I’ve jumped on the Slimming World bandwagon and so healthy eating has never been as important to me as it is now. Filling up on fresh vegetables is one of the best ways to ensure you have a healthy diet regardless of whether you’re a Slimming World member or not – and growing your own is an incredibly satisfying way of getting your five a day.
I love growing herbs in my garden but I currently don’t have any fruit or vegetable plants, so when Parisian brand Prêt à Pousser asked me if I’d like to try one of their amazing indoor mushroom growing kits I was really excited to give it a go! The kits come in three colours/flavours – Gray Oyster, Yellow Oyster and the one I went for, Pink Oyster.
The difference between these mushrooms lies in their (natural) color and their taste:
– The gray oyster mushroom is a classic and slightly sweet
– The pink oyster mushroom is more fleshy, slightly woody and reduces less when cooked
– The yellow oyster mushroom has an odor and a taste of chestnut or hazelnut.
These French, organic mushroom kits are very easy and fun to use, so they’re perfect for newbies, families and food lovers. The mushrooms will grow in around 10 days from the day you open the box and start watering (the kit comes with a special spray and instructions – though all you need is fresh water!).
So far I have had one large crop and a few smaller mushrooms have grown since, though as you can get up to three crops from one kit I’m hoping there will be more. I’ve used the mushrooms in stir fries, salads and pasta, though they are perfect for risotto too. The taste of the pink oyster is incredibly unique and certainly nothing like the mushrooms found in local supermarkets.
This is such a fun way to grow your own vegetables and would make a lovely gift for foodies and kitchen lovers.
As Prêt à Pousser are a French brand, they are currently selling in the UK through Amazon. To take a look at their products or make a purchase head to their UK shop here.
*I was sent a kit for review but all thoughts my own*


Grow high quality produce at a reduced operating cost by adopting Near Zero Carbon (NZC) Greenhouse (GH) technology .
Market produce directly to high-end consumers/restaurants/hotels by utilizing AskNshare.net – a social network powered marketing platform .
License NZC Greenhouse technology worldwide to reduce carbon footprints globally .
In 2003, The United States only produced 9% of fresh greenhouse tomatoes consumed all over the country. Hence, the vast majority of such produce comes from abroad: Mexico and Canada.
The transportation of greenhouse tomatoes from outside our country causes higher carbon footprints, and food safety issues. Therefore, it will be vital for a cleaner environment to produce more greenhouse tomatoes in USA.
SEAT’s idea is to serve as a platform to distribute vegetables DIRECTLY to high end consumers/restaurants/hotels to reduce warehouse, transportation and marketing costs while reducing carbon footprint associated with tomatoes’ import processes.
In a conventional greenhouse, non-renewable fuel is used to generate heat during winter. During summer, electric power, which is generated primarily from coal, is used to run evaporative cooler. In an NZC greenhouse, solar PV system is used to generate more than sufficient electricity to power all equipments in the greenhouse during day.
NZC greenhouse technology presents an innovative design with Phase Change Material (PCM) based Thermal Energy System (TES) to conserve thermal energy.


A good gardening fork should slip into the soil with minimum effort. That is why the ends of the tines of this fork are shaped and sharpened, making tasks like turning soil and weeding a pleasure!
This gardening fork comes in a beautiful box and is ready to gift.
Material: stainless steel, solid brass ferrule and natural beech handle.
Dimensions (including handle): Length - 26.5cm, Width - 7.5cm
Wipe down with a warm soapy cloth after use, do not soak in water.
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Pollination is an important step in the reproduction of seed plants: the transfer of pollen grains (containing the male gametes, sperm) to the plant carpel of flowering plants, the structure that contains the ovule (which in turn houses the female gamete(s)), or directly to the ovule itself in gymnosperms. The receptive part of the carpel is called a stigma in the flowers of angiosperms. The receptive part of the gymnosperm ovule is called the micropyle. The study of pollination brings together many disciplines, such as botany, horticulture, entomology, and ecology. Pollination is important in horticulture because most plant fruits will not develop if the ovules are not fertilized. The pollination process as interaction between flower and vector was first addressed in the 18th century by Christian Konrad Sprengel.
The process of pollination requires pollinators: agents that carry or move the pollen grains from the anther to the receptive part of the carpel or pistil. The various flower traits that attract different pollinators are known as pollination syndromes. Methods of pollination, with common pollinators or plants, are:
Biotic pollination, occurs when pollination is mediated by an organism, termed a pollinator. There are roughly 200,000 varieties of animal pollinators in the wild, most of which are insects. Entomophily, pollination by insects, often occurs on plants that have developed blue petals and a strong scent to attract insects such as, bees, wasps and occasionally ants (Hymenoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera), and flies (Diptera). In Zoophily, pollination is done by vertebrates such as birds and bats, particularly, hummingbirds, sunbirds, spiderhunters, honeyeaters, and fruit Bats. Plants adapted to this strategy tend to develop red petals to attract birds and rarely develop a scent because few birds have a sense of smell.
Abiotic pollination occurs when pollination is mediated without the involvement of other organisms. Only 10% of flowering plants are able to pollinate without animal assistance. For example, anemophily is pollination by wind. This form of pollination is very common in grasses, most conifers, and many deciduous trees. Hydrophily is pollination by water and occurs in aquatic plants which release their seeds directly into the surrounding water. About 80% of all plant pollination is biotic. Of the 20% of abiotically pollinated species, 98% is by wind and 2% by water.
Pollination management is a branch of agriculture that seeks to protect and enhance present pollinators and often involves the culture and addition of pollinators in monoculture situations, such as commercial fruit orchards. The largest managed pollination event in the world is in Californian almond orchards, where nearly half (about one million hives) of the US honey bees are trucked to the almond orchards each spring. New York's apple crop requires about 30,000 hives; Maine's blueberry crop uses about 50,000 hives each year.
Bees are also brought to commercial plantings of cucumbers, squash, melons, strawberries, and many other crops. Honey bees are not the only managed pollinators: other species of bees are also raised as pollinators. The alfalfa leafcutter bee is an important pollinator for alfalfa seed in western United States and Canada. Bumblebees are increasingly raised and used extensively for greenhouse tomatoes and other crops.
The ecological and financial importance of natural pollination by insects to agricultural crops, improving their quality and quantity, becomes more and more appreciated and has given rise to new financial opportunities. The vicinity of a forest or wild grasslands with native pollinators near agricultural crops, such as apples, almonds or coffee can improve their yield by about 20%. The benefits of native pollinators may result in forest owners demanding payment for their contribution in the improved crop results - a simple example of the economic value of ecological services.
The American Institute of Biological Sciences reports that native insect pollination saves the United States agricultural economy nearly an estimated $3.1 billion annually through natural crop production; pollination produces some $40 billion worth of products annually in the United States alone.
Pollination of food crops has become an environmental issue, due to two trends. The trend to monoculture means that greater concentrations of pollinators are needed at bloom time than ever before, yet the area is forage poor or even deadly to bees for the rest of the season. The other trend is the decline of pollinator populations, due to pesticide misuse and overuse, new diseases and parasites of bees, clearcut logging, decline of beekeeping, suburban development, removal of hedges and other habitat from farms, and public paranoia about bees. Widespread aerial spraying for mosquitoes due to West Nile fears is causing an acceleration of the loss of pollinators.
The US solution to the pollinator shortage, so far, has been for commercial beekeepers to become pollination contractors and to migrate. Just as the combine harvesters follow the wheat harvest from Texas to Manitoba, beekeepers follow the bloom from south to north, to provide pollination for many different crops.
Pollinators and pollenizers
Pollination also requires consideration of pollenizers. (The terms "pollinator" and "pollenizer" are often confused: a pollinator is the agent that moves the pollen, whether it be wind, bees, bats, moths, or birds; a pollenizer is the plant that provides the pollen.) Some plants are self-fertile or self-compatible and can pollinate themselves. Other plants have chemical or physical barriers to self-pollination and need to be cross-pollinated: with these self-infertile plants, not only pollinators must be considered but pollenizers as well. In pollination management, a good pollenizer is a plant that provides compatible, viable and plentiful pollen and blooms at the same time as the plant that is to be pollinated.
Pollination can be cross-pollination with a pollinator and an external pollenizer, self-pollenization with a pollinator, or self-pollination without any pollinator:
- Cross-pollination (syngamy): pollen is delivered to a flower of a different plant. Plants adapted to outcross or cross-pollinise have taller stamens than carpels to better spread pollen to other flowers.
- Self-pollenization (autogamy): pollen moves to the female part of the same flower, or to another flower on the same individual plant. This is sometimes referred to as self-pollination, but this is not synonymous with autogamy. Clarity requires that the term "self-pollination" be restricted to those plants that accomplish pollination without an external pollinator (example: the stamens actually grow into contact with the pistil to transfer the pollen). Most peach varieties are autogamous, but not truly self-pollinated, as it is generally an insect pollinator that moves the pollen from anther to stigma. Plants adapted to self-fertilize have similar stamen and carpel length.
- Cleistogamy: pollination that occurs before the flower opens is always self-pollination. Some cleistogamous flowers never open, in contrast to chasmogamous flowers that open and are then pollinated. Cleistogamous flowers must of necessity be self-compatible or self-fertile plants. Other plants are self-incompatible. These are end points on a continuum, not absolute points.
Peaches are considered self-fertile because a commercial crop can be produced without cross-pollination, though cross-pollination usually gives a better crop. Apples are considered self-incompatible, because a commercial crop must be cross-pollinated. Remember that most fruits are grafted clones, genetically identical. An orchard block of apples of one variety is in effect all one plant. Growers now consider this a mistake. One means of correcting this mistake is to graft a limb of an appropriate pollenizer (generally a variety of crabapple) every six trees or so.
Honey bee pollination
Honey bees travel from flower to flower, collecting nectar (later converted to honey), and pollen grains. The bee collects the pollen by rubbing against the anthers. The pollen collects on the hind legs, in dense hairs referred to as a pollen basket. As the bee flies from flower to flower, some of the pollen grains are transferred onto the stigma of other flowers.
Nectar provides the energy for bee nutrition; pollen provides the protein. When bees are rearing large quantities of brood (beekeepers say hives are "building"), bees deliberately gather pollen to meet the nutritional needs of the brood. A honey bee that is deliberately gathering pollen is up to ten times more efficient as a pollinator than one that is primarily gathering nectar and only unintentionally transferring pollen.
Good pollination management seeks to have bees in a "building" state during the bloom period of the crop, thus requiring them to gather pollen, and making them more efficient pollinators. Thus the management techniques of a beekeeper providing pollination services are different from, and somewhat incompatible with, those of a beekeeper who is trying to produce honey.
Other species of bees differ in various details of their behavior and pollen-gathering habits, and it should be remembered that honey bees are not native to the Western Hemisphere; all pollination of native plants in the Americas has been historically performed by various native bees.
Number of hives needed per acre (4,000 m²) of crop pollination
- Apples: 1–2
- Blueberries: 4
- Cantaloupe: 2–4
- Cucumber 1–2
- Squash: 1
- Watermelon: 1–3
It is estimated that about one hive per acre will sufficiently pollinate watermelons. In the 1950s when the woods were full of wild bee trees, and beehives were normally kept on most South Carolina farms, a farmer who grew ten acres (40,000 m²) of watermelons would be a large grower and probably had all the pollination needed. But today's grower may grow 200 acres (800,000 m²), and, if lucky, there might be one bee tree left within range. The only option in the current economy is to bring beehives to the field during blossom time.
Source: Delaplaine et al. 1994, Bee pollination of Georgia crop plants. CES Bulletin 1106.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to pollination.|
- Fruit tree pollination
- Hand pollination
- List of plants pollinated by bees
- Pollination syndromes
- Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser - A Supreme Court of Canada lawsuit involving a farmer who was sued by Monsanto for having genetically modified plants on his farm. The farmer claimed that the wind blew the seeds onto his land, and therefore did not violate any patents.
- US Forest Department: Pollinator Factsheet
- BioScience, April 2006, Vol. 56 No. 4, pp. 315-317
- Dafni, Amots; Kevan, Peter G.; and Husband, Brian C. (2005). Practical Pollination Biology. Enviroquest, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9680123-0-7.
|40x40px||Look up pollination in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.|
- New "Pollinator Garden Wheel" from the National Academies provides information on pollination and tips on building a pollinator-friendly garden.
- Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants by S. E. McGregor USDA 1972 (needs updating but still valuable)
- The Pollination Home page
- Pulse of the Planet description of buzz pollination
- Pollination syndromes images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
ar:تلقيح bs:Oprašivanje bg:Опрашване ca:Pol·linització cs:Opylení da:Bestøvning de:Bestäubung eo:Polenado fa:گردهافشانی gl:Polinización hr:Oprašivanje id:Penyerbukan it:Impollinazione he:האבקה lt:Apdulkinimas nl:Bestuiving no:Pollinering nn:Pollinering simple:Pollination fi:Pölytys sv:Pollinering uk:Запилення


