February
28, 2011: Beginning journal on the process of organizing to research Stinging Nettle as a viable fertilizer/herbicide. Please
see:
http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com/stinging_nettle_project.htm
for entire grant details. Grant submitted by deadline: Nov., 2010.
This is page 2 of the Journal beginning April 1, 2011.
For Feb. - March Journal click here
May click here
For Calendar of Methods and Timelines,
click here
Planting Begins March 9th, 2011 Any questions or answers? Email me at lapaix@hughes.net
Project Title: “What Urtica dioca L. Can Do For Farmers
Project Leader: Myra Bonhage-Hale, MSW
Address: La Paix Herb Farm, 3052 Crooked Run Rd., Alum Bridge, WV 26321
Telephone: (304) 269-7681 Best Time to Call: Noon – 1 p.m.
E-Mail Address: lapaix@hughes.net SARE request: $ 7826.
How did you hear about SARE? WV Univ. Direct Marketing Conference
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Summary: Briefly summarize the key points of your proposal. Do not exceed the space provided.
I intend to research the use of stinging nettle (Urtica dioca L.) as both a potential organic fertilizer and herbicide. Previous studies indicate fermented or fresh stinging nettle water makes a good fertilizer and herbicide (depending on the strength of the mixture). To examine fertilization efficacy, stinging nettle compost tea and hydrosol will be applied to tomato plants as a foliar spray. The results of the applications of the formulas will be compared with a commercial organic fertilizer and a control bed. To explore stinging nettle compost tea as an herbicide, I will experiment with using undiluted stinging nettle compost tea to eradicate weeds prior to preparing beds for planting. The results will be compared to hand weeding beds in preparation for planting.
Soil analysis will be conducted when the fertilizers are first applied and six months after their application to ascertain long time effects on soil nutrition. Plant tissue analysis comparisons will be made between plants prior to application of the four preparations and in monthly applications thereafter (July through October).
Because stinging nettle is easy to grow almost anywhere in the world, the use of it as a fertilizer could greatly enhance the organic farmer’s produce and soil while saving time, energy and money. Environmental costs of delivering fertilizers from great distances, thus increasing our carbon footprint, would also be eliminated or greatly reduced.
February 23, 2011: Email from NESARE Announcement of Grants for Farmer Growers:
Dear Myra Bonhage-Hale:
Thank you for submitting the SARE grant proposal, What Urtica dioca
L. can do for farmers. Review team recommendations were forwarded to
our Administrative Council for the winter meeting on February 15-17.
I'm sorry to say that your proposal was not selected for funding this
year. We will be notifying your technical advisor as well.
We appreciate that you invested considerable effort to develop a SARE
proposal. A letter including a summary of reviewer feedback will be sent
in March.
I wish you success in your endeavors, Carol Delaney Farmer Grant
specialist Northeast SARE 655 Spear Street Burlington, VT 05602
802-656-0697 Carol.delaney@uvm.edu
When the world
says, "Give up, "Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." ~Author Unknown
|
April 1, 2011: Those attending,
those who may attend, and those who have not replied to invitation to Luncheon Meeting and Discussion of Project at La Paix on Sunday, April 3rd: Melissa Dennison, Garden Treasures and Chef Dale Hawkins, Fish Hawk Acres CSA - both have joined the research group. Dale volunteered to bring something for the lunch at the meeting on the 3rd! Interested in doing research; coming to April 3rd mtg: 1. Dot Montgillion: Smoke Camp Crafts 2. Alexandria Straight Ritchie Co.
3. Hans Straight Buckhannon
Upshur Co.
5. Chef Dale Hawkins, Fish Hawk
Acres CSA
8. Melissa Dennison, Garden
Treasures (may not
Possibly Interested in participating
in research:
Dried Stinging Nettle doesn't sting! |
Those Attending Meeting April 3, 2011:
|
|
April 3, 2011 Meeting at La Paix to Discuss Stinging Nettle Research Project with Collaborating Farmers Agenda: I. Meet and
Greet in Kitchen at La Paix: Introductions, Luncheon in
the Parlor, Handouts: Stinging Nettle Research Time
and Task Table At end of meeting all who attended except Dot Montgillion stated that they had good reasons to participate in the research. Most stated that they wanted to find out if stinging nettle fertilizer could benefit farmers and gardeners. Dot had, over the years, developed her own compost tea which she was very satisfied with and so saw no reason to try any other types of applications. |
4-6-2011: To date the following farmers
will be participating in the research project: |
|
4-5-2011: Methods
Table revised according to consensus of participants at meeting.
