  When it comes time for daycare, I could always check and see if they take All In Ones

No more walking everywhere.  I need to invest in a car mostly because all the good jobs are quite a ways away.  It is going to be 101 outside Friday and its a two mile walk to my interning clinic.  Perfect example right there...oh hell naw.

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NEW CITRUS!! Limequat lakeland American oil beetle

Limequat - Lakeland 

Its been a great week for us here, new shipment of citrus came in, We managed to get our hands on the lakeland limequat which Ive been wanting for some time now. Whenever the limequats come around its usually the eustis, our normal supplier does not carry the lakeland so we were very lucky to find this one available. The next mission will be to source the tarvaes,  part of our goal is to locate old/odd varieties that the industry has neglected, often at times for the oddest reasons, but I digress.

We just added a new berry bush to our collection!! ( cherry red current ) and a rhubarb ( crimson cherry  ). 

It will be interesting to compare the two rhubarbs we have ( Canada red + crimson cherry ) as when I was growing up I never knew there was more then one type.

I stumbled across this little guy the other day ( american oil beetle ), this is the first time Ive seen one, very strange looking thing, almost seemed to stop and watch me as I brought the camera closer, his colour was the most vibrant blue with almost an iridescence as it stumbled quickly along the grass.

American oil beetle

Work has begun on the new greenhouse, pathways have been mulched, hydroponic tomato system is being setup, display racks are full, plants are potted up and most are ready for sale!!.

and to top it all off, we have a week/two of 20c+ weather!. Cant beat that in spring, especially for Canada.

This coming week we will be placing an order with our new sub-tropical fruit tree supplier, as well as sourcing an organic fertilizer we can start to sell + work on our rabbit/chicken shelter. 

Spring is never a boring time round here.

Lakeland Limequat

Oil beetle

American oil beetle + parasitoid 

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Hormone free meat!!!!!! well not really

Hormones in food - Antibiotic food

Now a days with every agri business claiming one thing after another, the hormone issue is one fraught with confusion. While the government has acknowledged the rBST growth hormone to be of concern, they fail to recognize the implications of other so called "natural" growth hormones used and still  taught to farmers today. The most humorous blogs/websites are put up by the government, filled with hypocritical statements like

there has been no evidence that has shown that animals treated with growth hormones are a threat to human health. 

And on the same page write 

Reducing exposure with your food intake

Although growth hormones and antibiotics are considered safe for food production in Canada, consider the following tips to reduce your exposure to these additives:

• Organic foods have fewer traces of antibiotics than non-organic foods.
• Since beef cattle are the only animals that contains growth hormones, consider choosing organic beef instead of conventional beef when you can.
• Thoroughly wash all vegetables and fruit for thirty seconds under running tap water to minimize the intake of antibiotics.

This is all off of the (eat right ontario) website located here 

http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Farming-Food-production/Hormones-and-antibiotics-in-food-production.aspx

And if you would like to look at the alberta agriculture and rural development page, you will clearly see what is being used and taught to "farmers", why they use it and there so called "benefits" in production.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/beef11691#Introduction

Growth hormones in food

Whether or not these "farmers" are required to state they have used "natural" or synthetic hormones is a whole other question. This should be brought up any time you speak to a farmer, be informed, if you feel any type of pull back or beating around the bush, say thank you and walk away. People who practice good farming methods are happy to talk about what they grow with ( I know I am ).

The old time farmers from the industrial age are lost in a world of herbicides/pesticides/ growth hormones/antibiotics/ and petroleum. IMO This should not be called farming, this is a disgrace to the name. All it has done is wrecked our land, seeds and health, giving rise to corporations like Monsanto and Dow chemical. 

Farmers??  you dont deserve the name.

This post will be more towards growth hormones with a follow up on antibiotic use.

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