Raw Model - The Lifestyle for Beauty, Energy, and Mental Clarity

Anastasia Update...and videos

2009-11-06T19:18:00.005-05:00

Im beginning to feel that there are two types of humans
in this world today, those who are taking an active part
in rebuilding Paradise on Earth, and those who are not.

The more I read Anastasia (which I dont necessarily agree
with everything written, we do have to remain open-minded)
the more hope and energy I feel to spread the ideas of joy
that can be had by creating our own Space of Love.

I really feel that this is the answer to every problem
we are facing. If a person takes action, every problem
that they might be facing will be dealt with by working
in the garden, whether emotional, financial, or physiological.

If a state or nation takes action, every problem that
it might be facing will also be dealt with.
Could you imagine tens of millions of families producing
their own food and living without any help from
some distant government agencies? Or corporate food providers?

This makes so much ECONOMICAL sense that Im amazed
more politicians havent jumped onto it, but I know who
they are serving mostly at the moment, so its all the better
that we can take the steps ourselves and also with our families
to make paradise happen in our little corners of the world.

Here is part 4 and 5 from a documentary about
people taking actions written about in the Ringing Cedars series.

It doesnt matter if you have lots of money,
or if youre living paycheck to paycheck.
That has NOTHING to do with any of this.
Planting a Space of Love will vastly improve your life.
And with a year or two of saving, you can EASILY get started.
A little discipline early on goes a long way...
and when I say a long way, I mean your great-grandchildren
will be telling stories about you to their children
about how you built the Sacred Family Garden that
they continue to enjoy and thrive in. Powerful.

There is nothing stronger and more feasible
than this idea...this one act can fix everything.
If the corrupt leaders of the world will plant a
Space of Love of their own, I believe that their minds and
hearts will completely change and they will no longer be able to
steal from the public and serve destructive interests.
Call me naive, but I really believe that it will fix everything.

Eating berries and leaves as I walk through my garden
each morning gives me more tranquility than hours of meditation.
I think we had to start meditating more because we separated ourselves
from the true source of calming love that once always
gave us so much insight before we decided to leave it.

We can get that back! Its even easier if you have family members
willing to take this project on with you, or if you already have yard
space. Sure...Anastasia says 1 hectare (about 2.5 acres) is perfect -

(I have .75 hectares...but remember to work with surrounding
areas for lovely wildflowers and cover crops too of course) -

-but even if you have WAY less, you can still feed yourself most of the time
and give yourself some much needed connections with the cycles of
life and the creations of the Universe.

And your actions will inspire those around you,
and it will be a large ripple in the pond of your existence.

When you start playing with objects created by nature
instead of the much slower objects created by man,
your thoughts will begin to speed up dramatically.

Think about that when you give a baby a piece of plastic to play with.

The Space of Love is a living work of art.
Compare it to a painted canvas sitting in a museum.

The garden, a living-breathing work of art,
continually co-creating itself and evolving.
Made with the highest love, the love of co-creation
and the intention of providing for one's descendants.

The painting...beautiful and made with care and love,
but now dead...not changing and sadly finished.
And not taking care of anything living either.

We need art that is alive, and that can actually
feed our bodies and our souls as well.
Become that artist. Now is the time.

Rawmodel was started to get people excited about eating
raw vegan foods, but if you create your own Space of Love
and continually eat from the plants that live within it,
your diet will become a complete afterthought.
When that happens, you will then be sailing to complete health.

Eating raw is great, but we are still dependent on others
for nearly everything that keeps us fed and comfortable.
Can we not improve upon that anymore?
Even the richest people in the world eat like hobos
compared to those who live in their own Spaces of Love.
Think about that.
A golden raspberry, enjoyed 1 second after picking...

You can't buy a berry this fresh.

Have a good weekend...visualize your Eden.

Philips Party This Weekend

2009-11-06T10:08:00.004-05:00

Dont forget, if youre near NYC this weekend,
make it a point to get to Philips bday party.

Here are the details from our friend, who is shining at 33!
What a transformation in so many ways.
When I think of Jared from Subway - I feel bad for the guy.
The fact that he limited his diet to those processed sandwiches
for so damn long. Im thinking about all the raw desserts.
JUST MY OPINION, but there are MORE CHOICES.
Ugh...think of the raw decadence Philip has enjoyed these
past few years, and dont forget the changes in consciousness that
living foods has brought on for him. They definitely brought them to me.

If weather is decent tomorrow during the day,
Ill be in central park powerwalking/jogging and
looking for wildflower seeds for next spring.

Im already finding stuff everywhere...lots of echinacea.

Email me if youre possibly up for a group jog/seed hunt.

Here's Philip-

...
Yo..... Party People in the Place to Be!

Much love to my NYC family. I am so excited to see you all tomorrow at my birthday party! Woohoo!!!

We got a cool group of conscious cats coming out to celebrate my 33rd trip around the sun, and for this I am grateful. Who's on the list you ask? Well I ain't saying any names but we got: celeb internet bloggers, world traveling musicians, doctors to the stars, and cool peeps of all kinds. Shoot, you might even meet Christine from Phantom of the Opera... or who knows... maybe even an electronic/dance superstar known around the world... Keep your eyes peeled.

But most importantly YOU are going to be there. I am so grateful for all the love and support I have received from each and every one of you. The love that I feel from this raw community is amazing. WE are all blessed.

Event Details:

7:45pm: Line queue starts to ensure your place

8:00pm (sharp) - 8:45pm: Shazzie, International Author & Vegan Superstar will be coming to us Live from England via the magic of Skype for her virtual book launch of her latest controversial book Ecstatic Beings (which has already been removed from the shelves of some stores in London). We will have an amazing Q & A session via a 50inch plasma with every question from Raw Food to Ecstatic Living, and Living A Life Without Comprise and Creating Your Own Rules.

