Codex Alimentarius is One Big Football Game By Kat Carroll, NTP, Associate Editor, Health Freedom News, National Health Federation

Kat Carroll, NHF Delegate at Codex Alimentarius Meeting in Germany: Day Before Proceedings- Nearly 300 Attending

For those of you following my passion for activism, below is the latest from Codex- this time in Bad Soden, Germany- the meeting supposedly on "nutrition" that turned out to be the epitome of "malnutrition" in reality. I came off an eleven and a half hour flight, two hours drive back to Adytum from Seattle-Tacoma Airport to welcome Adytum guests from Nashville, TN for the next three days. I'm finding out we are all capable of doing much more than we ever imagined, particularly when fueled by passion for justice and the protection of our health freedoms and liberty!

Mme. Chairwoman Dr. Pia Noble, Front and Center and Headed On a Course of Global Destruction

These meetings are real eye-openers...please take time to read this from the eyes of a 'newbie' and see how policy is set for you and your children. It is nothing short of shocking:

Play by play, either that ball is moving forward, backward, or it’s being  passed or kicked into oblivion without regard to any real goal in a last ditch effort to get rid of it before being tackled. In a worst case scenario, Codex is rigged. It takes a skillful operator- in this case Dr. Pia Noble (what a misnomer…) who can lead the room and in clearly balanced opposition somehow convince or cow the country delegates into believing there is actually consensus. That’s how Codex operates: by consensus. We don’t vote unless pushed. The World must agree, must cooperate…however what I witnessed at the 34^th session of the CCNFSDU was clearly in legal terms “leading” and manipulating the room to the wishes of three strong forces: the US, Australia, and of course, Mme. Chairwoman Dr. Pia Noble.

This "Nutrition" Codex Meeting Should Have Been Named "Malnutrition"

At Codex Alimentarius- Latin for “Food Code”, the plays are read, line by line and debated on by a World that doesn’t necessarily even accept certain principles in their daily life- like taking supplements. As a Nutritional Therapist, this was MY meeting. I had to be there. Thankfully a few staunch supporters made sure that happened.

In the case of the Codex Alimentarius meeting held in Bad Soden, Germany on December 3-7, 2012, the ball was in jeopardy of being punted into oblivion when we hit the discussion of Nutrient Reference Values. Was there anyone out of the nearly 300 delegates who really cared at all about the issues that will impact you when you go to the health-food store this coming year? This was my second meeting and I could see clearly that the paragraphs dedicated to the discussion of our Nutrient Reference Values were in danger of being accepted as written and set into stone around the World in favor of getting to the coffee break and I mean that literally.

Kat Carroll, NHF Delegate and Ursula Trueb-Rubeli, On Swiss Delegate Team

You have to understand, the United States citizens enjoy unprecedented access to supplements with values that actually have the power to prevent disease or heal ill health – the rest of the World either does not use supplements, believing they are toxic – like drugs – or the nutrient reference values (RDAs) are so low that multiple bottles would have to be purchased at great expense to create the impact that one good U.S. bottle creates.

NHF President Scott Tips with Benin Delegate Discussing NRV's

I saw this firsthand in Germany. We went into a health-food store and I could hardly find the vitamin/mineral section. When I did find the ONE shelf, the highest values for D3 were 400 IU’s. I take 25,000 IU’s daily…Talk about breaking the bank. No wonder the World, represented in the form of country delegates, were anxious to get to the free coffee, sweet rolls, etc. at the break. Their countries can’t afford this nonsense so they mentally have moved on and disregarded this argument. This was not their World. If the National Health Federation were not present at this crucial meeting on setting Nutrient Reference Values, I can guarantee you that your World would never be the same again. Once lowered, do you really think they stand to somehow go through Codex’s 8-step process to rise again?

NHF President & Lead Delegate Educating Malaysian and Benin Delegates on NRVs on a Break

From a Nutritional Therapist’s standpoint, several of the nutrients that were placed on Codex’s sacrificial altar were methylation factors. B6, B12, Folic Acid…If we don’t methylate well, we can develop opportunistic diseases. Cancer…heart attack that occurs when Homocysteine elevates…Some, like calcium, which Codex wished to elevate out of proportion to stabilizing magnesium, when taken out of balance, create disease as well by mineralizing in the vessels instead of the bone and teeth. So, at this point I’m thinking, “Is Codex out to kill us?” It’s no secret that depopulation is one aspect of the World’s agenda, “Dr. Henry Kissinger wrote: "Depopulation should be the highest priority of U.S. foreign policy towards the Third World." Apparently America is the new ‘third World.’

