Geothermal greenhouse project in Coz Coz ends, giving the possibility of growing tomatoes 365 days a yearWednesday, 22 de June
The project “Geothermal greenhouse for tomato cultivation”, financed by the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness (FIC) of the Regional Government of Los Ríos and its Regional Council, was completed with the discussion “Prospects for the incorporation of geothermal energy to improve agricultural production in the Los Ríos”, held in Coz Coz, Panguipulli commune.
The activity, held at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Austral de Valdivia, was attended by the head of the Development and Industry Division of the Regional Government of Los Ríos, Miguel Ángel Martínez; the professional of the Access and Social Development Division of the Regional Ministerial Secretariat (Seremi) of Los Ríos, Johan Muñoz, and the director of CEGA, Diego Morata.
On the occasion, the participants had the opportunity to discuss the current experience of the Los Ríos in the use of shallow geothermal energy, pointing to the future challenges for the scaling up of the experiences carried out, in order to replicate them in the rest of the regional territory.
“We have successfully seen how the Los Ríos, thanks to public investment, has incorporated geothermal energy in its multiple possibilities, such as the direct use of hot springs; The implementation of Geothermal Heat Pumps for the air conditioning of greenhouses, the installation of the first geothermal air conditioning system in a Rural Health Post, which will be in Illahuapi, in Lago Ranco, will begin very soon, and we see that the next step should perhaps be to dare to go for district heating”, said Diego Morata, with respect to future prospects.
In this respect, Miguel Ángel Martínez said that “Innovation projects have a fundamental component, which is the human being, where all the important variables for the Region’s progress are harmoniously combined, in the best of cases, through the people who participate in the development of an initiative. In this sense, the work of the University of Chile and CEGA have been very important to show a new way of developing projects, covering all the important aspects, from the technical and economic, to the social and environmental.”
In the same line, Johan Muñoz, pointed out that: “it is important that the public service is a pioneer in the adoption of new technologies, which in turn allow to raise awareness among citizens about the opportunities that the region has to face the energy challenges with the natural resources that the region possesses. In this sense, he points out that it is important to advance in studies and projects that incorporate geothermal energy as a heating alternative in public buildings in the region”.
The initiative, executed between 2020 and 2022, aimed to build, adapt and monitor a technified greenhouse prototype for the continuous production of tomatoes with Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHPs) in the Los Ríos. For this purpose, two GHPs were installed together with two inertial tanks and two plate heat exchangers, which make up the machine room that is connected by pipes to the extraction well and the greenhouse. Inside the greenhouse, two circulation pumps and eight fan coils, with their respective thermostats, distribute the heat to the more than 600 m2 of cultivated land.
“The incorporation of technology in productive greenhouse agriculture is a fundamental advance for regional, national and global food security. In this sense, using the world’s most efficient climate control technology, geothermal energy, in local tomato production is an opportunity to show all regional stakeholders that a good way to join this global trend is through innovative pilot projects,” explained Pablo Valdenegro, project coordinator.
Mario Aburto, a direct beneficiary of the initiative, highlighted the significant increase in production that this system could mean for his crops. “The fact that I no longer have the winter loss in my tomato production means gaining 90 days of production and more than 10,000 extra kilos of tomatoes. The benefit of being able to include geothermal energy to heat the environment inside the greenhouse is really a giant step forward for my production chain”.
As part of the closing activities of the FIC, a ribbon cutting was also held to inaugurate the machine room that feeds the geothermal system installed on Mario Aburto’s property in the Coz Coz area of Panguipulli.


Land for Sale in Ora, Larnaka, Cyprus
This property is either Offline, Sold or Deactivated.
This agricultural land with total area of 1.673m² is located at the outskirts of Ora- Larnaca, only 90m from the main road to other villages and at a distance of 400m away from Ora village center.
The area of this property is considered agricultural area and includes locus tree and olive trees.
The asset, as a land, has a rather rectangular cornered shape with a total frontage of 42.39 meters.
The asset falls within the Agriculture Planning Zone Γ3 with building density coefficient of 10% and a coverage coefficient of 10%, up to 2 floors aνd 8.3 meters height.
This property is ideal for building a small country house as it can combine the wonderful tranquility of the area and the amazing climate of mountainous Cyprus.
Like this property? Come back to it later, easily.


RabbitsEverywhere is back from a longer hiatus and this time around the rabbit post comes from Taoyuan City in Taiwan.
I just visited a great tea shop very nicely named Rabbit Rabbit Tea. (@rabbitrabbittea ) It is a chain of tea shops and I had a very nice Lady gray tea latte. Good stuff! 🥛
As for trivia: when I googled rabbits and tea, I came across something called “rabbit manure tea”. It is apparently a super great fertilizer for crops. This is because rabbit manure is higher in nitrogen than sheep, goat, pig, chicken, cow or horse manure. As maybe some of you know, plants need nitrogen to produce a lush green growth.


The lotus flower is a mystical little beauty. It was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians and in Buddhism is symbolises purity of the body. I want to know if it can grow in South African conditions.
I managed to source a few seeds through my mild addiction to Chinese shopping apps. So I did a little research and here’s how I think you need to grow a lotus flower.
You’ll need some dechlorinated water. I used distilled water for good measure, but you don’t have to. To remove the chlorine from the water you can either leave normal tap water out in a wide mouthed dish in a sunny spot for a few days. If you want to cheat and not wait a few days, you can just get some aquarium water treatment. The one that you use at every water change. It removes chlorine and other metals dangerous to fish. You’ll also need a file. You can sheat here too and use something electric, but I wouldn’t. It doesn’t take too long and if you’re doing it by hand you have more control.
If you roll the seeds in your fingers you notice that they’re really hard. Water can’t penetrate that hard shell and kick off the germination process. In nature, the seeds will be lying at the bottom of a pond and, over time, the hard outer shell will soften and/or rot. Since that takes far too long we’ll accelerate the process a bit.
Grab your file and file off the pointy end of the hard seed. You should just be able to see a little of the white flesh when you’re done.
Once filed, the seeds are ready to be popped into some water. Your water needs to be warm to help kick off germination. Also, since lotus plants prefer slightly acidic water, I chose to drop a few drops of vinegar. That wasn’t
part of the research, I made it up. 😉
That’s all I did for now. I’ll put them in a warm, sunny spot and replace the stale water so that the seeds don’t rot.
When I start seeing green I’ll come back and update you.


Here's why you should stop memorizing your passwords
Here's Why You Should Be Saving Your Toilet Paper Tubes for Your Garden
Fun fact: there are a ton of unique ways to repurpose toilet paper tubes. From fun crafts to handy storage systems, this throwaway item is an easy one to repurpose. But did you know these tubes can be especially helpful in your garden?
When growing particular veggies that don't like their roots to be disturbed, like beans and peas, you've probably been told to keep them in place. But if you need or want to move them, that can be a tough rule to follow.
To prevent this potential problem, you can use a toilet paper roll as a portable planter for the seeds. Once the plant begins to grow and you want to move it to soil or another location, you can replant it with the tube, and the tube will disintegrate in the soil.
It's also a cheap way to grow and store petite plants if you lack a backyard or outdoor space.
DIY this upcycled planter by cutting into the tube to create tabs and then fold the tabs inward. This creates the bottom of the planter.
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Backlight: Seed Battles
Hidden deep inside a massive mountain in inhospitable Spitsbergen is the most important vault in the world: the Global Seed Vault. It is 20 degrees below zero and the vault is able to withstand earthquakes, floods, missile attacks and nuclear disaster. It’s Noah’s Ark for our food production with the largest diversity in seeds from all over the world, a backup of as many crops as possible and the toolbox for seed breeders. This is vital, for by 2050 there will be 9 billion mouths to feed.


Overview of Plant Breeding Division
Plant Breeding Division (PBD) is one of the most potential and old division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) leading research on varietal development of barley, foxtail millet, proso millet, finger millet, pearl millet, sorghum, buckwheat, oats, chia and quinoa. Plant Breeding Division promotes sustainable agricultural development in Bangladesh through collaborative and responsive research. The division has strong collaboration with international organizations like ICARDA and ICRISAT as well as national organizations like DAE and BADC. The research mandate of the division is to create new improve varieties and fitting technologies for the development of these field crops to the benefit of the farmers of drought, char and saline soil.
Till now, PBD has developed nine barley, four foxtail millet, one proso millet, one sorghum, one raghi and one oat varieties. At present the major research thrust of the division is on high yielding location specific stress tolerant varietal development of minor cereals. PBD is performing climate smart research to face adverse climatic condition and meet up the nutritional and food demand of Bangladesh and emphasized on abiotic stress tolerant varietal development of minor cereals for drought, heat and salt tolerant. Molecular excavating of the existing materials is also on going to identify abiotic stress tolerant mechanism to utilize the problematic fallow areas to intensify the cropping pattern.


