Author Archives: jstephencleghorn

About jstephencleghorn

My name is Stephen Cleghorn. I am an organic farmer operating a 50-acre certified organic farm in Jefferson County, PA. If you’d like to know more about me, visit the farm’s website at www.paradisegardensandfarm.com and you can learn more about this farm and about me. You can also link to a PowerPoint I have done on the need for a moratorium on unconventional drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale by a means commonly known as “fracking” – which refers to the whole process known as “high volume slickwater fracking of long laterals” to release gas from tight shale formation such as the Marcellus. This blog will be occasional posts about the “fracking” and those who would transform one-half the land mass of Pennsylvania into an industrialized zone to get at the shale gas and realize millions in profits for themselves. The blog’s name is taken from the writings of Saint Augustine who believed “Hope” to be the greatest of spiritual gifts. And, says Augustine, Hope has two lovely daughters: anger and courage. Anger so that what must not be may not be; courage so that what should be can be. Anger and Courage. We will need both in this struggle to defeat the fracking that could lay waste to one-half of Pennsylvania and threaten the water supplies of millions of people. This blog will be about having the courage to stand up to the massive global corporations that would ruin our state, take their profits, and leave the mess to future generations of Pennsylvanians to clean up. We need to rise up, my friends and be not afraid.

Remarks on Earth Day, April 22, 2013, outside DEP regional office in Meadville, PA

Posted on April 25, 2013

Don’t Expect Protection:  Remarks of Stephen Cleghorn on Earth Day, April 22, 2013 outside the DEP regional office in Meadville, PA THE LEGACY OF RACHEL CARSON Allow me to speak first on this Earth Day of the legacy of Rachel … Continue reading →

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Stephen Cleghorn presentation at Red Bank, NJ April 4, 2013

Posted on April 25, 2013

Stephen Cleghorn presentation at Red Bank, New Jersey on the occasion of a book signing and public forum to discuss the new book Foodopoly by Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food and Water Watch.  April 4, 2013 Good evening. I … Continue reading →

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Control Risks – advising the gas industry on the threat posed by “fracktivists”

Posted on December 16, 2012

So here is how the Control Risks consulting group sizes up our movement to end fracking. http://www.controlrisks.com/Oversized%20assets/shale_gas_whitepaper.pdf For me this document reads like a huge compliment to all of us who are resisting fracking. It is clear that this consultant at … Continue reading →

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The Dr. Lucinda Hart-Gonzalez Conservation Easement

Posted on November 14, 2012

“THE DR. LUCINDA HART-GONZÁLEZ CONSERVATION EASEMENT” What and Where: A first-in-the-nation Conservation Easement by a private landowner to declare and protect the Rights of Nature, ecosystems and natural communities present on his 50-acre organic farm at 2771 Paradise Road, Reynoldsville, … Continue reading →

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Recognizing Rights of Nature through a First-in-the-Country Deed Easement

Posted on November 12, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Pennsylvania Landowner Recognizes Rights of Nature through a First-in-the-Country Deed Easement: Bans Fracking for Shale Gas Urges Other Landowners Across the Country to Follow His Lead Contact: J. Stephen Cleghorn, PhD (814) 568-1207 http://paradisegardensandfarm.com/ [A press conference … Continue reading →

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Shale Gas Outrage 2012 Speech

Posted on October 4, 2012

Philadelphia, PA September 20, 2012 Franny and Zooey…Beulah, Bambi, and Bonnie…Myrtle, Mimi, and Maybelline…Scout and Scamper. Candy and Brigid. Billy Boy and Pirate. These are just a few names from the roster of 51 goats on my farm for whom … Continue reading →

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Nature’s Justice

Posted on June 2, 2012

Peoples Hearing on Fracking Buffalo State College Buffalo, New York June 2, 2012 Address given by Stephen Cleghorn Nature’s Justice Good morning. I have some remarks regarding Nature’s Justice. My name is Stephen Cleghorn. I live and farm in a … Continue reading →

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The Harmed, the Sickened, the Dead and the Disappeared (Intro + Link)

Posted on May 22, 2012

The Harmed, the Sickened, the Dead and the Disappeared: Accounts of the impacts of shale gas drilling on people and animals List compiled by J. Lisak of Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Water and Air (PACWA) pacwa@ymail.com INTRODUCTION by Stephen Cleghorn … Continue reading →

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“A Farm Inviolate” – May 10, 2012 statement by Stephen Cleghorn

Posted on May 11, 2012

“A Farm Inviolate” – May 10, 2012: Statement by J. Stephen Cleghorn, PhD The statement Goats bearing witness to the blessing Blessing the land with Lucinda’s ashes (Note: this is the complete statement I had prepared. Because of a sudden, … Continue reading →

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Toxic Secrets of Act 13; and why a new Declaration of Independence on May 10

Posted on April 25, 2012

In the April 24 edition of the Butler Eagle, State Senator Mary Jo White (R) argues that Act 13, the new legislation governing oil and gas development, is a “good law.” http://www.butlereagle.com/article/20120424/EDITORIAL02/704249853/-1/Editorial  If Act 13 is such a good law … Continue reading →

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