Setondji Ignace Zinsou, Benin, Kat Carroll with NHF, Ms. Fatima Sulong, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

The attack on these particular NRV’s, from my professional standpoint, is designed to take out a large number of the population at least in the U.S. where we have access to supplements with values that are currently at least approaching sufficiency and where we have the incomes generally to support their purchase.

What was so incredibly ironic about this meeting was the emphasis on malnutrition in the World. It actually sparked a growing interest in me about the integrity of infant formulas. They are including transfats and contaminants in infant formula! When we learn that in France, for example, breast feeding is neither popular nor widely practiced, it pays to defend the integrity of infant formulas! But the trajectory of the morning – 3 hours before NRVs were even approached – was on ‘growing up milk,’ which Elizabeth Streken (an INGO representative of the International Baby Formula Action Network) said was a market ploy to get mothers to feel guilty if they didn’t keep bottle feeding babies way past time… 

NHF Presdent Scott Tips with Ms. Elizabeth Sterken, Director, IBFAN, International Baby Food Action Network

At any rate, the discrepancy and complete disconnect in regards to the NRVs was that supposedly Codex was there to prevent malnutrition in the World, yet they were the very ones in favor of lowering our already malnutrition promoting low NRVs, which are set to prevent the very last-ditch disease processes before death instead of promoting optimum nutrition and vibrant, disease-resistant health.

So, these two themes predominated:  (1) Get through the tedious drivel and get me to the coffee and donut cart; and (2) The incongruous ‘Yes, we are all for stopping malnutrition…let’s lower the values in the supplements, shall we?”  And then let us not forget the overarching theme by Mme.Dictator Chair –  “What I Decide, Will Be.”

Kat Carroll, NHF Delegate with Antoinette Booyzen, Directorate, Food Control Dept. of  Health , South Africa 

National Health Federation has been in existence long before any other health-freedom organization was even a ‘gleam in the father’s eye.’ We are the granddaddy of them all. We’ve employed a continuous lobbyist in Washington, D.C. the entire time. We alone hold the distinction of being the only health-freedom organization able to speak at Codex. So, do you see now how important this ability is? Not only can we speak, but we can submit paperwork – and we did – three times on the NRV issue prior to the meeting in Germany (twice as part of the electronic working group hosted by the ultimate opposition: Australia, and once directly to the Committee). And moreover, we stay until the final page of the Report is agreed upon and have the ability to make corrections to that final Report in which omissions are frequently noted….

Do I feel fortunate to be on the team of the most powerful health-freedom organization at Codex? I feel incredibly humbled. For one who had little political interest or influence in the past, I am now thrust into the heart of the action where policy is set for the World. It is not only quite humbling but it carries an enormous responsibility to carry the wishes and desires of those that NHF represents to the seat of power. And we do faithfully time and again.

As It Appears on the Screen

NHF President Scott Tips Speaking for YOU at Codex, Bad Soden, Germany 2012

The lives that are impacted are not only our own but our children and grandchildren. Our family’s health is at stake. In the final analysis, if we lose our health we have lost. It is all we have besides the faith that sustains us and keeps us seeking the path of Light in the growing darkness of the World. The Codex meeting on nutrition was anything but. It was about marketers seeking to manipulate the World – guilting them into keeping children on formulas when they needed to embrace a solid diet – real ‘growing up’ food. It was about lowering key nutrients and raising others that would ensure that our health would deteriorate. It masqueraded in the guise of compassion, yet all the while was undermining our health by chipping away at the very foundations in the name of greed and ill health.

We at NHF spoke for YOU. At the end of the day, I approached the dais where Dr. Pia Noble held court. I asked her for 5 minutes at the next meeting to explain the science behind our commitment to NRVs. She grimaced, rolled her eyes, disregarded me completely in the most disrespectful way possible for one woman to address another and deferred to the Secretariat. The answer was – you guessed it – NO. “It might create further discussion….”   Codex is a UN-sponsored concept and organization, under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In 1994, the World Trade Organization entered into the fatal game and now who speaks for you? National Health Federation. That’s the real WHO.

To access NHF President Scott Tips' article summarizing the Codex meeting, visit the website at www.thenhf.com or this direct link: http://www.thenhf.com/article.php?id=3567.  While you're there, we invite you to join our efforts to protect the health of the World by becoming a member or underwriting expenses to future Codex Alimentarius meetings like the one upcoming in March 2013 in Beijing where the topic of 'contaminants' will be reviewed.

Kat with Taylor, One of Our Five Grandchildren: You Bet We're Concerned About Contaminants....

My current personal passion is also focusing on contaminants in infant formulas, as well as aspartame and aluminum in our food supply. We really can't fight this fight without every one pitching in and doing their part and it's so satisfying to know we really ARE making an impact on this World for future generations to enjoy.

