AgriSETA creates and promotes opportunities for social, economic and employment growth for agri-enterprises through relevant, quality and accessible education, training and development in both primary and secondary agriculture, in conjunction with other stakeholders in agriculture.
The scope of AgriSETA covers the agricultural sector from input services of the farm, activities on the farm and the first level processing activities from the farm.
In terms of the Skills Development Act, we are responsible for the skills development of the agricultural workforce, employed and unemployed.
AgriSETA facilitates the implementation of learning through Learnerships, Skills Programmes, Adult Education and Training, and tertiary studies or in-service training by allocating grants and bursaries. It also supports apprentices, interns and mentorships.
To ensure the quality provision of education and training, we are also responsible for accrediting sector-specific training providers and for monitoring the standard of training presented.


with Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook!
Mary Ann Esposito, host of the nationally televised PBS series Ciao Italia and the author of 14 cookbooks, celebrates the publication of Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook! The new cookbook takes the reader on a seasonal home garden vegetable journey focusing on simple growing tips for anyone interested in growing their own vegetables and how to cook them Italian style. In simple language, anyone interested in growing their own vegetables whether on a grand or small scale will find this book filled with helpful gardening advice. No green thumb necessary.
Moderator: Joe Faro, Tuscan Brands
6pm: Doors open
7pm: Moderated Conversation with Mary Ann Esposito
About The Lounge
The revitalized, nightclub-style space features high-quality programming, bar & small bites, and a great view from every seat! See musicians, comedians, and authors from around the corner or around the world.


Welcome to Kookaburra Nook,
I’m Nat McKeig and I manage ‘Kookaburra Nook’, a micro farm nestled in the heart of rural Serpentine, Western Australia.
I am a regenerative farmer and my micro-business was born from my passion to live life in an organic and sustainable way on our one acre property.
Having fresh, natural, home grown food, flowers and handmade items in our home is very satisfying and making the excess produce accessible to our friends, family and the local community seemed like the natural step to take next.
We enjoy sharing our bounty and our family's gifts and talents by providing a range of home grown and hand made items all produced by the people and resources here at Kookaburra Nook.
Our aims are simple - to inspire others and to provide our customers with the same beautiful, ethically produced products that we enjoy.
From our home to yours... with love xxx


- Barley grass has been considered a superfood for 5,000 years
- It is a natural source of vitamins A and E that support healthy eyesight and skin
- Contains a high proportion of protein that promotes muscle growth
- Rich in iron that boosts energy levels and improves concentration
- Organic, gluten free, kosher and vegan
This organic barley grass is grown in the fresh air of untouched pastures - completely free of pesticides and fertilizers. It draws the purest water from a spring deep underground. Young barley grass is harvested by hand, skillfully cut at the base, before rapid transport to the facility where it is carefully cleaned and sorted by hand, and leaves of poor quality are removed. It is then quickly dried and ground into a fine powder by freezing in air. It takes less than an hour from harvest to production of the finished powder.
Why is it useful?
- Iron contributes to normal energy metabolism and reduces fatigue and exhaustion
- Iron contributes to normal cognitive function
- Vitamin A helps maintain normal vision
Recommendations for use: add 10 grams of product to your favorite shake, smoothie or liquid meal during the day.


There are many reasons to buy local, organically-grown produce. One is that the food is fresher and often picked at its proper harvest time (i.e. ripe instead of being picked weeks early and ripened off the vine or with chemical means), it’s often cheaper, and it’s always a good idea to support independent farms that are often small or family-run. Another great reason is that many farmers have switched over to organic methods, and you’ll find farmers that have always done things this way. USDA organic regulations still allow for certain chemical pesticides and so on, but a farmer who follows a “beyond organic” approach without any certification is fantastic and often cheaper than the health store.
Anyway, this post is a short one because I just want to share with you some good food resources AND an investigate news report on Whole Foods being exposed for its sub-par sourcing of so-called “organic” food. Check out the news video here. All the more reason to buy local.
On a sidenote, my grandparents used to enjoy busting my imaginary balls about how they never bought organic and they turned out fine blah blah blah. Sound familiar? I told them, quite pointedly, that they grew up without the option of organic versus conventional. All they had was organic! It just wasn’t labelled that way because no one did it any differently. (DDT and other crap pesticides didn’t get put into use until about 1940.) Besides, there are just too many benefits to consuming foods grown without pesticides to even have an argument about it. You can pretend all you want that those pesticides and fungicides and herbicides aren’t getting into your body and having an effect, but the fact is, organically grown produce allows you to avoid burdening your body with unnecessary chemicals.
If you just can’t afford organic produce, look closer. Check out local community farms and agriculture shares (CSAs), farmer’s markets, and health food stores. Organic food is not much more than conventional. A bunch of organic kale? $2. A bunch of organic spinach? $2. A pound of organic green apples? $1.49. That’s what I bought this past Saturday, along with a box of micro greens, yams, garlic, zucchini, and more. All from my local farmer’s market, where I spent a grand total of $20. I can get a week’s worth of produce from my local CSA for $15. Seriously, it’s cheap. Big cities have farmer’s markets. If you live in the boonies, you probably have farmland around you. Seek out the local farmers. If you have a big backyard (or even a small one), grow your own food. It’s fun, it’s easy, and there are a ton of resources to help you out. Even people who live in the desert (like me), grow food and develop farms and have thriving (albeit small) farmer’s markets.
Quality Food Sources & Locators:
U.S. Wellness Meats (where I buy my beef and lamb if I can’t get it local)
Vital Choice (where I buy my salmon)
Resources to Grow Your Own:
I’m starting my own tomatoes and grapes in the tiny backyard again, and some herbs on the kitchen counter. Growing my own food is so satisfying, and so is buying from farms where I know how the plants are grown and harvested. What are you going to start growing this year?


For over 50 years, Terra-Sol has influenced Ecuador’s agriculture like no other company. It is currently the largest producer and exporter of Ecuadorian pineapples amongst a variety of other products that have been part of its business units. Terra Sol has contributed to the technical development of some of Ecuador’s crops like pineapple, papaya, plantain, oil palm, abaca, maracuya, cassava, among others.
Due to this successful path of innovation, Terra-Sol holds high standards of quality and credibility amongst its clients and business partners.
Today, Terra-Sol cultivates about 1.300 has of different crops and employs around 820 people. It is also GlobalGAP, Rainforest Alliance, BASC and BCSI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) certified.
In the late 60’s, Cody and Edward Evans arrived in Ecuador and started their agricultural adventure with traditional crops of Ecuador. However, their vision would push them to invest in the development of new crops.
This aim for innovation would drive them to introduce new crops like abaca, maracuya, turmeric, amongst others. Other already existing crops, like pineapple, papaya and cassava, were studied and grown for the first time under technical parameters to obtain maximum results. Also, investigations were carried out to improve production levels of crops such as turmeric, ginger, malanga, cardamom, achiote, macadamia, oil palm, plantain amongst many others.
Today, after over half a century of experience, Terra-Sol is proud to be one of Ecuador’s major agricultural exporters and one of the country’s most influential and innovating companies in agriculture
- 1959 -
Cody Evans is hired by the American government to supervise a satellite-tracking station in Ecuador.
- 1961 -
Edward Evans meets his brother in Ecuador when contracted by the Ecuadorian Government to install communication systems.
Hacienda María Elena is acquired. This farm would be the starting point of their agricultural enterprise.
Pineapples are grown for the first time all year round in Ecuador and under technical parameters. Before this, pineapple was a seasonal crop. Terra-Sol becomes the oldest formal pineapple producer in South America.
- 1971 -
Abaca is planted on a large scale, and the business expands its production area in subsequent years. At the end of this decade, Terra-Sol is one of the 3 major abaca producers around the world.
- 1978 -
Partnership between the Evans brothers comes to an end, and the cattle business is separated from the farming business.
- 1980 -
First large scale papaya plantations of the Solo Sunrise variety, are established for the local market. These varieties change Ecuador’s consumption habits and soon this Hawaiian variety becomes one of the country’s favorite.
- 1982 -
First pineapple exports to Chile.
- 1986 -
Abaca’s world market collapses and severely affects large-scale investment for this crop.
- 1988 -
Terra-Sol becomes sales representative for ASD of Costa Rica for high yielding oil palm planting material in Ecuador, offering certified plants and seeds to oil palm producers and initiating its own cultivating business. The varieties introduced by ASD in Ecuador increase the efficiency and productivity of the oil palm producers.
Terra-Sol also acquires and plants its own oil palm and becomes Ecuador’s largest independent oil palm producer.
First pineapple exports to the United States and Europe through the largest banana export company in Ecuador.
- 1990 -
Terra-Sol introduces Maracuya to Ecuador and this crop is produced for the first time on a large scale in Ecuador. Today, the company no longer produces it, but the importance of its legacy marked the development of a whole industry. Today Ecuador is the largest Maracuya pulp exporter in the world.
- 1994 -
Raw palm oil extraction plant “La Sexta” is acquired.
- 1998 -
Terra-Sol Introduces the MD-2 pineapple variety, the market’s new favorite.
During this decade, intense studies of other crops, such as turmeric, ginger, malanga, achiote, cardamom and others were explored.
- 2001 -
A commercial agreement between pineapple importer Interfruit from Germany is signed. Up until today, Interfruit remains as one of its main customers.
- 2003 -
Solo Sunrise Papayas are exported for the first time abroad to Europe and Canada. Terra-Sol becomes the largest Papaya exporter out of Ecuador and one the world’s largest papaya suppliers.
- 2005 -
Terra-Sol establishes the plantain business unit with high yielding planting material imported from Guatemala and under advanced technical parameters.
- 2006 -
Raw oil extraction plant “La Sexta” is sold.
- 2016 -
French fruit and vegetable importer SIIM (Societé Internationale d’ Importation) becomes Terra-Sol’s shareholder.
First decades of the 21st Century
Edward M. Evans
President for Life
Cody P. Evans
(with Terra-Sol since 1997)
Nicolás de Reiset
(with Terra-Sol since 2012)
(with Terra-Sol since 1972)
(with Terra-Sol since 1997)
(with Terra-Sol since 2003)
RESOURCE CONTROL & MANAGEMENT


Our mango is sustainably grown in Northern Thailand by local farmers. The mangoes are left to tree-ripen in the sun and are only picked during the season when the fruit is at its perfect ripeness and bursting with flavour. Once picked, the mangoes are prepared and soft dried at low temperatures to retain their juiceness and natural sweet taste.
Dried mango is not only delicious but is also good for you.
- Great source of fibre, which makes one full for a long time period and assits in digestive health.
- Contains Vitamin A, which helps to maintain health of skin and is good for your eyes
- Contains Vitamin B complex, which convert food into energy, improves production of red blood cells and relieves stress.
- And the carbohydrates in our dried mango is a brilliant source of energy.
Our dried mango comes in big slices - just like you would eat a fresh mango. We prepare the dried mango the Thai way with a very small amout of raw cane sugar to bring out the natural flavours of the fruit.
Eat a a wholesome delicious snack (AM or PM), add it to your breakfast bowl, use it as a flavourful ingredient or serve it with dark chocolate and your favourite nut for an after dinner treat.
Ingredients: Mango, cane sugar, sulphur dioxide
Allergy Advice: See ingredients in bold. Nuts are handled on the premises.
Storage: Store in a cool dry place. Use resealable zipper to keep closed once opened. Once opened, use within a month.


