April 2011

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Foundations – a pox on the economy and the money supply

04/13/2011 in Fun Stuff, News, Thoughts, What Matters Most by Curt Siters | No comments

The other night Evelyn and I were watching the final episodes of Lost on hulu and there were an inordinate amount of commercials from foundations (including charitable organizations). Foundations for this cause, foundations for that cause. I got to thinking about it and thinking about the structures, total capital and funding of these foundations. I did some research and came up with some interesting answers.

Total Foundation Capital

I couldn’t come up with a good answer for how much capital is tied up by all the foundations.

According to wikipedia:

  1. The 27 wealthiest foundations in the world have a total capitalization of over 270 billion dollars.
  2. 18 of the 27 wealthiest foundations are in the U.S.

Let’s just say that this represents half of the capitalization of all the foundations which would bring the total over $540billion. Since this is a large number and most people (including myself) have trouble understanding just how large this is. Since this capitalization reflects world numbers I will break this down in world terms:

  • $540billion will employ (worldwide) 1,646,341 (.02% of the world population) households at a median income of $8200 for 40 years.
  • $540billion will employ (worldwide) 3,292,683 (.05% of the world population) households at a median income of $8200 for 20 years.

If we use the $270billion as what is the total foundation capitalization of U.S. foundations:

  • $270billion will employ (U.S.) 312,688 (.1% of the U.S. population) households at a median income of $21,587 for 40 years.
  • $270billion will employ (U.S.) 625,376 (.2% of the U.S. population) households at a median income of $21,587 for 20 years.

The Gross Domestic Product of the U.S. is $14.7trillion. The capitalization represents 1.84%.

The total money supply in the U.S. is $2.37trillion. The capitalization represents 11.39%. Which means that over 10% of our money supply is tied up in foundations.

If those funds were actually invested in people by creating jobs there would not be any financial crisis in the U.S. as almost all of that money would be circulating through the economy.

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Curt SitersCurt Siters

Webmaster

Shoals Creek Village - a new build intentional community.

My Eco Oasis - the hub for what will be a network of many ecovillages.

Big fan of living simply

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.  ~Albert Einstein

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.  ~Standing Bear

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Using Tools: Digging a Trench with a Spade

04/09/2011 in Gardening, Landscaping, Simple Skills, Tools, Using by Curt Siters | No comments

The other day I was digging a trench to run water into the new laundry here at Earthaven. The trench was to be at least 18″ deep to get it below frostline and had to run about 25′ to the main water line and remove enough earth to be able to tap into the main water line. All told I would remove over 37 cubic feet of earth (about a third of a ton) – mostly red clay. Fortunately, the red clay was soft and the spade could slice through it easily. It would take me three hours working at a moderate pace to accomplish.

spade cut thickness

My spade blade is 9″ wide by 12″ long. It would take two blade lengths to get deep enough. One spade width is sufficient. I also only took about 6″ bites to keep the load lighter just in case any rocks (which weigh about 100lbs per cubic foot) should appear in that blade full of earth.

To reduce strain on the handle I can only put the blade into the ground as far as the shoulder on the blade and use the shoulder to lever out the blade full of earth.

If your blade isn’t sharp you may find yourself jumping on the shoulder of the blade to get it to cut into earth. If your blade isn’t sharp, on soft ground this won’t be necessary and only stepping on the shoulder will suffice.

Step method for digging a trench easily

I will dig using what I call “steps” where I start (after digging the initial hole) by taking out 2 loads one blade length down from the ground surface and then 1 load down from that step. I then do one from the top and one from the step – keeping this rhythm going until I reach my destination.

The earth is placed uphill from the trench to make refilling it easier and to not lose the earth in the grass and plants down hill. It will also help to keep run off from any rain from filling the trench until the line is actually in place.

For choosing a spade or shovel, or to learn more about them, see my article on Selecting and Using Tools: Shovels

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Curt SitersCurt Siters

Webmaster

Shoals Creek Village - a new build intentional community.

My Eco Oasis - the hub for what will be a network of many ecovillages.

Big fan of living simply

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.  ~Albert Einstein

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.  ~Standing Bear

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Selecting and Using Tools: Shovels

04/07/2011 in Gardening, Landscaping, Maintenance, Natural Building, Selecting, Tools, Using by Curt Siters | No comments

Is it a spade or a shovel – what’s the difference?

Parts of a spade

Shovels and spades have been around a very long time and are used in various ways from gardening to landscaping – so long in fact that the design cannot be improved. You will see all kinds of “flashy” things added – wider shoulders, different handles, additional handles, curved shafts – but these really do not change their design.

A shovel is a tool with a handle and a broad scoop or blade for digging and moving material, such as dirt or snow. Handle lengths and blade lifts are important to balance and efficient shoveling. Low-lift blades and irrigating shovels are best for digging and turning soil while regular-lift shovels and scoops are for moving and throwing earth and other materials.

