What are Hybrid plants, Are they better than Heirloom plants? How are Hybrid plants produced?
There is a lot of confusion about what hybrid plants are. They are often confused with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). Why are hybrid produced and are they better than regular and Heirloom plants.
First, lets get the terms straight
- Heirloom plants, also Heritage Plant,
- There is heated arguments about exactly what defines an Heirloom plant. Usually heirloom plants have been used unchanged for generations. 50 years is often quoted. Heirloom plants are openly pollinated that is, naturally pollinated, by insects or whatever the usual way is for that plant. Heirloom plants tend to produce seeds that produce plants very similar to their parents. Heirloom plants tend to come from areas where people keep their own seeds rather than buying commercial seeds and have used the same type of plants for years.
- Hybrid plants
- Hybridization can occur naturally or deliberately. When two different varieties of a plant are cross pollinated, that is the pollen from one variety is used to fertilize a similar plant of another variety, the result is a hybrid. Gardeners have been doing this for a very long time in order to improve the yield, disease resistance, looks or just for fun. Hybridization also occurs naturally.
- GMO plants
- A genetically modified plant has had it's genetic material altered using genetic engineering techniques, in a way that does not occur naturally.
- Are plant varieties that have been produced by selective breeding. A Cultivar is usually man made while a Variety occurs naturally.
What is a hybrid and how is it different from other plants?
Let say you have a plant that produces lovely fruit but is very sensitive to powdery mildew. You also have another variety that is not affected by powdery mildew but who produces lousy fruit. You might try breeding the 2 and growing the seeds that result, if the offspring is more resistant than the tasty fruit, and still produces good fruit then you have been successful.
This first crossing is referred to as an F1 hybrid.
Hybrids can occur in plants but also in animals. Mules are a hybrid between a donkey and a mare.
If you remember your High School Science you might remember Mendel. This 1800's Augustinian friar who spent years cross breeding pea plants and carefully recording what the hybrids produced. He wasn't the first to talk about hybridization but his carefully controlled experiments and theories were the basis for modern genetic studies. His writings 'Experiments in Plant Hybridization' are still available on Amazon, where else.Encyclopaedia Britannica article on hybrids.
Squash are enthusiastic cross-breeders and will hybridize happily with wild varieties. That's why when you grow squash and keep the seeds year after year, you get many unexpected results. Sometimes the squash is sweet, tender and delicious and other times much less tasty and usable.
In hybridization the pollination is carefully controlled. There are many goals but usually horticulturists are looking for fruit that are bigger, more productive plants with better disease resistance, fruit that lasts longer and are more uniform, easier to pick, tastier, more nutritious, nicer looking.
Many flower seeds are hybrid. Petunias and Lilies are very commonly found as hybrid and if they produce seeds, these seeds don't come up or end up looking very disappointing.
Hybrid plants do not breed true and the seeds of hybrid plant, if they produce any, will not be like their parents. Rather one or other of the grandparent features will start showing up, or traits that have nothing to do with the parents will appear.
It takes many generation of choosing the best plants and breeding them together before a satisfactory trait can be fixed and the improved plant breeds true. Sometimes this is not worth the effort or can't be done and F1 hybrids are produced freshly every year.
Although producing hybrids is more expensive that regular open pollinated plants they are often more vigorous, you've heard of "hybrid vigour", produce more, with less trouble. The fruit will also be more uniform and in a more predictable time frame.
Many of the traits that are bred for are useful for commercial growers. Improving the appearance, uniformity, timing of the fruit makes a fruit easier to sell, package, and harvest. This is not so important to the home grower who can live with a bumpier uglier tomato that comes in all sizes and does not always look picture perfect. Straggly harvest times is not a problem for the home grower either. Taste and disease resistance are traits that the home owner appreciates however.
If you look at the descriptions in seed catalogs you will often see disease resistance listed as a feature in the F1 hybrid seeds.
Sometimes growers will cross 2 different types of plants and come up with a completely new plant. Many fruits have been created this way.An article on new types of fruit produces as hybrids
How are hybrids produced.
Breeders choose their parent stock carefully and manually take the pollen from one plant and fertilizes the other by hand. The stamen of the plant that is going to be manually fertilized are taken off and the pollen of the male plant is used instead. This is where you see horticulturists going around with little paintbrushes used to apply the pollen to fertilize their plants.
The plant must then be isolated so that it does not pick up wild pollen. Sometimes a paper bag is applied over the flower to keep other pollen out.
It takes a lot of experimenting before finding a cross that works and this research is expensive.
The breeder who creates a good hybrid owns the rights to it. The parentage of the new plant are carefully kept secret. The breeder can then get his research money back and make a profit by selling seeds.
In commercial growing, corn is an often hybridized plant. Seed growers select 2 different parent plants with desired characteristics. These must be very pure genetically so that the hybrid result will be consistent. These 2 types are bred together and the resulting F1 seed is sold.
Since manual fertilization is very time consuming, varieties of plants have been developed where the male is sterile. These are used rather than have someone going around snipping the pollen producing parts.
When you buy garden seeds you will often find that the higher priced seeds are hybrids. You might only get a few seeds for the same price as a whole envelope full of open pollinated plants.
What are the advantages or disadvantages of Hybrids
Advantages are many, increased vigour, nicer looking fruit that are more consistent, ripen evenly, produce more, keep better and are more disease resistant.
Several new types of fruit and plants have been developed here is a link to 11 Odd Hybrid fruit and vegetables.
Disadvantages are more subtle. Often flavour is reduced as might be nutritional value.
I say maybe because improved nutritional value is sometimes bred for. Generally the nutritional value of heirloom varieties is higher than more modern counterparts, hybrid and open pollinated.
Genetic variety is reduced. Because the hybrid, and commercial open pollinated plants that might have started out as hybrids and later became established varieties, are much more uniform genetically. Loss of genetic variety results in a less adaptable plant if anything bad happens such as a new disease of climate change that makes the common varieties less suitable.
Because hybrid seed do not breed true, growers need to buy new seed every season. If they plant their own seeds from hybrid seeds, the seeds will not necessarily look anything like the parents and will not have the advantages of the hybrid parent seed. This has economic consequences for the farmer who can no longer produce his own seed. It is usually more economical for the farmer to use hybrid seeds because of improved qualities and yields. The cost is dependence on the seed producers.
There are a number of companies that sell heirloom seed collection to survivalist customers.
Survival Essentials 135 Variety Premium Heirloom Non Hybrid Non GMO Seed Bank - 23,335+ Seeds - All In One Super Value Pak…Veggies, Fruits, Medicinal/Culinary Herbs - Plus 9 FREE Rare Tomato Varieties.
So should I plant vigorous hybrid plants or take a chance in traditional Heirloom seeds?
As usual the answer is "it depends". If the choice is plant a heirloom and see the crop destroyed by disease, OR plant a hybrid and get an abundant albeit less tasty crop then go for the hybrid.
Hybrid plants are often the only choice for conditions which are quite harsh, such as very short seasons.
My usual strategy is to plant both. Some heirloom and several open pollinated plants and some hybrids to ensure an abundant crop.
Because conditions can vary hugely here then having a variety of varieties ensures a greater chance of success.
That way if your heirloom plant is too much of a fussy Prima Donna you still get something to eat.
My experiment with an F1 Hydrid leek and a Heirloom leek. I planted both on the same day in the same soil and kept them both is the same conditions. I also put some between damp paper towels to check germination.
The heirloom germinated better than the hybrid between paper towels but the hybrid beat the heirloom by almost 5 days in coming up and unfolding their little shoots. The hybrid on the left is taller, greener and bigger around than the heirloom on the right. There are also more of them come up. To be continued... Time will tell if the heirloom taste better.
The Heirloom cost 1.89 for 390 seeds while the hybrid cost 3.99 for 25 seeds, (actually there were 29). That's quite a difference in cost.
I've tried many of the heirloom tomatoes and gotten mixed results. In one case, after a lot of trouble and care I ended up with a couple of not very impressive small bumpy purple tomatoes. Nice tasting, no argument, but a lot of work and expense for 2 tomatoes. That highlights some of the issues of heirloom plants. They are wonderfully adapted to some specific conditions but not as forgiving when you can't provide these specific conditions. Let experience be your guide, ask fellow gardeners and eventually you will end up with varieties that you like and do well in your area.
Because the term HEIRLOOM is not regulated or defined, some seed companies will label any open pollinated plant "heirloom".
Hybrids can be grown organically as well as in the usual commercial method.
This article is for information only, I don't claim to be an expert on anything.


Residents of Coomacka and surrounding areas were today assured of an inter-agency approach to resolving several difficulties facing agricultural ventures within the Region 10 communities.At an outreach at the Coomacka Community Centre, Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder and team engaged the Region 10 residents, on concerns in relation to drainage and irrigation, pest control and markets for their produce. Responding to these, Minister Holder advised that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), and the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) will work jointly to provide solutions to the identified problems.Recognising the importance of Region 10 as a gateway to several interior and hinterland communities, the Minister stressed that with climate change and the threats presented to the nation’s food sources on the coastland, the Government has decided to focus on the development of the Rupununi and the Intermediate Savannahs as new agricultural areas.Head of NAREI, Dr Oudho Homenauth distributing ants bate“Region 10 becomes a very critical and strategic region because if you think of it, Region 10 is connected to six of the 10 regions of this country. It is also the main area through which anyone moving inland through Guyana has to pass. You must pass through the Linden community to cross the Demerara river to get down to the south, to get to Brazil and other places,” the minister is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.Minister Holder said Brazil is an important potential market for Guyana. He explained that Manaus, with approximately 2.3M people, is a big area of export production for Brazil that is looking to get their produce to the European and other markets.“Currently, they have to travel 1,500 miles before a port. Linden is closer and therefore it’s in their interest to export things through Guyana and if they do that there is potential for a deep-water harbour and Linden is identified for that. Apart from the employment they will provide, they will also need supplies so they will import our rice, pork and many things that we will produce,” Minister Holder saidChief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NAREI, Dr Oudho Homenauth, outlined the various services available to the region through the agency’s local offices. He stressed the importance of seeking the right advice about the suitability of soils in the area for crop cultivation.Meanwhile, Head of the GLDA, Nigel Cumberbatch shared information on the opportunities available for livestock production in the region.“Given the kinds of livestock we have, I’m sure in a couple of years we can say to the mining camps that we can supply the quality of meat they currently import or purchase from Georgetown.”Referencing the ‘Topigs 40,’ swine breed imported by the Guyana Swine Producers’ Association with aid from the Ministry of Communities, Cumberbatch committed to having regional livestock personnel work with farmers to aid their swine and other production.In addition, the GLDA head noted that the nearby Coomacka Primary School was not conducting agriculture practical and promised to present the school with 100 chickens and feed, with the understanding that the school will be responsible for building the chicken coop. This offer was readily accepted by the Community Development Council Chairman, Dexter Harding and residents present.


