The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. The most you can do is live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides.” —
from Animal Dreams  Barbara Kingsolver

February, March Journal   April  May Journal    June Journal    July Journal  August Journal  September Journal
Calendar of Steps & Methods    Original Grant

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. 
 

p2.  Journal April 1 - First Meeting April 3rd.

Planting Begins March 9th, 2011 scroll down  Any questions or answers?  Email me at lapaix@hughes.net

April Journal including April 3rd meeting at La Paix Herb Farm

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

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 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 StreetBurlington, VT 05602 802-656-0697 Carol.delaney@uvm.edu

When the world says, "Give up, "Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." ~Author Unknown

Feb. 23, 2011  Email to Supporters Tom McConnell, Barbara Liedle, Bruce Loyd

Dear Barbara, Tom and Bruce:

 I can't believe I didn't get this grant.  I was so sure of it - but I had a bad feeling about it - dreamt I didn't get it - and today felt I didn't get it.  Still had hope.  I think this was such an important project.  Barbara is there any way it can be funded through you or Tom?  I feel so badly to tell the 15 students and two teachers involved that it didn't get funded.  I would like your support and advice.  Do you think they know how old I am and thought I couldn't do it? 

 Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb Farm Lewis County WV 

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

February 24 Reply: 

No they just sent me an email to tell me that your application had not been accepted.  I don't even know how many they had apply or how many they awarded

Barbara E. Liedl, Ph.D. Associate Research Professor

Feb. 24, email to Barbara Liedl:

Any idea who might fund it?  Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb Farm Lewis

Feb 24. email from Barbara Liedl: 

You might consider the Organic Research Foundation http://ofrf.org/grants/apply_research.html

Feb. 24.  email from Myra to OFRF (above): 

My proposal to study the efficacy of Stinging Nettle as a fertilizer and herbicide has just been turned down by NESARE.  I am very committed to doing this research.  Attached is the application.  Is there any grant available to me?  I was to be starting on March 1st.  Have 15 local high school students (environmental science) and two science teachers as part of the personnel involved.

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.

Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb Farm etc.

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.  ~Albert Einstein
 

Feb. 25, 2011:  I sent email as above to rdebois@grdodge.org and to Jean Smith at Dept. of AG WV after talking with Tom McConnell.
Sent email to Barbara Leidl : 

Barbara I have written to the WV Dept of Ag. and two other funding sources asking for the $7826 which was the total cost of this project.  I will be putting a Journal of this project on my website.  I am speaking at the Women in Ag. workshop on March 7th and will discuss it there too.  I'm not giving up on this.

Saints are sinners who kept on going.  ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Feb. 27, 2011:  From Jean Smith, WV Dept. of Ag:

Hello Myra,  We will review your grant to see if it meets the requirements for the Specialty Crops Grants.  There have been several changes in this program which we will be happy to discuss with you.  Sincerely,  Jean Smith

and I replied: 

Thank you so much Jean.  I really appreciate your feedback - and I am willing to take some $ off my salary for the grant if that would make it more feasible to fund.  I am meeting with the students next Saturday and the following Saturday to seed the tomatoes.  I am extremely committed to this project which I think could, if successful, help so many WV farmers.  Thanks again for considering this.  I will be putting the grant proposal on my website tomorrow morning and intend to keep a journal on the website.  I forgot to mention that another science teacher, who has an organic farm in Pennsylvania has also signed on to the project with the Lewis Co. students and Marc Smith, their teacher.  I continue to have the support of Tom McConnell at WVU Small Farm Ext. and Barbara Liedl of WV University. 

May I call Monday to discuss this further with you? 

and thanked Tom McConnell by email with whom I had had a very supportive conversation: 

Perhaps there will be good news about the Stinging Nettle Grant.  I will keep you posted.  I really appreciate your continued support.  Let me know if there is anything else I need to know or do to pursue this project.  Thanks for all your help.

