p.Article - Anti-Aging Chinese Herbs: 雷公根 and 枸杞

The last part is here:   Article - 世界上寿命最长的人 -- 李清云

Anti-Aging Chinese Herbs: 雷公根 and 枸杞
Posted June 15, 2010 by Alicia 

A few months ago, I was researching immortality when I came upon an extraordinary story. It told of the oldest living human, a Chinese man named 李清雲 who reportedly lived to be over 250 years old. Before you click away from this page in skepticism, it’s said that his obituary was published in the New York Times when he died in 1933 – dating his birth at 1677 (I haven’t spoken to anyone at the Times to back this up, but I totally plan on calling them this week). 

Meantime, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by such an amazing story and I had to know right away: what the heck did this guy eat? Lucky for me, he was an herbalist – and his recipe for long life had been well documented. 

A Professor of Chinese herbal medicine, 李清雲 supposedly lived the first half of his long life in the mountains, studying herbs and their properties. The latter part of his life was devoted to teaching, and at the end of his life it’s said that he was still lecturing. When asked what gave him such long life, he reportedly answered: “nothing has irritated me since I was 40 years old. Because of that, my heart is very calm, peaceful and divinely tranquil. That is why I am free from any illness, and always healthy and happy.” 

When I read this I thought, "Nice. This is definitely an answer true to my own heart, but I’m looking for something closer to my own stomach." Digging a little deeper, I read his secret: 5 grams of Gou Qi Zi (Goji Berries) and a few leaves of 雷公根 per day. Everyday for 220-something years? I could do that! 

Both Goji Berries and 雷公根 have made modern day news as super herbs. Goji Berries, found growing high in the asian alpine regions, have for centuries been used as a preventative treatment for healthy eyes. They’re also packed with antioxidants, which make them amazing for anti-aging (they’ve even made their way into various skincare products, as well as packaged cereals and bars). 

Professor 李清雲 attributed 雷公根, or Pennywort, to helping him maintain a calm state of mind – in his opinion, the most important longevity factor. When it comes to 雷公根, the saying in Asia goes :“Two leaves a day, keeps old age away”! Used by Chinese and Indian herbal doctors for thousands of years, 雷公根 is a remedy that is still used today to combat stress-related anxiety, and strengthen immunity. 雷公根 is a unique herb not to be confused with the Kola Nut, which contains caffeine. 雷公根 has no caffeine present, and instead contains compounds called triterpenoids that can decrease anxiety and increase mental function. 

This April I moved across town, just one block from the gates to Chinatown. Vancouver has one of the largest Chinatown’s in North America, and I knew that if I could find 雷公根 leaves and Goji Berries anywhere, it would be here. I was settled in my new place I set out to find these two most amazing ingredients for immortality. It wasn’t to be as easy as I thought. 

My first stop was T & T Market, and asian super market chain found across Canada. Here, I thought, I’ll find that 雷公根 and make salads, pestos and who knows what else – and eat it every day! I was so wrong. 

I found myself at the customer service desk, earnestly describing to the clerk (Name: Renee, we’re good friends now) what I was looking for. She looked at me like I was nuts. Likewise the head of the produce department, and the general manager. No one knew what 雷公根 was (I didn’t even bother asking for Goji Berries). 

Back at home I looked up the Chinese name for 雷公根 online. I found it – and then I found another. Then another. Then another. I found a total of 5 different Cantonese or Mandarin names for one herb! Which one was it? Yikes. Of course I scribbled them all down and headed back out. 

At the grocery store I was met with the same bewilderment. What was I looking for, exactly? Was it a vegetable? A fruit? An herb? Which one on the list was I looking for? I had no idea, of course. I was finally directed to the heart of Chinatown, where I could (and should) inquire at one of the pharmacies. 

The next day, 4 1/2 year old daughter/co-explorer in tow, I marched through the gates into Chinatown. I had a plan: since there were about a gazillion (ok, more like 20) herbal dispensaries within a 3 block radius, I was going to start with one I had first visited as a teenager (a scant 20 years prior, barely a blip on my soon-to-be-immortal radar). But alas, when I arrived I found it had long ago departed. 

And so I took a chance, and headed across the street. We entered a bustling (always a good sign), packed place. I found a woman in a white coat (a pharmacist – also a good sign), and I handed her my well meaning note. (Addendum: I had left the original note at the supermarket, so had to look them all up again – this time finding only 3. They were: Ji Xue Cao, Ping Da Wan, and Fo Ti Tieng). “Ha ha ha,” she laughed at me, “which one you want?”. Sigh. Again. 

I explained that I wasn’t sure since I thought they were all the same thing, but that I could draw her a picture of the fresh herb. She led me to the side of the shop, and pulled out some packaging paper. Instead of having me draw, she began to literally throw different herbs onto the page, naming them as she did. Fo Ti looked like a root, not at all like the leaves of the 雷公根. That left choosing between the remaining two. My pharmacist began explaining in broken English what each herb looked like, and then began drawing. Instantly I recognized my Pennywort, and chose the corresponding herb (Ping Da Wan – readers take note). When she asked me what I wanted it for, I declared, “my mind” – she advised taking Gingko Biloba instead. “This,” she said, pointing to my pile of herbs, “very powerful for detox. This you want to clean for you”. Perfect, I thought, cleanliness is next to Goddessliness, and I aim to become a Goddess! “I’ll take it!” I shouted, “How much?! One and half pound?!” she yelled, and ushered me to the cash register. I was told I could take as a tea everyday, one handful in boiling water if I wanted. The exchange and advice was so casual, I felt like no one had ever been prescribed this stuff! 