WVM is Bell county’s first and currently only legal distillery. We hope you will come and visit us in the tasting room sometime soon, enjoy a craft cocktail, one of our awesome local musicians and maybe a little something to eat. Our family helped settle the area in 1866/1867 and we’ve been farming and ranching here ever since.
In September 2022 the distillery opened to the public and we’d love for you to come out into the country and learn about our operation as a farm distillery, we grow the grain that we distill from. Seed to glass, grain to glass, farm and field to glass or most recently we’ve settled on seed to sip. We also sell our locally grown, responsibly raised beef from the tasting room. If you are looking for a package of premium ground beef or a whole beef reach out and we will be happy to help you.
John & Erica
PS. Ask about a tour!
Photo by SKEEBO


You don’t have to be a ‘Greenie’ to eat organic food – you just need to want to enjoy a long and healthy life. Did you know that eating organically can be potentially life-saving? Here are 4 ways you and your family will benefit from eating organic food.
More healthful – Organic produce tends to have higher levels of Vitamin C, more concentrated levels of antioxidants and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium. These are necessary not only for promoting good health, but also to fight serious diseases such as cancer. Eating organic food provides a fabulous foundation for health that will see you and your children enjoying great health and vitality for years to come! Organic food tastes like food should.
Organic food is safer – Organic foods do not have additives, chemical pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and artificial chemical fertilisers nor are they genetically modified. Chemical residues are often present in commercially grown produce. Did you know that in 1998, the FDA found pesticide residues in over 35% of food tested? You can read more about the effects of chemicals on our health in How To Grow Organic Food (link). Would you choose to serve your family a chemical cocktail at mealtimes if there was another alternative? You do indeed have an alternative –choose to eat organic produce – it’s safer.
Still Think Organic is Expensive? To find out how to grow your own organic food and save a fortune CLICK HERE.
Protects Your Children – It is shocking but true, that our children are far more vulnerable to toxins than us adults. In fact, studies have shown that they are exposed to almost 4 times as many cancer causing pesticides in food than we ingest based on the types of food that children tend to eat. Due to their smaller size, developing bodies and growing brains, they are not able to deal with the onslaught of chemicals. More and more children have birth defects or are suffering from cancer, developmental delays, learning disabilities, central nervous system malfunctions, respiratory disorders and behavioural problems. The rise in incidence of these diseases parallels the increasing use of chemicals in our food and environment. Unfortunately the latency time between exposure and disease can be decades, Do you want your child to be a ticking time-bomb? You cannot afford to ignore the risks. Protect your children. By feeding them chemical free, healthy home-grown fruit and vegetables you can eliminate that risk.
Save Money – Not only will you save money, you could also earn some money by growing your own fruit and vegetables. Think of the wonderful fresh produce you will have and of the healthy chemical-free sauces, jams and preserves you can make. You will save money by not having to drive to the shops so often and your improved health will mean fewer medical bills. It doesn’t matter whether you live in a house, high rise unit or a caravan, you can still grow a productive garden. www.HowtoGrowOrganicFood.com has some great tips for growing vegetables in any location. By growing your own, you can have full confidence that the food you are providing for your family is going to be the best nature can provide, with the added bonus that it will be a budget buster!
Until next time, Go Organic – Grow Organic!
Want to Know More? To find out how to grow your own organic food and save a fortune CLICK HERE.
“Do you ever buy organic food?” I asked my wife. She quickly answered, “No.” Then I asked, “Why do some people buy it?” She replied what most people say, “Because it’s …
The Non-Bland Organic Food Recipes « Low Sugar Diabetic Cooking
It sounds a lot better to say that you cook organic food recipes than that you just cook, plain and simple. The buzz spread about such healthy cooking is due to magazine articles and Internet web site …


