With the United Nations General Assembly declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the Tamil Nadu government will implement its Millet Mission for a period of five years, to boost production and consumption of millets, Agriculture Minister, MRK Paneerselvam, announced while presenting the Agriculture Budget 2023-24.
The Tamil Nadu Millet Mission will be implemented with the financial assistance of the Union and State Governments at an estimated cost of ₹82 crore in the coming year.
Also read: Centre estimates 8-fold increase in millet procurement as 9 States launch mission programme
Under the scheme, subsidies will be given for bringing fallow land under millet cultivation and crop diversification in 50,000 acres. Millet farmers will be brought together to form producer groups, for conduct of training programmes. Subsidy will be provided for installation of sprinkler irrigation systems on 12,500 acres and for establishment of Millets Processing Centres by farmer producer groups.
Under the Mission, millet festivals would be celebrated to create consumer awareness and increase consumption.
Also read: Food companies launch new millet products as part of the ‘International Year of Millet’
Finger millet and pearl millet will be directly procured and availability of millets will be ensured in fair price shops. Millet-based food will be included in Government institutions and hostels of educational institutions, the minister said while presenting the budget in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Also read: Tamil Nadu to urge Centre to raise to 10 hectares ceiling for micro irrigation subsidy
Pearl millet, finger millet, kodo millet, proso millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet and little millet are classified as minor millets. The nutrient-rich millets, besides growing well in drought conditions, thrive in poor soil conditions, too.
The last Agriculture Budget identified two millet zones encompassing 20 districts in the state.
Also read: Govt targets to procure 7.5 lt millets, Karnataka to contribute 6 lt
Based on the representations received from farmers, five new districts, namely, Namakkal, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Erode and Pudukottai will be added.
To make millets easily available, steps are being taken to distribute two kg of Ragi to family card holders in Nilgiris and Dharmapuri districts on a pilot basis. Also, to ensure farmers get a fair price, processed minor millets will be procured through cooperative societies and distributed through the Amutham, Chinthamani and Kamadhenu co-operative sales outlets in Chennai and Coimbatore, he said.
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With “To Earth, With L.O.V.E.” as the core theme of its comprehensive green vision. Caring for the environment through sustainable practices is at the heart of CMI's “To Earth, with L.O.V.E.” philosophy. Green is now the code word in all that CMI does, whether it is green living, operations, value chain, or the pursuit of harmony between the environment and humanity (or L.O.V.E. for short). The key feature of this vision is its holistic view. With an initial focus on providing its employees and partners with high quality, green living opportunities, Chimei Innolux has also set its sights on implementing green production technology and practices. Leveraging its good fortune and influence as a global corporate citizen, CMI endeavors to care for the Earth by pursuing sustainable development.
To promote forest restoration and water catchment protection, in 2009 CMI began providing financial support to Chung Hsing University’s Huisun Forest, located in the mountains of Renai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. The funding supports ecological restoration projects in areas affected by landslides. In the future, these projects will be promoted in other areas in Taiwan towards the goal of a “disaster-free homeland”. The project involves the planting of 3,500 Sapindaceae (Soapberry) and other native trees, as well as coffee bush seedlings on 2.5 hectares of landslide-damaged coffee plantation. Furthermore, it will promote soil and water conservation while raising the aesthetic, environmental and economic value of the area and creating a hybrid business model for agriculture and forestry through sustainable forest management. In addition, working with the Innolux Education Foundation, CMI is co-sponsoring a second-stage project to monitor debris flow and disaster education park facilities. Through cooperation with the Chung Hsing University Soil and Water Conservation Experimental Forest, this project not only develops preventative strategies for soil erosion, but also establishes a landslide monitoring station to provide warning of impending landslides and also collect long-term debris flow data. The entire development process will be documented and filmed to be used as educational materials, in conjunction with course books, for future soil and water conservation education, helping people learn to live in harmony with nature. In the future, the Huisun Forest landslide area will be used as the site for the establishment of an outdoor landslide education park. These outdoor education facilities and data collected from long term monitoring will provide a comprehensive landslide and environmental education resource.
Since 2009, CMI has joined in National Chung Hsing University's ecological restoration projects in landslide-damaged Huisun Forest in Nantou County, and supported Innolux Educational Foundation's documentary film for forest restoration . Future plans will promote the experience of this restoration in other regions, pursuing a vision of a “disaster-free homeland”. On April 24, 2010, the Innolux Education Foundation celebrated Earth Day by combining CMI's reforestation and water conservation efforts to stage the “Earth in Our Hands: Protecting Huisun” tree planting activity in the Huisun Forest’s landslide zone. CMI staff and their families, along with university presidents and officials from the Ministry of Education, came together to reforest the area, and promote landslide prevention.
See related news: Link.
Global warming is contributing to abnormal climate phenomena. Research indicates that a one-degree annual increase in temperature results in a 6% increase in rainfall. Due to Taiwan's geographic location and topography, rainfall has increased to five times average levels, resulting in water resource conservation becoming an important issue for the future. In view of the importance of water resources to citizens and industry, from 2009 CMI has sponsored forest preservation and reforesting efforts at Liyutan Reservoir in Miaoli, adopting an area over 15 hectares, and directly creating reforestation jobs for the local aboriginal population. In 2010, CMI joined the Innolux Education Foundation in co-sponsoring the production of a documentary film on the area’s ecology. The completed film will be suitable for use in elementary schools and will be provided to schools to raise ecological awareness.
The source of the Yongheshan Reservoir provides the people of the northern Miaoli area and the industries of the Jhunan region with water. In 2009, CMI adopted the Yongheshan Reservoir catchment area to explore possible conservation measures. In terms of water resource protection activities, CMI plans to expand the project to the surrounding environment and water catchment area of the reservoir starting in 2010. In terms of the physical environment, CMI strengthened maintenance work using the existing infrastructure for several important rivers, annually providing local teams with basic equipment for patrolling fisheries, and providing environmental volunteers with adequate resources to ensure the long-term sustainability of local fish populations. The company focuses on improving environmental education and providing training for ecological tours under the auspices of the office of Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area and Nanjuang Public Works Department. In the long run, this project will improve training in ecological education and protection, and raise local residents’ awareness of ecology and habitat restoration and conservation. Besides, this project including effective ecological explanation will bring a deeper significant to Nanjuang-area tourism, disseminate environmental education concepts, and raise tourist awareness of environmental protection and further preserving the area’s natural beauty and resources.
Created to promote civic education, the Innolux Education Foundation first teamed up with the IC Broadcasting Company to produce an ecological education program called “NPO Youth Republic”, working with a network of domestic non-profit ecological conservation organizations and their volunteers throughout Taiwan. The host brought young volunteers to ecological preserves and research stations, sharing their experiences through the program and also providing insight on how to get involved in future service work. The Foundation hopes that the program will help strengthen the ecological concerns of Taiwan youth, improve community development, and raise awareness, leading young people to find their own place in the ecological movement.
To express its support and concern for environmental protection, energy conservation and corporate social responsibility, at the end of 2009 the Innolux Education Foundation sponsored the Discovery Channel’s “Reflections on Global Warming” program. The program investigated global warming issues, alternative energy and the concepts and actions that global citizens should have. In November of 2009, the Foundation actively sponsored Commonwealth Magazine’s January 2010 “The World is Hot, Flat and Crowded” lecture series by Thomas L. Friedman, bringing together more than 3,000 participants from business and youth groups. The series not only raised Taiwan’s international visibility and strengthened corporate consensus on Taiwan’s green energy future, but also raised environmental concerns and awareness among the younger generation.
In addition to providing our staff with organic vegetables daily, CMI in 2009, working with Chienfu Organic Farms, co-founded the Innolux Happy Farm. At the farm, CMI staff can adopt organic vegetable garden plots where they can be personally involved in the organic food production process, thus raising their awareness of the work that goes into organic farming, along with the benefits of organic farming to the environment and nature. Additionally, to give CMI staff a chance to visit many organic farms and understand the different types of organic farming, CMI is planning a tour of organic farms to allow staff members to interact with organic farmers and benefit from their insights and experience, giving them an understanding of the benefits of organic farming and lifestyle.
Since 2008, CMI began to develop the idea of developing a long-term relationship with organic farms, directly purchasing organic produce for use in the company’s canteen and providing employees with healthful vegetables. Starting with two hectares in 2008, the land under organic cultivation to supply CMI was expanded to 4.8 hectares in 2009, and raising monthly deliveries from 200 kg to 3000 kg, and helping organic farms achieve economies of scale. Starting in 2010, CMI began cooperating with farms and local government agencies in the Yongheshan Reservoir upper catchment area, gradually helping farmers to switch to organic methods and helping reduce agricultural pollution in the source waters of the Yongheshan reservoir.


