the movement for compassionate living · the movement for compassionate living - the vegan way...
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The Movement for Compassionate Living≈ THE VEGAN WAY ≈New Leaves
The Movement for Compassionate Living105 Cyfyng Road, Ystalyfera, Swansea SA9 2BT, UKTel.: 01639 841223
email: [email protected]
No. 110 November - December - January - February 2014
CONTENTS01. Peace and Goodwill to All03. Plants for a Future Report07. Creating Welhealth Report10. Bangor Forest Garden Report12. Brynderwen Vegan Community13. Food for Life Global Appeal
Veggies Marquee Appeal14. The Story of our Allotment16. Come Thursday's Child
Rice Up Wholefoods Limited18. Language and Speciesism19. Gleanings20. Messages through our
Website21. Letters
NEW LEAVESis the journal of the Movement for Compassionate Living (MCL).MCL promotes:• a way of life that is free of the exploitation and slaughter of sentient beings,that is possible for all the world's people and that is sustainable within theresources of the planet.• lifestyles that depend as much as possible on locally produced goods, thusavoiding the resource wastage and pollution of unnecessary transport andpackaging.• Veganorganic methods of horticulture and agriculture that use no animals oranimal byproducts and are free from artificial fertilisers, pesticides andherbicides.• the planting of trees, especially on the land freed from livestock farming.
Trees absorb CO2 and store the carbon as wood, thus checking global warming;ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) emit methane, a far more powerfulgreenhouse gas than CO2.Mature trees of appropriate species produce maximum food per acre.Wood from trees can be used for many constructive and productive purposes.Woodland industries can provide livestock farmers with alternative sustainableincomes.Global warming and nuclear war threaten the survival of all life. Politicians mayhave the sense to avoid nuclear war but they cannot stop global warming unlesspeople change their lifestyles.Our herbivorous ancestors turned predators aeons ago when the forests dried up andthey lost their food supply. The forests grew again but humans remained victims oftheir killing habits. Now vegans have proved that we do not need to kill animals forfood. Land should go back to the trees.
The Movement for Compassionate Living - the Vegan Wayfounded in 1985 by Kathleen and Jack Jannaway
New Leaves is produced and distributed in March, July and November.The Editors do not necessarily agree with articles published.
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PEACE AND GOODWILL TO ALLWhat a difference a month has made. Four
months ago I wrote that we had summer, now we have almost reached winter. Infact it feels like winter as I am writing this. And what a lot I have achieved in thattime: I have cleared a part of the jungle at the back of my house (much still to dobefore it can be called a productive garden, but now I am hopeful). It was aprolonged burst of really hard physical labour – so different from work on NewLeaves, with its own hardships to overcome, and only a day or so left to finish. Imust get this issue to the printers, start getting ready for the mailout, do an MCLstall at the twoday Swansea Green Fayre, and then the actual mailout all before theend of this month.The autumn equinox and Halloween are behind us now, and so too theRemembrance celebrations which are still very much on my mind. At that time wewere all supposed to remember, during a two minutes silence, all those who havedied in wars. This celebration started the year after the 1918 armistice at the end ofthe first world war, the war to end all wars. Apparently in South Africa during thewar people had stopped for a few minutes at noon every day to think seriously aboutwar and what it meant. The British government of the time, on hearing of this,adopted the silence idea as a part of the annual remembrance celebrations but it wasto be a sign of respect for the dead instead of a moment of contemplation on themeaning of war. And that sign of respect has escalated into a glorification of wars,which still continue being fought around the globe. This is how the Peace PledgeUnion explains the development on their website:
All these were ways of trying to make sense of so many needless deaths,which had filled people with so much awe and horror. In the midst ofmourning, people wanted to keep their awe at the enormity of the GreatWar, but to distance themselves from the horror. The fate of 'our gloriousdead' was desperately sad, but the word 'glorious' gave it grandeur. The ideathat these British soldiers had 'given' their lives was sad (and misleading,considering the real events); the word 'sacrifice' gave the idea nobility. Butthere is nothing characteristically grand or noble about war. War makeseverybody, living or dead, its victims. War makes people all over the worldbring needless death upon themselves and the people they care about (aswell as those they don't). To interpret slaughter as sacrifice is to turn awayfrom what is true and real, in search of a comforting dream.http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/learnearly/poppytale1.html
This same language is still used about the wars that we are led to accept. However,there are organisations in the UK and worldwide working towards peace. The Peace
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Pledge Union is one such organisation. Another is Veterans for Peace who state ontheir website (http://veteransforpeace.org.uk) “We, having dutifully served ournation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of worldpeace”. They and their supporters marched on Remembrance Sunday under a banner“NEVER AGAIN” from Trafalgar Square to the London Cenotaph, and laid awreath of Red and White poppies there. “Police stationed around the WhitehallCenotaph, for what is one of the most rigidly stagemanaged days of the year, wereinitially baffled by the veterans’ action but allowed them to go ahead after somenegotiation.” http://reelnews.co.uk/veteransforpeacemarkremembrancesunday101113/This gives me hope as do many other protest movements and actions. I believe thereis a great need for all of this as the governments and corporations around the worldseem to be intent on destroying our earth with their greed. “Global capitalism hasmade the depletion of resources so rapid, convenient and barrierfree that ‘earthhuman systems’ are becoming dangerously unstable in response.” This was theconclusion drawn by a scientist in a speech given to thousands of earth and spacescientists last year and reported by Naomi Klein. The same scientist had noted somehopeful developments in the form of “environmental direct action, resistance takenfrom outside the dominant culture, as in protests, blockades and sabotage byindigenous peoples, workers, anarchists and other activist groups”.http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/10/sciencesaysrevoltThere is just enough space left to write about the next MCL meeting. It will be herein Ystalyfera again and will be an AGM and a social weekend. We have looked atthe possible dates for us and suggest one of the following: 10th/11th May or31stMay/1st June, or possibly 7th/8th June. Let me know which of those dates wouldsuit you best. It would be great to see any and all who can make it here. We havealways had enough space for all those who have wanted to stay for the wholeweekend. The date will be confirmed in the next issue of New Leaves, which will besent out at the end of March 2014.I wish you all a warm, joyful and restful holiday season.