Environmental governance is a concept often used in the political ecology and environmental policy as an advocation for sustainability (Bodin, 2017). The primary difference between environmental governance and the environmental government is based on the authority to undertake and drive the changes associated with sustainability. Environmental governance emerges as an advocacy whereas, the environmental government is the source of action and policy drafting through elected representatives in a functional democracy (Li et al., 2018). Climate change, pollution, and the rise of toxic chemical dumping in the environment have been a prime concern that has established the need to acknowledge the importance of sustainability and make responsible decisions for the development (Bodin, 2017).
As the population is becoming more aware of the need of sustainable measures in the society, it becomes important to underpin the significance of environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) in driving the change in the society towards a sustainable future (Na, 2016). Use of toxic chemicals in the agricultural industry are of the major environmental problems in Australia (France et al., 2019). Even with several regulation guidelines about the kind of fertilizers that can be used on the agricultural land in Australia and the promotion of organic agriculture practices (Singh, 2017). This essay will discuss the role of environmental NGOs in environmental governance and see the shift in the regimes based on how the participation of public institutions like NGOs impacts the decision making and regulation by the government. This essay will also highlight the importance of environmental NGOs in driving a positive change in the agricultural industry in Australia. The dichotomy of the opinions about their impact and action will also be discussed for a holistic perspective.
Use of heavy chemicals present in insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers has a major impact on the environment (Sharma & Singhvi, 2017). Use of excess chemicals in agriculture not only harms the natural state of land and soil impacting the natural fertility but also severely impacts the water table and water resources that are polluted by leaching of these chemicals from the agricultural land. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) underpins agriculture as both, a cause and victim of water pollution (Lundqvist & Unver, 2018). This becomes a crucial consideration in terms of Australia where water scarcity is a persistent issue. The agricultural runoff impacts the water bodies and directly contributes to eutrophication. The process of eutrophication is defined as the presence of excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in the water body to promote plant life and dense growth resulting in algal blooms, and depleting the water oxygen severely impacting the aquatic life (Boyd, 2020). The process is directly associated with agricultural runoff. This also affects the drinking supplies and results in hypoxia for aquatic life. Algal blooms in Australia are largely present in the freshwaters (Sharma & Singhvi, 2017).
Several management strategies have been adopted by the Government of Australia to mediate this through commonwealth and state schemes like Murray darling Basing algal management scheme. The coastal pollution through agriculture has also been a major menace for the Australian Great Barrier Reef (Parris, 2011). The barrier reef ecosystem is stressed with farming nutrients, pathogens, and pesticides. Parris (2011) also argue that the water entering the reef through poor agricultural practices and urban sewage is impacting about 25% of the area. The Government of Australia has taken several steps to limit the agricultural sun off and promote organic agricultural practices in the country. This includes the establishment of Environment protection legislation and promotion of organic farming. “Organic Producers Advisory Committee” has been established by the Commonwealth Minister of Agriculture (Government of Australia, 2020). Further, certification agencies like Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) and National Sustainable agriculture, Australia have also been developed (Government of Australia, 2020).
The Organic Federation of Australia has been designated as the regulatory body for the same. The international code of conduct for the suitable use of fertilizers has also been developed by FAO that have also formed the basis to the fertilizer use regulation in Australia (Anisimova, 2016). The focus of the government is to develop sustainable agriculture practices to minimize the damage that is caused by land use. This has a special focus on the conservation of the water bodies and water quality improvement by the management of the runoffs (Government of Australia, 2020). Even when the government has played a significant role in the establishment of the policies and determining the quality and quantity of fertilizer use permitted in the Australian land, the role of the environmental NGOs has been inevitable in driving this action. The action against toxic runoffs by the government and the participatory body as becoming a priority for Australia for several reasons. These include water scarcity, poor management of agriculture, and a threat to aquatic life including the great barrier reef (Government of Australia, 2018). The “environmental government” of Australia has taken the essential steps that are required for the management but have also been assisted by the non-governmental bodies to a large extent.
The Australian environmental NGOs have played a pivotal role in the agricultural and environmental schemes in Australia. These NGOs have been foundational and have acted at local, state, and national levels to drive sustainable agricultural practices (Cullen-Knox et al., 2020). Several Australian environmental NGOs that have been significant in the environmental and agricultural governance of Australia include “Landcare Australia, Greening Australia, Bush Heritage Australia, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, The Wilderness Society, and The Nature Conservancy” (Freudenberger, 2018). These NGOs have also worked at ground levels for local implementation of the policies in association with the catchment management authorities and natural resource management authorities. The need and impact of these organizations van be understood by articulating the importance of a participatory approach for environmental management and sustainability (McDonald, 2016). The environment is a complex system that is developed by various components that interact and provide feedback to each other in a complex reaction system.
When the fertilizers are poured down the water bodies, the chemical content, properties like pH, salinity, and toxicity are directly altered. This affects the local niche and the biodiversity in this region. As the land use increases to enhance the productivity in agriculture, more and more fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides are often loaded on to the land (France et al., 2019). Productivity enhancement is one reason for excessive fertilizer use in agriculture. The second cause can be identified with the consequent degradation of the soil fertility that compels the farmer to use a high concentration of chemicals in the agricultural practice (Singh, 2017). Since the soil mineral needs are subjective to the crop cultivated in large number cases, the use of chemical fertilizers becomes more prevalent. The NGOs play a crucial role at this intersection where they convince the farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices like organic farming to minimize the soil degradation and water toxicity produced by the chemical fertilizers (France et al., 2019). It is intriguing to understand how the role of NGOs is different from that of the government in promoting practices towards sustainability.
The government purchases the environmental outcomes largely through the direct and indirect benefits to the farmers. This sure ensures a leaning towards the practices, however, the advocacy for the need remains poorly understood for successful implementation. The environmental NGOs are therefore essential as they not only connect with the workers on the ground but also ensures their well being through facilitation, education, and guiding to the sue of sustainability practices (Murphey-Gregory, 2018). The success of the environmental NGOs is based on several reasons, these include, direct reach with the people and scope of taking risks and ability to innovate. Since people working in NGOs are directly in contact with the people in the community providing them direct access to their needs and the problems which can be addressed through suitable action driven by participatory approach and advocacy (Fordham & Robinson, 2018).
Freudenberger (2018) uses the term “environmental brokers” for the environmental NGOs as they can address the local, regional, and national environmental challenges. It has also been identified that engaging farmers, at times is not enough, application of the established policies on the ground is largely supported by the NGOs in several forms. The environmental NGOs undertake an entrepreneurial approach where they get the opportunity to work at several scales is established. This is not always true for government as their regulation and mode of implementation may have an approach specific to the region of governance (Allan & Hadden, 2017). By the action of the environmental NGOs, the public estate of natural action is established through a participatory approach and advocacy. This allows these organizations to possess a varied and flexible approach for the funding, resource allocation, and management, that is not possible for the government agencies.
The environmental NGOs also act by playing a significant role in the process of lobbying the governments to direct funding for the environment through various agriculture and environment schemes. For instance, the “National Landcare Program” was initiated by a proposal arising from the collaboration between the “Australian Conservation Foundation and the National Farmers Federation in Australia” (Keith, 2017). Since the NGOs are in direct contact with the masses, they are also able to get the most suitable feedback for policy and suggest amendments, changes, revisions, or even need of new policies based on the population needs. The environmental NGOs in Australia have also been successful in highlighting the importance of the Great western woodlands of south-west western Australia dominated by agricultural practices (Freudenberger, 2018). The environmental NGOs serve as a progressive voice for the organic or green farmers that may not be otherwise well represented in the state and national organizations driven with political benefit. It is often argued that productivity often forms the premise in the agricultural sectors rather than a form of practice and natural conservation (Gulliver et al., 2019).
The environmental NGOs, therefore, serve to be the voice to and promote organic and naturally healthy services. The Australian Centre for international agriculture research (ACIAR) identifies that the role of NGOs in establishing sustainable agriculture in Australia is fundamental. It has been recognized that NGOs help in the spread of sustainable research practices of ACIAR to the local and marginal communities. For instance, NGO engagement in the soil fertility program by the ACIAR provided global success (Marslen, 2014). The environmental NGOs, therefore, promise regional leadership and help in the adoption of more sustainable practices and promoting healthy agriculture by reaching out to a larger audience. Since climate action and environmental degradation are not individualistic problems, they demand participatory action through learning and incentivization, NGOs working towards sustainability and organic agriculture play a monumental role by working as “broker” between the masses and the government.
It is often argued that the “environmentalism” of the NGOs can be maligned by the financial benefits that are provided to the NGOs for action in terms of philanthropy that can make the actions and advocacy biased (Gulliver et al., 2019). The Government actions are controlled and monitored with findings that are regulated by the budget allocations ensuring a zero-sum accounting for actions. Whereas, Most environmental NGOs function with the charities. This can make them act as a business with the ability to carry over the funds to the next annual year and earn in surplus and maintaining financial reserves. The action could be directed based on the funding received generating biased approach taking action. This often results in large funding driven to the NGOs by private organizations like the Potter Foundation Farmland Plan have invested in the various donations to the environmental NGOs of Australia (Freudenberger, 2018). The conservation and environmentalism have been associated with agriculture with the co-option of environmental conservation as international law. The environmental NGOs played a crucial role in this process that was finally succeeded with Rio Earth Summit, 1992.
This has led to the emergence of terms like “Extremists” to be used for environmental activists associated with NGOs in several countries including Australia (Matejova et al., 2018). In Australia, another challenge that has emerged between the environmental NGOs and the indigenous population where the study by Pickerill (2018) asserts how the action of environmental NGOs have been more focused on the political benefits than environmental advocacy. However, the debate with action-driven through NGOs has often been also rebated with arguments that assert that the action of the NGOs presents a dichotomy between “reform” and “radicalism”, “contention versus expertise”, and “resistance versus cooperation” (Berney & Rootes, 2018). It is often discussed that the environmental NGOs are trapped in actions and may participate in compensatory tradeoffs. Since the vigilantism and action of the NGOs are often based on community perception and action, the scientific validity, rationality of action, and practical feasibility of the demand raised by the environmental NGOs are also often debated.
Another problem that is associated with the action of environmental NGOs is a debate of their mode of action to be seen as long-term advocacy or a contemporary action for the growth of the NGOs by gaining public support and attention. Berney and Rootes (2018) argue that environmental NGOs often establish their demand and set an agenda to shape and dictate their needs in a political scenario for personal gains as well. This affects the defiance of mutual trust towards the environmental NGOs. The focus has shifted from the green action and sustainability-driven changes for the environmental NGOs and has been occupied with the recognition of individualistic concerns and compromising on the advocacy. This makes the action of NGOs in driving a positive change towards sustainability ambiguous and debatable.
As the awareness of about the environmental advocacy and action rises pushing individuals to adopt sustainable activities, the role of government and need of environmental governance have played an essential role. Leaching of toxic chemicals from agricultural land to the water sources has been a major problem in Australia for several reasons, first, the land is dry and often faces water scarcity. This leaching further makes the water polluted and increases the burden. Secondly, the use of excessive toxins and chemicals in agriculture results in water pollution with its impacts seen on the aquatic biodiversity in the form of algal blooms, erosion of the great barrier reef, et Cetra. To address the same, the government has launched several policies and schemes to ensure limitation on the number and concentration of chemical additives used in agriculture and promotion of organic agriculture.
The role of environmental NGOs has been pivotal in the implementation of these decisions on ground levels through the direct action and development of a participatory approach. However, the action of environmental NGOs has also been often debated to be highly extremist in certain instances and focused on business perspectives through tradeoffs and minimal focus on sustainability and environmental advocacy. It can be debated how impactful the environmental NGOs are and how their modus operandi can be improved for maximized efficiency and beneficence for the environment. Yet, their role as a broker or a connecting link between the government and masses and ability to drive cumulative action for sustainability remains their primary strengths asserting their importance and need in environmental advocacy.
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Murphy-Gregory, H. (2018). Governance via persuasion: environmental NGOs and the social licence to operate. Environmental Politics, 27(2), 320-340.
NA, N. (2016). Greening environmental policy: The politics of a sustainable future. Australia: Springer.
Parris, K. (2011). Impact of agriculture on water pollution in OECD countries: Recent trends and future prospects. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 27(1), 33-52.
Pickerill, J. (2018). Black and green: the future of Indigenous–environmentalist relations in Australia. Environmental Politics, 27(6), 1122-1145.
Sharma, N., & Singhvi, R. (2017). Effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human health and environment: a review. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology, 10(6), 675-680.
Singh, R. L. (Ed.). (2017). Principles and applications of environmental biotechnology for a sustainable future. Singapore: Springer.
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In September 2005 issue of Scientific American Journal, there was an article: “The Big Potential of Small Farms” by Paul Polak (August 22, 2005). Paul Polak started IDEâ€”International Development Enterprisesâ€”in 1981 to come up with good solutions to water problems. The article describes IDE’s work and the problems they are trying to solve.
There’s a graph of Water Scarcity.
Here’s a quote: “Water scarcity takes its highest toll on small farmers, many of whom must eke out a living in semiarid areas far from well or reservoirs. About half the world’s hungry people are farmers who work small plots of land; another 20 percent are landless farm laborers who live in rural regions.”
“Individual irrigation systems employing inexpensive equipment, such as drip lines and storage tanks, can greatly enhance the yields of small plots. If farmers raise high-value crops such as tomatoes or chili peppers, they can boost their earnings by as much as $500 a year.”


It’s almost Thanksgiving. My Trader Joe’s Vanilla Pumpkin candle is burning as I write. Among all the light, love, acts of kindness, and pumpkin of this season my heart breaks in the final days of the farmer’s market. But this year my heart hurts just a little more.
I’ve been teaching gardening and nutrition to kids in my area now for 8 months. Knowing the growing season comes to an end is one thing, but realizing the tomato plants have fewer tomatoes, all the leaves are kind of brown, and all the vegetables taste less sweet from the frost, IS SAD. The kids and I talk about plant cycles, death, and decomposition, but now it’s time to feel thankful for all the garden has given us this summer.
I’m thankful we’ve learned to enjoy being outside and to eat tomatoes, peppers and onions like apples. I’ve learned to not teach with the mindset of “how much information can I give these guys.” But with “we learn what we learn, let’s learn together, and all have a good time.” That sounds way better right?
I’ve also learned like most things that happen in our lives, context is everything and largely outside of our control. Nothing grows on my small deck at home, but this garden is in it’s 3rd year of cared for soil with lots of sunshine. Everything grew! Almost too much. My gardening skills can’t make the sun shine in the shade, but that doesn’t mean I can’t grow anything.
So this year thank you to all the kids who’ve taught me. Remember we learn from each other no matter our ages.
Catch Ya Later,