New table sent to all participants. 4-6-2011: Methods Table revised & put on Website. 4-7-2011: Press Release regarding Research Project to be written and sent to media. Sent 4-7-2011 Press Release: For Immediate Release: April 7, 2011 From: Myra Bonhage-Hale, Steward La Paix Herb Farm To: All Media Re: Can Stinging Nettle revolutionize farming in West Virginia?
Ten farmers in West Virginia and two farmers in Ohio intend to research the use of stinging nettle (Urtica dioca L.) as a potential organic fertilizer. Previous studies indicate fermented or fresh stinging nettle water makes a good fertilizer. To examine fertilization efficacy, stinging nettle tea and hydrosol will be applied to tomato plants as a foliar spray. The results of the applications of the formulas will be compared with a commercial organic fertilizer and a control bed.
Because stinging nettle is easy to grow almost anywhere in the world, the use of it as a fertilizer could greatly enhance the organic farmer*s produce and soil while saving time, energy, money and the environment. Environmental costs of delivering fertilizers from great distances, thus increasing our carbon footprint, would also be eliminated or greatly reduced. Petroleum products, including fertilizers, are becoming more and more expensive for farmers to use and they also gradually kill the ground on which they are applied, whereas organic fertilizers like compost and compost teas actually improve the soil on which they are applied. If farmers could obtain their fertilizers from their own farms, or locally, storage would be greatly reduced, and costs would be only in time.
Research and use of stinging nettle as a fertilizer has shown it to be successful in France, Germany, England, Africa and other countries. However, in the United States, most research has been done on how to eliminate it rather than use it. On April 3rd, interested farmers met at La Paix Herb Farm in Alum Bridge (Lewis County) West Virginia to discuss the efficacy of doing the stinging nettle research as volunteers. Those who decided to participate are: Myra Bonhage-Hale, La Paix Herb Farm, Lewis County, Eva Ristl and husband, Left Fork Farm, Roane Co., Alexandria Straight, Ronan Straight, Hans Straight, Bare Creek Farm, Ritchie Co., Robert & Busie Barbour, Thistlenook Farm, Upshur Co., Dean McIlvaine, Carmella Massara Twin Parks Farm, West Salem Ohio, Bart and Andrea Lay. Hidden Hollow Farm, Mineral County, WV., Melissa Dennison & husband, Garden Treasures, Roane Co., Chef Dale Hawkins, Fish Hawk Acres, Upshur County. More information on this project may be found at www.lapaixherbfarm.com , specific links being: http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com/stingingnettleprojectjournal.htm. http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com/stinging_nettle_project.htm http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com/stingingnettleprojectcalendarofm.htm The progress of the various research farms will be documented on the links above. The Ohio organic farmers do not have stinging nettle growing on their farm. If anyone in Lewis County or surrounding counties has stinging nettle which they want to have harvested within the next month or so, please contact Myra at lapaix@hughes.net. 4-10-2011: Paced out area for research on tomatoes 35 x 45 feet. I am doing two hydrosol rows - one 10 to 1 other 20 to 1 concentration. with Helper Mike Lunsford |
Photo by Coleen Anderson, Mother Wit.
It
takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment
to grow.
Spray bottle purchased for $19.99 - |
|
4-13-2011: 1, Liz Jerrett joined the Stinging Nettle Research group - she will be growing stinging nettle for the project! 2, Weston Democrat printed the article and photos on the Project in their weekly paper which came out today. 3, Email sent to all research project researchers asking for short bio, and data and photos if available for web page of research progress.
