Ag Today July 23, 2021
Drought forces North America farmers to turn food crops to hay [Bloomberg News]
Drought is withering crops on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border, prompting farmers to take the rare measure of baling up their wheat and barley stems to sell as hay. The bales are providing much-needed forage for livestock operators struggling against a lack of pasture and soaring feed costs, and also signal smaller grain harvests that could keep crop prices high in the months to come. Temperatures are expected to soar next week in the Great Plains, further threatening parched farm fields....Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada reduced its principal...
Ag Today July 22, 2021
As drought slams California and Oregon, Klamath farmers grow fish to quell a water war [Los Angeles Times]
…But water spews from the hot springs on Ron Barnes’ land near the California-Oregon border, pure and perfect for rearing c’waam and koptu, two kinds of endangered suckerfish sacred to Native American tribes....“We’re doing our damnedest to keep cooler heads here, to let cooler heads prevail,” said Scott Seus, a family farmer who relies on water from the lake. “There’s a sense of desperation right now, and not many people who want to listen.” Federal scientists and wildlife officials have asserted that maintaining...
Ag Today July 21, 2021
California voters OK’d billions for water projects. Where are the new dams, reservoirs? [Sacramento Bee]
It doesn’t look like much now, a dry and dusty valley surrounded by the modest mountains of California’s Coast Range. These barren, brown hills an hour northwest of Sacramento will be the future home of Sites Reservoir, one of the few major water projects to be built in California since the 1970s. California taxpayers are helping pay for Sites, which would hold more water than Folsom Lake, through a $7.1 billion bond they approved during the 2014 election....“If Sites were open today, we’d have nearly 1...
Ag Today July 20, 2021
Thieves are stealing California’s scarce water. Where’s it going? Illegal marijuana farms [CalMatters]
One day last spring, water pressure in pipelines suddenly crashed In the Antelope Valley, setting off alarms. Demand had inexplicably spiked, swelling to three and half times normal. Water mains broke open, and storage tanks were drawn down to dangerous levels. The emergency was so dire in the water-stressed desert area of Hi Vista, between Los Angeles and Mojave, that county health officials considered ordering residents to boil their tap water before drinking it. “We said, ‘Holy cow, what’s happening?’” said Anish Saraiya, public works deputy for Los...
Ag Today July 19, 2021
Megadrought Poses ‘Existential’ Crisis in California and the West [CBS, San Francisco]
The American West was once seen as a place of endless possibilities: grand vistas, bountiful resources and cities that somehow grew out of deserts. Now, manifest destiny has become a manifest emergency. A scorching drought made worse by climate change is draining reservoirs at an alarming pace, fueling massive wildfires and deadly heat waves and withering one of the most important agricultural economies in the country. “I’m really concerned, I’m really worried,” said Joe Del Bosque, who has been growing melons and other crops in California’s Central Valley since...
Ag Today July 16, 2021
The current drought is worldwide. Here’s how different places are fighting it [Los Angeles Times]
...In the U.S., nearly half the mainland is currently afflicted, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. The situation is especially dire in the Northwest, which is facing some of its driest conditions in over a century following a heat wave that killed hundreds of people....In Brazil, the current drought is one of the worst ever recorded. Coffee production is expected to fall 23% this year, and low reservoir levels mean the country can’t fully utilize its hydroelectric plants, driving up electricity bills....One water dispute...
Ag Today July 15, 2021
With drought worsening, should California have much tougher water restrictions? [Los Angeles Times]
As Californians wonder when mandatory water restrictions might be coming, officials and experts including those who played roles in addressing the 2012-2016 drought say the pace and strategy of Newsom’s current response sufficiently incorporates insights gained from the past. … The governor’s approach, however, has also frustrated some scientists who consider his actions too little too late as record-high temperatures intensify the water shortage, particularly in northern and central parts of the state. ... Conditions already appear to be outpacing the previous drought: Scant winter rainfall led to...
Ag Today July 14, 2021
Northern California farmers bracing for drastic water restrictions [CBS 13, Sacramento]
Farmers are facing a water shortage right as we head into peak growing season. It’s hitting their bottom line — and potentially yours. Solano County farmer Spencer Bei shows us one of the wells his family uses to farm 15,000 acres. He says he is losing pressure now as he is pumping because he is pulling more from the aquifer due to a lack of surface water and no rain in sight. He is one of many farmers feeling the heat after the State Water Resources Board sent out letters...
Ag Today July 13, 2021
Sky-High feed prices are pushing dairy farmersoOver the edge [Bloomberg News]
Eric Vanstrom stuck by his dairy cows through a recession, a trade war and a global pandemic that forced him to dump milk into manure pits. This year, though, he’s finally had enough. The thing that’s putting him over the edge: exorbitant grain prices....Vanstrom’s predicament is an increasingly common one. The corn and soybeans that dairy cows eat are seeing a historic rally, fueled by drought in key producing countries and China’s massive purchases of grain to feed a rapidly expanding hog herd. From the U.S. to Ethiopia, farmers say...
Ag Today July 12, 2021
Key players in California water confront drought, fish and more at Modesto summit [Modesto Bee]
A key message emerged when California water leaders gathered in Modesto: Stop grumbling about drought, and get cracking on real fixes. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, convened the Thursday afternoon summit at the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau. Several speakers called for new reservoirs and groundwater recharge to hold wet-year surpluses for use in dry times like 2021....About 50 people gathered in the L Street conference room. They included Karen Ross, food and agricultural secretary for Gov. Gavin Newsom, and two members of a powerful state water board....Ross...


The Benefits Of Organic Gardening
Organic gardening is becoming increasingly popular in the US and throughout the world, due to the wealth of benefits, it possesses to our health. There is nothing more important than looking after your body and being healthy, and by eating organic foods you can take a great step towards doing so. This blog post will reveal the benefits organic gardening has and how it can help us lead a healthier lifestyle.
By growing your own food through organic gardening you do not expose yourself to the pesticides, hormones and other toxic chemicals that are used on mass-produced foods. These chemicals are harmful and have been linked to some serious health problems. When you buy foods in supermarkets and grocery stores, you have no idea what pesticides have been used on them, and thus by growing your own you are protecting yourself and being healthier.
In addition to this, organic gardening is also healthier because the food you produce yourself has far more nutrients in it then food bought in shops. In fact, a study conducted by WSU researchers showed that organic foods tend to contain more nutrients than non-organic foods in eight out of 11 nutrients studied.
A further point to note, which many fail to take into account, is that organic gardening is also healthy because the act itself is a form of exercise. When you are planting the seeds to grow your food you are burning calories and as everyone knows; exercise is vital to leading a healthy lifestyle.
Of course, organic gardening does not only provide benefits to our health but it is extremely cost-efficient. Organic foods are very expensive to buy from supermarkets and thus it is far cheaper to grow your own. In fact, organic gardening is cheaper than buying your foods and groceries from the supermarket in general, as the trees you plant will produce fruit and vegetables year after year. However, you do need to keep on top of garden pests to ensure this is the case. Have a company like Economy Exterminators on hand as soon as you notice any of the signs that you have someone unwelcome living in your garden.
All in all, organic gardening provides an array of benefits which are waiting there for you to take advantage of. The importance of staying healthy and looking after oneself is something which cannot be underestimated. Organic gardening is one of the easiest and most effective ways to ensure you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Not only this but as mentioned, it will save you some hard earned cash in the process too. Oh… and of course, you never know, you might actually enjoy it!