The Freak Show strain is a hybrid that is sativa dominant. It garnered its name for the strange shaped leaves it produces, thanks to a genetic mutation. It has a moderate crop yield and a decent potency that any grower with a little experience can produce. Users can expect a cerebral effect that is great for daytime use.
The flavor profile is sweet, bringing together tropical banana notes with vanilla. The scent brings diesel with hints of grapefruit, thyme, and eucalyptus. Users with anxiety and depression symptoms that impact them during the day will enjoy the relief that the Freak Show hybrid provides them.
When growing, only those with some experience should take on the Freak Show strain. It is a unique variety that provides a moderate crop yield and relaxing potency. Users will experience a calming cerebral effect that is also ideal for those who suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression. The flavors and smells that come with the Freak Show strain are sure to please anyone who decides to use this hybrid.
Height: 70 Inches
Flowering Time: 49-56 Days
CBD: Less than 1%
Flavor: Sweet, Tropical, Vanilla
Yield: 450 gr/m2


Understanding the difference between evaporation and evapotranspiration is crucial for anyone involved in agriculture, water management, or environmental science. While the two terms may seem similar, they refer to different processes and have significant implications for the availability of water in a given area kpop pantip.
Evaporation is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or seo packages uk, usually due to heat. It occurs naturally in bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, and also on land surfaces, such as soil and vegetation. When water evaporates from the soil, it leaves behind salts and minerals, which can make the soil less fertile over time monadesa.
On the other hand, evapotranspiration is a combination of two processes: evaporation and transpiration. Transpiration refers to the process by which water is absorbed by plants through their roots, and then released into the air as water vapor through tiny pores in their leaves. Like evaporation, transpiration is also influenced by temperature, humidity, wind speed, and other environmental factors timesofnewspaper. Together, evaporation and transpiration make up the process of evapotranspiration, which accounts for the majority of water lost to the atmosphere from land surfaces.
One of the key implications of evapotranspiration is its impact on the water cycle. When plants absorb water through their roots, they help to recharge groundwater and replenish surface water sources, such as streams and rivers. This can be particularly important in areas where water resources are limited or prone to drought. By contrast, excessive evaporation can contribute to water scarcity and desertification in certain regions.
Evaporation and evapotranspiration also have different impacts on climate newspaperworlds. When water vapor is released into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration, it can contribute to cloud formation and precipitation, which can help to cool the surrounding area. This can have a significant impact on local and regional climates, particularly in areas with high rates of evapotranspiration. By contrast, evaporation tends to have a more localized effect on temperature and humidity.
In terms of measurement, evaporation can be monitored using tools such as pan evaporation and lysimeters, which measure the amount of water that evaporates from a given surface over a period of time. Evapotranspiration, on the other hand, is typically measured using instruments such as eddy covariance towers and Bowen ratio systems, which measure the flux of water vapor between the land surface and the atmosphere Newsmartzone. These measurements can be used to estimate water use by crops and vegetation, as well as to monitor changes in water availability over time.
In conclusion, while evaporation and evapotranspiration may seem similar, they refer to distinct processes with important implications for water availability, climate, and the environment. Understanding the differences between these two terms is crucial for anyone involved in agriculture, water management, or environmental science, as it can help to inform better decision-making around water use and conservation.


The postage stamp size garden I am endeavouring to maintain with far too little water has yielded great pleasure in terms of colour. Especially pleasing are the Namaqualand / African daisies. I planted a packet of out-of-date seeds in the bare, dry ground with great faith and have watched them anxiously from the first tiny shoots to the orange and yellow flowers that open with the sun and wave merrily in the breezes.
Growing plants from seeds in a drought is a risky affair and so I caved in once our local nursery opened and bought calendula seedlings. These have survived being chomped by several locusts to produce pretty blooms, such as this one.
The miniature marigolds were also purchased as seedlings, but very few have survived the onslaught of snails.
This Van Stadens River Daisy (Dimorphotheca ecklonis) originates from plants my late mother grew on our farm in the now Mpumalanga.
To my considerable joy, several self-sown cosmos have grown up from last year’s crop.
A very strange thing I have discovered since the COVID-19 lockdown began is that there are no flower seeds for sale in the supermarkets. At first they weren’t allowed to sell any seeds (don’t ask) and now only have vegetable seeds on offer!
Bees have been very scarce in our garden for a while now. I am thus concerned that the few flowers we have enjoyed this winter have fallen foul of the lack of pollinators.
BUT WE HAVE THESE:
While looking at the stunted, yet very pretty, self-sown cosmos I noticed it being visited by this insect:
A much closer view reveals it to look like this:
It moved to the next flower and was joined by this one:
Both have a long proboscis. There are a lot of ordinary flies about too, so I realise I need to stop thinking about bees, butterflies, moths and beetles being the only pollinators – nature makes sure there is a variety.
The winter cold is associated with the end of a vibrant life cycle and a period of dormancy as shown by these leaves and the dead dahlia head:
Most of our trees are evergreen, as are the euphorbias and aloes:
The aloe flowers are both beautiful and provide important nutrition during this harsh season.
Blackjack seeds abound, just waiting to be dispersed.
While self-sown cosmos make a brave start.
It is Lockdown Day 34: this means that it is over a month since we have been able to go outside of our gardens (thankfully I have a garden!) and go for a walk. During the course of the month the cheering array of cosmos flowers dancing in the breezes have dwindled to the last few; the tall stems have fallen over; and soon there will be none left. The last few continue to be visited by bees and so I show you one of the last ‘action’ cosmos and its visitor:
We all know that pollination takes place when a bee carries pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another. Close observation reveals that the pollen clings to the sticky hairs on the bee’s body and is rubbed off as the bee flies from one blossom to another. The flowers in this and other photographs are Cosmos.
In addition to pollinating plants, bees collect pollen to take to their hives for food. The large orange-yellow bulges on the hind legs of this bee looks as though it is carrying baskets for this purpose – much as we would use a shopping basket.
These baskets or pollen sacs are known as the corbicula, which are made up of hairs blended together to form a concave shape. Once a bee has visited a flower it begins a grooming process during which the pollen that has gathered on the body is brushed down towards the hind legs and packed into the pollen baskets mixed with a little nectar.


10-year satellite-constrained fluxes of ammonia improve performance of chemistry transport models
Peer reviewed, Journal article
MetadataVis full innførsel
OriginalversjonAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2021, 21, 4431-4451. 10.5194/acp-21-4431-2021
In recent years, ammonia emissions have been continuously increasing, being almost 4 times higher than in the 20th century. Although an important species, as its use as a fertilizer sustains human living, ammonia has major consequences for both humans and the environment because of its reactive gas-phase chemistry that makes it easily convertible to particles. Despite its pronounced importance, ammonia emissions are highly uncertain in most emission inventories. However, the great development of satellite remote sensing nowadays provides the opportunity for more targeted research on constraining ammonia emissions. Here, we used satellite measurements to calculate global ammonia emissions over the period 2008–2017. Then, the calculated ammonia emissions were fed to a chemistry transport model, and ammonia concentrations were simulated for the period 2008–2017. The simulated concentrations of ammonia were compared with ground measurements from Europe, North America and Southeastern Asia, as well as with satellite measurements. The satellite-constrained ammonia emissions represent global concentrations more accurately than state-of-the-art emissions. Calculated fluxes in the North China Plain were seen to be more increased after 2015, which is not due to emission changes but due to changes in sulfate emissions that resulted in less ammonia neutralization and hence in larger atmospheric loads. Emissions over Europe were also twice as much as those in traditional datasets with dominant sources being industrial and agricultural applications. Four hot-spot regions of high ammonia emissions were seen in North America, which are characterized by high agricultural activity, such as animal breeding, animal farms and agricultural practices. South America is dominated by ammonia emissions from biomass burning, which causes a strong seasonality. In Southeastern Asia, ammonia emissions from fertilizer plants in China, Pakistan, India and Indonesia are the most important, while a strong seasonality was observed with a spring and late summer peak due to rice and wheat cultivation. Measurements of ammonia surface concentrations were better reproduced with satellite-constrained emissions, such as measurements from CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder).


The Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen is a great tool to remind us which fruits and veggies are typically carrying more pesticides along with them. Since pesticides are nobody’s best friend, reducing your intake of these toxins is something you should be aiming for.
Why should you bother?
Pesticide exposure has been linked to many illnesses from endocrine disorders to cancer, and the pesticide-induced disease list is growing! It might be worth it to put a little more thought behind which produce you’re buying organic and which ones you’re not. You can lower your pesticide load by choosing to peel certain produce or taking more effort to clean them before use.
Nutrients are Key
Keep in mind, the value of the nutrients behind the fruits & veggies are so essential! Don’t let the toxins stop you from purchasing. Your body thrives on the vitamins & minerals they offer so eat up! Just by being more mindful, you can make a difference in your body.
Since the cost of organic is higher, shop around! You can likely find better deals by shopping locally and going to farmers markets. I would rather help out our local farmers who are trying to keep their products clean for us to consume.
The clean 15 has the lowest pesticide residue whereas the dirty dozen is some of the highest. So if you’re looking to reduce your intake of these nasty toxins then plan your shopping! Aim for more organic, when possible, of the dirty dozen or take extra care for soaking/cleaning.


'Cut and drop' is what it says on the tin: we're cutting the grass and dropping it on the ground, leaving it behind. We'll still blow it away from your property and make sure pathways are clear, but cut grass will stay on your local green spaces rather than being taken away. This is because leaving the grass behind:
- encourages healthier grass since the nutrients are released back into the soil
- creates a natural fertiliser
- helps the soil retain water
- cuts down on landfill/leaves more space available to compost
- saves energy since we're not taking the cuttings the landfill/composting sites, which in turn reduces our carbon footprint
It's also more expensive to collect the cuttings - it needs more equipment, more labour, more costs to dispose of the cuttings, and more time.
Grounds maintenance responsibilities
Join our Grounds Maintenance Residents Group (GMRG)
Our Grounds Maintenance Residents Group carry out regular estate inspections on our green spaces, helping us make sure that we manage them in an effective, efficient an consistent manner - regardless of the geographical area.


