UPDATE ON THE NEWS AND INFO PAGE
I have turned the page upside down, I am glad someone pointed this out to me.
From now on, the newest page will be on top, so you can read it without having to scroll all the way down to the end. The first page I did will be on the bottom, the newest page on top. This should help quite a bit.
FINALLY, we have some news and info. We are sorry it took so long.
We are assuming you are reading this because you have either 1) bought our products, 2) are interested in our products, or 3) stumbled across this website because you have some mild form of interest in something about or similar to our products.
Ok, no problem.
I am Rick Machado, co-owner of Machado Farms, and in charge of this part of the website. I am going to write it partly like a blog, partly like a set of links, partly like an Op-Ed part of the newspaper
If you like Farming information and links, good. I will include everything I have found and saved, or have run across for the last 10 years.
If you like Health information and links, also good. I have plenty for you too.
If you are interested in something DIFFERENT, now that's really good. because we are too..
We are far more than a farm.
We have interests far more diverse than farming, and much more varied than simply Agriculture. For one, we are interested in Education. My wife is a teacher and a professor, and does public speaking about kids and schools, and teaches teachers how to do their job better.
I also do public speaking about Teen Pregnancy, the dynamics behind it, and how to deal with this distressing problem. You won't believe how many people have it all wrong. The ignorance about it is stunning. But that's another story all together.
As a farm, we are nutritionally oriented. We farm with techniques to enhance the available nutrients for our customers. This involves less water, better soil, different seed, and a different way of looking at your crops. I have learned a great deal from farmers far better than myself over the years.
We read a lot. Books on religion, charged stones, witchcraft, sex, women's rights, working out, endurance sports, construction, alternative music, energy, money, power, and all that it destroys or enhances. And I'll talk about it all.
I am also pursuing my doctorate in Human Sexuality. This is an important area for all of us. So I will talk about it, as well as give you links and other pieces of information about it. .
We can't even list all the areas we follow. But if you check back with us you will see that Machado Farms is more than what it appears to be.
These links are in no particular order- just what we feel is important on any particular day.
I will be updating this page a couple times a week or so.
(Let me know if a link is broken please )
Be Warned. There is no Topic That is Off Limits. We believe Society works best with Free Discourse and Independent Thought. Everything that can be Talked about, Should be Talked About.
August 4, 2008
Back again for more news and info. We are getting a lot of interest on this page, in terms of page visits, and we thank you.
Today, more Farming and Agricultural links.
1.This is an excellent link for information on Growing Potatoes. Specifically, using cover crops in your potato fields to increase nutrients, reduce weed activity, increase good bugs, add organic matter, and increase yields. Although it is from Canada, where it is much cooler than where I am ( Southern California ), the technical info is well written and spot on. Even if you don't grow tubers, like we do, you can still see how today's farmers are considered professionals, not barefoot hippies or tobacco chewing rednecks.
http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/Publications/EAP71.htm
2. Another example of how the Internet has changed farming and research. Here is an article about water and growing beans, specifically about how too much water in certain crops dilutes the nutrients available for the consumer, in this case, calcium.
There are a lot of farmers in the world who don't irrigate, they instead depend on winter or summer rains. But for those of us who irrigate, every drop is precious. In the future, as they say, wars will be fought over water.
We have long suspected that the less water a plant gets, the more nutritious that plant will be. After all, weeds have some of the highest amount of nutrients present. See especially wild purslane, lambsquarter, early tumbleweed, redroot pigweed.
So if less water equal more nutrients, then we need certain plants that handle less water. Not all plants are equal in this instance.
The trick is finding these plants, breed them for palatability, non shattering seed system, decent growth rate, and so on. This is quite a task.
