Harvest Fest celebrates marijuana as a medicine: the Kern River Valley celebrates the bounty, the knowledge

;
The 6th annual Harvest Fest went off without a hitch, but many bongs and pipes, and joints were passed around as Medical marijuana patients came together in Havilah, California, in the mountains east of Bakersfield.

For the last six years, the Reverend Victor Love, and the love of his life, Debbi, have been pushing for marijuana reform, and in the small valley, surrouding Lake Isabella, and the Kern rivers, has become somewhat of a hero.

Love, who in the early days, which wasn't so long ago, had to deal with the local Kern Countty Sheriff's no tolerance program, versus the state's and voters reform of the marijuana growing laws.

The local sheriff's came in and claimed Love's bounty of pot, leaving with trash bags full of weed. But Love not only won his case, but he claimed his weed back, as the sheriff's had not followed their own laws.

The Harvest fest's allow patients to exchange recipes and new, cleaner ways of ingesting the medicine. There are new ways other than the standard rolled joint, there are new gadgets which use heat and vaporize the materials without burning it, as well as other handy crystals which are solar powered.

Many recipes are handed out, how to make cookies and candies and also what part of the plant to use when looking for a certain type of effect. For instance, the red hairs, are qite good for head issues, while an oil can be just the thing for reducing acid without having to take regular pharmaceuticals.













One of the main claims of medical marijuana propenents is that they don't have to use standard medicines and with some research, sometimes just on the part of patient's themselves, like Love, they are able to reduce the amount of prescription medications they have to take.

Love has been growing and passing along his secrets for years, and as the movement progresses, where people are allowed to have more control over their lives and their healthcare, more of these events will take place all across the nation.

"No alcohol," a sign posted at the entrance to the property which was donated for the event by Dennis Fluhart who has allowed these events to take place for several years now.

There haven't been any fights or any sort of problems during the harvest fests as well as the June gatherings, most camp out, enjoy the music, and a large meal consisting of beef and pork is barbecued up to feed the large crowds.

With 187 people on hand in an area which has a small population, the gatherings have grown as the years have passed.

And with the recent announcement by President Barak Obama that the DEA leave the people with prescriptions alone and not try to bust them, patients are feeling more safe and are coming out to support their cause.


Although, a representative from the local newspaper for the area, The Kern Valley Sun, appeared at the event, he did not write a story, in fact, one of the creators of the gathering wrote the thank you article, and then paid them $40 to have it printed.


So, the local media was squeamish but that didn't keep the event from being advertised.
With only one radio station in the Kern River Valley, the talk show host, and notorious figure sitting on the local public healthcare board, Bob Jamison, saw the flyer for the mariujana event, made a huge deal about it on the air.

Listeners heard as he read off the flyer which included things like raffles, best buds, music, food and camping.

The radio DJ made sure not to read the warning, "no alcohol" allowed at the party. But yet he railed against the small party.

He also made it a larger party. With the biggest turnout ever, the people putting on the party were able to give $400 away to charity.







































No foul, no harm, as the sheriff's checked to make sure that the party goers were all carrying their prescriptions. No one was cited, and sheriff's went on their way.

"They do this every year, it's nothing different or unexpected." Love said.

They will be back out in June to do this again. And more and more people join in

Here are some suggestions for California

Here's where we start: First remember the major problem of government is that the ideas that would actually help the change the system for the better, are not the notions that we actually implement.

For instance, each time an assembly member or congressman writes a bill, there is always, and I say always, some sort of rider on top of the actual intent of the bill.

This happens because we don't have an effective system.

What if we could write bills which were comprehensible and understandable and not necessarily backed by the richest and those with the most interest in how it all plays out?

Wow, we could make some progress.

So, we need to write a bill about how bills are written. This has been tried before, but much like term limits, it is not well accepted by those in power.

We put them in power, we gave them the power, or did we just give away our own power?

If you cast your vote and then walked away thinking "I'm a good citizen" then you have been fooling yourself for a long time.

Follow the vote. Who did you elect, what have they done in the past, what are they doing now, who put the money in their campaign, who has an interest in them?

You vote, but that is not enough. You have to oversee your employee, your government employee.

You can follow them on the internet, CSPAN, newspapers, and so on, and find out what they're doing.

If you don't agree, and find that the person you voted for is not fulfilling the promises they made during the campaign, it's time to ask some questions.

How do you do this? It's easy write to them and ask what is going on?

Again, you hire them, and you fire them.

So, how do you get rid of them if they didn't do what they said they would?