Composting breaks down food and green waste to create a rich fertiliser.
It's an easy way to:
- recycle your food scraps and green waste
- stop food waste from going to landfill where it produces greenhouse gases
- make fertiliser for your garden.
Order a compost bin
You can order one of the 5 composting products below through us. You'll get 50% off the retail price and free delivery.
- Compost bin: for items like vegetable scraps, leaves and garden prunings.
- Benchtop Bokashi bin: for food waste, including meat and dairy.
- Worm farm: for organic waste.
- Pet poo composter: for pet waste.
- Green cone solar composter: for food and pet waste.
Learn more about these products and how to order one on our Compost Revolution website.
Composting and worm farming video series
Watch webinars presented by the Compost Revolution to learn about:
Watch videos presented by Maria Ciavarella from My Green Garden on the different options for composting and worm farming:
- Green Cone Solar Composters – for all food and pet waste
- Composting organics – for some food and garden waste
- Bokashi Bins – for food waste
- Worm farming – for some food waste.
Learn more about composting and food sustainability at our Living for our future events.
If you have food scraps to share or need organic waste to top up your compost, visit the Sharewaste website.


Features: Ages: 3 Years + Product size: 19.09 x 6.89 x 12.2" Weight: 2.94 lbs This item does not qualify for free shipping. An additional shipping cost will apply due to the size/weight of the item. For all the budding gardeners out there…a sturdy solid wood wheelbarrow complete with 3 seed packets, 3 flower pots with a sunflower, carrot and tomato plant. Water the plants with a watering can, tend with a trowel and cut the flower with the birdy secateurs. Please note this item may experience shipping delays.


Yesterday I rode around the ranch with a county extension rangeland consultant giving her a brief overview of the ranch. All I could seem to see were things to be done as I just talked and talked. I tend to do this when I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable. The winter has been a long one and the 120 inches of precipitation hard on the land and infrastructure. Every year we also seem to fall a little bit more behind on fixing things. (Or rather 'restoring' them as Mark likes to say).
We've been gone quite a bit this winter as well. Christmas in Vegas with family. Then a hike in Arizona in late February and early March. Followed by hanging out with our youngest son while he recuperated from a serious auto accident. Then a week babysitting our oldest son's three wee ones while him and his wife got their first getaway together in almost 4 years.
All my attempts at getting a photo of the three wee ones turned out a bit like this. It was like herding cats!
I think it is time to stay home and enjoy this gorgeous place and try not to get overwhelmed by all the tasks to do.
One thing I noticed yesterday, driving around, is that the cattle look healthy and happy and the hogs do too. When we are home we try to check on the cattle once a week and give them a bite or two of hay and we normally supplement the hogs with organic grain. We ran out of hay for the cattle and grain for the hogs a month ago and we are kind of low on funds too so we didn't get anymore feed. The animals are all doing fine though. The hogs are growing a bit slower, but they look great. The cattle were all laying around chewing their cuds by mid day, a sign of contentment. I think we've made it through winter and the grass is beginning to grow. Hurray!
Maybe I should just roll out of bed and ignore the pile of dirty laundry and dishes and bills to pay and forget about broken spring boxes and leaking roofs and bulls that need to be moved. Maybe I should roll out of bed and go find some flowers just waiting to be discovered, but after my coffee, of course.


With our vast experience in landscaping production, it was only natural to expand our services to the agricultural industry. Years of experience in landscaping parts effortlessly translated to success within the agricultural industry. No matter what happens, people need their food, and farmers need reliable machines to provide it to them.
Fast, high-quality orders are no strangers to us. Consistent demand for products means we can fill any order, in any season, for any timeline. Our experience allows us to meet demand without cutting corners. That’s what makes NMP a trusted expert in the agricultural industry.
In addition to problem-solving to fill customer gaps in manufacturing, we supply various engine and frame components such as brackets, cases, housings and steering knuckles.


We shared ideas of seed science experiments for kids a while ago. Today we will share plant science experiments you can do in your backyard or in your kitchen with kids.
10 Hands on Plant Science Experiments for Kids
What do plants need to grow? Why not set up a science experiment to answer the question.
Can a plant survive on orange juice rather than water? Choose two plants of the same kind; two containers, one filled with water, the other with orange juice. Put one plant in each container, observe and record the difference of growth.
Here is another plant growth experiment, but this post explained more in details on how to write hypothesis and how they recorded plant growth data.
To go little deeper in the subject, you can ask how long can different plants survive without sunlight and water? Design an experiment putting plants of different sizes in a black room and don’t water them. But do go check their status daily and record the data. Do you see a difference between the plants of different sizes?
How will plants grow under artificial light compared to nature light? Will you be able to design the experiment yourself?
This is a simple experiment comparing the growth of different plants. You can easily do it in your kitchen.
How plants absorb water? This is an easy but fun experiment young children love.
While the last experiment shows how water travels through the leaves, this one shows how water travels through flowers.
After the last two experiments, you will need this one to explain why plants need water.
How fast does a plant grow? You will find a free printable recording sheet on that post too.
For older kids, you can create a 3D plant cell, and discuss the difference between plant cells and animal cells.


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The Redbook green® story begins in the corn field where this renewable resource is grown.
The corn is harvested and the sugar extracted from the kernels. Unused parts of the corn are utilised for agricultural feedstock.
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Close to 100 A.D., the Anasazi lived on a large plateau in a location that is certainly entirely distinct from the rest of the Southwest. Often called the Colorado Plateau, this huge mountainous location encompasses the U.S. Four Corners such as the other aspects of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado.
Throughout their historical past of about a thousand decades, the Anasazi discovered to utilize and adapt their distinctive atmosphere in addition to the bordering organic means so as to Reside and survive. Additionally they acquired how to change their surroundings and establish systems as means for survival.
Employing Pure Means
Throughout the Basketmaker Period (one-750 A.D.), the early Anasazi developed pit houses by digging shallow depressions (pits) in the bottom. These pit homes are lined with a Cover of brush and mud.
The grasses had been utilized to make baskets which functioned as storage and carrying containers. Some baskets had been woven restricted that authorized them to carry h2o.
Transforming The Natural environment
At first, the Anasazi farmed and lifted corn, squash, and afterwards beans on compact plots of land. They applied the methods of dry farming and a certain amount of flood irrigation.
The Anasazi realized to settle down in a single area upon the introduction of corn to be a farming crop. They ongoing to hunt and Collect wild plants and animals when expecting the crops to generally be ready for harvest. For a lot more than quite a few hundred years, their agricultural expertise achieved a sophisticated degree which authorized them to Are living and sustain themselves whilst dwelling permanently of their villages.
Later on, the Anasazi developed greater villages which have far more storage bins so as to support the elevated yields of corn. This maximize signifies how the Anasazi were being ready to improve their farming procedures. In addition, they'd effectively expanded their trading array.
In 500 A.D., the Anasazi cultivated beans which are the principal supply of protein. Berries, yucca fruit, pinion nuts and wild game nonetheless manufactured up one of the most aspect of their diet regime. To health supplement their food stuff supply, the Anasazi cultivated specific crops for example squash and crops.
It had been throughout the latter A part of the Basketmakers Period of time when the Anasazi had designed noteworthy improvements in engineering. They created clay pottery, domesticated turkeys, used improved approaches in farming such as flood irrigation, adopted the use of the bow and arrow, and stored foods in storage bins.
The storage bins or containers grew to become remarkably helpful for trying to keep surplus food items. The Anasazi figured out carrying out plain grey pottery and sometimes black on white pottery to be able to produce their storage bins.
Close to 750 A.D., Chaco Canyon turned inhabited by an elite group of Ancestral Puebloans. Among 800-a thousand A.D., this group unfold throughout just about every arable acre that designed up the San Juan Basin. In a duration of two centuries, they more info crafted an elaborate trail and street system which allowed them to connect with the outlying villages. While they produced over 400 miles of mapped out street units, there was no existing proof that indicated their use in the wheel.
The Anasaziâ€™s engineering competencies may be witnessed in the construction of Pueblo Bonito, quite possibly the most well-known of the great residences in Chaco Canyon. It experienced 700 or maybe more rooms, 37 family members kivas, and a couple of Local community kivas. Covering a location of in excess of 4 acres, itâ€™s obvious that building Pueblo Bonito desired skillful architectural engineering techniques that the Anasazi had turn out to be recognized for.