1 edition of The best in seeds South Carolina grown found in the catalog.
Written in English
|Statement||Humphrey-Coker Seed Company ; S. Pressly Coker, manager|
|Contributions||Coker, S. Pressly, Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection|
|The Physical Object|
|Pagination||1 folded sheet (10 unnumbered pages) :|
|Number of Pages||10|
The Carolina rice kingdom, the foundation of power in a state that would eventually lead the South out of the nation, came into being because African slaves had mastered -- and shared -- the techniques necessary for growing rice seeds in standing water. Considered the “grandfather” of long-grain rice culture in North America, according to the Carolina Gold Rice Foundation, which supplied our seed. This historic variety is believed to have originated from African and Indonesian sources, and appeared as a distinct variety in Charles Towne, Carolina Colony, by Carolina Gold really inaugurated commercial rice production in North America 58%(4). A Crop-by-Crop Guide to Growing Organic Vegetables and Fruits: Our Complete Crops at a Glance Guide. Our comprehensive crop guides take you crop-by . Mar 8, - Plants native & or zoned for Summerville-Charleston area. 22 pins.
The best time to lay sod, however, is in late summer and early fall when temperatures are cooler but grass continues to grow. Spring is the second best time to lay sod and is the preferable time for warm-season grasses such as centipede, zoysia, Bermuda, and St. Augustine that become dormant in . Centipede grass is very popular in the southeast United States because of it’s low maintenance and tolerance to high temperatures. It does best in soils along the east coast, especially South Carolina where it’s attractive green color makes it a favorite. Centipede grass grows thick, blocking weeds from growing underneath it. With the hot and dry South Carolina climate there are many native plants that do well in the Midlands. Not only do native plants produce beautiful flowers, they also produce fruits, seeds and nectar that are friendly to wildlife. Wild birds, native to the United States, evolved with a dependency on plants that are also native to the U.S. Some. Subjects: Anniversaries, etc Catalogs Cotton Hartsville Nurseries (Horticulture) Nursery stock Seeds South Carolina BHL Collections: Seed & Nursery Catalogs The best in cotton seed, Mississippi grown, HUM CO pedigreed seeds /.
South Carolina has a wonderful growing season, the list of things that grow well there is long! For starters, you can easily grow Summer crops like tomato, bell pepper and eggplant or Winter crops like potatoes, cabbage, broccoli and lettuce. Buy Marijuana Seeds In South Carolina. Many changes in Marijuana state laws were made during , with a large number of states legalizing the possession, cultivation and purchasing of both, or either recreational Cannabis and Medical Marijuana. Today, visitors to Bradford's farm-house in Sumter, South Carolina, a sleepy town about 45 miles from Columbia, have to step over watermelons covering the front porch. It's all melons all the time in late harvest as he decides which ones to save seeds from and which ones to process as pickled rinds or red molasses (an old-fashioned recipe that. If you would like to know more about what’s grown in North Carolina, check out our agricultural statistics book, published by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The book is published and updated annually and has information about vegetable crops, fruit crops, animal production and much more.
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Days to maturity: ‘Carolina Wonder’ is one of the best nematode-resistant sweet peppers. It is a The best in seeds South Carolina grown book producer of large, classic bell-shaped, 3- to 4-inch-long peppers, which adorn compact, 2.
Brussel Sprouts. days. Introduced inthis widely adapted Heirloom is still the best garden variety for sustained production. Compact plants (") produce dark green, large 1½" sprouts, closely packed on the stem. PKT (4 grams ≈ seeds) $3. Charleston Wakefield.
82 days. Since this Heirloom has been popular with. Planting vegetable seeds or transplants at the correct time is important to getting the most out of your garden. Knowing your first and last frost dates will help you start your vegetable seeds at the right time. South Carolina is in USDA plant hardiness zones.
Learning Download: Growing in South Carolina. Best Lawn Grass Seeds For South Carolina. Grasses used in South Carolina generally consists of warm season grasses such as: bermuda, zoysia, centipede, and carpet grass is even used in shady, wet areas of the state.
Cool season grasses such as turf type tall fescue can also be used in areas where year round green The best in seeds South Carolina grown book is desired.
Plant seed no more than 1/8 inch below the soil (1/8 inch is about the size of the seed itself) Seeds may take 4 – 6 weeks to germinate. If planted too deep, germination time can increase or cause loss of seeds. Cover with a light dusting of soil or vermiculite.
Lightly spray the covering with water. If needed, bring soil temperature up to South Carolina Wildlife Federation, St. Andrews Road, Suite B1, Columbia, SCUnited States [email protected] Certified SC Grown. The Certified South Carolina program is an exciting cooperative effort with farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) to brand and promote South Carolina products.
The Best Grass to Grow in South Carolina. By John Smith. The state of The best in seeds South Carolina grown book Carolina is divided up into two hardiness zones by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Seedland. Warm-weather grasses are recommended for most of the state, while the cooler and mountainous northwestern part of South Carolina falls into a transition zone.
Here at Seeds for the South, we are committed to finding the best vegetable varieties to grow in zones 7, 8 and 9. We are a small family-owned business that has been selling seeds since We guarantee that our seeds will germinate or your money back.
We ship seeds year round, by first-class mail the day after the order is received. Best seeds for cold climates. So here are our best outdoor marijuana seeds to grow in Northern Latitudes with cooler climates. If you live in Northern Europe, northern parts of the United States and Canada you should grow one of these strains: Super Skunk.
Super Skunk will leave you with a strong all-round buzz, yet clear. Centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is widely grown in South Carolina and is especially suitable for people who want a dense, decent-looking lawn that requires little mowing and fertilizing.
Centipede has a light- green color and grows slowly. It can be grown in full sun to part shade. Because centipede grass only produces above-ground Author: Bob Polomski. The South Carolina Blend is a beautiful, well adapted mixture of wildflowers that grow natively in the South Carolina area.
This blend is specifically formulated to grow well in the Southeast climate. *Please see our header for the current delays we are experiencing due to the current circumstances*. Seed cucumber, squash, beans, dill and fennel directly in the ground, or transplant cucumber and squash plants after April 1.
Butternut and acorn winter squash grow better here when planted in. The Best Time to Plant Grass Seed in South Carolina. In addition to properly preparing your soil and choosing top-quality seed, timing is a key element in successfully growing grass in South Carolina.
South Carolina marijuana laws are somewhat, should I say, confusing. First they say you can’t smoke marijuana, and then they say only if it has a lot of also say growing marijuana in South Carolina is not legal, except if you are growing it.
A South Carolina native climbing vine, coral honeysuckle blooms in trumpet-shaped red flowers with yellow centers. The coral honeysuckle will grow in sun or partial shade and needs well-drained soil.
Because of its popularity as a landscape specimen, this is an easy plant to find in most garden supply centers. South Carolina Native Plant Society.
Onions and the related shallots, leeks and garlic all grow best during cool weather and are usually planted in the fall in South Carolina for late spring harvest. Onion plants can also be planted in early spring for summer harvest. Leeks are planted in late summer or early fall for winter harvest.
Harvesting crops and growing flowers can be difficult in the sunny and humid South Carolina weather. However, thanks to the state’s year-round mild climate, a wide variety of plants and flowers grow well and prosper during the season. Here is a list of five of the best flowers to plant in your South Carolina.
Planting Grass Seed in South Carolina Environment and soil conditions vary throughout South Carolina and some grasses will grow well in one location but may not do as well in other locations. Some grasses may be planted across the entire state while other grasses will only perform best in certain geographical areas and environmental conditions.
Full sun perennial that can be difficult to grow in South Carolina's heat. Requires well drained soil. Protect from afternoon sun. Looks best if pruned hard each year. Varieties grow from 4' up to 12' tall. Blooms during the summer to end of fall. People eat the roasted seeds and birds like them raw.
Annual sunflowers are easy to grow. pdf I know that this is extremely elementary, but I have the hardest time growing zinnias! Pdf is my second year trying the State Fair variety and everything started out great.
I got the plants from a reliable, top-notch, nursery, they looked wonderful - about 14 inches high and ready to bloom.It’s fair to say you cannot legally buy marijuana seeds in Download pdf Carolina in any orthodox retail outlets, however that doesn’t stop people buying marijuana seeds in South Carolina online, and while cultivating marijuana for recreational purposes is prohibited, growing medical marijuana for personal use, may be permitted in small amounts.Centipede grass has very specific climate and soil requirements and South Carolina far ebook these.
Centipede grass is a warm-season turf grass, meaning the growing season begins in late spring and lasts throughout the summer before it goes mostly dormant for the winter.


I need to brag for a minute.
I have successfully grown plants. Yes, plural! I’m not going to publicly call it a garden quite yet, but in my mind it is. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to grow edible plants. Ok, I’ll tell you. Pretty much every year, I’ve tried – and failed – to grow vegetables, herbs, and really anything.
But that all changed. And this year, I have jalapenos, flowers, succulents, a money tree, cactus and a big OL’ pot of basil. The basil just started multiplying. And then I started to panic…how do I use it fast enough? What can I do besides make pesto (which is a whole conversation in itself)?
So I took the best produce of summer and combined it all together in one, tasty salad.
Can we talk about summer for a minute though? We have done NOTHING. We haven’t gone to the beach, we haven’t been to Malibu, we haven’t even been to the Hollywood Bowl and we haven’t gone to one outdoor movie. We’ve visited our pool once – pathetic. Our favorite outdoor movie location isn’t happening this summer, which is really depressing, we have a few outdoor shows later this summer and we keep talking about the beach, but ugh, we really need to get going.
Another important topic: not only is this the summer of plants, but it’s the summer of corn. And, I like it. Mexican Street Corn Crostini was a great start to the corn season and I think I’ve got at least one more in me!
But this corn salad could also be considered a salsa, a topping for anything grilled, scrambled eggs or a topping for a green or tomato salad. The possibilities are endless. (And what I really mean is, put this on anything and everything.)
This recipe comes together really quickly, simply shake together the dressing and toss all ingredients together.
Enjoy! (Are you crossing things off on your summer-do list?)Print
Roasted Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- 16 oz fire roasted corn, or about 4 cups of grilled corn
- 16 oz grape tomatoes
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 cups basil
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp mustard
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper
- Sauté corn lightly if using frozen. Set aside.
- Slice tomatoes in half.
- Soak onion slices in cold water. (To lessen the intensity.)
- Thinly slice the basil into ribbons.
- Combine remaining ingredients in small jar. Shake together.
- Stir together all ingredients but basil, then gently add basil and stir just until combined.
- Calories: 93
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 11
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! I appreciate it so much.


