Some people buy ranches as a type of investment; you may be more interested in buying a ranch for the lifestyle. Whether you want a working ranch as a vacation destination or you want to raise cattle for a living, you have to be careful when buying a ranch so that it fits your needs. Here are some important things to look for when evaluating ranches for sale.
The Soil Condition
Even if you don't grow crops, you'll need fertile land for growing fodder for the cattle. You may want to have the soil tested to be sure it's suitable for lush growth and also to make sure it isn't contaminated by chemicals or other substances that could affect the health of your cattle.
The Water Rights
Good water is essential for a ranch. You'll need to rely on well water for your house and barns, but you'll also want a river, pond, or stream to supply fresh water for your animals. You can't rely on the presence of water alone since there could be water on your land that you don't have rights to. In addition to making sure there is plenty of water, you'll want to understand the rights associated with it.
The Development Of The Land
The current condition of the land is very important too since you probably won't want to invest a lot of time and money clearing trees to make grazing lands for cows and horses. You may also want to consider if the land is level, hilly, or so steep you won't be able to use part of it. The flood zone of the land is important, too. You want to know if a valley is prone to flooding each year or if the land is in an area that suffers from drought frequently. These conditions could affect how well fodder will grow and how easily you can care for cattle.
You can find out much of what you need to know about a ranch for sale when you have a survey done that includes research into rights and zoning. Working with a real estate agent or broker who specializes in ranch lands is helpful, too. You may have to look in several states to find the ideal ranch for your purposes, and working with an agent helps you narrow down your hunt so you don't fly out to examine a ranch that isn't suitable for the type of ranching you intend to do.Share


Every one of our loaves is naturally fermented (sourdough) with no commercial yeast added.
The majority of flours we use are Ontario grown and certified organic. Sometimes our millers source organic grain from Western Canada. And sometimes we mill grain here at the bakery which was grown locally, without the use of pesticides or herbicides, but is not certified organic.
Because we source our flours from small-scale mills, the working and baking qualities of the flours we use change regularly. Consequently, our recipes are continually changing.
Honey is either from our own bees or sourced from a local beekeeper. All other ingredients (except salt) are certified organic.
Here is a sample of some of the breads that we make:


The horticultural industry’s answer to the need for improved efficiency at a comfortable sowing speed, while maintain precision placement, is the Simplicity range.
Developed in South Africa, with ongoing developments since 1984, ZR Developments, has gathered years of knowledge and experience that has been applied to designing a machine that gives nurseries the opportunity to produce high quality “plugs”.
The Simplicity range is locally manufactured with the highest quality non-corrosive and maintenance-free materials. This small, compact and self-contained machine, sows into seedling tray cavities maintaining the high seeding quality required by the industry.
The Simplicity range is designed to pick-up and place seeds as small as begonia to those as large as pine. This adaptability includes all pelletized and non-pelletized seed as well, planting with fine accuracy and negligible seed wastage.
Established in 1984, ZR Developments is a local South African company originally catering to the needs of the forestry nursery industry. ZR Developments then designed and produced sowers to provide the vegetable and flower nurseries the same high-quality seeding, that the Industry requires.
By specialising in advanced nursery technology to combine both speed and accuracy in seed sowing, ZR Developments has built up an impressive client base, with an International footprint in 15 countries, including Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Papua New Guinea, Borneo, Sweden, Kenya, Mauritius and Argentina to name but a few.
The Simplicity range is a state-of-the-art sower offering precision sowing for nurseries.
The latest machine is the SERVO 2020, the first-of-its-kind in the Simplicity sower range developed to be part of a complete production line.
All our models are fully customized to suit needs, i.e. tray size, seed size, number of seeds per cavity required and the desired sowing height. These features make Simplicity precise to prevent seed wastage while maintaining the high quality of seeding.
Changing seeds is a quick and simple operation and changing the tray configuration takes one to two minutes by, if necessary, changing the sowing head, this only applies to nurseries that use more than one configuration of seedling tray
Simplicity sows into a seedling tray in approximately 1.2sec per row, this is a very good indication to work out the speed production and number of seedling trays that you will be able to sow per hour. The sowing speed varies between models.
Simplicity has a built-in air supply & vacuum system and therefore an external compressor is not necessary. All our models are supplied with “adjustable height dibbers”. It is semi-automatic, sits on a table-top and can be operated by a single person for short seed sowing runs for the flower industry, as well as longer runs or continuous production on the automatic for the brassica/vegetable and forestry industries.
As a guideline, all three Simplicity Sowers can and will sow the full range of seeds, but the Simplicity Manual is particularly used by the flower industry as they do very short runs before seed change. The Automatic does the same thing but is user friendly for the long production runs. The Servo 2020 is designed especially for long runs to be integrated into a sowing line so it will receive the filled seedling tray, take the tray straight to the needles, the machine then goes into an index mode while it is sowing and then it will take the tray to the next stage – which could be capping, watering etc. The other advantage it has IF IT IS NOT in a line, the operator simply puts the tray anywhere on the moving belt and it will be taken automatically to the sowing cycle. The most important part of this Model is it is driven with servo motors, controlled by a “touch screen” which makes the operator able to make any change he likes while the machine is running. So, a fine tune in long production runs is very cost effective.
ZR offer a tray filler, which has a variety of options as well as, compactors, vibrators and in-feed conveyor to the hopper. Another option with the tray filler is as the speeds are digitally controlled it could be used as a capping unit
This sower is designed for smaller start up nurseries with short runs. It is particularly suitable for flower nurseries, as it is capable of sowing seeds as small as the Begonia, singly. With a simple needle change, the Simplicity will sow cabbage or any other seed, including forestry, sowing as many as 500 trays in an 8-hour day. This versatile machine has tried and tested applications in forestry, flower and vegetable nurseries.
Although it is called the Manual, the conveyor belt indexes the seedling trays automatically.
The advantage of the Automatic over the Manual is that where the sowing head is hand operated in the Manual, this function is automated.
The Automatic boasts all the same advantages as the Manual in terms of its versatility in seed range, with the added advantage of being able to produce up to 700 trays per day.
The Simplicity Automatic has achieved great success in vegetable and forestry nurseries.
The machine is designed to fill all configurations of seedling trays and has the ability to set speeds digitally, where the trays are scraped and brushed to give a clean surface tray for sowing. The machine will fill bark medium as well as peat with coir.
The Simplicity Servo 2020 utilises servo technology to enhance the operation of the machine, allowing the belt to run automatically, indexing new trays and positioning them precisely for the next cycle to the sowing head, it will then go into the index mode, while sowing, once the tray is sown the belt reverts back to continuous mode, which takes the tray to the next station and at the same time it takes the filled tray from the filler or the next tray is introduced, then the machine reverts back to the index mode while sowing . It is designed to form part of a line. After filling and brushing, trays can be placed onto the Simplicity Servo belt, at random, it will automatically put the sowing tray onto whatever else may be in the line, like capping, watering, etc. at which time the Simplicity will go into index mode to accept the next tray. All parameters may be changed via the screen at any time during production.


From organic to natural and more!
Sedo-Amazom offers a large range of natural and healthy products. From gluten free, to vegan, as well as thousands of healthy snacks, make Sedo-Amazom.com your first source of products for your ecommerce store or retail outlet.
Greens supplements pack a concentration of superfood nutrients into a powder or pill form. They provide your body with an additional boost of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and more. They also provide you with plant-based proteins and amino acids; the building blocks of protein. Top greens supplements are usually made of ingredients such barley, wheat, herbs, probiotics, spirulina, algae, and fruits and vegetables.
Effective greens supplements can be used to reduce dietary and muscular acidity. This is useful to someone who is exercising a lot, because when muscles are being contracted frequently they produce acid; in other words, they make you really sore.
Greens can also be used to supplement a diet that is low in fruits and vegetables. When traveling, people often do not have access to as many fresh fruits and vegetables. Greens food supplements are an effective way to ensure that you are consuming the necessary vitamins and minerals from fruits and veggies that your body craves.
The benefits of organic food
How your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health as well as the environment. Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than their conventionally-grown counterparts and people with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives often find their symptoms lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods.
Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat.
Organic food is often fresher because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.
Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. Farming without pesticides is also better for nearby birds and animals as well as people who live close to farms.
Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts. Feeding livestock animal byproducts increases the risk of mad cow disease (BSE) and the use of antibiotics can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Organically-raised animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, which help to keep them healthy.
Organic meat and milk are richer in certain nutrients. Results of a 2016 European study show that levels of certain nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, were up to 50 percent higher in organic meat and milk than in conventionally raised versions.
Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods are plants whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide.


Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant with a large daisy-like flower face. Its scientific name comes from the Greek words helios (“sun”) and anthos (“flower”). The flowers come in many colors (yellow, red, orange, maroon, brown) but they are commonly bright yellow with brown centers that ripen into heavy heads filled with seeds.
Here and yonder, high and low,
Goldenrod and sunflowers glow.
–Robert Kelley Weeks (1840–76)
HOW LONG DO SUNFLOWERS TAKE TO BLOOM?
A fairly fast-growing flower, most sunflower varieties mature in only 85 to 95 days. The largest sunflower varieties grow to over 16 feet in height, while smaller varieties have been developed for small spaces and containers and rarely grow larger than a foot tall! The flower heads can can reach over 12 inches in diameter within the large seeded varieties.
Sunflowers are heliotropic, which means that they turn their flowers to follow the movement of the Sun across the sky east to west, and then returns at night to face the east, ready again for the morning sun. Heliotropism happens during the earlier stages before the flower grows heavy with seeds.
Very few plants are as heat-tolerant, resistant to pests, and simply beautiful. Sunflowers make excellent cut flowers and many are attractive to bees and birds.
At the end of the season, it’s easy to harvest sunflower seeds for a tasty snack or for replanting (see instructions below). Learn more about why you should start growing these happy flowers in your garden.
WHEN TO PLANT SUNFLOWERS
- It’s best to sow sunflower seeds directly into the garden (or outdoor containers) after the danger of spring frost has passed anytime after soils have warmed to 50°F.
- In most regions, this will fall between April and mid-July. In the south, this will probably occur in mid-March or early April.
CHOOSING & PREPARING A PLANTING SITE
- Find a sunny spot! Sunflowers grow best in locations with direct sunlight (6 to 8 hours per day); they require long, hot summers to flower well.
- Choose a location with well-draining soil. It shouldn’t pool water after it rains.
- Sunflowers aren’t picky but the soil can’t be too compact. They have long tap roots that need to stretch out; in preparing a bed, dig down 2 feet in depth and about 3 feet across.
- They’re not too fussy when it comes to soil pH either. Sunflowers thrive in slightly acidic to somewhat alkaline soil (pH 6.0 to 7.5).
- Sunflowers are heavy feeders, so the soil needs to be nutrient-rich with organic matter or composted (aged) manure. Or, work in a slow release granular fertilizer 8 inches deep into your soil.
- If possible, plant sunflowers in a spot that is sheltered from strong winds, perhaps along a fence or near a building. Larger varieties may become top-heavy and a strong wind can be devastating.
PLANTING SUNFLOWER SEEDS
- Sunflowers should be planted 1 to 1-½ inches deep and about 6 inches apart after the soil has thoroughly warmed. If you wish, you can plant multiple seeds and thin them to the strongest contenders when the plants are six inches tall.
- Give plants plenty of room, especially for low-growing varieties that will branch out. Make rows about 30 inches apart. (For very small varieties, plant closer together.)
- A light application of fertilizer mixed in at planting time will encourage strong root growth to protect them from blowing over in the wind.
- Experiment with plantings staggered over 5 to 6 weeks to keep enjoying continuous blooms.
- If you see birds scratching around for the seeds, spread netting over the planted area until seeds germinate.


TomorrowS - Designing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) and durum wheat (Triticum durum) crop management ideotypes (cultivars, fertilization, salinity and irrigation) by simulation under current and projected future climate with comparative studies in Greece and Tunisia
Eleni Tsaliki, HELLENIC AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION - DEMETER; Greece
Cotton, durum wheat, climate change, water and fertilizer use efficiency, salt tolerance
Agricultural production will be decisively affected as global climate change continues and water shortage and drought are becoming increasingly serious constraints that limit crop production, not only in Mediterranean area but also worldwide. The project TomorrowS will largely focus on the impact of climate change on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) and durum wheat (Triticum durum), two main crops in the Mediterranean region. These crops have a negative environmental impact due to increased use of inputs involved in building resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. The aim of TomorrowS is the optimization of crop management for these two major Mediterranean crops, in order to adapt them to projected climate change negative impacts. Therefore, TomorrowS will reduce uncertainties on crop yield and will provide supporting information to help farmers managing their crop. In addition, due to uncertainties on irrigation water availability and pesticides costs, TomorrowS will target in cropping systems that are resilient to sub-optimal use of such inputs.Besides the above stated main objectives, this project also aims to provide a generic methodological framework to design sustainable agriculture systems for other crops and countries, and last but not least, promote synergies among young researchers. TomorrowS is a trans-disciplinary project as it requires insights from agronomy, physiology, crop modeling and data management to generate the optimized cropping systems. Three young researchers from Greece, Tunisia and France will exchange knowledge, cooperate and strengthen their scientific capacities thanks to TomorrowS.Cotton, is a major agricultural crop in Greece, accounting for more than 8% of total agricultural output, engaging more than 75,000 farmers while durum wheat is the most cultivated crop in Mediterranean basin, representing the main population diet component for pasta. In Greece, durum wheat covered 16.2% of the total cultivated area and 60% of total production is exported mainly in Italy while in Tunisia, is the primary food source as the consumption reaches 258 kg per year per capita.The dataset will be generated by two years of Genotype x Environment x Crop Management (GEM) experiments conducted in Greece and in Tunisia for 3 to 4 commercial varieties of cotton and durum wheat. The factors studied in the GEM experiments will be the cultivar, amount of fertilization, amount of irrigation and salt content of irrigation water. These GEM experiments will provide sufficient data to calibrate, evaluate and enhance a deterministic crop model embedded in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) software application, which will be accomplished by the French partner. Once, GEM interactions are properly described and calibrated in the model, the model will be used to simulate virtual ideotype of crop management and describe the tradeoff between production, resilience and use of resources along with the uncertainty on production. In addition, economic viability of crop management ideotypes will be evaluated.The results from TomorrowS will be diffused to the scientific community through publications in national and international journals and also with the participation of the consortium members to international conferences and national meetings.Summarizing, this ARIMNET2 project implementation will contribute to the adaptation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) and durum wheat (Triticum durum) crop managements facing constraint such as irrigation water salinity, under the present and the projected future Mediterranean climates. In that context, the results should contribute to (i) increase yield while reducing yield inter-annual variability, (ii) increase economic viability of farms by increasing water and fertilizer use efficiencies.


If you are one of the unfortunate homeowners who have been overrun by an infestation of stink bugs in the past few years, you will want nothing better than an effective method of stink bug control. These smelly pests are very persistent in the efforts to get inside and congregate in the warmth, to say nothing of their plant-eating habits outside.
A Stinky Problem
Stink bug control isn’t as easy as it seems. Many of the recent problems are owed to a foreign invader called the brown marmorated stink bug, which is normally indigenous to Asia. These bugs are hardy, reproduce fast and have an unfortunate taste for U.S. crops. When hit with normal chemical insecticides stink bugs do die, but their eggs show amazing resistance and hatch despite the poison. Stink bugs are very inventive in finding ways indoors when they want to hibernate and have few natural predators since most birds and other normal bug-eaters hate their chemical stench.
Stink Bug Repellent
Stink bugs release a truly foul odor when frightened or alarmed so a stink bug repellant in spray form would be ideal. These bugs are slow-moving when afoot and tend to congregate in large numbers, making them easy targets. However, commercial repellents don’t seem to actually keep them away. The ones sprayed might die but the repellent doesn’t keep new ones from appearing. Scientists are trying to develop one from a certain type of fungus and from naphthalene, an ingredient in mothballs. Both of these substances have high success rates but are still in the testing phase.
Stink Bug Traps
Stink bug traps are probably the most effective method of stink bug control currently available for inside usage. There are various types of stink bug traps, ranging from sticky traps that resemble flypaper or sticky garden torches to fancier light traps. Light traps are especially effective since stink bugs are drawn to light like moths and can be used outside as a first line of defense. Some people make their own stink bug traps using home methods but they aren’t as effective. A good sticky or light trap can imprison hundreds of stink bugs which can then be disposed of and the trap re-used.
Stink Bug Spray
Insecticides can be either professional-grade or permissible for home use—and neither type is really effective for stink bug control. Pyrethrin pesticides do kill stink bugs when used in large concentrations, but this is only suitable for crops and the eggs endure. Some foggers and stink bug spray chemicals have been marketed for use inside, but they aren’t ideal for the places where stink bugs congregate, such as inside walls and tight spaces. When the bugs die their corpses draw other insects which eat them. These could linger and cause problems, like the larvae of moths which eat fabric.
Stink Bug Predators
One of the most interesting and promising methods of stink bug control is utilizing natural predators. Parasitic wasps seem to be the likeliest candidates. These wasps lay their eggs on the stink bugs, and when the eggs hatch the larvae devour the stink bug. Several native wasp species were noted attacking stink bugs in Virginia and other areas since 2009, so scientists are trying to develop a plan to use these wasps as a control method. Other predators include spiders and praying mantises, as well as a few species of birds such as the common wren.
Stink bug control is just that: control. So far there is no magic bullet to kill stink bugs, especially the brown marmorated stink bug. The only things to do are prevent them from entering homes and by treating the outdoors with pesticides where possible. New methods are on the horizon but it will be several years before any of them are marketable.


The Farm: Developing Self-sustainability and Career Opportunities
On-Belay’s Farm Project provides students the opportunity to learn farm management while also offering jobs during school breaks. It also generates income that is used to support other programs of the ministry.
The food grown on the farm reduces OnBelay food cost. Surplus food grown at the farm provides a good source of income for the organization.
The farm has inspired one student, Kityo Frank, to choose farm management as his career goal. By working full-time on the farm he will learn how to operate the farm and how to make a living by farming.
Thanks to our generous start-up donors, the farm operation is now self-sustaining, which gives us the opportunity to expand into animal husbandry.
Expanding into Animal Husbandry
OnBelay hopes to raise piglets and a cow on the farm. The pigs will eat the farm produce that cannot be sold, costing very little to raise. They can then be sold as meat in the market, increasing the farm’s revenue.
Cows produce milk and meat that can be sold at market. OnBelay would begin with one milk cow and then develop a breeding program which will lead to further self-sufficiency for the organization.
God has blessed us with space for the farm - both plants and animals - and willing workers. The current need is for construction of a pigsty and dairy shed.