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.  ~William Feather

Feb. 28, 2011:  email from Marc C. Smith, Lewis County H.S. teacher in charge of student apprentice project:
Myra,

Unfortunately, Lewis County High School students will not be participating in the project this year.
After desperately trying to get the students to fill out the applications and letters of interest, they have all decided to not participate. I am both frustrated and embarrassed. I am sorry and want to thank you for extending this opportunity to the students. They have no idea what a great experience they are missing out on.

Marc Smith


and I replied by email:  Myra,

Oh dear Marc - sometimes the Universe works in mysterious ways.  I was informed a few days ago that I did not get funded for the Stinging Nettle project.  However, I was so concerned about the students participation in it
and my own real commitment to the project that I have asked a few other possible funders to consider funding the project, even if I got no $ compensation for my work.  Now, as I had pleaded with these possible funders
for both the project and the student's experience, I, too, am in a position to be a little embarrassed.  Yikes.  Now I kind of wish nobody funded it - please help me word the student's non participation if I have to.  Will keep
you posted.  I'm really laughing at the total irony of all this as I sit here nonplussed.   I was looking forward to working with you and your friend, the other science teacher from PA. too - and if we had to rework the
project hoping you could help problem solve.  I still intend, no matter what, to pursue some research into the efficacy of stinging nettle.  It is my last hurrah!
 Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb Farm Lewis County WV

Email from Jane Sooby, Grants Program Director Organic Farming Research Foundation
Dear Myra,
You may submit your proposal to us but in order for us to accept it for review, you must follow our format including our page limits. Our Board of Directors is currently evaluating its request for proposals and a revised and updated version will be posted on our website. Meantime the former version of the request for proposals is a very good guide to application requirements including content, format, budget restrictions, etc. Our next grant deadline will be May 16, 2011. You will find our request for proposals onlinathttp://ofrf.org/grants/apply.html I strongly suggest that you also review our guide to on-farm research. I looked over the methods presented in your current proposal and they are not up to our admittedly high standards for experimental design. We need to see replication, randomization, and use of a control in the methods. Additionally, most work that OFRF funds must be conducted on certified organic land. Please let me know if you have any further questions.Jane Sooby Grants Program Directo Organic Farming Research FoundationP.O. Box 440Santa Cruz, CA  95061ane@ofrf.org

and then I had a telephone call from Cindy Martel, assistant to Jean Smith at WV Dept. of Ag. re Crop Specialty Grant program.  Cindy and her assistant, Danielle had spent this a.m. reading over the grant and discussing changes which would need to be made to have it fit the criteria for a Crop Specialty grant - it is due March 14th - I will not know if it is approved until Sept. of 2011 but would begin in Oct. 2011 and it could go on for 2 years through 2012 and 2013.  So I will go ahead and rewrite the grant to conform to the Crop Specialty grant which will get fine tuning from Ms. Martel.  Looks like I can keep on keepin' on.  I did tell her that the students would not be working with me this year, but I would pursue having another youth contingent in the new grant.  I will also be talking with Denise Poole for the sponsorship of the  Sustainable Living for WV group, of which I am a founding member.   In the meantime, I intend to seed the 70 some tomato plants and continue this journal.  I will do some part of this research this year here at La Paix.  Keep posted!.

Nobody trips over mountains.  It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble.  Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.  ~Author Unknown

February 28, 2011:  Email to:  Tom McConnell, Barbara Liedl, Bruce Loyd, Chef Hawkins, Denise Poole, Marc Smith

Dear Supporters, I have had a pleasant phone call from Cindy Martel, ass't to Jean Smith at the WV Dept. of Ag.  They like my grant idea - it has to be changed somewhat, particularly in the salary part, but it is doable and most of it is cut and paste.  This is for the Specialty Grant program - it is due March 14th - and Cindy suggested that each of you send a letter of support (or an email I can cut and paste) to append to the grant.  And Denise, do you think it could be done under the auspices of the Sustainable Living for WV group?  Do you have a Dunn # (Dunn and Bradstreat) - it is easy to get for free - let me know - I know you are immersed in the legislative session now - but I hope you can say yes.