In support of Ukraine, the United States of America will be buying tons of Ukraine’s wheat worth over N28bn
The wheat will then be distributed to African countries facing acute food shortages since the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Since the Invasion of Russia, Ukraine has been finding it difficult to export some of its food produce
The United State Government has announced its intention to pay a whopping N28.58 billion($68 million) for transporting and storing up to 150,000 metric tons of Ukrainian wheat.
The gesture is part of its partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to address acute food insecurity all over the world, with Africa a priority.
US government disclosed this in a press release signed by Antony j. Blinken, U.S secretary of state and made available to Legit.ng.
According to the US government, the Ukraine wheat purchase has now pushed its humanitarian contribution through the USAID programme to more than $5.4 billion in 2022.
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine war
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine started, many African countries have witnessed a remarkable surge in the price of food.
This is because Ukraine has been a significant supplier of global food, especially wheat, over the years.
U.S outline how the purchased wheat will be distributed
According to the US govt, the purchase of 150,000 metric tons of wheat builds on an initial WFP shipment of 23,000 metric tons of Ukrainian wheat and will support the humanitarian response in the Horn of Africa, where a historic drought is pushing millions of people to the brink of starvation.


I started my career as an entomologist with the Commonwealth Agriculture Bureau’s International Institute of Biological Control in India. All through my scientific life I have preferred biological control or natural methods in managing plant pests and integrated pest management.
I worked for many years with rice, this being the staple food of more than half of the world’s population. From the International Rice Research Institute, based in the Philippines, I moved on to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, where root crops are the main staples. As a witness to the availability of food supply, nutrition, poverty, population issues from Asia and Africa, I was also disheartened in seeing the malnourished Cambodians who survived the Khmer Rouge regime. My belief in practicing judicious use of chemicals in controlling pests is to protect the food people eat, making it retain its natural composition and to do less harm to the environment.
A few years ago, I joined the World Vegetable Centre in the Solomon Islands as the site coordinator and later, became the senior adviser (agriculture development) with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. This involved me with food and nutritional security. I came to realise that Solomon Islanders and as a matter of fact most small islands countries and territories across the Pacific with their many outer islands, are confronted more by nutritional insecurity than by food insecurity. This ignited my passion for the study and practice of human food and nutrition.
In the Solomon Islands, I developed the blueprint for the first ever national agriculture and livestock policy, and also subsidiary policy documents of which the Solomon Islands government policy on organic agriculture systems and the national rice sector policy (2010-2015) are the first policy documents in the Pacific islands region. In addition, I teamed up with the government’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, to draft the national food security, food safety and nutrition policy (2010-2015).
The main sector and the sub-sector policies to address food and nutritional security developed in Solomon Islands were all approved by the Solomon Islands government and parliament.
The blueprint to address food and nutrition security in small outer islands across Pacific island countries and territories that face the consequences of climate change, family food and nutrition insecurity and loss of biodiversity, was developed from the Kwai Island organic farming model for family food and nutrition security, together with Pastor Philip Manuao. Kwai Island is a tiny dot off the east coastline of Malaita, one of the Solomon Islands. The people of Kwai generally live on seafoods and root crops. This model is now widely known around the Pacific: see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cgXnzfDcbk. It was costly for islanders to procure vegetables and fruits from the mainland. Their sandy soils hinder the crop growth. We introduced ‘Sup-Sup’ home organic gardening. This facilitates proper waste segregation and island sanitation as well as successful local organic production of fruits and vegetables of various colours. It is a simple approach that has allowed Kwai Islanders access to ‘rainbow-coloured’ nutritious diverse organically grown foods.
This small change has impacted greatly on the lives of the Kwai Islanders and has become a success story for other small outer islands across the Pacific. We aim to be able to disseminate this information and reproduce the system in other Solomon islands and in nearby Pacific countries.
Addressing issues of food and nutrition security is not just the concern of government. It is the responsibility of every citizen, and all sorts of relevant organisations, all of whom need to join hands and work together. Thus I have been able to convince the Solomon Islands postal corporation to issue postage stamps on important vegetables such as tomato, pumpkin, string beans, eggplants and indigenous vegetables. Similarly, I have influenced local women’s groups throughout the country to submit local recipes to promote healthy ways of life nationwide in a small booklet on Local Vegetable Food ‘Kaikai’ Recipes in the Solomon Islands produced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock together with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, and the communities in rural and urban areas of the islands. This was supported by the World Health Organization.
To enhance and sustain food and nutrition security at family level, we have to educate everybody including young and disadvantaged members of the community in the importance of proper food and healthy nutrition. We need to give them the skills and confidence to produce their own foods organically and locally. As a Kwai Island fisherman, Eratus Tom, has said, ‘Without the right information, we could not help ourselves….food is the difference between life and death’.


The Brianna has been picked and delivered to Prairie Crossing Winery thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers that helped August 31st. An estimate of 2500 lbs of organic Brianna were harvested! To see pictures from the Brianna Harvest click here.
But wait, there’s more! The GR-7 grape variety will be ready for picking this coming Saturday, September 7th at 8:00 am at the Black Squirrel.
Please R.S.V.P. if you would like to come to the free breakfast provided by Jolene Caldwell starting at 7:00. Call (712) 566-2681 or email Jolene.
All volunteers will receive either a free bottle of wine or a gift certificate to Prairie Crossing Winery as a Thank You from the Black Squirrel Family.


Genetically Modified Food Should Be Banned Essay - 708.
Genetically Modified Food Should Be Banned Essay Genetically Modified Foods Should Be Banned. He died an hour after being taken to the hospital. The cause of his death. Persuasive Essay On Gmo Foods. Genetically modified foods, or GMO foods, are plants and animals that have been. The Good, Bad.
Genetically modified food should be strictly banned as it also adds to various negative effects on human health and need to be removed from everyday agriculture because of the risks they create to human health. Genetically modified foods are found to produce toxic substances.
The term Genetically Modified Food can be defined as a crop’s genetic material alteration using technology by scientific method so that the crop’s features can be improved or enhanced (Genetically Modified Food, n.d.). Basically, the procedure to produces genetically modified food is almost similar with cloning method (Crierie and Greig, 2002).
Over 75% of food in grocery stores in genetically modified food (Smith). In the past 10 years our worlds population has grown tremendously. Farmers struggle with keeping up because of drought, floods, and other environmental problems; therefore, they tried to come up with a way to increase yield. The result had lots of cons and pros.
The grocery stores are nowadays filled with Genetically Modified Food. People can now grow crops, the ones that have certain preferred characteristics. This puts lives of the customers in danger, who purchase these foods without information of the health hazards.
According to the World Health Organisation, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination. Genetically modified crops (GMCs, GM crops or biotech crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has.
The Banning of Genetically Modified Food Argumentative Essay is currently unavailable. Please check out similar documents we have in our database. Thank you!
The invention of Genetically Modified food is a reasonable solution to solve this issue. Therefore, the Genetically Modified food should not be banned for several reasons. In addition to the fact that Genetically Modified food already provides benefits to us, there are several considerable profits to agriculture, environment and human health.
Essay on Genetically Modified Foods Should Be Banned - Genetically modified foods most commonly refers to the plants, which has been modified in the laboratory to enhance improved nutritional content and aimed traits created for human beings and animals Genetically modified food increases productivity however the modified seeds are expensive and the genetically modified foods are in.
Genetically modified tomatoes were then made into a tomato puree and sold in Europe in the mid-1990s, but a couple years later controversy arose over the concept of genetically modifying food. In 1998, a doctor from Aberdeen, in Scotland, published results from a research study he conducted suggesting that genetically modified potatoes, injected with an insecticide gene from the snowdrop plant.
Banning Unlabeled Genetically Modified Food The grocery stores are nowadays filled with Genetically Modified Food. People can now grow crops, the ones that have certain preferred characteristics. This puts lives of the customers in danger, who purchase these foods without information of the health hazards. However, if the food company.
Laws banning the use of these types of foods are not uncommon, in fact over 64 countries around the world have banned the use of them (Faber) Short Essay on Genetically Modified Crop Article shared by Genetically modified or GM crops as they are commonly known refers to the plants whose DNA has been modified with the help of genetic engineering techniques and are then grown and cultivated.
The willingness of consumers to pay a premium price for organic foods (food not genetically modified) has come at a time when genetically modified foods have come under scrutiny. Studies, like Lusk JL, Jamal M. Kurlander L, Roucan M, Taulman L, whom created a meta-analysis of genetically modified food valuation studies found, in a review of 25 studies, found a premium of 29 percent for non.
Legitimation crisis on essay genetically modified foods. Conclusion of essay about nature narrative essay on a life lesson essay a holiday destination in malaysia general topics in essay writing, ross school of business essays undergraduate a very old man with enormous wings symbolism essays Gmo Food Essay. 29 Jun June 29, 2020.
Why should we stop eating genetically modified foods. often hear the word genetically modified organism (GMO). It is an organism whose genetic material has been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. GMOs are the source of genetically modified food which is used to produce a variety of goods other than food.Genetic engineering researchers promise.
Genetically Modified Organisms (Plants) The debate concerning genetically modified organisms (GMO) has been there for a while now especially in the UnitedStates where public groups and other stake holders have continuously made protest against the existence of these kind of plants with inclusion of their use, and that of their byproducts (FAOUN 4).). Apparently the Food and Drugs.