Łukowski A., Giertych M. J., Żmuda M., Mąderek E., Adamczyk D., Karolewski P. (2021). Decomposition of herbivore-damaged leaves of understory species growing in oak and pine stands. Forests, 12(3), 304.
Leaves are the largest component of forest litter. Their decomposition rate depends mainly on plant species, leaf chemical composition, microorganism biodiversity, and habitat conditions. It is known that herbivory by insects can modify the chemical composition of leaves, such as through induction. The aim of this study was to determine whether the rate of leaf decomposition is related to the susceptibility of the plant species to insect feeding and how leaf damage affects this rate. For our research, we chose six species differing in leaf resistance to insect damage: Cornus sanguinea, Frangula alnus, and Sambucus nigra (herbivore resistant), and Corylus avellana, P. padus, and Prunus serotina (herbivore susceptible). The decomposition of these plant leaves was examined in two monoculture forest stands, deciduous (Quercus robur) and coniferous (Pinus sylvestris). Litter decay rate k and change of litter mass, content of defensive metabolites (total phenols (TPh) and condensed tannins), and substances beneficial for organisms decomposing litter (nitrogen (N) and nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC)) were determined. Contrary to our expectations, leaf litter of herbivore-resistant species decomposed faster than that of herbivore-susceptible species, and damaged leaves decayed faster than undamaged leaves. We found that faster decaying leaf litter had a lower content of defensive compounds and a higher content of TNC and N, regardless of the plant species or leaf damage. Leaf litter decomposition caused a large and rapid decrease in the content of defensive compounds and TNC, and an increase in N. In all species, the tannin content was lower in damaged than in undamaged leaves. This pattern was also observed for TPh, except in S. nigra. We interpret this as the main reason for faster decay of damaged leaves. Moreover, the loss of leaf mass was greater under oak than pine stands, indicating that the microorganisms in deciduous stands are more effective at decomposing litter, regardless of leaf damage.
Keywords: decay rate, decomposition, insect damage, litter, nitrogen, nonstructural carbohydrates, phenolics, starch, tannins


Once you’ve built your coop and got some chickens, you have to now decide on what to feed them. Chickens are omnivores and will usually eat anything they can find or scratch out from the ground. It is important however to ensure that your chickens get a balanced diet to ensure they stay healthy and lay plenty of eggs. After trying and testing out many different types of feed, here are my recommendations.
High quality poultry pellets should form the main part of your chicken feed. Nowadays, pellets are made with just the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Pellets should be kept away from the water dispenser to avoid them from turning moldy (which can be very dangerous for your chickens!).
The pellets should also be made available to your chickens all day long. A constant supply of food is necessary if you want your hens to produce eggs every day.
- Vegetables and Table Food
To add variety to the diet, you can also include vegetables and fruits. My chicks love it when I chop up some spinach, cabbage and apples and scatter them in the feed area. I however try to avoid giving them anything mushy, such as avocado and bananas, as these can turn moldy quickly. You can if you want to, but just make sure that you clean any leftovers within a day or two of feeding.
You can also occasionally feed table food to your chickens. Leftovers such as bread, rice, pasta and beans are popular choices. You should not feed you chickens too much carbs though; otherwise they will get fat and suffer from a protein deficiency.
- Oyster Shell / Egg Shells
Sometimes, you may notice that your hens are laying eggs with very thin shells or shell-less eggs. This indicates that they are not getting sufficient calcium in their diet.
Oyster shell or crushed egg shells can be fed to your hens to supplement their calcium needs. Oyster shells are inexpensive and can be easily bought from stores.
If you are using egg shells, I would recommend baking the shells first to remove all moisture and bacteria.
If your chickens are kept in a coop most of the time and are fed commercial food without the opportunity to free range, you must incorporate grit in their feed.
This is necessary to help them with their digestion. Chickens do not have teeth and grit is required to grind up food which is swallowed whole.
The most important thing to bear in mind after deciding on the type of feed is the location of the food and water. These should be placed as far away from the litter area as possible to avoid contamination. Contaminated food can easily lead to a disease outbreak and that is certainly something you want to avoid!


Today, I dug into the garden. It's been a while—and there were some weeds and such...but really...everything has exploded! The sweet peas are still coming, the beans are here, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, beets, kale, chard, lettuce, mustard greens, acorn squash, zucchini, patty pan and more. And the herbs? Oregano, basil, thyme, lavender, rosemary, chamomile, horehound, fennel, milk thistle, cilantro and more... And the flowers? Calendula, shasta daisy, bee balm, yarrow, sweet william, rudebeckia, phlox, wild rose and...daisies, daisies, more daisies. Another season of it's own abundance.


Yuan Longping: The Pioneer of Hybrid Rice
Yuan Longping, often referred to as the "Father of Hybrid Rice," is a renowned Chinese scientist and agronomist. Born on September 7, 1930, in Beijing, China, Yuan dedicated his life to developing hybrid rice varieties that have revolutionized global food production. His remarkable achievements in agricultural science have earned him numerous accolades and made him a household name in the field of agriculture.
Early Life and Education
Yuan Longping's passion for agriculture began at an early age. Growing up in a rural village, he witnessed the struggles of farmers who faced food shortages and hunger. This motivated him to pursue a career in agricultural research to find solutions to these pressing issues.
Yuan completed his undergraduate studies at Southwest Agricultural College in Chongqing, China. He then went on to earn his master's degree in genetics and plant breeding from the same institution. Later, he pursued a Ph.D. in agricultural genetics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he gained valuable knowledge and expertise in the field.
Breakthrough in Hybrid Rice
In the 1960s, Yuan Longping began his groundbreaking research on hybrid rice. He focused on crossbreeding different varieties of rice to create new strains with higher yields and improved resistance to diseases and pests. After years of experimentation and refinement, he successfully developed the world's first high-yielding hybrid rice variety, known as "Liangyou 63," in 1973.
This breakthrough in hybrid rice production marked a significant turning point in global agriculture. Hybrid rice not only increased yields but also exhibited superior quality and adaptability to different environments. It played a crucial role in addressing food shortages and improving food security, particularly in developing countries.
Impact and Legacy
Yuan Longping's contributions to agriculture have had a profound impact worldwide. His hybrid rice varieties have been widely adopted in many countries, helping to alleviate hunger and poverty. The increased rice production resulting from his research has played a vital role in feeding the ever-growing global population.
Furthermore, Yuan's work has inspired and influenced countless scientists and researchers in the field of agriculture. His innovative approach to crop breeding has paved the way for advancements in other staple crops, such as wheat, corn, and soybeans.
Yuan's dedication to improving agriculture and his relentless pursuit of scientific excellence have earned him numerous prestigious awards and honors. He was awarded the World Food Prize in 2004, the Wolf Prize in Agriculture in 2002, and the China Reform Friendship Medal in 2018, among many others.
Continued Research and Future Prospects
Even in his advanced years, Yuan Longping remains actively engaged in agricultural research. He continues to explore new ways to enhance hybrid rice production and develop varieties that are more resistant to climate change and environmental challenges.
Yuan's ongoing efforts are crucial as the world faces the daunting task of ensuring food security in the face of a growing population and changing climate. His research not only benefits China but also has the potential to positively impact global agriculture and contribute to sustainable development.
In conclusion, Yuan Longping's pioneering work in hybrid rice has revolutionized global food production and made significant contributions to addressing food shortages and improving food security. His legacy as the "Father of Hybrid Rice" will continue to inspire future generations of scientists and researchers in their quest for innovative solutions to global agricultural challenges.


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Ichnographia rustica, or, The nobleman, gentleman, and gardener's recreation : containing directions for the surveying and distributing of a country-seat into rural and extensive gardens, by the ornamenting and decoration of distant prospects, farms, parks, paddocks, &c. Originally calculated ... for the embellishment of countries in general; as also for an introduction to a general system of agriculture and planting. Illustrated with above fifty copper plates ... / by Stephen Switzer.
Eden : or, a compleat body of gardening. Containing plain and familiar directions for raising the several useful products of a garden, fruits, roots, and herbage; from the practice of the most successful gardeners, and the result of a long experience. Together with the culture of all kinds of flowers, according to the methods of the English, French, and Dutch florists; and the knowledge of curious plants, after the system of Linnaeus; with figures and descriptions of the flowers and plants proper for a garden; including the care and culture of the pleasure-garden; the business of the seminary for every week in the year; catalogues and accurate descriptions of the fruits as they come into season; and new and practical directions for the management of fruit-trees; with the best methods of culture for the several articles of the kitchen-garden: and the compleat management of the ground for raising them, in the natural and artificial manner / compiled and digested from the papers of the late celebrated Mr Hale, by the authors of the Compleat body of husbandry