Islamabad: New agricultural research projects in Pakistan were announced by Australia during a visit by Professor Andrew Campbell, CEO Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR).
It is an Australian government agency that focuses on international agricultural research for development. The ACIAR has acted as an important component of Australia’s engagement with Pakistan and has been life-changing for the farmers of Pakistan. It has vastly improved the quality and productivity of the agriculture sector of Pakistan and currently supports about 13 projects in Pakistan, that span all over the country.
The new projects continue their history of 35 years of research and development activity. They include a decade long program on salinity management. The purpose of this is to build the adaptive capacity of stakeholders and improve the livelihoods of farming and coastal communities.
Moreover, a research project is in the plan to deepen the understanding of rural transformation in countries like China, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Pakistan. The results driven from this will inform policymaking. Another initiative also includes aiming at the developing competitive and socially-inclusive value chains for the development of pulses production in the country.
For more news and blogs, visit AH Group.com


- SEC Investigates Herbalife Pyramid Scheme Allegations by Hedge FundPosted 1 year ago
- Report Says 20% of Companies Manage EarningsPosted 2 years ago
- FDA Scrutinizes L’Oreal Over Anti-Aging CreamsPosted 2 years ago
Study Links Popular Herbicide To Health Problems
In a recent report in the scientific journal Entropy, two researchers reported that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, the most popular herbicide in the U.S., may play an important role in the development of many illnesses. Roundup is made and sold by agricultural giant Monsanto Company, which also makes genetically modified crops that are “Roundup Ready”, or resistant to the weed killer. A recent spate of consumer cases have challenged the advertising of foods containing genetically modified crops as “natural.”
According to the researchers, Glyphosate inhibits the activity of enzymes, leading to a cascade of biochemical effects that may be responsible for a host of illnesses whose prevalence has grown over the past decades, alongside the increasing reliance of food production on glyphosate herbicides. The researches say that glyphosate may play an important role in the rising rates of autism, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, liver disease, and certain cancers.
The researchers note that “While glyphosate is obviously not the only environmental toxin to contribute to these diseases and conditions, glyphosate’s ability to disrupt the gut bacteria, to impair serum transport of sulfate and phosphate, and to interfere with CYP enzymes, logically progresses to this multitude of diseased states, through well-established biological processes.” [link to study].
The researchers conclude by calling for governments to fund independent studies to evaluate the long term effects of Glyphosate.


Table of Contents
End up preparing ponds and water functions for winter (How To Gardening Sims 4). Scoop fallen leaves from the water and remove dead stems and foliage from aquatic plants to avoid the particles from rotting in the water over the winter season. Drain garden pipes and store them in a safeguarded location prior to the onset of cold weather condition.
Eliminate all weeds, particularly chickweed and other cold-season weeds, from the veggie beds - Gardening Tips Summer. LAWN For the last yard cutting of the season, cut the lawn relatively brief in preparation for winter season. Although not usually a problem in Virginia yards, turf that is left too long over the winter season months can fall over on itself and end up being matted under a heavy snow.
Clean your mower and get rid of any fuel from it in preparation for winter season storage. GENERAL Now that the landscape is mainly dormant, this is the time to review those gardening aspects that bring you fulfillment and those that require extra work (Gardening Tips March). If you do not keep a garden journal, now is the time to begin one.
For the decorative gardener, now is a great time to take inventory of your plantings, keeping in mind types you presently have and species you wish to get. Gardening Tips Herbs. If you're believing of adding a hardscape function, this is a great time for preparing one when you can see the "bare bones" of your landscape.
Look for standing water in perennials beds after extended periods of rain or snow. Standing water can damage or kill perennials and is an indication of a drain issue that needs to be addressed. Examine beds for plants that have actually been displaced due to soil heaving. Gently replant, making sure the roots are well covered to protect them from freezing.
Nevertheless, when weeding in winter season, reach into flower beds rather than step into them to prevent compacting the soil. Screen houseplants to ensure they have enough light and humidity. Gardening Tips April. Offer them a quarter turn periodically so that they grow uniformly and don't lean toward the light. To increase humidity, mist plants frequently or place the plants on a tray of moist pebbles.
EDIBLE GARDEN Update your gardening journal on crops that worked well, those that didn't, and brand-new edible crop varieties that you wish to try next year. If you didn't plant a fall garden, now is the time to prepare one - Gardening Tips For March. Gardening Tips Spring. Make a list of seeds you want for next year's garden and order early in order to get the very best choice.
If left on the yard over the winter season, they can kill the grass beneath them and leave bare spots in the grass. This develops an unattractive spots in the yard and can leave the are vulnerable to weeds and crabgrass come spring. Prevent strolling over the lawn in winter, specifically when there's ice on the turf.
Service your mower over the cold weather to avoid a rush next spring at the repair shop. The cost savings that can be taken pleasure in by growing your own food have definitely contributed to this increased interest, but they're not the only factor. More individuals have actually pertained to understand that homegrown foods taste better and permit a specific degree of control over food quality concerns, including the usage of pesticides and synthetic additives. Gardening Tips Diy.
According to the National Gardening Association, you can grow a half-pound of fruit and vegetables per square foot of garden area (Best Gardening Tips). And in 2008, typically, garden enthusiasts earned a $530 return on a $70 financial investment in a garden. Gardening Tips And Tricks. However, the secret to those results is a properly maintained plot. Growing food is frequently oversimplified, and lots of people start without a method or a reasonable concept of the time and money that's needed.
Attempting to raise crops outside the advised zone is a gamble. And in a lot of cases, unless you want to invest in replicating the proper conditions, it's almost a sure waste of cash (Gardening Tips At Home). Yes, citrus trees may survive beyond their zone, however getting them to bear fruit is a various story.
To identify what you're working with, grab some soil, damp it, and attempt to form a ball. Armstrong Garden Center says soil that collapses or does not hold shape is sandy - Gardening Tips April. Soil that's slick and stays tight is clay, and soil that forms a loose ball is fertile. Lots of gardening shops can also help you determine your soil type.
When beginning, utilize cheap products such as garbage cans, pails, and plastic pots just keep in mind to add holes to the bottom. If you discover you're not devoted to gardening, you won't have squandered much cash. Lots of people have found out the difficult method just just how much container gardening can cost.
If you spend hundreds of dollars, the number of years must you garden to see a return? I have a good friend who spent about $270 on elegant containers and soil for one season, and after that chose gardening wasn't her thing. That doesn't even consist of the expense of the plants. She would have done better to experiment with in-ground gardening first (Gardening Tips Prey).
Starter Plants You can equip your garden utilizing seeds, seed pods, or starter plants. Your options influence your expenses, work, and crop selection. Loose seeds supply the best range and are the most affordable choice. A minimum of 20 or more seeds generally can be found in a pack, and some packs include hundreds.
Table of Contents
8263 Info On Gardening
2121 Garden Making Tips
1643 Top Gardening


The University of Florida Build The Bee Lab is an organization that is raised about 350,000 of the million-dollar goal and it expects to raise the rest by years end. After years of fighting the Florida state legislature for funds, the University of Florida is now on its way to building a new facility on campus. It will be the state of the art bee lab. It will feature research, extension and instruction facility and is designed to become the hub for beekeepers.
The Florida state Beekeepers Association is a group of beekeeping representatives from around the state with over 4000 registered beekeepers. Florida needed a facility to aid bee research. There is a need to keep bee populations thriving. Honeybee colonies are crucial to agricultural settings and pollinate most of the fruit and vegetable crops that humans consume each day. Beekeepers lost 44% of their bees between April 2015 and 2016. These significant losses cause concern. To pioneer the research relating to bee decline is the goal of this new lab work, as Florida is the third-largest honey producing state in the nation.
It is taken some time for the organization's dream to become a reality. For two years, funding requests for the facility were met with vetoes. But the organizers have not given up without a fight. On the third attempt, a deal was struck with lawmakers. State legislators would put up $2 million if the beekeepers group chipped in 200,000 and the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences put in 500,000. That was enough to move ahead with the research portion of the facilities where the scientists will work. The teaching and the extension wing still needs money however. So the beekeepers group has a huge fundraising task ahead. There is still a need to raise the last million dollars to complete the facility. The goal is to have construction on the research wing underway by the beginning of 2017, and have the rest completed soon after.
There've been a few large contributions. They are even working on a honeybee pollinator Florida license plate to sell and gain profit. The organization is raised about three and $50,000 of that one million-dollar goal and expects to raise the rest by years end. There is no limit to the research possibilities. Students at the University learn how to help keep honeybees healthy and cared for. With the new lab built members will be among the first to learn the latest beekeeping techniques. The lab will be a unique, tailored space to allow us to meet the needs of our extension clients and our students.
Because honeybee populations have been suffering, there is significant need to learn to develop unique facilities in the teaching and extension wing, like a honey extraction facility to teach beekeepers to make their products more valuable. Within two years our efforts will be in addressing the sustainability of beekeeping in general. With determination, this new facility is a great endeavor.


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Bolivia Set to Nearly Double Land Allowed for Coca
Bolivia’s Senate passed a bill Friday to nearly double the amount of land that can legally be planted with coca, bringing the South American nation’s expected production to 30,000 tons of leaves.
The bill, which was approved by the Andean nation’s lower house Thursday, will allow farmers to plant up to 22,000 hectares with coca, the main ingredient in cocaine, compared to 12,000 hectares under a previous law enacted in 1988.
Leftist President Evo Morales, a former coca grower, is expected to sign the bill into law.
Sacred and medicinal
People in the Andes have for centuries chewed coca leaves to ward off the effects of high altitude. Coca is also brewed into tea and considered sacred by many indigenous people, including Morales.
“The important thing has been to stop demonizing the coca leaf, to decriminalize it, to release it,” Bolivian Senate President Alberto Gonzales said. “We are talking about a noble, sacred leaf that did not deserve to be stigmatized in the way it was for almost 30 years.”
Bolivia needs about 25,000 tons of coca for traditional and religious rituals, said Cesar Cocarico, the minister of rural development and land. He said about 6,000 ton could be industrialized and legally exported to countries including Ecuador and Argentina.
Farmers want no limits
Opposition lawmaker Wilson Santamaria said it was not necessary to increase the area planted for coca, noting that studies showed 14,000 hectares was sufficient to meet the demand for legal and cultural usage.
Coca farmers who would like to abolish limits on coca planting altogether threw rocks in protests in La Paz earlier this week, causing the police to release tear gas.