The Ohio Program
An International Exchange Program of The Ohio State University specializing in Internships for Horticulture, Agriculture and Turf Grass.
We strive to provide the best opportunities for on-the-job training and internships for specially selected foreign and American agricultural and horticultural students. Our goal is to promote the general interest of international exchange in the field of agriculture and horticulture. We work with hundreds of companies in the USA to provide the best possible placements.
Our inbound program offers J1 visa internships in the USA in Horticulture, Agriculture and Turfgrass (golf courses).
Our outbound program offers internships for Americans in many overseas countries. These internships may take place in horticulture, agriculture and similar fields.
Browse our website to understand our offer better, see the galleries. If you believe this program is right for you, apply online.
See our informational video, to quickly learn more.
Not sure why to participate in an exchange program? Check this out.
Why to choose The Ohio Program? Review this page.
ISIC cards offered by The Ohio Program:
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Wandin Valley Farms is one of the largest growers of premium cherries in Australia. From it’s early beginnings in 1984 the major focus has been to produce the highest quality grade of cherries exhibiting great colour, flavour and size.
Wandin Valley Farms is owned by the Sebire family, a family that has a long and successful history of exceptional orchard management and quality fruit growing.
We have a strong belief that environmental sustainability is of the utmost importance for our future. Australia experiences harsh temperate climatic conditions and the management of our water resource is of the utmost importance. This, together with the sustainability of our land, is at the forefront of our business principles both now and for our continued growth in the years to come.
Wandin Valley Farms were named 'Victorian Regional Exporter of the Year' in the Governor of Victoria Export awards in 2013.
And this year- 2015 - 'Victorian Agribusiness Award'


Green Cert delays causing problems for young farmers – Gallagher
Senator Robbie Gallagher has raised the issue in Seanad Eireann of delays for young farmers in the region in accessing the Green Cert course which qualifies them for a range of entitlements. Senator Gallagher told Minister Michael Creed that there are 605 students on a waiting list for the Green Cert course in Ballyhaise Agricultural College.
He said, ” There are 605 on the waiting list for the Green Cert in Ballyhaise. There are already 460 students completing Part Time and Distance education programmes and a commitment to a further 105 students to start these programmes before the end of 2016. To in order to accommodate students on the waiting list Teagasc requires sanction of temporary education staff on a two year contract basis as the contracts for some of the existing temporary staff are due to expire by the end of 2016.”
“As Teagasc currently has no commitment on educational staff for 2017 from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, they are unable to plan any further Part-Time and Distance Education courses at this time until the staffing situation is resolved.
I have heard from a number of constituents – young farmers who are concerned and frustrated about the delay in accessing a Green Cert course. They say that the delay is causing them several difficulties. This is an issue for the agricultural community across the border and midlands counties and also no doubt across the country,” he continued.
“A major part of ongoing farm modernization and development has been the education of young farmers in our agricultural colleges. The Green Cert qualifies a person as a ‘trained farmer’. This could be in horticulture, agriculture, forestry or equine studies. It is first and foremost about education. Having a ‘Green Cert’ is also one of the conditions of stamp duty exemption on the transfer of a farm to a son or daughter. It also meets the criteria for schemes or grants that may be available from time to time – such as the Young Farm Scheme and some horticulture grants. In other words it is incentivized education. It has been very successful in educating young farmers, improving farm practice and incentivizing succession on farms. The contribution by the agricultural community to the economy of this country is immense. Thousands of jobs depend on it.”
“At the very foundation of its success are the primary producers, the farmers working the land, milking the cows, growing the crops. We can all see how agriculture has developed and changed over the decades. Our farmers and our agribusinesses compete on global markets. Each generation of farmers brings new methods, better ways of doing things.
Education and the Green Cert is central to all this. I have called on the Minister to sanction the funding for the colleges to put the required staff in place without delay.”


Wow, what a busy month we have had!
We sang at the opening of the new Sumner Library, and our tamariki did a great job singing their hearts out to the public, so proud of you all 🙂
We went on a Transition to school visit, to Sumner school and experienced what school will be like, met the teachers and our fellow students.
A special visit from the SPCA, they were teaching us about how to approach and care for animals. Such a great experience for all of our children, thank you to the SPCA for taking the time to come visit us.
And, we have spent time with one of our Grandparents preparing and planting our vegetable garden ready for spring time. We are excited about getting to harvest our own grown kai.