A spade is a sturdy digging tool having a thick handle and a heavy, flat blade that can be pressed into the ground with the foot.

Many people call a shovel a spade and vice versa. According to the dictionary, a spade, deriving from the Latin word spatha, is a long-handled tool with a flat blade that is pressed with the foot and used for digging, while a shovel is a long-handled tool with a broad scoop used in lifting and moving loose material. Ultimately you dig with a spade and you shift stuff with a shovel. And both can be used for both the purposes. Continue reading “Selecting and Using Tools: Shovels” »

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Curt SitersCurt Siters

Webmaster

Shoals Creek Village - a new build intentional community.

My Eco Oasis - the hub for what will be a network of many ecovillages.

Big fan of living simply

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.  ~Albert Einstein

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.  ~Standing Bear

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How To Make Dandelion Root Powder

04/01/2011 in Emergency Preparedness, First Aid (natural), Gardening, Health, Herbs, How To, Plants, Recipe, Simple Skills, What Matters Most by Evelyn | 6 comments

DandelionProper preparation of your dandelion root for wellness is as important as when it is harvested. George Cairns articulates below how this is done properly. I highly recommend following his instructions right down to every last detail. Cairns, near death from cancer, was told by his doctor that he had 6 months to live. Over 90 years old now, Cairns has lived to see over a decade of living cancer-free, he shares his story on how he was guided to use dandelion root powder to release cancer from his body.

The other important consideration here is to harvest the dandelion ‘yourself’ in a place that is free of chemical pollution. Additionally, the dandelion products sold in stores will NOT be of the same quality as if you had done the work yourself, companies making products have price points to meet and thus cannot pay attention to the finest details and it is not known to help those with cancer.

How To make Dandelion Root Powder By George Cairns

To make dandelion root powder, let’s start at the beginning. This would be collecting the seed. The seed is at the base of the white fluffy crown that appears when the yellow flower matures. Blow on them and they fly away. These little seeds do not grow until the next spring. I collect the seeds in May and June, then I put them in the freezer. This way you fool Mother Nature, as the seeds must freeze before they grow. This way you can grow the seed the same year you collect then. Work up the land where you are going to plant them and spread the seeds on top of the ground and rake them in very lightly and water. I usually plant the seeds in August.

I dig up the seedlings the next April. I try to do all my transplanting in April as by the end of April they start blooming, which takes the energy away from making roots. It’s a good thing to pick the buds off for the first couple months. When I did the seedlings up in April, I plant them about 6 inches apart in rows 18 to 20 inches apart. I hoe them when needed and keep the weeds and grass out of them. After about 2 months you won’t be able to hoe as they will cover the ground. Then I pull the weeds and grass out of the bed. Water when needed.

I usually start digging them up in October. By this time some of the roots will be 1 inch in diameter. I shake off most of the dirt and slice lengthwise the bigger roots to about ¼ inch so they will dry evenly. To dry them I use a forced-air incubator without any water in it. I set the incubator at 100 degrees or a little less. It takes about 5 days until they are ready to grind. You can use a dehydrator, set around 100 degrees. If it doesn’t have setting, don’t use it. You can also dry in the sun if you put them in something the wind can blow through, life a small potato or onion sack. Hang them in the sun but take them down in late afternoon and put in a plastic sack and tie it. If you don’t they will pick up moisture and you will be back where you started. Then put them out the next day when the sun in up. Once you have heat in the house, it’s no trouble, as they will dry OK most anywhere there is heat, like near a register or stove. The excess dirt will pop off as they dry. Mother Nature knows how much to leave. If the roots are very clean, add a little dirt, as this powder won’t work without the dirt.

When you make powder, try not to lose anything. Pound the roots flat, then put in an electric coffee grinder for 25 seconds and you have powder. You can also keep pounding and crumbling until you have it the right fineness. What I did for a long time, a friend gave me a cast iron pestle and mortar. With this you can get it down as fine as you wish.

To store, put in an airtight jar and fill as near to the top as possible. I’ve kept it 10 months this way. Also, keep in a dry place.

NOTE: Please save this page, as it won’t be printed again by me. It may save your life or the life of a loved one or a friend. Anyone may reprint this if they print it word for word. ~ G.C.

Read George’s full story here!

If you have any questions, call or write to:

George Cairns

708 South Hughes Road

Woodstock , IL 60098

1-815-338-1626

~~ Dandelion Root Powder can be purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs ~~

Please check with them to learn if the dandelion root powder is processed in the same way George Cairn’s describes as he stresses the importance of processing in a particular way.

Evelyn Vincent Evelyn Vincent

Native Plant Landscaper, Gardener, Labyrinth Design, Feng Shui Practitioner,  Aromatherapy / Essential Oils, Big Fan of Nature and Living Simply.

"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."
~ R. Buckminster Fuller

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