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Report from Palo Alto California.
Palo is about 35 miles South of San Francisco. We are
on the West side of San Francisco bay. We are protected from
ocean fogs by a range of mountains. Across the bay is a
range of hills. So we are in a valley.
At one time, this was an area of tall grass and trees
and plenty of wild game. There were redwood forests too.
Then the orchard people came, at first mostly
Italians. The valley around here became a sea of blossoms
each spring. A great variety of fruit was grown but the
apricots were especially happy here. Apparently, no other
area could match the quality. People can still grow wonderful
apricots in their back yards with good husbandry
but in the stores I cannot find any that are delightful.
This area is now called Silicon Valley. The orchards
are mostly gone. The road traffic steadily increases
but Palo Alto is still an exciting city with a mild climate
even without the beautiful fruit trees.
JULY 28/88 With a paradise there is often a fly in the
ointment. I will make a list.
1.The schools and colleges teach what I call the SLAVE OWNER
ATTITUDE. That people in such a rich country should not
need to do menial work like working in the fields or being a
servant. Young people try to get a college diploma with
the idea that they will never have to work with their hands.
Much or most of the farm work is done unregistered
aliens. On the farms they are called WET BACKS because they
swim the Rio Grande to get here. In the farming country
they are often called WETS.
Who loves the land? It is being destroyed. Most farm
land is owned by big landowners. There used to be many small
farmers. The farm workers union gave them a hard time. The
State government appeared to favor the union. One of the big
churches was very active in supporting the union in various
boycotts. I am now including other areas such as The San
Joaquin Valley which is the big farming area and the Salinas
Valley which is the big producer of lettuce. I never buy
lettuce. They spray it with pesticides from airplanes. Many
pilots lose their lives doing it.
What a miserable way to live or to die. I admire
pilots. So I am angry with the poisoners and sad
for the pilots and their loved ones.
If one is a lover of nature and a farmer at heart and
has an acute awareness of the coming world hunger it is
difficult to dance with glee. So I laugh with the masses
and am grateful that I am still here and that I have
known so many fine people in my lifetime and of people in
the past who have made a fine life possible for others.
I have made my small speck of the planet fruitful and
have done so wherever I have lived. I admire what the people
of England have done to preserve the beauty of their
country.
You would love my trumpet vine. It has a wild vigor.
It is a mass of large red trumpet shaped flowers It is
supported by a trellis and by a big florabunda rose bush.
They fight it out. The bees are there most of the day.
It blooms profusely all summer, giving delight to people and
sustenance to the bees. (Do the birds or other creatures
love beauty? I will never know.)
I have a wonderful young friend who is a beekeeper.
He is a follower of Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey in Devon
England. For years I have been giving away his honey as
gifts. I once gave a dozen jars as a wedding gift.
By devoted care and sanitation and a sense of dedication he
has been able to avoid the use of antibiotics in his hives.
Practically all commercial bee keepers use antibiotics.
Large amounts of Mexican and Chinese Honey is
imported. It is cheaper. One can import honey but we
cannot import fertilization which is vital for most
Californian crops.
Another reason that I like Jim Talboy's honey is that
he does not filter out the pollen. This helps us build up an
immunity to hay fever. He does not heat the honey to a
point that destroys the enzymes. This means that the honey
will crystalize eventually. I consider the unheated honey
as being more alive.
Jim graduated from Stanford University in Aeronautics.
Then he fell in love with beekeeping. He is dedicated to
conservation and has a great love of country. No mystery,
his family are wonderful people. He is tall , handsome,
and skilful. He is powerful physically. Lifting those heavy
bee hives weeds out the weak ones.
Why am I so interested in Jim Talboy?
l. The work he does creates new wealth. Honey is a gift from nature.
2. He avoids crops that have been sprayed with pesticides.
3. A long time ago, a variety of the Eucalyptus called Blue
Gum was brought here. They became very large. They shed
their bark. But these big trees produce small blossoms that
are full of nectar. Jim and his bees love them. Fine
flavored, golden colored honey and no pesticides.
4. I have told hundreds of people ,HOW TO KEEP FROM GOING
NUTS? The best way I know is to fill ones memory full of
fine people and fine events. I have also told them that if
they do not love the land they walk on, they may go LOCO in
the COCO. When I help my honey man, I am helping my
country. He too loves the land and its bounty.
If I let television or other vested interests dominate my
mind, I have lost much of my freedom.