9:00pm: Music, Dancing, unlimited Raw Vegan Chocolate, sexy conversation and fun interaction... downstairs in the Chakra Room

11:00pm: The Chakra Room opens to the public and we will get to interact with all the fun people parting upstairs. This is your time to SHINE!

Venue Details:

Sutra Lounge

16 First Ave (btwn 1st & 2nd)

NYC, NY 10009

Note: When you come to the club say you're here for Philip's Birthday party and you will be allowed in. Remember, this is a club and you will need to be over 21 and have your ID. No tickets will be sold at the door so if you have any friends that want to come have them book today!

Love you... and save a dance for me,

Philip McCluskey

philip@lovingraw.com

Modern vs. Ancient (Wild) Humans

2009-11-04T19:28:00.007-05:00

While swimming through the debris of facebook,

I came upon this gem recommended by Tim Van Orden
of Running Raw. This guy really gets my respect for the
staircase races he does especially.
He would take me to school in any race,
but those staircases are HARDCORE.
Check him out HERE.

It was THIS article on Reuters.com about the
steep decline in strength and agility in the past few thousand years.

Oddly, but sadly, no real mention was made of our diets.
It was all about the sedentary life to the
writers and/or the scientists (it seemed).

I say - Crappy building blocks, crappy temple.
We all know that exercise is obviously needed for thriving,
but if you are built out of corn/soy fed beef and white bread
instead of spirulina and bee pollen, you will be a different person.
I'm sorry if that messes with anyone's ego, but its true.

Whatever your eating style at the moment,
go for QUALITY. Wild foods, and QUALITY.

People get so worked up about what to exclude in their diet,
but a MASSIVE fact is that no matter what most "civilized" people
are eating, they are quite usually eating the CHEAPEST -

(ahem...least-mineralized and loaded with crappy fillers
like corn and soy, plus chemicals with scary long names)

- DIEt they can possibly get their hands on.

If almost everyone is trying to save money,
why havent our leaders made food abundantly cheap by planting
massive stands of fruit forests and berry patches?
And why all the fruitless trees when they do plant anything?
I think we pretty much know why.

I know that this is changing though.
The answer to that last question IS changing.
The people that get it are beginning to take part in this massive shift.

When it CLICKS inside the heart and mind,
we will soon be eating lots of wild, and lovingly-grown food.

Lets do our best to turn back the clock on our bodies
by turning back the clock on our food choices.
Lower in sugar, no matter what "ism" you are,
(as I eat granola...*hypocrite*) highly-mineralized,
and as WILD AS POSSIBLE. CHECK ONLINE.

And if you go for quality, ingenuity will do wonders for the weekly budget.

Why cant our work/consume economies be based on more
fun stuff (bikes, ipods, vacations, camping gear...whatever!)
and not necessities (Housing, heating/cooling, FOOD, and water)???

Questions that need resolving on the personal level first.
Then tribe, then community, then widespread.
Politicians will be the last to jump on,
they will wait till the public DEMANDS this of them.

More Exposure for Self-Reliance

2009-11-02T15:06:00.005-05:00

Please be inspired enough to do something similar.

You can still have a regular job (if you want?).
Just now, you can take your earnings and use it
on vacations or whatever you please instead of
food, energy, and housing.
These things should be naturally abundant.

Let our economies be based on fun stuff instead of
necessities...the fact that our "leaders" have
kept our wallets tied to necessities is quite telling.

Since its painfully obvious that governments
arent looking to change this indentured servitude, its up to us as
individuals, tribes, and communities to do it for ourselves.

Please be inspired enough to do this for yourself.
They make it seem like extreme frugality is needed,
but if all your food is provided for, then you have more
extra income to play around with. Makes sense?

"We're looking for farmers!" Haha!

Submerged into the Embrace of Pacha Mama

2009-11-02T05:10:00.004-05:00

Again...these ideas are being picked up by many of us.
After learning about Earthships, I came to the conclusion
pretty quickly that by submerging any structure,
whether for humans, plants, livestock, or a combo of these..
INTO THE MOTHER EARTH,
we are protected within her embrace from the ups and downs
of the ever-changing and sometimes brutal weather.

By submerging our structures into the Earth,
we are snuggling ourselves in with superior insulation
and creating a little womb of warmth in the winter months.
I will definitely be doing this, at first for a new greenhouse
that will support two Paw-Paw trees,
then a small chicken-quail-duck home on the east side of the dome,
and then eventually a 40ft diameter circle human home with walls
2-3 ft thick and big southern facing windows to be able to grow tropical fruit
trees in the painfully cold winter weather of Central Minnesota.

Imagine the picture above with a pure glass ceiling.
Even a raised hoop ceiling or an A-frame.
Making sure there is enough head-room for two
vigorous paw-paw trees that will need their space in 5 years.

Keep visualizing your paradise!

Sunday Ideas

2009-11-01T16:45:00.008-05:00

Its a sad state of affairs when people feel safer
eating corporate "chocolate" like Milky Way and Hershey's
full of GMO soybean oil and corn syrup,
instead of homemade cacao treats created with love.
How nice would Halloween be if it were done in a
tightly-knit community where everyone could make their
own treats with love and pass them out to the kids?
That would be fun, right?
Who convinced us to trust M&M Mars more than each other?

I was going to head up to Central Park and look for
wildflower seeds that I can plant next spring,
but it was just really windy and the NYC Marathon
was going on so I decided to stay in.

After vibrating gratitude and joy on the couch
for 45 minutes or so, I decided to give some love to the plants.

Here is the lovely Black Sapote.
We had some sunflowers in a jar that are just
now going bad, so I tore them up (sorry!)
and spread them around the base of the trees.

Here is the base of the White Sapote.
Im interested to see if the worms will eat this stuff pretty quick.
The worms are all alive and well inside the containers,
moving nutrients around and depositing castings
(free organic fertilizer) onto the top layer.
So they will convert these torn up sunflowers
into organic compost...thank you my wormy friends.
And they aerate the soil too, dont forget.