IreeneSointuGlobal warming can be checked and people
better supplied with food and other necessitiesif we use land for trees that absorb CO2
not for livestock that emit methanea much more powerful green house gas.
Details fromMCL, 105 Cyfyng Road
Ystalyfera, Swansea SA9 2BTwww.mclveganway.org.uk
MCL ENVELOPE STICKERSAvailable for £1 per 100
or 1p each fromMCL, 105 Cyfyng Road
YstalyferaSwansea SA9 2BT
Cheques payable to MCLand send s.a.e.
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PLANTS FOR A FUTUREIntroductionPlants for a Future was set up in 1989 to carry out research into alternative food andotherwise useful plants, and to grow as many of the useful ones as possible on our28 acre site near Lostwithiel in Cornwall. In addition, it is also about Vegan SelfSufficiency and learning to be part of the whole cycle of Nature.Over the years we have had our fair share of setbacks, including losing our planningbattle with the Council which meant we had to move off the land into a councilproperty in the nearby village.In 2009, Christina Palfrey encouraged me to apply for an MCL grant. Initially I wasnot sure I should do that because we had been talking seriously about moving toBrazil (I was born there and still have quite a lot of family living there). In the end itseemed like such a precarious idea that I decided to apply for the grant anyway.Eventually we were awarded a grant for the refurbishment and further developmentof the very large shed (which is the only building on the land).There have been many delays in commencing this work, partly due to the need to gothrough the full planning process, but also due to my own poor health. Although Ihave been vegan for about 30 years, eat a good diet and live a very healthy andactive lifestyle, I have been having serious health problems. It seems that I am oneof those unlucky people for whom, no matter how much they try, their body insistson depositing cholesterol in their arteries. I had gradually been losing energy overthe past few years and then, about a year ago, I started having bouts of angina.These have gradually been getting worse and, even though I tried to treat it withherbs and other natural means, it culminated in me being rushed into hospital abouta month ago for an operation to open up the main artery to the heart by the use ofstents. It turned out that I had one blockage of 90%, another of 80% and one of50%.So, after all these years of advocating a healthy lifestyle and avoiding all drugsgiven out by doctors, I suddenly find myself locked into this very system. This hasleft me feeling determined to recover my health and to go beyond the need for thesedrugs by using natural means. I might be weaker at this moment, but I amrecovering my strength and intend to make the fullest use of the grant that has beengiven to the project to ensure that our message can reach a wider audience.
REPORTS FROM MCL FUNDED PROJECTS
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The Process of Repairing the ShedWork started on the refurbishments at the end of 2012 with the construction of anaccess track from the road to the shed. This was to enable the work on the shed andthe cellar to take place, since it would not have been easy to get supplies of buildingmaterials up to the shed otherwise. This track also enables both people involved andvisitors to drive or walk in more easily – since it can get very muddy in the wetweather that Cornwall is famous for!Work then started on refurbishing thewestern end of the shed – which hasbeen mostly done, except for theroof. Unfortunately there was a lot ofrotten and woodwormed wood thatneeded to be replaced, so much of theshed is now more of a rebuild than arefurbishment.The work has been carried out by thebuilders at a lower rate than they normally charge, but unfortunately this has oftenmeant that they have prioritised other jobs and ours has had to wait. All the dryweather would have been ideal for digging out the cellar, but unfortunately it wasnot to be. In the end it was not until the wet weather arrived that they finally hadtime for the cellar work to go ahead.Anyway, the floor space for the cellar has been dug out now – and it has shown justhow well our land drains because even with all this rain there is barely ever a puddleto be seen there.A large amount of soil and subsoil has been removed, and this is being used tolandscape a small ‘hill’ with a sunny south side and a shadier north side – here weare intending to grow a Mediterranean garden of herbs and other useful plants.The next process, due to take place in early November, is to lay the cellar floor andbuild the walls and roof. The roof will become the floor for the final two sections ofthe shed, then these sections will be rebuilt, the leanto extension added, and theroof reclad. All that will need to be done then is the internal work in the shed,dividing it up for its many purposes.The Utilisation of the ShedPlans are now under way for how we are going to fully utilise the shed once it iscomplete. These can be summarised as follows:
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The western part of the shed: This is going to be a nice open, light spacewhich will be the main teaching area. This will be a place where visitors cancome to obtain information about us from the display boards, a slideshow,leaflets etc. We want to run courses here, teaching subjects such as thephilosophy of PFAF and practical plantgrowing courses. In addition, othersuitable courses could also be run here, such as teaching music and yogaclasses. The central portion: This will be the main entrance, with office and astorage area where there will be access to the storage space in the loft. The eastern part of the shed: This is designated for the people who workand volunteer at PFAF. It will include a kitchen and restroom area with wateron tap, vegan cooking facilities, a library etc. The leanto: This is the main area where the tools and machinery will bestored. The Cellar: This is large enough to store a very good crop of apples and anumber of other compatible crops.
Extras and UpgradesThe original shed provided extremely basic conditions. Prospective volunteers havealways been warned about the very primitive nature of facilities. We would like toupgrade these facilities to include:
A decent compost toilet as part of or very near to the shed. Passive water heating to provide warm to hot water for showers, the kitchenetc.
Leanto
Existing Shed
Small double doors
Cellar
Ramp toCellar
Clear Persproof lights
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Alternative energy (solar panels in the roof and a wind generator) to provideelectricity for lighting, computers etc. A woodburning stove.
Moving ForwardBoth Ken and I are growing older and we want to ensure the longterm security ofthe land and creatures that live on it. We have decided to set up a Land Club wherepeople will be able to become stewards of part of the land and help with themanagement of the whole land. We intend that the club will eventually become theowner of the land. There are already a number of people interested in the club, butwe are looking for more who want to put their energy into this project.Therefore I am using this opportunity to make a plea to those who might want to beinvolved with land and learn more about plants.Ideally I would like to :
Have a number of open days throughout the growing season where peoplecan have tours; learn about and taste plants; ask questions; buy books, plantsetc. Run a few educational courses in the year. Have more guided tours for groups of people. Have a plant sales nursery.