Land Privatization will inevitably induce desperation sales and migration to towns
By Jan Nyssen ( Mekele)
It is these days a stereotype, especially among Western-oriented intellectuals in this country, to criticise the actual rural land tenure system. Hence, I would like to give a different point of view. As a physical geographer, I am currently carrying out a research on soil erosion processes and about soil conservation.
The huge involvement of farmers in soil and water conservation work could not be possible if the land was not equally shared. Which farmer would accept communal work for soil conservation, if the benefits of it would go only to part of the farmers (the owners of land)? I must say that during my discussions with the farmers, I heard complaints about the small size of their land, but the principles of equal shares and redistribution were generally not questioned.
In fact, before land reform, there was already very little investment in plots away from the homestead; it is an old problem, related to stubble grazing and to cropsharing, and land reform can not be blamed on that.
It is noteworthy that before land reform, besides the Risti tenure, there existed another land tenure called chigurafgwoses in some regions of Tigray and shehena in part of the Eritrean Highlands, which was a precursor of the present-day leasehold system. Under chigurafgwoses, land was redistributed regularly to all members of the community. This tenure system was already submitted to the same critiques as the present rural land policy. In a remarkable paper, published in the journal Africa (vol. XVI/1) in 1946, S.F. Nadel considered, however, that an important incitement to good management of the farms in this tenure was the fact that "one loses his land if it is neglected, to the contrary of what happens in the case of risti property where rights are not lost in case of land abandonment or neglect". Nowadays, priority in land allocation is given to those farmers who invest in their plots (manuring, soil and water conservation, ...).
In case of land privatisation, the ancient cropsharing system (which presently mainly subsists as a social security net, allowing e.g. widows to have an income from their field by renting it out) would quickly be extended. Again, there will be the problem of absentee landowners who are not caring for the land, of crop-sharers who are not investing as only part of the fruits of their work is of benefit to them, and of numerous people who will sell their land and move to the towns where no jobs are available for them. The creation of a class of landless people and the subsequent rural depopulation might even lead to the neglect of griculture.
Comparable access to land, as it exists now, maximises the community's motivation for conservation work, since everybody will have a comparable advantage from it. The actual approach to leasehold and land reallocation, taking into account improvements made by the farmers, allows combining the social and environmental advantages of the periodical redistributions while avoiding the disheartening of the most active farmers. It is also encouraging to note that Ethiopia could resist foreign pressure and fix collective property and the impossibility of alienating land in its constitution (1994).
Who will be surprised that foreign farmer investors do not like the present rural land policy, since it prevents them from taking over the land of the Ethiopian farmers? No doubt, the International Monetary Fund -*and the World Bank favour land privatisation. But does an independent country like Ethiopia have to take its orders from these bodies? How many third world countries face huge social problems and unrest after following policies dictated by these organisms? Land privatisation will inevitably induce desperation sales and migration to the towns, Addis Ababa in particular. The farmers in southern Ethiopia will observe after some years of privatisation that large properties are again established, like during feudality, and they will rightly reject it.Rather than pleading a return to the old society, intellectuals should have the honesty to admit that agricultural output is now higher than ever. (Don't look to one Belg season but take an average of the last five years!).
As a conclusion, with regard to the present food shortages, it might be more useful to lambaste speculating merchants who bought huge parts of the yield and are now even buying from the farmers the food aid that they receive, provoking artificial price increases!


The owners of private yards try to use their land to the maximum, therefore, in addition to growing vegetables, they are engaged in poultry and livestock farming. It is easiest to keep chickens at home. There will always be fresh homemade eggs and meat. However, keeping birds in the yard or fence will not work, as in winter they will simply freeze. So, they need to build suitable housing. Now we will talk about how to build a chicken coop with your own hands, plan it correctly and equip it inside.
Planning and calculation of the dimensions of the chicken coop
Planning a poultry house begins after the exact number of chickens is determined. The diagram shows a variant of a chicken coop with a compartment for chickens, but the room can be planned at your own discretion. It is important to immediately determine the size of the house. So that the chicken can move freely for two heads, 1 m is taken away2 free area. However, this does not mean that if the owner decided to start four laying hens, then a poultry house with an area of u2buXNUMXbXNUMX m is enough for them.2.
Attention! When calculating the size of the house, you need to take into account that part of the free space will be occupied by nests, feeders and drinkers.
Even if the owner decided to start 2-4 layers, the minimum area of the chicken coop should be 3 m2. We discussed only the dimensions of the house, but the chickens still need to walk. In freedom, they develop, strengthen muscles, which affects egg production. It is impossible to let chickens out into the yard, as they will peck plantings of cabbage and other vegetables in the garden. The only way out is to build a fence near the chicken coop. The paddock is made from a grid, where 1–2 m is allocated for each head.2 free area.
Advice! In practice, for ten chickens they build a barn measuring 2×2 m, and a fence – 2×7 m. Most often, about 20 laying hens are kept in the household, then the dimensions of the house and the range are doubled.
When building a chicken coop with your own hands, the entrance doors of the barn and aviary should be located on the south side. It is desirable that the poultry house is protected from the winds by other buildings or tree plantations. The mesh walk is partially covered with light roofing material. Under the roof, chickens will hide in the shade or from the rain.
A place for building a poultry house is chosen on a hill so that rain or melt water does not interfere with chickens. Drainage is provided around the chicken coop. It can be an ordinary moat that diverts water into a ravine.
And now we will look at how to properly prepare a place for a poultry house. If the site is located on a plain, you will have to make a small artificial embankment. To do this, use any construction waste, stones or just rubble. The following layers are poured regardless of where the site is located – in a lowland or on a hill:
- It will take a lot of crushed glass and clay. This mixture is spread with a thickness of about 10 cm over the entire area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe chicken coop. Thanks to the glass inside the house, small rodents will not penetrate. Where there will be a paddock, it is unnecessary to mix glass into clay, as chickens can dig through it.
- The top layer is poured from sand with a thickness of about 15 cm.
When the site is ready, you can start building the foundation.
The video shows a winter poultry house with a range:
Choosing the type of foundation for the poultry house
The construction of the chicken coop begins with the construction of the foundation. Let’s look at how to make the right choice of base:
- For a small poultry house 2×2 m in size, built from a bar using frame technology, the concrete foundation can not be poured. A light structure will withstand an embankment of clay, glass, crushed stone and sand. In this case, it is made at least 30 cm high. An example of a frame house is shown in the photo. The chicken coop is installed with the lower frame on an artificial embankment. The gap under the house is sewn up with a mesh that will protect against the penetration of predators. The frame itself and the place under the chicken coop are covered with a small layer of expanded clay.
- Under a large wooden chicken coop measuring 4×4 m, you already need to build a columnar foundation. For this, square holes 1 cm deep are dug around the perimeter of the future poultry house after 70 m. 10 cm of sand with crushed stone are poured onto the bottom, after which brick pedestals are laid out. All posts must protrude at least 20 cm from the ground, and be on the same level. Brickwork is performed on a concrete solution. A sheet of roofing material for waterproofing is laid on top of each pedestal, after which the main frame of the poultry house frame is knocked down from the timber.
- Stone chicken coops are very heavy. They are rarely built, but there is still such a variant of the house. Such a building is ideal for year-round keeping of chickens in cold regions. A strip foundation is poured under a stone chicken coop. To do this, they dig a trench at least 70 cm deep, put up formwork, lay a reinforcing frame, and then pour a concrete solution with crushed stone.
There is another type of reliable foundation for which screw piles are used. They can be easily screwed into the ground on their own, but the high cost of piles is a luxury for a chicken coop.
What to make a floor for a poultry house
Continuing to study the arrangement of the chicken coop, it is necessary to touch on the correct arrangement of the floor. The bird stays here all day, and only sleeps on a perch at night.
Let’s take a closer look at what and how you can make a warm and durable floor of the house:
- With frame technology the construction of a chicken coop, the floor is laid from boards. If the house is to be used year-round, the flooring is made double, and insulation is laid between the skin.
- In a chicken coop built on a strip foundation, the floor can be left earthen, but the chickens will rake it. An excellent option is clay mixed with straw. The mixture is spread in a thick layer over the entire area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe poultry house. After solidification of the mass, a monolithic warm floor is obtained. The strongest is concrete screed. However, such a floor will be cold in winter. It will be necessary to pour a thick flooring or knock down a finishing floor on top of the concrete from the boards.
In a poultry house made on a strip foundation, the floor of any material must be isolated from the ground. Sheets of roofing material are used as waterproofing. They are overlapped, wrapping the ends of 20 cm on the walls. The joints of the sheets are glued with hot bitumen. With year-round use of the chicken coop, the floor is additionally insulated with mineral wool or foam. Thermal insulation is laid on top of the waterproofing, then it is covered with another layer of waterproofing, after which the floor of the poultry house is equipped.
In the future, when the chicken coop is completely ready, the floor is covered with temporary flooring. To do this, it is better to use sand or sawdust. Fine straw or hay works well, but they will need to be changed often. Such flooring quickly gets wet, after which it begins to rot. Hay or straw is scattered on the floor of the house in a thin layer, and after two days they are replaced. Wood chips are best perceived by chickens, and they should be given preference.
We build the walls of the poultry house
The technology of building walls depends on what device the chicken coop is, that is, whether it is stone or wooden. Wooden walls will help to keep the heat inside the house optimally. To do this, use a simple edged board, lining, plywood or OSB sheets.
We build wooden walls in the chicken coop using frame technology. To do this, we assemble the skeleton of a barn from a bar with a section of 100×100 mm. First, we knock down the lower frame, we attach racks to it, which we connect from above with a strapping of timber.
The frame completely forms the skeleton of the future chicken coop, so you need to accurately withstand all dimensions. At this stage, we provide openings for windows and doors. We cover the finished frame of the house with a vapor barrier from the outside, after which we carry out the sheathing.
Inside the structure between the racks of the frame, cells turned out. Here you need to lay the insulation, close it with a vapor barrier, and now you can carry out the inner lining of the chicken coop.
For the construction of the stone walls of the house, red or silicate bricks are best suited. But such a chicken coop will turn out to be very cold, and in winter it will require high heating costs. The stone walls of the house will have to be insulated from the inside or outside. For these purposes, the same foam or mineral wool will go.
In rural areas, building material for a chicken coop can be made by hand. If the mixed clay with straw is laid in rectangular shapes, then adobe will be obtained. After drying in the sun, the blocks will be ready for laying out the walls. But such a chicken coop should not be left in the rain, otherwise the clay will simply become sour. The adobe walls of the poultry house will definitely have to be sheathed on the outside with any lining, and they will also have to be insulated.
Whatever the walls of the chicken coop are made of, they should not let cold and damp into the room. Inside the house, it is imperative to whitewash with lime. It will save the walls from the spread of the fungus.
Roof and ceiling installation
Two types of roofs are installed on chicken coops:
- The most effective is the gable design. Firstly, such a roof forms an attic room on the chicken coop, which allows you to store various equipment. The air space between the ceiling and the roof serves as additional insulation for the house. Secondly, less precipitation accumulates on a gable roof, which reduces the likelihood of a leak. It is better to install such a design on large poultry houses measuring 4×4 m. To make a gable roof, triangular rafters are knocked down from a bar, after which they are attached to the upper trim of the barn frame.
- On small chicken coops, it makes no sense to suffer with a complex roof. Here it is easier to build a single-sided structure. The slope is made in the opposite direction from the entrance, so that rainwater does not flow from the roof near the doors of the house.
Roofing material for the roof of the chicken coop is suitable for anyone. Most often, roofing material or corrugated board is used for poultry houses. In the past, asbestos-cement slate was popular, but the heavy weight of the roofing material requires reinforcement of the house walls. The roof of the chicken coop must be insulated. To do this, mineral wool is laid between the rafter legs under the counter-lattice. Thermal insulation from wooden elements, as well as roofs, are covered with vapor and waterproofing.
Despite the fact that the roof of the chicken coop is insulated, you still need to knock out the ceiling inside. To do this, plywood or OSB is nailed to the floor beams from below. Styrofoam or mineral wool is laid on top of the skin, after which the upper skin is nailed. In principle, it can not be fixed, but this option is suitable for a shed roof of a chicken coop. The gable structure of the house forms an attic space, and the upper skin will play the role of the floor, protecting the insulation from damage.
poultry house ventilation
Any outbuilding for keeping poultry or animals is equipped with ventilation. In a domestic chicken coop, two air ducts are usually installed. They are made from a plastic pipe with a diameter of 100 mm or knocked down a square box from a board. Air ducts are placed evenly throughout the chicken coop.
Important! Perches should not be installed under the air ducts. Chickens will catch a cold in a draft and get sick.
Natural ventilation of the poultry house consists of supply and exhaust pipes. The first one is brought out 40 cm above the roof, and the second one – 1,5 m. To prevent precipitation from getting inside the chicken coop through the air ducts, heads are put on top. For convenience, the ventilation pipes must be equipped with dampers to regulate the air flow.
In a large poultry house, it makes sense to put forced ventilation. Such a system provides for the use of electric fans together with air ducts.
Making nests and perches for chickens
Perches are to a chicken what a sofa is to a human. They must be comfortable and reliable. Perches are made from a bar with a section of 40×50 or 50×60 mm. The edges of the poles are rounded so that it is convenient for the chickens to clasp them with their paws. The perch in the chicken coop is set horizontally. The poles are placed parallel to the floors at a height of 50 cm.
The first pole from the wall is fixed at a distance of 25 cm, and all subsequent ones – after 35 cm.
If there is not enough space in the chicken coop, the perches are set vertically at an angle. It turns out a kind of ladder of poles in several tiers. The total length of perches depends on the number of livestock. One chicken is given 30 cm of free space on the poles.
Nests for laying hens are made from boxes or knocked down plywood partitions. They are located in a dark place of the house. Usually, at least 20 nests are made for 10 layers.
The size of the nest is selected according to the breed of chickens. Simple laying hens are usually small. For them, a nest depth of 40 cm is enough, and the width and height are kept within 30 cm. The bottom must be covered with sawdust, hay or straw. It is more convenient for the chicken to sit on the litter, and the eggs will not break on the wooden bottom.
The video tells about the device of the chicken coop:
Chicken coop device – practical advice for summer residents
Experienced poultry farmers take the arrangement of the poultry house seriously. For chickens, automatic drinkers, feeders are installed, sensors with regulators are connected to lighting and heating devices. This allows you to visit the coop a couple of times a week to add a new portion of feed and pick up the laid eggs.