If you’re a two or three-coffee-per-day kind of person then you’ll certainly end up with a fair bit of used coffee grounds in your organic waste bin towards the end of the week.
This may have had you wondering if there are any ways to reuse coffee grounds…
Well, the short answer is yes.
Don’t throw your coffee grounds away just yet as we may be able to help you find a way to use your old coffee grounds or turn them into something useful for you.
Having worked in many busy coffee shops throughout the world, I have seen the amount of organic commercial waste that used coffee grounds produce.
Some of the uses for old coffee grounds described below are innovative ways that some of the coffee shop owners came up with to prevent the coffee grounds from ending up in a landfill.
About the Author: Tom Saxon
Tom Saxon is the co-founder of Batch Coffee Club. He has been working in the specialty coffee industry for over 10 years throughout the world and in many parts of the supply chain. You can find Batch on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter: @batchcoffeeuk
How Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds?
One of the most popular ways that you may have already seen to use your old coffee grounds is to turn them into an organic face scrub.
A used coffee grounds face scrub may help with aging and under-eye circles, it has also been linked to stopping and combatting cellulite as a body scrub.
To make your own coffee grounds face scrub is pretty simple, just take a tablespoon of coffee grounds and add half a teaspoon of coconut oil and there you have your own organic face scrub.
Be aware that depending on the type of coffee you drink will affect the coarseness of the coffee grounds (espresso uses finely ground coffee, while French press uses coarsely ground coffee), this will impact the type of coffee scrub you eventually make.
Both ends of the coarseness spectrum work well, however, I would recommend finer-ground coffee for face scrubs and coarse-ground coffee for body scrubs.
Feed Your House Plants
Coffee grounds as mentioned before are packed full of goodness even after they have been used.
One easy way to use up some of your old coffee grounds is to use them as a natural fertilizer for your house plants (or outdoor plants for that matter).
Simply add used ground coffee to potting soil or combine it with the top layer of soil.
I recommend that you use the old coffee grounds sparingly and try to mix the coffee grounds in with the existing soil to create drainage.
Use as a Grit
This obviously only applies in colder regions of the world. But this method of using old coffee grounds came about from one of my old coffee shop managers after a few inches of snow the night before.
Used coffee grounds work really well as an organic grit to melt the snow.
The acidity and the coarseness of the coffee grounds combine to create a brilliant way to use old coffee grounds.
This application works particularly well with coarser, ground used coffee from a French press.
A great way to use old coffee grounds especially if you enjoy a barbeque is to make a meat rub.
The coarseness and the rich, full-bodied flavor profile of coffee help to draw out flavor in the meat when cooked (especially when grilled).
Simply add a little oil to the meat and rub a small amount of coffee combined with salt around 30 minutes before you intend to cook.
What products can you make with coffee grounds?
Some of the products that you can make from used coffee grounds are described above, they include a used coffee face and body scrub or an organic houseplant fertilizer.
There are other products that can be made from used coffee grounds, however, they require equipment that you probably don’t have around the house.
One of the products made from used coffee grounds that is now on the market is coffee logs that can be used as fuel for your fire.
However, equipment to press the coffee grounds along with an organic composite to create a log is needed. You may also find other coffee ground products online such as candles or soap.
Do plants like used coffee grounds?
Yes, plants do benefit from used coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are a great source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other essential nutrients that can help improve soil quality and promote healthy plant growth.
Used coffee grounds can be added to the soil around plants, or they can be composted along with other organic matter to create nutrient-rich soil. However, it’s important to use coffee grounds in moderation, as they can be acidic and may lower the pH of the soil if used in excess.
Some plants that are particularly fond of coffee grounds include acid-loving plants like blueberries, cranberries, and azaleas, as well as vegetables like tomatoes and carrots.
Do used coffee grounds keep mosquitoes away?
I am aware that there are claims that coffee grounds can repel mosquitoes and other pests, however, there is limited scientific evidence to support this notion and I can also say from personal experience that I don’t believe that coffee grounds repel mosquitos.
While coffee does contain certain compounds like caffeine that are known to have insecticidal properties, it’s not clear how effective they are at repelling mosquitoes. Especially as a lot of the caffeine has already been extracted.
Are there other ways you can reuse coffee grounds? Share what you have done in the comments below!


Seagulls Nest Bed and Breakfast is near Newstead Wines
They come from two families with rich farming heritage. Their crest combines the roots of both – the lion of the Lunds and the stag of the Robinsons. And yet, Newstead represents a departure for both of them.
From sugar and dairy farms in KwaZulu-Natal, they came to make wine in the Garden Route.
They brought their own young family to The Crags and in 2006, when the Plettenberg Bay Wine of Origin region was in its infancy, and they bought 11.5 hectares of fallow land.
They have planted vineyards of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. They built their home and their tasting room.