"Tony Martin knows lawns and takes great care to make sure his customers are left with perfect, lush green grass. From rescuing patchy and weed-ridden lawns with professional weedkiller and grass seed to re-turfing lawns past all help, Tony is the complete professional. He turns up when he says he will and carries out the work efficiently and cleanly - leaving no mess.
Tony is then on hand for aftercare - coming to check on any issues that may arise or questions you may have. I cannot recommend him highly enough if you need a lawn expert."
PH, New Malden


Water Cooler Waterford West
Great tasting water made from your own tap with Prestige Water Cooler Waterford West
This is how you can easily grow an unlimited supply of ginger at home
Truth about drinking water. Great tasting drink water made from your own tap from a water cooler Waterford West. It is certainly a great feeling to be able to consume something that you have grown at home, right? Certainly something that is as good and healthy as ginger can actually be easily grown at home, and you do not need much space at all. Ginger has long been known for its health-promoting properties, and can be consumed in different ways. But how easy is it to grow ginger yourself? It turns out to be very simple! Water Cooler with or without filtration. The Swedish newspaper called Syre has now published an easy guide.
This is what you have to do:
1. The safest thing is to buy a ginger from a garden company, then you know for sure that it has not been sprayed. You can also buy organic ginger in a supermarket.
2. Put it in water from your water cooler Waterford West at night.
3. Then plant the ginger in nutritious soil in a low and wide pot. This is because the roots of ginger grow horizontally.
4. Put the ginger downwards so that the shoots point upwards and cover the roots with a few centimeters of soil.
5. Provide plenty of water and place the pot in a warm but shady place.
6. After about a month you will see the shoots shoot up.
7. Then it's time to put the pot in a warm place. Also do not forget to water regularly.
After a few more months, 3-4 months after planting, you can start harvesting small pieces of ginger. Dig carefully in the ground and cut the pieces you want to use. Now you have an almost endless supply of ginger, which you can keep harvesting for as long as you want! What can you do with ginger? For example, test the following recipe for a nice tea.
Ingredients for 1 ginger tea
- 200 ml of hot water
- 2 - 3 slices of fresh ginger
- 1 slice of bio lemon
- 1 tsp honey
- Optional 1/4 tsp turmeric
This is how you make it:
Wash the lemon well. Then preferably use a biological unsprayed lemon. Cut a thin slice from this and put it in a glass. Cut the ginger into very thin slices. You can also do this with a peeler, but I would add some extra slices. Drink healthy water from your water cooler Waterford West. Add this to the lemon. Pour hot water on the ginger and lemon. Let the tea then draw for a few minutes. Add honey and / or turmeric as desired. Can you go to the toilet faster if you drink lukewarm water. Why do I have to pee so often.


Hozelock 2431 Assembled Hose Reel & 25m of 12.5mm Hose
The Hozelock 2431 45m Hose Reel has a small internal drum diameter and an extra-long winding handle, rewinding is easy. The small and compact design, solid axis and robust towing handle enables the hose reel to be manoeuvred with ease, saving you time and effort. It has a wide stance and low centre of gravity to make it very stable and this stops the hose reel from falling over whilst the hose is unwound.
The compact size and hard wearing metal towing handle makes movement around the garden a breeze, also extra wide for stability and has been designed so the hose is easy to rewind. Made from the highest quality plastics, it will stand the hard wearing challenge of gardening tasks, time after time. Comes ready assembled allowing you to get straight to work.
Designed and made in Great Britain, the Hozelock 45m capacity Assembled Hose Reel extends Hozelock’s heritage of quality, innovative products that are designed for gardeners by gardeners.
It comes with a 2 year warranty and like most Hozelock products, a full range of spares are available to extend the life way beyond this.
Supplied with 25m of Hozelock braided Starter hose perfect for general purpose use, 2 x Hose End Connectors, 1 x Threaded Tap Connector and 1 x Adjustable Nozzle.
Number reviews: 1
Overal rating: 5
Review for Hozelock 2431 Assembled Hose Reel & 25m of 12.5mm Hose by DAJ19th June 2023
Bought on offer a few weeks ago for the garden. Neet little hose reel and very easy to use.
For the price you cannot get a lot better and it’s the standard garden brand and equipment.


Júcar river basin
The Júcar river basin is located in the east of the Iberian Peninsula.
In the Júcar river basin, the balance between water demand and available resources is precarious. The water, food, energy and ecosystems nexus in the region is highly dependent on water. This means that a water imbalance could jeopardise the functioning of the entire system. Climate change is expected to reduce water availability, increase the intensity of drought episodes, and challenge the long-term sustainability of water use.
Water use in the Júcar river basin sees many competing interests. While 89% of the water is earmarked for agriculture, it also needs to serve urban and industrial uses as well as 31 hydropower plants. In addition, farmers’ traditional water rights for irrigation in the lower basin compete with other irrigation demands in the middle of the basin. Demand and need aside, water scarcity, irregular rainfall, and groundwater overuse also contribute to the dire ecological consequences in this area.
GoNEXUS researchers will look into the potential climate change impacts of the Júcar River basin and determine which adaptation solutions could be put in place on the management level.All case studies


(Brassica napobrassica) The Swedish Turnip, also known as Stone or Rock Turnip. A very large, late type with bluish leaves and requiring a longer season and more room to develop than the other Turnips. Sow in June in rows 18 to 24 inches apart and thin to 6 inches in the row. May be transplanted.
Seedsman J.O. Neill of Fall River, Massachusetts, offered this variety in 1900 and said the following,... More


Kauai’s Farmers Markets- Live like a Local!
Kauai Farmers Markets are diverse in their offerings, from local fruits and vegetables to crafts, flowers and music! Make sure to take time during your stay to stop at one of the local farmers markets!
Organic farming is a huge industry on Kauai, growing staples like tomatoes and lettuce to exotic tropical fruits and vegetables. The markets are very popular for local residents, restaurant owners and tourists. Each day of the week you will find a market on some part of the island, each with its own character and specialties.
Aside from produce, some of the markets also offer fresh flowers, fish, handmade crafts and gifts. Some of the markets are run by the county others are privately run by farmer’s associations. Every market offers a fresh taste of the islands, and a great chance to interact with kama’aina (residents) and the local farmers who contribute to Hawaiian sustainable agriculture.
- Koloa Knudsen Ball Park, Koloa Town, Noon
- Kukui Grove Shopping Center Parking Lot, Lihue 3 pm
- Kalaheo Neighborhood Center , Kalaheo 3:30 pm
- Waipa Ahupua’a Field, ¼ mile from Hanalei, 2pm
- Kapa’a New Town Ball Park, Kapa’a 3pm
- Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Kilauea 4:30pm
- Vidna Stadium Parking Lot, Lihue 3pm
- Kekaha Neighborhood Center, Kekaha 9am
- Hanalei Neighborhood Center, Hanalei 9:30am
- Field by the post office, Kilauea 11:30am


Most irrigation is needed for hot and dry days, but the least essential for rainy days. There are many sources of irrigation water. These include rivers and wells as dams and rivers.
The moat/pulley method can be used as alternative. By human effort, buckets are pulled away from the water source and spread out across fields. The distribution of the water can be uneven.
The chain pump is another method. Chain pumps attach buckets on the other end of the chain. The buckets are lowered into water sources via an incline wheel. After that, water drains into artificial canals.
The Dhekli is the third choice. Utilizing two logs and either human labor or a heavy load, buckets of water can be lifted and emptied into the irrigation system. The water that is not used is being wasted.
Rahat works by having people or cattle rotate wheels, a rod and a bucket. The wheel can then spin another wheel with several buckets. The buckets draw water from the river and then empty it into the irrigation system. 8yxoi28mp9.


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Sunday Digest | #002
What I am watching 👀, reading 📖, and listening 🎧 to on a Sunday.
Many of us daydream about having our own little homestead oasis, but it’s hard work, and it takes a lot of time before it’s something sustainable. If you truly want to understand the hard work and dedication it takes to create a homestead, I recommend watching the documentary The Biggest Little Farm.
It’s a beautiful movie that chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature.
They encounter many challenges with nature along the way, but their focus is to farm with the seasons and nature.
They started Apricot Lane Farms in 2011, 40 miles north of Los Angeles. Farm residents include pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, guinea hens, horses, highland cattle, and one brown Swiss dairy cow named “Maggie.” The land consists of Biodynamic Certified avocado and lemon orchards, a vegetable garden, pastures, and over 75 varieties of stone fruit that they call the fruit bowl.
This little farm is bigger than my current dreams, but it is an inspiration for what is possible through hard work and dedication.