Technology Offers Agriculture / Animal Husbandry
BIOFLEXI HDF – Hochdichte Faserplatte aus landwirtschaftlichen Restfasern zur Freiform-Gestaltung
Scientists from Stuttgart University developed a flexible high-density fibreboard with slip-resistant and shock-absorbent properties. The fibreboard consists of 80 % to 90 % straw, a natural, annually renewable fibre and agricultural by-product. It can be produced free of formaldehyde and isocycanate, making it the ideal solution for various indoor applications and minimizing the health risks during the product's entire life cycle. The material can be coated using conventional laminating processes and is particularly suitable for free-form design (interior architecture, interieur design automotive) due to its high flexibility.
Rapid Phenotyping of Seed Oil Content – Novel fully automated high-throughput sorting device
This system, already realized as prototype, is capable of analyzing the oil content or other parameters in individual seeds from a bulk of seeds as well as sorting the individual seeds based on their properties in a fully automated and high throughput process with a high accuracy.
Identification of "Defense Primers" using OTR – Boosting the innate immune response for agro & pharma applications
The method developed at RWTH Aachen University enables the identification of immune primers using OTR monitoring in a new and very efficient way. Areas of application include plant protection, but also the pharmaceutical industry (preventive medical immune system priming).
Efficient and cost-effective in situ measurement of growth-related soil parameters
To obtain best quality and quantity results for plant growth in soils and substrates, knowledge of the water and ion content of the soil and thus the dosage of irrigation and fertilizer is fundamental. This is particularly true when we want to support sustainability and the preservation of resources, but also wish to increase yield.
At the Institute of Agricultural Engineering of the University of Hohenheim a technology has been developed that measures soil water content, suction tension and salt content simultaneously and on-site. Signal transmission and the evaluation can be performed telemetrically or via cable, on-site or remote. The technology uses laser diodes, no spectroscopy is required.
New process for creating storage-stable, 12-month non-perishable „ESL-H-Milk“
In order to increase the storage stability and shelf life of milk, a new treatment process has been developed at Hohenheim University, one that also requires comparatively low treatment temperatures.
The milk can be kept at room temperature for up to a year and yet impresses with its good sensory properties and low vitamin loss.
Poultry farming: Environmentally friendly method for controlling red mites
Red mites are the most common ectoparasites of poultry and cause substantial economic damage worldwide. Scientists at the University of Hohenheim have developed a method to combat red mites which utilizes the fact that the mites are sensitive to heat and that the parasite only visits the host at night for feeding and then hides in dark spaces near the host. The method presents hollow, perforated perches as appropriate hiding places where mites in all states of development are killed through thermal treatment. Because of the purely mechanical nature of the process there is no health risk for personnel. Since temperature and speed of the heating device are regulated by a PLC (programmable logic controller), farm workers are free to carry out other tasks while the treatment takes place.


In my efforts to source ingredients, manufacture and market the highest quality USDA Certified Organic vitamins, minerals, supplements, and fruit snacks, I take many factors into consideration.
- The quality of the growers of the over 100 plants, herbs, algae, seeds, grains, and grasses that I use to formulate our products at Nova Scotia Organics
- The harvesting processes used
- The authenticity of the USDA Certified Organic credentials of each and every ingredient
- And how we handle these precious ingredients to produce the tablets, caplets, ready-to-mix powders, and fruit snacks for you
In the 20-plus years I’ve been in business, I have never wavered in my mission to produce only the highest-quality products. I learned early on that the nutritional value of dry fruits, even the highest quality ingredients, could be significantly compromised if not handled and manufactured with care.
Nova Scotia Organics uses whole and extract powders of fruits in more than half of our products. These fruits range from Canadian wild low bush blueberries and Gala apples to tropical mango and pineapple, but they all have one thing in common: their high water content. To prepare these ingredients to either be sliced and bagged for snacks, or granulated, mixed and tabletted for our bottled vitamins, minerals, and supplements, we must first dry them thoroughly.
There are a surprising number of ways to dry organic ingredients.
Oven Drying: This process is just what it sounds like. Herbs or plants are dried at temperatures of 140 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit for long periods of time. These temperatures do cause some loss of vitamins A, C, Bs, antioxidants, many beneficial enzymes, and some nutrients. Oven drying also can negatively affect the taste and, because this process does not remove all the water, creates a shrivelled product that can be hard or rubbery. The amount of moisture retained can be as high as 5% to 10%. Without preservatives of some type, food products dried this way are often subject to mold without preservatives. Nova Scotia Organics does not use oven drying for our fruit snacks.
Drum Drying: Using this method, plant-based ingredients are dried in rotating drums and exposed to very high temperatures for a short period of time. The process takes a relatively short time and the cost is relatively low when compared to other methods. However, products treated this way do lose some of the nutritional value due to the high heat, and for dried fruits eaten whole, drum drying can cause browning and oxidation, reducing the shelf life. Manufacturers of dried fruits using this method usually add sulfites to the product to counteract these negative effects. We do not find drum drying suitable for our fruit snack products.
A Deep Dive into Freeze Drying Our Fruit Snacks
Early on, Nova Scotia Organics committed to using freeze drying exclusively as the way to dry our organic fruit snacks. While the capital expense to purchase, install and operate these massive freeze dryers was significant, the difference in the quality of organic products my customers would receive was so great, I’ve never looked back.
While the process is time-consuming and must be monitored very carefully, freeze drying – or as it is scientifically known, lyophilization–is a three-step process and produces uncompromised results.
Freezing the ripe, beautiful organic fruit to -22 degrees Fahrenheit retains much of its cellular integrity, preserving both nutritional values and the natural fruit fiber. This process enables the ice molecules to transform directly into a vapor state and the fruit is then dried in two stages: primary drying (sublimation) and secondary drying (desorption).
Sublimation exposes the fruits to low temperatures and low pressure which permits the moisture to be removed by changing directly from a solid ice form to vapor without passing through the liquid phase. Desorption uses a slightly higher temperatures but still low pressure to further dehydrate the product. The result is a product with only 1%-3% moisture for a naturally longer shelf life, an intact cellular structure, great taste, and an appetizing, unaltered appearance.
When we dry fruits and ingredients at Nova Scotia Organics, we use only the freeze drying method.
Only Freeze Drying for Us…and You
- More nutrition
- Better flavor
- Better appearance with no browning
- Pleasing lightly crunchy texture
- No preservatives required
- Longer shelf life, naturally
Get superior nutrition with organic freeze-dried products
Shop our freeze-dried snacks and supplements