It was nightfall. My bus pulled out of Istanbul’s main bus station, heading into the darkness of the Turkish countryside. I was due to arrive in the town of Gümüşhacıköy the next morning, after my bus had traversed almost half the length of the entire Anatolian landmass.
I was headed to Gümüşhacıköy, a town far from the tourist circuit in Turkey, in order to work on an organic farm there. Using WWOOF, which is a website that allows people to search for organic farms all around the world to work at in exchange for food and lodging, I was able to become a volunteer for two weeks this June on my host, Mr. Bayrak’s farm.
One of the reasons why I wanted to work on an organic farm in Turkey was to practice my Turkish, which I had been learning for the past seven months. True enough, one of the first things Mr. and Mrs. Bayrak said to me, while we had our first breakfast together in their home, was that I needed a new name! My name, Eugene, was apparently too difficult for them to pronounce as they could not speak much English.
This was how I became Yusuf for the next two weeks.
Before I started work, Mr. Bayrak gave me a quick walking tour of his small farm, which he decided to set up after retiring from his job as a teacher. Together with his wife, they single-handedly manage the farm and the wide variety of crops that they grow organically.
Most noticeable on the farm are the many rows of apple trees, and the plots of strawberries and beanstalks between them. There are also a smattering of cherry trees, quince, raspberries, and other plants whose Turkish names I could not decipher and have since forgotten, regrettably. A chicken coop and a number of bee hives complete Mr. Bayrak’s farm. Some of the ingredients in the meals I had with my hosts came directly from their farm—fruits, herbs, eggs, honey, among others.
My first and primary task on the farm was to pick strawberries, which happened to be ready for harvest while I was there. Picking strawberries does sound easy and fun until you try to pick a few kilograms worth of it. After all, as the strawberry plant is rather low-lying, you will need to either squat or bend your back to pick its juicy, red fruits. Not surprisingly, I could barely move my legs after my first afternoon picking strawberries.
Nevertheless, a perk to this job was that I got to eat fresh strawberries whenever I wanted. Mr. Bayrak gave me free rein to eat the strawberries I picked while I worked to fill up my bucket with them. They were indeed as delicious as they looked!
Rather than being sold as strawberries, most of the strawberries grown on the farm are used to make jam by Mrs. Bayrak, who then bottles it and sends them to various organic stores around Turkey to be sold. Apart from jam, Mrs. Bayrak also makes marmalades and vinegar. In fact, I am proud to say that there are now more than a hundred bottles of organic hawthorn berry vinegar around Turkey that were bottled and labelled by yours truly.
The other task which occupied most of my time was to make the wooden poles to support the fast-growing beanstalks. Armed with an axe, I spent many hours sharpening the ends of wooden branches that Mr. Bayrak had collected, before sticking them into the plots of young beanstalks.
My favourite aspect of working on Mr. Bayrak’s farm was how often he had guests coming over. Every single day that I was working there, a friend or some relatives of the Bayrak family would come by and have a chat. Although I had to make coffee for every guest that came, I always enjoyed sitting by the side, trying to figure out what they were saying in their rapid-fire Turkish. It was also interesting that I was working on the farm during the general elections in Turkey, and so politics naturally factored into some of those conversations. Nevertheless, I could barely understand what was being said most of the time.
Apart from listening, I often also encountered many challenges in trying to express myself. I do remember explaining to Mr. Bayrak’s son-in-law with tremendous difficulty in my broken Turkish why I professed no faith in any religion when he asked. I also remember fondly my many simple conversations with Mr. Bayrak over the differences between government policies in Turkey and Singapore.
My limitations in Turkish aside, I was glad for these experiences because they forced me to think about how to explain ideas about myself or my country in as simple terms as possible. Living and spending time in a place where English is hardly spoken does make one more mindful of how we communicate.
Finally, on my last working day on the farm, Bereket TV, a Turkish TV channel that specialises in programming about agriculture-related topics, visited our farm. They were there to film a documentary series about a women’s cooperative, Arı Kadınlar (literally “The Bee Women” in Turkish), that Mrs. Bayrak was a member of. One of the episodes in the series was to feature Mr. Bayrak’s farm, and as sections of that episode were being filmed, I was roped in to join the filming. This would be the first time that I not only appeared, but also spoke on television anywhere in the world!
In a way, as I answered the reporter’s question about what I did on the farm in my shoddy Turkish, I was forced to take stock of my time with the Bayrak family. Although I was not able to communicate this in Turkish at that time, what I will remember most from my two weeks as Yusuf is the opportunity to step back from the hustle and bustle of my own life, and to devote my attention to appreciating other ways of life. Indeed, the days spent working on the farm and drinking tea will be fondly looked upon, but most of all, I will miss Yusuf.


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Seeding early has been shown through long-term studies to confer many advantages to barley crop yield. 3. The Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) has recommended some two-row and six-row malting varieties as having good malt quality in addition to good market demand. In feed barley, higher grain protein content may decrease the need for protein supplements. Every 4-8 hours, mist the barley with water and turn each grain over until the sprouts inside the grains are as long as the grain. Barley that’s too cold or dry won’t germinate properly. By using our site, you agree to our. 4). You can soak the barley for longer than 8 hours if necessary, but don’t soak it for longer than 16 hours at a time. Barley only takes a few months to grow and is easy to harvest once the growing season is over. Variety selection . Barley Food Report 2015 Winter 2014 Early seeding gives the barley better access to soil moisture and also results in early harvest, diminishing the risk posed by wet and frosty fall conditions. Aim for about one or two kernels per inch. To malt barley, start by letting it soak in cool water for 8 hours. Whether you're growing a large or small crop, you can dry, clean, and store barley with ease! Continue soaking and air resting the barley in 8-hour periods until most of the grains have chitted. Growing 2-Row Malting Barley. The Spring Barley Report 2014 Caution should be used when side banding fertilizer with the seed in order to reduce chances of seed-nitrogen toxicity, which may negatively impact germination. Winter 2015 First and foremost, growers will need to select a variety that will grow … Missed a past issue of GrainsWest? Oversupply and reduced demand for malting barley set to continue into 2021; Downward pressure on price and increased chance of rejection ups growers’ risk Malted grains can be used to make anything from vinegar to whisky to milkshakes and more. All you need is raw barley, water, time, and some TLC. Grow winter barley vs. spring barley based on risk/benefit for your farm. You’ll always be in the know with Alberta Barley! The barley can drown if you leave it in the water for too long. Barley can be grown from exceedingly common barley seed at a very low farming level, and can be protected by farmers for the price of three buckets of compost. Barley malt is an ingredient used in brewing, a division of the cooking skill.Barley malt can be made by cooking barley on a range. For most of these diseases, effective control methods include seed treatment with appropriate fungicide, seeding with resistant varieties as well as employing crop rotation and seeding alternate barley varieties year to year. The article assumes an understanding of how to grow wheat, as the soil preparation is similar. If the barley doesn’t chit after 3 or 4 soaking and drying cycles, it may not be viable, which means it won’t sprout. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied prior to, or at seeding, and not be top dressed, as plants require high amounts of these nutrients early in the growing season and they are relatively immobile. This article has been viewed 42,064 times. This is done with heat. Barley is physiologically mature at a grain moisture content of about 35 per cent, but research has shown that harvesting above 18 per cent moisture content is more likely to result in greater kernel damage, which reduces grain quality. Photo: Thinkstock . Spring barley 2021 – key points. Common grassy weeds that may pose a challenge for barley farmers include wild oats and foxtail barley, while broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, kochia and Canada thistle are also common. Growing and harvesting malted barley for beer is pretty simple. Sign up below to stay in the loop for all barley industry-related news. Kilning . Field conditions such as drought during growth can result in higher grain protein. Applying nitrogen in early to mid fall has resulted in lower barley yields compared to top-dressed applications in spring. Some gardeners grow barley as a cover crop and turn it under while it is still green to loosen and fertilize their soil. 2 pounds ought to do. 4. "It increased my knowledge. Raw barley (with husks) is available at feed stores and health food stores, but generic grain may not produce good malt.  1. To avoid having rootlets fly everywhere, shake the grains outside. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In Alberta, some wild oats, kochia and Canada thistle have been found to have developed resistance to several herbicides, threatening the sustainability of chemical weed control.
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Caffena Tote Bag- 100% Organic Cotton
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Sustainability isn't just an idea, it's a philosophy. And here at Caffena, we take it very seriously to ensure that we can minimize our carbon footprint. And so with that in mind, we present to you, our chic tote bags!
Completely fashionable AND Eco-friendly, the design will let you make a statement while doing even the menial of tasks. And well who doesn't need a tote bag, right?
Why Organic Cotton Tote Bags?
Organic cotton has often been seen as a very important way ahead in the world of fashion as it can consume up to 91% less water than its inorganic variants. A lifecycle analysis by PE International found that the total global warming potential for organic cotton was 46% lower than traditional cotton.
The toxic chemicals used in traditional cotton farming pose a massive health risk to farmers around the world. There is a link between consistent inhalation and consumption of these chemicals and cancer, neurological, and even reproductive diseases!
Organic cotton currently makes up less than 1% of the global production, while the other 99% is poisoning water supplies, wasting resources, and harming farmers.
By purchasing items made of organic cotton, you are not only supporting a far more environmentally conscious production method but are also helping cotton farmers worldwide.


GMO - Genetically Modified Organism
Man has successfully altered the genetic composition of certain varieties of crops. One prime example is maize or corn. By altering the genes, corn can be grown larger with greater yields per acre. However a recent study out begins to show how non-GMO corn hybrids are out producing GM varieties.
Spectrum Premium Non-GMO
This large scale seed production company has corn seeds that can now produce non-GMO corn with increased "yields, plant healt, and standability." Results from a study in Illinois have shown these new seeds produce 3-10 more bushels per acre compared to standard GM varieties.
Links to Arguments in favor of and against GMO's
Non-GM corn hybrids smash GM varieties in Illinois trials. The Ecologist. 25th November 2013 Available online: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2173277/nongm_corn_hybrids_smash_gm_varieties_in_illinois_trials.html
GMO Example: Bt Corn
Corn has been genetically modified to have a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that kills insects when they consume the plant. A short 5 min video above explains how Bt Corn made and used by farmers in the United States. The video also highlights potential threats due to resistant pests.
(2001). FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear." PBS. Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/viewpoints/risks.html
Here's an example of a genetically modified animal that may be harvested and sold commercially. There are still many questions and issues that surround the marketing and dispersal of a genetically modified animal not solely limited to the effects on humans but also the dangers posed to wild populations if these genetically engineered species ever breed with their wild counterparts.