However, my health is not very good at the moment and I know that if I try and dotoo much it will be counterproductive. Therefore, at this point in time, I really don’tknow how much I can commit to without quite a lot more help. What I really need ismore volunteers to come and help out. This can be an excellent opportunity forpeople to learn about the plants, get to understand the land more, and tune intonature and into themselves. If the first visit goes well for you, then you might like tocome again and gradually become more involved with the land in the longer term,perhaps even to the point of joining the Land Club and becoming a steward for partof the land.We are looking for people who are genuinely and sincerely interested in living inharmony with the planet and the land; and who would like to help the project toflourish and continue. The work is often quite hard and physical, and sometimes
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difficulties and problems come up – so ideally you need to be able to do areasonable amount of physical work and also be dedicated and determined. A loveof Nature is also helpful!Anyone who is interested in volunteering, whether or not you have a view tobecoming involved on a longer term basis, please contact us by phone on 01208871253 or 01208 873554. Alternatively, email [email protected] (if you email,please give a phone contact if possible, preferably a landline)
Addy Fern
CREATING WELHEALTH COOPREPORT OCTOBER 2013Welhealth: A vegan gift economy cooperative, forest garden, agroforestry,permaculture farm project, under development to transition to achieve a totallymoneyless shared resource for the farm community, local community, and widercommunity. An MCL STAVV and seven acre community orchard.
Website: www.welhealthcommunitycooperative.wordpress.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/EcoFfermFrrwythauGiftEconomy
Email: [email protected] grant £2600, spent £2600House Renovation grant £1000, spent £530.29Polytunnel and Shed grant £600, spent £762.69Nursery grant £1000, spent £1057.02Volunteer food bill £250I got a good tip on how to finish off the window frames, and that was to get 'sashstile' wood from the local builders yard. Unfortunately I found out that all generalwindow framing wood parts have been discontinued, due to UK building regulationshaving to come into line with EU requirements. This happened about four years ago.To get around it, I found out the cross section measurements and made them all upmyself. All the windows are now finished, and we have the double glazed glass forall four of them. We aren't taking the old ones out and putting the new in untilSpring next year when it will be better weather to do so. So that is the end of thisstory of the MCL grant as all of the £2600 is now used. With it we have created awonderful forest garden tree nursery area with a large potting shed, bought gardentools and nursery tools, and recovered the polytunnel. We made a new shed on theend of that, which at 38' by 20' is nearly the same size as the polytunnel, also paid
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for all the volunteer food costs in 2012,rendered the whole of the outside of thehouse, renewed any rotting wood, andmade all the house windows. What achange we have seen here over the fouryears from June 2009 to Oct 2013!
And it is amazing how much hashappened in the last four months. Wedecided that we are definitely anIncredible Edible Gift Economy ecofarm, seeing as we supply the ChesterIncredible Edible group with incredible
edible trees and bushes. We are now part of the Incredible Edible network. It feelsgood to be with others who are also planting up and eating their neighbourhoods.People from the local community came up to pick this year’s abundant gooseberries,jostaberries, and some of the blackcurrants. Many local people and others fromfurther afield in North Wales have come here to get edible forest garden plants andtrees and are still doing so.Unfortunately, due to a lack of care in this beautiful warm dry summer, some of thenewly grafted trees that showed promise dried out and died. Out of 60 that weregrafted, 23 have been successful, that’s one Bardsey Apple and 22 Laxton’sFortunes. All of the 30 apple rootstock started to grow, but only about ten werehardy enough to carry on, again this is what comes with not keeping on top ofwatering. Just wait till these rootstock trees grow and we go into full yearly gifteconomy fruit tree production! We shall be doing hundreds if not thousands yearly.In July a Welsh S4C television company came to film us as part of a local gardeningseries called Byw yn yr Ardd (Living in the Garden). They film this near Ruthin andare interested in incorporating forest garden and permaculture techniques into thegarden the episode recorded here is to be shown in April or May next year. It was afun day! Nobody knew it but I was filming Vic, who was filming the film crew, whowere filming Sian who was taking part representing us because she can speak theCymraeg language. Members who were here pretended to be working in thebackground. Vic and I are big on videoing we just love being on the telly! however the video tables were turned on us because it felt embarrassinglyuncomfortable when they filmed us weeding the pots, but we soon lost our selfconsciousness and started nattering as you do (handy too, as the pots did need it!).
2009
2013
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The stars of the show, a young couple Sianed and Iwan, went away with plenty offorest garden plants for their garden, which is part of Sianed’s family's farm.It is very fortunate that the house is in the middle of the forest garden, as are the vegbeds and plant nursery, and so the guilds comprising five to seven layers of theforest garden can be easily seen. Masses of stockfree salads and vegetables havebeen grown in the polytunnel, most of it being part of Tim's stockfree businesswhich supplies the local shop. With a stock of just under 3000 plants our forestgarden nursery mobile stall has attended lots of outside fairs, such as the Figanforest fair in Llanrwst, the Figan stall at the Eisteddfod in Denbigh, the IncredibleEdible conference at Todmorden (where we supplied lots of Incredible groups, andIncredible Edible Todmorden took a lot!), and a Woodland fair in Anglesey. Ourplants were taken to the Federation of community gardens and city farms gatheringat Hillside Organics (a wonderful community garden in Llangollen), and also to theConwy Feast in October.Roland, a young Austrian student, knowledgeable in forest gardening and edibleforageable plants, visited as part of his PhD thesis to study 15 of the most developedforest gardens in the UK. He enjoyed his stay with us, and it was refreshing to havean enthusiast stay as at such times there is much sharing of information.Of the 900 jostaberry twigs planted in August last year nearly all grew, butovergrowth and neglect meant we rescued only 500 of them and they are now happyin the pots. I have found that apart from gooseberry, cuttings here will take at anytime of the year. (Anyone can do it try it, make a tree from a willow branch ordogwood, and stick it in the ground. Make a fruit bush, then cut a long branch froma blackcurrant and stick it in the grass. We will have fruit copses everywhere!)We have planted up a hazel orchard on half an acre of land at the rear of the house 84 hazels in all, Kent Cob, Lambert’s Filberts and Ruthin Cob Hazels, hooray!. Itwill be exciting to see these grow and see how fruitfully they 'nut'. This year two ofthe 700 original seed grown trees each produced a brand new variety of sweettasting apple. So of 700 seed grown fruit trees we originally planted that’s four newvarieties of pears and two new varieties of apples so far!I discovered that putting grass cuttings for mulch in pots not only suppresses theweeds but feeds the plants marvellously. You have to take into account I am a bitslow on the uptake as regards growing. We don't need a motor scythe now, we wenton a great scything course and that will do us nicely for cutting and collecting grassmulch from the fields. We just need a new blade for the scythe, also `fine' and`normal' sharpening stones, a water holster to keep them in handy as you aresharpening every five minutes, and a peener to peen the blade.