Odisha also called as Orissa is a state located in the eastern part of the country. It is the ninth largest state of India by area. Over the last couple of years, this state is being famous for pursuing the education in different UG and PG fields. Apart from engineering and management colleges, Orissa is also famous for its various agriculture colleges and universities. According to the census 2011, the literacy rate of Odisha is 72.87 %. Check here the list of Top Agriculture Colleges in Odisha 2021.
List of Agriculture Colleges
Sarvgyan.com is presenting a list of top agriculture colleges in Odisha 2021. This list comprises of top government and private institutions which offer admissions in various agriculture programmes.
How we have rated the Institutions
We have rated the agriculture colleges and institutions on the basis of different factors like college approval and affiliation, placement records, facilities offered by colleges, national importance, quality education, student’s preferences and many others.
Admissions into various agriculture programme will be given through ICAR AIEEA national level examination. Apart from the national level exam, students will also able to apply through university level examinations. Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology conduct the OUAT examination for providing admissions in agriculture courses.
Top Agriculture Courses
In the field of agriculture, students have many options to purse UG, PG and doctoral courses. Students will have options to choose any particular specializations at master’s level. Some trending specializations are Forestry, Agronomy, Horticulture, Nematology, Seed Science & Technology, Floriculture, etc.
For any other queries about Top Agriculture Colleges in Odisha 2021, you can leave your queries below.


Originally the family's broad acre business was in farming onions, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and cabbages over the previous 40 years, growing in size from the original 5 acres to 650 acres of cultivated land.
After extensive research Dino Musolino identified the there was a market opportunity to produce hydroponically grown lettuce products. Hi Tech Hydroponics was establised in 1997.
In December 2000 a Market Store wholesale business was established in the Adelaide Produce Market. The reasoning behind this move into the wholesale market place was to establish the Hi Tech brand and to rectify a lack of product appreciation within the wholesale and retail sectors for hydroponically grown produced vegatables. The vegtables were and are still grown via clean, fresh, clear bore water.
As a direct result of the success of Hi Tech Hydroponics in the wholesale market there was need to substantially expand farming operations. The positive feedback and support for our whole lettuce produce from the market place confirmed that timing was right for stage 2 in the development of Hi Tech Hydroponics.
Market feedback and extensive consumer research indicated that it was time to develop a quality pre-packaged salad mix product to replace the interstate product being sold in South Australia.
The successful launch of the pre-packaged salads was in 2001. This catagory continues to grow each year bringing you, our healthy convenient produce you see in stores today.
Mon - Fri: 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
18 Ridgeway Rd,
Awarded 'Grower of the Year' in 2007


After the official launch of the Rwanda Ecological Organic Agriculture National Platform on 9th August 2019, The Rwanda Organic Agriculture Movement (ROAM) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) organized the first meeting of the EOA National Platform on 7th November 2019 at Grand Legacy Hotel attended stakeholders from various sectors in Rwanda .
Rwanda Organic Agriculture Movement (ROAM), in partnership with MINAGRI has gathered government representatives as well as various stakeholders from the agriculture sector in Rwanda for the the first meeting of the National Ecological Organic Agriculture Stakeholders Platform. This platform will be used as an open forum of multi stakeholders interested in supporting Ecological Organic Agriculture development in Rwanda as well as creating synergy among members of the platform.
During this event which took place at the Grand Legacy Hotel in Kigali,
As ROAM’s Chief Executive officer
mentioned: “in the past decade, there has been a growing interest in agro-ecology as an innovative and sustainable response to the challenges facing our food and agriculture systems. Simultaneously, the demand for organic products is increasing globally as well as in Africa”. In parallel with other Organic Agriculture Movements all over the world, ROAM is working to raise awareness amongst the population, share information, provide support to famers, and advocate for the adoption of organic policies.
The Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative (EOA-I) was born out of a resolution by African Union Heads of States and Governments in 2011, during the Eighteenth Ordinary Session, 24-28 January 2011, Ex.CL/Dec 621 (XVIII) to support Organic Agriculture on the African Continent. The EOA-I overall goal is to mainstream EOA into national agriculture systems, policies and programmes by 2025 in order to improve agricultural productivity, food security and food safety, access to markets and sustainable development in Africa.
The Rwanda Organic Agriculture Movement (ROAM) is a National Umbrella Organization established in 2007 as a result of responding to the need expressed by different stakeholders in the organic sector (producers, farmers, processors, exporters and importers) to have an organized and more focused movement to spearhead the stimulation, development and promotion of the organic sector toward finding solutions to different challenges faced by the sector in Rwanda.
ROAM started to operate as a legally registered non-governmental organization in 2014 with at least 1000 members who work in organic production, processing and marketing of organic products (coffee, tea, fruit and vegetables, potatoes, beans, cassava, essential oil, etc.) ROAM is working tirelessly to increase the number of stakeholders along the whole value chain with emphasis on women and youth.
The Express News