SDG Perspectives from Japan: Insights from Alexandros Gasparatos, an ecological economist”Links between commodity crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa, and local food security”
How does your research relate to the SDGs and which SDGs in particular?
My research field is ecological economics, so I study the linkages between humans and nature. It is a very interdisciplinary field that uses various analytical methods to explore how human activities affect ecosystems, as well as the ways that social and economic systems are impacted in turn by this ecosystem change.
I am currently involved in many studies, but my longest-running project began in 2011 to study the relationship between commodity crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa and the food security of rural residents.
It is commonly stated that the food security of rural inhabitants in Sub-Saharan Africa is threatened when agricultural land that was previously used to grow food crops, such as maize and cassava, is converted for the cultivation of commodity crops, such as sugarcane, cotton, cocoa and oil palm. Conversely, from the standpoint of rural development, many scholars have pointed that commodity crop production can reduce rural poverty and modernize agricultural systems, thus having positive effects on food security. With opinions so polarized, the truth is probably somewhere between these two extremes. Personally I am interested in investigating the actual situation at the local level through fieldwork, rather than through macro-level studies or modelling.
What we have learned through 25 case studies across Sub-Saharan Africa, including in countries such as Malawi, Eswatini, Kenya, and Ghana, is that there are very different mechanisms through which commodity crops intersect with food security. In some cases commodity crops have positive effects for food security and in some cases negative effects. Sometimes even for the same commodity crop, there can be dramatically different impacts depending on the social and environmental context, such as whether a market exists and how producers are involved in value chains.
That said, I am especially interested in the question of whether there can be ways for delivering appropriate benefits to the people who grow and sell these commodity crops. When there are immature markets or exploitation from intermediaries, it is highly likely that the land use conversion for commodity crops would not deliver real benefits to producers. This sort of failure is common to many development interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa, not only commodity crops.
Considering the above, I would say that my research mainly relates to the SDGs for poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2). I would also say that my research is also related to SDG 15 (protecting terrestrial biodiversity), SDG 8 (achieving decent work and economic growth), and SDG 9 (industry and innovation).
How important is transdisciplinarity in SDG research? What is needed in order to accomplish that effectively?
An interdisciplinary approach is essential in carrying out our research projects. For example, in our study of commodity crops and food security in Africa, our team has included experts from different countries and with different disciplinary backgrounds and expertise. This has included savanna ecologists and agricultural economists, as well as experts in energy policy considering that some commodity crops can be used for biofuels production; for example, ethanol made from sugarcane.
However, collaboration among different types of organizations is also necessary. We partner with a variety of organizations beyond academia, including national and private research institutes, companies, and government agencies. Every organization has its own DNA, and this brings very valuable input to the research. However, sometimes different organisations have completely different working approach or standards of what is desirable. For example, academics tend to focus on novelty in their research themes and publish a lot of good papers, while non-academics have a more applied and grounded approach in their work. All these are very valuable in transdisciplinary research, so whenever I propose a new project, I try to make sure that it will be something that does not only appeal to academics. The reality is that communication among collaborators from different organizations is often difficult, but can be overcome when we share a common passion.
What should be done to encourage more younger researchers to get involved in research related to the SDGs? Please share your advice for young researchers who want their work to have an impact on society.
Be open-minded. That says it all. If you only work within your academic field or at one university, you will only be able to see things from that perspective. It’s important to work with people from different academic fields, people from different organizations, and people who have different cultural backgrounds. That way, you will be able to see the same problem from completely different perspectives.
Joint research with people from different disciplines, organizations, and backgrounds is not easy. For example, there can be different viewpoints or even timelines for finishing deliverables, which may cause some awkwardness at first. For example, us academics are often more flexible and can write articles based on whatever timing suits us because we are not often bound by the same time constraints inherent to the projects. However, researchers from other organisations might have more severe time constraints to finish their research deliverables. It’s important to find creative ways to overcome such issues. This is not easy, but an attitude of accepting the perspectives of people who think differently will make your research stronger.
Alexandros Gasparatos is Associate Professor at The Institute of Future Initiatives (IFI) at the University of Tokyo. As an ecological economist he is interested in the development, refinement and application of sustainability assessment and ecosystem services valuation tools. He has applied such tools in different topics such as food security, energy policy, green economy, and urban sustainability in many developing countries of Africa and Asia. Before joining IFI he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford and the United Nations University. He is an Editor for Sustainability Science, People and Nature, and Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems and has served as a Coordinating Lead Author (CLA) for the Asia-Pacific Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
This interview article can also be viewed on The Source, Springer Nature’s blog site providing insight and discussion on publishing in the academic world.


Flax (binomial name: Linum usitatissimum) is a plant that is commonly referred to as common flax or linseed. The use of flax dates all the way back to the B.C times. This plant is native to the Mediterranean region and was also heavily cultivated in ancient Egypt and Ethiopia. Experts believe that the fertile crescent is the place where this plant was first domesticated. This plant can grow up to 1.2 meters. It also has green leaves and blue flowers.
Researchers have been studying the benefits of the seeds that come from flax for several years. Flaxseeds come in two different colors brown and yellow. One pound of flaxseed contains 20 grams of protein, 28 grams of fiber, 450 calories and 41 grams of fat. It is also rich in B vitamins, zinc, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Many people take flaxseed along with flaxseed oil because of the nutritional benefits. If it is stored properly, it can last for up to 20 months.


Tilapia farms in Coquitos, Mexico
Our pilot project has aimed at establishing tilapia farms in a small village in southern Mexico. For its first project, the NSF has proposed to sponsor Regal Springs in its efforts to teach 20 to 30 people of Coquitos, Mexico how to farm tilapia with the goal of helping them establish and manage their own cooperative farms.
One year later…
Coquitos, a small village of roughly 25 families located on Lake Malpaso in southern Mexico, borders a forested and protected natural reserve which makes the area unsuitable for traditional farming such as raising cattle, and locals are not permitted to fish in protected areas, forcing men to travel far to find agricultural work.
The project aims to teach the people of Coquitos how to farm tilapia by helping them establish a co-op qualified to receive government funding, and by donating the first round of fingerlings. One tilapia cage will cost approximately $2,500, and will generate about $1,000 in income for one family in a five-month cycle.
We estimate we will need $25,000 to support five households in Coquitos, $50,000 for 20 households, and with $100,000 it said it can provide farms to 36 individuals and “change life in Coquitos”.
The Regal Springs implementation team has provided education, inputs, guidance, agricultural and managerial assistance to the women of Coquitos.


Foothill Farm Alliance
The winter share is an opportunity to eat locally this winter. Seven times between the end of October and late January, the Alliance will thoughtfully build a box of vegetables for the members. Members will come to one of four meeting points, visit with the farmers and other members, and pick up their veggies. For more details on the winter share dates, prices, pickup locations and vegetable prospectus, please click on the detail button below. Please let us know if you have any questions.


Spooner Farmers Market
Front at Oak Street Next to the Train Museum
This Spooner farmers market is located at Front at Oak Street Next to the Train Museum. Stop by and check it out. Phone to learn more about its assortment of local specialties, fruits, crafts, vegetables and organic food. Hours are Mid-June-Mid-October Saturday, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Use the Edit link if you shop at this market to tell us more about what is offered.
If you've shopped at Spooner Farmers Market, tell us what you think of the market.
Freshly picked produce, direct grower sales, and FRIENDLY market vendors and shoppers make this a really pleasant Farmers Market.
-- Sara Wickre
Local Farmers Markets | Sportscard Stores | Videogame Stores | Wargames
Published by Workbench


Categories: General Date: May 8, 2012 Title: New radar imagery for Dutch agriculture
SarVision is working on the provision of new agricultural crop information based on cloud free radar data.
High resolution radar satellite imagery (12.5m) from the Radarsat-2 satellite is available every 12 days, enabling crop type, area, growth stage and biomass to be monitored throughout the growing season.
Contact us for more information and higher quality examples.
Colours: agricultural fields in Flevoland, the Netherlands, in different stages of field preparation and crop growth, 22 April 2012. Image processing by SarVision. RADARSAT-2 Data and Products ©MacDONALD, DETTWILER AND ASSOCIATES LTD. (2012) – All Rights Reserved. RADARSAT is an official mark of the Canadian Space Agency.


We have all been working hard recently and are turning the garden area around the mobiles into a beautiful peace garden! We have been focusing on the project since the spring term to try to make sure we incorporate as many of our ideas as possible. This would not have been possible on our own and we have had humongous helping hands from The Earth Champions Foundation and Catalyst in Communities. As well as learning about environmental issues, we have also been encouraged us to learn about peace and how to handle differences and conflicts and help us all to interact peacefully with each other.
We are raising funds to help us develop the garden and give us space to reflect in, enjoy and get closer to nature. We are so excited about gardening and having a space to call our own. For many of us this is the first time we have had the chance to work with plants!
We love spending time in the garden and have had opportunities to create a bug hotel and revamp our planters with help from the local community. We now need your help, as well as coming along on Saturday 10th June to get your hands dirty.
We need funds in order for us to buy seeds for planting and materials to turn our outdoor space into the oasis we know it can be so we would be grateful if you could help by donating to our crowdfunding page.
You can donate here: www.fundit.buzz/PeaceGarden


Sunday afternoon, with an hour to spare, I wander to the garden to thin some baby carrots – those wee beginnings of carrots, just tufts of green really – so as to create more space for the few I leave to fully grow and flourish. The sun is warm on my back as I get busy with this task that takes focused attention: one pull too many and a whole potential carrot is gone!
As I make my way down the rows slowly and carefully, I notice the challenge I face every time I perform this gardening task: To enable a few to thrive I need to pull out a lot of others and the thicker I originally sowed, the more I have to yank out. I don’t like yanking out baby carrots, even if my logical mind tells me they’re just tiny carrots and my gardening experience knows that if I don’t do this, none of them will do well. Read more


The SDMRK is a flagship institute under Indian Council of Agricultural Research to provide engineering solutions for overall prosperity and sustainability of farming systems. The mandate is fulfilled by providing national and international leadership by means of independent and coordinated research through the network of research centers established all over the country that results in developing commodity and location specific technologies needed by farmers and manufacturers. Transfer of agricultural engineering technology and education are also important activities of the institute. The efforts have resulted in about 250 technologies including research prototypes, processes, software and protocols besides many publications in the form of research papers, popular articles, technical bulletins, books etc. The activities of the institute are conducted through five research divisions, one Centre of excellence, four All India Coordinated Research Projects and Two Consortia Research Platforms. Besides, one arm of the institute located at Coimbatore also contributes to research and extension activities. The institute has adequate laboratory facilities and excellent infrastructure for support of all its endeavors – 93-hectare land, prototype fabrication workshops, state of the art library, guesthouses, hostels, auditorium and around 350 qualified and trained personnel. The developed technologies are transferred through licensing to private and public sector enterprises. Linkages with different institutes, international, central and state government agencies, NGOs, and industries also provide impetus to the spread of technologies. Testing of agricultural machinery, one of the major activities of the institute also helps to liaise with the agricultural machinery manufacturers.