Chart of the week (48)
Rapeseed cake - a cost-effective alternative
Decentralised oil mills provide a considerable contribution towards supplying their regions with rapeseed cake. Due to the special method used to make rapeseed cake, this GVO-free protein feed contains more fat than rapeseed meal, with fat being a major energy source in animal feed. Whereas prices for GVO-free soybean meal delivered free to yard jumped in the early summer due to tight supply and rising world market prices, rapeseed cake and rapeseed meal only saw a comparatively slight price rise. However, rapeseed meal was temporarily more expensive than rapeseed cake. As demand slowed, prices went down again. Above all, rapeseed meal fell to new lows, while oilseed cake remained at the same level. Soybean meal remained relatively expensive and most recently even surged, driven by firm forward prices and the weak euro which also made imports more expensive. The rise also pulled up asking prices for the competing meals. However, as demand for rapeseed meal continues to be slack, nearby batches that are unloaded onto the market offer opportunities from time to time. Protein in rapeseed meal is even less costly, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH reports. The two-year average price free farm for rapeseed meal protein was 30 per cent below that for 45 % soybean meal protein. Clearly, not all animal farmers are aware of the ruminant feed cost saving potential rapeseed meal offers. For this reason, UFOP believes that there is still a considerable need for information and advice.
Chart of the week (47)
Rise in vegetable oil prices continues
A decline in palm oil production and sharp increase in soybean processing have sent vegetable oil prices climbing. Buoyant demand and surging crude oil prices are additional factors driving the development. Vegetable oil prices went up substantially over the past six months. The price spread between soybean and palm oil has narrowed significantly since the beginning of August 2016. Prices of palm oil soared by around 24 per cent at the beginning of August, to almost the level of soybean oil. The reason was a surprising 3 per cent decline in output while demand continued to be brisk, which spawned uncertainty. At the same time, decreasing US supplies of soybean oil have driven up soybean oil prices significantly since mid October. US soybean processing reached new record levels and sent soybean prices up as a result. The development in the vegetable oil market is fuelled by the price of crude oil. As crude gets more expensive, vegetable oils gain a competitive advantage as feedstock for biodiesel, boosting demand. In other words, the firming trend in vegetable oil prices will continue on strong demand despite the record soybean crop in the US.
Chart of the week (46)
USDA raises already-record soybean crop forecast
The US soybean harvest is coming to a close. Nevertheless, the USDA sprang a surprise with its latest harvest estimate. However, the price effect was fleeting. The 2016 US soybean crop was forecast higher than expected. The previous month's forecast was raised 2.5 million tonnes to 118.8 million tonnes, outpacing the previous year's figure by just under 12 million tonnes. Higher yields in Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas led the USDA to raise the overall yield for the US to 35.3 decitonnes per hectare. Prices at the futures exchange responded with significant losses which were, however, recouped over the subsequent few days. Since the USDA raised its US exports estimate by 0.5 million tonnes to 55.8 million tonnes, it also at the same time lowered domestic crush by 0.5 million tonnes to 52.5 million tonnes, a figure closer to the previous year's level of 51.3 million tonnes. Consequently, exports are taking a new place in the US soybean balance sheet as of this year as they draw level with domestic use. US season-ending soybean stocks for 2016/17 were projected at 13.1 million tonnes. This figure not only exceeds expectations by 2.3 million tonnes, but also outstrips the previous year's level by just under 8 million tonnes.
Chart of the week (45)
Sunflower production up from previous year
Despite a reduction in sunflower area, sunflower production in the EU-28 picked up from the previous year. In particular, the extensive production in Hungary accounts for the growth. According to current estimates, the 2016 production of sunflowerseed will likely outstrip the fairly average 2015 output. Although the area planted with sunflowers dropped slightly from a year earlier, harvest estimates exceed the previous year's figures throughout the EU. According to information published by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH, the EU Commission puts the 2016 sunflower area at around 4.16 million hectares, which is a minimal reduction of 0.7 per cent compared to the previous year. By contrast, the EU-28 sunflower harvest is currently forecast at 8.13 million tonnes, up 4.4 per cent from the year-ago level. The growth in output despite the reduction in area is accounted for by an increase in productivity. Compared to 2015, average yields rose by 5.4 per cent to just less than 20 decitonnes per hectare. The key reason for the increase in harvest and yield in the EU-28 is the rise in Hungarian output. Hungary has become the biggest producer of sunflowers in the EU-28 in the current season.
Chart of the week (44)
Rapeseed prices rise sharply
Most recently, the average price farmers received for rapeseed was at just under EUR 380 per tonne free storage facility, a level not seen since May 2014. The factors that contributed to supporting the rapeseed price originated, first and foremost, from overseas. German rapeseed prices have climbed continuously since the 2016 harvest began. However, the price surge has been especially sharp over the past two weeks, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH reports. Rapeseed prices were, first and foremost, supported from overseas. On the one hand, prices for soybeans went up significantly due to brisk demand from China, surpassing the psychological barrier of USD 10 per bushel (EUR 340 per tonne). On the other hand, the rapeseed harvest in Canada is severely hampered by snow and rainfall. At the ICE in Winnipeg, quotes soared by ten per cent in only three weeks. Vegetable oil prices also rose strongly in response to brisk demand for, and tight availability of, palm oil. At the same time, crude oil trended higher, whereas the weak euro increased EU export prospects. In other words, forward prices of rapeseed in Paris climbed above the EUR 400 per tonne mark to an 18-month high and pushed up producer prices in Germany.
Chart of the week (43)
Prices for vegetable oils surged
Spot prices for vegetable oils were raised significantly in the wake of the rally for palm and soybean oil. Having risen to a three-year high at EUR 830 per tonne, rapeseed oil is more expensive than sunflower oil. Prices for rapeseed oil picked up especially sharply as their surge was additionally driven by rising feedstock costs and the weak euro (which encourages exports). Feedstock prices are also supported by the fact that conditions for harvesting rapeseed have been less than optimal following snowfalls in Canada. Moreover, the European biodiesel industry has an increased demand for rapeseed oil because it has to comply with the quality requirements for winter diesel as laid down by the biodiesel standard. On the European vegetable oil market in Rotterdam, rapeseed oil is more expensive than sunflower oil, reflecting the contrary supply situation clearly. In the Netherlands, even premiums are currently paid on contracts for rapeseed. In Germany, the situation is exacerbated by the low water levels on inland waterways. On the one hand, feedstock cannot be delivered, and, on the other, vegetable oil cannot be called forward. Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH reports that the rally on the futures market was triggered by the reduced supply outlook for palm oil and the small supplies of soybean oil in the US.
Chart of the week (42)
More pulses in compound feed
The changes in agricultural aid have given a boost to the production of legumes. Pulses are mainly used in farm-made feeds as a major source of protein. However, the mixed feed industry has discovered home-grown pulses too. In view of the Greening requirements, German farmers planted around 160,400 hectares with legumes in 2015. The harvest of peas, field beans and sweet lupines amounted to around 450,000 tonnes. This was a level of quantity that also aroused the interest of the German mixed feed industry, which, according to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), used around 88,000 tonnes of pulses in compound feeds in 2015/16. Although this figure is small compared to that of cereals, it provides a clear signal after several years of decline. After all, the quantity processed was more than twice the previous year's volume. No other feed component has seen such growth rates. However, the chances are that this trend could soon end as the EU Commission plans to introduce more stringent requirements for receiving the Greening payment, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH reports. The tightening of conditions would include a ban on applying crop protection products in legume production, although control of pests and diseases is essential to maintaining crop yields and quality. As a result, growing pulses would become unattractive to farmers. Pulses would sink back into their tiny niche, delivering a heavy blow to the German government's protein plant strategy.
Chart of the week (41)
Strong demand for German rapeseed oil in 2015/16
German exports of rapeseed oil hit a three-year high in the 2015/16 marketing year. Order volumes from some EU member states and third countries grew substantially. German 2015/16 exports of rapeseed oil climbed significantly, according to figures published by the German Federal Statistical Office. At around 1.1 million tonnes, they were up almost 16 per cent from 2014/15. Around 91 per cent went to other EU countries, which was 3 per cent less than the previous period. The Netherlands, the hub of international trade, were again the main buyer, accounting for 484,000 tonnes (up 7 per cent). The Netherlands were followed by Poland, where imports were up by 53 per cent to 157,000 tonnes. Belgium occupied third place, despite a massive decline in imports to 87,000 tonnes. The EFTA states (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland), on the other hand, purchased a record volume of 78,000 tonnes, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH reports.
Chart of the week (40)
Strong increase in rapeseed imports in 2015/16
The German Federal Statistical Office reports significant increases in rapeseed imports in 2015/16, which reached a record peak at 5.4 million tonnes. In the 2015/16 marketing year, the oil mill industry imported 5.4 million tonnes of rapeseed. This was up just over 14 per cent from a year earlier and the highest quantity ever. Traditionally, the largest quantity came from the EU-28, although their share decreased considerably to 86 per cent. The main EU supplier, France, supplied 1.7 million tonnes, approximately 12 percent more than the previous year. In addition, German imports of non-EU rapeseed via the Netherlands rose to just under 672,500 tonnes. According to information published by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH, this quantity translates to a record high and double the 2014/15 figure. The largest third-country supplier, Australia, was overall third most important supplier despite substantial growth in exports to an all-time high of 636,000 tonnes.
Please find further Charts of the week in our Archive.