At any rate, read this to see where the future of plant breeding is heading without genetic manipulation.
http://tinyurl.com/6k3oqb
3. One of the Seed Groups that have been extremely helpful to me early on in my seed growing business is The Organic Seed Alliance. Very well run, smart and professional, the are bringing out the best in growers specializing in certified organic and sustainably grown seed. They are politically motivated as well, with the clout to make people sit up and take notice. They have conferences, put out a newsletter, donate seed to poor countries, and really really try to make a difference. Look them up.
http://www.seedalliance.org/
4. Ok, now here is one of the most prized of all the links I bookmark. Someone gave me this link at leat 10 years ago, and I have been all over it.
It is a Phyochemical and Ethnobotanical Database of plants all over the world. It is huge, you will need a lifetime to get through it.
It is run by Jim Duke, THE Jim Duke of herb and plant fame. It is run by the US Government, so far they haven't destroyed this yet either.
But what does it do? What do those words mean, you say?
Open it up and look at the cover page. It lists plant searches, chemical searches, activity searches.
What that means is you can look up almost any plant in the world, and you can see all it's nutrients. You can break that down further by looking for nutrients in a particular part of the plant, say just the leaf, or the flower.
You can further break that down by a certain activity that plant has- anticarcinogenic, for example. Or antidepressent.
So you can look up lettuce, say, and find out every nutrient in it, and how those nutrients affect you.
A real help for people with long term disease, like cancer or AIDS.
Very technical, it has a learning curve to it, but don't give up! You'll use this time and time again. Massive site, a real gem of a find.
http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/
5. A fascinating link about drought, and how scientists in Cape Town are looking at a certain plant and it's genetic code to see if they can use these genes in helping with both drought and heat stress. . This plant, X viscosa, can survive long periods without water, and then has learned to "resurrect" itself. Sounds almost biblical, but it's the real deal. There are literally thousands of plants that can help us, but little money for research.
Where is our money going? Over $400,000,000 a DAY pours into Iraq alone. Is anyone paying attention?
http://tinyurl.com/6auu59
That's it for today. Thanks for reading, and keep watch on our site for our next new product. Go do good somewhere.
August 2, 2008
I am back again, rejoice! Ahem.. Ok, let's start first with some different links, different than Farming or Agricultural links.
These links are on Women's issues, Women's products, Women's history, and all things Women.
Anyone that knows us knows how passionate we are about Women and Power. We believe Women should be running the world. We believe Women should be in charge. We believe that the rise and fall of society coincides with the rise and fall of Women. When Women are out of Power, when they have no voice, and only the men are left to run things, it all goes in the toilet.
It's no secret that the countries in which Women have the least amount of power are the poorest, weakest, most violent countries on earth. Just look to Africa first. Look to Mexico. And look to countries like China and Iran, and now, the USA, where men who have power spend their power capital controlling their people, blustering about war, keeping women silent, using their energy to hold on to power. Our motto-" When women get power, they say "' How can I use it? When men get power, they say " How can I keep it?"
Links for today will deal with Women, and all things related.
1. First is a link everyone should have bookmarked, The Guttmacher Institute. This is THE resource for all things sex and sex related. Facts and figures, information, statistics, all you need when you want the truth, not the hype. Especially important right now is information on how the current President and his delusional staff are quietly working behind the scene with the FDA to make contraceptives, including the pill, equal to abortion. They want to make it illegal to buy contraceptives no matter what age, before they leave office, because they equate it with abortion. Keep this site close at all times.
http://www.guttmacher.org/
2.This is a page from the UNICEF group, who use varying statistics to compare young and old women worldwide. This page compares the teen birth rate (TBR) and shows this stat to be the pulse of a nation, country, state, city, or town. I will devote another blog talk to this later, but for now, this is useful and valuable because it shows Women and Power. You don't want a teen getting pregnant young,. Not because they are having sex. That's not the issue. The issue is power. Getting pregnant young, especially in poorer countries, silences their voice. They will most likely lose their power, because they will most likely not finish school, not have money, not grow up to be in charge. That's the issue.
http://www.unicef.org/pon98/women4.htm
3.This is a website of a very fascinating woman, Barbara Lamb. She is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist. She is a licensed Hypnotherapist. She is Regression therapist, specializing in ET encounters. She does Past Life therapy. She is a specialist on Crop Circles, those shapes and patterns found in farmer's fields all over the world, which she feels firmly are not hoaxes. . She has written books, papers, been on TV.