Start by writing letters and talking to others who may have voted for that person. Get as many people as you can to write letters to the public official, the local news outlets, and to different government watchdog groups.

The internet is a great place to get support for ousting a mediocre or ineffective politician.

Where's the resume and what qualifications would you need?

I've thought about this for years, as I have owned my own business, and have had to hire employees over the years.

Depending on the position I was hiring for, I had a certain set of qualifications I was looking for that would help me decide who would most likely be the best candidate for the position.

What qualifications do you need to be a governor or a state senator or a congressman? Well, not much.

Again, the campaign reform could never pass because both parties are equally afraid of the potential onslaught of legislation which could limit the power and even possibly bring about a higher ideal: Service to community and country.

We expect our soldiers who risk their lives to "serve" their country, but we see little in the way of serving others and more about serving themselves. There are exceptions, but they generally never go past a certain level, as the people living in the penthouse suite have everything they need.

But it's campaign reform that's needed and the only way it's going to happen is if, we the people, are the one's who push forward with it.

Simplify and it will attract the swarm

Let's say we want a Governor for our state of California. We do a search, yes, I said, search, we look for the people rather than them coming to us.

We establish a general set of qualifications and basically put out a "want ad."

Needed, FT, Governor, must be bi-lingual, but English is the primary language, has to be 40 years old, education: minimum master's degree, recommended types of courses and background: History, philosophy, economics, business, anthropology/sociology/psychology, geography, business management, education and definitely, spelling.

I see we need people with a background that is not tied directly to lawyers, corporations or acting. Not that these careers would necessarily put them out of the running, but target new perspectives.

Campaign reform, or the real deal, would have to come up from the grassroots tangling up the feet of those who have made a career for themselves as a politician.

Service to the people

Career politicians know everybody and they have ties to big business, oil resources, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and all the rest.

They mooch off the people. Yeah, that's exactly it. It's like at 30 year old living at home, watching tv all day while reclining in an armchair: not exactly the attitude which should be running the government, but it is.

Yes, there is a lot of work to be done, no doubt. But not all kids at school did their homework, and I'm sure that we see that with our politicians everyday.

CSPAN Scares the hell out of me, when I hear the politicians outside of the soundbites. It's like they're naked and real now. They say things they know won't be reported and it's generally something they know nothing about.

I remember turning on the TV while an Indiana congressman went about telling what was supposed to be a sad story of a woman who consumed too much marijuana and died. "It was terrible," he said.

I wrote to him and asked for actual proof of this story, that a woman died of an overdose of marijuana. What I found out was the woman was apparently a drug addict, and the other drugs, most specifically alcohol killed this woman. But right there in our faces we get lied to and we're supposed to be okay with this?

I'm dealing with a public healthcare district where two current board members actually aided and abetted a CEO who allowed the residents of the nursing home be utilized as test rats for a whole array of psychotropic drugs. Sleeping patients don't need full staffing.

These people will not give up their power and guess what? Neither will I.

We the people, I the person, whatever, will take a stand and continue to push for some justice and some change.

Progress does not come without pain

When we are unhappy, like the whole country is right now, we tend to get tired of not having any control over our lives.

We do have control over our lives. I'm not talking insurrection, I'm talking about following up on campaign reform.

It's our first line of action. It's not the term limits that were damaging us: it was the campaign and the political environment which stops progress.

Cam-pain in the ass

Oh, we could streamline this whole process and not even start a committee, couldn't we? But the old guard is going to fight that tooth and nail.

Politicians spend half there time in office campaigning. Do you really think that is how you want your representative to be spending his or her time?

No. They need to stay focused on the ever changing needs of this diverse state and country.

Stop the campaigning entirely. Does that sound blasphemous?

But start the research, background checks, ties to corporate businesses, any conflict of interest, first, then we can have a mini-campaign.

After we select the best candidates to run for office, then we may need more information which could easily be passed along via the Internet.

I can almost predict what readers will think of this blog, this idea, to stop the campaigning entirely and not just reform it.

There are modern tools for this type of things.

California, you're going to be the first:

Not known for doing much to help itself, California, can and really should try it out, something new.

But we have to deal with the constitutions both state and federal to even begin to straighten this problem out.

How does the great big oligarchy keep us from doing just that: they know it will take time. And they have the ability to slow down progress so that they can scoop in those extra dollars before the loophole (AKA money portal) closes up.

Pick Pocketing the Poor: California's strategy for creating an impoverished population

Well, if your goal, California Governor and Legislators was to create a population of grossly impoverished citizens, you did it!

I hadn't thought of it, taking money from the poor, and pushing it back up the pipes to the sordid business of job creation in California.

