Deep within our bodies, millions of microbes help digest our food and provide nutrients to keep us healthy.
It’s a symbiotic relationship that dates back millennia, when the first bacteria appeared on Earth 3.5 billion years ago. Ubiquitous in the soil and environment, these microbes tagged along as more complex plants and animals evolved and became an essential part of human function. In fact, the human microbiome contains more bacterial cells than actual human cells.
“Even though they’re not part of our genetics, they exist in and on us,” said Dr. Davendra Ramkumar, a Champaign gastroenterologist and Associate Professor at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED).
Ramkumar and his wife, Dr. Japhia Ramkumar, internist and Associate Professor at the Carle Illinois COM, have key roles in a project seed-funded by the Illinois Regenerative Agriculture Initiative (IRAI) to explore the microbiome connection from farm to food to human health. “Regenerative Agriculture and the Human Health Nexus in the Age of Climate Change” is an initiative of Basil’s Harvest, an Illinois nonprofit promoting regenerative ag and human health. The project will shed light on how regenerative farming practices lead to healthier soils and plants, which produce healthier food, which in turn influences gut health and, ultimately, overall human health. The collaboration, which includes researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Illinois Water Resources Center, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, has received a second year of IRAI seed funding.
“There’s a movement emerging that envisions transforming our agriculture systems in order to transform our health. Regenerative agriculture is a cornerstone in this movement,” the proposal states.
How does it all connect? Bacteria in our gut microbiome survive by extracting nutrients from what we eat. In return, they provide us with vitamins, help produce hormones, and modulate our immune system. A healthy microbiome leads to a healthy human.
One of the best food sources for the human microbiome is insoluble plant fiber — i.e., a high-fiber diet — which produces short-chain fatty acids that provide a crucial source of fuel, among other benefits.
“The way you feed it well is with a diverse, plant-based, whole food diet,” Japhia Ramkuma said. It’s a message we’ve all heard before, but “now we know why.”
Conversely, research shows that poor diets — heavy in ultra-processed foods, unhealthy fats, salt, sugar, and animal protein — disrupt the microbiome. That upsets the symbiotic balance and can cause diseases such as obesity, metabolic disorders, or a growing number of chronic intestinal conditions. Studies show there’s a clear difference in the microbiomes of healthy people compared to those affected by disease. And manipulating the microbiome, through diet or other means, can treat or prevent disease, Dave Ramkumar said.
Their theory is that maintaining a healthy diet is the simplest way to maintain a healthy microbiome, rather than taking supplements such as prepackaged prebiotics and probiotics. And getting healthy food relies on healthy, regenerative agricultural practices that prioritize soil health: things like minimizing soil disturbance, planting diverse crops, and using no-till cover crops. Though this research is still new, some studies show that produce grown through regenerative ag has higher vitamin and mineral content, and that minimizing hormones and antibiotics in animals leads to a healthier fat profile in meat.
The partners have established a Coalition of Regenerative Agriculture, Food and Health (CRAFH), which will build a community of stakeholders to promote these connections, increase research, and expand market opportunities so farmers will adopt regenerative agricultural practices.
The project came together through a combination of “serendipity and really good ideas,” said Japhia Ramkumar. As an internist, she had long focused on the health effects of climate change, working with her husband to raise awareness and incorporate those concepts into the medical curriculum. Dave Ramkumar has studied inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease and has used fecal transplants to successfully treat intestinal infections and restore a patient’s microbiome.
“As physicians, we are concerned about what we see as this plague that’s afflicting society: metabolic disease, obesity, chronic diseases. We were looking for ways to spread this word,” Japhia Ramkumar said.
In 2018 the Ramkumars applied for a grant to connect the idea of access to properly grown food and a healthy microbiome, with an educational component for local schools and public health clinics that emphasized healthy eating and reducing food waste. They didn’t get the grant but created a three-year curriculum for local middle schools.
Through the grant process they made connections with the Regenerate Illinois coalition, which is how they first met Erin Meyer, Founder and President of Basil’s Harvest and a dietitian, chef, and food systems expert. A few years later, in May 2021, Meyer reached out to Japhia Ramkumar to discuss an IRAI grant proposal connecting regenerative agriculture to food, farm, and health care systems. Meyer saw those systems as silos, and the microbiome as the connecting thread.
“That is exactly what we were trying to do, back in 2018 in a different way,” Japhia Ramkumar said. “We were the doctors in 2018 who didn’t have the agriculture or the food systems end of it to make it happen. Then here’s this person looking for the doctors to help make it happen.”