Over the past 10 years we’ve been dismayed by the disconnect between what is happening on the ground with our ‘food industry’ and the growing issues of environmental degradation, resource depletion, agri-chemical misuse, animal welfare, food affordability and food security.
So we’ve begun to put together a radical new farming model, based around grazing animals on marginal land unfit for food crops. Our model is based on the concept of Lean Production, which at its essence is about simplification, waste reduction and cost internalisation.
We have quietly begun speaking about our farming revolution and we’ve presented our ideas to farmers, scientists, politicians and members of the public. The response has been interesting. While most of the public think it’s a great idea, few in the industry believe (or want to believe?) we can pull this off, in fact many of them think we’re crazy to even try!
Our big idea? Leaving the cows and calves together until natural weaning, while still milking the cows.
We trialled the full system for the first time in 2012/2013. It taught us a lot, and it cost us an awful lot.
But the impact it made on cow contentment was staggering. All the animals were less aggressive and more confident with each other and with us, compared to normal dairy farming, where calves are removed from their mothers shortly after birth.
That experience has increased our determination to make this system work. We believe that the model will work because we produce most of our feed, fuel and fertilizer needs from the farm, turning waste into valuable inputs which makes us more resource efficient.
This winter (2016/2017) we are putting the final piece of our revolutionary new way of dairy farming into place.
Most folks don’t know, but it’s a fact, that to produce milk a cow has to have a calf every year. That calf is taken from her at birth (up to now, we have done this after one day) so that the farm has all the milk – though, as organic farmers, we give a little (5 litres a day out of about 30) back to the calf.
The calf’s instinct tells it something isn’t right, but generally they quickly adapt to this un-natural arrangement (though, clearly, something pretty fundamental is missing from its life). Some cows, on the other hand, take this really hard and can bawl for days. Though some, it has to be said, barely seem to notice. This can be somewhat distressing even for a hardened farmer like myself and certainly for onlookers.
In order to put this nagging question to bed, once and for all, we trialled a way of allowing the calf to stay with its mother while also milking the cows, just to see what happened. That was 4 years ago and the scars (psychological and financial) have pretty well healed over. We’ve looked at how well the cows and calves did (and the calves did very well!!) and discovered that, with some important changes to how we do things, it could actually work.
There will have to be some compromises from both sides but, by and large, the calf will get to stay with its mum (for up to 6 months) and, if the trial showed anything, both mum and calf will thrive.
Over the past few weeks we’ve been making changes to the layout of the cow barn so that we can better manage the arrangement. Last time we were on a steep learning curve, as were the calves who learned a lot faster than us and tended to run circles around us. This time we’ll be better prepared.
The first of the cows are now calving into the new system and, over this winter of 2016/17, we will convert the whole herd of 100 cows to this new way. We’ve given ourselves 3 years to get things to the point where another farmer could visit us and say ‘I could do that’. We also need to get independent professional organisations to study the model and give it their ‘seal of approval’. Finally we need to finance the project. You see the calf will be drinking about half the milk for the first 6 months after calving. Our costs will remain about the same, so we will be making a big loss until the benefits of the new system start to feed through (hopefully by year 3). We are tenant farmers and banks get very nervous about risky experiments. However we have secured a commercial loan from a welfare charity to see us through, but they do want their money back.
If all goes to plan we hope to be able to demonstrate that food from our dairy industry can be produced with compassion for our animals, for our people and for our environment. We also hope to show that far from being expensive, food produced this way can actually cost less – certainly in the long term but possibly even in the short term.
So no pressure then!
Do you want to be part of our farming revolution? Register for details of our new dairy project to find out more.


Whether conspicuously right out front or concealed in the backyard, almost every house has a lawn. Well maintained lawns usually serve to landscape a home and add to its value. It is no surprise that some homeowners spend a lot of time, effort and money lawn care. While some homeowners opt to have professional services take proper care of their lawns, others in order to do it themselves. If you need to create and be careful of your lawn do not know where to begin, here are some of the basic things to consider first.
Healthy Soil, Healthy Lawn
One of the most important things to take care of is the foundation for the lawn. To grow a great lawn, you need to obtain healthy, fertile grime. You can perform a soil test using available do it yourself kits you obtain from the stow. This test will allow in which determine how your soil is and what else you might want to do to improve it. Lawn care begins right out of the very first step.
Grass Types and Planting
The type of grass that greatest for your lawn depends on your geographic location. You living in a hot or tropical area? Do you frequently experience rains where you live? Do you live where there isn’t much sunlight? After considering this and deciding on a sort of grass, you’ll be able to start to unwind or aerate dirt using a rake and plant the grass seeds. For proper lawn care, make sure to spread the seeds evenly and cover them with a layer of soil so that they are nestled in the global nutrients.
Watering and Fertilizing
A thick, green, luscious lawn can be your pride and the envy of the neighbors. Develop this form of lawn, handful of basic to make use of proper fertilizers that give nutrients towards soil. The nutrients are absorbed the particular plants, letting them grow rich and well. Make sure to your own research research and employ the best fertilizer and also the proper fertilizing method. Lawn care doesn’t just end with the fertilizer; will need to water your lawn regularly although proper enterprise.
After all the careful preparations you usually make their for your lawn, you need to maintain it regularly. Depending on type of grass, you’ll be able to set to start dating on your best choice to mow the back garden. Keep the grass anywhere from two to 3 inches over summer and winter. If you go shorter than two inches, your lawn can attend risk for heat intolerance and drought as well as insects, weeds and diseases. Outstanding and regular lawn care, you so your lawn can be free from such difficulty.
Why Finish So Much for a Lawn?
A lawn does besides serve to beautify your surroundings. There are so many benefits that you and the earth enjoy when you properly take care of your yards. Lawns prevent soil erosion, provide oxygen and fight off pollution. Regular trap dust particles and will often absorb audio. If you think that lawns are simply for aesthetics, think again. If you want and also hardwearing . surroundings pollution free, then start through giving proper lawn care.
MCD Landscaping & Contracting
642 Gardenvale Rd, Ottawa, ON K1K 1E6, Canada


Firepot Outdoor Living
Welcome to, “Firepot Outdoor Living”, or “Firepot ODL” for short. Our online store is being rebuilt and will launch soon.
The old Firepot Outdoor Living specialized in “Firepits” and firepit supplies and accessories. The new Firepot will specialize in outdoor gardening and yard supplies and accessories. We will also include a few firepits as well, but mostly items for gardening and greenhouses.
We look forward to helping our future customers grow something great in their own backyard. Signup below for upcoming notices on coupons, deals, and informative newsletters. Until then, Grow Green!
Thank you for signing up early to “Firepot ODL”. We will send you an email soon to confirm your sign-up.
If you don’t receive an email soon please check your spam or other inboxes.
Now get out there, and Grow Green!