Frank Bowman
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BANGOR FOREST GARDENPROGRESS REPORT JULY OCTOBER 2013Wednesday 3rd July 2013Working: Alison, Dave, Tom, and Nathan.Dave and Tom strimmed everywhere and mowed the paths, and Ali raked it up forthe compost. Nathan worked on freeing up the area around the juniper. Daverepaired the frame of the outdoor sink (that is now stable), and the fence around thepond. Tom planted out a number of tomato plants which had been donated byJames, who is working on a Universityrelated tomato blight research project.Sunday 14th July 2013Working: Alison, Mary, Nathan, Charles, Marika, Dave, Tom, Frank, and Pete.We had the AGM today. The weather was gorgeous. Apart from the AGM andsocialising we did a lot of maintenance, cutting back those plants encroaching onothers, working on the herb spiral, watering and weeding. All the giant hogweedwas cut by hand sickle quite quickly. We also harvested some blackcurrant.Wednesday 31st July 2013Working: Frank, Dave, Tom, Mary, and Patrick.Wow, what a wet day! But we did really need the rain for the garden. We got the firegoing and harvested quite a few gooseberries, enough for about 3 kg of lovelygooseberry jam. Ali did a guided tour for a new visitor. We sheltered from the rainunder the tarp by the fire pit. And ventured out to cook the jam. It did taste good onthe bread we toasted. The large pots sheltered the fire and kept the fire goingunderneath very well.Sunday 11th August 2013Working: Alison, Mary, Nathan, Charles, Dave, Tom, Frank, Patrick, Stuart, andSarobidy.Mary gave a guided tour of the gardenfor Sarobidy and Patrick. Dave cut moreof the stakes we are going to use for thegarden tour markers, and mended thefloor underneath the entrance to the endstore room on the cabin. The comfreyand lovage were cleared from aroundthe small apple tree. The tomatoes thatTom had planted were tied up to the
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bamboo, and the other tomatoes in the raised bed were pruned and tied. The tyreherb tea bed by the firepit was weeded. Tom and Stuart cleared the overgrowth ofbrambles growing behind the mulberry tree. Dave mowed and cleared the paths anddid the strimming. Some wineberries and blackcurrants were gathered. Cleared outsome of the pondweed, and watered the plants on the propagation staging. Watersupply connected up so we could water the tomato veg beds.Wednesday 28th August 2013Working: Dave, Tom, Mary, Stuart, Patrick and Alison.Stuart got the fire going and the kettle on, and worked on the computer to get rid ofthe unwanted programs that had installed themselves. Stuart and Patrick did themowing and strimming. We harvested wineberries. Mary and Dave cooked us all thefield mushrooms that they had picked earlier in the day near Holyhead. Marywatered the plants on the staging and the veg beds. The loganberry is growing wellafter its move and we all got busy on freeing it from the overgrowth to give it space.It will be good to grow them on the wall as that should help them spread and fruitwell next year.Sunday 8th September 2013Working: Stuart, Charles, Gemma, Mary, Tom, Dave, Marika, Nathan, Frank.Stuart got the fire going and the kettle on. The garden is lush withfruit this year, and we all went round and tasted the apples. Theones at the top of the garden are like cookers, but perhaps somehave a while to sweeten yet. The Laxton’s Fortune by the firepit is readyto eat, and the unknown apple on the other side of the compost toilet tastesvery similar. We gathered fruit from the garden and blackberries from the lane tomake jam. Dave gathered rowanberries to try experimenting with rowanberry jelly.We made six jars of wineberry, blackberry, elderberry, and apple jam, and each tooka jar home.Wednesday 25th September 2013Working: Dave, Tom, Frank, Patrick, Simon, Sarah and Alison.Simon, a photographer, was here to take photos and record a video as part of theFederation of City Farms and Community Gardens website promotion. Alisonshowed him around the garden and later did an interview. We cleared overgrowthfrom the paths, and branches coming into the paths, and cut any dead wood down.We picked apples, and potted up some sea buckthorn. Alison got the cob oven goingand made bread. We got all the plants with their labels ready, as well as the infoboards and the yurt, for the travelling stall to be taken to the Anglesey WoodlandFestival at Plas Newydd at the weekend.
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We had two good days at the festival. Got some donations, and one very goodsuggestion for a laminated A4 mobile display describing interesting, informativeand educational plants.Sunday 13th October 2013Working: Mary, Dave, Alison, Marika, Frank, Stuart, Pete, Jane, Ricky, Shelby, andPhilip.We made space for the strawberry tree, propagated the sea buckthorn, thinnedunwanted suckers of bamboo and salmonberry, cut the bamboo and harvested it intosticks, trimmed back honeysuckle, dug out some invasive damson and cherry plumsuckers, and mowed all the paths. We also cleaned the firepit and used the mixtureof ash and soil around the raspberries, pears, apples and plums. We harvested thedifferent apples, tasting as we picked. We finally found out that the Bardsey Apple isthe rootstock and that it is a Belle de Boskoop, an old multiuse Dutch variety from1858, with a sharp taste that sweetens with age and is a good keeper.
Frank Bowman
BRYNDERWEN VEGAN COMMUNITYBrynderwen (formed in 2002), on the outskirts of Swansea, has been a bit in thedoldrums in recent years but we're now looking at the possibility of trying todevelop it perhaps as some sort of Vegan Organic Network type project and to twinit with Tony Martin's six acre forest garden some 15 miles north of here. Tony hasthe land (and is planning to run permaculture courses starting next year) but not verymuch extra accommodation, aside from camping. At Brynderwen we haveaccommodation (large 4bedroom house and double garage) but much less land, anacre or so. It's mostly steep but is south facing and does have potential, although alot of work needs to be done clearing the land not least because a long seven foothigh wall collapsed in the recent rains!If anyone's interested in knowing more, and maybe visiting or getting involved, ringme on 01792 792442 or email [email protected] the postal address is inthe VON advert (back page) as I've just taken over membership duties for VON.