I truly laughed out loud this am as I read this amazing story in the Dining In section about a man named Tom Michaels, in eastern Tennessee, who armed with passion, hard work and faith seems to have accomplished the impossible….
Although unexpected, the Tennessee truffles were not unplanned. Tom Michaels, a 59-year-old plant pathologist, pianist and Scrabble tournament competitor, sprouted the hazelnut trees from seeds. He inoculated their roots with Tuber melanosporum, the Perigord truffle, before setting them in his backyard seven years ago.
He resisted dreams of a truffle bonanza as assiduously as he limed his soil and trimmed his trees. Dr. Michaels had, after all, grown up on a mushroom farm west of Chicago and had written his thesis on the difficulty of the in-vitro cultivation and growth of T. melanosporum.
He knew that millions of dollars have been lost since the 1970s in the attempt to cultivate truffles in the United States. Some of the failures were spectacular. One multimillion dollar orchard in Hext, Tex., is now being managed as a game preserve.
When, on the morning of Jan. 3, he noticed patches of the tawny Tennessee soil bubbling up like blistered asphalt in his orchard, however, Dr. Michaels lost his circumspection. “I was jumping around yelling ‘Eureka!’ ” he said. And that was before he saw the size of the bulbs, before he felt them and smelled them and tasted them, before one of his truffles had found its way into the chef Daniel Boulud’s kitchen in Manhattan, before the chef had confirmed the grower’s suspicion.
The article later manages another astonishing fact….. Dr. Michaels cultivated his soil for years before he even felt that he was ready to plant his first seed! Now he has the beginnings of a multibillion dollar business (truffles sell for $800 a lb.), doing what he LOVES! How about that for a frigging inspiring metaphor!


Why I eat a lot of rice and wheat
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the country’s rice and corn imports are on the rise and its wheat and barley are on a decline.
The agency released the latest report on the global food supply and market for September 22, 2017.
The USDA said U.K. rice imports have risen 7.7 percent to 7.6 million metric tons, while Canadian corn imports rose 6.7% to 6.6 billion metric tons.
The biggest increases were in Chinese imports, which rose 8.5 percent to 2.1 billion metric ton.
The rice market has been a hotbed of concern in recent years, with the country recently announcing plans to import a third of its rice, and other Asian nations have pledged to import some of their own grains.
“Rice imports in 2017 have increased substantially, while the volume of wheat imports declined by about one-third,” the USDA report said.
The U.N. food agency said it is also concerned about the growing popularity of processed grains, which can include rice, wheat and corn, as well as legumes and pulses.
and China have been the world’s top two producers of rice, with China having exported about half of its crop last year, according to the USDA.
China and the U.k. are both importing more rice than they can meet, the USDA said, citing the high costs of growing rice.
China, for example, pays $3.30 per kilogram for a pound of rice compared to $0.96 for a kilogram of wheat, while rice costs $2.30 to $2,600 per pound for the same commodity in the U., it said.
Food prices for rice and grains are rising rapidly in the developing world due to poor conditions, the report said, adding that the price increases are primarily driven by the “rising demand” for the commodities.
In addition, the price of corn and soybeans have risen sharply, with corn prices rising more than 30 percent in 2017, while soybean prices have risen almost 18 percent.


Not even the dollar weeds that sprouted up through the garden beds could dampen the mood at the Port St. Joe Community Garden on Saturday, where, for the first time, members of the community gathered to plant their seeds for the upcoming spring.
Kim Miller, one of the graden’s organizers, said the groundbreaking celebration had been more than three years in the making.
“We’ve been working on this project since 2018,” she said. “We’re grateful for the community’s support for it. We’re anxious to see what we can give back to the community, because that’s what we’ve been striving for.”
The volunteers, who represented organizations from around the city, gathered the dollar weeds and their complex roots in buckets, then prepared the soil in each of the garden’s plots for planting.
The garden club planted bulbs and seeds for different flowering plants to attract pollinators. Pioneer Bay Community Development Corporation planted vegetables to supplement their food distribution program through the Farmacy.
They exchanged tips and lent a hand to each other as needed.
Come late spring, Miller and other organizers hope the garden will provide not only fresh food for the community, but also a means of community outreach.
“The goal is to have people adopt a plot, they sponsor it, they provide the people who work it, plant it, sow it, everything,” she told the Star in November. “And they also harvest it and distribute it.”
“The part when they go to distribute it is community outreach, because it’s also checking in on people who are either elderly or have disabilities and making sure that they’re okay.”
To volunteer with the community garden or track their progress, you can follow the organization on Facebook or call 334-435-9262.


The company wants to filter 1% of [dangerous and evil dirty pollution CO2] out of the air by 2025 with [just only] 250,000 of these plants.
Switzerland’s new ‘air-scrubbing’ plant sucks CO2 out of the atmosphere
The first of its kind direct air capture (DAC) unit utilizes 18 Climeworks CO2 collectors on top of a waste utilization plant, KEZO, to filter CO2 from the atmosphere. This concentrated CO2 is then supplied to a greenhouse located just a 1/4 mile down the road where it is used [Fordama, pay attention here: -->] as fertilizer to grow tomatoes and cucumbers. The DAC itself is powered by low-grade waste heat generated by the KEZO complex.
Read the full story here:
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech ... perations/
They want to sell it "to customers in key markets, including: commercial agriculture, food and beverage industries, the energy sector and the automotive industry."
http://www.climeworks.com/wp-content/up ... pening.pdf
The half-life of CO2 is something like 5 to 15 years. This seems like an idea that isn't going to work because it's pointless and to many plants are needed to make just a 1% difference.
What is the carbon footprint of mining and processing of the materials used to build these plants and then to construct them? Will they be using wind and solar powered cranes and bulldozers to build the plants?
And apparently, it looks like CO2 is a valuable commodity. Who knew?


Potted Up and Ready to Grow Plants
I offer undressed plants, pots and accessories right here on my website.
I also offer potted up and ready to grow plants on my Facebook page. I do the dirty work for you, by repotting the plants into one-of-a-kind vessels ready to be enjoyed.
View all available potted up and ready to grow plants on Facebook. Not a Facebook user? View my Facebook timeline below.
Facebook Message or Contact me and let me know what plant(s) you are interested in.
I will send you instructions on how to make payment through your bank's secure Interac e-Transfer or via major credit cards.
Your purchase will be available at the convenient pick up area located at 279 Meadowcrest Rd., once payment has been received.