Some basic information about the origin and manufacturing of cigars.
October 1492 – For the first time, Christopher Columbus saw the coasts of what he believed to be India…
In fact, without knowing it, he discovered the outposts of the Americas, and it was on the island of Cuba that he set foot. When he disembarked for the first time on this island, it was a paradisiacal place that he discovered. While looking for gold and riches, there was a strange plant that he discovered.
The first natives he met gave him large leaves of this plant that they thought were possessed by the spirit of the gods. On the occasion of their religious rites, these natives rolled the leaves roughly into a large cylinder to which they gave the name of Cohiba, it was not less than the ancestor of what we call today the cigar.
The Venetian did not realize at that time that the plant he had discovered was just as valuable as the gold he was vainly searching for. Five centuries later, this plant has conquered the world in its most prestigious form: Havana.
Tobacco grows all over the island of Cuba, but just as in every wine-producing country there are areas of “grand cru”, only a few small regions possess the ideal conditions for the cultivation of the best plants that will be reserved for the manufacture of cigars
Five regions are the “crus” of Cuba: Oriente – Remedios – Partido – Semi Vuelta – Vueta Abajo
Among these five regions, Partido and Vuelta Abajo are the ones where the best quality leaves come from, which will be reserved for the elaboration of the prestige cigars still rolled by hand today.
The most delicate plants grow in the Vuelta Abajo region in the Pinar del Rio district. This region enjoys very low rainfall, fertile and generous soil, and an abundance of Caribbean sunshine, all of which make Pinar del Rio what many consider to be the best tobacco leaves in the world.
Two varieties of tobacco are mainly cultivated in Cuba:
- Criollo, which is used to make the filler and wrapper of cigars
- Corojo, which is used exclusively to produce the large leaves of the wrapper that covers the cigar
The Vegueros cultivate tobacco, their task is as laborious as it is meticulous… see more:
They dedicate their summer season to the meticulous preparation of the land that will receive the seedlings, and it is in October, after 45 days of germination, that the plants will be transplanted into the ground to reach full maturity only around January, they will then proceed to the harvest that will continue in stages according to a perfectly established schedule developed over the decades with the experiences of a long tradition of tobacco cultivation.
The Corojos, whose leaves must reach maturity in perfect condition, are subject to a thousand cares and are cultivated under the shelter of Tapados, a kind of huge white gauze cloth, which prevents the sun from directly attacking the leaves, and at the same time creates a kind of greenhouse effect on the plantation that favors the growth of the plant. No detail is overlooked during the growth period of the plant: regular pruning and disbudding to promote the growth of the most beautiful leaves of each plant, which cannot all be harvested at the same time:
A Corojo plant has six stages of leaves that are distinguished from bottom to top by the following names: Libre de Pie – Uno y Medio – Centro Ligero – Centro Fino – Centro Gordo – Corona
Each type of leaf is picked in packs of two or three, starting from the bottom and working upwards, every other week. The harvest is spread out over about 40 days.
The Criollo is also ripe after fifty days and the harvest is less complex since this plant has only three varieties of leaves: Volado – Seco – Ligero
These leaves, the highest of which gives the cigar most of its aroma, are picked in five stages and are transported like the others to the tobacco drying sheds (casas del tabaco), which are in fact large buildings with windows that face east-west so as to let in only the early morning and sunset sun, thus maintaining constant coolness and humidity inside the buildings.
From planting to harvesting, each plant will have undergone no less than 150 passes by the vegueros in order to arrive in ideal condition at the right port.
First the drying!
The drying process starts by sewing the leaves by two and then by suspending them in the air near the ground for the freshest leaves and up to the ceiling for the driest ones, each pair of leaves being moved up one level as it dries. This stage requires a special know-how and lasts for a total of about fifty days. It is during this stage that the leaves of a beautiful green will turn to the golden brown color known by all and which made the reputation of the cigar throughout the world.
After the drying? The fermentation!
The brown leaves are taken back to the dryer while they are still slightly damp and they are taken off the poles in order to submit them to a first fermentation. This is a natural chemical process that lasts 25 to 30 days, during which the tobacco stacks must be constantly monitored. The specialist of this operation, which is similar to composting, needs an infallible sense of smell to stop the fermentation at the right time.
Six months have passed since this story began, but the cigar is still far from being ready…
What happens next? The trimming of the leaves!
It is always on the sector of the plantation that one proceeds to the following stage: The leaves are trimmed for their departure to the factory. While they will have been previously rehumidified to find a certain flexibility, the leaves of cape and sub-cape and tripe are going to be manually cleared of their biggest ribs at the same time as the women who proceed to this operation will check the quality of each leaf and will sort them according to their color, their size and their texture. These workers treat the wrapper leaves that will be used to give the cigar its most beautiful ornament as carefully as if they were handling a fabric of great fragility and rarity.
Once these operations have been completed, we move on to the second fermentation!
This is more rigorous than the first and lasts about 60 days. Its purpose is to rid the tobacco of its last impurities and accentuate its particular aroma and inimitable flavor. During this fermentation, the temperature of fermentation should never exceed 42 ° C, otherwise, it will be necessary to undo the bundle and aerate the leaves before rebuilding the bundle for the rest of its process.
Once this fermentation is finished, the bundles will be definitively dismantled and the leaves will be laid on racks for a few days to rest. Once the resting of the leaves is finished, small bundles will be formed and wrapped in palm leaves to bring the precious veils to rest in the warehouses of the factories where they will improve for a minimum of two years.
Once the leaves are ready after these two years of rest, they will undergo no less than thirty operations in the heart of the factory to become the cigar that you have come to appreciate…
Now comes the most awaited and spectacular stage of the process:
The making of the cigar itself!
All the elaborated leaves finally arrive on the table of the Torcedor or the Torcedora, the cigar rollers, who will metamorphose each heap of leaves into wonderful cigars. The filler, coming from the different levels of harvest of the Criollo (ligero, seco, volado) will be skilfully mixed and torched lengthwise to facilitate the passage of the smoke throughout the module.
Once this tripe is ready, it will be rolled in the wrapper sheet, forming what is called the “doll”. The master cigar maker can then pass the ends to the guillotine to then pass the dolls to the press of calibration during half an hour, and then to adorn them with the most beautiful of the finery: a wrapper leaf of an irreproachable perfection. The cigar is finally born.
It is only waiting for you, cigar lovers from all over the world, to be tasted and appreciated for many years to come…
We sell only cigar brands that we tried ourselves and matched our expectations.
Never get disappointed! All cigars for sale in this cigar shop have been tried by us and we can confirm a perfect smoking experience!
Get cigars delivered in protective packaging to assure best quality.
Do not worry about a loss of quality during the shipping. We assure correct packaging all the way to your door step!
Handpicked cigars to provide great taste and smoking experience at any time.
No matter if you smoke only sometimes or love to have a cigar several times a day, you will enjoy our cigars over and over again without any regrets!
Best service for committed cigar lovers like you.
Buy cigars online from guys that enjoy smoking cigars as much as you do.


Useful Facts about Rosin Press Extraction.
Rosin is the oil and concentrate that is obtained from the cannabis through the application of heat and pressure on the cannabis. The high temperature required in rosin press extraction is to make the oil liquid while the pressure being exerted is to mobilize the oil extract and the filter brings the separation of oil from the rest of the cannabis material.The process of rosin extraction liquefies and pushes out the trichomes and cannabinoids out of the cannabis material under the pressure and temperature. Rosin press extraction is factually a simple method of extraction that can be easily used to harvest oil from cannabis. The heat and pressure causes the trichome heads to release shatter, oil and butter that is laden with compounds like the terpenes and cannabinoids.
Due to the uniqueness of rosin extraction, it more often involves a series of wide experimentation with the key components before the desired final product is created. In order to gain full control and develop the needed consistency in the cannabis extraction, you need to do active exploration with the key elements of rosin extraction.Experimentation is required when using the rosin press method because each element of the cannabis exert its influence that can be felt in the quality and makeup of the end product.When more primitive devices are used for extraction, there is less control over the influence of the elements.
The process of extracting oils by use of rosin press extraction relies entirely on pressure and temperature and not solvents. Basically the moisture content inside the flowers help to decrease viscosity so that the oils can easily flow.
There is continuous improvement of the rosin press extraction through experimentation even though it was recently innovated.
In order to prevent oil from soaking and getting absorbed into the cannabis plant material, you should ensure that the humidity of the flowers is approximately 60% and by doing this you are sure of better rosin yields. Temperature is an essential component of rosin extraction which ensures the consistency of the process and should, therefore, be kept at the optimum level. The temperature best temperatures generally ranges from 150 F to 230 F for optimum yields and any temperature above 230F can damage some of the compounds in the cannabis material.
Pressure is the most basic factors in rosin press extraction, however, increasing pressure beyond the recommended levels does little to increase the oil yield. A pressure of about 550 PSI to 1000 PSI is needed for optimum oil yields from the extraction method.
The other factors that affect the quality of the final product are the strain and plant quality and the duration of extraction. In order to get the best rosin quality, you should not unnecessarily prolong extraction time and you must choose quality plants coupled with the optimum conditions.