4. Stacey Jacobsen of WBOY-TV
emailed - will be doing story here at La Paix on Friday, April
15th on Stinging Nettle project. Members emailed asking
them to come for interview. |
|
|
April 15, 2011: Three days ago, my helper, Mike, and I paced out the 35 by 45 foot area in which I will conduct the research on stinging nettle fertilizer. Today, following a day or two of sun, Mike began tilling the area. As the ground is still quite damp, he will have to till it five more times in order to get the sod broken up. Yesterday, my neighbor Kevin mowed the area to be used. It has never been used for anything in the 30 years I have been here except for a parking lot once a year the last nine years.
April 16, 2011: Thanks to my former collaborator in the Sustainable Living group, Denise Poole, I had an invitational booth at the Sustainable Living Fair in Elkins WV. My booth featured live stinging nettle in which brave souls (7 women 2 men) stuck their hands, got stung and then cured the sting with my lemon balm hydrosol! I was one of four presenters at dinner and we talked about the Stinging Nettle Research Project. As a result, Jane Birdsong, a participant found a source of stinging nettle for the two farmers in the project who did not have access to their own.
”Live with intention. Walk to the edge.
Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with
abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do
what you love. Live as this is all there is.”
--Mary Ann Radmacher
Stacy Jacobsen of WBOY-TV cancelled todays interview in an email last night. "I would call but I don't have a phone number for you. One of our anchors is sick, so I have to fill in for a few stories tomorrow elsewhere. I wanted to know if we could re-schedule for next week. What day would be good for you? So sorry for the late notice; I only found out a few hours ago." I emailed Stacy and suggested that either Wed. or Thurs. next week would be good for me. She just emailed me a minute ago and next Monday we will decide between Wed. and Thursday. She said Mike would be fine to interview too.
”Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.” --Wayne Dyer |
That's Torma my dog investigating the project. west-where Torma is, east where I stood and south on left, north on right. The beds will go south to north so that each gets an equal amount of sun.
Booth at Sustainable Fair - stinging nettle and bottle of stinging nettle hydrosol at far right.
|
|
April 21 2011: Stacy Jacobsen
came to La Paix and did video and interview on the Stinging
Nettle Research Project. See WBOY.com for summary.
She asked to be alerted to further development in the project.
This website was put on the WBOY web site and quite a few
visitors resulted. In addition, about ten other TV and
newspapers covered the report. http://wboy.com/story.cfm?storyid=98130&func=viewstory&printview=1 Jane Birdsong has found a farmer in Upshur county who has lots of stinging nettle to share with the farmers in the group who do not have any on their own farms (Bart and Andrea Lay, Hidden Hollow Farm, Mineral County WV and Dean McAlvine and Camilla Passaro Ohio)... Mike Oldaker also has (Upshur county) has stinging nettle to share. |
In addition, there are 50 or so Cherokee Purple and Chocolate tomatoes for standby.
|
|
”It is not good enough for things to be planned - they still have to be done; for the intention to become a reality, energy has to be launched into operation.” --Walt Kelly
|
As I did not get the grant
from USDA Sustainable Farmer Grower's program, the money for
labor and supplies is coming out of my personal budget. To
date, Mike has spent about 16 hours at $10/hr. or $160. in
labor. Mine, of course, is free. (about 40 hours to
date at $20/hr. or $800.) Supplies: Potting Soil $60. Fencing: $110. Seeds: $10.
|
|
|
The tomatoes on the left are Tappy's |
|
April 29th & 30th: First cutting and distillation of stinging nettle completed. I will do 3 distillations of the fresh cut nettle. Started drying some of the nettle. Put on de-humidifier in shop to hasten drying as it is still raining raining raining and predicted for 4 more days. (but I am thankful that it is only rain, when the tornadoes have devastated the south and killed many people).
|
tomorrow when it is warmer. |
|
"All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: act as if it were impossible to fail. That is the talisman, the formula, the command of right-about-face that turns us from failure toward success.” --Dorothea Brande |
May - to be continued next page |
Looking from Vegetable
Garden west to new area which will be used for Research.
(Umbrella Yellow in distance) and table for weary workers.
February, March Journal
May Journal June
Journal
July Journal
August Journal
Calendar of Steps & Methods
Original Grant