Most technology enthusiasts these days will mention automation using artificial intelligence (AI) as a key factor in the future of computing. The computing community is promoting AI as a one-stop solution to every complex problem. Technology companies are introducing AI-enabled products in many domains such as automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, social media, and finance. Based on some recent studies, AI is expected to contribute 16 percent or $13 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
There is much hype around AI and its potential in transforming society through automation. But hype is not good enough when dealing with major issues that affect all humanity. For example, population growth is affecting our climate and, in turn, crop yields. Food security is exacerbated as growing populations crowd out farmland. Feeding an ever-growing population remains a top challenge for countries across the globe.
Almost a decade ago, Bill Gates made a very important statement about enabling farmers and increasing yields. He said: “Three quarters of the world’s poorest people get their food and income by farming small plots of land, so if we can make smallholder farming more productive and more profitable, we can have a massive impact on hunger and nutrition and poverty” . Gates thereby endorsed the urgent need for a green revolution 2.0, particularly in African countries, through farmer training, better infrastructure, and most importantly genetic engineering .
The studies suggest approximately 500 million small and family farms contribute to 80 percent of the global food supply [2, 3, 4]. Small farmers continue to face several challenges including unpredictable climate, crop growth, and pressures on farmland from urbanization. Moreover, to feed the ever-increasing population that is expected to exceed nine billion by 2050, food production needs to increase by 60 percent [2, 5]. It is evident for improvements in farm conditions and food production growth to occur there needs to be significant technology support.
Furthermore, today roughly 11 percent of the total land on this globe (13.4 billion hectare) is used for agriculture. However, there is still a potential to expand land surface for agriculture by 2.7 billion hectares. The expansion of land for agriculture can be achieved with better crop planning and more accurate understanding of weather, soil, and water table.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gaining widespread popularity in solving these complex problems. Agriculture is one of the best areas in which AI-based techniques can significantly provide important information and predictions on crop rotation, soil health, pests detection, and rainfall. It can also empower farmers with information on market requirements, quality, and possibilities of exporting produce and importing seeds. Although the first green revolution helped fight food scarcity, its reach was limited and its impact on public health and the environment is still controversial because of the chemicals used in farming.
With AI sparking agricultural innovation, there is a lot of hope that the agriculture industry will benefit from not just improving crop productivity, but also enabling farmers to improve their living conditions. This is particularly true for small landowners. With the help of information on government policies and the demand for products, markets, and prices, farmers can reach the right places for selling their produce and get better prices.
Many countries are leading the path by developing policies and collaborations with industry to introduce AI-based techniques to farmers and motivate them to use AI-generated information for improving their farming practices. For example, NatureFresh Farms, a vegetable growing company, developed image processing techniques that zoom on the yellow flower of a tomato seedling to predict the exact time for tomatoes to become ripe and ready for packing. Information on when and how many tomatoes will be available to sell in the future can help growers improve their sales and directly benefit the bottom line.
Microsoft, in collaboration with the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), developed an AI sowing application. The app sends sowing advisories to participating farmers, advising them of optimal sowing dates. The farmers do not need to install sensors in their fields or buy special equipment. All they need is a phone capable of receiving text messages. With this information, many farmers in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in India increased crop yield by an average of 30 percent per hectare in 2016.
Besides the potential of AI, we also need to acknowledge the need for other technologies, such as cyber-physical systems, Internet-of-Things (IoT), and cloud computing, which provide essential support in collecting massive data and its processing so that AI-based algorithms can be employed to make necessary predictions. In addition to data collection and its processing, IoT technologies can provide significant innovation in agriculture methods. For instance, livestock sensors can notify ranchers when animals have roamed from the herd so ranch hands can round them up. Soil sensors can alert farmers to irregular conditions, like high acidity, giving the farmer time to correct the balance and produce better crops. Self-driving tractors can be controlled remotely, providing significant savings in labor costs. Based on current trends, agriculture IoT device installations are likely to hit 75 million by 2020, growing 20 percent annually. Owing to such technology developments, the global smart agriculture market size is expected to triple by 2025, reaching $15.3 billion compared to being slightly more than $5 billion back in 2016.
These are just few examples to emphasize the tremendous benefits available from tapping AI and other related technologies to improve the world’s agriculture. Currently, computing industry leaders like Microsoft, Intel, and IBM are taking leading roles in providing innovation in the agriculture industry using AI. The time is ripe for more and more start-ups and mid-size companies to start exploring AI in agriculture. As they do so, they will hasten the pace of the green revolution 2.0, securing the ability of the world’s agriculture to feed humanity and keep small famers in business.
 Antony, A. P., Lu, J., and Sweeney, D. Seeds of silicon: Internet of things for smallholder agriculture. Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019.
 FAO and IFAD. United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028. The future of family farming in the context of the 2030 agenda. Rome. 2019.
 Graeub et al. The state of family farms in the world. World Development 87 (2016), 1-15.
 Searchinger et al. Creating a sustainable food future: A menu of solutions to feed nearly 10 billion people by 2050 (Synthesis Report). World Resources Institute, 2018. ISBN 978-1-56973-953-6.


I have been craving Virginia peanuts for many days now, and if I bring them into l’etoile – they do not last long at all. Of course I love out culinary heritage here in Charlottesville and the rest of the state, but the peanut named after our commonwealth are hard to beat.
The peanut plant probably originated in Brazil or Peru, although no fossil records exist to prove this. But for as long as people have been making pottery in South America (3,500 years or so) they have been making jars shaped like peanuts and decorated with peanuts. Graves of ancient Incas found along the dry western coast of South America often contain jars filled with peanuts and left with the dead to provide food in the afterlife.
Peanuts were grown as far north as Mexico by the time the Spanish began their exploration of the New World. The explorers took peanuts back to Spain, where they are still grown. From Spain, traders and explorers took peanuts to Africa and Asia. In Africa the plant became common in the western tropical region. The peanut was regarded by many Africans as one of several plants possessing a soul.
When Africans were brought to North America as slaves, peanuts came with them. Slaves planted peanuts throughout the southern United States (the word goober comes from the Congo name for peanuts – nguba). In the 1700’s, peanuts, then called groundnuts or ground peas, were studied by botanists and regarded as an excellent food for pigs. Records show that peanuts were grown commercially in South Carolina around 1800 and used for oil, food and a substitute for cocoa. However, until 1900 peanuts were not extensively grown, partially because they were regarded as food for the poor, and because growing and harvesting were slow and difficult until labor-saving equipment was invented around the turn of the century.
The first notable increase in U.S. peanut consumption came in 1860 with the outbreak of the Civil War. Northern soldiers, as well as Southern, used the peanut as a food. During the last half of the 19th century, peanuts were eaten as a snack, sold freshly roasted by street vendors and at baseball games and circuses. While peanut production rose during this time, peanuts were harvested by hand which left stems and trash in the peanuts. Thus, poor quality and lack of uniformity kept down the demand for peanuts.
In the U.S., peanuts are used in candies, cakes, cookies, and other sweets. They are also enjoyed roasted and salted. Peanut butter is one of the most popular peanut-based foods in the U.S., and for four hundred years, recipes for peanut soup have been present in the South, Virginia in particular. In some southern portions of the U.S., peanuts are boiled for several hours until soft and moist. Peanuts are also deep fried, shell and all.
Around 1900, equipment was invented for planting, cultivating, harvesting and picking peanuts from the plants, and for shelling and cleaning the kernels. With these mechanical aids, peanuts rapidly came into demand for oil, roasted and salted nuts, peanut butter and candy. George Washington Carver began his research into peanuts in 1903 at Tuskeegee Institute. Research that would lead him to discover improvements in horticulture and the development of more than 300 uses for peanuts (including shoe polish and shaving cream).
Peanuts have many uses. They can be eaten raw, used in recipes, made into solvents and oils, used in make-up, medicines, textile materials, peanut butter, as well as many other uses. Popular confections made from peanuts include salted peanuts, peanut butter (sandwiches, peanut candy bars, peanut butter cookies, and cups), peanut brittle, and shelled nuts (plain/roasted). Salted peanuts are usually roasted in oil and packed in retail-size plastic bags or hermetically sealed cans. Dry roasted salted peanuts are also marketed in significant quantities. Peanuts are often a major ingredient in mixed nuts because of their inexpensiveness compared to Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, and so on. Although peanut butter has been a tradition on camping trips and the like because of its high protein content and the fact that it resists spoiling for long periods of time, the primary use of peanut butter is in the home, but large quantities are also used in the commercial manufacture of sandwiches, candy, and bakery products. Boiled peanuts are a preparation of raw, unshelled green peanuts boiled in brine and often eaten as a snack. More recently, fried peanut recipes have emerged – allowing both shell and nut to be eaten. Peanuts are also used in a wide variety of other areas, such as cosmetics, nitroglycerin, plastics, dyes and paints.
The talented botanist recognized the value of the peanut as a cash crop and proposed that peanuts be planted as a rotation crop in the Southeast cotton-growing areas where the boll weevil insect threatened the regions’ agricultural base. Farmers listened and the face of southern farming was changed forever. For his work in promoting its cultivation and consumption, Carver is considered the father of the peanut industry.
Peanut production rose rapidly during and after World Wars I and II as a result of the peanut’s popularity with Allied forces, and as a result of the post-war baby boom.
Today, peanuts contribute over four billion dollars to the U.S. economy each year.