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Most people are taught to believe free markets are a form of social Darwinism; the theory that everyone fights for what they get and only the strongest survive. In our American system of free markets, cooperation is the key. This means voluntary exchanges are made between consenting parties. You can only do something in a market system that other people want. This maximizes the efficiency of resource use. As farmers this means we take care of our land, our animals, our water and our families to produce what consumers want to eat and at a price they are willing to pay. Free markets do work. We have made a successful living as farmers for 33 years doing just that.
We chose as a matter of principle not to participate in any government farm programs. We made that decision years ago and have never regretted it. We have never accepted a subsidy payment (and we do grow wheat) a crop disaster payment (we lost our berry field to frost damage one year) and have spent our own money protecting our riverbottom land from being washed away during winter floods.
One of the agricultural groups to which we belong defines a family farm as “a form of business enterprise in which the entrepreneurial decisions (what shall we produce? how much? for whom?) are made by a family engaged in the production of food, feed, fiber, forest products and/or flora for profit which provides a major source of income and capital for reinvestment”. This is an important distinction compared to the Five Year Farm Bills that are routinely passed by Congress.
Most people assume all farmers are subsidized by the federal government. Variations of government “solutions” to guarantee farmers “a fair price in the market place” involve only 10 commodities. However, they happen to be the largest and involve the majority of farmers so everyone is thrown into the same barrel. These 10 commodities include feed grains, wheat, field corn, soybeans, rice, tobacco, sugar, peanuts, cotton and dairy. This means over 200 other crops do not receive direct government support. Family farms growing fruits, vegetables, essential oils, herbs, meats, poultry, grass seed, Christmas trees, flowers, and so forth, are busy taking care of their resources of land, water and labor. They don’t have time nor do they think about traveling to Washington to ask for special favors and privileges.
Government programs tend to create far more problems than they “solve”, or, as Ludwig von Mises says: “Government intervention always breeds economic dislocations that necessitate more government intervention”. For example, the government guarantees dairy farmers a price for their milk. Consequently, stockpiles of milk and cheese during the early 1980’s were creating huge storage costs to taxpayers. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented a dairy herd buy-out program to decrease the amount of milk produced. They bought entire dairy herds and sold them for meat in direct competition with livestock producers. This flooded the market; meat prices dropped below the cost of production; and many livestock producers went out of business.
Another example (and there are many!) of this economic dislocation are the target prices government sets for feed grain and wheat farmers. This target price is what “farm policy experts” say is necessary to cover production costs. If market prices drop below the government target price, the government pays the difference in a direct subsidy (cash payment). Instead of cutting back production, these farmers plow and plant every available acre of land. What happened? They produced a surplus. Too much wheat! What to do? The government then created a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) similar to the Soil Bank years ago to take land (which should not and probably would not have been plowed) out of production. The government pays these farmers “rent” for CRP land. This created additional economic dislocations. Many younger farmers looking for land to rent couldn’t find it because it was enrolled in this “set-aside”.
Many dairy farmers justify the government guaranteed price for milk they produce is necessary because of the large investment they have in cows and dairy equipment. If this were true, then berry growers, orchardists and vintners would have the same argument. And, in some cases, these growers wait five years before they can harvest a crop. A dairy cow will produce milk the first year. The government does not guarantee these farmers a price for their berries, their fruits and nuts or their grapes. Why continue subsidies for dairy?
One of the crops we grow is an excellent example of market competition. We grow peppermint for oil. We harvest the leaves and stems and distill the oil. We have competition from other areas within Oregon, other states and foreign countries. We compete with artificial flavorings. The price of peppermint oil is not guaranteed by the government. Because price determines supply and demand, the price will vary from $8.00 to $20.00 a pound for oil. When prices are low, we produce less; when prices are high, we produce more. The key to our success in growing peppermint for the market (and we have been doing so for 21 years) is QUALITY and our ability to grow above average yields per acre for less cost. As soon as we sell our oil, it is delivered to the buyer and we receive our money. Many fruit, vegetable, seed and specialty crops and livestock are grown the same way.
This would work for dairy, wheat, tobacco, peanuts, and so on. Unfortunately, farmers who grow these crops have been “protected” from direct competition for so long they have no understanding of, appreciation for, or confidence in a market economy.
When Jerry and I started farming in 1961, everyone told us we were crazy (in much nicer words of course) and that we would never make it. Neither one of us came from farm families. Jerry’s dad worked in the woods and plywood mills in Cottage Grove; my dad was an optician in an Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Salem. We didn’t have any experience nor were we enrolled in any flag courses in school. We did have a strong work ethic. We understood the difference between “spending money” and “working capital” (money that was invested back into the farm). We had an excellent banker (we have always borrowed our money from a commercial bank as opposed to a government lending institution) who gave us sound advice and insisted on a detailed budget. We had good neighbors who gave us lots of help and advice. And, we learned from our mistakes. We decided from the beginning we wanted to be flexible, take advantage of market opportunities and not be locked into a static, government mandated farm program. We raised two children and provided jobs for many other family and friends’ children during the summers hoeing weeds, changing irrigation pipe and picking berries. It was an opportunity to teach our children a work ethic, to be responsible, and know they were an important part of our family. We started with 10 acres of strawberries on rented ground and now own and farm 1500 acres of riverbottom land along the Willamette River. We have grown green beans, carrots, cauliflower, table beets, blackberries, alfalfa, barley, sweet corn, wheat and peppermint for oil. We have made our entire living farming; we have been successful and appreciate the challenge of farming for the market.
We are a minority in the farm community and not popular with those who do participate and stubbornly justify these farm programs. We have decided it is time to speak up. Government payments, no matter how they are justified, are welfare checks. They eliminate the responsibility on the part of the receiver to be efficient, to be accountable, to be flexible and to make the management choices necessary in a market economy. It eliminates the voluntary exchanges between consenting parties. A free market is more chaotic and it is more of a personal risk (we can always fail) but the rewards of self-determination and self-respect are worth it.
Farm families who work together and worship together develop a dignity that is born of honesty, self-respect, determination and hard work. Government programs do not support or encourage these values. Generations of farm families have cared for their land, their crops, their animals and each other. They have accomplished this without the “help” of government farm programs or mandates from well-intentioned, uninformed activist groups. These values founded a nation, guided its growth and, if given a chance, will determine its future.


Local Hunter initiative Victory Gardens is all about showcasing how bringing small, edible gardens into urban spaces can benefit office staff, apartment dwellers and the broader community alike.
Founded by Justine Ulph, she is passionate about the underlying concept that drives the business.
“In an attempt to alleviate food shortages during war times, allied governments campaigned to encourage their citizens to plant a ‘victory garden’ either in their own yards or in public spaces,” Justine said.
“While today’s challenges may be different, there is a need to build resilience and resourcefulness in our cities around growing food. Issues related to food security, food miles and the quality of the fresh food is forcing us to look at how and from where we source our food and the environmental impacts of that.”
“Combine this with the pressures of greater urban density and our green spaces become even more vital for our health and wellbeing,” Justine continued.
Victory Gardens offers a range of transportable, self watering products, together with design and engagement consultancy services, to turn otherwise under-utilised spaces to productive places in residential, commercial, health and ageing and public domains.
“Businesses who are interested in social responsibility and occupational health and safety can convert idle balconies or courtyards to relaxing spaces where staff can actively tend to a garden to de-stress, take a break from their desk, and grow part of their lunch.”
This can be managed under the watchful eye of the Victory Gardens team Justine Ulph and Jackie Sargeant who provide ongoing seasonal maintenance services.
As an example of a victory garden in practice, staff of the NSW Health Pathology head office in Newcastle East were keen to maximise their large balcony space and saw a garden as a place to nurture, build team spirit and relax in.
Spokesperson for NSW Health Pathology Maureen Ryan said they saw is as an opportunity to make their balcony area a more varied and enticing space.
“The Victory Gardens team have done a fantastic job in helping to add colour and interest to the area,” Maureen said.
“The garden has become very much a team activity, with everyone getting involved with watering the plants and keeping them healthy. We’ve set up a roster and there’s even an official “watering stick” which passes from team to team.”
“There are so many benefits we’ve seen. Harvesting food and herbs from the garden not only gives staff access to fresh produce, but also lures them away from their desks to socialise in the sunlight and fresh air. Also, with everyone taking turns to look after the garden, people have developed ownership and an interest in the plants and enjoy the opportunity to be out there. Not everyone is a gardener, so it’s been a new experience for a number of them.”
Newcastle is no stranger to meaningful social enterprise, with initiatives such as Renew Newcastle placing the city at the forefront of Australian social innovation. Victory Gardens folds neatly into this milieu, providing further opportunities for local people to engage in green spaces that benefit themselves and their local community.
Image | Jackie & Justine undertake a fitout
Victory Gardens offers a range of products and services to make any space, whether its a balcony, rooftop, parklet or courtyard, a productive edible garden.