Malcolm Horne
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URGENTHELP NEEDED FOR SURVIVORS OF TYPHOON HAIYANFood for Life Philippines is responding to the emergency with hot vegan meals.
Every $20 donated can help us feed up to 60 people a freshly cooked vegan meal.http://www.ffl.org/2013/urgenthelpneededforvictimsoftyphoonhaiyan/
CONTACT FOOD FOR LIFE GLOBAL (FFLG)MailFood for Life GlobalPO Box 59037Potomac, MD 20859USA
Phone & FaxUSA + 1 (202) 4079090
AUSTRALIA +61 (02) 8006 1081
West Coast Fundraising Office: Punya Das ([email protected])Belgium Fundraising Office: Eva Schoonjans (eva@ffl org)
VEGGIES MARQUEE APPEAL at http://www.gofundme.com/54onx4We recently lent our 12m Badger marquee to the wonderful people at the Badgercull protest camp in Somerset. Unfortunately due to bad weather conditions ourmarquee has been badly damaged. This marquee is used at a lot of importantsummer events e.g Peace News gathering, Earth First gathering, animal rightsgatherings, outreach events and many more. For this reason it's vital that we get areplacement marquee so that we can carry on supporting the grassroots protestmovement in the UK and keep spreading the benefits of a vegan diet. With themoney we raise through this appeal we will buy a new, stronger marquee in time forour summer tour. We look forward to feeding/fueling your campaigns to make thisworld a better place for everyone. (Veggies contact information on p.23.)
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THE STORY OF OUR ALLOTMENT SO FARI became a vegan in the early eighties after becoming a Quaker in 1982. As a result Ibecame friends with Kathleen and Jack Jannaway when they were founding MCL.We used to have lovely picnic meetings in their garden in Leatherhead. I was greatlyinspired by their Quaker values of simplicity and equality and their whole lifestyle. Iwas also one of the first members of VON. So reading Growing Green Internationaland New Leaves has influenced my vegan organic gardening. I have also done aPermaculture Diploma course. I see this as a whole way of life which fits in with myQuaker experiential faith. Although previously a nurse (43 years) I now mainly usecomplementary therapies in my retirement.For about five years I have shared an allotment in Lee (London Borough ofGreenwich) with Cherry, who had recently retired and so acquired a Council lowrentalplot. Cherry welcomed my help as although it is a 'half' plot, it felt too big forone person to manage. Although Cherry is an omnivore, she enjoys my vegan foodand was willing to adopt the VON principles on our plot. We both go to BlackheathQuaker Meeting, and work as spiritual healers.Having cleared the rubble and rubbish and main weeds and brambles five years ago,we laid down old carpets, then dug it bit by bit. The non recyclable stuff went off ina free council skip, whilst the weeds were rotted down in black bags. We dug a bigtrench for compost, filling it with grass cuttings, the rotted down weeds and nonedible parts of our harvest. This produced beautiful, dark, crumbly, rich compost, ofwhich we are very proud.Having dug the plot once, we decided to have 'a NoDig allotment'. So we maderaised beds from old planks (many rescued from the river). We found this difficultas neither of us were much good at screwing the planks to the corner posts. So theresult was fairly wobbly squares and rectangles which did not sit very well in theground! Each bed was surrounded by a narrow grassy path for ease of access. Thesepaths were kept trim with an electric strimmer (rechargeable). The beds werecovered with black weedsuppressing membranes pinned down with metal pegs.Then we planted baby vegetable plants through holes in this membrane. Theseplants were not always grown from organic seed and were bought from a localgarden centre. Eventually my own back garden in Woolwich will be a nursery forcovered seed beds for organic plants. When these are big enough I will transplantthem to the allotment (two miles away) in rotation.We also, however, have perennial plants – Jerusalem artichokes and horseradish. Wehave two berry beds with raspberry, blackberry, blueberry and gooseberry bushesplus a separate strawberry bed. We are creating a small orchard of apple, pear, plumand cherry trees, surrounded by a wild flower meadow.
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After harvesting each membranecovered bed, we remove the weed suppressor andsow green manure over the winter. When this has finished flowering we chop up theplants and cover them with fresh compost, then recover with membrane, restartingwith vegetable plants in the spring.All this worked well until 2011 and the two long, severe winters of wet, snow andice and very cold weather. Then everything became neglected and weeds took over,growing through the membrane and making a tangled mess. We realized that torestore it to our nodig method, we would have to redig each bed. Meanwhile I hadhad Atrial Fibrillation, leaving me tired and breathless and unable to dig. I'm now 78and Cherry 68 and although she is fit and well, we were both very despondent andlacking energy after the prolonged bad weather. We seriously considered giving upthe allotment. I have now cured the AF with homeopathic Hawthorn (calledCRATAEGUS) having refused Warfarin & Betablockers, and my cardiologist hasdischarged me! However, if I do too much, the fluttery, uncountable fast pulsereturns. These short attacks I can treat with Bateyko breathing, restoring the pulse tosinus (normal) rhythm in a few minutes but I then need to take it easy.So we were indecisive about the future of the allotment. As healers 'we held thesituation in the Light', hoping the Spirit would show us what to do. The followingday, I was walking my dog in my local park (Maryon Park). My dog started to playwith Andrew's dog so we introduced ourselves and started to talk. Andrew showedme his plot on the recently made Community Garden in the park. He had recentlylost his job and so was retraining as a dogwalker. We found we shared lots ofvalues about gardening and sustainability. Andrew appeared good and kind and wasmaking money by doing jobs in people's gardens.Cherry and I showed him our plot. He offered to do the heavy digging for us for asmall fee. He understood about restoring the allotment to our 'nodig' process andwas enthusiastic about helping us. This, in turn, inspired us to try again. I felt it wasserendipity we had met in the park that day. I have lived in the area since 1986, ashad he, but we had not met before!?Andrew has also suggested making new raised beds from sturdy scaffolding planks.The community garden had done this. He is also removing the turf from our grassypaths so that instead we have them laid with membrane and wood chips. In additionhe is going to help me turn my back garden into a nursery for the allotment, as I hadplanned to do. Another project for the allotment is to make a little pond as we havemany toads. Hopefully these will then eat all our slugs – a natural process althoughnot vegan! So, a new era has begun for our plot and we are full of hopeful plans forplanting.