Marc, I would still like to work with youth on this program.  It would not begin until Oct. of 2011 and it could go for two years.  Do you think we could involve some of your future students - perhaps so many but those more involved and willing to spend more hours?  Don't have to decide right now - just think about it.

I have journaled my experiences with this grant.  One page is just a copy of the grant, the other website page is the journal - which I intend to keep as I do part of the research this year with my ever helpful helper, Mike Lunsford - this of course will be at my own expense - but at my age, I would like to get something positive done on it this year too.

March 1:  email Danielle Kisamore WV Dept. of Ag.

Hi Danielle, I would be very interested in working with you for certification of La Paix.  It was the first farm in WV certified organic years ago by MSOGBA which I believe is now defunct.  Let me know how we can get started.  I could also let other herbal growers who are growing organically know about the program.  Please contact me

and to Cindy Martel, WV Dept. of Ag:

Delightful to talk with you yesterday Cindy - light at the end of the tunnel, albeit a long one!  I plan to start working on the application tomorrow - have notified Tom McConnell, Barbara Liedl, Bruce Loyd, Chef Dale Hawkins, Marc C. Smith, teacher and Denise Poole of Sustainable Living for WV asking for support and in the case of Denise sponsorship of the non profit.  I also contact Danielle Kisamore re:  applying for organic certification. Keep me posted!

and from Danielle March 1st

Good Morning,

I am happy to help you with this process. Although I do not recommend a particular certifying agency, many West Virginia growers use Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association. This Association has a certifier located in West Virginia. A certifying agency will be able to answer any questions you may have about the certification process. I work with a program called the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. This program allows organically certified farmers to receive 75% (up to $750) from USDA and 15% from the WVDA. This is a total of a 90% reimbursement! The process is very simple.  You fill out the application and attach a copy of your paid invoice and certificate. If you do not have a W-9 tax form on file with the WVDA you would need to fill that out as well. Once I receive these documents I process them quickly and it usually does not take long to receive your check! I appreciate your interest and your willingness to pass the word along. This is a non-competitive grant program. Therefore, the first people to apply and have all the correct documents receive the funding. Please let me know if I can further assist you.

 also on March 1st I posted my Journal and intentions for the Stinging Project on Facebook.

