Dear Friends and fellow Gardeners,

In writing this column, Barbara and I would like to find a new way (for us) to help you in your pursuit of a productive and healthy garden. If any of you have questions related to gardening, we would be delighted to reply and comment on your problems and questions. Please email us at mulchman@mother.com, or snail mail us at 720 College St., Woodland, CA 95695 We look forward to hearing from you!

Fall is here and, if you are like me, there is plenty of cleanup to do in the garden. This is an excellent time to start composting so let’s go over some of the critical points.

The bacteria that work on raw organic matter prefer small particles of material with as many surface areas for them to work on as possible. That's why shredder grinders work so well. They reduce the branches, stems, leaves, and other forms of organic debris to a uniform size, and also shred the material which gives the little organic good guys many bits a pieces to eat and reduce. Reducing the size of organic material helps considerably to speed the process of biological degradation. This is not to say that you have to have a shredder grinder to produce compost. I do not have a grinder but I still have a fine compost pile. I cut up my garden debris into pieces as small as possible. This works fine — it just takes a little longer to produce finished compost.

Size of pile is important because the bacteria need a certain amount of insulation to maintain stability and growth. The size of a compost pile above ground should be at least 1 cu. ft. or larger.

Moisture is very important. I would say that most of the non-working compost piles that I am asked to look at simply do not have enough moisture in the pile to promote growth of compost bacteria. You should try to maintain 30-40 percent moisture in the pile. Too much water can also slow down the compost process and cause foul odors by anaerobic bacteria.

Oxygenation helps the aerobic bacteria (the good guys) grow and keeps the pile from overheating causing ammonia release and loss of nitrogen. By turning the pile every 2-3 weeks or more often, you oxygenate the pile as well as turn inward the organic matter from the outside.

Nitrogen is necessary for many bacteria to grow and reproduce. Rather than worry about the Carbon/Nitrogen ratio, simple add manure and grass clippings to the pile to supply the necessary N. One bag of manure and a large wheelbarrow load of green grass clipping for every cu. ft. of organic material should be sufficient.

To begin the compost pile you should add a few shovels of soil in layers throughout the pile. After you have started to produce compost, use compost in place of soil to start new piles.

Vermicomposting, the use of earthworms in composting, is one of the most important methods of composting today. Although the use of earthworms in composting has been going on for some time, currently, large municipalities are looking into the use of earthworms in solid waste treatment. I urge you to use earthworms in your compost pile since they produce castings rich in food value to your plants, and eat organic matter at an incredible rate. The worms you want are fishing worms — little red guys purchased at any bait store. One or two boxes should be enough to add to your pile. They will easily reproduce if you keep them happy with fresh organic material. Hooray for earthworms!

The top 10 list of local environmental concerns

Population: The human population has grown at an astonishing rate. The world population has grown seven-fold since America was born. It has tripled since WWII. We are placing a great stress on the world’s resources and the environment to support the population. Irreversible harm to ecosystems and extinction of many animals and plants is the result of the human population. Y2K is everywhere in the media but there looms a much more serious issue than a computer bug. It is Y6B. This October, the world’s population reached 6 billion. Y2K may provide a minor inconvenience for some people for a short time. Overpopulation will exhaust the ability of the earth to support humankind. Famine is already a common event in developing countries where the population has outgrown the ability to feed itself.

Urban sprawl: Our growing cities in the Central Valley are gobbling the most productive agricultural land in the world and replacing it with asphalt and concrete. Over 50 percent of the fruits and vegetables for the country are grown here, so every acre lost is felt throughout the nation. Many valley cities are proposing Urban Growth Boundaries/Slow Growth Initiatives to preserve this productive farmland. The Central Valley’s economy is based on agriculture. Urban Sprawl and agriculture cannot coexist.

Water: Fresh water is a big issue in California. The dams that trap the mountain allow the agricultural industry here to be the greatest in the world. The dams do come with a price however. The reservoirs flood a great deal of wildlife habitat and rivers downstream suffer from insufficient water flow needed for fish to spawn. It is difficult to balance the needs of agriculture, health of the rivers, and the needs of our growing population, especially, in drought years. We must conserve every drop. More efficient irrigation methods are available. Native plants can replace water hungry lawns. Mulching your garden reduces water needs and cuts down on weeds. Use gray water from showers and washing machines to irrigate ornamental plants. Sweep rather than wash your sidewalks and driveways. We can cut back on water use a great deal if we make it a priority.

Pollution: The burning of fossil fuels creates air pollution; dumping of wastes creates water pollution in rivers, lakes and groundwater; and air pollution is very evident. The mountains surrounding our valley trap the pollutants with an inversion layer of warm air that holds it in. Agriculture runoff and industrial waste pollute rivers and ground water. Improperly disposed used motor oil is the largest pollutant of groundwater. Two-stroke engines on boats and yard equipment such as weed eaters and blowers have very high emissions as compared to four-stroke engines. Find an alternative to chemical pesticides for your lawn and garden. Buy organic produce to reduce pesticide use in farming. Acid rain, depletion of the ozone layer, mutations of marine animals, the extinction of many animals, high concentrations of toxic chemicals in seafood, increased lung cancer rates, are just a few examples of the results of our polluting society. Our population keeps growing but fresh water sources have not increased. It is vital to keep our existing fresh water clean.