AQUARIUM FERTILIZATION METHODS
Fertilizer Dosing Methods:
- PPS-Classic and Pro (Perpetual Preservation System)
- Estimative Index (EI)
Fertilizer Dosing Calculator:
WHEN, WHY, AND HOW TO FERTILIZE YOUR PLANTED TANK
When to Fertilize, and Why Fertilize
Fertilize planted tanks that implement carbon dioxide (CO2) injection, pressurized or DIY, combined with moderate to high lighting. Macro and micro nutrients are essential to proper plant growth, coloration, and survival.
How to Fertilize
There are two major Fertilization Methods to follow – PPS (Perpetual Preservation System) and EI (Estimative Index). To properly fertilize your planted tank, you will need to research and choose a method that fits your needs and tank conditions. Always be sure to carefully observe the plant conditions in you tank to avoid over or under fertilizing.
How to Dose the Fertilizer
There are several methods you can use to get the ferts in your aquarium.
- Measure out the predetermined amount of dry ferts and place the dry fert(s) directly into the aquarium water.
- Mix the predetermined amount with a little bit of aquarium water in a container until it dissolves, and then pour the solution into the aquarium.
- Check out our detailed PPS-Pro dosing instructions.
FERTILIZER IN DEPTH: MACROS & MICROS AND THEIR BENEFITS
Macros / Macronutrients (NPK) – there are three major macronutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K).
Micros / Micronutrients / Trace Elements – the most popular include: Iron, Boron, Manganese, Plantex, Miller Microplex.
Nitrogen (N) – the most common source is Potassium Nitrate (KNO3). It is the staple nutrient of all plants. It helps plants produce enzymes, proteins, and amino acids. A lack of nitrogen halts plant growth and promotes decay.
Phosphorous (P) – the most common source is Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4). Assists in plant DNA and RNA replication, and growth related processes. A lack of Phosphorous can result in the decreased ability for plants to uptake or absorb nutrients, leading to excess nutrient in the water and potential algae conditions.
Potassium (K) – potassium is found in compounds such as KNO3 and KH2PO4. For tanks with potassium deficiencies Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) provides the element of potassium. Potassium plays a very important role in photosynthesis optimization, while keeping plant processes and production in a constant state of activity.
5 thoughts on “Understanding Aquarium Fertilizer & Planted Tank Fertilization Methods and Calculators”
Thank you for the weekend response to my question. i will be contacting you soon for my planted tank needs.
I have a low tech non c02 no excel planted tank for 6 year old daughter. I ordered your fert package. Can i dose just weekly after i do my water change. I do this with seachem products and im switching to your products because of numerous recomendations. Thanks
Yes you can use PPS pro in the same way. You can also use it daily because PPS pro is a lean dosing system.
I have the powder ferts but all recomended dosing are for 10 gallons and up i have a 5gallon what should be the amounts used for my size ….dosing the EI method
Hi David, simply divide the recommended doses for a 10 gallon tank in half, this makes it suitable for your 5 gallon tank. Have fun with you planted tank!


This week’s blog post is a follow-up to my post from last week where I shared a “family legend” and along with that the story of my 2nd great-grandfather Thomas P. Janes Sr. Because the 52 Ancestors theme this week was “non-population,” I decided to save the details of those census schedules for this week. We all know what a census record is but some reading this may not know what the non-population schedules are. The non-population schedule complimented the census record and provided information that was “used to identify and quantify resources and needs” according to the Family Search Wiki describing a non-population schedule. The Wiki further notes that “Agriculture, mortality, and social statistics schedules are available for the census years of 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. Manufacturing schedules are available for 1820, 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. They are arranged by state, then by county, and then by political subdivision (township, city, etc.).”
On October 22, 1850, the Greene County, Georgia agricultural schedule shows that Thomas owned 600 acres of improved land and 600 acres of unimproved land, all of which had a cash value of $8,400. His farming tools and machinery were valued at $500. Thomas owned 10 horses, 4 asses or mules, 12 milch cows, 4 working oxen, 28 other cattle, 50 sheep, and 150 pigs, all valued at $1,660. His farm produced 22 bushel of wheat, 5 bushels of rye, 1,250 bushels of oats, and 400 pounds of rice. Page two of the schedule is too hard to read so I won’t include those details here.
By July 25, 1860, Thomas had purchased more land, now owning 1,000 acres of improved land and 650 acres of unimproved land. The cash value of his farm was now valued at $22,000; the value of his farming tools and machinery had doubled, now at $1,000. The farm included a large inventory of livestock—17 horses, 18 asses and mules, 20 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 18 other cattle, 60 sheep, and 200 swine, all valued at $1,825. In addition to livestock, the farm produced 800 bushels of wheat, 60 bushels of rye, 4,000 bushels of Indian corn, 2 bushels of oats, 140 bales of cotton at 400 pounds each, and 160 pounds of wool. Thomas managed his farm with 80 slaves.
When looking at the 1860 Slave Schedule, I scrolled through to see where my 3rd great-grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford, lived in comparison to the Janes plantation. I found him enumerated four pages earlier, along with three slaves—two males and a 26-year-old female. The word “murder” is written in column 8 on the female slave line. This reminded me of the story I found in the book How Curious a Land: Conflict and Change in Greene County, Georgia, 1850–1885 by Jonathan M. Bryant. Bryant’s book tells the story of slave Becky and the death of her three children in James Lankford’s well. Becky was the female enumerated in this 1860 slave schedule. If you’d like to read her story, you’ll find those pages of the book via Google Books. This link should take you to page 35 where the text begins just below the middle of the page. Look for “The next term brought another case of murder before the court. James Lankford and his family lived near Penfield in northern Greene County. …” The story ends on page 38. As you read it, you’ll see that it doesn’t speak well for my 3rd great-grandfather.
In July 1870, the enumerator noted that Thomas’ farm included the following livestock: 10 horses, 6 asses and mules, 11 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 40 other cattle, 20 sheep, and 20 swine. His livestock was valued at $3500—less livestock than in 1860 but the value was higher. In addition to livestock, the farm produced 350 bushels of spring wheat, 750 bushels of rye, 40 bales of cotton, 80 pounds of wool, 15 bushels of peas and beans, 50 bushels of Irish potatoes, and 200 bushels of sweet potatoes. The only dairy product produced was butter at 500 pounds. The fields were full of hay at 25 tons. I was surprised to see he farmed bees which produced 50 pounds of honey. Thomas slaughtered (or sold to slaughter) $500 worth of animals. The estimated value of all farm production, including betterments and addition to stock, was $6,650.
On June 21, 1880, the farm covered 275 acres of improved land—200 acres tilled; 75 acres permanent meadows, pastures, orchards, or vineyards; and 1,000 acres of wooded land—all valued at $15,000. His tools and machinery were valued at $150 and his livestock $800. Thomas told the census enumerator that he had spent $100 in 1879 to build or repair fences, $200 on fertilizers, and $700 on farm labor. He estimated the value of all farm production for 1879 was $2,280. The farm had four acres of mown grass lands in 1879 in which they harvested four tons of hay. Thomas owned considerably less livestock in 1880 than he did in 1860 with the inventory including 5 horses, 2 mules or asses, 4 working oxen, 8 milch cows, 6 “other” (not sure what that would be), and 50 sheep. Thomas reported that during 1879, 6 calves and 22 lambs dropped, he sold 1 cow and slaughtered 2, and 5 cows either died, strayed or were stolen and not recovered. They made 500 pounds of butter in 1879. Three sheep died of disease and 80 pounds of fleece was produced from 34 sheared sheep. The farm had 30 swine and 30 chickens which produced 200 dozen eggs in 1879. Thomas also reported that during 1879, the farm produced 150 bushels of barley (can’t read the acreage it was planted on), 250 bushels of Indian corn on 50 acres, 600 bushels of oats on 50 acres, and 100 bushels of wheat on 10 acres, and 100 gallons of molasses on 2 acres. The last section of the form is hard to read so I’ll only note what is readable. The farm produced 50 bushels of potatoes, 100 bushels of apples, and 300 bushels of peaches from 200 trees on 2 acres. Thomas’ farm was in production year-round.
These schedules are a treasure trove of information and help me to understand the size and scope of Redcliffe Farm, the plantation Thomas owned and operated in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia.
- Non-Population Schedules, FamilySearch; https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Non-Population_Schedules.
- U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule, Greene County, Georgia, Agriculture, 1860, 1870.
- U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule, District 147, Greene County, Georgia, Agriculture, 1880.
- U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule, Greene County, Georgia, Slave, 1860.
- Bryant, Jonathan M., How Curious a Land: Conflict and Change in Greene County, Georgia, 1850–1885, UNC Press Books, July 1, 2014.