Put two different wines of the same grape varietal side by side, and you might be surprised to see how much of a difference there is between them. How is that possible? Shouldn’t the same grape produce the same type of wine every time? Not exactly. Equal to, if not more important than the type of grape used in making the wine, is the land its grown on, and the conditions it grows in. A wine from California and a wine from France will show major differences because there are major differences between the areas they are grown in. Those differences are going to express themselves in the finished wine. The influence of the land, climate, and human production on a vineyard is known as terroir.
The concept is originally thought to have started in Burgundy, France (it’s always the French) and has become a defining feature of the wine industry and culture. Producers scour the globe looking for geographic regions that are particularly conducive to certain varietals. New growing techniques are experimented with and incorporated into wine making practice every year.
Terroir – the set of all environmental factors that affect a crop’s phenotype, including unique environmental contexts, farming practices and a crop’s specific growth habitat.
Soil type, climate, precipitation, and farming practices all go into forming the terroir for a vintage. Even when most factors are similar, changing one element of terroir can make large differences. For example, two vineyards might share the same region but one is commercially produced, and the other hand-reared. Differences between the wines of nearly identical regions will likely show up in the bottle, thanks to differences in their production.
The concept of terroir is not just limited to wine. You can see its significance in other crop’s such as San Marzano Tomatoes, grown on the volcanic hillsides of Mt. Vesuvius, Idaho potatoes (although that might be more marketing based), or local cheeses.
Winemakers have been able to isolate, through research and tradition, conditions optimal for producing certain varieties of wine. A lot of chalk in the soil is a great sign for dry white or sparkling wines. Cooler climates are more essential to the production of Pinot Noir than Cabernet Sauvignon. Still, every region of wine making has its unique attributes – its unique terroir. A Riesling from Germany is different from one in Australia, which are both different than one from Washington state. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most popular wines around the world, and examine the differences in terroir where they are produced.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of, if not the most popular red wine grape in the world. It is certainly the most popular Red Wine grape in the United States, thanks in part to its propensity in Napa Vineyards. The wine was originally made by French Winemakers in the 17th century in Bordeaux by an accidental breeding between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Known for its rich dark color, and full flavor notes of green pepper and dark fruit, Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine made for pairing with food. Bold, complex, and irresistible, Cabernet Sauvignon can be found across the world. Some of the most prominent regions producing the varietal are in Bordeaux, the Napa Valley of California, and the Maipu Valley of Chile.
Bordeaux, France – Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux is often times blended with other varietals like Cabernet Franc to create the iconic wines. The wines usually contain higher levels of minerality which is attributed to esters (a type of chemical compound derived from an acid), yeasts, and methods employed during the fermentation. Located right along the 45th parallel, the BOrdeaux region is in the optimal climate for wine growing. The soil is gravel rich, which provides excellent drainage, and has eroded over millions of years to mix with clay, limestone, sand and mud. Farmers optimize these conditions by plowing the land, forcing the roots of grape vines to dig deeper for nutrients, resulting in more concentrated flavors. The left bank of Bordeaux is specifically optimal for Cabernet Sauvignon. Terroir is taken so seriously here, that it is said one can taste the difference in not only Chateau to Chateau, but vineyard row to vineyard row.
Napa Valley, California – Since the infamous Judgement of Paris, California, and Napa Valley wines in particular have ascended to the very top of the wine world. Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa tend to be more fruit forward than the French versions. Bold and complex, dense, rich and often time oaky, Napa Valley Cabs show great concentration of flavor. Specific tasting notes include anise, black olive, and strong black fruit flavors. The micro-climates in the Napa Valley can produce wide variety in wines. In fact, there are 16 different AVA’s (registered sub-regions) within the Napa Valley. The soil is a complex mix of ancient marine sediments, volcanic rock, and other deposits. It’s no wonder that the Napa Valley is some of the most highly valued property in the world.
Maipu Valley, Chile – Elevation! Located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, the Maipu Valley’s most notable landscape feature is its altitude (up to 2600 ft). The steep slopes provide some of the best locations for planting vineyards. Granite rich, and easy-draining soils irrigated with clear Andes melt water ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. Add a Mediterranean climate and it’s no wonder why so many French winemakers invested heavily into the Maipu Valley. The potential for this region is only beginning to be realized.
Pinot Noir is the most planted varietal world-wide, not only producing wine of its namesake, but also in producing sparkling wines like Champagne. Following the movie Sideways, released in 2004, sales and consumption of Pinot Noir began to increases according to a study by Sonoma State University. It is characterized as a light to medium bodied red wine with aromas of cherry, raspberry and a nice amount of acidity. Pinot Noir ages superbly, developing complex and earthy profiles, and even “barnyard-esque” flavors. Regions renown for their Pinot Noir include Burgundy, Sonoma County, California and Marlborough, New Zealand.
Burgundy, France – No one does terroir like Burgundy does. The wine growing region in central France is famous for many different varietals, but none more so than Pinot Noir. Sub regions within Burgundy are divided into a classification system that indicates the best growing regions. On the bottom is regional wines, followed by village wines, followed by premier cru. At the top are the grand cru wines which can sell for thousands of dollars. A lot of the secrets to what makes Burgundy Pinot Noir so special can be found in the soil. Key characteristics of the soil include its abundance of clay, limestone, and fossilized marine shellfish, left over from when the region was covered in water. Pinot Noir tends to be planted in the areas rich with limestone. Burgundy has a cooler climate than Bordeaux, closer to a true continental climate than Mediterranean. Some of the tasting notes for Pinot Noir specific to Burgundy include wet leaves, mushrooms, roses, violet, and fresh raw cherries.
Sonoma, California – The Pinot Noirs hailing from this region are more fruit forward than Burgundy. Notes of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla, clove, Coca-cola and caramel all help to define a Sonoma Pinot Noir. The warm, coastal climate creates long growing seasons, perfect for the slow maturation of the grapes. Consistent marine layers provide cool flowing air through the Petaluma gap, Russian River Valley and San Pablo Bay. With 17 individual AVAs, some winemakers believe there is more soil types in Sonoma alone than in all of France. Overall, the soil is formed from ancient oceanic crust. layered with river sediments, and volcanic soil, with excellent drainage.. You can find chalky, limestone, clay rich and gravely vineyards throughout Sonoma all with varying degrees of elevation.
Marlborough, New Zealand – New Zealand has been producing world-class Pinot Noirs for some time now. In flavor they are fruit forward, similar to California Pinots, but possess a spicier tinge. New Zealand Pinots have a gamey quality to them as well, which make them particularly good for pairing with game meats like lamb and duck. Located on the coastal northen tip of New Zealands Southern Island, the Marlborough growing region has an overall moderate temperature. The surrounding mountains and influence from the sea create a wealth of micro-climates to grow in. The soil is free-draining with lots of clay, gravel and stony, sandy loam. The entire area used to be covered in ancient glaciers and their influence can still be felt in the wine made there today.
Chardonnay is one of the most widely produced and consumed wine grapes in the world. The neutral flavor of the Chardonnay makes it one of the most interesting wines in regard to terroir. In fact, much of the flavor in Chardonnay is influenced by the terroir of the grapes. Chardonnay comes in oaked and unoaked varieties. Some key flavor characteristics of Chardonnay are a buttery mineraly kind of thing with lots of balanced fruit flavors that vary depending on the regions its grown in. It is medium to light bodied wine, served most often chilled. Places producing exceptional vintages of Chardonnay in recent years include Mendoza, Argentina, the Margaret River region in Australia, and Chablis, France.
Mendoza, Argentina – Mendoza is characterized by low rainfall, so low that it is considered a desert. Luckily melt water from he nearby Andes Mountains provides more than enough water to the region. In fact, some of the irrigation still used today in Mendoza was inherited from the ancient Inca. Close proximity to the Andes also means more elevation, and with elevation comes increased diurnal temperature differences. Days can be warm to hot with night cooling off considerably, perfect for Chardonnay. The cool nights stop the ripening of the grapes ensuring that some of their acidity remains preserved in the final product. No wonder some Mendoza wineries list their altitude as a sort of bragging right on the bottle.
Margaret River, Australia – Located in one of the most geographically isolated wine regions in the world, the Margaret River produces some of the most sought after wine to come out of Australia, despite accounting for a small percentage of the total wine productions. The Chardonnays that come from the the southwestern tip of Australia are usually fruit forward with ripe pear and peach flavors. These Chardonnays also tend to be oaked less than their North American counterparts. They are a balance between the purity of French Chardonnays, and the complexity of North American Chardonnays. The Margaret River region is surrounded by ocean on three sides, producing a Mediterranean climate absolutely ideal for wine making. The Margaret River Valley has the potential to become the crown jewel for Australian wine, Chardonnay included.
Chablis, France – Chablis lies in a sedimentary basin that, much like other parts of Europe, was once covered by an ancient ocean. The resulting soil is comprised mostly of gray marl (an unconsolidated sedimentary rock or soil consisting of clay and lime), along with alternating bands of limestone and the fossilized remains of ancient oysters. Chablis is more northern than usual for wine making, and during the early spring temperatures can drop to freezing. Winemakers will sometimes place heaters near the vines to protect them from spring frosts. The region is famous for only producing chardonnay — and for good reason. The Chardonnays that come from Chablis are noted for the citrus and white fleshed fruit notes, as well as excellent minerality from the limestone deposits. Chardonnay from Chablis aslo have a characteristic salty “tang” and crystal-clear appearance. The Chardonnay is also rarely oaked, resulting in a clearer terroir expression. It’s argued by some that Chardonnay from Chablis is the purest form of the grape that can be found.
Riesling might be the most recognizable wine on the world market that originated outside of France. Hailing from the Rhine region, Riesling is considered to be part of the “big 3” of white wines along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Similar to Chardonnay, the character of a Riesling wine is largely determined by the areas it is produced in. Rieslings can come “dry,” with very little residual sugar, or at varying stages of later harvest, with more balanced sugar and acidity levels. Typical flavor notes include honey, citrus, and often “petrol” in aged Rieslings. You can find Riesling growing all over the world but some notable regions producing the wine include Rheingau Germany, the Columbia Valley in Washington State and the Clare Valley in Australia.
Rheingau, Germany – Arguably Germany’s most renown wine growing region. Rieslings from Rheingau tend to have more residual sugar than others. Typical flavor notes include apricots, a mineral quality, and a spicy fragrance. The Rheingau has diverse soil types including chalk, sand, gravel, clay, loess, quartzite and slate. At 50 degrees northern latitude, the Rheingau is pretty far north for a wine growing region. Vineyards are all located on southern facing slopes along the Rhine River to maximize sunlight, both directly and from the river’s reflection.
Columbia Valley, Washington – North American Reisling tend to be more dry than their German counterparts, and the Columbia Valley of Washington state is no different. Although Washington state is normally associated with gloomy wet weather, the Columbia Valley actually sees plenty of sunshine (around 300 days a year, which is more than Napa). The valley’s location on the Eastern side of the Cascade mountains ensures a drier, warmer climate that is better for winemaking. The land is rich in loess soils, which are comprised of wind-blown silt and sand soils created by the Missoula Floods (immense ice age floods) thousands of years ago. The loess soil lends itself to creating richly aromatic Rieslings. The soil is still relatively young compared with others around the world. Estimates place its formation around 20,000 years ago, compared to some South African soils which have been estimated to have formed 50 million years ago.
Clare Valley, Australia – The Clare Valley landed on the map thanks to its exceptional conditions for Riesling, and it continues to be a great source for Riesling to this day. It has a mild continental climate, and relatively higher elevation (1300-1600 ft) than most Australian wine producing regions. The land scape is one of gullies and hills, and features at least 11 different soil types. This diversity in soil lends itself to a lot of variety between Rieslings grown in different areas of the vally. However, the most remarkable soil types in the Clare Valley are the red soils (terra rossa), which have particularly excellent drainage and are rich in limestone. Rieslings from the Clare Valley are known for their lime-focused character.
By Aldo Moreno


I tried trimming a few of the fruit trees in our yard one year. It took almost three years for them to bear fruit again. They are apple, pear and plum trees. They make delicious fruit. My grandparents planted these trees back when they built the house. Now it is the home of my wife and I where we have teenage children. We harvest the fruit and make jellies and jams and other things. To preserve the fruit-bearing capability of the trees while keeping them at a manageable size, I called a Long Island tree pruning service to trim the rest of the trees properly.
You want to encourage new growth and even more bearing of fruit, and it takes someone knowledgeable about each tree species in order to get it done right. Each tree can have a different time of year that it should be pruned along with a different way it should be pruned. My neighbor has some apple trees that do not bear fruit. He trims them himself. However, he told me that he really does not want the mess of apples in his yard, and that he only keeps the trees because they are small and look good at the edge of his property close to the road.
We want our trees to produce as much fruit as possible. We planted grape vines about five years ago, and we enjoy grape juice and grape jelly that we make at home. It is like having a mini fruit farm right here on Long Island. The professional tree trimmers of the Long Island tree pruning service that we called keeps our trees bearing a lot of fruit every year. It is amazing how proper pruning can yield a lot of fruit from fruit trees, and bad pruning can stop them from bearing fruit at all.