Florida Keys Wildflower Honey
The Wonderful weather and abundant plant life in the Florida Keys makes for a bee "paradise". They show their appreciation of this wonderful environment by producing some of the best honey in the world. Always raw and unfiltered the honey we produce at Pirate Hat Apiary is sure to add a taste of the tropics to your tea, coffee, or whatever treat you are using it on.
We harvest 3-4 times a year typically late spring, late summer, and then again in December for the fall Honey. Each season has its very own taste profile and these vary from year to year.
Spring honey is typically the lightest and most floral with local hardwood hammock trees and native plants contributing the largest part of this harvest
Summer is typically slightly darker and more complex with a hint of citrus owing thanks to the Black Mangrove, Jamaican Dogwood, Palm and Citrus which make up the lion's share of this harvest.
Fall honey is typically the darkest and has a rich flavor with a hint of spiciness owing to the large portion of Brazilian Pepper in it.
All three seasons are wonderful but not always available. We do at times sell out and may not have a specific season available in all sizes or not at all. Please call for availability.
3 Season 4oz Muth
16 oz Muth
Smoked Honey small
Smoked Honey large
Chili Infused Honey
Creamed Honey small
Creamed Honey Large
8 oz Bear
$.50 - 10/$4
* Honey Is sold by Weight glass jar sizes in liquid oz are for reference only


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The original plant came from Special Plants , a nursery whose owner, Derry Watkins, has an eye. Though it is special, it is not hard to grow as long as it has a sunny, free-draining position.
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It will start to flower in April and by the time it has peaked, in late May, it will be covered in ripening seedpods. Save a few for scattering in a suitable new position on the edge of things where there is light and air, and rip out the parent plant at the end of the second season. You will find it has seeded itself if it likes you and seedlings can be lifted and grown in a pot so you can give them to friends or bring them into the house. Matthiola perennis "Alba" is a far better plant than night-scented stock because it is perfumed in the day as well as by night, but a packet of Matthiola longipetala is always worth having in the drawer to sow at the base of pots close by the house.
Sow night-scented stock at three-weekly intervals throughout the summer, as flowering plants are in season for about three weeks before they go to seed.
Seed to flower is usually about six to eight weeks, so sow now for the summer holidays and the expectation that night-time will bring magic. Topics Gardening advice Dan Pearson on gardens.fenerringter.tk
Evening Scented Stocks Seeds – West Coast Seeds
Irrigate plants in the morning and place them in a part of the landscape that receives breezes to keep spores from proliferating. Excessive dampness also provides an attractive habitat to slugs and snails , which may feast on scented stock. Beer of vinegar traps are an easy and effective fix for these pesky cephalopods.
If you notice ants lingering around your plants, inspect them for aphids, which attract ants with their honeydew secretions.
Aphids are very sensitive to insect soap, which you can use if natural predators like ladybugs aren't present. Scented stock is an obvious choice for the fragrant flower garden.
Put a container of scented stock on your front porch or deck, or wherever you spend time relaxing in the evening. You can bring a small container indoors to enjoy on grey, rainy days that aren't agreeable for outdoor activities. The shallow root systems of stock plants also make them ideal for planting over early spring bulbs like daffodils.
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- 16 Plants That Smell Best.
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Grow scented stock in hanging baskets to bring the fragrance even closer. Cinderella: Fully double white, lilac, and rose flowers borne on hyacinth-like clusters.
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How to sow seeds in a propagator. Reading up on your chosen plants will help you check that you have the space and suitable environment to help them thrive.
When selecting seeds, it's important to find out:. Plenty of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers will germinate well when direct-sown. Some easy ones to try are:. As long as the soil is warm and moist, seed can be sown and it should germinate quickly. Drills are shallow lines made in rows in the soil, these can be made to the depth and length required for the specific seeds you are planting.
Stocks Night Scented
Sowing seeds in drills means you will end up with a more ordered row of plants, giving you a defined area of growth in your garden. Use a garden cane or a draw hoe to make a shallow drill in the soil. Use a piece of timber laid across the ground to keep you in a straight line. Sow the seeds into the drill evenly, following the specific instructions on the seed packet. For example, peas can be placed one at a time about 8cm apart.
Radish seeds can be lightly scattered along the drill, and these will require thinning after a few weeks, more about this later


This is a watershed moment for UK dairy farming. We must choose a future that is economically, environmentally and ethically responsible – and sustainable.
The drive to industrialise
In the past 40 years, global livestock farming has changed beyond all recognition. The consequences for animal welfare and have been disastrous and it has also contributed to extremely serious environmental, human health and food security problems.
British dairy farming has not gone far towards such intensification. But developers looking to exploit what they see as being economies of scale have looked at the vast, industrial “cow factories” of the USA, and liked what they saw.
But in the USA, there is now a growing backlash against this type of farming. There is increasing evidence that in America’s industrial CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feed Operations), the cows, the milk, the farmers, the public and the environment have all suffered immense long-term consequences.
A bad deal for the environment
Livestock production releases 18 per cent of GHG emissions compared to air travel’s 14 per cent. The need for environmental responsibility cannot be overstated.
Emissions of carbon dioxide, from fertilizer and feed production (not to mention deforestation); methane from cows’ digestion and manure; nitrous oxide from spreading the manure – these all add up. The sheer scale of waste manure and slurry generated by large-scale production is not easily dealt with. On the other hand allowing cows to graze on pasture provides a range of positive benefits for the rural environment and eco-systems.
Milk production is thirsty work
Dairy production is already extremely inefficient in use of water – it takes 990 litres of water to produce one litre of milk. In intensive farms cows get only 10 per cent of their fluid intake from feed compared to 25 per cent in extensive systems.
The future of our countryside and our farmers
Low milk prices have long been driving British dairy farmers out of business. Although intensification is being hailed as a beacon economically, factory farming is far from being the only solution. Britain needs to place less focus on short-term gain and milk quantity, and more on longer-term gains and healthier cows.


Cotton Farmers Expect Another Bumper Crop, Pray For Farm Bill Boosts
Arkansas’s cotton farmers are looking forward to the growing season with some optimism that the fluffiest of crops will continue to experience a mini-resurgence.
According to the Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas ranks fourth for cotton production. Most farms don’t grow cotton exclusively but rotate it in with other staples such as corn and soybeans.
At a recent Agri-Business Conference at Arkansas State University, Gary Adams with the National Cotton Council in Memphis said the U.S. as a whole produced its largest cotton harvest in a decade last year, and signs are pointing towards more growth in 2018.
He credits much of it to competitors becoming customers. That is, synthetic fibers that used to compete with cotton are now being blended with cotton to meet consumer expectations, especially for the growing performance "athleisure” clothing trend.
“We’re actually even seeing some products that had gone to 100 percent polyester needing to come back and work some cotton into those blends,” Adams said.
Other factors for growth in cotton include China finally unloading ahuge state surplus of cotton and increasing imports.
Wes Ward, Arkansas’s Secretary of Agriculture, said further improvements may come from the upcoming Farm Bill. Advocates are expecting the bill to help cotton farmers switch back from newer insurance programs that haven’t been considered a success to the steadier incentives offered by Title One legislation.
“I think we’re all optimistic that’s going to happen so things are looking good so far,” Ward said.
Experts at February’s Agri-Business Conference agreed that cotton tends to be among farming's higher-maintenance crops, but it offers advantages, such as a higher tolerance for dry spells and an additional ability to withstand severe weather conditions.
A longtime Arkansas cotton farmer, Laudies Brantley thinks of cotton as a sentimental favorite — and the prettiest of all crops.
“My youth was spent in and around cotton. I pursued it as an adult, and I really can’t imagine farming without it,” said Brantley.
This story is produced by Arkansas Public Media. What's that? APM is a nonprofit journalism project for all of Arkansas and a collaboration among public media in the state. We're funded in part through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with the support of partner stations KUAR, KUAF, KASU and KTXK. And, we hope, from you! You can learn more and support Arkansas Public Media's reporting at arkansaspublicmedia.org. Arkansas Public Media is Natural State news with context.


Horticulture New Zealand congratulates Pukekohe grower Andrew Hutchinson, who was named Young Horticulturalist of the Year at last night’s awards dinner in Auckland.
Erin Atkinson, 29, Technical Advisor for Apata Group Limited in Te Puke, has been crowned Bay of Plenty’s Young Fruit Grower for 2017 at last night’s special gala dinner in Tauranga.
Scott Wilcox from Pukekohe has emerged victorious against six other entrants to be named New Zealand’s Young Vegetable Grower of 2017.
Ben Geaney from Waimate has emerged victorious against three other entrants to be named Central Otago’s Young Fruit Grower for 2017.
Six of Nelson’s best young fruit growers are preparing to compete in next week’s regional young fruit grower competition.