I also came up with an idea for the sundeck in Minnesota today.
I first intended to put a yurt on top of it,
but after some acknowledgement of basic science,
I realized that keeping that thing warm in the winter would be
a massive hassle. Maybe Ill put something smaller on it, but
what I would really treasure would be a raised bed in the
shape of an octagon (like the deck, but smaller), about 12-14ft in diameter.
It would fit right in the middle of the deck.
We could put a little fire dish in the center and it would be just perfect.
You should see the views of the Milky Way from that spot.
Truly humbling and breathtaking.
I intend to plant the whole perimeter with a sacred plant
such as yarrow or maybe chamomile.
Maybe even some nettles? But I want flowers for sure.

And then cover the rest with a low-lying white clover,
so it takes on a nice carpeted effect.

We would have places to sit and relax,
and it would be a great place to tell stories and have ceremonies!
Singing songs and playing music!

The deck is obviously in the upper left corner.
The canopy really opens up to the southern sky so
the view to the south and the east is just stellar. Literally.

There would be plenty of space around the raised octagon bed
to hang out and walk around, so its not like it will take over the deck.

It would be such a magical place to sleep as well!
Or give birth? Or conceive and then give birth? What?

ON THAT TOPIC...
I'm reading part 6 of the Ringing Cedar Series,
and its focusing heavily so far on child-raising.
Anastasia says that a child should be conceived
in the "Space of Love", the Kin's domain, the special garden of the family.
And that if the child is conceived in one special place in that
garden, and then enters the outside world in that very same space,
even more power will be bestowed upon that little soul.

She also says that the mother should hopefully stay in the Space of love
for the duration of her pregnancy. This is such an interesting
series, and I really have to recommend it to everyone.

Could you ever imagine how powerful it would be to create
a Space of Love for your future family and then bring
a fiercely-treasured child into that garden?

She also said that when a child is conceived with the pure
intention of co-creation instead of sexual lust that something
magical happens as well. Its a really intriguing book, and I wish
more young people would get into it as soon as possible.

How cool would it be if a high-school or university professor
did a course on the Ringing Cedars Series?
Think about the conversations in class!

The books are truly life-changing, and if you are inspired
enough to create your own Space of Love, get a plan in place
as soon as you can. With about 4-5 years of hard work,
saving, and planning, you can create your own Garden of Eden.

Thats my Sunday...I talked with Debbie from Debbie Does Raw too!
What a jewel you are!! Miss you Deb!!! I hope to reconnect soon!

A

A Great Permaculture Intro Vid

2009-10-31T17:12:00.002-05:00

I was looking at some of my old videos from the
garden last year and started looking at related videos
in the sidebar of youtube.

I came across this one and found it to be really clean
and informative, and really inspiring.

How strange is it to lay in bed and think about sheet mulching
your garden? To fantasize about laying thick amounts of compost
on the ground and then planting clover all over it?
To daydream about spreading mint all over the property
and planting yarrow, nettles, and comfrey?

Going crazy, or going sane?

Enjoy the video.

A Pot Shot and Co-Creation

2009-10-31T14:03:00.008-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Pot Shot

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

I had to share this for two reasons:

1. Michael Bloomberg is running for mayor right now anyways,
and even though this clip is from 2002, it ties in.

2. The part around 1:25 where NORML Director
Keith Stroup is talking had me laughing so hard I could hardly breathe.
"Feeching! Come on man! Pull it together! They're all gonna think you're stoned!"
I was seriously living of laughter.

That was so hilarious. The whole piece is pretty good,
the monkey part at the end is sort of funny.

*Related Side Story*
I've partnered up with Choice Productions/Brown Betty Catering
to take the Conscious Catering and Food Forest Creation to a new level.

I contributed a raw dessert to an fall-themed tasting yesterday,
the ever-popular yam-yum tarts.

The gojis were more of a garnish, I think raisins would be great too.
The crust was 1/2 pecans, 1/2 dates. Sea salt too.

Anyhow, he said his "moment of truth" about partnering up
with me occurred when he was watching my "end of summer"
permaculture update on youtube this August.

The moment for him was around 7:40.

The part where I talked about leaving a brush pile untouched for
the winter because some chipmunks made a nest down inside it...
he says that it immediately told him that I was someone who cared.
If I could care that much about some chipmunks,
then what does that translate to? Care for all of our brothers and sisters?
Care for Humanity, Life on Earth, all of it? Rebuilding paradise? ??

Those little chipmunks were all cozy,
just think about how I would totally screw up their
lives if I were to destroy their home right before fall?
Even at all? There are other places for them to go in the
spring, when Ill eventually have to clear that woodpile and
plant more a few more items (serviceberries I think).
But still, it feels bad to disturb.

I miss that place so much.
I just feel massive amounts of love and joy
when I think about it and about working on and IN it.

Anyways, my partner from Choice Productions
asked me something that people have wondered
about my garden project in Minnesota.
He said, "You don't have to answer this if you don't
want to, but Ive been wondering for awhile,
do you grow marijuana in your garden in Minnesota?
Many people that I talk to about your garden just assume it."

** Im paraphrasing of course, but you get the idea.**

My answer? Bluntly, a no. I told him that if it were
legal, Id be doing it for sure, but its just not worth the risk
and paranoia. I have people coming by there all the time,
and I want to spread the message of freedom by and because of
permaculture first and foremost. That is my intention pure and simple.

Getting busted for growing some marijuana just isnt worth it.
What a hassle...always worrying, and not being able to fully showcase
my edible garden paradise? Too much of a sacrifice, hands down.

So if any of you were wondering, I DONT.
It will be legal soon enough. One thing I admire about Obama
is the retreat from gestapo tactics by the DEA in regards
to marijuana (at least). Let the states decide (everything).

Im eating yam-yum pudding right now,
left over from the tasting yesterday.

Blend raw organic yams or sweet potatoes (pre-slice)
with dates and cashews. You could also use pumpkin or butternut squash.
You have to come up with your own quantities,
but I am confident you will figure it out if you play around.
Try adding some -
Sea Salt,
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

- if you wish.