Elizabeth M. Angas
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RICE UP WHOLEFOODS LIMITED…WE ’RE FOR A DIFFERENT WORLDSouthampton’s new independent ethical supermarket
On 6 July 2013 the doors of the Rice Up supermarket opened for the first time. Itcreated quite a stir, with more than 100 people waiting onthe pavement outside for the moment that ‘The Queen ofVeggie Cookery’, Rose Elliot MBE, cut the (fairtrade,recycled) ribbon and announced that we were open forbusiness!That occasion was the culmination of nearly three yearsplanning and researching, not to mention the physical hard
graft to get the shop ready, by a small group of people who are determined to offerSouthampton an alternative food retailing model. Rice Up Wholefoods Ltd is aworkers’ cooperative, which means it is owned by the workers who all have an
COME THURSDAY'S CHILDNo nagging prayer for answers at the hem of God unless suffused by grace of love externalizedto fill the voids in our sufficiency can bring the grace beyond our understanding.It is men's hurtfulness, not heavensent intention,that despairs the fragile soul:through empathy alone may come the final truthto round the perfect whole.
Jon WynneTyson
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equal say in the running of the business. There is no management hierarchy anddecisions are reached by consensus.The money to launch the venture has come from a number of people who haveinvested Loan Stock in it. They have effectively lent the business money and will berepaid (with interest if they wish) after a term of years that they specify. They haveshown faith in the ideas and ideals of Rice Up.So what are those ideas and ideals? Well, for a start, Rice Up is an ethical business.It is run by people who believe, for example, in nonviolence towards nonhumananimals. So all the products in the shop are vegan. We also support and promote theprinciples of fair trade and social justice and wish to limit the environmental impactof the shop and the goods it sells. Rice Up sources fresh organic produce as locallyas possible and will not sell airfreighted fruit and veg. Much of our produce isorganic. You can read Rice Up’s full Ethical Policy and the details of its aims andaspirations on our web site www.riceup.coopThe shop’s premises were empty when Rice Up took the lease. Every effort wasmade to use recycled and environmentally lowimpact materials. Examples of thisare that the wooden floor was finishedwith non toxic floor paint, the exteriorsign for the shop is secured to a framemade from old pallet wood, and the teamworking on the shop often used bicycletransport to move kit around (eg whenhiring floor sanders), and second handwhite goods were bought whereverpossible.The shop sells a large range of food fresh, frozen and preserved. There are over100 ‘scoop and save’ bins with loose wholefoods so customers can buy just whatyou need at a reduced price relative to prepacked food (Rice Up wants to makewhat it sells as affordable as possible). There is a deli counter with freshly preparedsnacks, sandwiches and cakes, and there’s a big section selling household, personaland baby products. And, of course, a lot of chocolate, sweets and crisps.Business has been good since the launch and we hope that what we are offering willbe embraced by increasing numbers of local people. You can keep up to date withRice Up by finding us on Facebook and Twitter and by signing up for our enewsletters (sign up form on the website). But best of all you can call in and see foryourself!
Juliet Lynn
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LANGUAGE AND SPECIESISMWatch your language! Words have power. As we become aware of how oppressed ormaligned segments of society are treated we often change the way we speak aboutthem. We become more politically correct. Sometimes it's carried too far but mostpeople will agree that derogatory language shouldn't be used when referring to anyspecific group.Words might seem harmless but they aren't. The way we speak can affect how wethink. If we continually refer to someone in a negative fashion, or in some way thatreduces their perceived value, we are more likely to value them less.Have you noticed how people talk differently about human animals and nonhumananimals? Very often, they will call a nonhuman 'it' but a human 'them'. They maysay: 'I saw a cat on the lawn and it was eating'. Even if they know the sex of the cat,they will still use the word 'it'. If they saw a human on the lawn and they didn'tknow the sex of the human imagine it's a dark and foggy night and the human iswearing a hood they would say: 'I saw someone on the lawn and they were eating'.Humans are only referred to as 'it' in certain circumstances. If the sex of a human isunknown to the speaker you might hear them say: 'Someone is coming tomorrowbut I don't know who it is'. Generally, though, the human will be called a 'them' or a'they' and not an 'it'.Certain peoples, tribes and nations, called themselves 'The People', or some othersimilar term. And they often referred to others as 'The Enemy', or 'Snake Eyes', or insome derogatory manner. This will have reinforced the idea of separateness. Theothers were not like them. They were inferior. This made it easier to kill them andsteal their land or at least to ignore their rights.The words we use can affect the way we think. And the way we think can affect thewords we use. If people refer to other animals as 'it' they are more likely to think ofthem as mere objects who are inferior to us in every way and less worthy of rights.People might refer to 'humans and animals' as if humans weren't animals. 'He'sbehaving like an animal!' We've all heard that said about some man before. Yes, he'sbehaving like an animal because he is an animal. He's not a plant, fungus, protist,archaeon or bacterium. He's a human and, therefore, an animal. I often hear peoplesay something like: 'Humans and animals can coexist'. That is like saying thatgeraniums and plants can coexist. It would be better to say that humans and otheranimals can coexist as it would be better (and correct) to say that geraniums andother plants can coexist.
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I still reserve the words 'people' and 'person' for humans, although there is a move tohave other animals or at least some primates given the status of persons. Thiscould be doing these other animals a disservice: 'person' comes from the Latin wordfor 'mask'. It could be said our personalities are masks we show to the world. Otheranimals have no need to mask their real selves. They just do what they do withoutworrying about what others will think of them. They need no mask. But they doneed our respect, and our acknowledgement that we are not separate from theanimal kingdom.