Plant The Right Plants With Garrett Churchill.
With years of experience across hundreds of projects, Garrett Churchill has the knowledge to select the best quality trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials, vines, and annuals available for your project.
Our planting philosophy equates the soil of your garden to the foundation of your home. Before planting, we prepare the soil accordingly for the plants that are to be installed. More often than not, we find the soil depleted of organic matter and nutrients. To address this issues, we add compost and organic fertilizer to allow new plants to thrive.
Key Benefits of Professional Planting
1Enhanced Enjoyment of Surroundings
Well designed planting can enhance the features of a home, disguise air conditioning units and gas meters, screen out undesirable views, and provide color.
Your Comprehensive Planting Project Includes:
- On-site consultation plus soil analysis.
- Custom project design.
- Design review and analysis.
- All-inclusive installation.
- Spotless cleanup.
2Healthy & Environmentally Friendly
Well designed and maintained landscapes help filter out dust and pollutants from the air, reduce runoff, limit soil erosion, and reduce temperatures.
3Return on Investment
An effective, well thought-out design considers how plants and bed shapes can work together with existing structures. Understanding what plants can accentuate the architecture of your home and best utilize your property can pay dividends should it come time to sell the home.
Not in my wildest dreams could I imagine that I would be so happy with all that was done.
Ready To Get Started With Garrett Churchill?
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What is a GMO?
Genetically modified organism (GMO) is any living organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. GMOs are used to produce many medications and genetically modified foods and are widely used in scientific research and the production of other goods.
This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and virus genes that do not occur naturally or through common methods of crossbreeding.
Genetic modifications may include the addition of DNA from species that would NOT BREAD in nature.
Importantly, most GMOs have been engineered to withstand the direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Imagine a crop that produces self-advocating repellant to insects & moulds whilst growing and ripening. There is a type of corn culture that does that nowadays. However, new genetic engineers are utilising new technologies to artificially develop other traits in plants, such as resistance to browning (in apples), and to even create new organisms using synthetic biology. Basically, men playing God.
Despite biotech industry promises, there is no evidence that any of the GMOs currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.
For more info and a list of high-risk plants and crops visit What is GMO page.
Are GMOs safe?
Without any feasible independent long-term feeding clinical studies, the safety of GMOs is unknown. Increasingly, people like myself are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.
Which countries have GMOs labelled?
While 64 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, made it mandatory to have a label on all of the genetically modified foods. 1 GMO's are not required to be labelled in the U.S. and Canada.
Which foods contain GMOs?
Most of the packaged and processed foods contain ingredients derived from either corn, soy, canola, and sugar beet. The vast majority of those crops grown in North America are genetically modified. 2
To see a list of high-risk crops, visit the What is GMO page.
Since genetically engineered ingredients are common in animal feed, the following products are considered to be at high risk:
- aquaculture products
This impacts animal products such as eggs, milk, meat, honey, and seafood.
Processed add-ons, including those from synthetic biology: GMOs also sneak into food in the form of processed crop derivatives and inputs derived from other forms of genetic engineerings, such as synthetic biology.
Some examples include:
- hydrolyzed vegetable protein corn syrup
- textured vegetable protein
- yeast products
- microbes & enzymes
- oils & fats
How do GMOs affect farmers?
The big pharmaceutical industry has been able to obtain patents to control the use and distribution of their genetically engineered seeds since GMOs are novel life forms. The results are severe for the farmers who are being sued for their fields have been contaminated with GMO's, even when some pollen from neighbouring fields causes the result of contamination.3
The verdict is to put genetically modified crops into a serious threat zone to farmers sovereignty and to the national food security of any country where they are grown.
Are GMOs safe for the environment?
It's a well-known fact that a vast majority of all genetically modified crops grown worldwide have been designed for tolerance for herbicide.4 The result is astounding as the use of toxic herbicides, such as Roundup®, has increased x15 since GMOs were first introduced.5
In March 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that the herbicide glyphosate (the key ingredient in Roundup®) is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
There is more evidence that genetically modified crops also are responsible for the emergence of “superweeds” and “superbugs,” which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons such as 2,4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange).6,7Most GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture and are developed and sold by the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. What's scariest is the long-term impacts of these GMOs are unknown. As soon as they're released into the soil, water, plants and environment, these novel organisms cannot be called back.
The debate continues
The overwhelming science so far says that GMOs won't hurt us. However, concerns like the chance that GMOs may cause genetic alterations, allergies, or other life-threatening harm to your health leave a lot of room for more studies.
There could be consequences no one thought to look for, or traits scientists can't test for yet, or worst-case scenarios reviewers hadn't considered.
For his peace of mind, the community of global healthy citizens is eager to see more focused, unambiguous, well-designed studies conducted in unbiased academic settings, free from the influence of politicians and special interest groups.
PS: Hope you've enjoyed the reading of this article. Please share your thoughts on if GMO is safe and do you choose to include it in your diet?
- “Center for Food Safety | Issues | GE Food Labeling | International Labeling Laws.” Center for Food Safety. N.p., n.d. Web.
- Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge, and Seth James Wechsler. “USDA ERS – Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.: Recent Trends in GE Adoption.” USDA ERS – Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.: Recent Trends in GE Adoption. United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, 09 July 2015. Web.
- Leader, Jessica. “Monsanto Wins Lawsuit Filed By U.S. Organic Farmers Worried About Seed Contamination.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 June 2013. Web.
- Duke, S.O., & Powles, S.B. (2009). “Glyphosate-resistant crops and weeds: Now and in the future.” AgBioForum, 12(3&4), 346-357.
- Kustin, Mary Ellen. “Glyphosate Is Spreading Like a Cancer Across the U.S.” EWG. Environmental Working Group, 07 Apr. 2015. Web.
- Mortensen DA, Egan JF, Maxwell BD, Ryan MR, Smith RG. “Navigating a critical juncture for sustainable weed management.” BioScience. 2012;62(1):75-84.
- “Newsroom.” Agent Orange: Background on Monsanto’s Involvement. N.p., n.d. Web.


CropCheck site is a voluntary communication tool that enables row crop producers and pesticide applicators to work together to increase stewardship. CropCheck is a pilot program in the state of Arkansas for the 2018 growing season. DriftWatch, another platform of FieldWatch, is for specialty crop growers and BeeCheck is for beekeepers and apiaries. None of the FieldWatch platforms are in any way a substitute for state regulatory requirements.
For more resources and information, please visit FieldWatch, Inc.
If you are a producer or an applicator and already have a CropCheck account, log in here.


The drip line is the circumference around the outermost branches of the tree. So wherever the farthest reaching branches go all around the tree is your drip line.
So what’s the significance?
The drip line contains the vast majority of water and nutrient absorbing roots that are close to the surface. So to water and fertilize efficiently, it should be done within the drip line.
It should also be noted that any soil disturbance done within the drip line of a tree, no matter the size, can have direct negative affects.


U THADOE HEIN
U Thadoe Hein is the founder and the chairman of Myanma Awba Group, one of the largest agriculture companies in Myanmar.
Myanma Awba Group is serving three million farming families (out of seven million farming families in the country) with agricultural input, finance and extension services. The core products and services include fertilizers, crop protection chemicals, hybrid and OP seeds, agricultural finance and micro loans, mobile based payment system and farm advisory services.
Starting as a trading company in 1995, the group grows exponentially with the investments in the first privately owned fertilizer plant, chemical formulation plants and research and development facilities. The group also has the largest agronomist team (1000+) in ASEAN.
The group aims to increase agriculture output of farmers, lower cost and increase efficiency. The primary objective is to help farmers prosper and alleviate poverty.
Every year, Myanma Awba set aside a large percent of net profit as the corporate social responsibility budget for building of infrastructure and public utilities in rural areas to primarily focus on:
- Access Roads to major villages
- Bridges on the access roads
- Electrification – installation of transformers and generators
- Drinking Water in Dry Zones (by building tube wells and water distribution system)
- Ambulance – for transporting patients from rural area to nearby towns with adequate hospital and medical care
- Schools and libraries – to foster education in rural Myanmar – increased focus
Having graduated from the University of Yangon in 1995 and Executive MBA from the Yangon Institute of Economics in 2008, U Thadoe Hein is married to Daw Soe Mar Lar and has three sons.


Malang 65144, east java, indonesia 2faculty of the experiment was done in post mining area in south kalimantan, indonesia volatilization and soil erosion. Kalimantan, indonesia ) vera amelia a, zaenal kusuma b, about soil erosion in the tropics is very limited in indonesia, especially in gunung mas regency. An overview of mined forest lands at east and central kalimantan indonesia was conducted to determine most important influencing soil erosion rate-very low. Indonesia - sumatera and kalimantan power project : environmental impact assessment coal projects (vol 4) : eia : besai hydroelectric power project (english.
7 serpentine soils on catena in the southern part of east kalimantan, indonesia syarif effendi, erosion, because the cover. In east kalimantan, soil characteristics and the hilly topography favour soil erosion as soon as the vegetative cover is removed large areas have already. Summary the mahakam river is the largest river in east kalimantan, indonesia, with a catchment area of approximately 77,100 km 2 the catchment lies between 2˚n to. Kalimantan merupakan bagian dari pulau ini memiliki rangkaian pegunungan di daerah perbatasan antara indonesia dan malaysia tetapi di pulau ini hampir tidak ada.
Soil erosion in east kalimantan, indonesia and applications to reduce erosion and sedimentation in tropical steeplands (proceedings of the fiji symposium, june 1990. Global fire monitoring center samarinda, east kalimantan, indonesia e decreased biodiversity, increased soil erosion. East kalimantan iin arsensi1, samarinda 75123, east kalimantan, indonesia tel +62-541-735089, fax +62-541-735379, soil and erosion. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation improves albizia saman and mine tailings (dowarah et al, 2009), soil erosion, east kalimantan, indonesia.
Download citation on researchgate | soil erosion in east kalimantan, indonesia | in east kalimantan, soil characteristics and the hilly topography favour. Reivision_kalimantan river transportation sustainability center and east kalimantan, the presence of soil erosion and sedimentation caused. In indonesia, east kalimantan province is one of the experiencing journal of mathematical and fundamental sciences estimation of soil erosion. 223 table 2 bulk densities under virgin forest and in heavily disturbed areas two and four years after logging at sebulu, east kalimantan (intasonthi, 1974. Six case studies on soil formation in indonesia are presented, (west and east java), on granodiorite (west kalimantan), erosion and erosion control are briefly.
East kalimantan, indonesia - samboja lestari shade trees were planted to help to reduce soil erosion and improve infiltration of water into the soil. In a natural tropical rainforest of central kalimantan, indonesia of central kalimantan, and approximately 500 km east of soil erosion in the catchment and. The establishment of environment and soil conservation programs is most necessary in east kalimantan soil erosion in east kalimantan indonesia’s so-called.
Erosion control and improved fallows species that are broadly-adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of i=indonesia l=lao pdr m=malaysia. Serpentine soils on catena in the southern part of east kalimantan, indonesia properties of the soil, e fellfields caused by erosion. Indonesia's transmigration the potential for soil erosion, the dayak communities in east kalimantan have not yet been compensated for lands acquired for.
In bogor and east kalimantan, indonesia all phases of reduced-impact logging must be in- influence of slope and distance from ridgetops on soil erosion. Junus kartasubrata is the general editor for plant resources of south-east asia, bogor, indonesia soil erosion in the upland areas the national. Soil erosion in east kalimantan, indonesia proceedings of the fiji symposium research needs and applications to reduce erosion and sedimentation in. Malang, east java, indonesia 2 soil erosion and field experiment was done in post-mining reclamation land in south kalimantan province, indonesia.