Spending time in the garden feels like a vacation to me. One would reasonably think, however, that in November the gardens are in hibernation mode. But while Oregon has been inundated with rain for the past few weeks and the gardens are preparing to rest, their bounty is flourishing. A thankful harvest indeed. It was a joyful day, filled with many reasons for which to be thankful.
Here was my Sunday, November 8:
1. Ginkgo biloba: The ginkgo tree’s leaves have started to turn and are ready to collect and dry. Unlike other plants, harvesting ginkgo is fairly easy. Ginkgo is not appropriate for pregnant women but I use its tincture to help remember to put my socks on right side out. It helps increase blood flow to the brain, and I always think their little leaves look like the two lobes of the brain, signifying what they are used for (called the Doctrine of Signatures). I need all the help I can get.
2. Vegetables: Before putting the vegetable garden to bed, pulling up the spent plants and snuggling the earth in with a good layer of manure, I need to harvest the last of the cold weather vegetables. Along with the squashes, I picked the last of the green peppers, carrots, beets and lettuce before the first hard frost. Still hanging on are the kale, beets and what lettuce can defend itself against the torrential rains and ravenous slugs. For dinner I made roasted cylinder beets, red carrots, onions and brussel sprouts that I harvested last week with a carrot and lettuce salad. I learned how to roast vegetables from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa and it works with all manner of root vegetables. Deelish.
3. Ivy: English Ivy is a foreigner to Oregon. It’s considered an invasive and unwanted intruder after it was brought to this state by some well intentioned visitor long ago. It is, in fact, classified as a noxious weed. But I like it. It’s beautiful, stalwart and is controllable if one remembers to prune it back regularly. No, I’m not advocating planting it in your garden. But if it’s there, I say prune it and make something purty! Today was the biannual refresh of the grapevine arch over our bed. I cut tendrils and wind them around a grapevine arch. Easy.
4. Maple Tree Drama: Turns out, when a tree falls in the forest, people do hear. We heard and felt a big boom during a lull in the rain and dashed outside to find that one of our aging maple trees had succumbed to the last straw (was it that last raindrop?) challenging its strength. So did the neighbors who also came running. It happens. Plants live their full lives and leave with little ceremony. The ebb and flow. We took a moment, honored this tree for having blessed us with its shade and leaves to help feed the forest floor. We’ll let it lay and season until next summer, then cut it up for firewood. Thank you Mrs. Maple.
5. New Boots: Trees fall, boots give their all. My daughter in law bought me boots for Christmas many years ago. I have worn them more days than I can tell you, and as you can see, they have seen better days. It was my intention to finally break down and find their replacement. I did go to several stores. I tried on one shiny, intact pair after another. But try as I might, just couldn’t find the right pair. They weren’t as comfortable. They were too short/tall. They just didn’t fit right. Even though this time of the year there are lots of options available, in the end I came home empty handed. I couldn’t convince my wee small heart to replace these old friends They have served me well, slogging through Oregon muck, keeping my feet warm and dry, and protecting my legs whilst harvesting stinging nettles for years. They have paint and mud on them. And they have a few holes. But I consider them my garden friends and I’ll be sad to see them go. For the moment, they’ll do just fine.


Building upon the Global Clean-up Project (which was inaugurated in 2003, for Louix’s birthday), Grace in Action has expanded to incorporate an ongoing fruit tree planting project—Forests of Fruit. By planting fruit trees on public and private lands everywhere, and encouraging others to do the same, we align with Louix’s teachings that we are divinely designed to eat fruit, and that fruit is paramount to our health and vitality. Through this project, we provide food for people (as well as the animal kingdom) and help to bring an end to deaths from starvation and malnutrition, which claim millions of lives every year. The project also serves to help reforest, oxygenate, and beautify the earth.
Louix emphasizes the importance of spending time on the earth for our healing and upliftment. By planting and tending fruit trees, we will be in Nature and more open to communion with Mother Earth and nature spirits. There is a wonderful opportunity here to learn about and practice organic gardening and plant care, and to find ways to be in harmony and balance with the natural world.
It is recommended that you conduct research before you select and plant trees for this project. Use the Internet, read relevant books and magazines about organic gardening, and speak with your local nursery. You will need to know what varieties grow best in your climate, and how to grow and care for the tree organically--without using pesticides or chemicals. You need to ensure the tree will be adequately nurtured and cared for, not left to die, or you will be creating a negative effect in the Universe--more ill health, more starvation, and further deforestation.
As part of the tree selection and planting process, it is important to ask Mother Earth what variety or varieties She would like to receive, and where the trees should be planted. Louix recommends that we select heritage or heirloom varieties of fruit trees if possible (with the understanding that ones should gratefully accept fruit trees which are often donated by nurseries or other benefactors, provided they can grow in the climate wherein you would be planting them), and to avoid varieties which have been genetically modified, genetically engineered, bio-engineered, or are transgenic.
Once you have asked for and received permission from Mother Earth (and obviously from the owners, managers, and/or caretakers of each chosen site) to plant a fruit tree or trees, spoken with your local nursery and/or heritage tree expert about what the tree needs to flourish (adequate space to grow; proper variety for your climate; complementary tree, if the one you selected is not self-pollinating; water, sunlight, and soil; mulch and fertilizer; pruning; protection from winds, frosts, birds, insects), and, finally, purchased your tree/s (after asking God which trees from the selection at the nursery are the ones for you to take home), then you are ready to plant!
Bless every one and every thing all the time.
Please remember to treat the tree planting as a sacred act. Bless the soil as you dig the hole, bless the ingredients you add to the soil to enrich it, and bless the creatures (insects, worms, etc.) you find during the process. In your prayers, you can bless the earth, the tree, and the elements, and send a prayer into the Universe so that the tree will flourish and be bountiful, and its fruit will feed many people, all of whom will be blessed by the inherent health-giving, life-sustaining properties of fruit; and that the tree will restore the natural beauty of the planet and give us clean air to breathe. Bless the tree each time you water, feed, or care for it in any way. Talk to it—love it. And teach others to do the same. Remember: trees are conscious beings, too!
Samantha Farber: samantha@Louix.org (Los Angeles)
Kharananda Mayi: kharananda@Louix.org (Melbourne)
Other regions and general inquiries, please e-mail:
We would love to read your stories about any transformational experiences
you have had by participating in this project.


About Sweet Potatoes
The sweet potato has been North Carolina’s official state vegetable since 1995, and North Carolina is ranked #1 in sweet potato production.
Nutritionists say that sweet potatoes should be a part of any diet. Sweet potatoes are also rich in calcium, fiber, complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and antioxidants (potassium, vitamin C, manganese). “A sweet potato a day keeps the doctor away!”
Visit, ProduceBrands.com to learn a more interesting sweet potato facts, and to watch the video featuring Vick Family Farms.
For additional information about sweet potatoes be sure to visit the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission’s website: http://www.NCSweetPotatoes.com.


Good morning Foundation and welcome to another great week of learning.
This week our topic is all about 'GROWING'. You will explore the life-cycle of a sunflower, learn what plants need to grow and write instructions to tell people how to plant a sunflower seed. In maths we will revisit addition and subtraction. There are also many activities to choose from on our home learning grid. We would love to see how you are getting on, so remember you can send us your work on our class email addresses below;
Mrs Gough; firstname.lastname@example.org
Mrs Hill; email@example.com
From Mrs Hill and Mrs Gough 😊


The town of Agerola, surrounded by the green hills of Monti Lattari, is considered to be the land of Gods and the balcony on the Amalfi Coast. In fact Agerola is a starting point for tourist excursions from where you can reach the main attractions of the Amalfi Coast (Amalfi and Positano) and the Sorrento Coast (Sorrento, Punta Campanella and Baia di Ieranto) by walking along the ancient paths of the Gods which stood in the Greek era (path of the Gods, path of the Ferriere and path of the Fonti). Agerola is famous for its gastronomic tradition, thanks to its outstanding farming products, among them the famous Piennolo cherry tomatoes. The tomato cultivation is a very ancient activity in this geographical area and it begins every year in May while the harvesting takes place in August, because Agerola is 600 a.s.l. and all farming products acquire a unique and intense flavour thanks to the extraordinary temperature value of about 10 ° C between night and day.
The Agerola cherry tomatoes can be preserved in the same way as Piennolo tomatoes by fastening together grapes of ripe cherry tomatoes to form about one meter long “piennoli” which are then hung in airy rooms for about six months allowing tomatoes to get a savoury taste although they lose some of their turgidity.
The Agerola cherry tomatoes benefit from the protected designation of origin status (DE.CO.) as they fulfill all the necessary requirements imposed by the legislative guidelines for cultivating, processing and preserving tomatoes. The allowed tomato varieties are represented by local ecotypes which are traditionally cultivated in the area of Monti Lattari and their names are inspired by the popular tradition: Macerata, Patanara, Corbarino, Cannellina, Riccia.