1 and 1/2 pounds of dried 雷公根 later, and I was on my way to immortality. Price: 86 cents (no kidding); value: one half of priceless). All I was missing were the other half of the recipe: Goji Berries. Skipping up another street, my daughter and I found a different pharmacy, smaller and far less busy. Jackpot again: There on shelves were bags and bags of the berries – big, small, dark and light colored. And prices ranged across the board from $3 to $40 per bag. I asked a clerk to explain the difference in prices, and received a very polite, “this one better, this one not so good,” very descriptive, thank you. I chose a bag under the classification of “Very Good”, which apparently was just under “Excellent”, and paid my $7. Before I left, I asked again for Ping Da Wan/ 雷公根, and both shop clerks in the store had no idea what I was talking about. I showed them my stash, which they eagerly fingered, laughing “Ping Da Wan, Ping Da Wan” under their breath. As if it were a pile of special silk thread, meant to wrap someone in the smooth shroud of long life. 

At a fruit stand next door, I thought I’d try my luck one more time at finding the raw green herb (雷公根 pesto here I wanted to come so badly!). Sadly, no luck – though I managed to attract a crowd of lively shoppers who wanted to see this special dried herb. More laughs, and much tapping on my back with eyes twinkling. Friendly, at least! 

Back at home, I unwrapped the herbs. They weren’t all leafy like I would have liked, but looked like a bunch of stems with a smattering of leaves. I tried one, it was very bitter. My tea would require honey – and lots. 

I concocted a tea of one handful 雷公根 and about a gram of Goji Berries (I had broken into the bag and eaten about 200 grams on the way home. Readers, don’t do this – your bum will thank you). It made enough for about 4 small cups, which I approximated to be about 2 – 3 leaves. I left the tea loose in the teapot, and had a few cups. 

While it smelled like any herbal shop I’d been to – grassy, herby, slightly mildewy – the taste was mild and pleasant, and not really bitter at all (surprise!). The Goji Berries were plump and a nice touch, too. That evening, I felt energized but ready for sleep. I felt mentally clear, and relaxed. Placebo effect or not, I felt great. 

I think this tea may become an everyday ritual. With a tea like this steeped in ancient wisdom and lore, I think I have only everything to gain (including 200 years). Of course, I could easily have ordered a tincture online – but then I wouldn’t have had this little adventure to share. 

Love, Alicia 

PS:   If anyone knows where I can find the raw 雷公根 herb, please email me or post a comment! I’m still dying (actually, not really anymore! Haha!) to try eating it! Be Sociable, Share!

雷公根 (Centella Asiatica) really is a magical herb. Not only is it full of minerals -- calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, chromium, zinc, selenium, iodine, silicon, germanium and cobalt -- but it contains awesome phytonutrients known as triterpenoids. Triterpenoids promote collagen formation and have been shown to concentrate antioxidants into damaged tissue and increase the blood supply as well. Germanium is essential for the regeneration of DNA and for maximising nutritional well-being in the body. It also activates oxygen within the body enabling more to be available to the tissues and helps to restore T-cell balance thus heightening immune system function. Cobalt is the key mineral holding vitamin B12 together and yes, you get vitamin B12 in 雷公根. 

The Chinese herbologist Professor 李清雲 outlived 23 wives and claimed one of his major nutritional staples was 雷公根. He was born in 1677 and died in 1933 -- he lived an amazing 256 years, and it is documented by the Chinese government who celebrated his 150th and 200th Birthday with him. He still gave 3 hours lectures on longevity at the age of 200 for 28 weeks at a time. Ginseng was another herb promoted by Professor 李清雲 as contributing to maximum health and longevity (ginseng also contains germanium). He was a strict vegetarian who ate herbs that grew above the ground only and fruit of high alkaline mineral content -- the soils in which he cultivated his foods were rich in humus, minerals and microbial life. 

My Comments:

Many interesting sources. But, I believe we are closer to the truth now. 鹿茸, 人参, 何首烏, 雷公根, 枸杞, 当归, 甘草, 鹿心血, 梅花鹿鞭, 黄精, 灵芝, working towards “保持人体三通: 血通, 尿通, 便通.” 

I refused to write in English for fear of leakage. I will work on the consumption rate next.

p.Article - 世界上寿命最长的人 -- 李清云

在百度百科上面有一條記載歷史上壽命最長的人瑞的介紹，名叫李清雲，據說曾被紐約時報及其他國際媒體給報導過，由於活的壽命實在不尋常，我自己有點存疑，但還是將內文放在這裡，給大家參考。

世界最長壽的素食者——李清雲 

李清雲（1677-1933年），傳說中他在世256年（傳說來源：易俊傑，湖南省邵陽教育學院中文教研室主任、副教授、科普作家）是清末民國初年的中醫中藥學者，也是世界上著名的長壽老人，但無確切史料考證。在他100歲時（1777年）曾因在中醫中藥方面的傑出成就，而獲政府的特別獎勵。在他200的時候，仍常去大學講學。這期間他曾接受過許多西方學者的來訪。李清雲一生娶過24個妻子，子孫滿堂，180位後人。當時的紐約時報與時代雜誌都做了報導。按照這個年代推算，他應該生於清康熙16年（1677年），先後歷經了康熙、雍正、乾隆、嘉慶、道光、咸豐、同治、光緒、宣統九代至民國，在世256歲，是世界上極罕見的長壽星。

長壽秘訣

他認為自己健康長壽的原因有三：一是長期素食；二是內心保持平靜、開朗；三是常年將枸杞煮水當茶飲。(Wolf-berries are easy to get)“保持一種平靜的心態，坐如龜，行如雀，睡如狗” (This should be replaced by yoga.) 這就是李清雲留給後人長壽的秘訣指引。他始終認為保持一個平靜安寧的心態是長壽所必須的。他的飲食主要以米飯和少量的葡萄酒為主。(I intend to upgrade this wine to mead.)