Location. Few words are as critical to fine winemaking. But the location of the vineyard is still only as good as the expertise and passion needed to craft exceptional wines. And it’s the pursuit of perfecting our craft and a thirst for knowledge layered with these lands, soils, sun, and slopes that have enabled us to achieve winemaking at this level.
On the valley floor between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains sits the town of Oakville, the heart and soul of extraordinary Napa Cabernet. It was here in 1997 that the partners of Nickel & Nickel had a vision for a winery that made the most out of land seemingly preordained for creating powerful, nuanced, highly acclaimed wines. After multiple discussions and conversations, a deal was struck and it was off to the races. Here is where our daring story all began. But it was just the beginning.
Vision. Audacity. Passion. These are the pillars that both drove the founders of Nickel & Nickel and still ring true to this day. It took ambition and fortitude to not only cast a vision for our single-vineyard winery but also to cultivate it (in every sense of the word). While many people ponder pursuing their outlandish dreams, we decided to go all-in to live ours out.
With the philosophy of no risk, no reward as our guide, Nickel & Nickel became, and remains, the only Napa Valley winery devoted solely to producing 100%-varietal, single-vineyard wines.
Forgive us a moment of immodesty here. But we had doubters. We had naysayers. Yet we also had access to prime areas of both the Napa and Russian River Valleys. And we had a winemaker and cellar team devoted to the mission, who relished the concept of single-vineyard production and who continuously astonish wine devotees vintage after vintage.
Devoting ourselves wholly to single-vineyard, single-varietal winemaking was not a mission for the faint of heart. But few great undertakings are. It is, however, what sets Nickel & Nickel apart, and what will keep driving us for decades to come.
A laser-like focus on single-vineyard wines is what makes Nickel & Nickel so captivating and so special. It’s our calling card, and it allows wine lovers the adventure of finding the subtle but exciting differences in each of our wines.
Below, discover what we've discovered about the land, the vineyards, and the extraordinary possibilities they offer. Learning this land, having the experience and intuition to understand how to cultivate and maximize its potential are what allowed us to create single-vineyard wines with the level of success we attained.
How does one distinguish between one vineyard to the next? Our decades of experience in and knowledge of the Napa Valley and Russian River Valley regions guide us time and time again to discover diamonds in the rough and pristine parcels of land awaiting the opportunity to bear the finest wine grapes imaginable.
In the end, so much of winemaking is about farming. It’s about understanding the land, communicating with the soil, the vines, and the grapes in a way that perhaps not everyone can grasp, but all can taste and appreciate. The viticulture team at Nickel & Nickel farms with a precision, intuition, and depth of knowledge that allows each vineyard to offer its very best. Every aspect of every vineyard must meet our most exacting standards, including the soil, rootstock, clonal selection, exposure, and even our farming practices. In this way, vineyards that are in some cases less than a mile apart—and growing the same varietal—may produce a wine of remarkably different character.
That is what makes Nickel & Nickel so singularly special.
Single-Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is our specialty and focus, but our love of winemaking — and the particulars of each vineyard — afford us the opportunity to pursue excellence in other varietals as well.
Single-vineyard, 100 percent varietal Napa Valley Cabernet is our specialty. Our Cabernet collection includes vineyards from as far north as Calistoga to the Oak Knoll District at the southern mouth of the Napa Valley, on valley floor bench lands and rugged hillside slopes. At any given time, a tasting of our Nickel & Nickel Single-Vineyard Cabernets provides an overview of the vintage for the entire Napa Valley.Shop Our Cabernet Sauvignon
We currently make one single-vineyard Chardonnay, from the rolling hills of Napa Valley's Carneros AVA. Here, the winds and cool fog roll in from the San Pablo Bay, allowing our vines to grow slowly, patiently -and allowing us to preserve the fruit flavors, balanced acidity and minerality that make Chardonnays as distinct as the vineyard blocks they come from.Shop our Chardonnays
Merlot is often thought of as the little brother of Cabernet Sauvignon and the two varietals are frequently blended together. Yet, when grown in the right places, Merlot makes an exquisite wine all on its own. We’ve identified three Napa Valley vineyards that show entirely different and we think delicious expressions of 100 percent varietal, single-vineyard Napa Valley Merlot.SHOP OUR MERLOTS
Stretching across the sloping hills of the Russian River Valley, a short drive west of Nickel & Nickel’s Napa Valley vineyards, is the Darien Vineyard — singular among our locations in that it produces the only Syrah in our portfolio. With each vintage, we craft our Syrah to retain its dusty black fruit flavors, muscular tannins and long, luscious finish.SHOP OUR SYRAHS
Out of the finest soil grow our spoils. These locations across the Napa Valley and Russian River Valley regions form the foundation of our efforts. On these special plots of paradise, our Nickel & Nickel winemaker cultivates the perfect wine grapes.
You know no two wines, and indeed no two vintages, taste exactly the same. Seasonal variations fashion different flavors for each vintage year after year, equaling a constant sensory adventure for your palate.
But it’s more than just annual metamorphosis and meteorological variation that give each vineyard its own characteristics. In a land as rich and storied as Napa Valley, single-vineyard wines can vary dramatically crafted from vineyards less than a mile apart. This is particularly due to the precise and unique soil under any given acre of land in this region, its rootstock and geological history combine to invite wonderful surprises with each new creation. That’s what makes Napa Valley wines so astounding, and we believe it’s part of what makes Nickel & Nickel wines so special.
We invite you to take a look at a soil sample from each of our Cabernet vineyards to compare and contrast. Note the differences in coloration, texture, and density bestowed on each parcel thanks to millennia of natural transformation among the myriad microclimates.
The particular arrangement of steep slopes, mountainsides, and foothills that fall to valley floors surrounding Oakville and Yountville, overlaid with warmer temperatures, procure a stunning variety of soil in the Upper Napa Valley that combine to create the perfect microclimates for subtle and rich single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Arrive in the Lower Napa Valley in the morning, and you’ll be greeted by rolling fog and cool, invigorating air, all making way for balmy afternoons. These conditions are integral to the production of the best Chardonnays. But this region also houses one of our Merlot vineyards, located atop an elevated patch that provides long hang time and beautiful, richly-flavored and textured fruit. This area is also where we grow our Oak Knoll Cabernet, which proves the subtle diversity and tact we use in selecting vineyards for these distinct varietals.


Hello everyone and happy September! It’s been a very long time since I’ve updated my blog and well I’m just going to get into it… Last week I had a pleasure of going peach picking at two different farms! I visited Parlee Farms as well as Tougas Family Farm. I was quite ecstatic because I don’t think I’ve ever gone peach picking in Massachusettes. Well…except for this one time in my front yard. My grandfather planted a couple of peach trees and there was only one year that we had an abundance of peaches. It was amazing, but back to the farms.
I’ve been talking about peach picking nonstop. All summer long I’ve been dying to go fruit picking. I visited Sweden back in June and even then I had set my mind on going strawberry picking or something there. Unfortunately, the weather had been quite cold this year in Sweden so the crop bloomed a little late, but maybe next time. It doesn’t matter at this point I went peach picking…in Massachusettes. Apple picking was all I ever knew…UNTIL NOW!
My first peach picking stop was Parlee Farms. I took the day off from work and drove up to Tyngsborough with my boyfriend. I had a lot of fun at this farm and I’m pretty sure my boyfriend did too. We started the day by scarfing a dozen, freshly baked, mini cider donuts, then we picked some GIANT peaches, and cut our own flowers from Parlee’s flower field.
The. Flower. Field. Is. So. Beautiful!
After maybe three days, I visited Tougas Family Farm with one of my best friends. This farm was also so lovely. Both days that I went peach picking were perfect. Tougas Family Farm had experienced a huge hail storm in June so my friend and I were informed that the peaches may have been slightly affected, but all the peaches we picked were beautiful and squish (which means ripe). After picking so many peaches we went back to my friend’s house and decided to bake not one but two cobblers. I had never made a peach cobbler before and let me tell you it came out so delicious and the crust. UGH! I’m going to share the recipe we used below, but all in all, I had an amazing week of fruit picking and now I’m prepared for apple picking season! Weeeeee!
Peach Cobbler Recipe can be found on the blog Life in the Lofthouse!
It’s so quick and easy to make!
Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!


In the fertile plains of the Val di Cornia
Price from 40 € per night per person
Services: apartments | Beds: 45
ll our farm is located in the fertile plain of the Val di Cornia, in the heart of Tuscany, in the sunny countryside and intensively cultivated, between ancient medieval villages and the sea of the Etruscan Coast.
Wine tasting free
Price from € 42 pax for room and buffet breakfast
Services: Room Only, B&B, Wine and Olive Oil Tasting, light evening meal | Beds: apartments and rooms
For a holiday in contact with nature, with the history and traditions of the rural world. Close to the sea, the company is also an ideal starting point to visit the neighboring villages mediavali and archaeological sites of the area.
In the hill in the typical Tuscan landscape
Price from 38 € per night for two people
Services: Bed | Beds: 12 in villa| Minimum stay: 5/7 days
Company of 170 ha with vineyards, olive groves and crops. Guests are accommodated in apartments with every comfort, in a hilly landscape where cultivated fields and Mediterranean
3 km from the sea and the spa, in olive trees and Mediterranean area
Price from 30 € per night per person
Services: apartments | Beds: 18
Enjoy farm holidays at Podere Campalto in the Etruscan land near medieval villages and remarkable archaelogical placet (Campiglia, Massa M.ma, Populonia, Baratti).


We, V.K. Packwell Pvt. Ltd. working in this industries since last 30 years in Kanpur, India. our company is professional manufacturer of V.K. Vermibeds and many more products as per BIS standard with the production capacity of 14000 mt/ annum. Our infrastructure spans across 4 units in Kanpur, India which has production and integration facility covering approximately 1.40 lac sq. ft. in area.Our company has most advanced machinery and requirements. We have BIS license for manufacturing Vermibeds (IS 15907:2010).
Keeping in pace to ensure that our products match to the quality requirements as per customer’s needs, we have developed in house laboratories which is well equipped with the advanced and contemporary testing requirements. All the testings are carried as per the BIS specified standards and matching to the ISI certifications.
Our products can be judged on the basis of quality , reliability and cost effectiveness. The finished products also undergoes a final and through check to insure compliance with the stringent norms and parameters.
We strive to improve our working methodology by innovative policies and practices in our business operations.
Our commitments has helped us in delivering the best products to our clients and end customers.
We, at V.K. Packwell, are the manufacturer of vermibeds for cultivating vermicompost vermiwash and earthworms which will reduce the farmer’s expenses on chemical fertilizer. V.K. Vermibed is different from other conventional methods of composting because of ease in installation, quick composting process, quality of the compost produced and collection of vermiwash.
In our vermibed, We have also provided an outlet to collect vermiwash, which is highly nutritious and around 80-100 liters can be generated in one year. We expect the first yield from 45-60 days of installation and around one tone of Vermicompost can be produced.
Installation: Our HDPE Vermibed can be installed in very little time. Anyone can shift it within a short time close to the raw material source.
Aeration: There is the special provision of reinforced net windows to increase the population of worms, thereby helping in enhancing the vermicomposting process.V. K. Vermibeds are factory fitted with aeration windows. Aeration allows the compost to maintain the proper moisture and oxygen levels for microbial populations to operate at peak efficiency. They also prevent excess heat buildup. Optimal aeration results in faster and healthier composts that in turn give higher crop yields.
Collection of Vermiwash: A very specially designed outlet is provided to collect Vermiwash. This liquid composes of different micro-nutrients vitamins and digestive elements.