Yes, I'm sure that will be highly effective, as the people on the lowest echelon, the people with disabilities (we're useless aren't we), mothers with children, will soon starve or be dislocated because of the cuts.

Then we can use that money we're saving by cutting out health and mental health programs, and give that to law enforcement who will drive off these people as they begin to collect at the local parks and on the streets.

Okay, we take the money from the disabled and poor, create whole new programs to help the poor, but not the way we did it before.

Now we have to get some committees together to figure this problem out. We will need some money for that. And they will need a place to meet and discuss the latest plans on how to deal with the poor. We're going to need a lot of money to figure out how to deal with the most impacted segments of the California population.

Okay, so we've taken away food from a lot of people, and that may satisfy the governor as he does not like the obese. He's rather feverish about it, I'd say.

But with the coming mass dislocation of the poor out onto the streets, we now have a secondary problem: disease.

Oh, yes, you and I both know if you get run down and stressed out, you don't sleep well, or eat right, you're going to get sick.

I would say having your house foreclosed on, and your family in limbo, would be some stress. And if you make it all the way to homelessness, I'd say that would be the most stress of all.

People are going to get sick, and they are going to go to the hospital. So, we have laws which require that California hospitals take patients who cannot pay.

But the hospital's are now taking the brunt of the situation: now they have to struggle with all this bad debt.

Okay, we need another bill, another committee, we need to really spend some money thinking about how to save the hospitals from the uninsured or previously insured through California health plans which have been quashed in the budget battle.

I guess you may have gotten my point, but it's ridiculous.

There are better ways of doing things, so let's try that. (I'm going to start a committee right now...of volunteers who just want to do it right. Not of leeches who bleed this system of all it's power. We're not poor or even in dire straights, we have not been wormed of our parasites and until we do, the game continues to be, take it from the poor. Sad and pathetic.)

California series: Part two: how do we make us better? Hey, we're California, anything goes...

Oh, California I do love you...but you've become a piece of crap

I love California and I love calling myself a Californian, true to the shaky ground we live on in every way these days.
There was a time I thought California should even secede from the union, I know fighting words, you say.
But my place of origin, LA, Los Angeles, became part of me, my personality.
What does it mean to be a Californian?
There's the geography aspect, envied by those landlocked folks in the midwest, we have the beaches. And down the sloping shape of the state we have a variety of elements which have created unique terrain stretching from the northern rugged, rocky beaches to stretches of silky sand just short of our Mexican Border (which is another issue I would like to talk about).

So, I guess I associate my California personality with variety. Some ruggedness, some grandeur of Yosemite,which is inspirational if you've had the chance to visit.

There are so many places in California to discover over your life...and of course, we Californian's like or even love would not be stretching it, the adventure of California.

It's in our self image here.

There is still a vastness, a feeling of places untouched, that makes us believe the universe is expanding and so are we.

My spiritually could even be connected to the California part of me.

As it has become internalized in me, I feel the pain we are experiencing with our own image, as a state.

Divided we stand, united we fall: California politics

That's another trait of Californian's is diametrically opposed viewpoints living next door to one another, driving on the freeway at 3 miles an hour together, and the ethnic mixture that can only be a strength and not a weakness.

The weakness has only been in our inability to effectuate our high ideals. Make it happen baby.

Most major changes are either catastrophic in nature or they're slow growing and evolving. Maybe both.

Sometimes something comes along to finally knock off the piece of branch left broken and hanging after the storm has passed.

In the case of institutionalized racism, remember, we had to have a political maelstrom which brought the issue to the forefront and finally a day has come where there is a dark skinned President. Pigment has been the problem.

(Personally speaking I would like some pigment myself. I envy it. And so it goes.)

So, since the inception of this country and its constitution we have excluded rather than utilized the diversity as a positive force, which it should be. It took almost 200 years before this country finally admitted to the ostracizing people, this was the 1960's which was the erupting of mount stupidity.

Yeah, we were stupid, scared mostly.

Here in our California of today, 2009, nine years after the year 2000 cataclysm of fear we experienced because of some reason I still don't know, we are in a huge change cycle.

When I hear people back east talk about us as a liberal state which will always give up its electoral vote to the Democratic party in the Presidential and federal elections.

That's another thing California has the most electoral votes, yes, we are a big guy in the scheme of things: we can make or break you in an election.

We're quite important strategically in any election.

So, Californian's believe we are important. And we are.

How you treat your most vulnerable says it all

I'm in shock about the cuts coming in the tangled budget we are apparently in denial about,
in California, falling on those who have the least and have the least amount of hope because they are caught in a system which is discarding and degrading people.