英國、法國的醫學科研工作者得到這一消息後，便對枸杞進行了深入研究，發現枸杞中含有一種沒有 見過的維生素，便取名為“維生素X”，也稱為“駐顏維生素”。經動物實驗證實，枸杞具有抑制脂肪在纖維內蓄積、促進肝細胞的新生，降低血糖及膽固醇等作 用。枸杞的返老還童作用表現為：對腦細胞和內分泌腺有啟動和新生作用，增強荷爾蒙的分泌，清除血中積存的毒素，從而可維持體內各組織器官的正常功能。

民國二十年《萬州日報》曾載“開縣二百七十三歲老人李清雲”，一時轟動全川。1986年《氣功》雜誌第六期又刊載開縣籍人劉成勳所寫“憶二百五十六歲的長壽老人李慶遠”（即李清雲）的文章。筆者利用參與編修地方誌之便，對李清雲在開縣的活動情況，廣為收集，現將所得資料加以整理，供有興趣者參考。

李清雲，原名陳遠昌，籍貫不詳，傳說是上海附近的人，又說原籍雲南省。約在清嘉慶二十五年 （1820）前單身一人來到開縣陳家場上。李身材魁偉，體態肥胖，禿頭無發，皮膚光滑無皺紋，肌肉結實，來時看上去約摸五十有餘歲年紀。但自稱已一百五十 多歲（一說九十多歲到開縣定居），在一百年前來過開縣，能講出陳家場附近百年前的人名和情況。李會武功，以賣草藥為生，先借住于陳家鄉石龍村（現龍鳳 村），後移往開縣（現兼善鄉平和村），並娶妻向氏，定居於此。李生活習慣異于常人，不飲酒、不喝茶、不抽煙，吃飯定時定量，早睡早起；閒時閉目靜坐，兩手 置於膝上，昂首挺胸，幾個小時一動也不動；左手蓄長指甲，常用小竹管套在手指上保護指甲，長至六寸左右即剪下置於木匣內保存，李死時有指甲殼一小匣；平時 寡言少語，從不談及無關的話。別人問及年齡，僅答兩百多歲。究竟生於何朝、何年、何地？均無人知曉。他雖娶妻，但不同居，僅讓為其洗衣、煮飯而已。李擅長 眼科和骨傷科，1820年雇用十四歲的少年向此陽為其挑藥擔，常年遊鄉治病，對富有人家收取高額藥費供養全家生活。李閒時常到高橋附近穿心店約人打牌，他 每次都輸一百二十文左右，讓牌友贏夠當天飯食錢。李對人厚道，從不發怒，故鄰人多願與之相處，均尊稱他為李二老師（因曾有一個自稱是他哥哥的老人從上海來 陳家場探望過他）。 　　

民國十六年（1927），李雲青應四川軍閥楊森的邀請去萬縣傳授養身之道。楊森對李敬若上賓， 為李特製全身新衣，請照相館照相放大陳列在櫥窗裏，標明“開縣二百五十歲老人李清雲肖相，民國十六年春三月攝于萬州”。一時之間省內各報競相作為奇聞報 道，轟動全川。因李講不出養身奧秘，不久即送返家。民國二十年（1931）《萬州日報》九月十五日又載：“開縣二百七十三歲老人李清雲，已於前晚由陳家場 到萬縣，住李家花園。老人系應王師長之邀到萬縣的，在萬縣期間，老人談了長生之道只一靜字。李于此次去萬縣返家後二年（1933年，癸酉）病逝，葬於開縣 長沙鎮義學村李家灣。 　　

李清雲在開縣生活的時間約一百一十多年，傳奇性故事頗多。如傳說他是太平天國石達開手下的將 領，隨石達開來到四川。石達開在大渡河全軍覆沒，陳遠昌就改名李清雲，喬裝草藥醫生逃到開縣陳家場一帶避難，他能講很多太平天國的戰鬥故事。（注：石達開 在大渡河被俘是1863年，而李早40多年來到開縣）又說他會水火二遁，也能遁來錢物，因此他買藥雖掙錢不多，但家用不乏。長期打牌只輸不贏也未見過缺錢 用。還傳說他善相法。曾有開縣南門人張驥若年輕時，李算定張將來要當大官，約定算准了以後，以兩石穀子作酬謝。後來張當了四川軍閥的旅長，果真送了他兩石 穀子酬謝。 　　

四川省高縣慶符鎮八十老人胡英華先生在1986年獻出他保存的李清雲照片，還提供書面資料記敍 李清雲壯年時入山采藥。持刀拒虎的壯舉和掘得形似人頭的靈芝草 (This is also something I will farm in my pine/cedar trees)，以及後來楊森為李祝壽的故事。現住常州市成全巷24號的開縣籍八十七歲老人劉成勳先生在 1986年《氣功雜誌第6 期沙鍋上也發表回憶李（誤為李慶遠）的文章。 　　

李清雲不是開縣土生土長的人，他的確年齡和來開縣前的經歷僅憑自己所講，無從考查。加之民間口頭流傳，添油加醋，越來越神秘，這才引起大軍閥楊森的興趣，以至有聘請他去萬縣傳授養身之道及登報照相等事。 　　

李清雲究竟有多大歲數？至今仍是個難解的秘。據現已經掌握的資料證明，李清雲至少有170 歲無疑。李清雲來開縣後雇傭的挑藥擔子的少年向此陽，是現在住在長沙鎮李家灣人黎廣松的外公，生於1806年，活了九十三歲，死於1899年。那時，李青 雲還健在。向此陽十四歲為李挑藥擔子，李當時象個五十多歲的老人，以此推算，至少活了 170 年。