We have met Barbara many times, since she did some therapy work with us. A beautiful, spiritual, highly intelligent woman, she really knows what she is talking about. She is a real, true role model for all women, and very good at her job. If you are in or near Southern California, or can catch her at any of her presentations, I urge you to spend time with her. She's the real deal.
http://www.joanocean.com/Lamblurb.html
4. Now here is something that you should really like- A place to shop for Goddess type products, earth wise type products, fun stuff. Art, pendants, buttons, books, herbs, teas, gemstones- well put together, nice people, good prices. If you believe in Women's Power, you'll like this place.
http://tinyurl.com/6kqsuc
5.A well written, well thought out site devoted to Ancient Goddesses, Mystical Rites, and the truth about Women's Roles thousands of years before Christ. You can see where the author has the feel and the sense, not to mention the intelligence, to show how modern day religion and sex is a corrupted version of how it was before the rise of modern day religion ( about 3000 b.c.). Scroll down to the bottom, to see all the chapters. She talks about Wicca, Religion, Paganism, lots of Sex, Myth, and of course, Women and Power. A beautiful site.
http://www.goddess.org/vortices/index.html
6. A link to a site on prostitutes, and how they changed the world. Long before they were reviled, prostitutes were "the women of the temple", smart, beautiful, praised, sought after, they were healers, and they were there as a necessary part of society. Back then, they were" raised up", today, they are, sadly, "put down".
This site is a tribute to these beautiful women, and it is well worth looking at.
http://www.wondersmith.com/heroes/author.htm
Thats it for today. Go do good somewhere.
August 1, 2008
Back again, we hope to have something worth your time here. There is an unbelievable information overload on the Net, and we DON'T want to waste your time. So here goes.
Today we talk clothes. Not just " clothes". But clothes.
You see, a farmer doesn't just "get dressed". He or she "dresses".
Clothes are very important in a farmers life. They can make or break your day. Good clothes can help make a tough day go easier, make the workload smooth. Bad clothes can ruin the whole experience.
I admit, when I was young and poor, to buying anything cheap. Anything I had was fair game for work, and my family was stunned and angry to see me walk in at the end of the day wearing a shirt they had just bought me the week before for my birthday. And it wasn't a work shirt. So, yes, I had a steep learning curve.
Today, I shop the world over for clothes that fit my job.
Durable. Tough. Strong. Tear-proof. Rain-proof. Wrinkle- proof.Stain-proof. Lightweight for summer, heavier for winter. . Vents for heat. Lots of pockets. . Quick drying. Reinforced knees, elbows, pockets. And above all, people who stand behind their work. And no sweat-shop clothes! No Wal-Mart stuff!
I have not found all that I have looked for. Our work is grueling, and the workload staggering at times. We can go through the best clothes in a short time.
But here are my best picks.
(If you know something I don't, write and tell me. I will consider trying them and adding them)
1. As a farmer, outdoors man, and as someone who believes in taking care of my body, Hats are indispensable. I wear a hat EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. Not baseball hats, not caps, not berets, not wool hats, not stocking caps, not "cowboy" hats, not anything other than a REAL HAT.
A REAL HAT is different. First, it protects from the elements. Sun ( lots) rain ( sometimes lots ) snow ( not much here) wind (lots). It must fit snugly without giving you a headache. It must have a tie. It must carry water. It must be extremely tough. It must ventilate. It must shade you well. It must last for, hopefully, a lifetime. It must look good. It must be washable, to a degree. You must be able to pull it off, and smack a wasp, unruly livestock, your drunken friends if needed, or anyone or anything else. Real Hats are meant to be used for work, not just to look good at the pub.