And experiment with clove and cardamom if you have it.

Im stretching and finishing up "Graham Hancock - Supernatural".
On to Ringing Cedars Series #6 after that.
A beautiful day.

Vitalis on Colostrum...

2009-10-31T03:44:00.004-05:00

In a recent post, I was talking about trying to be more
independent in thought and not putting so much stock
in what one individual may be saying (or selling).

THAT BEING SAID...

I feel that it is a responsibility of mine to share
whatever valuable info I come across because I think
it will help others. To keep it to myself for some selfish
reason or whatever just doesnt make any sense.

So...Daniel Vitalis is really bringing strong innovation our way.
And at risk of seeming like a D.Vitalis lackey,
I must share some really amazing videos I just saw.

Youre all big kids, you can do your own research and see
for yourself if you think it might be right for you.
Im convinced, but do your thing.

Here are some videos that go WAY deeper than just some
colostrum info. Think about some ideas like a family
eating a placenta after a woman gives birth or a father
drinking some of the colostrum of the mother of his child.
Ideas that are so far away from our modern mindsets.
Where have we been (mis)led for the past millennium?
Why is everyone around us in meso-health AT BEST?

We are in a process of continual downloading and reprogramming.
With the internet, we now have access to new ideas (and...products)
every day, and its up to us to be as educated as possible
about whether these strategies will somehow be valuable in our lives.

Check them out...worth every minute.
This interview could easily be worth $30
if they wanted to charge people for it.
There is so much key info in here, that if you can take
even 1/2 of it and somehow apply it to your health
strategy (especially about the probiotics) there will be
vast improvements in immune function (in my heartfelt opinion...)

Here are some mp3s that go much further in depth:
1. Click HERE to listen to Daniel Vitalis interview
Dr Anthony Kleinsmith about the healing
benefits of colostrum.

2. Click HERE to listen to Dr Kleinsmith talk about
colostrum and its effectiveness against Swine Flu.

Some have asked -
"Won't they run out of this stuff if the demand soars?"
"What about the baby cows?"

Like anyone selling any product, there must be
some trust involved. How do we know all the goji berry plants
arent being stripped or the cacao trees are being stressed from
overharvest? We have put some faith in vendors who claim sustainability.

Any doubt of that and I would pull my support,
but all seems very well and I trust Daniel to continue
bringing high-integrity products and information to the world.

I don't care if you decide to buy colostrum or not.
That is totally up to you and you can choose later on anyways.
Buy (or dont buy) whatever you feel like. Your life.

But its the information in the videos and the mp3s about
where our immune systems ARE NOW and where they COULD BE
is where the golden key really is. Again, these are worth every second.
Check them out while doing some stretches if youre worried
about devoting 30 minutes to youtube. ;)

Just spreading some info...and the part about Matt
drinking Angela's breastmilk is pure comedy.

Matt Monarch + Daniel Vitalis

2009-10-30T12:50:00.002-05:00

A great video, even if youre pretty familiar
with Elixircraft and making tonics yourself.

Daniel's first look in this vid is priceless.
Bulldog!!

Dont limit yourself to smoothies...
there are so many more options to spice things
up and add medicines to our beverages.

Im playing with gravel root and lots of turmeric
these days, and will be making a video of it this weekend.

Have a good Halloween everyone!
Be safe! There are lots of nutjobs out there!
And drunk people wearing masks are bad news!!!

Make Your Own Vaccine

2009-10-29T13:23:00.002-05:00

I always admired the Do-It-Yourself ethic.

Share this with EVERYONE....PLEASE.

A huge thanks to Lucy Riascos from SunWarrior for
putting this up on her FB page.

-A

Kefir-Superfood Trailmix Combo UPDATE

2009-10-29T01:17:00.005-05:00

Back in the Kitchen AGAIN. Im in the flow!

After diligent research and self-experimentation,
I decided to add animal products back into my diet.
My main focus is raw, grass-fed dairy products like kefir, butter,
and also some heavenly cream. Wow. I love heavy cream.

I feel much more grounded now. My mind is off food, and my cravings have completely vanished. I was a crazy sugar addict before this transition,
and now Im so stable that I find it hard to believe.
Some might say that I was doing it "WRONG"
and I suppose we should all listen to them because they are
R-I-G-H-T. They know whats best for us, yes? Hmmmm..

I see many people self-limiting because of the teachings of others
instead of experimenting for themselves, and I also fell into this trap for a
long time and went on many ups and downs because of it.
I see WAY too many vegans going on yo-yo diets and I understand
now why it happened to me. Evolution is a good thing everybody!

If you study the work of Weston Price,
you will realize that different types of people need different types of food.
A Polynesian will need more carbs than an Irishman.
Someone from Japan will require a different ratio of carbs,
proteins, and fats than someone from Africa. Makes sense?
The key is to keep the sugars (starches) down and aim for wild foods.
On top of that, every disease-free group he visited ate fermented foods.

We need to look towards the ratios of our ancestors and then take it from there.
The fact that I'm eating cacao and goji berries
(which clearly wasnt in my ancestor's diet..as far as I know at least)
is not lost on me...trust me. This is about bringing two worlds together.

Im trying to join the worlds of vegan superfoods with high quality animal products with this meal. We can take the best of both worlds and make it work for us.
We dont have to pick sides! That is junior-high school mentality!

Its a thick dairy kefir, and I then mix in:

Goji Berries,
Shredded Coconut
Bee Pollen
and Cacao Nibs.
On top of that, I give a few grinds of a nice blend of sea salts, as well as some raw colostrum which is simply an amazing food.

So before shutting yourself off to an entire food group because of factory-farm misconceptions and animals eating grains instead of grass and wild plants, do some solid research of your own and look at the long term effects of 100% veganism. No ape in nature is a vegan. At the VERY least they eat a good amount of bugs. Even horses and cows eat lots of small insects found in the pasture. We cant avoid this, and if we try really hard we will suffer later on.