Endosperm culture and production of triploids pdf
Effect of 2n Gamete Formation on Seed Production by Triploids..... 88 5 MULTIPLE MODES OF REPRODUCTION AS REVEALED BY PLOIDY AND MICROSATELLITE ... DUFG Double unreduced female gamete production EBN Endosperm balance number principle FDA Fluorescein diacetate stain FDR First division restitution FFI Female fertility index Wheat production in 2013 was valued over $1.3 billion, ... culture, and geography. Bulgur wheat is whole wheat that has been cracked and ... endosperm and have students say “Hi endosperm!” Explain that endosperm is holding an apple because s/he is the germ’s food supply.
Additional methods will include ploidy manipulations, embryo culture, somatic embryogenesis, and flow cytometry. Promising new cultivars will be evaluated in cooperation with commercial growers. Depending on the project, plants will be evaluated for regional performance, disease and insect resistance, biomass yield, production characteristics, and overall commercial potential. Triploid plants raised from endosperm are generally sterile. Endosperm-ploidy levels and its applications in plant breeding have been discussed here. Endosperm-raised triploid plants are of commercial value, e.g. timber-yielding plants, edible fruit plants or ornamentals propagated vegetatively and multiplied mainly through micropropagation. 2n Gametes in Potato Evolution 289 mal endosperm development occurs only when there bayashi (1991) hypothesized that it is mainly a group is a 2:1 maternal-to-paternal EBN ratio in the hybrid Stenotomum-group Phureja derivative and that S. spar- endosperm.Inall theothercasesthe endospermdegen-sipilum had only a secondary role in the origin of grouperates. The ability of Solanum tuberosum Group Andigena clones to produce triploids (2n = 3x = 36) in 4x(4 endosperm balance number (EBN)) × 2x(2EBN) crosses was investigated.The difference in triploid production among the clones tested, though large, appears to be the result of low heritability. The triploids produced in the 4x × 2x crosses did not seem to bear heritable factors that improved ... ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF ZYGOTIC EMBRYO CULTURE INVESTIGATIONS V. RAGHAVAN* Department of Plant Biology, ... and the nutrient materials provided by the endosperm and the surrounding tissues of the ovule, on the other. ... production of callus on cultured embryos is now ﬁrmly established. The results show that excised embryos developed radicles longer than 2 mm, using any culture method, whereas no germination was observed for intact seeds. Excised embryos, without the endosperm nutrient-supply have the ability of developing into a normal seedling, but in vitro embryos grown on MS medium have greater fresh weight, seedling height and radicle length than those grown on filter ... Key words Endosperm culture 7 Morus alba 7 Mulberry 7 Triploids Materials and methods Abbreviations BAP: Benzylaminopurine 7 CH: Casein hydrolysate 7 CM: Coconut milk 7 2,4-D: Plant material and initiation of cultures 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid 7 DAP: Days after Young fruits [17–20 days after pollination (DAP)] of M. alba L pollination 7 GA : Gibberellic acid 7 IBA: Cv S-36 were ...
Read this article to learn about the production of haploid plants. There are two approaches for the production of haploid plants. The two approaches are: (1) In Vivo Approach and (2) In Vitro Approach. Haploid plants are characterized by possessing only a single set of chromosomes (gametophytic number of chromosomes i.e. n) in the sporophyte. Hence, a multicellular endosperm is formed. It is the most common type. The process of cell plate formation may not be complete as in the case of coconut. Its peripheral portion has outer oily multicellular solid endosperm and inner free nuclear, degenerated multinucleate liquid endosperm … production. The starch can be converted into sweeteners and used in products such as soft drinks, sweets, bakery products and jams, to name but a few. The oil from the embryo is used in cooking oils, margarine and salad dressings. The protein, hulls and soluble part of the maize kernel are used in animal and poultry feed. Endosperm Germ ...
the seed is the endosperm, which contains food in the form of starch and protein for germination and emergence. The coleoptile, or second leaf, penetrates the soil and results in emergence of the seedling, usually within 5 to 7 days after planting. If the seed is planted too deeply, beyond the elongation distance of the coleoptile, seedlings Cord 20 14, 30 (2) Production Technology for Kopyor Coconut Seednuts and Seedlings in Indonesia Hengky Novariantol, Ismail Maskromol, 2, Dini Dinarti2, and Sudarsono2 Abstract Kopyor coconut is a naturally-occurring mutant having fluffy solid endosperm in stead of the 100 Islam and Bari Artificial seed would provide an easy and novel propagation system for the elite as well as difficult to root species (Bapat et al. 1987, Ballester et al. 1997). Also, encapsulation of propagules that were produced in vitro could reduce the cost of micropropagation of plantlets for commercialization and final delivery (Chu 1995, Nieves et al. 2003). Production of triploids: Triploids were produced using the triﬂuralin treatment developed by Kato (1997a, 1999a). Eight to 10 days prior to ﬂowering, the main spikes of tassels of ... identiﬁed since the embryo was colored and the endosperm was colorless (Figure 2A). The fertility of triploids was estimated as the product of flower production, measured using biomass as a correlate, and pollen fertility (number of viable grains produced). Unlike any other fitness component examined, the biomass of triploids was, in fact, significantly higher than in diploids ( Fig. 4 ), and there were no differences among reciprocal crosses. Facilitates study Of seed coat formation, function of endosperm in embryo development and seed germination, somaclonal variation. Supply of beneficial adjuvents beneficial adjuvants like plant nutrients, plant growth regulators, microorganisms, fungicides, mycorrhizae, antibiotics can be made available to the developing plant embryo as per the requirement as these can be added in to the matrix. triploids. Description Description of color for plant parts was based on comparison with the Royal Horti-cultural Society Color Chart [Royal Horti-cultural Society (RHS), 1986)]. Plants used for describing color and other attributes were propagated from rooted cuttings and grown outdoors in the ground bed in Wimauma, FL. The plants were 16 ... Draft 24 production that may help hatcheries meet demand. We induced tetraploidy in brook trout by 25 application of 633 kg·cm-2 of hydrostatic pressure for 8 minutes at 70-72.5% of the first cleavage 26 interval. Yields of above 50% tetraploid progeny at hatching were readily achieved although 27 few animals reached one year of age. We crossed a male tetraploid with female diploid fish and
Triploid nature of endosperm is the characteristic feature of angiosperms and is formed as a result of triple fusion. Present review discusses the morphogenic response and production of triploid plantlets by endosperm culture. Both mature and immature endosperm used for culture initiation responded differently in cultures. Present review discusses the morphogenic response and production of triploid plantlets by endosperm culture. Both mature and immature endosperm used for. Introduction. Endosperm is a unique tissue in its origin, development and ploidy level. It is a product of double … of successful plant regeneration from endosperm culture of papaya. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to establish an efﬁcient system of production and veriﬁcation of viable triploid papaya plants from in vitro endosperm culture. Materials and methods Plant material Young fruits [10–13 days after pollination (DAP)] of non- traits through gene transfer. In vitro techniques for the culture of protoplasts, anthers, microspores, ovules and embryos have been used to create new genetic variation in the breeding lines, often via haploid production. Cell culture has also produced somaclonal and gametoclonal variants with crop-improvement potential. The culture of Chojecki, A.J.S., Bayliss, M.W. and Gale, M.D. (1986) Cell production and DNA accumulation in the wheat endosperm, and their association with grain weight. Annals of Botany 58 , 809 – 817 . Clark , J.K. and Sheridan , W.F. ( 1986 ) Developmental profiles of the maize embryo-lethal mutants dek-22 and dek-23 . the current standard for production of triploid Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and has been used at a production level since 2004 (2007 Fish Propagation Annual Report). Although the process is viable, the triploid rate is variable and the survival is often poor. With the goal to produce triploids with a 100% induction rate, we Need for the project: Grains, principally rice and wheat, provide the majority of calories in the diets of people worldwide, ranging from 23% in the U.S. to 62% in Asia and North Africa. Yet yields for wheat and rice remain 15-30% below their biological potentials even when grown in ideal soils and climates using ideal irrigation and cultivation practices. 9 Cultural problems 9.1 Cultural problems common to most orchids 9.1.1 Leaves 9.1.2 Leaves or new growth 9.1.3 Buds, flowers & flower spikes 9.1.4 Roots 9.2 Cultural problems-Phalaenopsis 9.2.1 Leaves 9.2.2 Flower spike, buds, flowers 9.3 Cultural problems - Cattleyas 9.3.1 New growth & leaves 9.3.2 Flower sheath, buds & flowers
Endosperm culture: a novel method for triploid plant production Thuruthiyil Dennis Thomas Æ Rakhi Chaturvedi Received: 22 November 2007/Accepted: 16 January 2008/Published online: 2 February 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008 Abstract Triploid nature of endosperm is the characteristic feature of angiosperms and is formed culture, Embryo culture, Test tube fertilization, Endosperm culture, Factors affecting above in-vitro culture, Applications and Achievements, Somaclonal variation, Types, Reasons, Somatic embryogenesis and synthetic seed production technology, Protoplast isolation, Culture, Manipulation and Fusion,
Haploid production and uses 100-110 9. Ovule culture 111-114 10. Ovary and embryo culture 115-124 11. Test tube fertilization 125-128 12. Endosperm culture 129-133 13. Factors influencing morphogenesis 134-137 14. Applications and achievements 138-150 15. Somaclonal variation and crop improvement 151-160 16. Somatic embryogenesis 161-175 17. Abstract The endosperm develops from the central cell of the megagametophyte after introduction of the second male gamete into the diploid central cell. Of the three forms of endosperm in angiosperms, the nuclear type is prevalent in economically important species, including the cereals. Landmarks in nuclear endosperm development are the coenocytic, cellularization, differentiation, and ... Introduction: The morpho-anatomical study of seeds and their embryos serves to obtain information on germination, storage and viability. Objective: To describe the morphoanatomy of the embryo of the palm species Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex The second sperm cell fuses with two polar nuclei, creating a triploid endosperm. This endosperm will feed the embryo as it grows. The embryo and endosperm are protected by a seed coat . The progeny from diploids were mostly diploid, but included a few triploids and aneuploids. Triploid hybrids produced a wide range of progeny, varying from fourteen to twenty‐eight chromosomes. The difficulty of crossing, and reciprocal differences in compatibility which occur are apparently due to seed incompatibility, probably controlled by the relationship between the genomes and the ... liquid endosperm of cotton for organic acids and found a high level of what appeared to be malic acid. Subsequently, addition of ammonium or calcium malate ( 4 mg malate per ml) to the culture medium gave much better survival of heart stage embryos. Sodium malate was inhibitory, and salts of … NCRAC Culture Series 103 vii Yellow Perch Culture Guide Preface This manual is a summary of information gleaned from scientific and extension publications, NCRAC reports, and unpublished information provided by the contributors and editors. It is not intended as a step-by-step cookbook for production of yellow perch endosperm, and seed coat. The embryo is the young multicellular organism before it emerges from the seed. The endosperm is a source of stored food, consisting primarily of starches. The seed coat consists of one or more protective layers that encase the seed. A seed begins to form an embryo following fertilization and the start of a zygote. The ...