My dearest Rohesia,
The days have been longer without you. Life has been the same, bland and colourless; the only hope in sight is your returning. It seems as if the crops have noticed your absence since the harvest this year has been scarce. Despite this, we are still holding on. It’s difficult, as most of the days begin to look the same.
I wake up to the familiar scent of manure and cattle. I sigh deeply as I push myself off of our makeshift bed and brush off my week old cotton skirt. The wool on my stockings itches, but it doesn’t bother me anymore. I stretch as I admire my crops and watch the early birds harvest theirs. I brush myself off before heading to the corner where my handmade tools lie. I always begin with the reaping, so I grab my sickle. Most days, we don’t have enough food for breakfast, so I head out the door, remembering the meals we had when you were here.
Once outside, I begin my short walk towards the crops. I start by reaping the crops, eventually moving onto sowing. By the time I complete the strenuous task of tending to the crops, the day is nearly approaching dusk. I head back towards the house, the muddy walls appearing evermore bland.
Since I’m the oldest now, I get back sooner to prepare dinner. I dip my hands in the stream behind the house as I watch the traces of dirt fade from my hands and head downstream. After I lift my hands out of the water, I shake them dry before heading into the house to prepare the bread and porridge. It only takes several minutes for everyone else to arrive, their eyes are as shallow and tired as I imagine my own to be. Unfortunately, we only have a small loaf of bread for the 9 of us, but we could make do. We ate the bread in silence as I pondered what other meals we would have soon.
Realistically, we won’t have any food other than bread, plain stew, or fruit, but I look forward to the next time we could have ale— even if my last taste was years ago, I could still taste the pleasant tingling on my tongue. I sighed, breaking the silence.
Since you’ve left, we’ve been struggling to feed the family. Without your presence, there’s a an emptiness noticeable in our family; although we are fed adequately and healthily, our spirit is drained and hollow without you. I just pray that we’ll have enough food until the next harvest.
After dinner, we migrate to the other side of the room— the sleeping area. Once everyone is on their correct mats, we lay in silence until dawn.


31 March 2017
Technology has historically been key to boosting efficiency on Australian farms, with agricultural machinery and other breakthroughs helping to revolutionise the sector and maximise productivity.
However, farmers in the country have been slow to adopt cloud computing until recently. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures revealed that just 9 per cent of agriculture, forestry and fishing businesses used paid cloud services in 2013-14 - fewer than any other industry.
Agribusinesses are increasingly utilising remote sensors and data analytics to create 'smart' farms.
So why choose the cloud for farming in Australia? Let's take a look at how some innovative farmers are driving performance with cloud computing.
Cloud-based supply chains
Blockchain and modern payment infrastructure can be used in conjunction with satellite technology to optimise supply chains, according to an NAB Lab AgTech survey published in March.
By using the cloud, Australian farmers can create a seamless process whereby agricultural goods are tracked and paid for all the way from paddock to plate. NAB said this could help reduce counterparty risk, potentially lowering farming insurance premiums.
Cloud computing is also used in combination with various other technologies to boost efficiency on Australian farms. For example, agribusinesses are increasingly utilising remote sensors and data analytics to create 'smart' farms.
Farmers collect numerous types of data, including crop growth figures, yields, and water and soil moisture levels. The information is stored in the cloud and provides real-time predictive insights into the actions farmers need to take in order to maximise production.
Cattle and dairy herd management
Effective livestock management is another reason why a growing number of agribusinesses are choosing cloud farming in Australia.
Various platforms and apps exist within the space; and many use cloud-based infrastructure to store inventory information, while tracking the markets to reduce volatility and enhance return on investment. Farmers can also benefit from centralised documentation and perform online livestock trading using their mobile device.
Accounting on the cloud
The financial side of agriculture is complex; regulations, subsidies, and unpredictable weather are just some of the factors that affect profits, losses, asset values and farming liabilities.
Cloud-based accounting software is designed to provide a single set of books so that farmers - as well as their bankers, accountants and advisors - have 24/7 access to crucial financial information for decision-making.
These are just some of the ways that Australian farmers are using the cloud to improve agricultural efficiency. Please contact Elders Insurance to learn more about the latest opportunities and challenges facing the nation's farmers.


About Latin Organics:
Latin organics is committed to providing a range of high quality and affordable organic food from the Peruvian Andes, which have strong nutritional profiles and health benefits. These organic products are carefully chosen are are locally packaged and processed. The founder, Carlos Serrudo, is of Peruvian descent and has formed many long term partnerships with his Peruvian farmers and aims to bring these high quality foods to the UK market.
Latin Organic's Values:
Delivering Healthy Foods: Our range of high quality organic superfoods are delicious and have many health benefits. We recognise that good nutrition is an important part of a healthy and successful lifestyle.
Supporting Organic Farmers: Latin Organics proudly sources directly from local Peruvian farmers to ensure the highest quality and best prices.In addition, the products are processed and packaged locally. Therefore, our customers directly support the farmers’ local economy and their livelihoods. Furthermore, Latin Organics proudly contributes to local charities which improve their communities’ living conditions.
Protect the Environment: Our affiliated organic farmers use renewable resources and methods to ensure the conservation of the soil and water, while protecting animal welfare.


ISE GETS INSIDE IRRIGATION SPRINKLER SYSTEMS TO FIND DETERMINE TRUE CAUSE OF FAILURE.
Irrigation Sprinkler Systems
Whether for a relatively small homeowner application or for a large commercial landscape, irrigation systems provide the water to keep flowers, shrubs, and crops thriving. An interruption to this process can cause disastrous results.
A properly installed and maintained sprinkler system keeps flowers blooming and grass green throughout the spring, summer, and fall in public park locales such as this. Failure of these systems is often the result of lightning strikes, corrosion of piping, freezing, mechanical damage, or manufacturers' defects.
This, of course, is the result of a sprinkler system which was not functioning properly over an extended period of time. In the case of a homeowner, there can be significant loss of grass and costly landscaping materials. For a farm, a season's income can be lost due to sprinkler failure. ISE has the tools and experience to investigate these losses and find the true cause of failure.


SPECIFIC AGRICULTURE & CROP SCANNING
Hover Solutions helps farmers keep an eye on their crop by providing high-resolution maps and color/light analysis of their fields.
Our drones can scan a field in minutes and stitch together a map of the crops showing areas where water or nutrients are not reaching.
We work with agronomists to augment the data farmers already gather about their crops and provide a more-complete picture of what's happening with areas of drought, root burn, parasitic infestation, flooding, or undernourishment.
Hover Solutions is investigating the implementation of multispectral imaging to provide information about crops revealed by invisible light spectra, like infrared and ultraviolet.
Save time and resources by targeting unhealthy or affected areas directly, instead of paying for treatment for an entire zone to solve a small problem.
Quickly figure out which areas need more attention, which areas are sustainable, and which areas to write off as a loss for the season.
Interested and want to know more? Contact us!


Sultech Global Innovation Corp. based in Calgary and Crossfield, Alberta, Canada is commercializing a proprietary technology (patent pending) and related intellectual property for converting elemental sulphur to a plant nutrient micronized elemental sulphur suspension and soil amendment.
Sultech’s proprietary micronization process creates a product that unlocks the potential of elemental sulphur through superior particle size and dispersion. It is designed to be applied through current conventional crop chemical and nutrient spray systems, liquid kits or as a granular product.
Sultech launched our unique product line in 2021
Sulphur is an important nutrient for high crop yields and sustainable food production. Sulphur deficiencies have increased in agricultural due to increased sulphur removal by high-yield, high-uptake crops, along with stricter controls on atmospheric sulphur from industrial emissions.
Sultech takes elemental sulphur, an abundant by-product of the energy sector, and turns it into a sprayable micronized Plant Nutrient Sulphur (PNS) and soil amendment for improved soil health, crop quality and yields.


How has Axes Software helped Maviprod?
Maviprod was founded in 1993 with fully private capital, having as main object of activity the sale of spare parts for agricultural and forestry equipment.
In 1998, Maviprod became the majority shareholder of SC IRUM SA, producer of TAF forestry equipment and equipment for wood exploitation and processing, promoting and subsequently expanding the range of equipment produced by including agricultural equipment.
Currently, Maviprod has a national distribution network with over 15 sales locations, technical assistance services available 24/7 for agricultural and forestry equipment, as well as work points in Hungary and the Republic of Moldova, promoting its products through the online store.
The company’s warehouses have a stock of over 30,000 spare parts, accessories and components for forestry and agricultural equipment from over 200 suppliers.
The need to monitor the operations in its own warehouse of spare parts, accessories and components for forestry and agricultural equipment led to the implementation of the xTrack WMS solution.


So, finally, spring has sprung. We’ve had almost a week of daytime temperatures in the twenties, and a glorious weekend of summer-like sunshine. The kids have been playing in the sprinkler, and we have finally cracked open the bedroom window at night. The non-native trees have that lovely light green sheen on them, and there are flowers on all kinds of trees in the orchard. The berry cage got a nice cleanup, and the blueberries and currants are in full bloom.
I mulch with wool around the bushes, and straw over the top. A good use for the wool we take of the meat animals.
I am looking at the poor ships panting in their big woolly coats and thinking “I must call the shearer…”
It also means that working the garden suddenly becomes very urgent. While we’ve had a consistently warm spring up until now, it’s the soil temperature that matters. And because we’re so exposed out her in the middle of the Taratahi plain, that’s remained quite cool. But in the last week or two the grass in the paddocks has really taken off, and that is my queue to get moving. So we hired a large rotary hoe, and went at it.
A creature of habit, I am, so I always start with my potatoes. And my deadline for getting them in is the 15th October. That’s the count-back date if you want new potatoes for Christmas. So yesterday I dug my six trenches and dug out my seed potato from the clamp.
Two rows of Pink Fir, four rows of Agria. Same procedure as last year. I love the nutty flavour of Pink Fir, and that’s pretty much what we eat in the summer half of the year. They don’t need peeling, you just scrub them and cook them. They take a little longer to cook than modern potatoes because of their dense flesh, but they’re worth it!
The Agria is our go-to potato for roasting, chipping, boiling or frying. It does all things equally well, and we like the flavour. Over the years we’ve experimented with other varieties but we can’t find any we like as much. Combine that with the versatility of Agria, and it’s a no-brainer, really.
So, I dig a trench. Then I put my seed potato in that trench, a foot apart. And by that I mean I drop a potato in, put my foot in front of it, and drop another potato at my toes. Then I put little sticks at the ends of each trench, and one in the middle. That way, when I fill the trench in I can see where my row is. Then I plant radish seeds on top. By the time the potato tops come up and it’s time to heap the rows, the radishes are ready for harvest.
As you can see from the above I save my seed potato. I store potatoes over winter in a straw clamp, and at this time of year I dig it out. It’s getting too warm now to store them there anyway, and in fact, with the unusually mild winter we’ve had, some of the potatoes on the outside of the heap had started growing. So, ridiculously, after planting my potatoes I cooked new potatoes for dinner!
I pick the largest and best formed potatoes for seed. With the Pink Fir, I try to pick ones that have grown straight. The variety has a tendency to grow knobbly, which makes them hard to clean. So I pick potatoes that have straight, simple growth for my seed.
We either didn’t eat enough potato over winter, or it was a bumper crop last year. This is what I have left over after planting:
Big bin of Pink Fir, a bucket of Agria, and in front is the remaining yams. I planted four yams last year, we’ve eaten about half of what grew, and this is about half of what is left… Crazy productive, yams.
In other news on the garden front, The Man had a week off and built me a new garden shed. This time he didn’t get a kitset tin shed, he built a wooden one. Every joint is reinforced, and every wall is braced. I joke that it will be our tornado shelter.
And finally, if anybody wanted to know why eggs are such a symbol of spring?
Our hens and our ducks are laying madly. We are eating a lot of oven pancakes and toad-in-the-hole right now. We’re also selling on some duck eggs and the green Araucana eggs that seem very popular with kids. Green eggs and ham!