Look around...and come to your own conclusion.

Thanks always for watching, I appreciate your time.
Im keeping these as quick as possible because I know we are all very
busy these days and there is allot to look at online.

Thanks again, so much.

A Lesson from Dominiq

2009-10-28T19:16:00.003-05:00

Dominiq Li is a character...FOR SURE.
Check out her witty cartoons and posts HERE.

Im always looking out for conscious eaters who are
showing shining examples of health and physical strength.

Even if we are good about putting X or Y into our mouth,
we still have to get active if we really want to see results.

Food helps, it really does, but seriously everyone...
EXERCISE WILL GET THE GOODS.
Lots of it, and frequently. Make it fun.
Your body and the people around you will appreciate it.

This vid above was made after four months of practice...

And this was from 4.5 months.

We've all got to step it up and get into our own
personal grooves for physical activity.
It really REALLY makes the difference.
There are many people out there that eat stricter
than me, that eat lighter or greener or whatever...
but its the consistent exercise that makes the difference.
For me...and likely for you too.

Whether its walking around the block,
doing some bicep curls while watching youtube,
or learning pole-dancing, just get on with it!

Thanks Dominiq for inspiring!
I feel like a total wimp when I watch those videos!

RawUtah Fall Update

2009-10-27T08:12:00.003-05:00

My good friend Jake in Utah has been hard at play!

Check out whats he's been up to at Rawutah.com

I think what he is doing has so much relevance to the issues
we are facing today, and he is bringing it to another level,
even from the Dervaes in Pasadena because he is building a
food forest and growing in a harsher climate.

And he is doing it in the suburbs!
Im not working with all that much land
(Im actually using waaaay less than half the 1.8 acres)

BUT, my overall surrounding landscape is still a bit wild.
My brother Jake is in a very different place,
and is totally shaping it into a forest garden.
He is on the Utah/Arizona border as well,
which even further drives the point home that
permaculture works just about everywhere.

I hope his neighbors are catching onto the idea.

Right on my friend! Keep it up and keep spreading the light!

Does this get anyone thinking?
Now is a good time to get a fruit/nut tree (or ten).
Half-price sales, wet weather, maybe its time for you too?

The Spicy Green MSM'er

2009-10-26T22:33:00.003-05:00

This is not the tastiest drink in the world,
but when I consistently have a beverage like
this or something very similar to it,
I FEEL GOOOOOOD.

I didnt know how hyper-cheesy I seemed until I watched
the video myself, and at that time it was too late to re-film,
so IT IS WHAT IT IS. Maybe Im getting too loose? Who knows?

Really consider stepping up the cayenne, vitamin c, green algaes
of your choice, and THE MSM. I get mine in bulk from bulkfoods.com
and spend about $8 a lb for MSM. Go with bulk and save!
Whole Foods is making WAAAAY too much on selling little
bottles of pills. Go with bulk and reap the benefits.

Enjoy...I made another one today so hopefully that will be up
tmrw or Wednesday. Its fun to film in this kitchen!
The light is great, and there is good energy in the place.

Ok...hope this vid is helpful! Thanks for watching!

A Good Reminder from Leija

2009-10-26T01:00:00.002-05:00

These two videos really hit home for me.
Ive known Leija for awhile, but just found her vids
on youtube, and was really happy about her message.
I highly suggest checking these two videos out.
The story about the book manifestation is REALLY inspiring.

Here is a clip from her recent post on her blog found HERE.

Today, as I sat on this park bench, breathing, observing and taking in the lifeforce energy around me, I noticed a child (probably about 10 metres away) staring at me with a small smile on her face. She was the cutest little Asian girl I've ever seen. If she wasn't so bouncy, I'd swear she was a little porcelain doll. After about two minutes of eye contact and non-stop smiles, she walked over to me with her mom and said, “I like you. Will you be my friend?” That put the biggest smile on my face. I said, “Of course I'll be your friend,” while her mom laughed. I was curious why she decided to come up to me in particular. I'm some big adult sitting on a bench. There were many other adults and children all around. What was it about me? Now, this girl was probably about three years old, and what she said truly astounded me! She reached her hand out, placed it on my knee and said, “I want to be your friend because I love you and I know you love me. We come from the same place. I just know it.” My mouth just about dropped open. Her mother said, “Wow, kids say the darndest things, huh? Ok Katelyn, time to go. We gotta go pick up your brother from school.” She picked her daughter up, said, “It was nice meeting you”, and started to walk away. I didn't know what to do. It didn't seem appropriate to run after this woman, and say, “Your daughter is amazing. I'd love to hang out with you two. I think we have a connection here!” Instead, I sat there smiling, feeling so overwhelmed with emotion that tears began to roll down my cheeks.

----

When I read that my jaw dropped.

Check out her writings and videos for sure.

A Good Clip from Abraham

2009-10-25T11:40:00.003-05:00

Anyone out here a fan of Abraham-Hicks?

We chose to be here for a reason.
Sometimes Id be so pissed that I placed myself
in such a mess of a civilization, but later on I
realized that I needed to be here to take part in
making it better...making it paradise.

Think about it: Imagine for a second or so...
You were born in a Utopia, where everyone loved each
other and food and clean water and housing was completely
abundant and free, and most of our time was dedicated to
art, adventure, loving, creation, and self-realization.
This is the way it has been for a while now, and life is obviously
good...but how much would you really appreciate it if this was
the only way you knew? Would you truly honor it as much?

Now think about this -
You were born on a planet with a destructive civilization that
is basically acting like a virus upon the natural world.
People spend most of their time working at jobs they dont
love so they can buy stuff that should simply be abundant
without the need for money. During free time, people watch
strangers play sports, go shopping, talk about and compare themselves
to movie stars and celebrities...etc etc etc. Lots of wasted time
and disconnection from Spirit and Mother Nature.