Yeah, we are experiencing racism here and if not just that, but exclusivism, (is that a word?) which I will define as a territorial thing. We want the resources, or at least control or, no, at least a hand in it.

And a discriminatory, outwardly, apparently, system which discards people we pretend to help.

Let me talk about health issues. Our Governor who has had an expensive heart operation or two to make him live a stronger life, he will be back.

His health is driven by a system of big money. Remember the terminator who is firing people left and right, gutting a state system that didn't work. Is it all bad?

No, not at all. These programs need to be reformed, but standing in the way, are the people feeding off the various programs. Nobody wants to give up their share. It's an immaturity, its a lack of faith in the bounty that is here all around us, more so, I think, here in California.

What I would like to see done that they cannot do, quite yet

If there were changes available to us, I could go right now on an urgent visit to the Governors office, and throw a bunch of ideas at him.

"Governor, there is no reason we cannot take care of our poor and there is equally no reason they can't take care of us."

"What are you talking about crazy lady?" (sorry, my dialogue skills are limited)

"Yes, sir in all due respect, could I ask you a question?"

"If you have to waste my time with public opinion which is not my opinion, so I will only half listen if you don't mind." (again, I'm sure he's had better writers writing for him)

"If you saw someone fallen in the street asking passer's by for help up, would you extend your hand and lift him up?"

"I could lift them and over my head and do my daily weight training reps at the same time."

"Good point. You give and get at the same time. But imagine later on, this person you helped, now has been able to help another person. Hey, you remember that movie, "Pay it Forward?" A similar principle needs to apply to the systems which handle people who are no longer able to hold down certain types of employment, but that doesn't make them useless."

"They just want a free ride in my Hummer and they're hustling us."

"So, with that attitude sir, you will be wasting human energy, which needs to be utilized. I recommend that we change our system in California, to begin an on-going program of compassion and effective rehabilitation, an adequate word, for those who want it. And we will not reprimand those who can't."

"Okay, get it started. Oh, I like the blog, the one about Jerry Brown. He's a thorn in my side right now."

Part one of the "I love California" series. Next: California Creativity, what can it potentially do and splitting the state? The ultimate in gerrymandering.

Governor Schwarzenegger: Is the "War on Obesity" over yet?

If it is, then could we take all monies appropriated to that cause and put them back into the food banks? Thanks, Laura Hart

The Kern River Valley talks healthcare reform...it was a good meeting

There were some concerns this last Monday night, Aug. 24th, that a political split might occur over the hot topic of healthcare reform at our Town Hall meeting in Lake Isabella, but those issues were muted by mostly open, intelligent discussion.

There were Republicans, Democrats, and some belonging to neither family, standing up to speak with an audience of more than 60 people using good manners allowing each their opinion. Yes, you're right it is strange to imagine that people holding very different political agendas could stay in a room together for three hours without trouncing over one another, but it happened.

Even as I was out and about today, people were asking the question with a suspicious tone, "how did the meeting go?"

I'd say as an observer that it was productive to see people coming together over something which will effect us all in one way or another.

The Doc's take:

Dr. Robert Gross, DO, Kern Valley Healthcare District Hospitalist

and also board member, talked about the urgency of the situation

of reforming the healthcare insurance.

"Access to healthcare is a civil right," he announced to the audience.

"There are 15,000 physicians in this country right now that belong to an organization called, "Physicians for a National Healthcare Plan." That organization started three years ago and the reason that that organization is growing so fast is because we see that there will not be any viable healthcare in this country, except private healthcare insurance, if we don't make some changes right now."

Dr. Gross and Rural Healthcare Family Practitioner, Dr. Jack Nadler, concurred that they spend more time trying to get private insurance to pay for tests and medications for patients, than they do with the Medicare system.

In rebuttal to one speaker's concerns that the government would be a poor administrator for healthcare, Dr. Nadler, informed the audience how he and Dr. Gross came to be practitioners here in this isolated valley.

"I got up here, like Dr. Gross, through the National Health Service Corp. That pesky government actually helped pay for our medical school so that we would purposely come and work in an underserved area...uh, both of us stayed on...it is still an underserved area to say the least."

I totally, understand, Dr. Nadler, as I am a patient of the Rural Health clinic.

As the moderator, John S., we will call him out of complete laziness in regards to the spelling of his last name, explained the format of the meeting and was particularly into enforcing time constraints and allowing for rebuttal, so, I thought, I would allow my cameraman, to rebutt as well.

Now he uses pictures, so he will utilize pictures to tell his side of the story...