Pentair is a leading producer of spray nozzles, pumps and related components for industrial and agricultural spraying with more than 60 years experience in manufacturing fluid handling components.
We offer a wide core range of spray nozzles as well as the ability to develop specialised nozzles to fulfil the specific and often unique requirements of our customers.
We can produce in a wide range of materials from plastics to metals and exotic alloys. Among other applications, our products are used for, evaporative cooling, dust suppression, paint pre-treatment, gas scrubbing for pollution control and crop spraying.
We can offer Roller, Centrifugal and Piston pumps from the Hypro range, diaphragm pumps from the Shurflo range and can also advise on other Pentair brands where these are more suitable.
For more details on pumps please visit hypropumps.com
As well as nozzles and pumps we offer a wide range of sprayer components such as nozzle holders, filters and valves and spraying accessories.
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Hypro branded precision engineered spray nozzles, pumps, spraying components and accessories have been sold to the world's leading manufacturers for over 60 years.
Our range of nozzles is tailored to produce the right spray pattern and spray quality for every industrial spraying application and includes; flat fan nozzles, full cone and hollow cone nozzles, the Vapro series of air atomizer nozzles and air nozzles. We manufacture in brass, stainless steel and engineering plastics such as poly acetal and PVDF.
This range means that Hypro is able to supply products to for a diverse range of spraying applications such as; washing, tank cleaning, agitation, aeration, cooling, odour control, metal finishing, humidification, fire suppression, evaporative cooling, coating, dust suppression, and etching.
Read the introduction to our Industrial Nozzle Catalogue to understand how liquid flow, spray pattern, spray angle, droplet size and spray impact all influence on the spray characteristics and therefore the nozzle type that is required.
Once a spray and nozzle type have been decided on, the nozzle material should then be chosen depending on the pressure, abrasion and chemical tolerance that is needed for the application.
The Hypro Industrial Nozzle Application Table shows the different types of Hypro nozzles, their spray characteristics, and the applications that they are typically suited to.
We can often supply additional flow rates, spray angles and materials to those that are published if your application demands them.
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Hemp comes with extreme harvesting flexibility but based on the year and the way you harvest, your growing and harvesting method can impact the quality of the hemp flower delivered for extraction.
The harvesting process
At Vantage Hemp, we prefer hemp to be harvested using one of two methods:
A critical decision – seed variety selection
Regardless of which harvest method you choose, one of the most critical decisions is seed variety selection. Choosing a variety that will perform in your geography is critical. If you are intending to sell to certain extractors, ensure that you are growing a variety from their recommended list if they have one.
Seed variety selection is so important as it strongly impacts business plans for the seller and extractor. Seed variety selection also influences the actual quality of the hemp and thus the quality of CBD manufactured. A stable and efficient seed will yield robust crops; a questionable seed can lead to failure. Good vetting of seed varieties will also mean more dependable options for the consumer; sourcing seeds with stable genetics from a consistent source is key.
With over 50 different hemp varieties to choose from, it’s critical to evaluate and verify that a seed meets standard requirements and issue certificates that assure you are buying quality seed and crop products that have met rigorous production and documentation requirements. When selecting seeds be mindful of the following:
- 1) Windrow and combine – In this method, the plant is cut and left to dry in the windrow. This natural drying method is a major cost saving for the farmer compared to hop dryers or the manual labour required in hanging. Once the crop is dry, the crop is harvested with a combine to separate the stock and flower. This method is very advantageous in lower humidity climates like Colorado.
2) Hand cut and hang dry – A more labor intensive approach, this method of harvesting ensures hemp crops dry evenly and the integrity of the cola is maintained. This is key to preserving potency, vibrancy, color, and most importantly, the quality of the finished product (isolates, distillates and oils). As acres and field sizes have grown, theis method becomes more difficult.
The most important factor: care
Care throughout the growing season is critical. Thanks to our expert team, we’re able to partner with exceptional growers who care about our bottom line to consistently deliver premium hemp biomass that are used to create exceptional CBD products for the marketplace. Our level of care and attention to detail ensures our customers get the quality they demand and expect.
Vantage Hemp operates extremely closely with our growers; our growers are experts who carefully select high quality seeds, and expertly tend to the fields during the entire growing season. We work very closely with our growers to ensure ultimate plant health, maximal CBD content, and legal THC limits throughout the harvest. Our specific multi-stage scientific process succeeds because we ensure that both we and our growers follow meticulous steps.
Vantage Hemp maintains an 100% dedication to premium quality science-driven consistency, sustainability and transparency, and commitment to positive, trustworthy relationships with our partners and community.
Do you want to learn more about what makes a quality CBD product? Check out our latest blog on the top three critical factors to ensure a quality CBD product.
For more information on Vantage Hemp, contact us at today.
- Does the breeder or seed representative have a good reputation in the industry. Be cautious of big promises that seem higher than your own past experiences.
- While some seed varieties are tested and stable, others aren’t, which means they can vary in quality and uniformity
- If a variety’s parent lines are not true breeding, then seedlings will present variations of height, bloom time, quantity and cannabinoid analysis, ranging from high CBD to high THC in the same seed lot.
- Grow multiple variety lines to hedge environmental or varietal risks.
With over 25 years of experience in sales, business development, marketing, and operations management. Christian Santi comes from a variety of industries and is no stranger to leading global supply chain organisations. Christian’s past titles range from Chief Operating Officer, Director of Channel Sales & Product Development, Executive Vice President, and most recently Director of Sales for companies such as Socati Corp, Ferrin-Tech, and Boulder Botanicals & Bioscience Laboratory. Additionally, Christian has extensive expertise in building and leading high-performance sales teams and providing analysis on client needs through a consultative approach. Christian is also well equipped to handle international markets with a background and in-depth knowledge of sourcing from China and India.


Region & Terroir
Röschitz is located in the Western part of the Weinviertel region, in the foothills of the Manhartsberg mountain ridge in Lower Austria – perfect conditions for growing wine. It may even be the best place for growing wine in the entire region.
This is due to something very special about the geology:
The Weinviertel region is mainly home to gravel, sand and loess. However, in Röschitz and its surroundings, hardly any sandy soils can be found – instead, there is arid soil over bedrock, with granite and partly covered with loess.
This is far from ideal for farming, but it proves to be an advantage for growing wine.
The crystalline bedrock in combination with a rather cool climate makes it possible to produce a particularly elegant wine with a delicious minerality. Very unique!
The vineyards are located between 250 and 360 meters above sea level. And even at the height of summer, the nights are rather cool. These changes in temperature create fruity and complex tastes – the acid typical for this region is also preserved in high gradation.
What’s more: There is hardly any rain (490 mm of precipitation per year).
The dry climate and the bedrock force the roots of the grapes to grow down deep into the soil. This leads to particularly delicate wines. You can literally taste the minerals!
Most of the vineyards the Grubers cultivate around Röschitz are there own, but they also work together with other winegrowers. Some vignettes are rather small, but the wine estate comprises a total of 150 different vineyards. This makes the harvest a true logistical challenge!
The small but crucial differences between the various vineyards, soils and micro-climates, however, ensure that the Grubers can offer unique and highly diverse wines ranging from fruity and elegant to more full-bodied ones.
Our grape varieties
Grüner Veltliner (just over 50%); Riesling, Gelber Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Welschriesling
- Reds and Rosé
Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Zweigelt and Merlot
Reipersberg is located on arid soil over bedrock (granite) – this is where the wines get their characteristic minerality. The south-facing vineyard is terraced and is home to our oldest vines, which are up to 60 years old.
In the past, the term “Point” was used to refer to the cream of the crop: Plots of land with perfect fertility.
The entire Hundspoint vineyard faces south and its thick loess soil retains the heat. This guarantees perfect ripeness of the grapes.
Königsberg is 353 meters high and located east of the village centre of Röschitz. The soil is mainly bedrock. Due to the rock weathering of granite combined with the different calcium deposits, the mineral components of the wines are highlighted.
The literal translation of this location would be “behind wood”. Wood is a popular word for forest – and as the name suggests, there is a little wood just behind the vineyard. This combination creates a very special microclimate: The temperatures during the day and at night vary more significantly and therefore strongly affect the fruits. Hinterholz is also located on soil over bedrock.
ST. LAURENT & PINOT NOIR
Literally translates as “Gallows Hill”. Until the 19th century, it really was used as a place of execution. Nowadays, Galgenberg thankfully serves as location for more pleasurable events.
Its clayey loess soil is ideal for growing red wines, such as St. Laurent and Pinot Noir. The vines have reached the ripe old age of 15 years.
In the late Middle Ages, the original term behind this word was used to describe a hidden place. This meaning is still appropriate for Lauschen as it is located in a basin with its own, well-protected microclimate. The fertile loess soil is perfect for growing Zweigelt.
The hill is located not far from the former mill in Röschitz. This vineyard is strongly sloped to the south and hosts a great number of old vines. The soil is once again bedrock – typical for Röschitz.


Between the Trees Farm
"Grown in Vermont. Better for you, better for the land."
Grass-fed Raw Milk and Pasture Raised Pork
Are you looking to improve your family's health?
Our products nourish without causing inflammation. With our grass fed raw milk in the fridge and a freezer full of pasture raised pork, you will always have the beginnings of healthy snacks and meals that your family will love.
Between the Trees Farm seeks to produce wholesome and delicious food grown in a manner that improves animal welfare, the soil, water-shed, and air quality. We breed heritage Lynch Lineback cows for our herd and seek to spread breeding stock to other small farms and homesteads. Our pigs are a cross between Mangalitsa, which is considered a delicacy, and Idaho Pasture Pigs. The farming practices we use have been proven to increase soil quality and decrease carbon footprint, while providing our animals with happy and healthy living conditions.


Friday, April 14, 2006
delicious bonza apples
Just as our garden friends in the northern hemisphere are seeing the apple blossoms appear, we down under have been enjoying different varieties of new seasons apples for a few weeks now. As we were doing our pre- easter trundle through the supermarket. We spotted them - BONZAS ! mounds of them. we just love these apples, they are described as having a sweet flavour with firm and juicy white flesh, they have a bold red blush overlaying green to yellow skin. They are quite a different taste to most of the other apples, well worth a try if you have access to them.
A little apple trivia to lighten our day
Did you know?
*There are 7000 varieties of apples grown worldwide.
*Apples float when dropped into water because the consist of 25% air.
* Over 2.6 billion apples are grown in australia each year
* Granny smith apples originated in australia. They were first grown
by Maria Anne Smith in Eastwood, Sydney in 1867.
*Apples have a dietary fibre called pectin which helps move food
through your body efficiently.
* Apples have a mineral called boron which is important to keep
your bones strong and healthy.
*Apples contain lots of antioxidents
* An apple supplies a quarter of your day's vitamin C needs.
* The longest continuous apple peel took 11 hours and 30 minutes to
remove and was 52.51 metres long!!