There Never Was a Real Tulip Fever | History | SmithsonianThe Dutch learned that tulips could be grown from seeds or buds that grew on the mother bulb; a bulb that grows from seed would take 7 to 12 years before flowering, but a bulb itself could flower the very next year. Of particular interest to Clusius and other tulip traders were “broken bulbs”—tulips whose petals showed a striped, multicolor pattern rather than a single solid color. The effect was unpredictable, but the growing demand for these rare, “broken bulb” tulips led naturalists to study ways to reproduce them. (The pattern was later discovered to be the result of a mosaic virus that actually makes the bulbs sickly and less likely to reproduce.) “The high market price for tulips to which the current version of tulipmania refers were prices for particularly beautiful broken bulbs,” writes economist Peter Garber. “Since breaking was unpredictable, some have characterized tulipmania among growers as a gamble, with growers vying to produce better and more bizarre variegations and feathering.” After all the money Dutch speculators spent on the bulbs, they only produced flowers for about a week—but for tulip lovers, that week was a glorious one. “As luxury objects, tulips fit well into a culture of both abundant capital and new cosmopolitanism,” Goldgar writes. Tulips required expertise, an appreciation of beauty and the exotic, and, of course, an abundance of money.


Seasonal fruits and vegetables can only be found during certain times of the year (when they would normally be growing in your area).
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are also more nutritious and have better flavor when they are grown locally in the proper conditions instead of being picked early and shipped thousands of miles to sit on store shelves!
For example, peas and strawberries are ‘Spring crops’. They may be available all year round in certain parts of the world, but are seasonally available in the Spring.
Certain fruits and vegetables are only seasonal. Which means that they are only available, or ripe, during certain seasons. Watermellon, for example, is usually the best during summer.
Check your local market for seasonal fruits and veggies that aren’t shipped and frozen.


Athletic, Golf Course & Highway Drainage Solutions
Hydraway Drainage System was chosen as the sports field drainage of choice for the new St. Louis Rams Practice Field.
Hydraway Drain removes water from soils and relieves the hydrostatic pressure against subsurface structures. Water from the saturated soil passes through a filter fabric, enters the core, and is conveyed to an outlet pipe. We specialize in turf and athletic field drainage, highway drainage and golf course drainage, basement waterproofing, foundation waterproofing, and basement drainage. Hydraway is an engineered alternative to conventional pipe and rock systems. The products can safely be used at depths in excess of 50 feet.


Gaia Fund’s highest priority is to address the environmental problems caused by prevailing agricultural practices.
California is our nation’s most productive agricultural state and, as studies have consistently shown, prevailing practices related to the U.S. conventional food and farming system carry high environmental and human welfare costs. With this in mind, the Fund seeks to foster the transition of California’s food and farming system to one that is sustainable, integrating the goals of best organic practices, responsible environmental stewardship, profitability, and social and economic equity.
The Fund focuses on sustainable agriculture methods which, concurrently, produce nutritious food crops, mitigate climate change, protect natural resources, and promote biodiversity.
THE FUND CONSIDERS REQUESTS FOR CALIFORNIA INITIATIVES THAT:
- Encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices
- Support sustainable farming that operates on a smaller commercial scale and that serves local markets
- Train individuals for careers in sustainable farming
- Preserve land that will be farmed sustainably
The current focus is on the following food crops: vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Meat and fiber production is not a current grantmaking priority. The Fund also does not currently consider urban gardens/agriculture, or garden-based education programs.
The Fund limits its review to proposals for California-based projects, and geographic emphasis is placed on the following Northern California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo. The Fund may, on occasion, award grants for initiatives operating outside of these counties, if they are judged to have a particular local relevance.


Assuring security of supply for phyto-APIs
Phytochemical active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) provide significant therapeutic effects that help patients with many different diseases. Isolation of these complex molecules from plants continues to be the only means for accessing these important drug substances because no practical, cost-effective chemical synthetic routes have yet been developed. This can lead to significant security of supply challenges.
Environmental factors can impact both the harvest and the quality of the plant material, while extraction and purification of these complex and often sensitive and/or toxic compounds is also typically quite difficult. Phytochemical concentrations in plants are generally quite low and highly influenced by growing conditions including soil nutrients, temperature, and moisture/humidity.
Plants grown in different geographic locations on plantations that use diverse fertilisation practices will have variable phytochemical compositions. Excessive drought or rain and the timing of the harvest can also have large impacts on the levels of phytochemicals in plants.
For these reasons, it is necessary to combine many different batches comprising large quantities of dried plant material to produce commercial quantities of the purified API. Extraction and purification are not simple, either. Typically, many different often structurally similar phytochemicals are extracted together. The desired compound must then be separated from these compounds, which can require multiple steps.


How to Play the Weed Game
By now you’ve probably seen the Weed game.
If you haven’t, the game was a huge hit at the 2014 E3 and the game is still available on Steam.
In fact, it’s available on Apple’s App Store, Google Play, and on the iPhone.
But how can you play the Weed?
The Weed is a mobile game that requires you to grow weed in your garden.
To do this, you’ll need to play a series of increasingly difficult levels, like the “Acre”, the “Mansion”, the more challenging “Plants”, and finally, the “Lawn”.
Weed is available on iOS, Android, and Mac.
The Weed has been a hit with critics, but what is the Weed all about?
Weed is an indie game about growing weed in a garden, and it’s based on a game of desire.
Weed has a lot of mechanics, but we’ll focus on the core of the game.
Weed is about being a weed farmer in the 21st century.
Weed will be your main focus.
You’ll be collecting seeds, collecting soil, and tending to your plants.
Weed can also be harvested and eaten.
There are multiple ways to play Weed, including the classic “Ave” game, as well as “Ace” and “Lobby”.
You can play both of these game modes simultaneously, and you can also play Weed while watching the weed grow in your backyard.
You can also compete in Weed tournaments, but it’s hard to win and you’ll have to compete with other players.
Weed’s mechanics are easy to learn and you’re rewarded for doing them well.
You may be a weed-grower, but you’ll also have to grow crops for other people to eat.
Weed makes sense for many people, so we won’t go into too much detail here.
What is Weed?
Weed was created by Adam Johnson and Paul Capps.
It was originally a game for kids, but after the original game got huge in the gaming community, it went on to be a huge success.
Weed was released for iOS in 2015, and now it’s coming to the iPhone, Android and Windows Phone.
Weed requires players to collect seeds, plants, and soil.
Weed also has a variety of games, like “Ae” and the “Plant”, that reward players with a variety


Johnsongrass is an aggressive perennial plant that can invade primarily row crops, CRP, roadsides and non-cropland areas. It is rarely found in pastures as cattle will readily find it desirable as forage. However, it can become toxic if more mature plants are found by cattle in drought conditions or during early frost. Johnsongrass spreads by seeds and rhizomes. A mature plant may grow over 8 feet tall and produce thousands of seeds and many feet of rhizomes. Seeds may remain viable for up to 25 years.


eSHa Cryptoplus – Plant Growth Booster eSHa Cryptoplus is a unique formula that boosts the amount of nutrients and light that your plants absorb. Significantly increase plant growth, colour and health. Ensures well formed leaves and natural rich colours. Heals bruised and transparent patches on leaves. Smooths ragged edges. Prevents and stabilizes slimy leaf disease and leaf hole disease. Use Plant Growth Booster for flourishing and abundant plant growth. Great results can be seen in a matter of days, especially with Cryptocoryne, Stratiotes Marsilea, Acorus and other ‘redleaf’ plants.