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Lawn Care in Minneapolis
Lawn mowing is an important part of lawn care, but it’s certainly not the only part. Our Minneapolis lawn care experts make sure that your lawn is healthy every time they come to visit, and make a priority of keeping your grass healthy – which is the key to a green, luscious lawn.
On top of that, our experts also make sure that your lawn looks amazing when they’re finished, with carefully cut lines and grass that is evenly cut on every part of your yard. We got this… that’s why they call us “Worry Free.”
We want to give our fellow Twin Cities residents and commercial businesses the best lawn care Minneapolis has to offer. We have great lawn mowing rates, and can fit the mowing on a “worry free” basis with reliably scheduled weekly mowings (check out our Lawn Mowing page).
We also do Spring and Fall lawn clean up, sidewalk edging, yard trimming, and other types of seasonal lawn service MN yards need – whether it’s for your home or commercial business.
Here are the main Minneapolis Lawn Care and Lawn Maintenance services we offer
Lawn Mowing / Lawn Care Services
Whether you want lawn mowing service done on a weekly or biweekly basis, we will make sure that our lawn care service keeps your yard in good shape and that it’s the look and length that you want.
Walkway and Garden Edging
There’s nothing that makes your yard look better than the rest more than a perfectly straight edge along the sidewalks and walkways, so let us manicure your lawn and we’ll get it dressed to impress.
Yard Trimming and Blowing
These services will ensure that the parts of your lawn which the mower can’t reach are taken care of (like under bushes and lawn ornaments), and that no grass clippings will be left on your walkways.
Spring and Fall Cleanup
These can be pretty time consuming jobs, and who likes raking for hours? That’s why we recommend letting us take the hassle away, and make sure that your yard is ready to grow in the Spring, and sleep in the Fall.
Dethatching is vital for the health of your lawn. Our lawn care experts will make sure your lawn’s roots are protected the right way so you can have a greener and more luscious lawn this season.
Garden Maintenance / Planting
We don’t just take care of lawns and landscaping. We can also help you prepare your garden space, plant vegetables and flowers, and maintain your garden.
If keeping your hedges trimmed and healthy feels like too much work for your precious weekend hours, let us keep your hedges at a good length and shape all summer long.
Yard aeration (aka core aeration) is an often- overlooked service that is extremely important for your lawn’s health, so make sure that you give us a call to aerate your lawn and make sure it’s getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
In landscaping and garden areas, mulching is important for both the plants and the overall appearance, so let us know where you want us to mulch and we’ll make sure it gets done for you.
We’ll make sure your home or commercial property’s walkways, driveways, and sidewalks are cleared of snow for safety and convenience. Whether it’s snow plowing or snow blowing, we’ll get it done quickly and efficiently on a snow removal service that’s right for you.
Worry Free Lawn Care is the Best Choice for Minneapolis Residents
Lawn care, with top-notch service, quality products and competitive pricing. With a custom-tailored program designed to improve the beauty of your lawn and satisfaction guarantees, you can trust us to take care of all your lawn needs. Call us today to learn more and get a free quote!
We proudly serve the following communities:
Minneapolis, St Paul, Bloomington, Edina, Columbia Heights, Inver Grove Heights, Maplewood, Mendota Heights, New Brighton, and Richfield


New Moon - Full Moon : Sow, Transplant,
bud and graft.
Full Moon - New Moon : Plow, Cultivate,
weed and reap.
New Moon - First Quarter : Good for Planting
with outside seeds, flowering annuals.
First Quarter - Full Moon: Good for planting
above ground crops
with inside seeds.
Full Moon - Last Quarter : Good for
planting root crops, bulbs,
biennials, and perennials.
Last Quarter - New Moon : Do Not Plant
You may also plant by Zodiac phases. Using both
you could end
up with a very fruitful garden, be it, flowers, trees, food, or herbs.


Limited drop-in activities are available through October.?All registered programs are virtual. Learn more about kids and family activities through NYBG at Home for Kids & Families.
Craft Your Own Garden Adventures
Every day at the Garden families can embark on an exciting adventure to discover the world of plants. Each season brings new opportunities to explore and to make lifelong connections with nature.
Drop-In Gardening Activities
Explore the Edible Academy’s fall bounty with a scavenger hunt and learn how we prepare the garden for the winter season ahead. Discover how to collect and save seeds with your own take-home seed packet, and spread out and relax under our colorful umbrellas on the Burke Amphitheater lawn.
Drop-In Nature Exploration
When the Garden fully reopens, the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden will welcome visitors of all ages to a playful space. Here there are countless opportunities for all children of all ages to explore the wonders of science and nature.
Birthday parties at the Garden are fun and educational, offering full packages including instructor-led activities, party materials, food and drinks, and more!
Registered Family Programs
Learn about science, nature, and gardening, in a series of live, online workshops. More than a dozen virtual field trips are available.
These fun, interactive live workshops led by NYBG educators allow children to experience—and ask questions about—the woodlands, wetlands and meadows around the Garden, as well as our collection of desert plants in the Conservatory.


Scientific feeding of shrimp through pellet feed is a part of Aquaculture. The shrimp's survival rate, growth rate, FCR values are to a great extent dependent on good feed and proper water management. Daily monitoring of pH, salinity, temperature, dissolved Oxygen content and adjustments to optimum levels are important factors in water management. These parameters greatly help shrimp farmers to achieve maximum production. Whenever there is a need, the feed is to be supplemented with different feed additives in powder form to achieve desirable results in culture.
NutriGel-P is the most advanced formulation for use as a binding agent to pelleted feeds.
NutriGel-P-FS is an excellent binding agent to use feed additives in powder form, for supplementation along with pelleted feeds to achieve growth promotion, higher efficiency in F.C.R, and to prevent stress and disease in Aquaculture.
NutriGel-P provides necessary binding for the supplemented feed additives preventing any wastage or leaching of active ingredients.
NutriGel-P as a binder has excellent water stability and ensures efficient feed consumption and reduces feed wastage.
NutriGel-P produced after extensive research and field trials under strict quality control has excellent stability in water by not polluting the water quality or aggravating the pond bottom.
NutriGel-P has attractive taste, flavour and palatability, so that the pelleted feed can be consumed quickly with minimum loss of nutrients.
NutriGel-P used along with the pelleted feed keeps good pond water quality and ensures most efficient growth of prawn without any diseases.
NutriGel-P is applied on feed pellets along with feed additives, shade dry and broadcast. 20 to 30 ml of NutriGel-P is advocated per kg of pellet feed or as advised by aquaculture consultant.
Presentation : 500 ml and 1.0 lit.
For use in Aquaculture Industry (Including Academic and Research Institutions & Universities etc)


(RxWiki News) A new study may lead to non-medicinal methods for eradicating the invasive E.coli bacterium.
Researchers at the French National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA) and the Université de Montréal are the first to show how the bug is able to survive in a cow's intestine by scavenging specific food sources.
Outbreaks involving E.coli O157:H7, which causes Hamburger Disease (a type of food poisoning), have been associated with direct contact with the farm environment and the consumption of meat, raw milk and dairy products. Hamburger Disease, otherwise known as haemolytic uremic syndrome, affects 2 to 4 people per 100,000 internationally.
“Reduction or eradication of E.coli O157:H7 in cows will lead to a substantial decrease in food contamination and consequential human infections" said Josée Harel, co-author of the study and director of the Groupe de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses du Porc at the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
Researchers determined E.coli O157:H7 has specific genes that make it able to process ethanolamine as a source of nitrogen (allowing it to survive).
"This new-found knowledge will help us select appropriate feed or probiotics in an attempt to eliminate the food source of this contaminating bug,” said Harel. “This in turn, should limit the spread of this bug into the food chain."


James Alexander Michie: Rise attraction for cannabis as a new commercial crop | CBC News
Author: James Alexander Michie
It has also been said that currently greenhouse producers have taken advantage of cannabis and so the vegetable growers have set their sights on what is now established as a new commercial crop, but it should be noted that due to this, civilizations could present difficulties in providing resources.
It is already known that at some point various foods have decreased in terms of popularity, which is not currently the case of cannabis since it is becoming famous and similarly increases its popularity in the business of agriculture, this has been brought up by the mayor of Leamington, Ontario, who says that there has been an increase in the number of fruit and vegetable farmers who are switching to cannabis or failing to add to their crop production. In the same way, John Paterson has expressed “The greenhouse industry has grown steadily over the last 50 years, the cannabis industry has been like that” and he said, “It’s only one night”.
For its part, it should be noted that municipalities deliberate on the effect that cannabis crops could have and how they could influence the property tax.
In the midst of all this, it has been said that legalization is looming, while Canada’s marijuana companies are about to be tested, while licensed marijuana growers are facing a contest between them to obtain more cannabis in the pipeline, since the shortage of supply is already being forecast for the first year after the legalization of the recreational boat on October 17.
The mayor of Leamington, John Paterson, has also expressed on the subject that “It is a bit strange the way things have been happening lately”, he added. “When a new greenhouse is built, the cannabis industry enters and says: ‘We would like to buy your plant and plant cannabis’ “.
Opinions on the subject have not stopped and Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers CEO Joe Sbrocchi has said that the agricultural sector is on an increased level “Our estimates show that we will see an increase of almost two percent in the number of acres that will come this year, and that’s for vegetable production”.
Source: Dianne Buckner | CBC News