NHF President Scott Tips with Malaysian Delegate Discussing Calcium to Magnesium Balance on Break

Postscript: I received permission from a Facebook friend to include this interchange from this morning:

Tom: Kat, I am attracted to people adept at putting pen to paper, particularly when the subject matter involves calling out the dark forces who treat humanity as their tool to help formulate their hideous agenda.

Kat Carroll: We each have to be true to our calling and this is clearly my destiny. I come from a strong line of activists who weren't afraid to call a spade a spade, even to the point of landing up in jail! (Grandfather...) I never woke to this side of myself until I read Scott Tips' excellent article about Ractopamine, and despite being a 25+ year vegetarian, I found my 'fire lit' and off I'm blazing! I appreciate your words here, and thank you for them, as well as your support of the National Health Federation Tom. We were the ONLY ones speaking at this vital Codex meeting despite all the health freedom organizations in existence taking money from people that believe they're helping them...sad. We are truly on the front lines, thanks to staunch supporters like YOU!

Nearly 300 International Delegates Present at Codex Alimentarius, Bad Soden, Germany 12-12

Next Stop for NHF – Bad Soden, Germany December 2012 By Katherine A. Carroll, Associate Editor, Health Freedom News, NHF

Last Year National Health Federation Represented Your Health Freedom Here As We Will This Year

The first week of December 2012, the National Health Federation will take its seat at the Codex table and prepare to represent those who are dedicated to health and health freedom. As many of you know, I have volunteered for over a year in many positions, my latest as Associate Editor of Health Freedom News for the National Health Federation. As I’ve shared before, it’s quite humbling to learn – after the fact – that someone has been protecting and watching over you and your loved ones’ health freedom before you were even aware. NHF has been there since 1955 doing just that. It’s such an honor now, after learning how much NHF has been doing for me and my family, to be a part of the largely-volunteer team representing true health freedom at this week-long meeting.

Some Of My Large Family And Myself, Grateful For NHF's Work Protecting Us When We Weren't Aware Especially!

Yesterday I revisited a few earlier blogs I’d posted on Codex and NHF’s role in the World to prepare for my first radio interview. The links are all posted at the end and it might be a good refresher for you to review them too as well as listen to my first interview on the radio talking about Ractopamine, Codex, NHF and our role in the World, and a little on Macular Degeneration as well.

We’re in a busy holiday season, yet taking time out to focus on protecting the nutrient levels in our supplements – making sure they don’t fall further, or, as in the case of fluoride, become classified as a nutrient when it is simply industrial waste . . . well, it’s an important investment of time when there seems to be no extra time. Thank you to those who have supported the vital, ongoing work of NHF for this trip and over the years. Please, don’t stop now!! We have fats and oils in Malaysia to speak on in March 2013. Codex’s use of “junk science” to support reduction of saturated fats is simply disconnected from current research and the differentiation of a good saturated fat like coconut oil versus a lesser quality fat has not been made. After that in Beijing, contaminants in foods are decided upon. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want ANY contaminants in my food. I certainly don’t want melamine in baby’s formula and trans-fats…These are real issues. It is vital that we attend.

“I can’t talk yet but I hope you tell them I don’t want trans-fats & melamine please!”

NHF speaks good, old-fashioned common sense at Codex, with a healthy dose of up-to-date studies from independent researchers backing up every statement NHF makes. There are NO OTHER HEALTH FREEDOM ORGANIZATIONS speaking for you. I mean that literally. NHF is the ONLY health freedom organization able to speak, submit paperwork (which President Scott Tips already has- three separate papers in anticipation of the Nutrition Codex meeting in Germany), and correct the entries to the final report. Another health-freedom organization has claimed that they are going to this upcoming Codex meeting to speak for you, but the truth is that they cannot speak out at the meeting as NHF does.  They are simply an individual member of a country delegation and are actually forbidden to speak to other delegates unless it is to parrot the U.S. party line.  There are no substitutes for NHF at this meeting.

NHF President Scott C. Tips and Past President Charles Crecelius

As in the Canadian meeting, NHF will attend the final meeting not leaving until the report is considered complete and closed. Do you know how many attend to the “bitter end?” Not many, I can assure you. NHF demonstrates time and again real service and dedication to the truth; our right to decide what goes into our body, what practitioner we will employ, etc.  Volunteering the last year or so has changed my life and the lives of many! And it all began because I read an article – just one article by President Scott Tips…

This Was the "Magic Bullet" for My Transition Into Activism for Health Freedom

What can you do today to help? Consider these action steps if you please:

·        Visit www.thenhf.com and get behind current issues by signing petitions you’re passionate about.