March 2, 2011:  Recv'd reply from Andrea

Vermiculite	McEnroe Premium Organic Compost
Best way to mix (mix ratio of 3 to 1 in large plastic container:  scoop up with pots.	This is second try at mixing - first try (see left) didn't work as well.  I used large spoon to put vermiculite in bottom, soil on top and then mixed with small spoon - made it way too difficult!
	I used Baker Creek Heirloom tomato seeds - the first flat was Tappy Heritage tomatoes - which heirloom tomatoes appropriate for marketing - medium size fruits with a superior flavor.  I am also (see Research Grant for details) growing 1 plant of Cherokee Purple or Cherokee Chocolate tomatoes in each of the five research rows. These were obtained from seed I saved from these plants in 2010 - using the best tomatoes for seed. I planted 3 seeds in each pot.  Later, I will trans- plant the extra plants from each pot.  There are 18 pots (3 x 6) in each flat.  I watered the soil before seeding so as not to wash the seeds out of place.  Only a small amount of soil was put on top of the seeds so that the warmth from the lights could permeate the soil and help the seed grow.
The second flat also had two other types of tomatoes in two of the rows of 3.  As this was a fruit day I seeded another flat with 6 different kinds of peppers. At right are the trays of seeds under lights.  The light is too high and I will ask my son Bill to help me lower it to about 5 inches above the seedlings tomorrow.  The flat furtherest from the front is the Tappy's Heritage, then the middle flat is Tappy's Heritage and Cherokee Purple and Cherokee Chocolate tomato, the flat nearest is 6 different kinds of peppers.  This light stand has four different levels.  It is located in the log cabin part of the house 2nd floor where heat rises from the first floor.	Consider the postage stamp:  its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.   ~Josh Billings
March 10th, 2011: Recv'd reply from NESARE re:  critique   Dear Myra,  RE: I'm still awaiting the critique on the SARE Grant.  Would like to incorporate any suggestions in my continued research on stinging nettle.   Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb Farm Lewis County WV I am working on many comments and we send them out all at once.  You will get your comment in the next 4 weeks.  We had many proposals and it was very competitive this year. Thank you for your patience, Carol Carol Delaney Farmer Grant specialist Northeast SARE University of Vermont 655 Spear Street Burlington, VT 05405- Recv'd email from David Ahrend - wanted to work on the research. (via Facebook) Put Journal and photos on my Facebook page - both personal and Fan Page for La Paix.   I frequently-regularly-often trip while reaching for my high ideals.  Then I giggle, or cry, and get back up.  ~Erika Harris, lifeblazing.com	Stinging Nettle Hydrosol - use 20 water to 1 hydrosol.  Hydrosol contains everything in the plant at the time of harvest.  Best to distill in early spring when Nettle is most potent.  This 8 oz. bottle makes almost a gallon of foliar spray.
March 11, 2011:  Sent email to Barbara Liedel, Tom McConnell and Bruce Loyd asking for advice re duplication of this research by other Herbalists: Hi, I have at least 3 other herbalists/gardeners who are interested in doing research on stinging nettle along with me. I have decided not to do tissue analysis (due to expense of kits).  but I will use weight and count of tomatoes to evaluate results of various applications:  1)  manure tea of stinging nettle  2)  hydrosol spray of stinging nettle 3)  commercial organic fertilizer and 4)  control (no additional applications)  and perhaps 5)  dried stinging nettle as mulch.   I understand for exact results I need to use all stinging nettle applications from the same early Spring batch of harvested stinging nettle - for hydrosol and dried for manure tea and dried mulch (to be analyzed by Dept. of Ag)   This is my question - If I make a second harvest of stinging nettle and distill it, would this be OK to use with other gardeners if it too was analyzed for content?  If they have enough stinging nettle, and I distill it here at La Paix, could it be included in the research if analyzed?   What do you recommend?  Perhaps the other researchers could use just one method e.g. manure tea or hydrosol and this would not only simplify it for them, but make it more credible?   And do they have to use the same tomato (Tappy's Heritage and Cherokee Purple) or can they use different tomatoes?  Seems to me using different tomatoes might make it more interesting.  Would really appreciate your input.  I understand I won't get a critique of my grant from NESARE for 4 to 6 weeks.   