When I was a boy my grandparents lived in a succession of small western Tennessee towns. The names of the towns were typical and prosaic—Edith, Ripley, Dyersburg—but my siblings and I had a field day when they moved to a spot called Frogjump. We’d visit in summer, and the funniest thing to us was that we found the place to be truly almost infested with frogs. I was young and nothing of a naturalist or explorer at the time, so I don’t know if it was because there were nearby creeks or ponds, but there were frogs everywhere. My grandfather was the Baptist minister, and we attended church twice every Sunday. In the cool of the settling evening after late services, the local boys occupied themselves with catching frogs and hurling them to their deaths against the stone walls of the church.
My grandmother always kept a garden, but her garden in Frogjump is the one I remember most vividly. Maybe it’s because it was more successful than others. For one thing, she got a bumper crop of cucumbers one year. I would go out with her in the afternoon and while she weeded I would lift leaves and scrounge until I found a cucumber. It was a thrill, finding the big vegetables, all dusty and covered with scratchy prickles. And it was a thrill when she’d say to me, ‘Another one! Look at you! You’re so good at finding them!’ I was good at finding them. It was my special skill, my first indication that I was going to enjoy gardening, that I was going to be good at it.
When I was older and had homes of my own, I always put in a garden. Whether large or small, I always feel best when there is something that I am growing. Which is a funny expression in itself, because nobody truly grows anything. They just initiate the process by putting seeds in likely soil, watering that soil, and waiting for sunshine and warmth to have their effect. But again, I always feel best when I am participating in that process. It’s semantics, I guess.
But what stood out mostly for me is the fact that in general, I wasn’t that good at it. I didn’t take seriously the need to prepare the soil properly. I was impatient and would plant seeds that called for warm soil weeks before it was time. I’d complain to anyone who would listen about the bad seeds I had bought, secretly knowing the seeds had probably been just fine until I had consigned them to a frosty death in early March. I didn’t fertilize much, so plants that did grow were reluctant to produce any vegetables or fruit. And weeding was a chore I never took seriously, even though if I harked back to memories of my grandmother, weeding was the activity I saw her do the most in her gardens.
I eventually learned. I had some good teachers, and I read a lot. I have had plenty of successful gardens. I have learned that gardening is one of the most seasonal of activities. We mostly think of it as spring planting and summer’s abundance. But in autumn, after everything has been picked, the process of turning the soil begins. Even in the winter months, on any day warm enough to allow, you can be out there checking on the soil, tilling it one more time, getting it ready for spring planting.
Harvesting, the actual thrill of picking ripe vegetables, occupies less of your time than any other gardening activity, although to most of us, it is the payoff. And that’s what else I have learned. To experienced gardeners, every step is part of the payoff. All the preparation of the soil, laying out rows, patiently waiting to put in the seeds or bedding plants at the proper time, each step is gratifying and understood to be part of what leads to the harvest. Picking those cucumbers is the delight of children, and of fond grandmothers who seek to encourage little boys.


Farm Expert 2019
- Europe exclusive
- MSRP: $29.99
- Released: September 24, 2020
- Genre: Lifestyle, Simulation
- Number of players:
- Offline: 1
- Publisher: Funbox Media
- Download size: 271 MB
- Play modes: TV, Tabletop, Handheld
- Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional)
|From 3rd party seller: $59.99|
Price historyAll time low: $9.99
Farm Expert 2019 for Nintendo Switch™ includes over 20 unique agricultural machines and four open worlds, as well as over 50 hours of gameplay. Drive machines, manage resources and experience a broad selection of agricultural activities.
You can plough, fertilise, harvest grain, breed cows, grow fruit orchards and buy and sell resources.
Now playable in Tabletop Mode and TV Mode in addition to Handheld Mode.
• Over 20 agricultural machines • Four game worlds (American, British, German, Spanish) • Over 50 hours of gameplay • Cow breeding, comprehensive field labour and fruit-growing • A store to buy necessary materials and machines • ...and much more!


Historic Stetson Creek Ranch
The ranch dates back to at least 1865, when Mr. W. O. Taylor used the ranch for grazing livestock.
In 1885 it was owned by the notorious cattle rustler James McHaney. He used his various mountain properties to hide cattle that had been stolen from other ranchers.
In the early 1900's it was homesteaded by Richard Stetson, who with his family planted the many magnificent apple trees you see here today! The photograph above shows the ranch in 1920, and part of the well established orchard. Fred Hill later owned it and also grew apples here.
The ranch has also been a Boy Scout camp, and an equestrian camp. However all of the owners have respected the natural beauty and the history of the ranch, and it remains much as it has been for the past century.
Our apple varieties are the same ones that your great-grandmother used in her family recipes. Our Winesap, red delicious and Red McIntosh apples as well as countless others are wonderful for fresh eating. The majority of our orchard are three varieties of Romes. And these are, in our opinion, the best baking apple there is. And fresh ff the tree, they are marvelous!
The apple trees at the ranch are approximately over 100 years old, and still produce some of the best apples you will ever eat!
If you bake, or make delicious homemade apple sauce, apple cider, or just love them fresh and crispy, you will agree that our apples are wonderfully tasty!


LIBSENSE-RUFORUM: Collaboration for Improved Agricultural Research Data Management in Africa
LIBSENSE and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) are working together in a broad framework to leverage digital technologies to advance knowledge discovery, use and sharing of agriculture research outputs, for informed decision-making and development in Africa.
The cooperation is guided by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) and RUFORUM. The main objective of the cooperation is to enhance scientific and scholarly communication in Africa, through the AfricaConnect3 project and the LIBSENSE initiative.
As part of a collaborative agreement between RUFORUM and LIBSENSE, this project will address some of RUFORUM’s ICT objectives by supporting contemporary platform development to enable agricultural research data sharing and management.
The survey seeks to gather requirements for an open data repository through a survey of potential end users within the member institutions of RUFORUM.
Survey Validation Workshop
LIBSENSE and RUFORUM has held a workshop on the sidelines of the RUFORUM Annual General Meeting 2022. The AGM and the Workshop presented a fine opportunity to create more awareness of the strategic collaboration between parties and also chart the way forward for the collaboration for the benefit of the agricultural research and learning community across Africa. A key objective of the Workshop was held to validate the needs assessment survey instrument for the development of an open data and knowledge repository for the RUFORUM community. A key outcome was the identification of the need to provide more awareness about key concepts in the survey document.
The aim of this webinar was to sensitize participants to key concepts related to open science and research data management which underpin the LIBSENSE-RUFORUM needs assessment survey for the development of an open data and knowledge repository for the RUFORUM community.
The webinar provided a platform for launching the survey to the community.


RRIPL has a decade of experience in this business. We have excellent relationships with all the major fertilizer, micronutrient and agro chemical manufacturers in India and S.E. Asian region. RRIPL offers complete range of Water Soluble Fertilizers, Secondary and Micronutrients for soil, foliar and fertigation.
Our premium quality products, technical support and after sales service make us the preferred supplier of choice. We help our customers with product knowledge and introducing new and innovative products.
RRIPL is engaged in import, stock and trading of water-soluble fertilizers, secondary and micronutrients to the agro chemical and fertilizer industries in India.


Wednesday, September 22, 2021
The Sequel IIe System generates highly accurate long reads (HiFi reads) from genes or regions of interest ranging in size from several hundred base pairs to 20 kb with >99.9% single-molecule read accuracy. HiFi sequencing is the tool of choice to affordably generate contiguous, complete, and correct de novo genome assemblies of even the most complex plant genomes. This webinar will provide an overview of the Maize B73 genome assembly from HiFi sequencing through scaffolding.
In this webinar Greg Concepcion will:
Review the benefits of HiFi sequencing for genome assembly and examples of assembly metrics for plants and animals
Demonstrate assembly and scaffolding of a large diploid plant genome Maize B73 (2.2Gb) with HiFi and Hi-C data for scaffolding, including:
Pre- & post-processing recommendations
Provide recommendations for annotation and further downstream analysis
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
Complete the form to register for our webinar
Greg Concepcion, Ph.D.
Staff Engineer, Bioinformatics