·        Support by clicking the donate button on the website or our FaceBook pages.

·        Consider monthly support, as some of our members provide, to ensure your representation at every Codex      meeting and not just the ones we can ‘afford’.

·        Consider mentioning NHF in your Will to ensure your investments in health freedom don’t stop.

·        Be persistently vocal. Don’t stop with one interaction. Call your representatives, visit them in person, write a letter to the editor, blog, share a passionate email with your contact list, and leverage it by asking them to share it with theirs too.

·        Start a chapter meeting in your town to raise awareness and fight for the issues that are near to your heart.

·        Volunteer to host a table at a Health Expo, Health Freedom Fair, etc.

·        Practice your passion: if you’re a writer- write! A speaker? Speak! A singer? Sing!

We can’t do it without each one of you!

I Wear Many "Hats"...I Love Them All, Am Passionate About Protecting Health Freedom!!

·        My first radio interview for NHF. Kind of like riding a roller-coaster…scary-fun!!  It starts at the 7:11 minute mark:  http://kcaaradio.celestrion.net/kcaa-podcasts/about/20121128.html

·        http://www.thenhf.com/blog/2012/06/codex-first-time-firsthand-the-fortieth-session-of-the-codex-committee-on-food-labelling-ottawa-canada-may-2012-by-katherine-a-carroll/

·        http://www.thenhf.com/blog/2012/04/the-national-health-federation-is-the-fulcrum-that-tips-the-world-by-katherine-a-carroll/

·        Contact: contact-us@thenhf.com

·        1.626.357.2181    or write to: National Health Federation, P.O. Box 688, Monrovia, CA 91017

·        https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/dMZya

Our Book- A Must Read To Understand the Reality  of Codex www.amazon.com

Immune Mechanisms In Allergic Eye Diseases: What Is New?

We've had requests to blog on health, nutrition, and alternative therapies including orthomolecular medicine- using supplements vs. drugs to create a healing influence. Yesterday we created a new blog, medicalvisioncenter.blogspot.com that is really just a culmination of years of studies, consults with patients, and finding solutions for ocular disease and issues like dry eye or allergy eyes- both common complaints and the launching off point for the Medical Vision Center blog. You can sign up at that address for updates and you'll save yourself many trips to the eye doctor by implementing some of the suggestions. Also you'll see the latest studies supporting protocols we've developed for use with patients at both clinics. 

If you need more information or particular brand names (and we ARE particular having found the brands that have integrity and the ones that don't) then email me at katacarroll@gmail.com and I'll be happy to help. In addition to the other hats I wear with Adytum Sanctuary and as Associate Editor for Health Freedom News, I still maintain a private practice doing nutritional consults at both clinics and by email. We're committed to this lifestyle and to finding solutions in nature. Just say 'no' to drugs and you'll stand a winning chance of truly solving your problems because there is ALWAYS an answer in diet, lifestyle, supplementation, attitude, intention, and prayer.

In 2011-2012, Dr. Donald Carroll performed the first office trial on using a proprietary blend of red wine extract with wet and dry macular degeneration patients. The study involved review by Dr. Stuart Richer who pioneered the treatment for this blinding disease using supplements to restore vision. Their joint paper will publish soon and the results are great! Medical Vision Center in Morton, Washington, our main practice where Donn's worked for 32 years and myself for 17 years, is now a designated Macular Degeneration Research Center. 

I hope you enjoy this departure from the usual Adytum Sanctuary Life blogs as we discuss treating ocular allergies with probiotics and enjoying not only relief from symptoms, but a chance for healing.

Aside from dry eye syndrome, the most common complaint at the clinics is itching, burning, excessive tearing, grittiness, and irritation. This often makes comfortable contact lens wearing out of the question. It isn't confined to any particular season either. Unfortunately many people think that medicines like Pataday will eliminate allergy symptoms for good and, like eliminating dry eye, it isn’t going to resolve with a topical medication. It takes working from the inside out.

The gastrointestinal tract and the liver are intricately related to eye health and vision. When people get jaundice, a liver ailment, it shows in yellow-tinged eyes. When people can’t stop rubbing their itching, watery eyes, it can often be traced back to a GI tract overrun with yeast, bad bacteria, and an imbalance of ‘friendly’ bowel bacteria.

A healthy digestive system is filled, from one end to the other, with nearly five pounds of good bacteria and microbes. We usually think of the GI tract in terms of digestion, but 60% of our immune system is found here in the form of Peyer’s Patches making this the logical place to start eliminating allergic eyes by strengthening the immune system.