Martin in NewcastleWe need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals.Remote from universal nature and living by complicated artifice, man incivilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and seesthereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize themfor their incompleteness, for their tragic fate for having taken form so far belowourselves. And therein do we err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. Ina world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete,gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living byvoices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they areother nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners ofthe splendour and travail of the earth.
The Outermost House by Henry Beston (18881968)
GLEANINGS (extracts from fuller articles)Doomed within 20 yearsLife in parts of the planet will start to be wiped out by climatechange within two decades – far sooner than previously predicted,research shows.Ecosystems will be destroyed and economies crippled, dealing ablow to global food supplies, experts say.
Nadia Gilani, Metro, Thursday, October 10, 2013The greenhouse gets hotterClimate change gases 'at highest ever levels'.Volumes of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere – the main gases givenoff by human activities – grew faster in 2012 than in the previous decade.It means that if mankind continues on its 'business as usual' course, temperaturesaround the globe will rise by 2C by the middle of the century – affecting the watercycle, sea levels and extreme weather events.
Aidan Radnedge, Metro, Thursday, November 7, 2013
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MESSAGES THROUGH OUR WEBSITESent in by Dalene ReyburnExciting news: The Story of Humphrey the Hereford, an animal rights book aimedmainly at children from the age of 8 upwards, has just been published and isattracting enormous attention in many countries. The author, Stephen Marcus Finn,has published this book under the auspices of Beauty Without Cruelty, the leadinganimal rights organization in Africa. In this book, Caw the Crow – the most brilliantof all birds (as he keeps on reminding us) – tells the story of his great friend,Humphrey the Hereford, from the time he was a calf until …. Well that’s for you,the reader, to find out. The exquisite, sensitive illustrations add so much to the book,which is suitable for children, teenagers and even adults as you’ll be led into a worldyou’ve never experienced before. And when you read or listen to it, you will laugh,you will cry, you will never see animals in the same way again. The book willcertainly further the ethos and aims of your organisation as well as promote readingamong children especially.Download The Story of Humphrey the Hereford from the Apple iBookstorefor $499. This interactive book allows you to read along with Caw and hear hisvoice as he himself tells the story.Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/storyhumphreyhereford/id563438512?ls=1
Sent in by Barbara WilsonMy newest book, Deva and the Soul Snatcher, is a young adult fantasy about savingthe world through compassionate treatment of animals, meaning "don't eat them." Ihave woven facts about misuse of water, land, and animals into this story, hoping toinform the next generation of alternatives to the waste and cruelty of our currenteating habits. The story has been called by one reviewer: "An Inconvenient Truthmeets Harry Potter meets High School Musical." Animal rights and veganbestselling author Jeffrey Masson calls the book "engrossing...a fascinating read."My hope is to publicize it through various animal rights and vegan organizations.One quarter of the money earned will be donated to such organizations. I'm told thisbook would make a great movie, which would add to the publicity for the animalrights/vegan viewpoint. It would be a pleasure to work with likeminded people toget this message out in a way that would grab the imagination of the young.
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About 18 years ago I read an article in MCL’s magazine about cows. It was writtenby a calf about its mother and her rotten life. It upset me greatly but wasinstrumental in making me vegan. We had up to then been vegetarian for a fewyears. I threw the article away, having decided I didn't want to read something soupsetting again. I wish I still had it because I'm sure it would make other vegetariansbecome vegans.I know it's a long shot, but I wondered if anybody at MCL remembers this articleand has a copy they could photocopy for me. I will gladly pay anyexpenses and give a donation.
Yours sincerely,Frances Thomas
I would congratulate the Editor on raising the matter of vaccination in the last issueof New Leaves. For besides the intrinsic value of her article on this, it in fact raisesat the same time the wider matter of ethical, or unethical, medicine today and theinescapable involvement in our treatment of the animal creation, since vaccineproducts involve experiments on animals – the cruellest of all our treatments of theanimal kingdom.I would also express appreciation of her insightfulness in viewing a resolution of theland question – the equal right of all to inhabit the land – as basic to the veganaspiration for selfsustaining vegan villages.
Yours truly,ShirleyAnne Hardy
LETTERS
STOLEN LAND ~ STOLEN LIVESAND THE GREAT CON TRICK OF DEBT
A presentation and talkwith ShirleyAnne Hardy
Filmed by Leo Brugeson YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4u0CHw9wfk
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The Vegan Society, inventors of the word and established since 1944, The AnimalFree Shopper, our comprehensive guidebook of vegan products, just £4.99 + £1.50p&p. Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Hockley, Birmingham B18 6HJ. Seewww.vegansociety.com. Email: [email protected] or phone 0845 458 8244.For help writing to local newspapers etc. please email Amanda:[email protected] Views: an informal forum for vegan views and news. Now online only, withmany articles, interviews and back issues available at www.veganviews.org.ukVeggies and Sumac Centre: Allvegan catering for animal and social justicecampaigns (and family celebrations); People's Kitchen shared meal every Saturday;veganorganic community garden; distribution of MCL booklets & leaflets. 245Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX. Tel: 0845 458 9595. www.veggies.org.uk.The Network of Ley Hunters' Newsletter is available on annual subscription (fourquarterly issues) of £10 if in the UK (£20 for outside UK). Please, send to LaurenceMain, 9 Mawddwy Cottages, Minllyn, Dinas Mawddwy, Machynlleth, SY20 9LW.Tel. 01650 531354 www.networkofleyhunters.com
MCL ADDRESSESGeneral ContactMembershipTreasurerEditorial Collective
Contact SchemeIreeneSointu, MCL, 105 Cyfyng Road, Ystalyfera, Swansea SA9 2BT, UK
Tel: 01639 841223, email: [email protected] can be ordered online or by mail from
MCL c/o The Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone St., Nottingham NG7 6HX, UKTel: 0845 458 9595, email [email protected]
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEXT NEW LEAVESTO BE RECEIVED BY 21ST FEBRUARYshould be typed or clearly handwritten and marked 'for New Leaves'. Any presscuttings/references should be recent and identified with name and date of thesource publication. Food items promoted in articles and recipes should beappropriate to MCL's policy of encouraging use of produce that can be grown inthe writer's local region, rather than imported crops.