Please give me your suggestions.  Thanks, Myra :   Trays of tomatoes - light lowered to correct height. March 11, 2011.	Stinging Nettle attracts butterflies like the Red Admiral above. Recv’d email from Dot Montgillion, Smoke Camp Crafts WV “FYI I have been using this fertilizer tea made from nettles & comfrey leaves for several years  It is applied as a drench. Originally in Mother Earth News. In a 55 gallon drum, place equal parts to equal 1/3 of volume fresh nettles and comfrey leaves. Fill barrel with water and let ferment 1-2 weeks. You'll swear that it's filled with fresh manure! After 2 weeks it can safely be applied to seedlings. This is only fertilizer I use. Dot.........   Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.  ~Walter Elliott, The Spiritual Life Messed up web page - ended up on Microsoft Word - so had to redo and change link. Notification of change on Facebook and by email to supporters
March 12  Revised Methods Table Calendar
March 14 Stinging nettle coming up - no tomatoes coming up in flats yet.
March 15:  Talked with Alex Straight, Ritchie County Extension Agent this a.m.  I had discussed the Stinging Nettle Project with her at the Women in Agriculture Workshop on March 7th (when I also gave a short talk on the subject)  She and her husband in Ritchie County and her brother in law in Buckhannon (Upshur County) and another couple all want to participate in the Stinging Nettle Research project.  We discussed the possible parameters of the now six farmers research and a meeting here at La Paix on Sunday.  Here is what I proposed: 1)  That researchers each have two rows of 7 tomato plants each (variety up to them).  That they use the Methods table as a guide.  Each would need to take a soil sample before planting.  Each would need to decide what form of stinging nettle was to be used.  (manure tea, hydrosol, dried leaf mulch) and what organic fertilizer to use on the control bed.  A third bed, using no additions could also be added making 21 tomatoes in all. If they wanted to use the hydrosol, they would need to bring 4-6 lbs. of their own stinging nettle to be distilled and it could be used throughout the season.  I called Tom McConnell WVU small farms Ext Agent, and one of my advisors on the original project and he was extremely enthusiastic about this project, thinking that with replication in other areas of WV it would be that much stronger and could ultimately lead to further research among the group with grants provided.  He also advised me to contact Rakesh Chandron at WVU Weed  Control Specialist for putting order to the research. Email being sent to all those who have exhibited interest in this research Barbara Liedl WVU Institute (phone message left also) and Bruce Loyd WVUExt. agent for this county.	Alexandra Straight, Ritchie Co. Extension       Tom McConnell   WVU Extension Service Program Leader for the WVU Small Farm Center       Tom says,  when he heard I was doing this pro- ject despite not getting the NESARE grant, "Myra's Gone Rogue" Fall seven times, stand up eight.  ~Japanese Proverb Email from Rakesh Chandran to all participants:Hello, I've heard about some desirable attributes about stinging nettle but have not done any research with this plant.   This sounds like an interesting opportunity.  So, yes, I'd be willing to collaborate. This Sunday may not be possible but let me see.  If not, I would like to discuss this project with you in the near future. Thanks for contacting me. Rakesh
March 15th:  Stinging nettle photographed at La Paix First tomatoes up!  About 8 - My own saved seed Cherokee Purple and Cherokee Chocolate.  This a.m. March 16th - first teeny little sprout of Tappy's Heritage tomato - just one!   This a.m. March 16th - first teeny little sprout of Tappy's Heritage tomato - just one!   If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.  ~Buddhist Saying   TC from Prof. Chandran 3-16:  He is more interested in herbicide part of research - recommended Louis Jett WVU ext.  - I will call Tom McConnell as he requested and discuss progress to date on the 17th.  Discussed briefly with Tom this a.m. (3-17)- he too thought Lewis Jett would be most helpful - http://ext.wvu.edu/people/jett_lewis  - tc message left with Prof. Jett and email sent.  Email cc'd all those interested in project. At request of Dr. Chandran sent him Hypothesis:  There is a direct correlation between applications of stinging nettle  Urtica dioca L as fertilizer and the quantity and  quality of the treated tomatoes .   Results Hoped For:  If it is proven that stinging nettle is as efficacious as commercial organic fertilizer and more beneficial than the control (no other additives) this will provide farmers with the ability to grow their own fertilizer on their own farm.    