Basically the GI tract is also a lymphoid organ with lymphoid follicles called Peyer’s Patches similar to lymph nodes. They are responsible for immune function at this level. “The lumen of the gastrointestinal tract is outside of the body and much of it is heavily populated with potentially pathogenic microorganisms. It is thus important that the immune system establishes and maintains a strong presence at this mucosal boundary, and indeed, the digestive tube is heavily laden with lymphocytes, macrophages and other cells that participate in immune responses.” Here’s a good explanatory link where the quote originated from:http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/basics/gi_immune.html

Peyer's Patches

In order for this system to function at its peak it requires the proper balance of bacteria. We include not only probiotic capsules in our diet (taken on an empty stomach with cool water) but we also eat cultured fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, cultured almond-milk yogurt, kim chi, and drink kombucha, etc. Staying off sugar is wise. We also teach a 4-R program to restore the GI tract. Homeopathic solutions like Similacin work well as a topical agent.

Dispensary and Tech Office

Donna Gates wrote The Body Ecology Diet (http://bodyecology.com/)which gives a good understanding how to build healthy bowel flora in the GI tract. The Gaps Diet, Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia by Natasha Cambell-McBride, is another.

We all know antibiotics kill good bowel bacteria, so many of us use garlic instead. But stress is often the overlooked culprit in reduction of good bacteria and generally damaging the GI tract. An October 2012 study show “rats subjected to heat stress damages intestinal mechanical and mucosal immune barriers, and reduces immune function of the intestinal mucosa and mesenteric lymphoid tissues, leading to bacterial translocation.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23094661. 

The bottom line is that ocular and overall health is gained when we establish and maintain friendly bowel bacteria. Studies follow taken from PubMed:

Medical Vision Center in Morton, WA- We were the first to add Nutritional Therapy

Improvements in seasonal allergic disease with Lactobacillus plantarum No. 14.

¹We conducted two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies of Lactobacillus plantarum No. 14 (LP14) in female students with seasonal allergic diseases. We also examined the mitogenic activity and cytokine inducibility of LP14 using Peyer's patch cells and mesenteric lymph node cells of swine. For subjects who took 8.7×10(8) of LP14, a significant improvement in ocular symptom-medication score was observed. In the placebo group, the T helper type 1 (Th1)/T helper type 2 (Th2) ratio tended to decrease after a 6-week intake period, while in the LP14 group, the percentage of Th1 cells significantly increased. Post-intake eosinophil counts significantly increased in comparison to those at intake cessation in the placebo group, but it appeared to be suppressed in the LP14 group. There were no changes in fecal microflora. LP14 strongly induced the gene expression of Th1-type cytokines. This study indicates the clinical effects of LP14 on seasonal allergic diseases.

Clinical efficacy of probiotic Bifidobacterium longum for the treatment of symptoms of Japanese cedar pollenallergy in subjects evaluated in an environmental exposure unit.

BACKGROUND:

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCPsis) affects nearly one in six Japanese. Oral administration of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 has been shown to be effective in relieving JCPsis symptoms during the pollen season.

METHODS:

This double- two-way crossover study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of BB536 on reducing symptoms in JCPsis patients exposed to Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) in an environmental exposure unit (EEU) outside of the normal JCP season. After a 1-week run-in period, subjects (n=24) were randomly allocated to receive BB536 powder (approximately 5x1010) or placebo twice a day for 4 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, subjects were crossed over to another 4 weeks of intake. At the end of each intake period, subjects received controlled JCP exposure for 4 hours in the EEU. Symptoms were self-rated 30 minutes before and every 30 minutes during the exposures. From the first day of exposure through the next 5 successive days, participants self-rated their delayed symptoms and medication uses. Blood samples were taken before the exposures. The mean JCP levels for exposures were 6500 to 7000 grains/m3 air.

RESULTS:

In comparison with placebo, BB536 intake significantly reduced the ocular symptom scores during JCP exposures. Evaluating delayed symptoms after exposures indicated that scores for disruption of normal activities were significantly lower in the BB536 group compared with the placebo group. Prevalence of medication use was markedly reduced by BB536 intake.

CONCLUSIONS:

These results suggest the potential beneficial effect of BB536 in relieving symptoms of JCP allergy.