The roots of the shy plant Mimosa pudica emit a cocktail of small organic and inorganic sulfur compounds and reactive intermediates into the environment, including SO2, methanesulfinic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, ethanesulfinic acid, propanesulfenic acid, 2-aminothiophenol, S-propyl propane 1-thiosulfinate, phenothiazine, and thioformaldehyde, an elusive and highly unstable compound that, to our knowledge, has never before been reported to be emitted by a plant. When soil around the roots is dislodged or when seedling roots are touched, an odor is detected. The perceived odor corresponds to the emission of higher amounts of propanesulfenic acid, 2-aminothiophenol, S-propyl propane 1-thiosulfinate, and phenothiazine. The mechanosensitivity response is selective. Whereas touching the roots with soil or human skin resulted in odor detection, agitating the roots with other materials such as glass did not induce a similar response. Light and electron microscopy studies of the roots revealed the presence of microscopic sac-like root protuberances. Elemental analysis of these projections by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy revealed them to contain higher levels of K+ and Cl− compared with the surrounding tissue. Exposing the protuberances to stimuli that caused odor emission resulted in reductions in the levels of K+ and Cl− in the touched area. The mechanistic implications of the variety of sulfur compounds observed vis-à-vis the pathways for their formation are discussed.


Boy, has it been a long time since my last blog posting. I promise to do better. Life just shoots by way too fast.
We put another tough winter under our belts. I don’t know why it is but they seem to get more difficult every year. Last winter was the coldest one we’ve had in 17 years. The snow depth was not as bad as past years but it was definitely much different. It was as if we had glacier deposits around instead of just snow pack which led to the worst mud season ever. The county roads were almost impassable for weeks even in four wheel drive.
After struggling through winter’s snow, ice and cold, spring arrived as a strange dry cold which slowed the pasture grass growth considerably. We were nearly 2 weeks late in getting the yearling steers out on grass but they made up for it quickly and are seriously plump now. Last year’s yearling headed for the freezer on Tuesday. We don’t eat that much beef so we’ll trade some to a neighbor who home-raises pork.
We have been fortunate to remain busy (actually really busy) with business so I scaled back my garden plans to just tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse. I’ve always been pleased with past efforts with these two and expected similar results this year. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Early on the plants started looking pretty strange with curled leaves and stems on the tops of both the peppers and tomatoes. I quick review of my plant diseases book revealed that they were infected by a virus carried by leaf-hoppers. The books recommended removal but I wasn’t about to give up on my only crops. Another organic gardening book suggested using a foliar spray made from compost tea to improve their health so I have been giving them bi-monthly spraying. Just when things were looking better something decided to start eating the leaves. I haven’t found that culprit yet. I guess all I can say is that I’m glad that there are grocery stores around. It would be a long winter if we had to rely on what I can grow. I’m all that more impressed with folks who have found a way to grow food in this difficult climate.
In case you wondered, Phoebe the pheasant is still here though she is not as regular as she was over the winter. She stops by several times a week for a handful of sunflower seeds and cracked corn. I was not able to find a male for her in time for the breeding season but we might try again next spring. I did learn that pheasants are mostly solitary so she really doesn’t mind being alone.
Last weekend we headed to
From Fleur Creek Farm


Do you ever feel like you’re running out of things to do with the kids? I definitely have times where I wonder: what are we going to do all day?? That’s why I was so excited when Miracle-Gro offered to send us a kit of their Gro-ables seed pods to try as a part of the Gro-ables Project!
The Gro-ables Project is “a movement to share the joy of growing herbs and veggies while giving kids truly hands-on learning experiences.” It’s an opportunity to have fun AND learn valuable skills at the same time!
I don’t have much of a green thumb (at all), but Gro-ables are guaranteed to grow if you follow the directions (which are super simple—I’ll show you how!)
When it comes to activities for young kids (my oldest daughter is seven), simple is better. As far as gardening goes, it doesn’t get much simpler than this. I do have a few plants on our back patio that I have managed to keep alive, and my daughter loves to check on them with me and help water them. I knew she would be thrilled to create a garden of her own!
The weather has been pretty dreary lately, raining almost every day, so we decided to plant our garden indoors. We also decided to start with herbs, because they are generally pretty hardy and easy to maintain — perfect for kids, or gardening novices like myself.
Normally, I would be a little hesitant to try gardening with kids in my house, but Gro-ables are practically mess-free! Here is the setup for our herb garden:
- Miracle-Gro Gro-ables seed pods
- Cups (we used disposable since we might move our herbs outside when they are bigger)
- Potting mix
- Permanent marker
STEP ONE: Start by partially filling each cup with potting mix. We did this over a plastic bin to keep everything contained.
STEP TWO: Remove label and press the Gro-ables pod into the potting mix. Pour additional potting mix around the sides of the Gro-ables pod to fill the cup and gently pack.
STEP THREE: Mark each cup with the type of herb planted as you go along. Water until damp and place in indirect sunlight. Your plants should start sprouting in 1-2 weeks!
Once the weather gets nicer, we’re going to plant some of the other Gro-ables in our backyard. We’ve got cucumbers, spinach, and even jalapeños that we’re so excited to try!
Something neat that I noticed after we finished planting our herb garden is that this project taught my daughter responsibility. Every day she checks on the plants to see if they need watered. She might turn out to be a much better gardener than I!
So what are you waiting for? Click through for more information and to get started with the Gro-ables Project! Gardening with kids is a great activity to do together AND you’ll end up with herbs (or veggies) that you can use in the kitchen later!
Do you have any expert tips for newbie gardeners like us? I’d love to hear them!
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Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: animals, compost, garbage, garden, human activity, urban adventures, worms
For the past several months I’ve really been enjoying spending time with my so-called ‘garbage’. It all started when my worms got killed. My red wriggler composting worms, that is—and yes, I said ‘killed’. Well, I don’t know if they died right away, but I’m sure they didn’t live for very long.
Okay, let me back up a bit. So I’d been keeping a a small worm composting bin on the tiny covered back porch of my second-story apartment for almost two years. And then, I got it into my head to try to start gardening in the backyard, which was kind of a mess. There were tons of weeds growing in a semi-jungle environment back there, but there was also an abandoned black plastic worm bin tucked amongst the foliage. I think it’d been left by an old neighbor who’d moved away, and since my one worm bin wasn’t really big enough to ‘keep up’ with all my kitchen scraps, I decided to start a second worm composting ‘farm’ in this recovered bin.
I was very excited—I bought more worms from a local East Bay woman who sells them online and set up this second bin in the yard, since I didn’t have much more space on my back porch. After getting the worms settled in their new home, I stepped back, brushed my hands off, and grinned at the idea of fistfuls of lovely, fertilizing vermicompost, or ‘worm compost’ (basically, their poop/waste) to use in my garden someday.
I would check on the worms every few days, feed them and make sure they weren’t getting dried out—it was summer and pretty warm, and even though I had the bin in tree-shade, the worms need a moist environment or else they can shrivel up into little grayish worm carcasses. Not cute, nor very conducive to producing vermicompost!
Then one day my apartment manager (who lives off-site) called to tell me that some people would be pruning the trees in our backyard in preparation for some construction work for the building next door. ‘No problem,’ I thought. The next day, the landscapers that my landlord pays to cut down our jungle of weeds came by for their yearly clearing, which made me happy because that meant I wouldn’t have to figure out how to clear the ground for my garden, and since I was going to have all this worm compost eventually I got really excited by the possibilities.
From my apartment window, which looks out onto our terraced yard, I could see and hear the landscapers—two White guys in their late 20’s or early 30’s—buzzing away all the weeds and pruning back the trees. When it sounded like they were done, I went back there to feed and check on my worms, hoping that all the noise hadn’t sent them into shock.
But, to my surprise, my salvaged round black worm bin was nowhere to be found. I asked the landscapers, who were pretty laid-back and friendly, if they’d seen it, and they shook their heads no, but said that the maintenance guy had been around the day before, clearing stuff away and that I should call him. So I called the maintenance guy, who doesn’t speak English very well but managed to communicate to me that I should call the manager.
I was getting a little frantic by now about what might’ve happened to my worms, so I called the manager, who calmly and matter-of-factly told me, “Oh, we thought they were garbage, so we threw them away.”
I wanted to cuss her out right then and there. But instead, I patiently explained to her how worms can create compost, and how one of the reasons I was cultivating them is because she wouldn’t allow us to have the county-operated compost bins at our building. She sounded like she couldn’t believe what I was saying, but I guess I was indignant enough about it that she gave in when I asked her to reimburse me $20 for the worms that were ‘thrown away’—“killed”, I couldn’t help thinking.
Mortified and sad, I went back to the yard to report to the landscapers—whom I could tell would understand—what awful fate had befallen my worms. One of the guys’ mouths fell open in horror and he said, “They [meaning the worms] create their own eco-system in there—that’s like killing a little family!” I nodded gravely, and wondered where my worms were now. Stuck in some landfill miles away? Drying up under the hot summer sun? The thought made me shudder, but it felt better that someone else understood my pain.
A few weeks later, I also got a lot of sympathy for my murdered worms from my friend Wally, a 30-something African-American man living in East Oakland who’s an avid gardener as well as a certified master composter. Wally clutched at his chest when i told him what happened, as if he’d just heard about an incident of highly negligent parenting.
Needless to say, the landscapers’ and my friend’s reactions made me feel better, although they didn’t bring my worms back to life. I like to think that maybe they are happily living near the surface of my backyard, in some out-of-the-way spot under a tree, where they were unceremoniously dumped by the maintenance guy. But more than likely, they were thrown into the garbage, and died a not-very-pleasant death.
I did buy more worms eventually, and now have two worm bins going strong. The other silver lining to this story is that my apartment manager finally reneged and allowed our building to have the green county-provided compost bins, which means that ALL of our organic matter can be composted now (worms tend to not like or are unable to break down a lot of starchy things, citrus and meat/bones).
And lastly, I will be harvesting some crumbly, rich black vermicompost very soon, and using it on my vegetable beds. And that’s my story of how I helped turn some garbage into ‘black gold’.