Being an intuitive can be sometimes very humourous. I was today tending to two trays of Wheat berry sprouts on my redwood deck. After I cut some 8 inch tall blades of wheat grass off with my sharp kitchen knife I began to run the wheat grass through a hand crank wheat juice press or more accurately a compression stainless steel auger hand crank with a stainless steel strainer type of device built in.
After I had compressed enough wheat grass to make about 2 ounces of wheat grass juice that my wife and I now call wheat grass coffee because it really wakes you up and makes you feel alive in a good way a little like coffee except with wheat grass juice there is no coffee crash a few hours afterwords.
So, I was starting to rinse off the stainless steel parts outside next to the sprouting trays and the wheat grass sprouted seeds and plants started to communicate with me.
They telepathed, "Are you going to plant us in your yard like you did the others before us?" I telepathed back, "Yes." They said, "Why did you eat the other sprouts yesterday and not plant them?" I said, "Because they were sprouted on a plate and kept moist with a wet paper towel." They didn't really understand this and so they telepathed, "Anyway, after you trim us two times each will you plant us next to our compatriots in your yard?" I said, "Yes." They seemed very relieved hearing this. Then they said, "Why do you eat plants?" I said, "All humans must eat plants to live as well as all animals." They seemed sort of horrified at this. I said telepathically, "Only plants can convert sunlight in the way that plants do." Then their response was very educational for me. The words that formed from them telepathing with me were, "Humans and animals are plant parasites." This sort of shocked me because I found this to be very sophisticated and completely unexpected from sprouted wheat grass seeds as I find the longer most things live, trees especially, longer lived plants, but also humans, animals, birds, everything usually tends to become wiser and wiser with age. Beings that don't become wiser with age usually die young as a given although I suppose there are always exceptions to this rule for various reasons.
I thought about the concept of humans actually Being plant parasites and finally had to agree telepathically with the wheat grass sprouting seeds growing as wheat grass on my redwood deck that, "humans and animals are plant parasites." We just don't usually want to think of ourselves in this way. However, once the plants had named how they saw humans and animals there was a clarity between us that had not been there before and I sensed I had been accepted in a way I had not been before. It was that humans didn't do this to be mean, they did this because they have to to live.
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Published on 21 December 2023
Archived on 21 January 2024
The University of Warwick is shaping the future of farming with automation - addressing issues such as labour shortages, food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
The new entity, Warwick Agri-Tech, will also support the UK to meet climate targets while enabling the production of enough nutritious food for the growing population. Warwick Agri-Tech will combine two world class faculties at WMG at The University of Warwick and the School of Life Sciences (SLS) to spearhead automation in areas such as horticulture, crops and forestry.
Robots will be a key tool for farmers and industry leaders under increasing pressure. There is a constant demand to grow enough high quality, nutritious food to feed an expanding human population, and to do so in a way that won't harm the planet and meet the targets of climate change.
According to scientists, the UK will need to produce 50% more food by 2050, while reducing land consumption by 50%. This is further challenged by labour shortages, a broken food system and the fact we are overusing the Earth's biocapacity (the capability of ecosystems to produce useful biological materials and to absorb waste).
The University of Warwick is in a unique position to tackle these issues and develop farming technology, with expertise in both automation and life science.
Warwick Agri-Tech was born out of an initial project which developed a crop monitoring robot (Crombot) to autonomously move up and down glasshouses and check fruit for ripeness. Officially launching today, with a visit from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Warwick Agri-Tech will continue its research on several key projects:
The University's leading crop research centre at based at the Innovation Campus, Stratford-upon-Avon is a leading, 200-hectare agricultural environment to conduct the research. Scientists at the University will collaborate directly with industry partners and the Government to drive and implement the new technology in the farming sector.
Cllr George Cowcher, Planning and Economic Development Portfolio at Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: "This is precisely the technology driven type of investment we are looking to attract into Stratford-on-Avon District. Agriculture is a key industry in the District and this focus on the future is highly welcome."
Professor David Greenwood, Director for Industrial Engagement, and CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at WMG, said: "The emerging needs of the agriculture sector have provided a perfect opportunity for The University of Warwick to bring together our expertise in manufacturing automation with our expertise in life sciences, so we can simultaneously develop robots suitable for use in greenhouses and fields, and ways of growing crops which take advantage of the opportunities of automation. As the UK struggles with availability of agricultural labour, and high food prices, this promises to unlock nutritious and affordable food for all."
Professor Miriam Gifford, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, said: "Warwick Agri-Tech will benefit from the entrepreneurship of WMG and the history of excellence in agricultural innovation from the School of Life Sciences' Warwick Crop Centre, plus the combined stakeholder groups to inform and enable outputs. The fresh food industries need automation urgently. Warwick Agri-Tech will grow rapidly into research and innovation space screaming for workable solutions and expecting substantial funding initiatives."
More information about Warwick Agri-Tech here
Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Elizabeth House, Church Street,
Tel: 01789 267575


On 23 Apr, 2013 By Anonymous (not verified) 0 Comments
Qualitative Research Lab
Whittier College’s Qualitative Research Lab provides hardware for data collection and processing that students and faculty can check out, such as: portable tape recorders, telephone recorders, video cameras, and transcription machines. The lab also supports data analysis software, including ATLASti, which is commonly used to code interviews and fieldnotes, and SPSS for statistical analysis.
For more information about the research lab, contact Professor Julie Collins-Dogrul at email@example.com.
Sustainable Urban Farm (SUrF) Learning Laboratory
SUrF is where ideas, action, and community meet to rethink the landscapes we inhabit. The 1/8 acre micro-farm – composed of raised beds and fruit trees in the “front yard” of Wanberg Residence Hall (aka “Greenberg) - is grounded in an emphasis on rehabilitating the soil, with the side benefit that students get to grow and eat great food.
SUrF is not a traditional community garden. Individuals are not assigned specific plots. Instead, the gardening collective works the entire micro-farm and shares the fruits of their labor (a portion of produce is also donated to a food bank). Participants that complete the garden education curriculum are eligible for internship placements in community organizations.
For more information about programming, curricular use of the micro-farm, garden education, and internships, contact Professor sal johnston at firstname.lastname@example.org.


For over 50 years, Northwest Tiller has manufactured a diverse lineup of American-made tillers for the tough and rocky soil conditions of farms across the globe. From alfalfa to orchards to almonds, they have refined a patented belt drive system to provide farmers with reliable, long-lasting equipment to handle even the toughest job in less time than mass-produced tillers.
To showcase the enduring craftsmanship of Northwest Tiller, we created a bold new identity combining the feel of a classic vehicle emblem with the utility of a modern logo suited to digital use and small display sizes on the web. The new logo shield is designed to compliment the signature bright orange tillers with contrast that can be seen from near or far, and the neutral color is well suited for use on company vehicles and apparel.
The new Northwest Tillers website features a responsive design centered around product photos and videos. With improved navigation between products, farmers can quickly search to find the right tiller for the job. The addition of mobile support provides easy access to product information and support manuals for farmers in the field.
Posted August 15, 2014


Fibria is committed to restoring native forest alongside its plantations in Brazil. The Atlantic rainforest and the Brazilian cerrado are biodiversity hotspots, which makes restoration vitally important. One of the main challenges is finding the necessary seedlings.
Many of the rural areas where Fibria operates are poor, and there are few job opportunities, even in agriculture or cattle ranching. By supporting community tree nurseries, Fibria hoped to improve local incomes and promote green economic growth, while securing a consistent supply of quality seedlings for its own needs. The community nurseries supply around 10% of Fibria’s seedlings, so there is significant scope for them to expand. Fibria continues to provide technical assistance and to invest in building technical, management and teamwork skills to improve the running of the nurseries.
To meet its long-term goal of restoring 40,000 hectares of native Atlantic rainforest and cerrado by 2025, Fibria needs hundreds of thousands of tree seedlings. The company has set up community nurseries to help service this demand, improving employment opportunities and incomes for local people. Read more.
Responsible plantation management has brought real benefits to people and nature. These case studies demonstrate how.
Disclaimer: While the NGP platform acknowledges the progress on plantation management presented in the case studies, it recognizes that not all aspects of NGP are necessarily used in the examples. For an overview of the participants' plantations management practices you can read more here.


$60 billion - Australian Farm income passes $60 billion for the first time in 2016/17
(National Agriculture Day, Food, Fibre & Forestry Facts, 2018)
In NSW alone, theft of cattle and sheep between January and October in 2017 cost farmers $2.8m and $1.4m respectively
(The Land, “Thefts cost farmers millions”, 2018)
In 2009-10, 17,400 agricultural workers become ill or were injured due through work
(Safe Work Australia, Work-related deaths and injuries on Australian Farms, 2013)
Working on the land brings many rewards - but just as many risks. As a farm owner, you’re vulnerable to bushfires that can destroy livestock or damage your buildings and other property; machinery breakdown which can cost you time and money; personal illness or a serious accident; or even a claim from a guest injured on your property.
Whether you’re a large-scale crop grower or livestock producer or a small family or hobby farm, Farm Insurance can help protect your farm, it’s produce and livestock - and the people who benefit from it.


Autumn Half Term Grow Cook Eat 26th to 30th October
Grow>Cook>Eat is a fun programme for children aged 8-12 to explore and discover healthy food in a playful way; how to grow it, how to cook it and how food affects their bodies.
Last year’s programme was a great success with all children being able to explain to us why eating vegetables is good for them after the programme. Parents told us about how the programme had changed their children’s attitude towards healthy food and some reported that they now used more vegetables for dinner. Obviously we hope to more than replicate these great results this year!
Click here to learn more.


My younger brother Richard has just written his first book. It’s called High Density Gardening, and it’s all about no-dig, deep-bed backyard vegetable growing. If you’ve ever thought of growing fruit and vegetables in your back yard this is a perfect book. Even if you only have a couple of square feet to spare.
As far as I recall, gardening is a subject I’ve never written about before. That’s because it doesn’t fit in with the general theme of this newsletter, and also because gardening is something I have little interest in.
Perhaps that’s because gardening is so easy here in the sub-tropics. As easy as throwing a half eaten tomato, or just about
anything else with seeds, off the balcony into the garden and then a few months later going down and picking the crop.
Anyway, if you’re a gardener in less hospitable climes than mine, I’d like to recommend it to you. It’s well written, and gardeners are enthusiastic about it.
Well known Internet marketer and gardening enthusiast, Martin Avis, says:
"I sat down to read and was immediately absorbed. Your writing
style is very personable and down to earth, (pardon the pun), and I
was hooked from page one.
I learned a lot from your book – things that I knew but hadn’t really
understood and things that I didn’t already know. I even learned a
whole new way of laying out a vegetable patch that I’d not even
suspected before – but will put into action on my plots right away.
The only problem with your ‘High Density Gardening’ was that once
I started reading I couldn’t stop – and lost several hour’s gardening
time this afternoon! Still, with what I’ve learned, it will have been time
very well invested."
By the way, Ric is looking for affiliates, so if you have a well trafficked gardening site (or you use SpeedPPC 🙂 ) you can get in touch with him at highdensitygardening AT googlemail DOT com