野史

幾乎沒有人知道李清雲早年的身世，目前的資料只知道他出生於四川，最後也終老在了那裏。他10歲的時候出外前往甘肅，陝西，西藏，安南，暹羅和滿洲採集 草藥。隨後他的事情就基本上沒有任何記載可循。再隨後的日子裏，他就依靠為人看病出售中草藥為生，並在其右手留有長達6英寸的指甲。 　　

他自己也承認自己並不是出生於1677年而是1736年，也就是說他活了197歲。但在1930年時成都大學的教授胡忠謙發現了他的出生“證明”，他應該出生於1677年，當時的清政府還為他舉行了150歲和200歲的壽禮慶典。

My Comments (in blue):

When one becomes rich, they are scared to die soon. There is therefore a need to learn the art of longevity. 

The above text remained sketchy. But, all is well. More research are needed along the way.

The herbs that he consumed regularly were He Shou Wu, Ginseng, and Gou Qi Zi (Wolfberries) He ate the Wolfberries raw and cooked the He Shou Wu with the Ginseng. (I am farming He Shou Wu, Ginseng, deer antlers, parts of deer, Dang Gui, Gan Cao and wolfberries respectively.)

It is also known that he consumed 雷公根 regularly both fresh as a salad and brewed as a tea. There is also some evidence that he may have also put these four herbs (along with Dang Gui and Gan Cao) in strong liquor as a tincture and drank a swallow or two every day. (雷公根 is farmed in Bornea.)

雷公根：已经被南亚的 Ayurvedic 文化当作神经激动器使用了几千年，它可以加强大脑的功能，并减缓情绪低落和疲劳的症状。

「何首烏」這名辭及其藥效的由來，源自中國唐朝何田兒的傳奇故事 (公元813 年) 。 唐代李翱所著《何首烏錄》一書中說，唐朝順州南河縣何田兒，天生陽痿卻嗜酒，五十八歲仍單身。有天因醉夜歸，倒臥於山野，醒來看到兩株相隔三尺藤本，二藤 相交，久乃解，且前後合解三、四次。好奇下就挖其根、曬乾研成末、和酒服用，七天後天閹痊癒，娶個曾姓寡婦，生了數男，髮鬚也變黑。兒子何延秀跟著常服， 兩人都活到一百六十歲；孫子何首烏也服用，活至一百三十歲。因他們個個鬚髮黑亮，遂把這植物名為「何首烏」，其藤稱為「夜交藤」。傳說它的生長年代愈久， 藥效愈顯著，例如一些中國藥書所記述，如長筋骨、益精髓、消炎、黑髮鬚等等；呈人形者，其效更佳；甚或有千年何首烏，服用後可長生不老的傳說。

If I had to say which single herb from these had the most "anti-aging" properties I would have to say He Shou Wu!

Read an article by 李清雲 himself! 

In the fifties, the Domestic and Foreign Magazine reported the story of a 李清雲 in Sichuan province, who died at the age of 250 in 1930. It's more then possible this is the same 李清雲 mentioned above. 

In his own account (from an interview in the 1920's) Li says, "When I was 139 years old, and before I met my Master, I could still walk and do the power walk, as if I practiced Chinese martial arts. As a result some people thought I might be a deity or an accomplished swordsman. At the time I thought it was really amusing. I think the reason that I have lived this long and am still perpetually healthy is because nothing has irritated me since I was 40 years old. Because of that, my heart is very calm, peaceful and divinely tranquil. That is why I am free from any illness, and always healthy and happy. 

At the age of fifty when I went to a mountain to collect some herbs, I met an elderly man who lived on the secluded mountain. He didn't appear to be a supernormal man, but he took big strides when he walked, as if he was flying in the air. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep up with him. Later, I met him again. I knelt before him and begged for his secret. He gave me some wild fruits and said, "My only secret is that I only eat these fruits." I took the fruits, and found that they were Chinese Wolfberries. Since then I consumed three qian of Chinese Wolfberries daily (a qian is the weight used to measure Chinese medicine which is equal to five grams). From then on I became healthy and agile. I can walk a hundred li (a li equals half a kilometer) and not feel tired. I became better in strength and stamina than an average person."

If you notice, my passion businesses are centred with this longevity in mind. Remember and analyze the herbs involved.

You will find enlightenment.

b.xox - Farm Profits

The last part is here:   xox - The White Snub

This is an important essay.

Let drill through the following texts:

• Sheep -
  • It takes about 1/4 to 1/2 acre of good grass, 500-900 pounds of hay, and 100 pounds of grain to support one sheep for a year. (A ewe's annual wool yield—around eight or nine pounds—will probably bring in enough cash to pay her grain "bills.") Hence, its profit must come from selling their offsprings.
  • First, I don't think most homesteader shepherds can compete with the "Big Business" sheep-raising operations. Face it, all the fellow with 30,000 to 50,000 head of sheep has to do is clear $1.00 per head to make a very nice annual profit. If "Shepherd Sam" gets the same income rate on his own farmstead-sized herd, he may only make 50 bucks!
• Alpaca - 
•  You need five acres to support 20 alpacas. The good news: they create a communal dung pile, so sanitation efforts are concentrated. 
• Alpaca profits today lie in breeding (very similar to sheep). Investors who want a quick return buy a pregnant female for $20,000, then sell her baby for $10,000 to other newcomers to the industry. Those building more slowly hold female babies until they, too, are pregnant and worth their initial purchase price. The return on investment ranges from Stewart's 50 percent annually to 10 percent for those unfortunates with scrubby stock. 
• All this breeding is leading toward a fleece market -- but not for 20 to 40 years, Stewart estimates. As secretary of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, he points to literature claiming ranchers sell their fleece to artisans for $2 to $4 an ounce. Fiber thickness counts also influence price: get it too coarse and the price starts to slide. Shared shearing times flood this tiny market, driving the price down. Some alpaca farmers work around this by spinning their own fibers, knitting the sweaters and marketing the apparel on the Internet. "Part of it is luck, and the other part is we treat it as a business that takes work. You don't get rich quick on a legitimate business enterprise.
• Chicken -
  • An animal rights organization is urging to take a firm stand against what it calls “shocking animal cruelty” captured on a graphic video it says was taken at two chicken farms. The hidden-camera video shows hens crowded in battery cages, and chicks being violently smashed by workers and thrown into garbage bags. “They’re so crammed inside those cages they can’t spread their wings, they can’t walk, they can’t turn around, they can’t engage in any of their natural behaviour,” said the whistle blower. “They spend one year of their miserable life in there, basically producing eggs and after that time period, they’re considered spent by the industry because their productivity is declined, and then they’re slaughtered.”
  • Chicken farming requires loads of capital to start. The land size is small, so not an issue. I am not into heavy capitalization. Most heavy capitalization projects always fail on me.
• Turkey -
  • In factory farming, each turkey receives less than three square feet. After they hatch, turkeys have the ends of their beaks cut off to prevent them from attacking each other in their crowded, unnatural conditions. No anesthesia or painkiller is used. This process, which is known as “debeaking”, has been compared to having your lips or the ends of your fingers cut off, and deprives the birds of one of their most important sources of sensory input. A debeaked bird cannot eat properly or explore her environment fully, nor can she preen herself or her flockmates. She may also experience acute and chronic pain in her beak, head, and face.
  • Debeaking is only one of the mutilations performed on turkeys. They also have their toes cut off; when they are one-day old, a pair of "five-inch surgical shears" is used to clip off "the tip of the toe...including all of the toenail." The snood--the colourful, fleshy appendage that hangs over a turkey's beak--is also cut off, often with no more than a pair of scissors. Like debeaking, all of these tasks are performed without anesthesia, and they appear to result in acute and chronic pain. Dozens of turkey chicks in a rotating debeaking machine. Turkey hatchlings are debeaked without painkillers. 
  • Turkeys in modern factory farms have been genetically engineered and pumped with antibiotics; as a result they grow much faster than ever before. For example, in the 1960's, it took a turkey 32 weeks to reach slaughter size, but now it takes only 13-16 weeks.
  • Like chicken farming, the capital requirement is great.
• Hog -
  • As to how much land for a pig, we currently have about 200 pigs of varying ages on about 10 acres divided into paddocks. 
  • Still, he’s worried about their future. In his forty years of raising hogs, Vincent said he’s never seen the swine industry struggle as much as it has the last few years. “I have never experienced a more difficult period [for producing pork] than the period we’re living right now,” he said. It’s tough times for the hog industry. Since five years ago, producers and processors have been seeing red as grain prices soar, hog prices fall.
  • Hog farming requires loads and loads of capital to start. The land need is small. So better don't play this game.
• Cattle -
  • Where I live in Ireland, many farmers are part-time farmers, with a regular day job, and cattle can be managed in the morning and evening. We estimate one livestock unit (1 cow or 1.5 sheep) per acre. We have good grass. Places with poorer grass need many more acres, which is why Australian farms are so huge. They have very poor soil with poor grass. the size of the average US producer (is) 32 cows. Profits are not always made every year. The land requirement is huge.
  • Running expenses are very high. 
• Horse -
  • It was much like any other horse sale, said an auctioneer; chatty farmers and ranchers packed the bright blue stands to watch about 60 horses be led across a thick sawdust floor to be sold to the highest bidder. Sales in the small auction house are much as they’ve always been. Cowboy hats are still a common sight and a good market is half social event, half business. The only thing that’s changed is the price. These days, the only people making a profit seem to be the line cooks handing out fried foods at the concession stand. 
  • “It was a good night,” the auctioneer said after the crowd had left. “But it’s like pulling teeth trying to get someone to bid.” Of the five dozen horses that went up for auction, the auctioneer predicted about 50 were sold for meat. And not for much, even at that. “It was definitely lower. The prices were 20 cents a pound lower than a month ago.” That’s another bad week, and the horse breeders have had plenty. 
  • As Europe reels at growing tales of equine meatballs and mislabeled lasagna — on Friday, Britain’s food regulator said testing had found horsemeat in ground beef at Taco Bell outlets — ranchers here are dealing with an entirely different disaster. The two local horsemeat processing plants have all but shut operations – a slowdown that’s expected to last until next week, at least. While distributors across the Atlantic struggle to get to the heart of the tainted meat scandal, the demand for horse flesh has dropped off. Few seem interested in buying the stock of lean, rich horsemeat.
  • An average of between 1 and 3 acres of land per horse. The land need is very high.
• Deer -
  • We became deer farmers because of our interest and obvious appreciation of the animal. For us, whitetail deer are an enigma and an enjoyment to farm. They are low maintenance, and require less labour and feed than the traditional cattle herd. 
  • Pastures can normally carry 6-8 mature does and their offspring for each beef cow/calf pair. They are browsers, not grazers, and their feed consumption decreases in winter months. They are hardy, intelligent and adaptable to our weather. They are highly productive and generally have twins and often triplets, making deer a good investment with an above-average rate of return. This investment can be maintained on less acreage and poor quality land unsuitable for other types of farming. 
  • Money can be made in this industry. Good! Finally, a section of agriculture that can be self-sustaining, that may see some profit in a well-run farming operation. Is there money to be made in cattle? You bet, in a well-run farming operation. In any one province which is facing farm crisis, the economic benefits of diversification are a necessary and valuable source of salvation for the family farm. 
  • A fallow deer doe-fawn unit requires approximately 0.4 acres of good quality pasture. The land need is not too bad.
  • This is my favourite. Even if it doesn't turn a profit. I have already ear-marked this business-type.
• Bee -
  • Beekeepers are troubled by the silence. The familiar summertime buzz of bees hovering over the lush cherry blossom trees is noticeably absent. The flowers sit untouched. "This is extremely unusual for this being a bee farm, there are no bees here. This is really sad." This increasingly familiar scene, which is playing out across North America and Europe, worries beekeepers, farmers and scientists who have been tracking the collapse of honeybee colonies over the past decade. Another bad year for honey bees as EU pushes through restrictions to protect bees. In the process, two main camps have emerged, vigorously debating the root causes of the decline. A debate rages over whether the death of many honey bees in recent years is the result of a mite infestation or pesticide use. Some scientists and insecticide companies suggest the bees are being overrun by an infestation of mites, while other observers suggest seeds coated with neonicotinoid insecticide – or "neonics" – are to blame. It's a puzzle with huge implications. Bees and other pollinators are responsible for ensuring most fruit and vegetable crops around the world mature into food. Most sources suggest about one-third of the food we eat is reliant on pollinators, and Bloomberg Business Week estimates bee pollination affects "$200 billion worth of crops annually." 
  • The land need is very small, but you need a huge farm land  to prevent neighbours from complaining about the bees.
  • The capital cost is very low, apply this business-type with other large land needs.
• Log -
  • Growing trees for profit is an ideal part-time or full-time business for anyone who enjoys being outdoors and working with plants. Trees are a valuable and renewable resource that can be grown in a tiny backyard or on a 100 acre tree farm. The most profitable trees for most small growers are those in demand by buyers, are reasonably easy to grow, and bring above-average prices when sold. Unlike traditional trees sold for saw logs and pulp, high-value trees are sold at retail prices to homeowners and landscapers, hobbyists who use the wood or tree shoots to make everything from baskets to guitar backs, or trees planted for their valuable fruits and nuts.
  • Sorry is the rude word. It takes at least 40 years to grow a tree for sale. The capital investment cost is extremely low, but you might not have the life-time to earn it. You just need to buy the land.
  •  You may plant up to 1,800-2,500 per 100 acres.
  • This is a good generations game. Do check out the government-of-the-day's interest. They might cut you off on the farm land ownership. So do exercise great caution.
• Fruit/Nut -
  • A few years ago, Bill Lancaster bought six acres of sagebrush and rocks in eastern Washington state with the idea of creating a natural grove of nut trees. “They told me I was crazy to try to grow nut trees here,” he said. But now his neighbours are buying nut trees from him! His 4 acre grove of trees resembles a natural forest. Walnuts and Chinese Chestnuts, planted on a 60 foot spacing, form the upper story of the grove. Filberts, which grow well in partial shade, fill in the 20 foot high lower story. There are also peach, plum and pear trees planted in the sunny corners and edges of the grove. Grape vines are trellised around the edge of the grove.Bees from his own hives do the pollinating, and peafowl patrol for insects in the grove. The grove is just reaching it’s prime, producing 8,000 pounds of nuts each year. But the nut and fruit tree grove is only part of Bill’s cash crop income. On the remaining 2 acres, he grows tree seedlings and grafted trees in a backyard nursery, his most profitable plants. His trees are such high quality, they are sold out for two years in advance. Bill says this grove could produce for another 50 years, with very little further work.
  • This is a good consideration. This is a low cost and low land need business-type. 
• Crop - Crops require huge machinery and huge land need. So don't talk about turning in a profit, it will bankrupt you first through capital purchases. Unless you aim for specialist crops like some of the passion businesses discussed so far.