Um...are you sure you want my Honest opinion?

So, being the shy, quiet, simple guy operating the camera, I am often given a rather unique view of the action...although this view might be slightly warped by most, I'd rather just be honest and say it like I see it rather than pretend to know what's going on. Does this equal relevance? Maybe. Does this:

This woman's story made me feel quite sad and I was suddenly reminded of my grandfather who was a World War 2 vet as well. And then I noticed how much the moderator in the background reminded me of Santa Claus in Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Quite the brave soul here, this bold Republican spoke of economics, supply and demand of free healthcare, etc. and yet completely avoided the topic we really wanted to hear about: How does one come up with the decision to purchase and actually wear a shirt like that in public.

What About Bob?

Bob Jamison, a board member of the Kern Valley Healthcare District, was rumored to debate against Dr. Gross was a no show.

Final Rebuttal: As we know there has no been no decision in Washington DC regarding healthcare "insurance" reform, and rumors abound at this time. Members of the audience discussed everything from euthanasia, the Hitler healthcare plan, to urging us all not to make extreme changes by throwing the "baby out with the bath water."

My hope is that as we made comparison's with Canada, the UK, New Zealand, their medical plans and tax rates, we in America will find our own way, the American way. I have some ideas of my own I will share, but as time and other things constrain me, I will get back to you on this.

I would like to say to the community, good job, let's keep talking.

(This blog post brought to you by the "Kern Valley Spin." For entertainment purposes only. Opinions of the authors a bunch of crap. Thanks again.)

Healthcare reform: does it scare you? Then come to the Town Hall meeting in Lake Isabella, CA Monday night

If you're reading this right now, wondering about what kind of healthcare you may wind up with at the end of the year: stop wondering and do something about it.

This blog is about action, not fear, not propaganda, it's about all of us running our government, taking responsibility, and getting the facts.

Here in our little inbred, insular community, we like to call the "Kern River Valley," we will be having our own Town Hall meeting this coming Monday, August 24th, at 6 pm at the Senior Center, veteran's room, talking about healthcare reform.

Why is this important? Well, you healthy folks, you kids probably think nothing could ever happen to you. But wait...we age, we get injured, and what do you do if you don't have health insurance? Heck, what if you have it and they won't cover your particular problem? What if you don't want to swallow the pills dished out each day by the pharmaceutical industry?

These are just some of the issues that plague America today. You may have much more to contribute to the debate, so those locally, come down and let's begin the discussion.

This Town Hall meeting will include a local doctor, Dr. Robert Gross, DO, who will have much to say from the side of the medical profession. He is also a public healthcare district board member.

All medical professionals in the community need to come out and talk to the community, listen, and share your own ideas and concerns.

Though this is set up as a debate with a moderator, the other participant is the "wanna be" Rush Limpass, radio nonpersonality, Bob Jamison.

Jamison who has been a board member for the Kern Valley Healthcare District for far too many years now, will share his knowledge and wisdom with us all. (I'm being so sarcastic, sorry)

Needless to say, it's about all of us, so try to make it there. We will be covering this event as our first story for this blog. Look for pictures and a write up next week.

Important to note: this may have the feel of a divisive political debate, but healthcare needs to be dealt with on a whole different level. Set your elephants and ponies aside, and use intelligence to deal with this.

The first time I hear someone start saying this is "Democratic" or "Republican" issue, then I will know that either you're in someone's pocket; you mistakenly think there is major difference in the philosophy of the two major parties; you simply like to argue about things you know nothing about (like me); or you've been drinking heavily while reading Time magazine.

I'm a member of the "Intelligence Reform" party, it's lonely, but I feel good about it.

But, don't sigh with relief, those in Sacramento, just because we are covering locally, doesn't mean you can rest easy: Governor, Senators, all levels of representatives need to know that I'm watching and will be reporting. Okay, not quite the average reporting, I'm going to be hammering at you like a carpenter.

See you all at the meeting: Laura Hart, "The bi-polar reporter."

Welcome to the house of political pain: we have no furniture, to throw yet, but just wait

Hello, I'm Laura Hart, also known as the "Bi-polar Reporter." Some consider me a menace, as my tactics are unorthodox I admit, but that is what it takes to change an inbred, entrenched, slumping government.

We hope to come out fighting mad soon, with pictures, videos, commentary and suggestions (which is a nice word for put it in their face).

While this site is under construction, feel free to visit our other blogs, which are free in every way, "KVHD under fire!" and "The Bi-polar American."

Thank you for your interest in helping out the world, it's really good of you. We will show you how.

Laura Hart