Should I consider applying nitrogen fertiliser in pastures given its high price?
Should I consider applying nitrogen fertiliser in pastures given its high price? This was a question considered at Southern Farming Systems Nitrogen (N) use webinar. The answer was a surprising “Don’t rule it out!”
A key consideration in making this decision will be: “Do I expect to have a shortfall of winter feed available for stock?” And if you do, “Will the cost of the supplementing be cheaper or more expensive than using Nitrogen fertiliser? To work this out you need to know the likely responses to Nitrogen and the proposed cost of supplementation.
With current fertiliser prices, you will need to get a response of at least 8 kg DM for every 1 kg of N applied. The typical response of nitrogen applications is between an extra 5 to 25kg DM/ha for every 1 kg of N applied. Therefore, there are considerations to optimise response.
Know how responsive your pastures are to Nitrogen. As not all pastures will be responsive because of other factors of nutrient deficiencies, acidity or the pasture species itself, and its propensity to grow in winter. For example, Australian phalaris is semi winter dormant, therefore a response is limited.
At least 50% moisture is required for efficient N use, no moisture equals no growth. On the flip side, apply it to waterlogged pastures, and the nitrogen fertiliser will be lost to the atmosphere as nitrous oxide.
When to apply nitrogen; it is not instantaneous response, so you need to apply well ahead of when you need the feed. Apply it as soon as stock leave the paddock and allow grasses to regrow their full complement of live leaves before re-grazing. Use it or lose it; meaning, the N in the soil doesn’t carry over for later.
A little and often; relates to the application rate and between 25kg to 50 kg of N is advised. Higher rate responses have diminishing returns for cost of application. This is often used in dairy enterprises, but in mixed farming, it’s when N is likely to be deficient and you need the extra feed.
Watch our series of nitrogen use webinars from more information and tips to this season at www.sfs.org.au/communications/media


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horizontal wire space(mm)
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- Noxious Weeds…
- Rental Equipment Program
- General Notice
Related County Sites
Related County Sites
Sericea Lespedeza · Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont) G. Don · is a very aggressive, drought-hardy perennial. It was introduced as a forage crop in the Southeastern United States. As early as the 1930s, Sericea was also used for erosion control and wildlife habitats in Kansas. It is now found primarily in native rangeland, CRP, and roadsides in the easter 1/3 of Kansas. Plants have a dark green foliage that contrasts the native grass color in the early fall . Lespedeza has small, white, purple tinged flowers that bloom in late summer and produce large amounts of seed. It also has a semi-woody stem and can reach five feet in height.
Sericea is a problem because of its ability to compete with native bunch type grasses. It's aggressive behavior allows it to choke out existing vegetation. Sericea also contains a tannin that makes it unpalatable to livestock for most of the grazing season. It can also tolerate and survive most common weed control practices used by farmers and ranchers.
Sericea Lespedeza is spread and proliferates mainly by using rangeland for double stocking cattle or winter pasture, late native hay harvesting wildlife habitat. Some CRP areas were planted with sericea-contaminated seed.
During the 1998 Kansas Legislative session, lawmakers amended the Kansas Noxious Weed Law to include Sericea Lespedeza as a noxious weed. The statue was written to allow time for further research and sericea did not officially become a "noxious weed" until July 1, 2000. Counties had the option to make it a noxious weed within their borders early, by resolution and publication. This allowed for enforcement and cost-share chemical availability, but did not address the movement of sericea seed in grass forage seed.
Sericea Lespedeza is often confused with its palatable cousin, Korean Lespedeza. Other similar species are Heath Aster, Japanese Lespedeza, Slough Grass, and White Snakefoot.
Sericea lespedeza is a perennial with erect stems up to 5 ft. tall and small hairs laying flat along the ridges on the stem. The leaves, with 3 leaflets, are less than 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches long and 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide with the larger leaflets on the lower portion of the stem. The leaves are flattened on the outer end with small flat hairs on the lower surface. Flowering occurs from mid or late July to October and may be tinged with purple but always dry to yellow. The tannin content of sericea lespedeza increases during the growing season, making it unpalatable to livestock during mid to late season grazing.
Sericea lespedeza reproduces primarily by seed. Seeds move with water, infested hay, birds, livestock and wildlife. The hard seed passes through the digestive tract of animals.
Sericea Lespedeza can be treated with a variety of cultural, mechanical, and chemical means. Preventing seed production and its spread is of primary importance for control. The Shawnee County Weed Department is promoting a holistic farm management approach as the most effective control for sericea. This method involves using many different strategies to eradicate the problem. The Shawnee County Weed Department encourage farmers to develop a management plan to coordinate and facilitate these holistic practices. Examples would include the use of pasture burning, mowing, fertilization, selective grazing, and tillage in conjunction with approved herbicide use.
Do not move hay that may contain viable seed from infested areas. Feed noxious-weed-free hay and forage. Check the labels of grass seed and grass seed mixtures for the presence of sericea lespedeza prior to purchase. Do not move mature cattle in late summer through October from an infested pasture to a clean pasture.


Much valuable food information and resources here. Please share (though mostly US based).
Feel free to copy, paste, post, repost, publish, and republish this list (compiled by John McCabe):
What could possibly be more basic to human survival and existence on this planet than clean sources of food? Seems to me that NOT growing at least some of your food, which means that you are being completely reliant on stores and restaurants for your food, is missing out on one of the most basic interactions between the human, Earth, and Nature.
It also leaves you susceptible to the whims of the corporate food industry, food distributors, Wall Street, Monsanto, Bayer CropScience, GMOs, the FDA, and the USDA, and to toxic farming chemicals.
NOT participating in choosing cleaner food choices, such as by not growing at least some of your food and not supporting local organic farmers, is choosing to contribute to the pollution caused by the international corporate foods industries – and helping to spur the growth of the corporate food industry, its wealth, its political manipulation, and its power. ”
A few years back NASA conducted a study concluding that the most fertile soil in the United States is now covered by cities. Although cities only take up a little over 3% of the continental land area, that land can produce as much food as the 29% of land used for agriculture.
The study concluded that the land being used for agriculture is less fertile and this increases the use of fertilizers and other farming chemicals.” – Sunfood Traveler; http://www.SunfoodTraveler.com
People often say they don’t have room to grow food. Where there is a will, there is a way. Towns and cities are excellent places to grow food. Many cities rent out garden plots to residents. The Yards To Gardens site provides ways for people without yards to find those who do and who are willing to provide space for a garden.
Food Not Lawns is a resource for information about culinary gardening. Kitchen Gardeners provides a lot of information about self-reliant food options. Urban Organic Gardener shows how culinary gardening can happen, and is happening, in cities and towns.
People have taken over abandoned lots and turned those into culinary landscapes. Pots and buckets on a patio or roof is another option. http://www.FoodNotLawns.net; YardsToGardens.org = http://www.y2g.org; Check out Roger Doiron’s Kitchen Gardener’s site: http://www.KitchnGardeners.org Also, check out Mike Lieberman’s blog about town culinary gardening: http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com http://www.PickYourOwn.org
Lists farms where you can harvest your own produce. http://www.HomeOrchardSociety.org is an excellent site for growing fruit at home. http://www.neighborhoodfruit.com Is a fruit- and vegetable-sharing site. Fallen Fruit, http://www.fallenfruit.org. Fruit share site.
This began in Los Angeles with property owners who had fruit trees willing to allow other people to harvest the fruit and share it with others. Square Foot Gardening, http://www.SquareFootGardening.com Path to Freedom, http://www.PathToFreedom.com Permaculture, http://www.Permaculture.net Rare Seeds, http://www.RareSeeds.com Roof Meadow, http://www.roofmeadow.com Rooftop Farms, http://www.rooftopfarms.org Community Garden, http://www.CommunityGarden.org Green Grid Roofs, http://www.greengridroofs.com Green Roofs, http://www.greenroofs.org Guerilla Gardening, http://www.guerrillagardening.org
Almost every time you are eating food, you are likely tossing away seeds that can be planted. Even the base of celery can be planted. Simply cut off the ribs of celery, and put the base in soil, with a half inch of soil covering it – within a week or so you will see that the celery has started to grow. One tomato has enough seeds to plant dozens of tomato plants.
About seed saving: http://seedsavers.net is an Australian site. Saving Our Seed, http://www.SavingOurSeed.org Seed Alliance, http://www.SeedAlliance.org Seed Savers, http:://www.SeedSavers.org http://www.VictorySeeds.com People are into the Occupy Wall Street movement, but they are often completely reliant on stockholder-owned supermarkets and restaurants (including that Wall Street darling, Whole Foods Market), rather than supporting local organic markets, farmers’ markets, and/or growing some of their own food.
One of the most basic things you can do to disconnect from reliance on corporations is to GROW SOME OF YOUR OWN FOOD. And, SUPPORT REGIONAL ORGANIC FARMERS, who, at this point, should be considered your local heroes. How to start an organic food co-op: http://www.cgin.coop/start-a-food-coop. For an example of how this can work, see the Rawfully Organic Food Co-op, started by Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram in Texas. Here is the Web site: http://rawfullyorganic.com/
Check out the Raw Wisdom site featuring a post titled: “the 50 harmful effects of genetically modified foods”: http://www.raw-wisdom.com/50harmful. If you don’t know what genetically modified foods are, or what Monsanto and other companies are doing to the food plants of Earth, please learn.
If you think that what Monsanto is doing, what Bayer CropScience is doing, and what toxic farming chemicals are doing do not impact you, think again. These companies are impacting everything from the trees in the mountains to the fish at the bottom of the seas.
What Monsanto is doing with its combination of genetically altered plants and its toxic farming chemicals not only impacts the food, it also alters the soil organisms, alters the water, alters the air, and alters your hormonal balances (in all animals, not just the human animal).
The genetically altered organisms and farming chemicals end up in the land and water.
The chemicals manufactured by Monsanto, by Bayer CropScience, and other companies cause cancer, birth defects, miscarriages, learning disabilities, and nerve disorders. They alter hormonal balances, and trigger or contribute to obesity and diabetes. They alter the way your brain functions, the way your heart beats, and the way your cells function.
The Winter 2012 edition of Earth Island Journal (http://www.earthislandjournal.org/) contains a couple of interesting articles about Monsanto and Bayer CropScience. Here are some quotations from there: … ”The World Health Organization estimates that every year at least 3 million people – and as many as 25 million people – are poisoned by pesticides, and at least 40,000 people are accidentally killed by them.” … ”
A recent study by the US Geological Office has found significant levels of Roundup in the air and waterways in two US farm states – Iowa and Mississippi. According to USGS researcher Paul Capel, glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) was detected in every stream sample taken in Mississippi over a two-year periods and in most of the air samples taken.
‘It is out there in significant levels; it is out there consistently.’ Capel says. ‘So people are exposed to it through the air.'” … ”
Use of the herbicide has skyrocketed in recent decades due mostly to the popularity of Roundup Ready GM crops. The USGS says that more than 88,000 tons of glyphosate were applied in the US in 2007, up from 11,000 tons in 1992.” … ”Persistent exposure could alter endocrine pathways, leading to obesity, heart problems, and diabetes.”
For more information about genetically modified food plants and toxic farming chemicals, access the Web site to the Organic Consumers Association: http://www.OrganicConsumers.org/
Here is a list of sites and organizations that provide information about organic gardening, organic farming, and the dangers of genetically modified foods, farming chemicals, and the impact these toxic chemicals and genetically altered food plants are having on Nature. Beyond Pesticides, http://www.BeyondPesticides.org Bioneers, http://www.Bioneers.org Co-op Directory, http://www.coopdorectory.org Food Consumer, http://www.foodconsumer.org Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, http://www.FarmToConsumer.org Gardenerd, http://www.gardenerd.com Local Harvest, http://www.localharvest.org/store/local-csa.jsp Monsanto Watch, http://www.MonsantoWatch.org Non-GMO Shopping Guide, http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com Organic Consumers Association, http://www.OrganicConsumers.org Organic Foodee, http://www.OrganicFoodee.com Organic Its Worth It, http://www.organicitsworthit.org Organic Seed Alliance, http://www.SeedAlliance.org Pesticide Action Network, http://www.PANNA.org Real Food Challenge, http://www.realfoodchallenge.org Rodale Institute, http://www.RodaleInstitute.org The War on Bugs, http://www.TheWarOnBugsBook.com Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, http://www.WWOOF.org - compiled by John McCabe, http://www.SunfoodTraveler.com; http://www.IgnitingYourLife.com. Feel free to copy and paste, post, share, republish, broadcast, or otherwise show this list to others.