The Sea to Seed Tour, featuring Rising Appalachia is coming to the Roberts Creek Hall!
Organized by Overgrow the System, in collaboration with The One Straw Society, this year’s tour features Rising Appalachia, Dustin Thomas, The Tailor, and PIEA!!!
This will be a local food feast feast and musical celebration of the organic farming movement! Come one, come all, and let’s revel in the music and local food resiliency!
Tickets on sale now! http://overgrowthesystem.org/product/sea-to-seed-2017-tickets-2/
Posted by One Straw Society on Friday, April 28, 2017


To claim your Survival Soup Bean package plus bonus gifts for just $99.97 plus shipping and handling, use coupon code RUDOLPH
Offer good until 11:59pm CST Thursday, December 20.
The 13 pounds of soup beans you get in today’s special offer are worth $99.97 alone. That’s an astoundingly low price for beans of this quality and rarity. Most of them you can’t even find in stores or markets. Some of them are almost extinct! And yet, we didn’t stop with the beans. We’re going to give you additional bonuses that bring the value of this package up to an astonishing $179.82.
Here’s what you get in this special Soup Bean Survival holiday offer:
The complete Soup Bean Survival Package, a $99.97 value, includes nine varieties – 13pounds – of highly sought after, hard-to-find heirloom beans. You get 5 pounds of the popular Runner Cannellini Beans, and 1 pound each of Christmas Lima, Jacob’s Cattle Gold, Green Flageolet, Hutterite Soup, Jacob’s Cattle, Eye of the Goat, Snow Cap, and Black Valentine. Not only are these beans ideal for cooking, they’re also ideal for planting a survival garden. Plus, when you plant these beans, you’re helping to rescue them from obscurity so that generations to come will enjoy them as well.
If we stopped right there, no question about it, you’d be getting your money’s worth. But because it’s Christmas, we’re piling on the value! Not only will you get 13 pounds of highly sought after heirloom beans, you’ll also get a whopping $79.85 worth of free gifts that will help you make the most of your Soup Bean Survival package. Your free gifts include:
Soup Bean Basics DVD … $29.95 FREE!
If you’re intimidated by beans, don’t be! In this easy-to-follow DVD, you’ll get everything you need to know to turn this cheap, healthful staple food into delicious meals.
Soup Bean Magic DVD … $29.95 FREE!
Nationally renowned wild harvest chef Keith Snow will show you how to take humble dried beans and turn them into gourmet, mouthwatering meals worthy of a 5-star restaurant.
Heirloom Bean Grower’s Guide … $19.95 FREE!
This beautifully photographed book could easily be considered THE encyclopedia of heirloom beans. The best 50 heirloom beans for growing, cooking, and saving are profiled. You’ll get growing tips, flavor notes, histories and heritages, and more.
Again, you pay just $99.97 plus shipping and handling, and we’ll throw in all the extras. To claim your extra gifts (worth $79.85), be sure to use coupon code RUDOLPH. But hurry! You have only 48 hours to grab this remarkable bean bonanza.This generous offer expires Thursday, December 20, at 11:59pm CST.


About Ellenvipro Organic Wet Waste Composter
Ellenvipro Organic Wet Waste Composter was developed after extensive research and development on various composting methods. The main objective of the R&D work was “development of a cost-effective alternative to the outdoor composting process”. The – MECOMP (Mechanical Composter) is a combination of a device and process, targeting the quickest transformation of Organic Waste into consistent – quality compost at the lowest possible cost and management effort.
Besides the economic advantage of composting with MECOMP, it is simple to manage and results are guaranteed. The MECOMP offers a continuous composting process throughout the year and eliminates problems associated with outdoor composting. Organic waste is mixed with measured quantities of wood shavings/Garden Waste and saw dust. While decaying activities are underway inside Organic Waste, added aerobic micro-organisms are also in action throughout the vessel, breaking all organic matter down into humus-like material that is consistent in quality and can be used as a soil-enhancing agent. Unlike outdoor composting, the MECOMP offers a highly controlled process, which accelerates the natural process of decaying. Regardless of outdoor conditions, the composting temperature inside the MECOMP is always higher than 100˚F/38˚C. In less than 8 – 10 days the composting process is completed inside the MECOMP and the compost is discharged automatically from the MECOMP.


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Family Farm Stores0 reviews
501 N Dumas Ave, Dumas, Texas, 79029
We're your farm store...and a whole lot more!
Great selection of: Ag Supplies, Agriculture Supplies, Air Compressors, Animal Care, Animal Health, Automotive, Electrical, Farm Supplies, Feed, Fencing, Fencing Supplies, FR Clothing, Gift Cards, Hand & P ...
Mon-Sat: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Western Equipment0 reviews
939 N. Dumas Highway, Dumas, TX, 79029
Western Equipment is your local expert for John Deere precision ag, farm, commercial worksite, and turf / lawn & garden dealer for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. Our seven stores are conveniently located to serve the major agricultural areas of our re ...
Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sat: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM


I told myself I wasn’t going to share photographs of our porch garden until the plants had time to grow and fill in, but really, I’m like a kid on Christmas morning ready to burst with excitement. I love coming home in the evenings and opening up the back door. Dinner tastes better when it’s eaten outside- did you know that? I look forward to sitting outside next to the beau, hearing about his day and soaking up the sun. I am predicting that many washcloths will be made out on that back porch this summer.
A little about our garden: neither one of us had time this year to start our plants from seed. It takes a lot of work and patience to help those seedlings grow. With that being said, this year we visited a new greenhouse (to us) in Latham, Valoze’s. I loved it there! For starters, it was huge! The variety of plants seemed endless and everything was organized well for easy finding. Another perk in my book: it was clean and smelled fresh. This is not the case in other greenhouses in the area. And I know, I know, it’s a greenhouse with dirt but a good sweeping makes all the difference. We immediately got ourselves a box and dived into the aisles oooo-ing and ahhhh-ing over the possibilities.
Last year we grew a lot of leafy greens. This year we decided against it because we had too much leafy greens! Even after offering an endless supply of lettuce to our neighbor, we still had too much leftover because of what we were also receiving via Field Goods. We took a different route this year and thought about what we didn’t get in our share last year and what wasn’t offered at Engelke Farm. Herbs! Coupled with my favorite edible flowers, we have quite the selection!
- a Spanish cilantro
In our big planter pot, the beau picked out two varieties of eggplants and a jalapeno pepper plant. This is also the home of our gnome aka last year’s souvenir from the Met’s fourth of July game. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the grass that is planted in that little green pot; there’s a kitty cat that will be thrilled when the seeds decide to reach for the sun.
The two hanging baskets we purchased at Engelke Farm in Brunswick. We had a sunny orange wonder last year and I loved how it grew in all directions. It really is a beautiful sight to look up at dusk and have the porch ceiling covered in bright orange flowers amongst a string of lights. The purple petunias I chose simply because bees can see the color purple. I purchased two different seed packets of morning glories that I still need to plant once I pick up a new container and more soil. My plan for those is to plant them at the base of the iron railing so that they climb up toward the ceiling. Last year they even climbed up the side of the adjacent building- so pretty!
Remembering to water the garden in the morning is another task added to our never-ending “must-do” list before running out the door, but I’m pretty sure we both don’t mind. It’s amazing what a little green adds to your daily life.


Table of Contents
The Farm is still high on energy as we all wrap things up so we can escape to the lake for a few days before my sister and family head back to their home in Virginia. On the agenda this week was freezing (preserving) sweet corn for my sister, mom, grandma, and myself! The corn was at its peak.
There are many different ways to freeze sweet corn but we think we have perfected the process to a fine science. Since preserving corn is a bit of a mess, once you start, you may as well do as much as you can, especially if you have plenty of help. It’s no secret that many hands make for light work.
We start by harvesting the corn, usually in the early hours of the day for cooler weather, and immediately husk the corn and take off as much of the silk as possible. You do not want to leave corn in the husk for too long or many of the sweet flavors will be absorbed into the cob. Cut off any abrasions or bad spots on the corn. If you are not used to handling sweet corn, there are two easy ways to tell if the corn is ready. If the kernels are dented, the corn is over-ready. On the other hand, if your fingernail pokes the kernel and the juice releases quickly, it is at its prime time to eat and preserve.
After cleaning, always wash the corn and remove any more silk that may be on the corn. During this time, large pots of water should be brought to a boil so you can start cooking the corn as soon as it is cleaned. Place the corn in boiling water and bring back to a boil for five minutes.
Remove the corn from the cooker and cool immediately in ice water. This cooling process will take a while; you want the center of the cob to be cold before you start cutting off the corn or it will not keep well in the freezer during the year. Make sure to have a lot of ice ready to use.
Once cold, start cutting off the corn. We have found no easier way to remove the corn from the cob than by using the old-fashioned method of cutting with a sharp knife. It may take you a few ears to feel how deep to cut, but you will learn quickly.
Place the cut corn in freezer bags or reusable boxes. Label and freeze!
I have found that one five-gallon bucket of unhusked corn will yield close to seven pints of corn for the freezer. This corn will be the envy of anyone you share it with. It is immeasurably superior to the store-bought variety and is absolutely delicious!


Green gold was planted in Natal and flourished like a well fertilised weed. Sugar Cane, a labour intensive crop, promised to be the saviour of the British colonial conclave at Port Natal. However, the indigenous Zulu refused to perform manual labour in the sugar fields. This paved the way for indentured labour from India to plant, harvest and tend the cane crops. This is their story and marks the beginning of the largest population of Indian people in one place outside of India itself. From these humble beginnings, with diligence, hard work and innate intelligence, they grew into a wealthy nation within a nation, which subsequently enhanced the cultural and fiscal fortunes of southern Africa.


Waterloo Cottage is a 125 acre nature-friendly farm, award winning farm shop, butchery and community garden. It all began in 2010 with 5 acres, a farm house and two pigs called Fleur and Ruth. From there, was born Angus’ dream of rearing well cared for animals, producing healthy meat, whilst also enhancing the natural environment.
Angus now employs regenerative grazing methods, alongside agroforestry, to produce pasture fed beef, lamb and hogget and free range pork. This type of agro-ecological farming has been shown to sequester carbon and support the recovery of nature.