HOWEVER...this is the best of times, and the worst of times.
I am seeing innovation and connection like never before.
Truly revolutionary ideas are coming from citizens,
not governments and multinational corporations
(The people who continue to keep us in this mess).
People are beginning to rebuild the Garden of Eden in their
backyards and neighborhoods, and even Vogue Magazine
did a feature on Guerrilla Gardening, which made my eyes pop out.

Things are getting better. Yes?

Now lets imagine, we completely rebuild paradise.
We abolish the need to pay for food, water, electricity, housing,
and transportation. The spell is broken and we now spend our time
making art, gardening, making love, and learning about both
inner and outer space. Life became good because...
WE CREATED IT.

Wouldn't that be more satisfying?
Are we setting ourselves up for the most triumphant
experience ever? To rebuild Paradise Lost?

The highest vibration (akin to love)
is triumph. Overcoming hardships give so much
more inner happiness than just having things delivered
on a silver platter. Im happy that I busted my ass building my
garden. If the thing was already built for me or if I took no part
in its creation I would be screwing myself out of triumph.
I sit up there and tell myself:
I CREATED this... What was once barren scrub,
is now a lush garden of fruit trees, berries, clovers, wildflowers,
and unimaginable galaxies of big and little animals.
You cant buy that feeling, you have to earn it.

We get to be the ones that make it better.
How lucky for us!
This whole experience is just a ride, and we
(and WE really are just one individual deep down anyways...)
have chosen to participate in the co-creation of Heaven on Earth.
We have come here for a reason. Did you think you just
randomly showed up? Seriously?

It saddens me that our recent ancestors were hoodwinked
into trashing large parts of our planet, but there is still
time to re-heal. One conscious creator can erase the unconscious
actions of thousands of disconnected individuals.

We were on vacation in Thailand last January, and I ended up
harvesting 25 plastic bottles from a beach near Koh Phi Phi.
One person erased the negative actions of 25. Not bad.

Im rambling, but you get the idea.
We get to feel triumph whenever we want.
Lets make it happen for ourselves, instead of
inheriting it from our ancestors.

We get to give ourselves the gift
of feeling Triumphant!
What a deal!!! All is WELL!!!

Chocolate Love

2009-10-23T13:38:00.004-05:00

(more pics coming...)

I know that whole term "Chocolate Love" is so played
out at this point, but it really hit me yesterday and
I just had to write something about it.

Pretty much everyone loved the chocolates.
A few big biker guys said that they tasted like
crap, but they only tried the super dark goji clusters.

I later gave them the safer coco-almonds and got
an approval and a second helping.
Otherwise, people totally like them.
It wasnt really a foodie crowd, so super-dark
chocolate wasnt as appreciated as some of us might think.

There were about 15 of us working the event,
passing appetizers and chocolates, and I gladly
gave chocolates to anyone willing to try.
People that never had raw cacao before told me that
it was the best chocolate they had ever tasted,
and it turned into a mini-impromptu cacao party
in the employee area. One co-worker asked me -
"What the heck is in this stuff?...because i feel REALLY good!"

After some laughs and a theobromine explanation,
I felt so much gratitude and love for sharing this stuff
with everyone. I was so happy to hear that people were
digging it and having a really good time because of it.

To make something with care, passion, and love...
and see people enjoy it and appreciate it..
it was just a really special moment for me.

I can understand the joy that food artisans go thru
when people give back the love thru appreciation
that was so heavily invested in the preparation.

There will be lots more of this to come,
and Im overjoyed to finally be doing more career-wise
with raw and sustainable eating and living.
A little more each day...

Thank you for everyone brave enough to try the
chocolates last night (my fav was the bee pollen-cayenne-
cinnamon-sea salt mix) and I promise to keep bringing
more and more very soon...such a joy.

And thanks to everyone who sent good energy this way,
your kindness does NOT go unnoticed.

Animal Care Gala...Chocolate Love by Yours Truly

2009-10-21T23:39:00.002-05:00

The stars have aligned, and I have found myself
supplying the raw cacao treats for this amazing
event. I have been making chocolate for the past
6 hours and my respect for Vanessa (Chocolate Girl
from Gnosis Chocolate) has SKYROCKETED.

A total labor of love though.
I am doing cacao-goji clusters,
coconut almond delights,
and cayenne, nibs, and bee pollen.

All shaped as hearts, stars, seashells. Fun stuff!

Come visit if you can!

And I might be interviewing with the people from
No Impact Man, but they want to come tomorrow and
interview me but I have three castings, a shoot, and
200 more chocolates to make. Busy...so busy.

Send your good energy my way...its gladly accepted.

-A

Keeping it Light...at Night.

2009-10-19T09:00:00.004-05:00

Canis, Hominid, and Equus...who doesnt like grass?

First off...read THIS.

Courtney Pool of Radical Radiance put this on her site
a little while back, and I also heard Philip of LovingRaw
telling me about this when we were speaking in Oklahoma.

Read it yet?

Ok...Im trusting you did.

I did a good deal of experimentation with eating habits
a few years back, and the one thing that REALLY improved
my mental clarity and overall sense of energy and well-being
was eating VERY little at night. The less, the better...it seemed.

Ive drifted from that habit, but have decided to give it a go again.
Two meals a day. Nothing 6 hours before bed. Just water.
We'll see where this goes, but I know that it works and I simply
have to get into the habit again.

Ill make a late lunch my big meal of the day,
then ride out the rest of the evening with spring water.
I dont really care to lose any weight, so Ill keep my
eyes on that, but I'm hoping with the continuous exercise
and nutritionally-dense meals I should be alright.

Buddhist monks have been doing this for millennium.

This part below is from THIS website.

"I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a tour of Kasi with a large community of monks. There he addressed the monks: "I abstain from the night-time meal.1 As I am abstaining from the night-time meal, I sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding. Come now. You too abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

Then, as he was wandering by stages in Kasi, the Blessed One eventually arrived at a Kasi town called Kitagiri. And there he stayed in the Kasi town, Kitagiri.

