We had a great meeting Monday night!  Thanks to everyone who was able to join us.

 

For the record, here's our disclaimer:  The information in any literature provided or products recommended are not intended for the purpose of diagnosing, treating, curing or preventing any disease.  The advice and suggestions offered are the opinions of the individuals that spoke and do not constitute medical or legal advice.  Do not discontinue medical care without first consulting a qualified health care provider.

 

To start off the meeting, Malcolm Beck, Founder of Garden-Ville shared about bats and bat guano.  He talked about the  the beneficial microbes in bat guano.  He carries around a jar, half full of guano for when he feels like he may be coming down with a cold.  He takes a whiff of the guano and wards off the cold.

 

The bat guano is a slow release fertilizer that will work for 2-3 years.  I believe he said the ratio is 10 x 3 x 1.  He also talked about Bat Conservation International, which was established to save the bats.  They would hang out (literally) under the Congress Street bridge and many people wanted them gone, thinking that they were not sanitary, but then they realized how many mosquitoes were eaten by the bats.  Now, it's a tourist attraction to watch the bats come out from under the bridge.  

 

He also showed slides of many other insects and told us that only 1% of the insects in our world are not beneficial ones.  The wasp are the intellectuals of the insect world - they learn, remember and pass on knowledge, according to Malcolm.  He talked about the reason we have such a problem now with web worms - because of the aerosol wasp killing sprays that are used.          

 

Thank you Malcolm for educating us and entertaining us with your experiences over the years.

 

Our next speaker was Mason Arnold, Founder and CMO of Greenling Organic Food Delivery.  They are based out of South Austin and deliver from Georgetown to San Antonio.

 

Leslie Tatum won the door prize of a greenling bin stocked with fresh produce.  I emailed her to find out how she liked the veggies and she said that everything was "super fresh."  She's already placed her order for next week.  Jasmine Wegler won a gift certificate from Greenling as a door prize.  Carrie with Greenling will be contacting her to work out getting the gift certificate to her.     

They [Greenling] use local farmers whenever possible, which is why everything is so much fresher than from the grocery store.  They deliver organic produce from certified organic farms and small farms that are operating with organic principles.  They investigate every company that they work with, to ensure that they are committed to the same values.  They do also work with farms that are in transition to becoming certified organic land.  By helping to support these farmers, it will increase the accessibility and availability of organic food for everyone.

 

Greenling currently delivers every Thursday to New Braunfels, according to the website. They deliver the produce in an insulated bin.  They also offer meat and dairy, bread, etc.            

 

There is alot more information about the company on the website.  Go to www.greenling.com to see what all they offer.

 

A $10 gift certificate for food and drinks from Nicoya Authentic Nicaraguan Cuisine was won by Gudula Fisher.  They are located a 1528 Common Street, Suite 12, New Braunfels, TX 78130.  They are just past the light at Gruene Rd and Common, in the strip center on the right.  Their website is www.nicoyanb.com.  Check out their food, it's very tasty.  They have a buffet from 10:30 am - 3:30 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.



 Sharon Levett brought a flyer about an upcoming meeting at Seekatz Opera House on September 18, 2008 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm about "Sustainable Growth in the Hill Country and New Braunfels".  "The group is "Citizens Alliance for Smart Expansion" and their purpose is to educate the public and address New Braunfels area planning and growth issues by working with government leaders for the betterment of the community.  In talking with Sharon, it sounds like they'll be discussing how to preserve our natural features of the area, leaving room for bike trails, etc.  I encourage everyone to attend if at all possible.  For more information, contact Sharon Levett at nbcase@satx.rr.com or April Hughes at hughes@az.com.

 

Our next meeting will be on Monday, September 22nd at "For the Health of It" at 7:00 PM.  Their address is 20630 Hwy 46, Suite 110, Spring Branch, TX.  Seating is limited, so RSVP if you plan on attending.  So far, one of the speakers will be Dr. Paul Wilke, a Holistic Dentist and the other one will be advised.



Thanks for taking the time to read this.  If you know of someone that might be interested in this information, please forward it to them.  We can make a difference in our community!

 

 Until next time,

 Susan Hall

Organic Living Club