Most of the time, the lawn acts as the gateway to your home. Whether you come from a different country or state, you have to agree that well-manicured lawns give off a certain good feeling. A healthy lawn is highly appealing and serves as a masterpiece for your hard work; you have to worry about the amount of work hours related to properly maintaining the lawn. Lawn maintenance is all about timing and relevance of the tools used to trim it. The following are some DIY tips that can help you maintain that special space that is a reflection of nature.
Tip 1: Watering Preferences
Most plants require water to grow and develop. The water should be constant at certain time intervals to avoid water logging. Monitoring the speed and amount of water can provide you with the lush green lawn that you desire. Furthermore, after a session of watering, allow about 2 inches of the ground to dry before you water again. The most appropriate times for watering are early mornings and late evenings. It is recommended that you water the lawn during these times to avoid evaporation and ensure the roots get enough moisture to enrich the grass. Depending on the geographical location of your home, it’s important to consider the grass breed that is most suitable to perform well and also assess the water recommendations of the grass during the planting period.
Tip 2: Performing Good Mowing Practices
Setting your mower to the highest possible height is recommended because tall galls shields light from reaching weeds that may encroach on your grass. Moreover, it promotes root growth and other important microbes that might assist in enhancing the outlook of the grass. After mowing most people tend to pick up the clippings, however it’s advisable to leave them to add more nutrients to the grass. These are some instructions that you can follow when mowing:
- Do not mow grass that has only been plated for a wee, because the roots have not been entrenched.
- Wet lawns are hazardous, thus mow when they are dry to prevent accidents.
- Mow at different directions each time to ensure even growth of the grass.
- Always ensure that the mowing blade is sharp enough to avoid plucking the grass instead of cutting it.
- Depending on the time of the season you might cut the grass a bit lower say 3 inches.
Tip 3: Fertilizing Options
Understanding the concentration of Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorous in fertilizer is crucial. The numbers are written on the fertilizer bags, and you should ensure the total is no more than ten with the highest ratio being occupied by Nitrogen which is the most important ingredient for grass. However, organic fertilizers are better for soil maintenance as compared to the synthetic ones.
To ensure the fertilizer is spread evenly you can either buy or rent a fertilizer spreader. For a small lawn, a drop spreader works best while for a huge lawn, the broadcast spreader is recommended. Follow the instruction that come with the spreader and ensure that you do this once a year under cool conditions to promote root growth. You are free to fertilize many more times depending on the look you desire, but avoid fertilizing more than four times to avoid burning the lawn. The following instructions might assist you in these:
- Setting the spreader at half the recommended setting and walking over the lawn twice in two sets of rows at right angles to each other will provide similarly even outlook with no stripes.
- Use gloves to scoop the fertilizer and spread it on the edges and tight spaces to ensure your entire lawn is covered.
Tip 4: Aeration of the Lawn
It’s important that once a year through the use of a lawn aerator to pluck off patches of the ground around eight plugs per square foot. The procedure enhances the health of your lawn by ensuring that the grass has some space to breath. It also acts as a form of cover, preventing the buildup of thatch and diseases due to the compact nature of the soil. The aeration should be done when the soil is a bit dry, but soft enough for the penetration of tines in order to achieve the desired results.
The benefits of a good lawn cannot be understated. It provides a free space to express yourself and your family. A Good lawn does not set you back economically because it is priceless. The fresh air achieved from lawn provides a sense of release from the monotonous technological construct of today’s world. Thus, apply the aforementioned tips to improve the current state of your lawn.


Even our smallest of alum find their ways of giving back to our community. Jodie the bunny, FOMTAS social media specialist Hannah Stampleman's bunny and shelter alum, has been hard at work these past few months. She's been making poo for the Montclair Community Farms! Unlike some of the other shelter residents, Jodie's poo is perfect for feeding garden soil as it doesn't even need to be composted! Simply add to the garden and watch it grow! Jodie prefers to see it as a full circle effort as she enjoys eating many herbs, greens and berries from her urban balcony garden in Jersey City.
Montclair Community Farms, run by farm director Lana Mustafa, was formed in 2011 as a program to offer youth the opportunity to grow and sell vegetables. Their mission has been to increase access to affordable fresh produce in local neighborhoods in addition to serving as a hands-on resource that engages and educates. Since 2011, MCF has grown over 3,300 pounds of organic produce that has been sold to seniors at affordable prices or donated to the community.


The gardens are curently closed, opening again in april, 1st, 2017.
The garden of Les Martels is a floral garden of 35.000m2, situated 30km North of Toulouse (in Giroussens, in the Tarn).
This garden ranks among the most beautiful French gardens. There, you will find gardens of all types, an exotic and aquatic glasshouse, a panoramic viewpoint, a banana plantation and a mini farm, the whole area sheltering more than 2500 different varieties of plants.
This garden has been conceived for everyone’s pleasure.
From April 15th to October 1st
Monday, April 17th
Saturday, May 20th
Friday, June, 16th
Saturday & Sunday, July 1st & 2nd 2017
The lotus festival takes place during the flowering of Lotus


- agricultural policy
- Part of
DG DEFIS is teaming up with DG AGRI and SANTE to represent the European Commission at the International Agricultural Fair of Paris.
From 25 February to 5 March, the visitors (600.000 in 2022) will discover key features of the European Union’s space programme through the angle of precision farming:
- A tractor simulator powered by EGNOS will allow the public to perform various agricultural task (ploughing, spraying, etc.) and identify the savings made possible by space technologies;
- On a touch screen, the participants will have access to Copernicus data for agriculture (Soil moisture, air quality, etc.) when scrolling the map of France;
- A few quizzes for the younger public will be organised throughout the fair to summarise the key information available on the booth;
- On top of booth, a 1:2 size Galileo Satellite model will serve as a photo booth !


Irrigation Mistakes To Look Out For In Your Garden
Many home owners and even corporates are turning towards getting irrigation systems installed in order to ensure that the gardens in their properties remains well tended to at all times. It greatly reduces hassle for anybody who has a garden and struggles to find the time to maintain it regularly. While getting a system installed is a good decision and can really take a burden off of your shoulders, there are some mistakes that are commonly seen while these systems are installed. Here are some of them that you can easily avoid. Inadequate coverageThere are areas referred to as head zones in reticulation controllers Perth. These are the areas that an irrigation head can reach. If measured incorrectly or if the wrong equipment has been purchased, some areas of your garden will not receive water at all. Therefore watch out and buy the right gear and measure the areas correctly. If at all you have made a mistake in your calculations, it will be worthwhile to replace the irrigation head rather than install another system for areas that do not get watered. Not having variable settingsThe trees, shrubs and so on in your garden do not need as much water as the lawn will need. This is because the former has larger roots and can absorb better. If you have the same settings for both the lawn and the rest of the garden, you are bound to waste a lot of water which will not help your utility bill either. Have the right settings on or better yet get the help of a commercial reticulation Perth specialist to get the needful done accurately. Incorrect timingMost people feel that it is best to give their gardens a drink during the times when the sun is high. This is incorrect. Watering plants in harsh sunlight will increase the rate of evaporation which means that ultimately very little water will be left for the roots to absorb. You will be wasting water. The same is true for times when the winds are strong because the spray of water will get carried elsewhere. Watering them at night puts your garden at high risk for decay and fungi because the plants will be wet all through the night. The best time to start the watering process is early in the morning when none of the above problems can have a negative impact. Not having a “rain shutoff” mechanism Gardens and lawns do not need watering everyday o during some times of the year such as winter or during the rainy season. Not having this mechanism installed into your irrigation system means that you will be wasting at least fifteen percent more money that you can easily save with a rain shutoff system. To learn more about irrigation and reticulation, please click here.


Tips to Weed Control Aeration and Residential Lawn Care
Having an attractive lawn has never been easy especially where one tries to do it on his or her own. One would need to know that taking care of a lawn highly relies on the type of the vegetation of the lawn, weather, the gradient, the type of soil among other aspects. Among the aspects one would need to consider include watering the lawn, adding nutrients as well as aerating it. It would be essential to consider always having enough and the right nutrients as well as ensuring it is always mowed to the right size. It is always critical to make sure that. Most people with gardens have never figured out why aeration is critical to their gardens. It is critical to make sure that aeration is always done using the right tool. There are plug or spike aerators which most professional lawn care services tend to invest in. One would need to remember that some areas in your garden may have compacted grass while others tend to be lose making it hard for places with compact soil to either take nutrients or water.
One would need to consider having the lawn aerated at the most appropriate time. One would need to make sure that aeration is done at a time when the grass can grow best. One would need to have the weeding done. One would need to know the best season to have the grass aerated. It is also essential to know that every type of grass has an appropriate time aeration should be done. One would need to seek help from the expert where he or she does not know his or her specific type of grass.
Depending on the type of soil, it would be critical to consider the type of aerator one is using. There are two major types of aerators in the market which include spike aerators and plug aerators. The type of soil in an area highly determine the best type of aerator to be used. While a spike aerator tends to ensure opening into the soil, a plug aerator on the other end tends to remove patches of grass and get as deep as 2 to 3 inches deep.
One would need to ensure proper fertilizing, weeding as well as mowing for the lawn to have that elegant look. It would also be wise to go for professionals especially where you have little, no knowledge or even have no time to take care of your lawn. You would however need to vet the services available with the intention of working with the best.


Transition West Marin will be screening The Greenhorns
, a new inspirational film about young people going into farming on
Wednesday, August 17 at 6:30 pm at the Point Reyes Presbyterian Church (11445 Shoreline Highway 1 – up the hill from the gas station).
Discussion after the film with Mickey Murch and Will Scott from Bolinas, and Paige Phinney of Tara Firma Farms will be joining us. Free Admission. Donations for use of the church space – $1 or $2.
Please pass this on to young people interested in agriculture. The average age of our farmers is 60 years old. We need young people to see that farming is a rich, fulfilling vocation, albeit very hard work. Facing the challenges and crises of peak oil, scarce resources, food and water security, Richard Heinberg says we will need 50 million young farmers.
The Greenhorns documentary film, completed after almost 3 years in production, explores the lives of America’s young farming community – its spirit, practices, and needs. It is the filmmaker’s hope that by broadcasting the stories and voices of these young farmers, we can build the case for those considering a career in agriculture – to embolden them, to entice them, and to recruit them into farming.


Bulgaria have to lift the ban on purchase of land by foreigners
17 Nov 2017, STONEHARD
Bulgaria is under pressure from the European Commission to allow Member States' land law practices to change their legislation and to allow the purchase of agricultural land by foreigners. As a result, in the beginning of the summer, the Ministry of Agriculture drafted a bill that eliminates the rule that agricultural land in Bulgaria can only buy individuals and companies who have a five-year settlement in the country. In his motives, the department pointed out the criminal proceedings against the country and for which a fine of EUR 830 thousand was possible.
The Bulgarian political parties are debating as BSP and the United Patriots are against, and GERB is waiting. In the European Parliament, a large majority voted a resolution limiting this concentration, and in Bulgaria it is the largest, with 15% of agricultural domains holding for 87% of the arable land.
Member States are allowed to impose restrictions on the conclusion of such transactions, but not discriminatory measures. In the first place, it will be possible to grant permission be the State for such a transaction.
Parliament will be able to determine the price, the categories of buyers, as the co-owners, the farmers and neighbors of the property being the subject of the deal, and the size of the land purchased.