I have searched the world over for good hats, and I will pay top price. And I am sure I have not seen all the great hats of the world, but I have seen a fair amount. And here my (current) top three picks for the best hats, in no particular order.
First, Sunday Afternoons. I have several of these, and we wear them constantly. They are the best for my line of work, durable, lightweight, very high SPF, inexpensive, washable. And, they can carry water.
http://www.sundayafternoons.com/
Next, a Tilley Hat.
Very well made, a lifetime guarantee, strong, lightweight, large brim, with lots to choose from. Perfect for in town or out in the fields. I had one I wore all the time, but ended up giving it to my friend The Bone. Once you learn to spot one, you'll recognize them everywhere.
http://www.tilley.com/
Finally, a Filson Hat. These are a different type of hat, and will last you several lifetimes. These are the kind of hats you pass down to your kids, and their kids, and so on. More an old fashioned type hat, extremely well made, water resistant, stylish. A working person's hat. Check them out. I use the Tin Cloth Packer Hat.
http://tinyurl.com/6kn7zg
2. Pants- Very tough to find good pants. I have tried several types.
First- No Levi's. Too restrictive. Too snug for farm work, not tough enough. Not durable enough.
Second, in the summer, you may wear long pants for work, but they have to be tough and lightweight.
Third, lots of short pants will work, but they need lots of pockets, tough crotches, and bear repeated washings.
Here are my current best.
A. For winter long pants, Arborwear. They produce clothing for arborists, tree climbers, tree workers, a very tough, very heavy pair of pants. I use The Original Tree Climbers Pants. Very well made, strong, reinforced knees, heavy duty pockets. I like them a lot. Expensive. But I bought them about 2 years ago, and they will probably last one more season without mending. . I have destroyed them. But 3 years for 2 pair of pants for me is great, considering I would go through 2 a year before.
Look at all their clothes. A nice, solid company with a good products. I see they have lightweight summer pants, but I have not tried them.
http://www.arborwear.com/ourstory_page01.cfm
B. For summer long pants, go to RailRiders. They make the best all around outdoor clothes I have ever worn. Even better than Patagonia, another company I like.
These pants are so lightweight, so strong, wrinkle proof, stain proof, tough, and so well made, I wear no other long pants in the summer. I use the Versa Tec Pants, the Yukon Work Pants, and the Extreme Adventure Pants. They advertise "The Toughest Clothes on the Planet", and I believe it. I destroy their pants too, but I destroy all pants. But theirs are very very good.
A quick story about these fine people-
Years ago, my first web order to them had a question from me about the color of a shirt. I wrote the question in the little box, clicked "confirm order", and off it went into cyberspace. I spent about 30 seconds looking the order over after doing this, and then my phone rang. I picked it, and answered, as I always do" This is Rick".
A voice called back " Rick? John D'Arbeloff, owner, RailRiders".
Now mind you, this is less than a minute from my order confirmation. I started laughing, and laughed for a good 30 seconds, and he had the good grace to laugh with me. When we both finished, he spoke first. "Well', he said, easily, " it's all about customer service". And he was the OWNER.
I was impressed. I have spent a good deal of money with them, buying both pants and shirts, and every penny well worth it. Get on their mailing list. Look over everything. You'll really like them and their products.
http://www.railriders.com/
C. For short pants, I wear anything I can get that has pockets and belt loops. They take much less of a beating than long ones. Right now I am wearing a a pair from Royal Robbins that are pretty good. No gym shorts. Must have belt loops. Strong pockets.Loose crotch.No sweat shop stuff. Try Railriders, Patagonia, and Arborwear.
Later on this week, I'll talk about shirts. Thanks for reading. Go do good somewhere.