|Cherry & Grape varieties|
|* Purple Haze $6 per plant||* Anait||Besser|
|Besser Dwarf||* Black Cherry||* Black Krim Cherry|
|Black Plum||* Blush||Brown Berry|
|* Brown Cherry||* Camp Joy||Catherine Simms|
|Cherry Traveler||Chocolate Cherry||* Coyote|
|Dove Cherry/Grape||* Dr. Carolyn||* Dr. Carolyn Pink|
|Five Star Grape||* Galina's Yellow||* Grape|
|Green Doctors||* Green Doctors Frosted||* Green Gage|
|Green Zebra Cherry||* Guernsey Island Pink Blush||Hartmans Yellow Gooseberry|
|Helleperle||* Ildi||Japanese Golden Pear|
|Katinka Cherry||Maglia Rose||Matts Wild Cherry|
|Mexico Midget||Orange PL cherry||Oval Crunch|
|Pasture cherry||Peacevine Cherry||Peruvian Bush|
|Rainbow Bicolor||Reisetomate||* Reisetomate Black|
|* Riesentraube||Rildi||Rose Quartz Multiflora|
|* Sakura Honey||Snow White||Sprite|
|Sugary||Sun Baby||Sun Cherry|
|* Sungold||* Sunlucky not 4 sale!||* Sunpalka|
|Sunrise||* Sweet Baby Girl||Sweet Quartz|
|* Thompson Seedless Grape||* Tomatoberry||Tommy Toes|
|* Verde Claro||* Wow||Yellow Cherry|
|Yellow Pear||* Yellow Submarine|
|* 1884||* 97L63||* 97L97|
|Abe Hall||* Absinthe||* AC Red|
|* Aker's West Virginia||Amana Orange||* Amish Paste|
|Anahu||* Ananas Noire||* Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red|
|Anna Maria's Heart||* Anna Russian||Argentina|
|* Atkinson||* Aunt Gertie's Gold||* Aunt Ginny's Purple|
|* Aunt Ruby's German Green||Aurora||* Azoychka|
|Aztec||Barbara Plum (F2 to dehybridize)||* Barnes Mountain Yellow|
|Basinga||* Bear Creek||Beefsteak Garvey's|
|* Beefywine||* Bellstar||* Berkeley Tie Dye|
|Big Beef X Eva Purple Ball F3||Big Cheef||Big White|
|Big Zac||Big Zebra||Bigguns|
|Bisignano #2||Black Anna||Black Brandywine|
|* Black from Tula||Black From Tula (small fruit)||* Black from Tula PL|
|* Black Krim||Black Prince||Black Sea Man|
|Black Zebra||* Bloody Butcher||Blue Fruit|
|Blue Ridge Mountain||* Borgo Cellano||* Box Car Willie|
|* Bradley||Brad's Black Heart||* Brandywine Cowlicks|
|Brandywine Heart Shaped||* Brandywine OTV||Brandywine Red, faux PL|
|* Brandywine, Red||* Brandywine, Sudduth's||Break O'Day|
|* Burgundy Traveler||Burpee's Globe||Burpee's Gloriana|
|Burrackers Favorite||Burwood Prize||Calypso|
|Candy Stripe||Cannonball||* Captain Lucky|
|Caro Red||Caro Rich||Carol Chyko Orange|
|Carol Chyko paste||Casey's Pure Yellow||* Caspian Pink|
|Chapman||* Cherokee Chocolate||* Cherokee Green|
|* Cherokee Purple||Cherokee Purple Heart||Cherokee Purple Jumbo|
|Chinese||Chris Ukrainian||* Christopher Columbus|
|* Clackamas Blueberry||* Climbing Trip-L-Crop||Copia|
|Costoluto Fiorentino||* Costoluto Genovese||County Agent|
|* Creole||Crnkovic Bicolor (Chance Cross)||Crnkovic Gold (F3)|
|Crnkovic Pink (F3)||* Crnkovic Yugoslavian||Crnkovic Yugoslavian Potato Leaf|
|Cuor Di Bue||* Cuostralee||Curry|
|Dice's Mystery Black||Diener||Dinner Plate|
|Dinner Plate A||Dinner Plate B||Dino Eggs|
|Dinofrios German||* Dora||Dorothy's Green|
|Dot's Delight||Doublerich||* Dr. Lyle|
|* Dr. Wyche's Yellow||* Druzba||* Earl of Edgecombe|
|* Earl's Faux||Earl's Polish||Early Wonder|
|El Greco (from Volvo)||Elbe||Ernie's Plump|
|Ethel Watkins Best||* Eva Purple Ball||Explosion|
|Fireball||Flathead Monster orange||Florida 91|
|Fomou||Frank's Large Red||* Furry Red Boar|
|Gallo Plum||* Gary'O Sena||George O'Brien|
|Germaid Red||German||German Giant|
|* German Johnson||German Pink||* German Red Strawberry|
|Giannini||Giant Belgium||Giant Pepperview|
|Giant Syrian||Giant Syrian PL||Giant Tree|
|Golden Cherokee||Golden Dwarf Champion||Golden Queen (USDA)|
|* Goose Creek||Grace Lahman Pink||Grandfather Ashlock|
|Grandpa Charlie||Grandpa Ludolph's German Red||* Grandpa Willie|
|* Green Giant||Green Sausage||* Green Zebra|
|* Gregori's Altai||Grub's Green Regular Leaf (Red)||Grub's Green RL Red|
|* Grub's Mystery Green||Guido||* Gulf State Market|
|Happy Jack||Hard Rock||Harry Mom's Paste|
|Healani||Heart's Delite||* Heatherington Pink|
|Hege German Pink||* Heidi||* Heinz 1350|
|Hendersonville Bicolor||* Henry||Hillbilly|
|Hires Rootstock||Hog Heart||Homestead|
|Homestead 24F||Howard German||* Hugh's|
|Humph||Hungarian Giant||Hungarian Heart|
|Hungarian Oval||Hunt Family Favorite||Improved Colossal Red|
|Improved Colossal Yellow||Imur Prior Beta||* Indian Stripe|
|Indiana Red||* Indigo Rose||Italian Gold|
|* Italian Red Pear (large fruit)||Italian Sweet||Jagged Leaf|
|* Jagodka||Jagodka (red plum)||Japanese Oxheart|
|* Jaune FlammÃ©e||* JD's Special C Tex||Jefferson Giant|
|* Jersey Devil||Jewel Tone||Jimmy Joe|
|Joe's Plum||John's Big Orange||JTD (parent of Rutgers)|
|* Jubilee||* Julia Child||* KBX|
|* Kellogg's Breakfast||Kentucky Beefsteak||* Kewalo|
|* Kimberly||King Humbert||Kit's Find|
|Kornesevvsije||Korney's Cross||* Kosovo|
|* Kotlas||Krasnodor Titans||* Kumato|
|Large Barred Boar||Large Pink Bulgarian||LaRoma II|
|* Ledoux Special||Lilac Giant||Lillian's Red Kansas Paste|
|* Lillian's Yellow Heirloom||Linnie's Oxheart||* Little Lucky|
|Livingston's Beauty||Livingston's Favorite||* Liz Birt|
|Long Keeper||* Lucky Cross||Lucky Cross RL|
|Ludmilla's Red Plum||* Lynnwood||* Lyuda's Mom's Large Red Ukrainian|
|Lyuda's Mom's Red Ukraine Ind||* Magnum Beefsteak||Magnus|
|Maiden's Gold||Maiden's Kiss||* Manalucie|
|* Manapal||* Mano||* Manyel|
|* Marglobe Improved||* Marianna's Peace||Marmande|
|Martha Washington||* Martino's Roma||Maryland Pink|
|Matchless Austin||* Matina||McClintock|
|Milka's Red Bulgarian||Millionaire||* Missouri Pink Love Apple|
|* Moldovan Green||Monte Carlo||Moravsky Div|
|* Mortgage Lifter||* Mortgage Lifter Estler's||* Mortgage Lifter Red|
|Mortgage Lifter Riegers||Moskvich||Mountaineer Mystery|
|* Mr. Bruno||* Mr. Fumo||* Mrs Kennedy (black)|
|* Mule Team||Mystery Black||Mystery, Amy's|
|Nagcarlang||Napoli||* Nebraska Wedding|
|* Nepal||* Neves Azorean Red||* New Big Dwarf|
|Nicks||Noire De Crimee||Novikov's Giant|
|Novogogoshary||Oaxacan Jewel||* Old Brooks|
|Old German||Old Timey Yellow||Old Virginia|
|* Olena Ukrainian||* Olive Hill||* Omar's Lebanese|
|* Opalka||Orange Heirloom||Orange Hurma|
|* Orange Minsk||* Orange Oxheart||* Orange Russian #117|
|Orange Strawberry||* Orange Tree||Orangina|
|* Orawalo||Orenburg Giant||* Orlov Yellow|
|Owens Purple||Oxheart, pink||* Ozark Pink|
|* Paul Robeson||Peace Yellow Paste||Pearl's Yellow Pink|
|* Perth Pride||Phil's Fantastic||* Picardy|
|Picardy Jumbo||* Piennolo Del Vesuvio||* Pink Honey|
|* Pink Ping Pong||Pink Slicer||* Polish|
|* Polish C||* Polish Dwarf||Polish Ellis|
|Polish Linguisa||Polish Pastel||* Ponderosa|
|* Principe Borghese||* Prudens Purple||* Prue|
|Purple Brandywine||* Purple Russian||Purple Smudge|
|Queen||Raad Red||Rainy's Maltese|
|Ramapo F5||* Red Orange Stuffer||Red Penna|
|Red Queen||* Red Rose||* Red Zebra|
|Regina's Yellow||* Reif Red Heart||Richardson|
|Rio Grande||* Roma||Roman Candle|
|Rose||* Rose De Berne||* Rosella Purple dwarf|
|* Ruby Rakes Yellow||* Russian #117||Russian Bogatyr|
|* Russian Red||* Russo Sicilian Togeta||* Rutgers|
|Rutgers Select||* San Marzano||Santorini|
|* Sasha's Altai||* Scarlet Champion||Schimmeig Creg|
|Seaches Italian||Serendipity||* Sheyenne|
|Siberia #2||* Siberian||Silvery Fir Tree|
|* Sioux||Smoky Mountain Red||Sojourner South American|
|Soldacki||South American Giant||Southern Nights|
|* Sparks Yellow||* Spudakee||* Spudalucie|
|Spudayellow Strawberry||* Stone||* Strawberry Margarita|
|* Striped Cavern||* Stump of the World||* Stupice|
|* Sub Arctic Plenty||* Sunset's Red Horizon||* Super Sioux|
|Surprise||* Sutton||Sweet Beverly|
|Sweet Meat||Sweet Solana||* Tangerine|
|* Taps PL||* Taps RL||* Tasmanian Yellow|
|* Tastiheart||* Taylor's Lacy Leaf||* Tennessee Britches|
|* Terhune||* Tidwell German||Tiffen Mennonite|
|Tom's Yellow Wonder||Top Sirloin||* Torre Canne|
|* Traveler||* Traveler 76||Trees Bottom Yellow|
|Tres Cantos||Trimson||* Tropic|
|Tropic Jumbo||Tschorni||Tuckwood 10K|
|Turkey Chomp||* Ukrainian Heart||Uncle Charlie's Italian Pear|
|* Uncle Steve's Italian Plum||* Variegated||Veni Vidi Vici|
|* Vintage Wine||Vintage WineRL||Virginia Sweets|
|* Wanda's Potato Top||Wapsipinicon Peach||Watermelon Beefsteak|
|* Wes||Wessel's Purple Pride||* West Virginia 63|
|West Virginia Straw||West Virginia Sweetmeat||Wheatley's Frost Resistant|
|* Wheatley's Frost Resistant||* White Beauty||* White Oxheart|
|* White Queen||* Wins All||Winter|
|* Wisconsin 55||* Wisconsin 55 Gold||Wolford Wonder|
|Woodle Orange||Yellow Bell||Yellow Benaraby|
|Yellow Brandywine, Platfoot||* Yellow Giant||Yellow Russian|
|Yellow Slicer||Yellow Speckled Roman||Yellow White|
|* Yoder's German Yellow||Zade Wilson||* Zeigler's Fleisch|
|* Zogola||Zore's Big Red|
|Hybrids and Commercial varieties||||
|Amelia (TSWV resistant, VFFFNT)||Beefsteak||* Better Boy|
|* Big Beef||Celebration Hybrid||Celebridy Hybrid|
|* Emperador (rootstock)||* Iron Lady||Jetsetter Hybrid|
|Maxifort Rootstock||* Momotaro hybrid||* Mountain Merit (Late Blight tolerant)|
|Mountain Pride Hybrid||* Plum Regal||* Ramapo|
|Rocky Top||Sebring hybrid||* Solar Fire hybrid|
|Talladega||* Tastilee||Yellow Pico hybrid|
|Cisneros (tomatillo)||* Purple (tomatillo)||Verde Puebla (tomatillo)|
|Toma Verde tomatillo|
|* Antigua||* Black Beauty||* Casper (white)|
|* Fengyuan Purple||* Hansel (AAS)||* Rosita|
|* Aconcagua||* Albino||* Big Bertha|
|* Craigs Sweet purple||* Early Sunsation Yellow||* Fooled You|
|* Franks||* Gatherer's Gold||* Giant Marconi|
|* Italian Frying||* Jimmy Nardello Frying||* Joelene|
|* Karma||* King Arthur Bell||* La Rouge Royale|
|* Lemme's Italian Frying||* Lilac bell||* Little Bells|
|* Orange Bell||* Pimento||* Stocky Red Roaster|
|* Sweet Banana||* Sweet Chocolate Bell||* Sweet Rainbow Bell|
|* Tahiti Sunset Bell||* Tobago Seasoning||* Trinidad Perfume|
|* Trinidad Seasoning||* Zavory|
|* Alma Paprika||* cubanelle||* Tam Jalapeno|
|* Anaheim||* ancho||* Carlo Putini|
|* Cayenne||* Chapeau de Frade||* Cowhorn|
|* Craigs Purple Hot||* Golden Cayenne||* Griller|
|* Holy Mole||* Hot Apple Hungarian||* Hot Banana|
|* Jalapeno M||* Numex Big Jim||* Numex Chili|
|* Pepperoncini||* Poblano||* Purple Cayenne|
|* Purple Jalapeno||* Purple Serrano||* Relleno|
|* Rocoto||* Serrano||* Super Chili|
|* Tabasco||* Thai Hot|
|Super Hot peppers|
|* 7Pot Douglah||* Bhut Jolokia||* Caribbean Red Habanero|
|* Chocolate Habanero||* Fatali||* Golden Bullet|
|* Habanero||* Jamaican Mushroom||* Red Savina|
|* Trinidad Scorpion||* Trinidad Scorpion Moruga|
|Breeding Stock Peppers|
|* Deep Purple Long Mini Bell||* Hot Long Red Jalapeno||* Hot Long Red Strawberry|
|* Hot Long Semi Bell||* Hot Purple Strawberry||* Hot Red Strawberry|
|* Hot Sauce||* Hot Strawberry||* Mixed Hot 2010|
|* Mixed Sweet 2010||* Sweet Red Mini Bell||* Sweet Yellow/Orange Mini Bell|
The above table is my seed list with Cherry tomatoes, larger fruited tomatoes, hybrid tomatoes, eggplant, tomatillos, and last a selection of peppers. I have grown out about 400 of the above varieties and have plants available. If a variety has a * beside the name, then I have seed started. I did not start seed of varieties that do not have a *! Some varieties will be in limited quantities so please ask for availability. An example of this is Tomatoberry which is limited to 1 plant per customer and will cost $.50 extra per plant. The seed cost me 50 cents each which explains the extra cost. A few of the varieties listed are NOT available for sale since seed were provided to me with restrictions to be grown and evaluated by me in my garden. I have Indigo Rose available this year. This is the OSU variety with deep black/blue color.
I will grow large quantities of varieties that are commonly requested such as Brandywine, Kellogg's Breakfast, etc.
Here are detailed descriptions of some of the best varieties
97L97 - the highest carotene bright orange tomato available today with up to 40 times the carotene of most tomatoes. Flavor is very tart. This tomato is best used in sauces, salsas, and pastes. Plants are determinate and heavily productive.
Black Cherry - One of the darkest tomatoes available today and comes with very good flavor. This one makes a very nice color contrast in a salad bowl.
Dr. Carolyn Pink - This is a large and meaty pink cherry with high production. It is derived from Galina so has much better than average flavor. This is one cherry that makes a delicious garden snack!
Galina - This yellow potato leaf cherry is an outstandingly good variety to put in a tomato salad. It has a robust tomato flavor that is lacking in most modern hybrids.
Ildi - is an exceptional yellow grape tomato with the multiflora trait. It produces unbelievably large clusters of fruit like nothing else I've ever seen. You can find photos of this tomato many places on the web.
SunGold - is a round orange hybrid cherry tomato with a sweet fruity flavor thats almost like candy. The only significant flaw this tomato has is that it will crack at the first hint of rain. These are a kids delight! I sell more Sungold plants than any other single variety.
Sweet Baby Girl - This hybrid variety is much more compact than most cherries but has high sugar content and reasonably good flavor. It is better adapted to limited space or to growing in a pot than most cherry varieties.
Anna Russian - This heart shaped tomato has the typical wispy foliage common to heart types. Its a deep pinkish red when ripe and has outstanding flavor. Its one of 3 heart shaped tomatoes that I grow every year.
Aunt Gertie's Gold - This yellow ripening to gold tomato has the most outstanding flavor of any other yellow/gold I've grown. Its not very productive and my supply of plants will be limited. If you want a really good flavored yellow tomato, this is a very good one to try!
Aunt Ruby's German Green - This is hands down one of the best flavored tomatoes I've ever grown. Flavor is light and sweet with a very slight citrus undertone. My son who "doesn't eat tomatoes" hovers over the vines waiting on them to get ripe.
Big Beef - is one of the few hybrid tomatoes I grow and like. Big Boy and Better Boy are not in the same class. This tomato produces a heavy crop of tomatoes that can be used for slicing, canning, or paste. The vines are indeterminate and need to be staked or caged for best results.
Black From Tula - This is a very good flavored very dark colored tomato that will surprise you with its production. I love to slice one of these on a plate with Kellogg's Breakfast, Brandywine, and Aunt Ruby's German Green.
Brandywine, Red - is a slightly flattened red tomato with heavy production and extrememly good flavor. There is mass confusion in the seed supply world right now because a huge amount of mis-labeled seed is in the market. The plants I have are the original grown from known source seed. This tomato is the only one of the Brandywines that has a known Amish heritage.
Brandywine - (Sudduth strain) is a large boat shaped pink tomato with phenomenal flavor. I produced my own seed of this tomato and have photos elsewhere on this site showing what they look like. This tomato has exceptional flavor but is not very productive in some climates. For the deep south, plant these as early as possible.
Burgundy Traveller - This tomato produced a very heavy crop in my garden in 2005. Its 8 to 10 ounces in size which is a good slicing tomato. I used it for juice because I had so many tomatoes ripe at one time.
Cherokee Purple - is an heirloom variety that originated in Eastern Tennessee supposedly from the Cherokee Indians. It is a deep dusky pink color with intense flavor. In a lineup of the very best tasting tomatoes, Cherokee Purple would be one of my top 3.
Daniels - This tomato was an excellent pink variety with very good production of large sandwich making tomatoes. Its one of the very few that I've grown that tastes as good as Brandywine.
Heidi - is an oval determinate paste type that has exceptional production and heat tolerance. I picked 1 gallon of tomatoes every third day for 2 weeks from 3 Heidi plants. If you are used to growing Roma, try Heidi instead.
Kellogg's Breakfast - is the best flavored yellow/orange tomato I've ever grown. I have great difficulty producing seedlings but when planted into the ground, they are phenomenally hardy and productive. There are very few tomatoes in the same class with this one.
Kimberly - is a small early tomato that produces a large crop. The flavor is not on a par with the large beefsteaks but this tomato will be ripe 2 to 3 weeks before most other varieties. It is by far the best flavored early tomato I've grown!
Kosovo - This is an exceptionally good large heart/wedge shaped pink variety with good production and very good flavor. It is a typical wilty leaf heart so use stakes or cages to support it.
Marianna's Peace - is one of the very few large pink tomatoes that can be both better flavored and more productive than Brandywine. I produced my own seed in 2003. This tomato is dense and meaty with a distinctive tang that really sets it apart. The fruit ripen pink with radial stem cracks being common. The shoulders of the fruit are the last to ripen, don't pick it green, wait until the entire fruit is pink for peak flavor!
Red Pear - Is an Italian variety grown from seed I obtained from www.growitalian.com. It is a large red fruit that is somewhat pear shaped with good production. If you want a true taste of an Italian tomato, this is the one to grow!
Red Zebra - This small 4 to 6 ounce tomato loaded the vines down so heavily that I couldn't keep them tied up to the stakes. The flavor is tangier and a bit stronger with more sparkle than most varieties I've grown. Its not very sweet so if you happen to be one of those people who does not like high sugar tomatoes, this one is well worth a try.
Yoder's German Yellow - This was the outstanding new yellow variety in my garden in 2005. It produced a heavy crop of flattened round beefsteak tomatoes with exceptional flavor.
Eva Purple Ball - With nearly round pink fruit just under the size of a tennis ball and production better than many hybrids, you might not expect much tastewise. Wrong! This tomato is good sliced or diced into salsa or canned or even just to eat right off the vine.
New Big Dwarf - produces big good flavored fruit on a dwarf plant. It does well in the garden or in a container sitting on the patio.
Omar's Lebanese - If its jumbo you want, Omar's can do it. Most large fruited varieties sacrifice flavor and texture for size. Omar's bucks the trend with good flavor that makes a tomato sandwich look and taste scrumptious.
Purple Jalapeno - This is one of the hotter jalapenos but still is much milder than for example Cayenne. The plants are decorative, highly productive and the fruit is delicious.
Red Hot Carribbean - This red crinkled pepper will make a believer of you when it comes to HOT. Production is moderate to high and flavor is surprisingly good if you can get past the heat!
SuperHeavyweight - Makes jumbo sized yellow sweet peppers that are delicious in salads and sauces. They can be used green or wait till they are ripe for increased sweetness.
|Purple Haze - A stunningly beautiful purple-pink, large cherry sized fruit. This cross incorporates Black Cherry, Brandywine and Cherokee Purple in a successful effort to improve the flavor of Black Cherry. Great tasting fruits are sweeter and larger than Black Cherry, about 2-3 oz. Plants are super productive, early, indeterminate and regular leafed. 68 days.|
|Gary O'Sena - This is a potato leaf indeterminate with good production of 1 pound or larger fruits. The parents of the cross were Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. Keith Mueller developed this variety with the objective of combining the excellent fruit and flavor characteristics of the Brandywine and Cherokee Purple parents. Take a look at this beauty!|
|Dora - Dora is a regular leaf indeterminate with low to moderate production of 8 to 12 ounce fruits. The parents of the cross were Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. This selection was chosen for one outstanding characteristic: Flavor!|
|Liz Birt - Liz Birt is a potato leaf indeterminate with good production of 8 to 12 ounce fruits. The parents of the cross were Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. This selection was chosen for an extra tart tangy tomato flavor as a result of its excellent seed set!|
|Indigo Rose - The Indigo Rose (derived from P20 line) blue tomato is a recent development made by crossing a wild tomato from Peru with a commercial red tomato. Flavorwise, it has undertones of licorice and is fairly assertive. The plant has a very distinctive growth habit. Fruit is from tennis ball down to ping pong ball size and is quite variable. I have seed of the official Indogo Rose and will be offering plants this year!|