Habitat destruction: Wildlife has lost significant habitat due to construction, logging, mining, oil exploration, farming, and our desire to build more homes in wilderness areas. Habitat loss is the main cause of the many species becoming extinct every day. Every species has a role. It may be a predator, a food source, or a host for another species. When it is gone the food chain is broken. Lesser species may become stronger and higher species may become weaker. Nature is in a delicate balance and we have tipped the scales many times. Many environmental groups help preserve and restore habitat, challenge environmentally damaging practices, and fight to make sure existing laws are upheld. Your support of these environmental groups can help to preserve important habitat.

Energy consumption: Fossil fuels are a finite resource. We depend on crude oil for heat, electricity, motor fuels, cooking, and the manufacturing of many products. Oil sources are becoming scarcer and it will eventually run out. We must conserve as much as possible until new sources of energy become practical. Low gasoline prices do not help matters because it is still very inexpensive to drive. A bicycle is a good alternative for in-town trips and provides exercise. Walking those 6 blocks to the corner market rather than starting the car, allows you to say hi to the neighbors down the street as you stroll past. Carpooling and combining trips saves fuel and wear on your car. Use solar power drying laundry outside. Open windows on summer nights to cool the house, rather than using AC. Turn off the heater or AC when away from home. Use energy efficient lighting. These steps and others can cut down on fuel usage and pollution as well.

Garbage: America is the most consuming and waste producing country on earth. Garbage is a problem because nobody wants it in their backyard but it has to go somewhere. The garbage burning plant near Crows Landing eliminates much of our trash but there is still refuse which cannot be burned. Many cities haul their trash hundreds of miles for disposal. Sacramento is sending trash to Nevada. Buy products with a minimal amount of packaging. Use recycled products and recycle everything you can. Print on both sides of paper at the office. Reuse grocery bags for shopping or for trash bags. The blue grocery bags can be used for your recyclable trash. Compost your kitchen scraps and lawn clippings.

Traffic: Nobody likes to be struck in traffic. It is a waste of your time, fuel and adds to air pollution. An alternative to commuting is telecommuting from home which many companies allow. Fax machines, e-mail, inexpensive computers and internet access have made it much easier and most telecommuters are more productive than their cubicle bound counterparts. The reduction of stress from commuting and fewer distractions contribute to productivity. Carpooling and public transportation are other alternatives that relieve road congestion. Additional road building to support more traffic is very expensive, destroys wildlife habitat and takes land away from agriculture.

Genetic engineering: Sounds scary, doesn’t it? It is happening in the agricultural world right now. The goal is to increase production, create resistance to pests and diseases, improve the flavor and shelf life, and to fatten the pocketbooks of the seed companies. A recent issue is a terminator gene that does not allow new seeds to germinate. This requires buying new seed every year for planting rather than saving some seed from the previous harvest. Farmers, who are already struggling, must spend more every time they plant. Very little study has been done to explore the effects of these genetically mutant plants. Pollen could spread to other fields and undesirable traits could be spread to organically grown crops downwind. The pest resistance that is added to plants could harm beneficial insects that eat the pests and aid in pollination. People with allergies to certain plants could be affected if DNA is mixed with another plant that they can normally eat. Until genetically altered produce is labeled as such, it is wise to buy produce that is organically grown. You will benefit with improved flavor and no pesticide residue.

Animal exploitation: This is a trait of humankind that predates history and comes in many forms. We exploit animals for food, entertainment, and labor. Factory farms raise poultry and hogs in cages with no room to move. Dairy cattle become marine animals during the rainy season when they wade belly deep in manure. Veal comes from anemic calves that are raised in crates. Circuses and rodeos abuse animals for our entertainment. Beasts of burden such as donkeys, oxen, horses and dogs, are sometimes worked to death, or beaten if they fall from exhaustion. Scientific research routinely kills, maims, and tortures animals when alternatives exist. People have a long history of cruelty to our "so called animal friends." Join animal rights groups that fight against mistreatment of animals. After all, humans are animals too.

To learn more, visit websites of these environmental groups

For more information: S.E. Mears, PO Box 111, Hickman CA 95323. Specify subject requested

Alternative Nobel Prize goes to Cuban group promoting the Organic Revolution

STOCKHOLM and OAKLAND: The Grupo de Agricultura Organica (GAO), the Cuban organic farming association which has been at the forefront of the country’s transition from industrial to organic agriculture, was named as winner of a major international prize — the Right Livelihood Award — commonly known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize.’

The Grupo de Agricultura Organica is one of four winners of the 1999 Right Livelihood Award, chosen from more than 80 candidates from 40 countries. GAO brings together farmers, farm managers, field experts, researchers, and government officials to develop and promote organic farming methods. Its aim is to convince Cuban farmers and policy-makers that the country’s previous high-input farming model was too import-dependent and environmentally damaging to be sustainable, and that the organic alternative has the potential to achieve equally good yields.