After a simple analysis of the business-types in farm land, notice everything also cannot do. This is the beauty of business-type exploration. Everything don't sound right. Everything don't sound possible. This is the exact dilemma that a person would face. Everywhere is road block, everywhere is impossible and non-profitable. This is exactly what the people already in the business-type would like you to believe that there is no way into their business-type. So be patient, 廟算 is your only chance to succeed.

Don't despair. Build your own reality. If you must cry, by all means be my guest. I cry loads too. There is no embarrassment. Just watch silly shows like 非诚勿扰 would immediately wake your fucking ideas up. There is no love without the dollar sign. Sad? I know. There is no true love, at least for me. The gals in 非诚勿扰 even suggested their bullshit of catching a 柔情铁汉 to depict a man who is very strong in making money but easy on the money for the damsel-in-distress. The gals simply thought that the 柔情铁汉 would fall for the dumb broads like them. LOL. I simply must watch the eventual "happy endings" of these gals after they have gotten hitched.

If you that good, the whites would be clamouring to work for you. The sound of pigeon English amongst the pure English accent is gold.

p.Living in Fairer Shore

The last part is here:   Leaving the good shore in search of a better life 

Finally I have a pet. This little brown bat will keep me through the dark wintry days.

I was playing with it for the whole night. I believe it is a he. He would fly around me at very low flight path and I would use a magazine and wave it in the air. He will just fly over the magazine and come back again for more.

When he was tired, he would just rest on a tall speaker. I would just throw a sock at it to start it flying again.

When he was finally tired, he would climb through the chimney making clumsy sounds and disappeared into the night. The next following night, he would return and do the same playing with me.