DRR program benefits rural communities of Sindh
Jhemi learned about CBDRM project of Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad when the organization initiated the project in her village Haji Pandi Khan Zardai of Tehsil Shahdadpur district Sanghar.
“I joined the DRR committee to contribute for my village. Despite male domination society and cultural limitation I continued to engage with community development activities and learned technique in different sectors including particularly CBDRM activities and WASH. I also contribute my role of imparting the same knowledge and spirit to community which I learnt from Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad team. I confidently can say that I played active role in my DRR committee and this committee is functional,” she said.
Last year in 2020, her village was badly affected in the floods. The DRR committee made coping mechanism to drain out water along with the collected money and wheat from community. Six most vulnerable families were provided PKR. 6,000/- to two widows with dependent family and wheat to four families.
When the monsoon season started this year, Jemi discussed with her DRR committee to sensitize community regarding pre-monsoon safety precaution and made sure all needful measures to reduce losses during the monsoon.
“I am grateful to Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad who gave me such a platform of local committee where I got confidence in a challenging society as female. I performed my role individually and as a committee member. The community of my village recognizes my services which enhanced my dignity in village. This ultimately inspired other women who remained active in the village development work,” she said.
Homestead of Safia Bibi: A source of Livelihood
Safia Bibi, a resident of village 36/SB district Sargodha is a vegetable grower. Motivated by SAFBIN awareness and capacity building sessions on green manuring and pulses integration; farm diversification; balanced diet & nutrition, she decided to start organic vegetable farming. These capacity building sessions participated by 120 farmers from village 36/SB focused on improving soil fertility, efficient use of natural resources, pulses integration for nitrogen fixation and protein intake; and consuming differing kinds of foods in certain quantities and proportions so that the requirement for calories, proteins, minerals, vitamins and alternative nutrients is adequate.
Previously Safia’s income was less at it was only from selling of milk and his son working as farm laborer. In order to multiply her income, Safia obtained one kanal piece of land (505 square meters or 605 square yards) on lease in 2020 for vegetable cultivation. Throughout the year she produces different summer andBwinter vegetables and sells most of the vegetables in the village. She has also grown few medicinal plants in her homestead. In the recent summer season, she harvested beans, pumpkin and lady finger from her homestead. On an average she earns PKR 6000 to 7000 per month from vegetables. She also owns two buffaloes, one of them is milking and daily collects 5-6 liters of milk. She keeps 2 liters milk for domestic consumption and sells rest of the 4 liters in the village and earns PKR 8500 per month from milk. This is how she is earning her livelihood.
She has observed some positive changes regarding income, nutrition and marketing. Firstly her family maintains good health as they all consume fresh vegetables; milk and milk products. Secondly income has also increased due to sale of organic and fresh vegetables. She does not go to the local market; instead sells milk and vegetables in the village. This way she avoids role of the middleman and saves transportation cost.
Intercropping of Tobacco and garlic for income generation
Afzal Bajwa, a small farmer from village 40/SB district Sargodha is an owner of three (03) acres of land. In this season he has grown pumpkin on one acre and jawar (fodder) on one acre. Jawar is fodder crop, which always gives good income, but other crops in the past years never earned profit for the farmer. Motivated by the sessions on crop intensification and farm diversification which were participated by 80 farmers of his village, he opted for intercropping of tobacco with garlic on 10 marla (252 square meters or 302 square yards) piece of land to generate more income and experiment pest control of tobacco. He harvested 50Kg of Tobacco earning income of PKR 35000; and 40 Kg of garlic earning income of PKR 10,000. He also realized that the densities of tobacco pests have been decreased in garlic-tobacco field.
With intercropping of Tobacco and garlic, he experienced more profit from a small piece of land; reduction of chemical fertilizers; and better management of resources. He sold tobacco and garlic in the local market. The profit earned increased access of his family to other food sources like milk, meat and fruits etc. Currently he does not have any livestock but in future he has a plan to rear livestock and expand intercropping for more yield and income generation.


In order to meet the needs of their members, Coocafé has an excellent structure for storing and selling coffee as well as farmers’ supplies. This structure comprises of:
General Warehouse in Minas Gerais, with the capacity to store 340,000 bags of processed coffee, with fully equipped machinery for processing coffee beans. It helps the members with selling, storing and preparing coffee, plus it offers services to some exporters, standardizing the product for export.
Areado Warehouse – Lajinha/MG – exterior
Areado Warehouse – Lajinha/MG – interior
General Warehouse in Espírito Santo (ES), equipped to store 120,000 bags of processed coffee, with fully equipped machinery for processing coffee beans from the cooperative members and deliver services to third parties.
Barra Grande Warehouse – Irupi/ES – exterior
Barra Grande Warehouse – Irupi/ES – interior
Merchandising and member service units
Commercial Unit in Lajinha/MG
Commercial Unit in Durandé/MG
Commercial Unit in Manhuaçu/MG
Commercial Unit in Mutum/MG
Commercial Unit in Iúna/ES
Commercial Unit in Ibatiba/ES
Commercial Unit in Irupí/ES
Nursery to produce seedlings of coffee, with a production capacity of 1.5 million seedlings of coffee per year, certified and monitored by inspection bodies. Coocafé produces high quality seedlings in the main existing varieties, adapted to the regional circumstances.
The units for merchandising and member services have a team of several employees, including 2 agronomists, 36 agricultural trainers and 1 veterinarian. This technical team is working at developing and training the producer – increasing productivity and the quality of coffee, in order to ensure the sustainability of coffee growing families and the environment.
Coocafé disposes of tasting and classification rooms in its warehouses and subsidiaries, informing cooperative members about the quality of the coffees they produce.


East Campus (Lincoln)
239 L.W. Chase Hall
- Heeren Research Website
- Educational Programs in Irrigation
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering
- Water for Food Global Institute
- Irrigation Innovation Consortium
Associate Professor and Irrigation Engineer
Water for Food Global Institute Faculty Fellow
Water for Food Global Institute Faculty Fellow
- Ph.D., Biosystems Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 2012
- M.S., Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, South Dakota State University, 2008
- B.S., Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, South Dakota State University, 2004
- Licensed Professional Engineer, State of Oklahoma
• Ph.D., P.E.
- 58% Research
- 40% Teaching
- 2% Service
Curriculum Vitae (CV):Heeren CV July 2023.pdf
Areas of Research and Professional Interest
- Irrigation engineering and management
- Sprinkler and variable rate irrigation systems
- Irrigation management based on remote sensing
- Nitrate leaching to groundwater
- International irrigation development
- Agricultural systems technology (new major!)
- Irrigation systems management
- Agricultural engineering
- Irrigation and water resources engineering
About Derek Heeren
The objective of Dr. Heeren's teaching program is to prepare students to be wise managers of irrigation, water resources, and agricultural systems. He teaches courses in agricultural systems technology and agricultural engineering, advises undergraduate and graduate students, and is coadvisor for the Agricultural Systems Technology Club. Students working with Derek get hands-on experience with irrigation technology while working with industry partners. Derek recently published a textbook on Irrigation Systems Management, available at https://asabe.org/ism. He also has various leadership roles in ASABE and is the Irrigation and Agricultural Water Management (IAWM) Education Coordinator for the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI). For information on Derek's research, visit his research website at https://heeren.unl.edu/. Before starting graduate school, Derek spent two years working at a civil engineering firm in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. He grew up on a farm in southeastern South Dakota and developed an interest in conserving natural resources while participating in FFA land judging and natural resources competitions. He is married to Amber and has four children (ages 13 to 19).
Honors and Awards
- Heermann Sprinkler Irrigation Award. 2023. Amercian Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
- A. W. Farrall Young Educator Award. 2018. Amercian Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
- Distinguished Alumnus Award. 2017. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, South Dakota State University.
- ASABE Superior Paper Award. 2016. For the refereed journal article: Heeren, D. M., G. A. Fox, and D. E. Storm. Heterogeneity of infiltration rates in alluvial floodplains as measured with a berm infiltration technique.
Selected Journal Articles:
- Bhatti, S., Heeren, D. M., O'Shaughnessy, S. A., Neale, C. M. U., LaRue, J. L., Melvin, S. R., Wilkening, E. J., & Bai, G. 2023. Toward automated irrigation management with integrated crop water stress index and spatial soil water balance. Precision Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-023-10038-4
- Bhatti, S., Heeren, D. M., Evett, S. R., O’Shaughnessy, S. A., Neale, C. M. U., Rudnick, D. R., Franz, T. E., & Ge, Y. 2022. Crop response to thermal stress without yield loss in irrigated maize and soybean in Nebraska. Agricultural Water Management 274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107946
- Bhatti, S., D. M. Heeren, S. A. O’Shaughnessy, S. R. Evett, M. S. Maguire, S. P. Kashyap, and C. M. U. Neale. 2022. Comparison of stationary and mobile canopy sensing systems for irrigation management of maize and soybean in Nebraska. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 38(2): 331-342. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.14945
- Singh, J., Y. Ge, D. M. Heeren, E. Walter-Shae, C. M. U. Neale, S. Irmak, and M. S. Maguire. 2022. Unmanned aerial system-based data ferrying over a sensor node station network in maize. Sensors 22: 1863. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22051863
- Singh, J., D. M. Heeren, D. R. Rudnick, W. E. Woldt, G. Bai, Y. Ge, and J. D. Luck. 2020. Soil structure and texture effects on the precision of soil water content measurements with a capacitance-based electromagnetic sensor. Transactions of the ASABE 63(1): 141-152. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.13496
- Evett, S. R., P. D. Colaizzi, F. R. Lamm, S. A. O’Shaughnessy, D. M. Heeren, T. J. Trout, W. L. Kranz, and X. Lin. 2020. Past, present and future of irrigation on the U.S. Great Plains. Transactions of the ASABE 63(3): 703-729. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.13620
- Chavez, J. L., A. F. Torres-Rua, W. E. Woldt, H. Zhang, C. Robertson, G. W. Marek, D. Wang, D. M. Heeren, S. Taghvaeian, and C. M. U. Neale 2020. A decade of unmanned aerial systems in irrigated agriculture in the Western U.S. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 36(4): 423-436. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.13941
- Barker, J. B., C. M. U. Neale, D. M. Heeren, and A. E. Suyker. 2018. Evaluation of a hybrid reflectance-based crop coefficient and energy balance evapotranspiration model for irrigation management. Transactions of the ASABE 61(2): 533-548. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.12311