Would you like to learn a knew skill so you can grow and share plants with your friends and family? What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than learning how to propagate your own plants. Sharon Barbera will take you through the basics of plant propagation, and demonstrate how so you feel confident to create your own plants.
Sharon is a horticulturist and Garden Designer with over 25 years experience working in Perth. Sharon studied Horticulture and Landscape Design and loves sharing her knowledge of plants with others. This led to her working as a plant educator, Sharon has conducted many workshops in Perth and continually delights in sharing her passion for plants with others.


Pumpkin Eater Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 I recently planted an onion that had started sprouting in the refrigerator, even after it was cut in half. I couldn't stand to throw it away when it displayed such a will to live. It's doing good, I moved it from the pot to the ground a few days ago. I'm trying to grow a pineapple from the top of one I bought a while back but it hasn't rooted yet. I need to get a fence so I can attempt a real garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Thinking of laying new turf? It’s not hard but below are 3 steps you must do to ensure the success of a new lawn.
The preparation of the area is VITAL to the success and longevity of a turf area. Too many times I have seen old turf die due to compaction, lack of water or too much traffic and new turf rolls just laid straight on top of the existing soil. Surprise, surprise, the turf dies and you’ve just thrown away hundreds of dollars. Preparation is key.
The first step after the removal of the old turf (if there’s any left!!) is cultivation and aeration of the sub-grade. For the soil to breathe and drain and for the roots of the turf to grow nice and deep, cultivation to a depth of approximately 150mm is ideal. Cultivation can be achieved by hand or for large areas with a petrol run rotary hoe. Depending on the existing soil, it is likely the addition of organic matter would be beneficial and this too cultivated into the soil. The use of a product called turf underlay is the next step to prepare you’re area for the new turf rolls. Ideally a layer of 50-100mm is required. Turf underlay is a free draining soil blend consisting of sand, soil and composted organics. A good turf underlay is also blended with a natural fertiliser additive to ensure the success of root growth all year round.
The weapon of choice to level a turf area is called a Lawn level. (Makes sense doesn’t it!?) It’s a tool that will evenly spread and level the soil to the perfect grade. At this stage of preparation, spend the time to get it perfect!! A lawn is something you want to do once. Do it properly and you’ll never have to do it again! Prepare the sub-grade to a perfectly smooth surface with a lawn level and you won’t have to spend the next few years top dressing to get rid of the uneven shallows and mounds in your lawn. You are now ready to lay.
Anyone can roll out a roll of turf, trust me, it’s not very hard. But when rolling out hundreds of rolls to achieve the perfect lawn, you are going to want it done with precision, care and the know-how of what to do to have your lawn looking like an established lawn in no time at all. The general rules are as follows:
- Lay a border around the area you are turfing. This ensures there are no little off cuts around the edges that will dry out and die. It also provides an easier edge to cut the remaining rolls into. Meaning, instead of trying to cut rolls into the base of a retaining wall for example, risking damaging the wall, you are now cutting the rolls about 400mm off the retaining wall into the border roll. Make sense?
- Stagger the rolls and butt them right up against each other. By staggering the rolls a bit like brickwork, the lines of each roll will be broken up. This helps in a few ways. It helps so when it rains the water does not flow in a straight lines through the lawn, eroding channels and creating uneven furrows in your lawn. It also helps break up the join lines visually. By butting each roll up against each other, you are reducing the gap between the rolls. This helps the rolls grow and bind into each other as well as creating no room for the soil to be exposed and susceptible to weed growth. With the rolling out of each turf roll, lightly walk on it to ensure soil to turf contact, this ensures the roots are in contact with the soil of which they will soon grow into. Cutting each roll can be done with hedging shears, secateurs or the straight edge of a shovel. Avoid small cuts as these will dry up quickly and get dislodged easily.
No water, no turf. Especially in the warmer months, new turf can dry out extremely fast. What ever the season, water the new turf as soon as it has been laid. The trick from then on is to keep the soil moist underneath the turf rolls to provide the roots with the optimum environment to grow and enter the well prepared sub-grade below. I usually recommend watering every day for the first week, ever second day the second week, every third day the third week and so on. Watering can be done by hand, with a sprinkler or an irrigation system. By the time this regime has been completed, your lawn will have well and truly establish a root system and you will no longer be able to lift the rolls of the soil. Adjust the above regime to suit the weather at the time. Obviously if its raining there is no need to water. Through this establishment period, it is best to limit the traffic to the area.
Following up from the 3 steps above, once a lawn is established it can the have its first mow. Only mow 1/3 of the blade length and gradually bring the length down each cut for the best results. A top dress can also be recommended to help fill in any lumps or bumps in the lawn, this will also give the lawn a feed and just watch how green it will go!!
Enjoy your new lawn!!
Written by Nick Mason


Dec 22 2020 Tips For Growing Aquarium Plants in Gravel Choose the right plants that can grow in gravel substrate. Not all plants might be suitable for this purpose. So the. Use gravels of 5-10 mm dia. The gravel of this size is ideal for most kinds of aquarium plants to grow. Plants hold the. Adding .
Mar 24 2021 To Plant with Gravel Start by layering the gravel anywhere from 2 to 3 inches over the aquarium floor. Make sure that you add fertilizer to the gravel first. Then fill the tank halfway with some water and add your chosen plants.
Growing aquarium plants in gravel are easy as the roots and bulbs should be gently placed in the gravel and covered on the sides to ensure proper growth. Any accessories such as rocks and furniture can then be added for a personalized touch before the tank is filled with more water.
You can mix the fertilizer with the gravel and then plant the aquatic plants or you can use liquid fertilizers. This can be done by adding a full cap of the fertilizer for every 40 liters of water. It provides the organic carbon required by plants and also helps lower the
Here are some additional tips you can use when trying to get plants to grow in gravel. Choose hardy aquatic plants that have flexible root structures. Anchor plants so they dont float away when gravel is disturbed. Use an additional substrate fine gravel material under the larger gravel that you already have.
To plant a new aquarium with a gravel substrate. Begin by layering your gravel no higher than 2 to 3 inches above the aquarium floor. Add fertilizer to the gravel then fill your tank about halfway with water before adding in the selected plants.
Oct 28 2020 Using fertilizers to gravel is an ideal way to start plants to grow as a whole. Before adding to the plants the aquarium should be filled with water about halfway. Growing gravel aquarium plants are simple as the roots and bulbs should be put in the gravel carefully and
Just make sure to put enough gravel in your tank to root your plant. You want a little under three inches around 2.5 inches to be exact and the gravel should be loosely packed as well. In short dont plant the roots deep. Give them space to grow because they will get big
Many aquarium hobbyists wonder how to plant aquarium plants in gravel and whether the plants will survive. Essentially some not all aquarium plants will thrive in gravel if planted correctly. You can follow the following steps Step-1 Layer your gravel to 2 to 3 inches above the tank floor Step-2 Add fertilizer to the gravel.
May 07 2020 Its essential to use plant growth substrate because they can absorb nutrients from the water so that your plants roots can grow for a long time. In addition dont forget to add 1.5 inch of aquarium gravel that helps to hold the plants in place for a good look.
Jan 04 2021 What do you plant aquarium plants in You have a few choices when it comes to planting live aquarium plants. You can plant the plants in a gravel substrate nutrient-rich substrate or sand substrate. Actually you should choose the substrate according to the plants youre going to plant
Apr 20 2010 When I first started with plants I could not grow HM with just plain gravel. I retried them with Mineralized soil and a layer of gravel on top and they grew nicely. Of course with my 3.45 lighting without CO2.. I also had a thousand species of algae growing all over the place just as Gfish mentioned huge algae problem .