This will then improve the carbon footprint which has been increased by the use of petroleum based fertilizers transported from distances and the distance from West Virginia of commercial organic fertilizers.   This will decrease the cost to farmers of fertilizers as petroleum based fertilizers are increasing in price as the amount dwindles.  This may encourage farmers and even gardeners to grow more of their own organic food.   As stinging nettle grows all over the world, this will benefit many other farmers who are seeing their crops decrease as the land is overused and depleted by the use of petroleum based fertilizers.    If the hydrosol of stinging nettle is proved as beneficial as the more often applied manure tea, and the amount of hydrosol can be diluted by 10-20 times water, this makes it shippable and attractive to small farmers and gardeners and can be marketed as such.   If the mature tea undiluted succeeds as an herbicide, it can be used to clear weeds without the deleterious effects of chemical weed killers - an additional plus is that after a few months, the earth upon which the herbicide was applied would be richer for it.   This could be worded better which I am extremely aware of.  I am also not a bit sure about the statistical proof with correlations - I didn't do all that well when I was in graduate school with statistics - I will need help.	Stinging Nettle growing near the creek and little frog pond at La Paix 3-15-2011.   3-16-2011:  Sending email to all possible participants to clarify attendance for meeting on Sunday, March 20th here.  Noon. 1.  Dot Montgillion:  Smoke Camp Crafts 2.  Bart and Andrea Lay Hidden Hollow: cannot attend 3.  Alexandria Straight Ritchie Co. 4.  Hans Straight Buckhannon Upshur Co. 5.  Robbie and Busie Barbour 6.  Eva Ristl 7.  Silvia Bresson  Ohio Ag 8.  Don Gartman, Charleston Kanawha Co. 9.  Rakesh Chandran Assoc. Prof. WVU collaborator will also ask Advisors Barbara Liedl WVU, Tom McConnell WVU Small Farm Institute, Bruce Loyd Lewis Co. Extension. I phoned Alexandria first and we agreed that Sunday April 3rd was the better date to meet.  T-C message left to Prof. Chandran asking if he could meet with us that date - in the meantime, we might clarify research parameters by phone.  Email sent to all concerned for meeting April 3rd, Noon here at La Paix. Dr. Chandran's reply:  Myra, Thanks for the additional information.  I just wanted to get a better feel for what we were trying to figure out and this helps. To test stinging nettle extract (tea or distillate) as a herbicide, it would be good to do some simple petri-dish bioassays with different concentrations of the extract.   We can also germinate some weed seeds in a flat or containers and treat the seedlings to look for any potential effect on already germinated weeds. I would think that keeping the fertilizer study simple would generate some preliminary results that you need to support more involved field research. For example, growing tomatoes plants in containers to look for response?  I am copying this to Dr. Jett as well for his inputs.  He may have some different ideas.  Thanks,  Rakesh Rakesh Chandran    Associate Professor    Division of Plant & Soil Sciences   1076 Ag. Sci. Bldg.    West Virginia University Ph.D. Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), 1997.
March 17th, 2011:  Happy St. Patrick's Day:  Heard from 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. 4.  Robbie and Busie Barbour 5.  Chef Dale Hawkins, Fish Hawk Acres CSA 6.  Lee Stalnaker and Brian Gainer Interested in Doing Research, cannot attend 7.  Bart and Andrea Lay Hidden Hollow Farm 8.  Melissa Dennison, Garden Treasures (may not attend) 9.  Eva Ristl, Left Fork Farm Gandeeville, WV Possibly Interested in particpating in research: Carmella and Dean Massara, Prof. John Cardina Ohio Research and Development Center (via Silvia Bresson's Mom) Dean McIlvaine, Twin Parks, Certified organic farm, West Salem Ohio. Collaborators Advisors invited: Barbara Liedl, Tom McConnell, Bruce Loyd (prior conference in DC), Rakesh Chandran, Lewis Jett.	About 4-5 seedlings up in most of the Cherokee Purple and Chocolate pots.  One more up in Tappy's Heritage.  My saved seed (Cherokee) is really hearty!   Perseverance... keeps honor bright:  to have done, is to hang quite out of fashion, like a rusty nail in monumental mockery.  ~William Shakespeare
