Opening a CSA Greenhouse: Biophilia

Biophilia CSA: Greenhouse in March2013
Biophilia CSA Greenhouse

We recently posted on our sister site about going to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Fair to join a farm. That post can be found at CSA’s on Long Island: Photos from a NOFA event.   We joined a local CSA named Biophilia.

By joining a CSA, you pay for a share which entitles you to a portion of the vegetables harvested during a season.  Many CSA’s, including the one we joined, are organic.  It is a way to support local farmers directly and get fresh produce.

Many CSA’s take the “community” part very seriously by having events throughout the growing season for the members to participate.  At Biophilia, we helped out at the opening of the greenhouse  by planting seed flats.

The farmer had mentioned that the name Biophilia was taken from a book by Edward O. Wilson, but Susannna had noticed that the farm’s name had the farmer’s name in the middle of it.  Coincidence?

We got to choose what vegetable we wanted to plant. Farmer Phil made the mistake of asking my favorite food. Continue reading Opening a CSA Greenhouse: Biophilia

Daniel Berrigan & Thich Nhat Hahn discuss Communities of Resistance

The Power of Nonviolence: Writings by Advocates of PeaceDaniel Berrigan and Thich Nhat Hahn‘s 1975 dialogue Communities of Resistance: A Conversation is the eighteenth chapter of The Power of Nonviolence: Writings by Advocates of Peace .  This dialogue leads off the Post-Vietnam to the Present (1975-  ) section of the book.  Hahn and Berrigan’s hopes for communities of resistance springs from their own experience with religious communities in the Buddhist and Catholic faiths, respectively, and with the experiences of their late mutual friend Thomas Merton.

We have already discussed Merton’s essay The Root of War is Fear from a previous chapter in the same book.   In it, Merton defines the calling of a Christian to “work for the total abolition of war.”  Merton reminds us that the place to end war is within ourselves.  My comments in the post about Merton’s essay could easily be applied to Berrigan and Hahn: Continue reading Daniel Berrigan & Thich Nhat Hahn discuss Communities of Resistance

Sweet Honey in the Rock in NYC on March 5th!


The Grammy award winning female a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock is touring to promote their latest album release Sweet Honey in the Rock: A Tribute-Live! Jazz at Lincoln Center. Sweet Honey in the Rock will be at the BB King Blues Club in New York City on March 5, 2013 for two shows.

***You can find tour dates and the link to purchase Sweet Honey in the Rock tickets: here.***

We have featured Sweet Honey in the Rock previously for our “Peace Song of the Day” project. Sweet Honey in the Rock is a strong voice for justice, freedom, and peace.

The Grammy award winning female a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock is touring to promote their latest album release Sweet Honey in the Rock: A Tribute-Live! Jazz at Lincoln Center. There are only 5 days that the women of Sweet Honey will be performing these special tribute shows that honor the songs from influential female vocalist such as Odetta, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Bessie Smith, and more! Continue reading Sweet Honey in the Rock in NYC on March 5th!

Lots of folks thinking about nonviolence!

Our Peace Index postings are a little behind again. We just moved from North Babylon to Riverhead, and finding it hard to set up our new (old) house. Though, the stats are taken, and PAXi numbers will be posted soon for all the missing days.

Wanted to share that today, “nonviolence”, skyrocketed today on our Google News search. In looking at why, found this interesting story. Ela Gandhi comments on the potential (and limitations) of social media in supporting nonviolence:

(excerpt from) Perth Now
Ela Gandhi: education can beat violence
February 26, 2013

The granddaughter of Indian peace icon Mahatma Gandhi hopes a new institute in Sydney will help Australians re-think our approach to moral education.

Ela Gandhi told an audience at the University of New South Wales on Tuesday that existing education strategies were allowing a culture of violence to flourish.

An International Centre of Nonviolence to be opened in Sydney on Wednesday would examine education “as a way of transforming the community”, she said.

Ms Gandhi, a former South African parliamentarian who has spent her career promoting civil rights, said she feared social justice teaching was losing traction. Continue reading Lots of folks thinking about nonviolence!

Who is asking Obama for peace?: Please advise

The State of The Union is tonight. [was Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013]

I have seen messages in my e-mail from various groups with important lobbying messages for President Obama. Though, I don’t recall seeing anyone specifically lobbying for peace.

I will have my eyes open, and blog here with any messages or demonstrations about peace.

Please, please, comment and/or send links to groups working on a peace/anti-war message for this evening.

It will be interesting to look at the way the The Daily Peace Culture Index for the United States (aks: PAXi Peace Index) moves in the lead-up and follow-up to the State of the Union. Continue reading Who is asking Obama for peace?: Please advise

Peace Index Update for 2/7/2013

Peace Index for Thursday, February 7, 2013 is 190.

If you are following the Peace Index, apologies for the fact that we are a few weeks behind on posting.

Kimberly and Ian (aka The Duke and Duchess of Peace) have relocated from their apartment in North Babylon to a new home in Riverhead, Long Island, New York. (Ie: We moved east).

As of now, there are boxes everywhere! Though, we have still been collecting the data. And, we will fill in the Peace Index numbers for missing dates when we catch up with things. Please let us know if you are seeking numbers for a certain day.

About today’s Peace Index: Continue reading Peace Index Update for 2/7/2013

Peace Index for Dec 2012 into Jan 2013: Where will the New Year lead?

Our daily peace index, PAXi, is designed to describe the amount of energy and discussion devoted to peace and antiwar sentiment in The United States each day.

We are looking forward to seeing what the PAXi number for January 1, 2013 will be. We are hoping that many people will wish for peace, and make resolutions about peace, so that the number will be high. [Update: The PAXi for January 1, 2013 is 160. So, PAXi went down a little from yesterday. It’s somewhat disappointing. Though, sometimes there is simply “less on-line discussion” for holidays, which makes the indicators lower. So, there is a chance that the next few days may show different directions for PAXi, and/or more visible discussion about peace.]

(The low for PAXi has been 131. The high for PAXi has been 979.)

This is what PAXi looked like for
Dec 2012 into the New Year:

Started out on December 1st at 156.

On Christmas Day, December 25th, PAXi was at 164.

The high for December was 177, reached on December 27th.

On December 31st, PAXi was at 168.

New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2013 PAXi is at 160.

Jan 2, 2013: PAXi climbs 8 to 168.

Jan 3, 2013: PAXi at 166

Jan 4, 2013: PAXi at 167

Jan 5, 2013: PAXi at 167

Watch the front of the Peace Couple website for a daily announcement of the PAXi Peace Index number.

See this post “How Much Peace Is There Today?” for a continuously updated chart of PAXi numbers.

To celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square with a group of Idle No More, First Nation, Occupy-friendly, activists, see their Live Streaming here:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/amontillado-tv