¹http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20834165Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(9):1869-77. Epub 2010 Sep 7. Nagata Y, Yoshida M, Kitazawa H, Araki E, Gomyo T. Source, Momoya Co., Ltd., Saitama, Japan. y.nagata@momoya.co.jAbstract

²Allergol Int. 2007 Mar;56(1):67-75. Epub 2007 Jan 29. Xiao JZ, Kondo S, Yanagisawa N, Miyaji K, Enomoto K, Sakoda T, Iwatsuki K, Enomoto T. Source,Food Research and Development Laboratory, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa,Japan,j_xiao@morinagamilk.co.jp Abstract

Rex Hill Winery in Newberg, Oregon and the “Anthony Bourdain” of Tour Guides End of Harvest Tour by Kat Carroll NTP, Associate Editor HFN

“Pinot Noir is like a woman in a tight t-shirt. If she’s had work done, it’s gonna show,” Mike Willison’s wry, mocking, and unpredictably hilarious sense of humor combined with his contagious vitality and passion was making this a tour like no other- and I’ve been on plenty, mostly in Napa. Before we parted company, I dubbed him the “Anthony Bourdain” of Rex Hill Winery. You don’t enter into this wine tour casually—you’re in for a totally engaging experience on many levels!

Mike Willison of Rex Hill Winery in the Willmette Valley, Oregon

We met on a cold, wet day in Newberg, Oregon amidst thirty year old vines harvested three days prior to learn predominately about the thin-skinned, hard to grow Pinot Noir. Since we have a small Pacific Northwest vineyard of 120 Pinot Noir vines which we raise biodynamicly and organically we drove the two hours from Adytum Sanctuary to sit at the feet of the Master, Rex Hill Winery, who uses these methods, unlike the majority of wineries stuck in the toxic Round Up, herbicide, and pesticide game.

 We knew we’d enhance our practical knowledge, but little did we know it would be so fun! My husband Donn’s upbringing wasn’t conducive to his development of a wine palate but he enjoyed an intellectual and palate-initiating tour tasting fresh grape juice up to the point just past a fermented fizz when he condemned it as ‘medicinal’ and passed it to me.  This ‘non-drinker’s wine tour’ oxymoron was actually a complete success from Donn’s standpoint: a profitable, fun day for a teetotaler who plants vineyards in every home he owns—go figure…

Lovely, Vital Wines

Mike explains, “Round Up is heavily used in most vineyards. Here at Rex Hill we plant cover crops of vetch, red clover, mustard, and buckwheat. The wasps will be attracted by the buckwheat and eat the spotted wing drosphila( http://cisr.ucr.edu/spotted_wing_drosophila_cherry_vinegar_fly.html) that use their tail hook to slit the grape, lay larvae, and  seal it back up. Fruit is harvested unknowingly full of these larvae. It effectively destroys the crop and is a problem not only in California but now in the Pacific Northwest. We use biodynamic methods for prevention.”

Spotted Wing Drosophila

 My parents pioneered crop-dusting in Cuba by selling interest in it with airshows, wing-walking, and parachuting. They owned two airports in the South and saved entire crops from devastation many times over with sulphur and other pesticides and herbicides. 

Cold day...wonderful wine & education...Rex Hill Vineyard

There’s no doubt it works, but Rudolph Steiner countered the Industrial Revolution with a return to natural farming and methods your great grandparents used that flowed with the rhythms of the Earth. We’ve taken the biodynamic, organic path at Adytum Sanctuary, and we will plant buckwheat and pray for wasps to protect our young vines. We mow and welcome the honeybees attracted to the abundance of dandelions that others poison. We eat our weeds here- nettle, dandelion, burdock, and yellow root… Our land has a rugged, unbridled beauty and all the untidiness of an English Garden but soils are rich with earthworms and leaf mold from 100 year old maple. Order and productivity shouldn’t be bought at the price of sterilizing or harming the Earth that sustains us. Grasp the Nettle by Peter Proctor is THE book on Mike’s desk at Rex Hill. It’s on its way to Adytum, thanks to a good used book seller- it’s an expensive book so shop around.

 I asked Mike what they do for moles, voles, and rodents that can destroy a vineyard. He pointed to tall, metal hawk perches. Do you see now? Just bring in the natural predator and forgo the poisoned worms, pesticides, and herbicides. Other problems are approached preventively and usually by spraying foliage with a preparation much like a homeopathic tincture that raise immunity and nourish naturally to create a strong plant ‘child’. I sense that’s how the vines are seen here- as children in need of loving care - and I respect it. Because of these methods of nurturing the soil, Rex Hill’s vines are too vigorous, producing too much vegetation.

Scott Henry Trellis System for Vineyards

 They employ a Scott Henry (http://www.avalonwine.com/trellising-the-grape.php) trellising system for several years to minimize luxuriant growth produced from the vitalized soil and encourage more fruiting. This method works well to minimize fungus and mold, and to allow as much sunshine and air circulation to the fruit. Wine has been called liquid sunshine, and while Pinot Noir loves the cool, cloudy Pacific Northwest climate with a variable diurnal temperature range, the grapes need as much sunlight and air circulation as possible so the Scott Henry system works here.