We have developed and produced complete instrumentation for many different optical measurement tasks by working closely with our customers and incorporating their application-specific experience.
Plants need nutrients to reach optimal growth potential. However, it is also important to limit the amount of fertilizers to avoid excess costs and environmental damage. The 2nd generation of the N-sensor, the N-Sensor® ALS [Active Light Source] is an active sensor with its own light source. The innovative, patented measuring technology of the N-Sensor® ALS enables a variable-rate fertilizer application regardless of the ambient light conditions.


We are flexitarians, bioscientists, community builders, and have created Beanlife to make good food for the fun of it. Home experiments with fermentation brought tempeh in our lives - we love it because it’s delicious, and just as much for what it represents: an aspiration to a lifestyle with good protein. For us, the good protein is plant based, ideally organic, artisanal rather than industrial, and locally made. A diet based on bean proteins enables us to eat, buy and produce locally, and make our small contribution to help our planet thrive again.
Ever since we discovered tempeh, we cannot believe it is so uncommon in Belgium. Some people call it the best kept protein secret in the world. Not anymore.
For us, it is important to have plant based foods accessible in everyday meals.
Tempeh helped us diversify our diets when we were looking to transition to a lifestyle with less meat, but also with foods higher in protein and tastier than tofu, or cheaper than seitan. We discovered that eating peas is nothing like eating pea tempeh. And pea tempeh doesn’t taste anything like black bean tempeh. You see where we’re going with this? Infinite permutations and taste in one food.
In the kitchen, having a super versatile food makes magic. We can prepare tempeh in whatever shape we like (slices, cubes, minced), season or marinate it for extra aromas. It cooks fast (5-10 mins), because the beans are pre-cooked in the fermentation process.
Where we are now and where we are going:
Our mission is to make tempeh the everyday good protein food in Belgium.
Beanlife is launching its first product, the soybean tempeh, a signature tempeh worldwide. A second product is in development - a circular tempeh made from soybeans and revalued hazelnut fibres. We produce at the lovely Proef! Lab in Schellebelle and are due to move into our own production space as soon as we can.
To achieve our mission, we are committed to:
Excellence: provide high quality products based on a delicious taste and texture. As a ‘live’ food with live microorganisms, tempeh is a unique product that mixes science and crafts to offer possibilities for very different palettes.
Produce sustainably for a circular economy: source the beans through local suppliers (Belgium or nearby) and organic cultivation methods; incorporate underused food streams in an original product and reduce waste; preserve the tempeh fresh and not process it more than absolutely needed, to avoid change in the original artisanal taste. Fresh freezing is needed to ensure the stability of our products.
Innovate together with our community: build partnerships with culinary partners, exchange ideas and feedback, and try new things.
Our future plans are to launch new products based on a variety of beans, toppings and flavours. We experiment a lot with black beans, peas, chickpeas, with cereals, seeds, and herbs mixes. We have worked in innovation for as long as we’ve known ourselves, so we are aware that the possibilities are endless: more products, less packaging, less waste, more allies to shape the future.
We warmly invite you to the Beanlife adventure:
Get your tempeh and give us feedback so that we can adapt new products to your taste.
Share with us your own BeanStory in an email. We will offer you a gift surprise as a reward!
Come to a BeanLab event and tasting in our production space. We advertise them on our social media pages.
See you soon,
Noemi & Winnie, living the beanlife


My daughter Alice and I have a CSA share together. Beside the regular growing season share I also have a spring share and a winter share which we pick up just before Thanksgiving and just before Christmas, all beautiful organic produce grown just a few miles away from me, on a farm called Crown Point, begun by the Dominican Sisters of Peace in Akron, Ohio. The farm also grows food for the local food bank and gave well over 30,000 pounds each of the last two years. A lot of this is going to find it’s way to our Thanksgiving table. It was so super abundant and beautiful I just had to share this photo taken by my daughter Alice.


The green tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant, which grow in high altitude areas in countries with hot and humid climates such as Japan, China, and India.
In the western world, green tea is increasingly popular and demanded because more and more people know its healthy properties. One of the reasons why tea is possibly so well known is because of its content in teína, a stimulating substance.
The leaves of this variety of tea are, in fact, dark green and differ from the leaves of white, yellow, oolong tea and black teas.
Table of Contents
How to make green tea and black tea different?
In contrast, the leaves harvested for green tea are not always left to wither. A fundamental process to distinguish green tea, however, is the application of heat before rolling and drying or baking the leaves.
The Japanese method requires that the leaves are steamed briefly and the Chinese method consists of toasting the leaves in large pans.
This step (both ways) stops oxidation of the tea because it prevents the rupture of the veins in the leaves and the release of their enzymes. Therefore, many of its essential nutrients remain intact, and its color is also maintained.
During the production of black tea, the harvested leaves are placed in trays in the upper part of the factory and left to wilt in the air, at temperatures between 25-30 ° C. This process requires between 10 and 16 hours for the humidity of the leaves to evaporate.
Afterward, the dried leaves are rolled – or cut and rolled to get smaller pieces – with the use of a machine to break the structure and release enzymes that initiate the oxidation process. Next, the leaves are fermented and dried or baked.
Varieties of green tea
There are endless varieties of green tea because, although all are derived from Camellia Sinensis, the result is influenced by geographical location and climate, by different growing methods and by the way the leaves are processed.
Varieties of green tea from China:
Gunpowder: It is cultivated in the province of Zhejiang. The leaves look like bullets and “explode” when resting in the water.
Long Jing: It is cultivated in Zhejiang. The leaves of this species are flat and jade-colored.
Pi Lo Chun: Pi Lo Chun is another variety of Zhejiang. Its aroma of plum and peach distinguishes because it has grown among the trees of these fruits.
Kai Hua Long Ding: It is cultivated in the Tiantai region (Zhejiang). Its leaves are short and thick.
Tian Mu Qing Ding: It is cultivated in the Tian Mu mountains of Zhejiang. The leaves are thin and delicate, giving a light and sweet taste.
Xin Yang Mao Jian: It is cultivated in Henan province. Its leaves are very thin.
Hou Kui: It is cultivated in the Anhui province. Its flavor is reminiscent of orchids, plants that surround it.
Varieties of green tea from Japan:
Gyokuro is considered the best green tea in Japan. The leaves are removed from the sun in the last weeks before harvest. The tea has a mild flavor and a light aroma.
Sencha: The most common green tea in Japan.
Bancha: The unique variety that is harvested, including stems, late in the season.
Matcha: It is powdered tea that is grown mainly in the shade and used in the Japanese tea ceremonial.
Houjicha: The green tea leaves that are toasted to get a nutty flavor.
Kukicha: The very rare green tea made from the white stems in the harvest of a bud and three leaves.
Genmaicha: Green tea of the Sencha variety that is cooked in a pot and mixed with toasted shredded rice.
Varieties of green tea from India:
Green Darjeeling: Green tea is grown in the Darjeeling district in West Bengal of India. It has small leaves and is of the Chinese variety of Camellia Sinensis.
Green Assam: The green version of a tea grown in the Assam region of India. Specifically of the species Camellia Sinensis variety Assamica. It has a beer flavor.
Kangra green: It is cultivated in the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh of India. It has a unique flavor and aroma due to its geographical region.
Nilgiri green: It’s cultivated in the hills of the Nilgiri district in southwestern India. The black and green teas are dark and intensely aromatic.
The healing properties of green tea have been part of the cultures of the East for more than 4000 years, and in the rest of the world, we are increasingly surprised by the health benefits that this infusion provides.
- The green tea is a rich source of polyphenols. Polyphenols are flavonoids with powerful antioxidant properties that neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals. The catechins (other polyphenols) have been shown to have antiangiogenic activity and anti-inflammatory estimuladoreas immune system that are responsible for their anti-cancer effect.
- Green tea has anti-inflammatory properties to prevent allergic reactions and episodes of asthma. Its tannins also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- It fights caries and periodontal diseases for its antibacterial properties.
- Protects the heart, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, reduces blood pressure, prevents atherosclerosis, antioxidant flavonoids protect against circulatory problems in addition to reducing the levels of “bad” cholesterol LDL and triglycerides and increase the “good” HDL cholesterol.
- It improves physical resistance; this helps to keep fit and lose weight, and thus also reduces the risk of cardiological diseases and diabetes.
- Improves peripheral circulation: relieves varicose veins, microvesicles, and cold hands/feet because the phenolic compounds help strengthen blood vessels.
- Increase immunity thanks to its content of vitamins E and C.
- Antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin E together help keep the body young because they prevent cell damage, promote bright and healthy skin, protect the health of the eyes and skin.
Recommended daily allowance
Enjoy the benefits of green tea by consuming 2 to 4 cups a day.
We must bear in mind that the infusion time of the leaves influences the polyphenol content of that infusion (in infusions of 8-10 minutes we can obtain the maximum of catechins, while in a 5-minute infusion only 20% is extracted of those catechins).
And of course, the quality of the tea also influences its medicinal properties, since better properties of green tea contain up to 60 times more polyphenols than infusions of poorer quality and with short infusions.
* Consult a doctor in case of sensitivity to caffeine/thein or case of depression or anxiety.
Preparation of green tea
Serve the tea with boiling filtered water or wait a few minutes if you prefer a less bitter taste. It is advisable to leave the leaves to rest in prolonged infusions to obtain the maximum benefit of their properties. However, the bitterness of strong green tea is not pleasant for some people.