ADVERTISEMENTSNo responsibility taken by MCL for accuracy or reliability of advertisers.
10 words for 50p then 10p a word.Copy for the next issue by the same date as other contributions, please.
Please make cheques payable to MCL.
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I am writing on behalf of a vegan who lives in Eastern Europe. He wants towork in an Englishspeaking or EU country where veganism is more accepted andwhere he will be free to pursue the life he wants. He speaks fluent English, SerboCroatian and basic German. He has a Bachelor's Degree in International Businessand an Associate's Degree in Finance. He is a singer and artist and has experience inbook and music publishing. He also has experience in growing fruit and vegetables.He will do any kind of work. If you know of anywhere that could offer him a job(preferably with accommodation) please get in touch. It would have to be longterm,which would lead to permanent residence. Any practical help on legal issues, suchas work permits, asylum and residency, would be appreciated. Contact:[email protected] Two welcomes women & anyone interested in growing fruit (field turningslowly into orchard) & vegan permaculture. Le Village, 09600 Dun, France. Tel.00335 61604688.
H O L I D AY A C C O M M O D A T I O NFern Tor vegetarian and vegan guest house.Relax in 12 acres or explore Exmoor, North andMidDevon. Cordon vert. En suite, nonsmoking. “Vegan paradise”. Tel: 01769 550339,www.ferntor.co.uk.Vegan & vegetarian visitors to west Cork.Selfcatering apartments for singles, couples andfamilies, in peaceful wooded surroundings. Organic vegetables and veganwholefoods available. Reasonable rates. Green Lodge, Trawnamadree, Ballylickey,Bantry, County Cork. Tel: 00353 2766146, Text:353861955451, Email:[email protected] Website: http://homepage.eircom.net/~greenlodge.Ranworth Guesthouse, Church Road, Ravenscar, Scarborough, North YorkshireYO13 0LZ. Telephone 01723 870366. Serving only vegan and vegetarian food.Established 1985. Pets and children welcome.Michael House, vegetarian and vegan guest house, Treknow, near Tintagel, NorthCornwall. Near beach and coastal path. Delicious food, relaxing atmosphere, ensuite, open all year. Tel: 01840 770 592, email: info@michaelhouse.co.uk,www.michaelhouse.co.uk.
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONSWould you like New Leaves sent to someone as a gift? Do you think afriend or family member would enjoy reading about compassionate living?Do you know someone who is thinking about changing to a veganlifestyle? Just fill in the form below with the person's details and completethe Gift Subscription line, then send in with the subscription payment andwe will provide them with the next three issues of New Leaves as your giftto them.
HOW TO JOIN MCLFor those who can afford it, we suggest an annual subscription of £6.00 forUK residents (overseas subscribers – please add a further donation to coverextra postage costs). Less will be accepted, however, and more will bewelcomed – this will help us to send New Leaves to those who will read itand hand on the ideas but who cannot themselves afford a subscription.Such donations also help with the costs of stalls and meetings.Payment by UK postal order or stamps, sterling cheque from a UK bank, orInternational Money Order. Please make payable to MCL.Please complete the following (or a copy) in clear writing and send withyour subscription payment to the Treasurer:MCL, 105 Cyfyng Rd., Ystalyfera, Swansea SA9 2BT, UKName(s):Full Address incl. postcode:
Telephone:Email:I/We enclose £........................ for one year's subscription to MCL.Signature(s): Date:Gift subscriptions: Please complete the above with the details of who youwould like New Leaves sent to, then print your name clearly below:GIFT SUBSCRIPTION FROM…........................................................
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P U B L I C A T I O N SBOOKLETS (for bulk orders contact address below first)Abundant Living in the Coming Age of the TreeSelfreliant TreeBased Autonomous VeganVillages (STAVVs)Recipes from "New Leaves"More Recipes from "New Leaves"
(includes quinoa and acorns)Recipes for a Sustainable FutureGrowing Our Own, VeganOrganicallyFood for Everyone (with pictures for posters)Familiar and Unfamiliar SaladingsFor Vegan ParentsPioneers of Compassionate Living
£2.50£1.50£1.50£1.50£1.50£1.50£1.50£1.50£1.50£1.50
LEAFLETS(Can be viewed, downloaded and printed from the MCL web site)(1) MCL handout; (2) Introducing MCL; (3) Food& Agriculture; (4) Protecting the Environment;(5) Trees for a Future; (6) Feeding the World;(7) Animal Exploitation; (8) Health, Diet &Nutrition; (9) A Vision for a Compassionate World
58peach or£1 forfull setincl.UK
p&pPrices above include UK postage and packing.Europe Abundant Living £4, all other booklets £3 each,full set of 9 leaflets £2.50 each set.Rest of the world Abundant Living £5, all other booklets £4 each,full set of 9 leaflets £3.50 each set.Please send the items ticked above to:Name:Address:
Telephone:Cheques to MCL (UK stamps welcome).MCL c/o The Sumac Centre,245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HXTel.: 0845 458 9595 Email: [email protected]
VEGAVegetarian Economy andGreen Agriculture14 Woodland Rise
GreenfordMiddlesex UB6 0RDVEGA is a scientific,
research and informationorganisation that focuses
on the treatment of animalsand on human nutrition.
Please see website
VEGANORGANICNETWORK
Showing the world how foodcan be grown without harmingpeople, animals, or theenvironment!Enquiries to:VONc/o Brynderwen, Crymlyn RoadLlansamlet, Swansea SA7 9XT01792 792 442
VEGFAMc/o Cwm CottageCwmynys, Cilycwm, Llandovery,
Carmarthenshire SA20 0EUTelephone 01550 721197
Vegfam raises funds to provide sustainableoverseas projects: vegetable growing, fruit& nut trees, safe water. Helping thousands
of people worldwide.Every donation will make a difference to
someone's life.Please support our projects.
website:www.vegfamcharity.org.ukREGISTERED CHARITY
No. 232208Est. 1963
HIPPO works to encourage andfacilitate the use of plant protein foods
instead of animal foods, and to helppoor communities to produce their own
food and to be selfsufficient.HIPPO
Churchfield HouseWeston under PenyardRossonWye HR9 [email protected] CHARITY
No. 1075420
www.vegaresearch.org