Beautiful Healthy Vines

Of course, when transitioning vines from the ravages of chemicals (Mike likened it to drug use) it takes years to encourage them to find their true place, to reach deep into the Earth for nourishment. Rex Hill has several rehab projects in the works including removing heavily chemicalized hazelnuts from production from just-purchased land, and turning the ravaged plots into a healthy, biodynamic, organic vineyards- a three year process to achieve this designation.

 Rudolph Steiner (http://www.rsarchive.org/Biodynamics/) taught that the farm is an entire system where everything thrives; everything is done with intention. Cosmic forces are utilized- planting, harvesting, and applying tinctures by the moon. This land definitely feels alive under our feet and there is evidence of recent mowing and a few mole hills. 

Erica and Rachel, Rex Hill Interns

Vineyard staff has their own raised bed garden plots to play with. A few dogs accompanied their owners to work creating a happy, complete ambiance. Everyone seems deeply engaged here and invested in the outcome. Erica was only employed 3 days and is a complete natural, "We don't cover up the beauty of the grape- we just enhance it." She encouraged me to try some wines I normally wouldn't have...

Mike's little dog- Sumo

 Remains from the wine vats are composted and spread to enrich the top soil. Grapes aren’t watered on a regular basis unless they’re young. By allowing dehydration, roots are encouraged to delve deep into the heart of the Earth and a smaller, more flavorful berry is produced- and those minerals are drawn up into the concentrated fruit of the vine, and ultimately into your glass. No wonder wine is such a healthy habit enjoyed by centenarians, particularly the reds in moderation. Rex Hill had so many smooth yet complex drinkable wines, moderation becomes a bit of a challenge!

Mike Teaches and My Teetotaler Husband, Donn, Tries a Few Wines

Referencing again the tight t-shirt comment, Mike goes on, “Make good fruit and you won’t have to work hard to correct the balance once it’s harvested.” Oregon Pinot Noirs must use 90% Pinot Noir grapes to be classified as such; other states are at 75% which explains the edge Oregon wines have. Rex Hill's commitment to the philosophy of Rudolph Steiner pays off in the glass. In short, the vineyard is full of children each with their own personality and unique needs- none of which include drugs and medication. Raise them love, respect, and integrity and you will be blessed with great wine that doesn’t require manipulative, remedial “work” that will show up in the finished product.

Gewurtztrminer 'Spicy' Grapes Smoky Tasting From Recent Fires

They have some white wines as well here. Strangely, the Gewürztraminer grapes absorbed the smoke from the summer’s wildfires and we detected a ‘campfire’ essence in the developing young wine. Terroire reigns supreme, from the Cosmic atmosphere down to the soil. The East Indians have a saying, “…the scent of the hands” which alludes to food prepared with loving care. You can taste the integrity, the love, and the caring in these wines.

Avoiding Hot Spots by Churning and Mixing the Fruit

Surrounded by tall, metal vats full of young wine, we did have a rather interesting, impromptu conversation centered on structured water and frequencies influencing it. The structured water of the developing wine is surely absorbing the music which was played quite loudly.  It seemed incongruently disconnected to the philosophy of Rex Hill, “like Bach should be playing,” I suggested citing a study on Kirlian photography in which plants were shown to recoil at raucous music and literally lean toward lovely music. In my feeling, beautiful, classical music might be playing softly in the vineyard as well.

 Later, I found this link: http://m-edition.com/archives/19. “Three hours per day with psychedelic rock (acid rock) played through a loudspeaker on the side of the chassis, preventing the growth and destroyed the squash plants, green plants and corn in less than four weeks. Retallack played the music from two different radio stations in Denver for two groups of petunia. The two radio stations playing rock music and classical music. The newspaper “The Denver Post” reported: Petuniaene who listen to rock music refused to flourish. Those who listened to classic music developed six beautiful flowers. Towards the end of the second week, leaned Petuniaene who were subjected to rock music away from the radio and showed uneven growth. Petuniaene who listened to classic music leaned all toward sound. Within a month, all the plants that had been exposed to rock music died.”

Emoto's Amazing Work

Since yeast ensures the wine remains a living entity, and further recalling the work of Dr. Matsaru Emoto (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_dmYT83ZKY&feature=related) who exposed water to words, music, and images producing changes in the crystalized water tells me Rex Hill might consider the impact of music, words, and intentions in their vineyard and in the developing wine in vats and barrels.  Wine is structured water. We are over 90% water. If thoughts can change water, the power of words in music and the violence or intensity of some music (yes even some classical music) needs consideration. What a fun experiment to label some of the barrels with ‘love, peace, and the ‘I hate you’ that was shown in the video. Do a blind taste test of wines from the same vintage and see what happens. Play Mozart to the vines in the rehab plot. It may very well take Steinhart’s work to another plane.