Now at that time the monks led by Assaji & Punabbasu 2 were residing in Kitagiri. Then a large number of monks went to them and, on arrival, said to them, "The Blessed One and the community of monks abstain from the night-time meal. As they are abstaining from the night-time meal, they sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding. Come now, friends. You, too, abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding."

When this was said, the monks led by Assaji & Punabbasu said to those monks, "Friends, we eat in the evening, in the morning, & in the wrong time during the day. As we are eating in the evening, in the morning, & in the wrong time during the day, we sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, & a comfortable abiding. Why should we, abandoning what is immediately visible, chase after something subject to time? We will eat in the evening, in the morning, & in the wrong time during the day."

..............

What raw food guru lived to 113?

2 cups of coffee a day? Wow. Bless his soul!
(and his adrenals!)
But who the heck am I to say what he is doing is wrong?

Never EVER stop being a student.
As soon as you do, your progress is arrested.

Questions...Comments

2009-10-16T07:52:00.005-05:00

I sometimes get comments on the pulldown pages
like "My Journey and "Photos" and "Permaculture Design"
and since I want to keep those areas nice and clean,
I dont approve those...not that they are bad or anything.
Here is what has come up lately.

1.

I liked the Wunder Boner video and your video about the spinach smoothie. I'm going to make one this week. I tried the raw food diet but I always end up hungry.

How do I get over that?

Thanks,
Claire

Are you trying 100% Raw? Don't feel like its all or nothing.
If I were you, I would add in more fat and cut WAY
down on the sugar. This will stabilize things and your
hunger pangs will likely disappear.

Or...just eat more. Hungry? Eat.
But if you eat more fat, you will be satiated longer.

I will drink some water when I wake up -
usually 32oz (1 liter) or maybe more with MSM
and hopefully some cayenne or turmeric.
This will give me a few hours before hunger comes.

I can then have a little kefir with berries and hemp
or even just some raw grass-fed bleu cheese and that
will take me clear to 3pm. Its interesting.

Good luck! Glad you are experimenting!!

next........

2.

Hi Anthony
Your little Eden looks Amazing! And only after three months too- incredible!
Fantastic what you have done.
By the way you're always saying "we" in all your videos who do you mean?
Keep up the good work!
Peace

Lara

-

I cant remember when this comment was posted,
but 3 months it has DEFINITELY not been.
I started everything in Late April 08,
and although I probably havent been on
site for more than 150 days, it has been
quite a while now. If only I lived there...

When I saw WE, I mean my family and friends.
Sure...its mostly me that is doing everything,
but I have recieved so much help from my dad,
my mom, some friends, and my grandpa who loads
me up with horse manure and black dirt.
Without these kind souls, Id be hurting.
It does take a village! Dont get me wrong though,
I was up there alone 99% of the time doing whatever
needed to be done (not like I wasnt totally enjoying myself
though...every second was like a kid at the playground).

But my dad waters, my mom harvests whatever is ready
and freezes it for me, and I get help in other ways.
My sister Liz killed army worms that were chewing
up all the raspberry leaves. I was in NY doing castings.
I think I really mean the "collective" we.
The group of people who have put in time and labor
(whether enjoyed or not) into creating this forest garden.

One day they will see the sense of it all,
and I won't be deemed the crackpot of the family :)

next....

Hey there, I'm stoked about the dome greenhouse, just came across your site through 105 Degrees FB page. I missed the Live and Learn at 105 Degrees on Saturday. I am taking classes there currently and loving it. After moving here from Northern California I was happy to see Okc being the home of such a great place. I have been an urban farmer for many years now, selling organic fruits vegetable and herbs at the markets and hopefully some select restaurants soon. I have been on a vegetarian diet many years with occasional fish and poultry. I am weening myself off dairy (my weakness) and finding raw food diet to implement as well has so many benefits. The classes I'm taking are great to help with the transition and
replacing dairy with healthy alternatives.
I think its great your sharing your insight with others for healthy lifestyles. Keep up the great work and happy farming to ya.

Shelly Anderson @AndersonOrganic.

--
Not really a question but I wanted to put it out there.
The folks at 105 are pushing the limits in so many good ways.
And I just feel the good energy there, unlike other places
Ive been to recently. There is just this really crisp vibe there.

About the dairy...not all dairy is created equal (AT ALL.)
I used to believe that, and missed out on a great deal of
nutrition and TASTE because of something I read.

RAW grass fed dairy products can work wonders.
Look into your ancestral diet and think for yourself
when it comes to vegan propaganda. As a farmer yourself,
you understand the care and attention that goes into
smaller operations. These are the operations I support.
The same goes for dairy. Good stuff is out there,
and studies claiming negativity with dairy are
A-L-W-A-Y-S
based on pasteurized dairy raised on GMO feed and pesticides.
Always.
That includes YES...the ***CHINA STUDY***

Raw, grass fed. You would be surprised.
The book "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration"
will very likely give you a fresh and unbiased look
on what humans need for thriving.
Like Daniel Vitalis said recently, there are four kingdoms
of food - fungi, plant, animal..and bacteria.
So, any group of people who claims that we must completely cut out
one kingdom should be viewed VERY critically.
Where is the long term research? Look towards the
indigenous cultures untouched by processed food.

Just because we want to be Raw Food Enthusiasts
doesnt mean that we have to do it 100% of the time.
There is just so much "All or None" mentality out there
and it just saddens me at its stark limitations. Really.

And I mean that on both sides of the aisle.

1. People that are really into raw may suffer because
they feel that they can't socialize with old friends and family
like they used to because they don't want to be forced to eat
certain foods and don't want to alienate others.
Their bodies might crave old stuff and they may struggle with
the idea of purity until it drives them off the deep end.

AND, on the other side of the limiting coin:

2. People that eat the standard diet don't even want to
get into raw because they feel it will be all they
get to eat ever again and they'll never ever get to enjoy
the old flavors and warmth of their old diet.