You call me Peter Nyae Nyoroge. I was born in 1945 in Embu County. I live alone on my farm. I eat everything which grows on my farm like corn, macadamia, arrow roots, sugar cane, cabbage, tomatoes and potatoes. I am very proud to be a member of KOAN everything grows naturally without pesticide.
My farm, encompassing one acre, is not big. Because of my grown up macadamia trees I had the opportunity to join macadamiafans in November 2011, even if three of my seven trees are not that good. I really appreciate selling my nuts for a better price than I did before. I would like to introduce my neighbors to this project, too.
I do like macadamia nuts but like everything that grows around me. I have learned to live with few things and I am happy. Since I sold my cow I buy meat from my friends.
I grew up in Embu County but I left 1969 to Mombasa, where I sold toys out of wood and soap stone which I produced myself. But I always knew that I would become a farmer as my parents used to be, too.
My name is Jane Njiru Wangai and I am living in Kenya, Embu County, since I was born in 1941. I grew up at this farm and originally wanted to become a nurse. This dream did not come true because of the war of independence in Kenya from 1952 until 1963 and thus I finished school in 1958, got married and started farming. I learned to love the work, even if today I have to manage everything on my own just living together with a lazy cock.
Of course I have some children but they are already living their own life. The girls stay with their families somewhere else. My sons are busy men, too. One of them is a taxi driver in Nairobi. The other one is a trade’s man but lives with his wife just next door. My daughter-in-law was also the one who convinced me of participating the seminar about organic farming and joining macadamiafans in October 2011. I have about 20 macadamia trees on my farm and particularly love to climb them to harvest the nuts. Besides macadamia I grow corn, beans and coffee.
My name is Rachel Muthoni. I am 45 years old. As an Embu I live in Embu County since I was born. My parents were tea and coffee farmers. In 1978 I moved to the farm where I live now. There live five more people on this farm: my two children and grandchildren and my husband. The farm work is done by me.
I have got a cow and few chickens. On my ¾-acre-farm I grow many different plants like coffee, corn, banana, macadamia, avocado, papaya and beans. My fourteen macadamia trees were planted in the 1980s. Before I became a farmer I used to trade with vegetables on the markets. Later on I could realize my childhood dream and became a farmer. In November 2011 I got the opportunity to become a member of Macadamiafans. Since I decided to join them I belong to their organization.
My favorite Kenyan dish which is to be recommended is a mash of potatoes and bananas.
Interviews: Welt:Klasse Gröbenzell


NYC’s red-hot local food movement is cooking all over the map
- Last Updated: 10:49 PM, November 24, 2012
- Posted: 10:42 PM, November 24, 2012
Picture a time when New York City was dotted with small farms, when residents cultivated beehives for honey, brewed local beer, sold eggs gathered from backyard chickens and jarred their own pickles.
It shouldn’t strain your imagination too hard — it’s happening right now. In celebration of the city’s bounty, we offer this map of urban food producers, from fish farmers in The Bronx to vegetable growers in Brooklyn to wine makers in Queens.
1. Brooklyn Grange: 1.5-acre rooftop growing vegetables for restaurants and markets. Building No. 3, Brooklyn Navy Yard.
2. Gotham Greens: Hydroponic rooftop garden. 810 Humboldt St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
3. Eagle Street Rooftop Farm: 6,000-square-foot organic vegetable garden. 44 Eagle St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
4. Bright Farms: 100,000-square-foot rooftop garden, projected for 2013. Estimated produce yield: 1 million pounds per year. Liberty View Industrial Plaza, Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
5. Added Value: Three-acre community farm. Corner of Columbia and Sigourney streets, Red Hook, Brooklyn.
6. BK Farmyards Youth Farm: One-acre community farm. 600 Kingston Ave., Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
7. Planned rooftop farm: A 200,000 square foot farm is slated for the top of a warehouse at the food distribution hub in Hunts Point. 600 Food Center Drive, The Bronx.
8. Brooklyn Grange: One-acre rooftop growing vegetables for gardens and markets. 37-18 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, Queens.
9. Queens County Farm Museum: The longest continuously farmed site in New York state still supplies produce year-round. 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Floral Park, Queens.
10. Brooklyn Grange Bees: Still rebuilding after severe damage from Hurrican Sandy, this commercial apiary has more than 30 hives. Brooklyn Navy Yard.
11. BK Farmyards: Bee farm produces honey for local sale. 600 Kingston Ave., Crown Heights.
12. Brooklyn Honey: Culled from nearly a dozen rooftop hives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
13. Queens County Farm: Raw wildflower honey, sold in gift shops and at the Union Square Greenmarket. 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Floral Park.
14. La Cacica Honey: From bees housed at the Bryant Hill community garden. Bryant Avenue between Seneca and Garrison avenues, Hunts Point, The Bronx.
15. Berkshire Berries: Made from eight rooftop hives located across Manhattan, sold at Union Square Greenmarket.
16. Wave Hill honey: Produced from the apiary at the Wave Hill public garden, Wave Hill, The Bronx.
17. Mast Brothers: Famous, and famously expensive, small-batch “bean to bar” chocolate. 111 N. Third St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn.


Welcome to Fair Deal‘s exciting project called ‘Help Yourself Grow’. Help Yourself Grow is a fun practical experience for young people aged between 18 – 30, who live in Glasgow and have a learning disability. The programme currently offers gardening and cookery training.
Each training programme is designed to improve the knowledge, skills and confidence of the participants, which we believe should enhance opportunities for these young people for further training, volunteering, employment or social enterprise opportunities. The training being offered is flexible and person centred, and there will be opportunities to achieve an accreditation.
HYG was the winner of the Evening Times Community Champions Award for 2013. We also won a variety of other awards at the Gardening Scotland Event in 2013.
Fair Deal is working in partnership with The Hidden Gardens for the gardening activity of the Help Yourself Grow experience. A training garden has been specifically designed for Help Yourself Grow and has been developed at the site adjacent to one of our partners the Jeely Piece Club. The garden features a geodesic dome for sowing and growing, raised beds designed for wheel chair accessibility, an orchard, a sensory/biodiversity garden area and a community growing space. Our trainees are supported to undertake a range of tasks as they work towards the Caley “Grow and Learn” horticultural award. This is an award which is accredited by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society and has two levels as follows:
Grow and Learn Roots: this is the starting point of the learning and introduces the learner to core horticulture tasks. Learners can then choose which additional horticultural related activities they wish to undertake as well as setting themselves personal goals too. Some of the activities which are covered with Grow and Learn are digging, composting, sowing seeds, growing fruit and veg, plant care and planting out.
Grow and Learn Nurture: following completion of Grow and Learn Roots, learners can progress to Grow and Learn Nurture to build on existing skills and knowledge.
Both levels of award recognise individual progress and achievement through experiential learning and personal development. A portfolio is developed for each trainee, as evidence of their activities and development.
The award offers the learner a structured framework to work within, but it is also flexible enough to ensure a person centred approach at all times. This makes the award ideally suited for those with a learning disability. The award is normally made after around 12 months of attending the gardening project and no prior horticultural knowledge is required. See http://www.rchs.co.uk/education/grow-learn for more information.
Fair Deal is working in partnership with FS Training for the cooking activity of the Help Yourself Grow experience. Help Yourself Grow Cookery is a fun exciting way to learn how to cook and bake healthy snacks and meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Covering many topics, skills and techniques from within the catering industry, Help Yourself Grow also develops skills which can be used at home to encourage self-sufficiency and confidence within the kitchen.
There is also a canteen area at the training site which is ideal for practising customer service. Our training programme gives trainees an opportunity to gain the Elementary Food Hygiene Certificate which is accredited by REHIS (Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland). The programme also includes the following topics:
The pace of the programme will be tailored to the needs of the group.


Pest and Disease Identification & Management
Insects play an important role in the garden. Not every insect is an enemy. Some are pollinators, some break down organic matter and some are beneficial predators that feed on the real enemies. It is important to be able to identify your friends and foes, and then encourage the friends and frustrate the foes.
Insects and diseases are attracted to stressed, damaged or otherwise unhealthy plants so the key to preventive control is taking good care of your plants.
Effective and appropriate solutions such as physical barriers, traps, and specific biological agents, are available to assist in your efforts to protect your garden and at the same time maintain a healthy, natural environment.
Organic methods of pest and disease control mean a healthier garden for you, your plants and the insects, birds and animals around you.
We can help you to identify and manage pest or disease problems within your garden also recommend a solution that works best for you.