I used to have a squirrel as a pet, I would feed the squirrel with fruits and biscuits. Although these animals are wild, they are absolutely fun to keep.

After my current fiascoes with the grand chieftains, I would be making a pigeon house to keep loads of pigeons. Don't know if they let me play with a pair of alpacas. I want to do some training before I go at it full time.

Alpaca

An amazing find! Recently I just spoken to an alpaca farmer, he said that to buy male wethers is very cheap. They can go for $50 a pop. If buy in bulk, it might even be cheaper. 

"It is generally accepted by most alpaca breeders that males who are not required for breeding are wethered. This results in a quieter, more handle-able animal who is not under the influence of sexual hormones. Wethers make great pets when sold to buyers who only want a small herd, and they are easier to manage on the stud farm, too. They don’t tend to fight, and can be kept with your breeding females without risk of an unwanted pregnancies, and some quiet machos also appreciate the company of a wether (don’t make assumptions on this – some working studs can’t stand wethers, and will attack your uncomprehending wether mercilessly. Be very sure that your macho is not aggressively inclined before leaving wethers and machos unsupervised). Wethers also make great companion animals for weanlings, sick animals, or any alpaca you need to separate from the main herd for any reason. Wethering make good practical sense both economically and for ease of management."

It is quite a joke the the current farmers are more inclined towards breeding champion alpacas and win prizes and in exchange be sold for a high breeding price. They are not interested in the true fleece production, which is the key farming activity. The farmers are not into hard work. They just keep alpacas and try to produce champions for sale. It is no different from trying to keep and breed fighting cocks for sale. A non-farm activity. Possibly below are the reason:

"Our farm of 75 plus alpacas and over 40 acres puts us in the large end of the range of all alpacas breeders though there are a few with over 500 alpacas and the largest, Magical Farms in Ohio, with more than 1,500 alpacas. There are many alpaca farms with only two or three alpacas though the national average falls into the ten to 20 alpaca range. Most herds start out small and grow to the size that fits the breeder's farm and financial goals. Since the alpacas are self-producing after a while, the farm will grow."

"The U.S. market is focused on breeding alpacas, not on fiber production. The actual value of the animal ultimately is based on what people will pay for it - or its services. The alpaca's only real economic service is to provide fleece (or more alpacas). With global alpaca production of fleece far outstripping demand there is no need for more fiber production locally. Spurious people promote alpaca breeding as a quick way to make money, but eventually people will realize that nobody will want to buy more alpacas and the price per animal will plummet.

The plummeting price might bring quality alpaca goods to your neck of the woods, but it is also a disaster for the poor U.S. alpacas and their farmers. The economics of raising an alpaca in the U.S. for profit on fiber alone is depressing. It is extremely difficult to make money, especially as Peru and other international fiber producing countries could readily supply any demand for the product. On this note, it might be wise for existing or future alpaca ranchers to think about adopting organic and sustainable practices now. Creating a niche market for local grown sustainable products might be the best way to weather the coming storm."  

"There is a considerable range in the purchasing prices for alpacas. The average selling price for purebred, breeding, registered stock is around $5000.00-$10000.00 Unregistered or non-breeding alpacas will generally sell for $200.00 to $500.00. There are cases where some people who no longer want their animals will take them to a general livestock or odd and unusual auction where they can fetch as low as $25.00. At such sales the buyer has no idea as to health or registration status of the animals so it is "buyer beware". At the other end of the scale, purebred, registered alpacas have sold for $30,000.00 and up. Not all alpacas are of equal value, please refer to the following sections for more detail."

For a package of 5 females and 2 males, it will give about 39.5 animals in 5 years' time. Sell off all animals that are 10 years or older. If the initial cost is 34 units, then in 5 years' time, it will worth 155 units, i.e., IRR of 35.44%. An excellent return.

Alpacas can be pastured at 5-10 per acre. The largest farm size is 3000 alpacas. I am fairly sure I will be the largest given a little more time. Together with my black truffles farming need, I am sure I am finally home.

b.Exploration - Alpaca

The last part is here:   Exploration - The White Co-operative

Every proposition by the white must always be treated with respect. As mentioned before, a very old gentleman once told me, during the great chieftains' meeting, that keeping alpacas are the way to go in starting a farm proper.

An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.

Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, they were not bred to be beasts of burden, but were bred specifically for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, similar to wool. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles and ponchos in South America, and sweaters, socks, coats and bedding in other parts of the world. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 16 as classified in the United States. 

Females are "induced ovulators"; the act of mating and the presence of semen causes them to ovulate. Females usually conceive after just one breeding, but occasionally do have troubles conceiving. Artificial insemination is technically difficult, but it can be accomplished. A male is usually ready to mate for the first time between one and three years of age. A female alpaca may fully mature (physically and mentally) between 12 and 24 months. It is not advisable to allow a young female to be bred until she is mature, as over-breeding a young female, before conception is possible, is a common cause of uterine infections. As the age of maturation varies greatly between individuals, it is usually recommended that novice breeders wait until females are 18 months of age or older before initiating breeding. The gestation period is 345 ± 15 days, and usually results in a single offspring, or cria. Twins are rare, occurring about once per 1000 deliveries. After a female gives birth, she is generally receptive to breeding again after about two weeks. Crias may be weaned through human intervention at about six months old and 60 pounds, but many breeders prefer to allow the female to decide when to wean her offspring; they can be weaned earlier or later depending on their size and emotional maturity.

Alpacas can live for up to 20 years. 