July 29, 08-
1-First is a link for one of the finest websites I have run across- Soil and Health
http://www.soilandhealth.org/
I have been in contact with the owner of this website, Steve Solomon, and this is the real deal if you are interested in farming, health, politics, freedom, spirituality, religion, and how it all fits together. Well worth checking out, one of the best of its type on the web.
2-Here is a link for the Repositories for the US Government for Seed. The American Seed Banks.
.http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/index.html
The Feds take a lot of flak, and they should especially these days. Without getting into a huge discourse, we can safely say things are not well.
But we forget there are parts of the Federal System that George and his incompetent friends haven't quite destroyed yet. This is one of them. Very smart, competent, hard-working employees are guarding our nation's seeds, and doing everything they can to improve on the seeds we have out in the country and the world. .
I have used these repositories many, many times. They are kind, generous people, who understand and appreciate plant breeding, farming, and all it entails. You may never use them, but please check them out. It's a huge site.
3-Here is a link everyone should read- The Rights of the People, Individual Rights, and the Bill of Rights.
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/rightsof/homepage.htm
It's important to see where you stand in this part of the world. Want to see how your rights have been eroded? Do you believe that you are so free that you needn't worry? Ignore this at your own peril and your own demise. Spend an hour going over what rights you have.
4-Read this very well written article from Wired Magazine about SuperOrganics, and see if you agree about genetic manipulation.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.05/food.html
5-Looking for unusual books? Comics? Art? DVD's? Something different? Outside of the mainstream? Then this is your place. A place called Atomic Books-Literary Finds for Mutated Minds.
http://www.atomicbooks.com/_Home.html
6- Need containers? Jars, bottles, tins, drums? Plastic, glass, cardboard, etc... I use them consistently, good service, nice people, helpful company. Will sell small amounts, will send samples. You won't go wrong here. Freund Container.
http://www.freundcontainer.com/default.asp
7- If you're looking for outdoor gear for rough conditions, then this may be the ideal. Filson. I buy their hats, which will last me my lifetime. They have virtually every type of outdoor clothing, including shirts, pants, jackets, chaps, and unusual things like hunting clothes, fishing clothes, traveling gear, far more than you can imagine. If everything is as well made as their hats, then I am sold forever.
http://tinyurl.com/6rxfbv
8- Lyrics to old songs? Sure,why not. Stop saying it wrong! Ok!
http://www.oldielyrics.com/
9-Some unusual clothing. Different designers, most you have never heard of. Some organic, very chic, mostly women's clothing, but that's ok. We like women. Lot's to choose from. We like Pi Organics. Spend some time here. If you're going to spend money and time, spend it well. The Green Loop.
http://www.thegreenloop.com/Perfectly_Imperfect_s/283.htm
10.- It's hard to say enough about this site. Do you want info on women's issues? The law? Medicine? Music? Television? Science? Business? Finance? Whew!!
So comprehensive that you can't finish it in your lifetime. Bookmark it now. I have for 10 years. The Liz Library.
http://www.thelizlibrary.org/toc_frame.html
11.- Looking for a good blog from a guy with a very good grasp on agriculture? Here's someone who writes what he feels is important, not only on his farm, but in his life. You may not agree with his Christian beliefs, but you can't help but admire his character. He lives his beliefs, writes honestly, and sells some unusual and unique products. His chicken plucker ideas are worth all the time you spend. Well worth your time and mine.
http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/
Thats it for today. Go do good somewhere.
Scartar
Unique combination of 14 healing herbs, 3 oils to nourish and enrich your skin, plus Shea butter, the ultimate moisturizer, and raw Beeswax, Scartar is used to heal wounds, fade scars, and nourish skin.It is Waterproof and Sweatproof. Everyone should keep a jar handy- it could make a world of difference!.
Salad Flakes
Completely unique, dehydrated salad, ground to a coarse crumble, ready to be sprinkled over your meal. Packed with antioxidants, perfect for taking anywhere. For people who are serious about their health.