How do I make my lawn healthy?
- Aerate your lawn.
- Water your lawn deeply and less often.
- Use natural lawn fertilizers.
- “Grass-cycle” your grass clippings.
- Cut your grass correctly and to the recommended cutting height.
- Compost your kitchen and garden waste for greener grass.
How do you fix unhealthy grass? Spread fertilizer and some topsoil (if needed) to the patch and then water thoroughly again. Spread grass seed over the area using a seed spreader (for larger areas) or by hand (for small patches). Lightly aerate the soil again using the hand rake or an aerator to work in the seeds and fertilizer into the soil.
How can I make my lawn thicker and greener?
- Improve Your Soil. To get the most out of every step to a thicker lawn, take a tip from lawn pros and test your soil.
- Overseed. Overseeding is simply sowing grass seed into existing grass to make thin lawns thick—or keep them from getting thin.
- Boost Your Lawn.
- Mow Properly.
- Control Weeds.
How can I make my grass healthy and green?
- Test Your Soil. Roots depend on healthy, nutritious soil to grow green and lush grass.
- Fertilize Your Lawn. A big part of knowing how to make your lawn greener is choosing the right fertilizer.
- Kill Weeds and Unwanted Insects.
- Use Grass Seed.
- Water Your Lawn.
- Aerate Your Lawn.
- Replace Lawn Mower Blades.