"This award is truly an honor for Cuba, for GAO, and for all the farmers, researchers, and policy makers who have struggled to make organic farming work in Cuba," said Dr. Fernando Funes-Aguilar, President of GAO. "We hope that our efforts will demonstrate to other countries that conventional chemically-dependent agriculture is not the only way to feed a country."

During the 1990s Cuba overcame a severe food shortage caused by the collapse of its trade relations with the former Soviet-bloc and the on-going U.S. trade embargo. Self-reliant organic farming played a significant role in overcoming the crisis.

GAO was founded in 1993 as the Associacion Cubana de Agricultura Organica (ACAO), but recently changed its name when it was legally incorporated as part of the Cuban Association of Agricultural and Forest Technicians (ACTAF). Over the past five years it has built up an impressive program of lobbying, training courses, workshops, documentation centers, demonstration farms, and exchange visits for farmers, and has held three international conferences.

"I hope this award will awaken the world to the amazing achievements Cuba has made in organic farming and food security", said Martin Bourque, Sustainable Agriculture Program Director of Food First/The Institute for Food and Development Policy. "Through their hard work, innovation, and scientific excellence, GAO and the whole Cuban agricultural sector have demonstrated that low-input sustainable agriculture can work on a national scale." Food First has had a scientific and technical exchange program with GAO for several years, and will co-sponsor GAO’s Fourth National Encounter on Organic Agriculture in May of the year 2000.

GAO is the first Cuban winner of the Right Livelihood Award. It shares the prize money of SEK 1,800,000 (approximately USD 225,000) with a Colombian network, Consolidation of the Amazon Region (COAMA), working for indigenous rights and bio-diversity, and with Chilean-Spanish lawyer Juan Garces, who is honored for his untiring efforts over many years to bring the former Chilean dictator, General Pinochet, to justice. One of the world’s leading promoters of solar energy, Hermann Scheer, receives an honorary award.

The prizes will be presented at a ceremony in the Swedish Parliament on December 9, the day before the conventional Nobel Prizes. Founded in 1980, the Right Livelihood Award has honored more than 80 outstanding individuals and organizations for work contributing to a better future for the world.

Peter Rosset, executive director of Food First, said: "This award shows the enormous potential of sustainable agriculture, which is so under-exploited in other countries. The whole world should learn from Cuba." Dr. Rosset went on to say that "in Cuba, organic is for everyone, not just for those who can afford it."

Free new bike racks for downtown Modesto businesses

The City of Modesto’s Rideshare Program has received an Air Quality Grant to purchase bike racks for downtown Modesto. As Modesto continues to grow, so has traffic congestion and air pollution. Bicycling is a mode of transportation that can reduce vehicle travel, relieve traffic congestion, reduce parking needs and improve air quality. Bicycle racks along sidewalks can promote bicycle usage for safe and convenient parking.

Businesses can receive free bike racks by calling Delma Lopez, City of Modesto Rideshare Coordinator at 571-5193. They will be available as long as supplies last.

The drawing of the rack which was sent out with the notice looks more like a place to lock your bicycle, rather than an actual rack.

A bigger question for the Bicycle Coordinator than just where to park your bicycle might be, how is Modesto making downtown safe for bicycle riders? Although we have seen many more bike riders this summer than ever before, it is not at all clear that there is any effort toward bicycle safety. We have not heard a word about whether there will be more bicycle routes designated and striped. The last big expenditure to favor bicyclists was the construction of the approach to and the bridge over Dry Creek, that connected the south end of Coffee Road to the bicycle-pedestrian trail through Dry Creek park to El Vista. This made a safe route from East Modesto to Coffee Road/Scenic Drive, but you still have to run the gauntlet from there to actual downtown.

By WILLIAM E. BISHOP

Ah, November! Time for mornings to be brisk again, time for the skies to turn white with wintry moisture. Time again for the seasons to change from Road Work to Rain. This is the time of year I dust off one of my favorite recipes: Mushroom Stew. For this Autumn brew, you will need:

5 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 Tbs. flour
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup tomato juice
2 cups peeled, quartered tomatoes
1 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 lbs. mushrooms, washed
1 lb. boiling onions
red wine to taste
chopped fresh parsley to taste
salt and pepper
1 cup pitted ripe green olives

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium-sized saucepan along with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bay leaves, garlic and onions. Sauté until the onions turn golden. Stir in the flour and reduce the heat.

Cook the roux, stirring constantly, for several minutes. Add the tomato juice and the vegetable broth, using a whisk to remove all lumps. Add the quartered tomatoes.

In a larger pot, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and add the thyme and washed mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms over high heat for several minutes, turning them frequently (take care not to burn the mushrooms – a burnt mushroom can be calamitous). Add the boiling onions and the tomato sauce you prepared earlier. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add a little red wine, some chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Finally, toss in the green olives. Cook a few minutes more.

Serve hot, with home-made bread.