LIMITING. Makes me so sad.

Rant over. Check out the book.
You can read it free HERE.

and last...a comment of support from Christopher Sunshine

Hey Brother!
This is awesome.
You are a wonderful role model for sustainable living, raw radiance and the creation of paradise within and paradise on earth. I am wanting to work with the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota on creating gorgeous abundant food forests...sustainable gardens! You seem like a great person to connect with around learning this. I'll be more in touch. thanks brother. Dart told me about you...i work at the tree of life rejuvenation center here in AZ. love!

....

What is crazy is that I was this close to doing a permaculture course
this fall on that same reservation. If the Native Americans can
readopt the balance of nature and show the rest of the world
again how abundant and enjoyable life can be without raping the Earth,
maybe some more people will pay attention and follow suit.

Dart is the man...really showing us the endured youthful looks
that can be had by conscious eating and conscious living.

I REALLY want to get down to The Tree of Life.
My dream would be to take my dad down there.
I think he is getting gout in his knee and he just had
a bladder infection which of course was treated with antibiotics.
After that, his knee started swelling, so of course...steroids.

These doctors position themselves to be such authorities
on these matters, when really most of them just regurgitate
textbook info and then practically become employees of
Big Pharma. We need more and more conscious doctors!
Praise the Universe for sending us Gabriel Cousens,
Len Horowitz, Nick Gonzalez, and so many others.
Truth cannot be hid any longer.

....

Thats it folks...thanks always for reading.
Im going to work on some videos today and get ready
for two consultation calls tomorrow.
I recently purchased a Blue Snowball microphone
so I can record the consultations and email them afterwards.

More vids coming soon.

A

Feeding the Beast

2009-10-15T16:58:00.012-05:00

(here she is...hungry for action.

my kefir jar is to the upper left,
and the mini excalibur is on the right)

This has been a LONG time coming.

I had some compost experiments at an old
apartment on 64th and Amsterdam back in 2005,
but due to my lack of knowledge about how compost
works, I had some pretty explosive results.

Hint...add lots of soil and/or finished compost
to your fresh vegetable/fruit waste so the bacteria can
break it down much much faster.
I didnt know this at the time.

I would stuff pounds of juice pulp in these
5 gallon buckets every couple of days,
eventually filling them and then just sealing the
top. Thinking that I was letting it "incubate",
I would just forget about it until all that pressure
would burst the lid off and shoot half-rotten cabbage
into my closet. What a damn mess that was.
And my word...the smell.

The smell. Not even funny.

I would hear a loud *POP* and it happened
twice before I just gave up on the whole thing.
I had roommates, and it just wasnt cool to be
stinking the place up like that, especially since
they werent into gardening or anything like that.

I had major fruitfly issues that summer too.
They would all just chill out in the wheatgrass I was
growing in my little room. My poor roommates.

That was four years ago, and I hadnt taken
up urban composting again until now...sadly.

I wasnt going thru as much plant waste as before
(mostly due to smoothies and not juicing)
but lately there are always egg shells, spinach stems,
and again, now that we are juicing more - pulp.

(lots of stuff that usually goes into a landfill...
the first meal of "le beast".)

I have worms working for me this time too.
I put some in with the fruit trees, so I simply
pulled out about 10 and placed them in the bucket.

(from l to r - pink guava, black sapote (YES), and passion fruit vine)

I would love more, and will likely get more soon,
but for now this is fine. I then, and this is important -
dumped finished compost on top that I received from
Steve Storch of Natural Science Organics after
visiting his place in Watermill, NY.

This way, I have dumped BILLIONS of microorganisms all over
the undecayed plant waste so they get working on it really fast.

That was what I missed during those first
experiences - no soil or compost added to the veggie waste
to start breaking things down. The stinking stuff would just
ferment, build up pressure, and then apply itself to my
dark and warm closet interior.

Things are breaking down fast.
I add brown napkins and paper bags to soak
up any moisture, and the worms are doing there thing.
And so far there is really no smell...pretty much.
Sure...if you stick your nose down there you will get a
whiff of something, but its really minimal.

(this wonderful little cubby where we once stored our
kefirs will now house the compost bin...perfect!)

So make your own compost and keep that waste
from going into a landfill! I will just keep applying this
stuff to the fruit trees in the window.

Im amazed at how much is going in there,
and I think I might have to dump some more
compost on top of the mix to keep things happy.

I give it a shake every few days to keep things moving,
and leave the lid unsealed so pressure wont build up.
Which is pretty important. Especially while living with
another person who might not be so gung-ho about
the ins and OUTS of composting indoors.

This is an ongoing experiment that only started
a week or so ago, so Ill keep things updated about this for sure.

Feed the beast! And she will reward you kindly!

Philip's NYC B-day Chocolate Party

2009-10-14T22:28:00.002-05:00

I am missing work to be at this event!
You better come and say hello!
Im serious!

More details HERE.

Just in Time for Flu Season?

2009-10-13T09:04:00.007-05:00

I spotted this at my friend's apt
(who shall remain unnamed).

A sad splurge from his usual dietary pattern.

The fact that he even bought this stuff is humorous enough,
and then I noticed the label.

I had to bring it (the EMPTY box) home with me to photograph it.

I have since found more articles about this,
but since I stay away from the cereal isle
I remained totally uninformed till now.

They are hurting. Really. Desperate.
I actually feel sorry for them on a deeper level,
but many would just say that they are liars selling
poison to kids to actually keep them in poor health
and (don't forget!) inferior mental strength.

How many are still being fooled by this?
Would any parent who REALLY cared about health
and immunity be buying this stuff?

Human consciousness is evolving faster than ever,
and these companies are working harder than
ever to keep selling the "fodder" that has slowed it so much.

For Our Pescatarian Friends

2009-10-13T08:58:00.004-05:00

***

Is it possible to laugh so hard
and be totally grossed out
at the same time?