Lawn Care Experts of Kansas City welcome you to Summit Turf Services LLC, headquartered in Lee’s Summit, MO.
We specialize in commercial and residential lawn care and landscaping services for the Greater Kansas City area.
Both residential and commercial clients of Summit Turf Services take pride knowing that they’re receiving the highest quality of service from our lawn care professionals here at Summit Turf Services.
Services include maintaining your lawn to perfection, landscaping installation and maintenance, aerating to promote healthy laws, proper sod installation, lawn irrigation systems maintenance, and fertilization scheduled for the entire growing season.
Our Service area coverage spans throughout the following cities:
- Lee’s Summit, MO
- Blue Springs, MO
- Oak Grove, MO
- Lone Jack, MO


MK Urban Farm
One of the aims of the MK Revolution is to bring more freshly, locally grown food to MK. Milton Keynes Urban Farm is a development project hoping to open its doors in early 2016. The family-friendly farm will place emphasis on three strands: food, education and community.
The farm team are currently planning to grow and sell a wide range of produce and value-added products: vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, eggs, honey and goat's cheese. In addition to wonderful fresh produce they will also offer allotment style beds, pop up food festivals, children's birthday parties and regular visiting days where you can meet the animals and see how everything is grown.
The farm's main strand, education, will see the development of primary school curricula which gives children the chance to experience growing and preparing food, both on site and at their own schools.
To stay up to date about the farm and its development please subscribe to the farm's mailing list here. As the project progresses, you will find more information about the farm and its development on their website: www.mkurbanfarm.org.


I never did update to say how I got on in 2013 with the stuff I germinated and planted.
Not great to be honest.
The tatties came through pretty well, the broccoli was so so and the cabbage was good. Sadly I didn't have enough time to tend to any of it properly so a lot of it went to the slugs and other beasties. Neither me or the slugs got any of the carrots or the onions because they didn't come through.
Here's some piccies for your viewing pleasure:


Waterbird Olive Sprinkler 36 L/H with 60cm of tube and adaptor.
The Toro Ag Waterbird® V1 PC, is the industry standard when it comes to olive tree irrigation. With its easy to see red stake, 600mm (2 feet) of black feeder tube and, 36 L/H pressure compensated output, this is the sprinkler of choice for many of the the very best olive groves. The sprinkler is supplied with a red stake and black tube, the red tube is only by special order on quantities of 10,000 or more.
The Waterbird® VI-PC Olive Sprinkler
Designed specifically to meet the needs of the olive industry, the Waterbird® VI-PC Olive Sprinkler is the latest addition to the already successful Waterbird range of mini sprinklers. Fully designed, engineered and manufactured in Austral, it's built to operate in the harshest of environments.
- An even throw of water across the spray pattern ensures good, consistent root development.
- Proven robust frame design for superior strength and long field life,
- The advanced spinner mechanism ensures excellent start-up reliability and low maintenance,
- The insect-proof spinner design protects the jet and tube when not in use,
- A two-stage spinner provides two diameters of throw. The smaller diameter for young trees, and the deflector is simply removed for the irrigation of developed trees. The small diameter is approximately 0.6 m and this provides highly efficient irrigation of the young trees.
- The self-cleaning pressure compensating mechanism provides uniform flow for undulating terrain,
- A highly visible UV stabilised red stake provides easy identification and reduces the chance of mechanical damage,
- Inlet: 10mm BSP
- Recommended operating pressure range is 150 - 400 kPa
- Nominal flow rate is:
- 36 L/h (Brown nozzle)
- 47 L/h (Light Blue nozzle)
- 56 L/h (Light green nozzle)
- 70 L/h (Orange nozzle)
- 90 L/h (Grey nozzle)
|Pressure kPa||Brown |
|Light Blue |
|Light Green |


Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops Pilot - North Carolina
NRCS in North Carolina is providing financial assistance in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 for seasonal high tunnels as part of a three-year national trial to determine their effectiveness in conserving water, reducing pesticide use, maintaining vital soil nutrients, and increasing crop yields.
Frequently Asked QuestionsPrint Version (PDF, 124K)
What is a Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops?
A seasonal tunnel system is a polyethylene (plastic) covered structure that is used to cover crops to extend the growing season. They are also known as high tunnels, hoop houses, or cold tunnels. They are used to extend the growing season for crops by approximately two to three weeks on each end of the season by increasing the temperature surrounding the crop and minimizing the heat loss during the night. The standard has been modified slightly to allow producers to install electrical, heating, and ventilation systems at their own cost.
Are Seasonal High Tunnel Systems the same as Greenhouses?
No. The seasonal high tunnel system depends on the plastic covering to raise temperatures within the structure. Temperatures during the growing season are controlled by using manual roll-up side vents and by opening end doors to provide ventilation. Unlike greenhouses, seasonal high tunnel systems as indicated by their name are seasonal and are considered temporary structures.
How are crops grown in the Seasonal High Tunnel System?
Crops can be grown by either in the natural soil profile or by installing permanent raised beds under the tunnel. Seasonal high tunnel systems installed under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are not allowed to be used for crops grown on tables/benches, on logs, or in portable pots.
Are row covers and/or low tunnels considered a Seasonal High Tunnel System eligible for EQIP?
No. In order to qualify as a seasonal high tunnel system under EQIP the tunnel system must be 6 feet in height; therefore, row covers and/or low tunnels do not qualify under EQIP.
Is my Seasonal High Tunnel System moveable?
A few systems are movable and can be rotated to different locations that support a sound crop rotation. Please note that moving a high tunnel not specifically designed for movement can negate the manufacturer’s warranty on the system. Make sure to check with your manufacturer or supplier if you plan to rotate your high tunnel to a different location.
How can the EQIP help me install a Seasonal High Tunnel System?
Persons interested in participating in the EQIP should contact their local
NRCS office. NRCS will help you choose a suitable installation site and with the
application process. EQIP participation requires the applicant to meet specific
eligibility requirements. A potential participant will need to submit an
application and to show proof of ownership (deed) or control (lease lasting
throughout the contract period) of the land on which the system will be
installed. The land submitted for the program must be currently in cultivation
or presently capable of being planted to a crop (i.e. cultivated land in a
fallow condition) on which they wish to place their seasonal high tunnel system.
Land presently in permanent cover such as hayland, pastureland or forestland
will not qualify. Applicants will also need to document they have already begun
to sell agricultural commodities grossing more than $1,000 in sales per year.
What are the structure requirements for a Seasonal High Tunnel System under EQIP?
Under EQIP the seasonal high tunnel system must be obtained as a
pre-fabricated kit directly from the manufacturer or from a supplier. The frame
shall be constructed of metal, wood, or durable plastic and be at least 6 feet
in height. The plastic cover must be, at a minimum, a 6-mil greenhouse-grade, UV
resistant polyethylene. Individuals must work closely with their manufacturer or
supplier to plan, design and construct the structure in accordance with the
manufacturer’s specific recommendations.
How do I find a manufacturer or supplier of Seasonal High Tunnel Systems?
Start local. Many local farm, building or greenhouse suppliers may sell kits. Use the internet. One of the easiest ways to find a manufacturer or supplier of seasonal high tunnel systems is to use an internet search engine by searching on the key words: High Tunnel and following the links returned. Another good place to find links to manufacturers or suppliers is to visit high tunnel information websites such as http://www.hightunnels.org/ and follow their links to find manufacturers or suppliers.
What size Seasonal High Tunnel Systems are available?
Systems are available as “kits” in all sizes and dimensions. Under EQIP, contract payments can be made on Seasonal high tunnel systems installed on cropped areas of up to 5% of one acre or 2,178 square feet. Structures can be larger; however, contract payment is limited to 2,178 square feet per producer.
What usually comes in a Seasonal High Tunnel kit?
Basic kits usually include the frame structure and assembly hardware; polyethylene cover with roll-up or drop-down side assemblies and heavy duty ground posts. Optional items include manufactured end panels and/or door assemblies as well as top and bottom baseboard kits. Most kits will require the use of locally purchased lumber to construct baseboards and door frames and some additional anchoring equipment.
What factors should I consider when deciding where to place my Seasonal High Tunnel System?
Seasonal high tunnel systems should be placed perpendicular to prevailing winds to insure proper ventilation and if possible, with the long axis oriented in a north-south direction to provide more uniform sun exposure to plants and minimize plant shading. Systems should not be located in areas prone to shade. Look for sites with topography that allows for adequate drainage of roof runoff away from structure. Many kits can be modified for installation on areas with a 1-2 percent grade along one axis (generally the length side) but most cannot be installed on areas with two directional slopes. Consult your manufacturer or supplier for specific guidelines. At sites where roof runoff away from the structure is problematic, a stable outlet shall be installed to prevent erosion and/or ponding of water. Systems should also be located in areas that allow for convenient ingress/egress of plant materials and equipment. Because irrigation will be required inside the tunnel, availability of water must also be considered when deciding where to place the system.
What requirements are there for maintaining and operating my Seasonal High Tunnel System?
EQIP regulations require that the system be functional for a minimum of 4 years. Due to this requirement participants should utilize caution in selecting the seasonal high tunnel system kit that they purchase to make sure it will remain functional throughout the contract period. Maintenance and repair of the system is the sole responsibility of the contract holder. If damage occurs, contract holders should be prepared to bear the costs of making repairs or replacing the polyethylene cover during the contract period. The EQIP does not provide any additional payment to aid in the repair of structures. In climate conditions where snow loads may damage the structure, the tunnel cover shall be removed or rolled up at the end of the growing season unless the structure is designed to withstand expected snow loads. Polyethylene life depends on the quality of installation, operation and weather factors. Several ways to help increase the lifespan of the polyethylene covering is to place the rafters’ close enough to minimize flapping in the wind, cross brace the structure to prevent vibration in the wind, sand the rafters smooth prior to installing polyethylene or wrapping rafters with plastic, installing cover on a warm day to get plastic tight, keeping farm implements and people off the polyethylene and making sure structure is well anchored. Contact your specific manufacturer for additional suggestions.
What other conservation practices would be good to use with my Seasonal High Tunnel System?
Additional conservation practices could include: conservation crop rotation, mulching, microirrigation, nutrient management, pest management, and critical area planting. Your local NRCS office can provide you with more detailed information, as this fact sheet is general in nature and does not include all program requirements and/or details.
Seasonal High Tunnel Systems for Crops Conservation Practice and Ranking Documents
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