This spectacular video series takes it a step further: Structured Water: the Future of Medicine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taQUrkB0nPQ  The 6^th video relates to this discussion here. This may be the missing link that takes Rex Hill wines, which are already fantastic and clearly made with the ‘scent of the hands’ to a whole new level. We play beautiful music through outdoor speakers to our vines at Adytum. Working inside of their intense aura of love and community is magical...a happy vine family. What’s good for us is good for them.

Anthony, You've Met Your Match...

Apart from the expected education on a wine tour, we got off on other interesting tangents. But first, let me introduce you more fully to Mike Willison, Tour Guide and the “Anthony Bourdain” of Rex Hill Winery. Mike is so entertaining, he needs his own TV show but at the same time, he’s so passionate and brilliant, he needs to write and keep teaching on the biodynamic, organic method Rex Hill is committed to. Mike’s tour is punctuated with so much sardonic, often unceremonious humor, he could easily have been a stand-up comedian but combined with the raw edge and sheer knowledge of Anthony Bourdain, he brings a potentially high-brow subject down to earth and often with a variety of accompanying accents and funny gestures from Australia, France, and Germany, and Italy. He’s well-traveled, well-read, and generally has a great gift for teaching.

Mike and Kat at Rex Hill Winery

Mike, “I’m not sure if you’re aware—and this is important—if you want to speak perfect German, stand on your tiptoes and arch your eyebrows.” The constant injections of fun made this a memorable tour. He graduated UC Davis’ Viticulture and Enology program in California and went to work as an intern at Rex Hill in 2007. He never looked back. He gave us hope that we too might become great wine makers one day. “School doesn’t make you a good vintner. It takes creativity, understanding the process, and how you fit into the company’s culture. Here we take the raw materials and handle the process from beginning to end.” This isn’t common as grapes are often sourced elsewhere, and many farmers aren’t vintners.  He cited www.winebusiness.com as a publication Rex Hill subscribes to.

Great Education, Stimulating and Thought Provoking

Later, seated at the long table to taste the culmination of their hard work, I asked if cork was sustainable. Growing alder and fir at the plantation at Adytum, I see how long it takes a tree to reach maturity…Mike said cork bark renews itself every 7 years but shortages occurred during the rise of the Australian wine boom in the 80’s. France and Spain have first dibs on corks; so many wineries went to the screw-off cap which seems a better choice until Mike explained screw-off caps are hard to recycle so corks remain... His inevitable humor creeps in once again, “The minute I have a girl out for a nice dinner and order a wine with a screw-off cap, I’m sleeping alone! There’s a sexy allure to the pop of a cork (he says this complete with sound effects: middle finger in cheek) and it’s unlikely to transition anytime soon unfortunately.” He tells us that a few restaurants in Portland, Oregon have begun using wines on tap bypassing the cork and screw-off cap altogether. (http://www.irvingstreetkitchen.com/) Evidently the problem comes in with the distribution of the 6-gallon kegs. No one wants to clean them, store them, etc. There is a new service industry waiting to be born that will reduce the impact on the Earth.

Rich Antiques, Fine Wines...

We enjoyed the sensual aspects of our tour and having our palate and mind enlivened with a variety of tastes and descriptions- and the persistent contemptuous humor this time of British tasters, “This smells like Starfruit… they wax poetically,” you’d swear Prince Charles entered the room- the voices that come out of this man! Mike rails against ‘talking poetry’ when you’re tasting, “Starfruit doesn’t have a smell! If you want to talk poetry when you’re drinking wine, talk from things in your own life!” ‘Fruitloops’ was Mike’s ‘poetically descriptive’ assessment of one of the amazing selections in the tasting room and I’ll be darned if it wasn’t spot on! He is bent upon taking the snobbery out of wine and bringing it into everyday life ‘drinking in the middle of the afternoon out of a paper bag on the front porch- your neighbors will never know’. We are smiling yet again…

  He knows his stuff and translated it well, but we came for the vineyard, the soil, the lessons to be learned from Rudolph Steiner’s holistic approach and we left inspired and more committed than ever. The great wine and entertaining lecture were a satisfying, pleasant finish. Mike told me Rex Hill was ‘in it to win it’ and I’d say they’ve scored! They have a winning, sustainable, respectful model others would be wise to emulate.

                         Hand-picked        Hand-sorted              Family owned            800.REXHILL

30835 N Hwy 99W, Newberg, Oregon 97132  REXHILL.COM        https://www.facebook.com/REXHILLWinery?fref=ts