The price for American alpacas can range from US$50 for a castrated male (gelding) to US$500,000 for the highest of champions in the world, depending on breeding history, sex, and color. According to an academic study, though, the higher prices sought for alpaca breeding stock are largely speculative and not supported by market fundamentals, given the low inherent returns per head from the main end product, alpaca fiber, and prices into the $100s per head rather than $10,000s would be required for a commercially viable fiber production herd. Breeding stock prices in Australia have fallen from A$10,000–30,000 head in 1997 to an average of A$3,000–4,000 today.

It is possible to raise up to 25 alpacas per hectare (10 alpacas per acre), as they have a designated area for waste products and keep their eating area away from their waste area, but this ratio differs from country to country and is highly dependent on the quality of pasture available (in many desert locations it is generally only possible to run one to three animals per acre due to lack of suitable vagetation). Fiber quality is the primary variant in the price achieved for alpaca wool; in Australia, it is common to classify the fiber by the thickness of the individual hairs and by the amount of vegetable matter contained in the supplied shearings.

Alpacas need to eat 1-2% of body weight per day, so about two 60 lb (27 kg) bales of grass hay per month per animal. When formulating a proper diet for alpacas, water and hay analysis should be performed to determine the proper vitamin and mineral supplementation program. Two options are to provide free choice salt/mineral powder, or feed a specially formulated ration. Indigenous to the highest regions of the Andes, this harsh environment has created an extremely hardy animal, so only minimal housing and predator fencing are needed. The alpaca’s three-chambered stomachs allow for extremely efficient digestion. There are no viable seeds in the manure, because alpacas prefer to only eat tender plant leaves, and will not consume thick plant stems; therefore, alpaca manure does not need composting to enrich pastures or ornamental landscaping. Nail and teeth trimming is needed every six to 12 months, along with annual shearing. Similar to ruminants, such as cattle and sheep, alpacas have only lower teeth at the front of their mouths; therefore, they do not pull grass up by the roots. Rotating pastures is still important, though, as alpacas have a tendency to regraze an area repeatedly. Alpacas are fiber-producing animals; they do not need to be slaughtered to reap their product, and their fiber is a renewable resource that grows yearly.

The start-up cost for keeping alpacas is low compared to cattle. Also alpacas are very friendly. They make great companions as compared to man. Loyal and dependable.

This exploration is worth the time and considerations. Let's see how far this idea will stick in my mind ...

b.Exploration - Livestocks

The last part is here:   Happiness - A blessed Christmas 2012

It has almost been a year since I left the last chieftains' meeting. Now I am back, it felt so familiar and yet strange. Familiar in that I am now talking to them again. Strange in that a kind white once told me if I have not been in farming for 3 generations, I can't talk to them. Farming is a sacred operation reserved for their whites.

My land power is weak compared to them. But, strangely i felt they were weak too. The farmer who used to own 2000 acres talked to me about a joint venture. He now has only 500 acres. A far cry from his hay days. He wanted me to invest in some of his heifers. A heifer costs about $3,000 and lives 20 years. Over a little year to go, she would give birth to a calf. If the calf was good stuff, the calf could fetch a couple of thousands, else the calf would be worth only $1,000 for meat. I would minimum get back half of the collection. He would supply the land, care and feed. Quite an interesting proposition.

But, he has forgotten that I am a yellowskin. A yellowskin is very cunning. For an investment of $3,000 per pop and get back only $500 per year is too slow for me. I then ask him what happen if the cow dies? He said this is the risk I must take. I smiled and suggested that we must meet in the future at his farm. He proudly declared his farm as extremely valuable. I should consider hard. I smiled again as I don't wish to shock him with my land power. This depression indeed has bitten him badly. My thousands would perhaps be able to start a splash every time.

The whites are stuck in that they have very bad access to the world export market. They were controlled by the co-operatives that run the white land. Sounds familiar? I will discuss this in the next essay. Right now, I need to prepare for the chieftains' ring meeting. My power is proving to be strong in the force. In fact, I was surprised by the new turn-of-event.

b.xox - The Beginning of Farming

Must get this thought process out of my poor brain. ("xox" means no good to try)

Farming
This is fucking difficult. If you look at China, every fucker gets out of the padi fields and come to town. You look at the white lands, all agricultural states have reducing populations year after year. They have to pack up their population through immigration. But, even those Burmese and fucker Vietcons are running away from their adopted host agricultural provinces after 25 years of trying. Nearer town, chinamen from Malaysia are all heading towards that fucken little island for cosy office jobs. Farming is a joke to one and all.

Farming is no joke. You cut short your useful life by smoking weed. Why? Because it is so fucking hard work and there is no fun. No woman folks will want to stay in a farm. Given a choice they would rather do prostitution in town.  男盗女娼 ... 杀人放火金腰带,修桥补路无尸骸 ... They can't live a day of the hard life.

The value produced by the farm crops  are actually very high, i.e., they feed the populace. But, their technology is very low, i.e., the barrier of entry is very low. Once you have 10 out of 10 people claim that they can do farming, you are screwed. So, fucken leaders such as the kings, queens and knights like to downplay their contributions. They grant them low wages and keep them under leash. (I have always suggested doing only what-2-out-of-10-people-can-do businesses, the work stress is greatly reduced.)

Farm produces are generics. I am totally against generics. There is no product differentiation. Hence, you will be damn stupid to plant wheat and corn and hope like hell you will make it. You wouldn't. The weather will break you. Also, their final sale prices are absolutely controlled by the middlemen and they fuck you up good.

But, I am different. I am willing to work hard. I will not back out, one lor. Maybe. I admired that spirit of yours. Cows always work very hard, but they ended up you know where. Question: Why do you need to bang your head against that immense wall. Millions, if not, billions before you have tried and failed. Learn lessons from history, my partner-in-crime once taught me.

But, there must be a way out, you bet!