Farmers and industry teaming up in Canada to produce cellulosic sugar from agri residues
In Ontario, Canada, farmers have united to form the cellulosic sugar producers cooperative. They are now teaming up with Comet Biorefining to jointly develop a sustainable agricultural biomass supply chain. They developed a business plan to produce cellulosic sugars from agri residues, mainly corn stover and wheat straw. The business plan includes a full assessment of the specific costs for the aggregation, transportation, and storage of agricultural biomass, particularly corn stover from the farm to the gate of the cellulosic conversion plant. This initiative adds extra value to these crops without increasing the land base of the farmers, while not taking away any land from food production, the cooperative said.
They got funded by Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, to elaborate the idea, as it is in a pre-commercial phase. Comet Biorefining has been teaming up with BioAmber for succinic acid production.


Mineral Blocks for Cattle NZ
The farming industry in New Zealand is world-leading. For our farmers, it is so integral to treat our animals right and ensure that livestock is getting the best nutrients. At Ag-Imports, we provide mineral blocks for cattle on NZ farms. Our products are a natural and easy way to balance the diets of your cattle.
The right dietary supplements for cows are necessary for helping them digest grass properly, have more energy, and better quality of life. Whether you have a dairy or beef cattle farm, making sure your cows are happy and healthy is vital.
We provide mineral blocks with different compounds to address every cow health need. They help stimulate your cow’s appetite and digest nutrients. You will know what your cow needs by assessing your farming purpose, be it beef or dairy.
While our biggest market is for cattle farms, due to the scale of New Zealand’s dairy industry, farmers can use our salt and mineral blocks for horses, sheep, and goats as well.
Choosing the right mineral blocks for your cattle
The kind of block you choose will depend on the age of your animals and the season. It also depends on what they are already eating, whether it be grass, hay or grains. Further, what do you, as the cattle farmer, need from them? Is it weight gain, better fertility, or milk production?
All cattle require a certain amount of minerals to ensure a prosperous life. Poor health in your cattle results in less quality of life for them and financial strain for you. Young calves and pregnant or lactating heifers are especially vulnerable to the health risks of mineral deficiency.
Mineral deficiency in cattle can lead to poor health and even death. New Zealand pastures provide some of the necessary minerals. In the event of a dry season or flood, however, the grazing of cows can be compromised and will take away this vital part of their diets.
Read on to find out more about the most important components in mineral blocks for cattle NZ.
Calcium is a critical part of what makes cow’s milk so nutritious, and it is the most important mineral in cattle diet. Signs your cows might be ingesting an unbalanced amount of calcium are kidney stones and brittle bones.
Our Calcifort multi-mineral salt block balances the right amount of calcium for your cows. It is molasses-based, which makes it tastier for cows and gives them more energy. Calcium makes happy and strong cows.
An essential part of what gives cows energy, phosphorus is also a key ingredient in their reproductive cycle. After calcium, phosphorus is the second most crucial mineral for keeping their bones strong.
Your cows might be low in phosphorus if you have noticed low calving rates, cows failing to cycle or conceive, increased abortions, or calf mortality. Your cattle might have brittle bones and excessive lameness. Another sign of phosphorus deficiency is cows chewing on sticks or rocks, signalling a depraved appetite and risking botulism. Luckily, cows love phosphorus! Mineral blocks for cattle NZ that are high in phosphorus, such as Fortamin, installed in a readily accessible place will improve growth and fertility rates.
Cattle with a sufficient protein intake will have better growth rates. Inversely, not enough protein will result in weight loss. Protein is essential for beef cattle, breeding heifers, and young calves. It also plays a vital role in milk production.
Magnesium is typically not palatable for cows, but it is excellent for disease prevention. Mixing it with molasses in a mineral block is a great way to ensure your cattle get the immune support they need.
Copper is good for cattle fertility, growth, and pigmentation.
Cobalt assists cattle’s bodies in the making of haemoglobin. This assists with the transfer of oxygen around the body.
Iodine assists with cow’s strength and energy metabolism.
Appropriate levels of selenium can prevent muscular degeneration in calves.
Zinc encourages good eating habits, quality growth, and strong hooves.
The history of mineral blocks
Mineral blocks are an effective way of giving cattle the nutrients they need. It is so great because humans didn’t think of it - cows did! Wild animals and herbivores worldwide have nourished themselves with natural salt and mineral licks for thousands of years. It’s not just for cows and sheep - many herbivores use mineral deposits in their diets, including deer, goats, moose, squirrels, elephants, and giraffes!
Hunter-gatherers, prehistoric and present, use mineral sites to locate and hunt cattle. Artificial salt licks are used in the wild as well to support wildlife.
Because of the long history of cattle using these mineral resources to nourish themselves well before humans came along, it is natural for them to gravitate towards artificial mineral blocks on the farm. This is a slow-deposit way for cows to steadily remain healthy and well.
Mineral blocks today
At Ag-Imports, we provide cost-effective solutions for the dairy industry. Our products are easy to install and require very little maintenance.
Unwell cattle, low fertility and lactation rates, high mortality, more injuries and more lameness are real problems that farmers need to look out for. Any of these issues can arise if your cattle are not properly looked after. They will slow productivity and create many expenses for you.
There are so many benefits to keeping your herd fit and well-nourished using mineral blocks for cattle NZ. Keeping your cows healthy is a way to follow better ethical practices for your farm. You will see the benefits of better growth and fertility. These will increase productivity on your farm and give you more profit.
If you have any questions about our products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our staff. Here at AG-Imports, we strive to promote the welfare of the animals that constitute the backbone of New Zealand’s economy. Our dairy industry is the biggest dairy exporter in the world. We want to demonstrate leadership when it comes to treating our animals ethically and producing quality dairy.