March 21, 2011 No reply from Dr. Jett to date Emailed reply to Dr. Chandran.  Took photos of Tomatoes:  As soon as they have 3 leaves on each plant, I will transplant extra tomatoes to new pots.  I am also going to have my helper, Mike, help me to lower the lights a bit so that the plants do not get leggy.   Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.  ~Earl Nightingale               TC to Tom McConnell to update:  Busy this a.m. Call p.m.  Called Tom said I needed expertise of Rakesh and Lewis Jett for parameters of research methods for all participants.  Did agree that different tomato types would be advantageous and that all participants must do exactly the same thing for credibility.	March 21, 2011   Tappy's Heritage Tomato March 21, 2011 Cherokee Purple and Chocolate Tomato
March 22, 2011:  Email sent to all collaborators and advisers asking for help in establishing parameters of research with cc to participants.	Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer.  ~André A. Jackson
March 23rd, 2011:  Reply from Dr. Jett to email of 3-22 above: Myra, You could have the treatments in a single row and randomize the treatments as strips with 4 plants per replication.  I would do a minimum of 3 replications/treatment.  Each row should be on 4-5 foot centers and 36" between plants within the row.  Furthermore, you can have a 5 ft buffer between treaments within the row.  I would have all plants started in the dame potting mix.   Lewis W. Jett, Ph.D West Virginia University State Commercial Horticulture Extension 2102 Agriculture Sciences Building Morgantown, WV  26506-6108 (304) 293-2634 (Office) (304) 288-2116 (Mobile) Note from Steward  How to treat stinging nettle stings:  Burdock leaf often grows near stinging nettle as does jewel weed leaf.  How- ever, lemon balm hydrosol cured my granddaughter, Aijah, in about a minute.  She backed into a patch of nettle with her bare legs exposed, and emitted a howl of distress. My apprentice at the time, Rebekah Ceron, ran to the shop, got the lemon balm hydrosol and sprayed Aijah's legs tho- roughly - the angry red welts disappeared in about 60 seconds, and Aijah returned to play (albeit away from the stinging nettle) with great elan!  (and no pain)....	March 24, 2011:  My reply to Dr. Jett's suggestion:  (3-23-11) Is this what you mean Dr. Jett?  This would mean 4 rows of random plants 4 each x 4 methods or 16 plants per row.  Plants would take approximately 110 ft.  long row (3 ft. each plant, 5 feet between each set of 4, and 5 ft. a beginning of plot.  5 ft. between rows. Code:  C = control  H = hydrosol  MT = Manure tea and CF + Commercial Organic Fertilizer   Thank You so much for clarifying this for me.  It does make the fencing quite expensive, especially as I didn't get the grant and it would have to come out of my own pocket (wait, I don't have a pocket in this skirt!).....   Reply from Lewis Jett, WVU Horticulture Specialist:  3-29:  "Yes, this looks like a good randomization scheme.  I am pruning blackberries in te Western part of WV this weekend so i probably won't be able to get to your farm, but I look forward to visiting sometime soon."
On March 24, I sent an email to Carol Delaney and David Holmes of NESARE: Hi, I will be having a meeting here of 7 or 8 farmers from WV   > and Ohio who are interested in duplicating my research on stinging   > nettle as a fertilizer and herbicide.  I was hoping to have the   > reasons my grant was turned down available so that we could   > formulate the most credible duplication research possible.  Is it   > possible to get the critique this month?  The meeting is on Sunday,   > April 3rd.  Please see further information on   > http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com/stingingnettleprojectjournal.htm  or   > go to link below and click on Journal, Method Calendar or Research   > Grant.  Thanking you in advance for your help.  Peace, Myra >  Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb  Farm Lewis  County WV  Find  all about La Paix at http://www.lapaixherbfarm..com > And I replied 3-25 with these questions:  David, it sounds like you all are tremendously overworked!  Of the 94 Farmer/Grant applications how many were granted? - just curious.  Also, wonder why committee review of proposals are not responsible for submitting a report which could then just be sent to Carol and emailed on to the unapproved farmer grants.  Thanks for replying - we shall lumber on under our own steam - with some help from WVU Extension personnel....  One person, from WV Dept. of Ag. stated she thought the salaries were too much in my proposal - that salaries should be only l/4th of entire amount requested.  That puzzles me as much of organic farming is not based on alot of equipment but on sweat equity - just brains and brawn.  Is there such a stipulation for SARE grants? Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second.  ~William James and a very quick and informative reply from David 11:45 a.m. 3-25-2011: David, it sounds like you all are tremendously overworked!  Of the 94 > Farmer/Grant applications how many were granted? - just curious. We had sufficient funding for 33. > wonder why committee review of proposals are not responsible for submitting > a report which could then just be sent to Carol and emailed on to the > unapproved farmer grants. Never been done that way.  Four independent reviewers, all volunteers,  with lots of proposals to read, score and comment on each criteria;    If we just sent out raw material, it wouldn't make much sense to  applicants, and the real comments and reasons for final rankings only  come out through the conference call discussions, so rough comment  notes, criteria rankings, and conference call discussion notes need to  be sifted through and compiled, and this all takes some time. > Thanks for replying - we shall lumber on under > our own steam - with some help from WVU Extension personnel....  One person, > from WV Dept. of Ag. stated she thought the salaries were too much in my > proposal - that salaries should be only l/4th of entire amount requested. No, I don't think this is usually the case on these types of grants  where it is actually a lot of work and not so much supplies and  equipment.  Certainly not a review criterion.  But Carol will have a  better handle on what percentage is typical.  I know many of them have  more than 1/4 for labor costs. > That puzzles me as much of organic farming is not based on alot of equipment > but on sweat equity - just brains and brawn.  Is there such a stipulation > for SARE grants? I agree with you on this.  I'd say not the case for these grants. All the best to you, -David	Replies from David and Carol 3-25: Myra,don't know if Carol got back to you on this, but it is not likely that  she'll be able to get to this before mid-April.  She has had quite a  bit of work to get the corrections and revisions to approved proposals  done so we can get contract awards out the door first for Farmer,  Partnership, and Community Grants before she can go on to compiling  reviewer comments for them all. There were a lot of grant proposals this year.  94 Farmers, so very competitive. Sorry. -David ----- Message from lapaix@hughes.net ---------      Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:23:00 -0400      From: lapaix <lapaix@hughes.net> Reply-To: lapaix <lapaix@hughes.net>   Subject: Critique on Stinging Nettle Farmer Grower Grant Application?        To: "David L. Holm" <David.Holm@uvm.edu>        Cc: Carol Delaney <carol.delaney@uvm.edu> Hi Myra,     I have 2 other grant programs to go through before even working on the Farmer grant group.  I am afraid I can't promise to make that deadline. I am sorry, Carol   and my reply to David:  Thanks so much David - I really appreciate your feed back.  Keep posted on my no frills no $ project (if you have the time)  I'm also thinking about putting out UTube videos.  I really really am committed to finding out if stinging nettle could be a viable, environmentally sound, economically sustainable fertilizer for farmers.   Thanks again.  Peace, Myra
March 27:  Completed reorganized Time and Task Calendar for Research for all participants.  Sent email to all those interested to confirm attendance at meeting on Sunday April 3rd at La Paix.	If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.  ~Flavia Weedn, Flavia and the Dream Maker, © Flavia.com
March 28:  Repotted 100 tomato seedlings.  Need to give away or sell about 50 extra Cherokee Purple plants to make room under lights for more seedlings. Another view of flats - right Cherokee Purple, left Tappy's Heritage. Lights lowered 3-29 a.m.	Cherokee Purple in front flat, Tappy's Heritage in rear flat:  It is interesting that both were planted at the same time March 9, 2011 but the Cherokee Purple (saved seed 2010 from tomatoes grown at La Paix from Baker's Creek Heirloom Seed) came up sooner and is about an inch taller than the Tappy's Heritage, new this year from Baker's Creek.
March 29, 30:  Eva Ristl, Left Fork Farm may attend April 3rd meeting with friend.  Lewis Jett cannot attend due to prior blackberry pruning in western WV.  (see response to randomization diagram above right). Melissa Dennison, Garden Treasures, may attend but not lunch.  No reply from Tom McConnell, Rakish Chandran or Barbara Liedl. This page has gotten really long so I am going to a new page as of today, April Fool's Day, April 1, 2011.  It is snowing out and bitter cold.  April Fool!!!!!	New page for Stinging Nettle Journal beginning on April 1st, 2011

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