With sporadic rain and rapidly changing climatic conditions, food security in the 21st century a major challenge. Technology has been developed to ensure that farmers are able to produce even under this unpredictable conditions, ranging from genetically enhanced seeds, drought resistant seeds, water management programs among others.
Despite these advancements, there is a need for farmers to insure their produce. At Royal Associates Insurance Brokers we have developed bespoke products like Multi-peril crop insurance to ensure that farmers are covered for any expected and unexpected loss on their produce.
What is covered?
Physical loss of or damage to growing crop directly caused by:
- Uncontrollable pest and diseases.
- Hailstone damage.
- Flooding of the crop field.
- Fire and lightning.
- Malicious damage.
- Riot and strike.
The cover can be extended to include harvested yield whilst stored at the farm or any other place of temporary storage and in transit to any recognized buyer within the country.
Wheat, Barley, Oats, Rye corn, Triticale, Canary Seed, Millet, Panicum, Sorghum, Maize, and Rice among other monocotyledon crops.
Pea, Bean, Lentil, Vetch, Canola, Kale, Mustard, Lupin, Safflower, Sunflower and Linseed among other dicotyledon crops.
Basis of Cover
Sum Insured for any crop is based on production costs or pre-agreed nominated value of harvested crop.
Basis of Claim Settlement
- Yield short fall below guaranteed level as a result of listed perils insured.
- Claims are due for payment the end of a crop season unless there is total loss happening during the insured crop planting window.
How it works
The cover pays the farmer money spent on planting or loss of income should the harvest fall below the agreed guaranteed yield. The cover can be extended to include harvested crop stored at the farm or any other temporary storage and in transit to any recognised buyer within the county.
Why should every farmer have this protection?
- Guarantees that your investment is not lost should any of the above events occur
- Secures your income by making sure you get compensated
- Your bank will consider you a better customer to lend money knowing that their money will be repaid in all circumstances. You can use your policy as part of the collateral to the bank


15+ years of teaching/research experience producing results w Developing, implementing, and overseeing research w Writing and evaluating proposals w Promoting environmental issues and awareness
PhD, Sustainable Agriculture 1995
College of Agriculture and Rural Development, University of Western Sydney, Australia
- Thesis: Systemic communication and performance: A humanist learning approach to agricultural extension and rural development.
Master of Science, Agricultural and Extension Education 1988
College of agriculture, University of Tehran, Iran
- Thesis: The role of rural and agricultural radio programs - the styles and the structure - in rural community development.
Bachelor of Science, Animal Husbandry 1984
College of Agriculture, University of Ferdosi Mashhad, Iran
- Project: Rural community’s mobilization to sustain genetic heritage in the livestock and produce organic dairy products.


The insect house creates a suitable breeding and hibernation space for beneficial insects in your garden. The inhabitants of the insect house, which are predators, help to eliminate aphids and mites, for example. Solitary bees, on the other hand, ensure high-quality pollination of tree and plant blossoms.
Info: The back is covered with a bead mesh. It is divided into three sections: For solitary bees and wasps it is filled with bamboo canes and wooden skewers with drilled holes, for sunflowers and starlings with bark and pine cones. The front section with the cones is additionally secured with string.


Category: Web development, UX/UI, Logo
Date: 25 June, 2018
VP: Charles Njoku
BlueLeaf is an agro-based startup that connects farmers and vendors or potential buyers. The goal of this project was to build a website that incorporates the brand while giving the user a unique feel of farm and farm produce. The idea was to make the website as self-explanatory as possible to eliminate any form misconception and also providing an all-embracing user interface and experience.


That’s right, it’s the best holiday on the calendar: National Potato Day! Okay, we’re kidding. But only sort of. Potatoes are a staple crop and a favorite starch of millions of people around the world.
Since their discovery by the earliest inhabitants of the Americas, potatoes have fed entire cultures. After being brought to Europe, the delicious spud rewrote the game for poorer nations and gave peasants a cheap, easy-to-grow staple crop.
While we love our potato chips, baked potatoes, French fries, and tater tots in the modern era, potatoes have been a part of human diets since 8000 BCE. Let’s take a closer look at these tasty, starchy veggies.
Potatoes in History
The first people to cultivate potatoes on purpose were the Incan people of the steppes of Peru. For thousands of years, potatoes filled the bellies of Incan society, and the ancient civilization cultivated over 4,000 species of the vegetable.
When the Spanish arrived in the region in 1536, Conquistadors invaded the region of Peru where potatoes were grown. While the Spanish’s actions in the Americas during the 16th Century could fill a book (and they have), we’ll keep this brief.
Among many other crops and precious minerals, the potato was brought back to Europe by the Spanish. Once it was introduced to the region, the people of Europe quickly learned that the spud was a cheap, easy-to-grow crop that could grow almost anywhere on Earth. As such, it quickly became a staple around the world.
This is why the potato is so common in so many different culinary traditions. In short, it’s impossible to overstate how much produce from the Americas changed European diets. Imagine Italian cuisine without tomatoes, or Russia without potatoes.
How to Observe National Potato Day
All of this is to say, there are a lot of ways to have potatoes. French fried? Love that. Hashbrowns? You bet! Baked, diced, fried, mashed, in a stew, these are all excellent ways to prepare your spuds. So, how should you enjoy National Potato Day? Any way you see fit is the right way!
Maybe you could head to your favorite fast food place and snag some French fries. Or, you could make baked potatoes at home and serve them for the family. There’s always the fan-favorite potato chip, an ever-present snack food at parties. You could even opt or something more involved, like scalloped potatoes.
No matter what you pick, you’re engaging with the ancient history of one of humanity’s most enduring staple crops.


A career in agriculture doesn’t necessarily require previous farm experience.
To address qualified worker shortages, youth groups and the University of Minnesota are working to educate students about the wide swath of careers in the agriculture industry.
About 120 middle and high school 4-H program students came to the University’s St. Paul campus last week for the inaugural Exploring Agricultural Career Day, part of a University push to teach youth about agricultural jobs. Visitors filled surveys, joined an expert panel discussion and toured the campus.
“We know that we’re not preparing our young people enough to understand the variety of careers that there are in agriculture,” said Colleen Sanders, program leader for University of Minnesota Extension. “We’re really excited about the interest that people have.”
The event was a pilot to show how other campuses in the region can connect young people to higher education opportunities in agriculture, Sanders said.
The percentage of Americans who grew up on farms has dropped drastically in the past 70 years, said Extension Specialist Josh Rice.
Some students who go into agriculture have never handled cows or other farm animals before.
“We see a lot more urban kids going into agriculturally related careers because agriculture encompasses so many different jobs that are available, whether it’s marketing, distribution, processing or the scientific aspect,” Rice said.
According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture 2014 survey, 10 percent of American farmland — about 91.5 million acres — is expected to change hands by 2019, and an increase in technology integration and advancements has also increased need for education, Rice said.
“We’re really trying to encourage [youth] to see what stuff they should need to be taking now that can help them get into college or trade school and into a career that they’re interested in,” he said. “If we want kids to be able to take over those farms and to enter into the ag businesses industry, we need to give them relevant, hands-on experiences.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 25,700 new jobs in agriculture management and business each year, as well as 14,600 in science and engineering, many of which affect Minnesota.
The ag career day is part of a bigger vision. Five years ago, regional agriculture companies found they didn’t have a ready field of future workers from universities, said Dorothy Freeman, associate dean of Extension Center for youth development and state 4-H director.
“We at 4-H needed to create opportunities,” Freeman said. “We want 70 percent of our young people that come through the 4-H program to aspire and or be ready to go onto higher education.”
While the youth group has spread into many areas like robotics and engineering, she said, 4-H has always been tied to agriculture.
Freeman said the career fair is the first step to finding and understanding agriculture careers, along with the impact agriculture has on daily life.
“When you really think about it you can’t do anything without agriculture, including brushing your teeth,” she said.
The ag career day is a good way for young people to explore different careers before going to college and spending thousands of dollars,
“Young people don’t come out of college anymore thinking that they’re going to work in a very defined box,” she said. “They come out college thinking they’re going to work the world.”