Basil’s Harvest had already put together a “white paper” about the connection between regenerative agriculture, soil, the microbiome, and human health, and Meyer wanted to bring researchers and other stakeholders together to connect the dots. She was interested in adding a health care component, so Dave Ramkumar’s experience as a gastroenterologist and knowledge of the gut microbiome made him a perfect fit. They wrote the grant in two weeks, bringing in other Co-PIs: Yu-Feng Lin, Director of the Illinois Water Resources Center; Carl Rosier, Soil Microbial Ecologist with Basil’s Harvest; and Pratik Banerjee, Associate Professor of Food Safety at the U of I.
The research team, led by Dave Ramkumar, started with a literature review, gathering data on the role of the microbiome in diseases, the connection between regenerative agriculture and food quality, and the effects of pesticides and herbicides on the human microbiome. They are compiling that into a paper they hope to publish this year, and it will also serve as a basis for developing educational materials.
Their initial target audience is health care professionals: physicians, medical students/residents, and dietitians and dietetics students. They have already created an educational module on the microbiome for a “Cook Well, Eat Well” culinary medicine program developed by a separate Basil’s Harvest initiative, for family medicine residents at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and OSF HealthCare in Peoria. The course, focused on “food as medicine,” combines hands-on cooking with presentations on regenerative agriculture, nutrients, and the microbiome.
That module served as the foundation for a two-week elective for medical and dietetics students that focuses on sustainable/regenerative agriculture and food systems and the connection to the microbiome, which CRAFH hopes to pilot this year at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
“We want health care providers to not just look at food but think about, ‘How did you get this food, how is it produced, how is it grown?’ ” Japhia Ramkumar said.
CRAFH also developed a survey for dietitians, physicians, and students in those fields to find out what they know and still need to learn on these topics. The group hopes to launch it during the second year of the grant, and will also refine and develop surveys for other groups; recruit farmers, scientists, and physicians for CRAFH; and try to secure more permanent funding.
Eventually, the hope is to drive up demand for regeneratively produced food from doctors, patients, hospital systems, and the wider community, using these same educational efforts with other stakeholders — from farmers to food distributors to supermarkets to consumers.
Meyer said regenerative agriculture needs to be incorporated into all facets of agriculture: row crops like corn and soybeans as well as food crops. That will require looking at regional food systems and market demand, to ensure that “farmers are able to grow more food and be paid a fair price to get that to the market,” she said. That way, consumers can purchase whole foods grown locally to support human and environmental health.
Dave Ramkumar said row crops and commercial farming will continue to be essential to the economy, “but they can be run better. We just need more acreage for regenerative agriculture.”
The CRAFH project’s focus is on research and education, not the market side, but Basil’s Harvest has another initiative connecting farms directly to hospitals and other institutions to shorten the supply chain and provide healthy food. Through its “Regenerative Agriculture in the Heartland” farm-to-institution initiative, Basil’s Harvest connected OSF Hospital in Peoria to a local mill and farmers in East Central Illinois and Minnesota to supply organic oats for its kitchen.
Meyer, who is from the Peoria area, started Basil’s Harvest — named for her garden-loving dog Basil — with her husband and kids to sell home-grown organic items at the farmers market. They eventually partnered with local farmers to sell shares for weekly boxes of produce. Later, after a tornado destroyed the operation, she worked as director of a nonprofit that connected culinary professionals to diversified, sustainable farming operations for food. She resurrected Basil’s Harvest as a nonprofit to extend that idea to health care. Basil’s Harvest also has a research team collecting data on soil chemistry and biology from East Central Illinois farms to study the health of the soil microbiome.
Ultimately Meyer envisions transforming the system by changing the way we talk about growing, processing, delivering, and eating food. “Doctors learning how to prepare healthy, delicious meals that are simple and take this information to their patients — to me that’s a huge start,” she said.
— Original article by iSEE Communications Specialist Julie Wurth can be found here.


In the highest-producing countries, cocoa productivity is hurt by inefficiency, disease, ageing trees, and lack of best practices. There is an acute need for innovative agronomic methods and technologies to secure high-yield and premium quality. Bean & Co will develop modern intensive plantations in order to improve yield, quality, and overall efficiency.
- Increase in trees per hectare from approximately 500-625, to approximately 1,100-1,300
- Mechanized cultivation, enhancing the capabilities of local labor
- Introduction of irrigation, fertilization, and improved varieties
- Phyto-sanitary protection to prevent diseases and pests
- Advanced growing methods and advanced quality processing
- Farming according to ecological laws respecting the environment
- End product of dry beans (after basic processing of drying and fermentation)
- Direct-selling without the need for intermediaries / traders
These technologies and practices will allow our modern plantations to achieve outstanding yield performance and consistent production over time. The projected increase will be 5 to 8 times more than the local average production capacity.


Some sports are played on one type of turfgrass, while others require a mixture. The best time to plant your new lawn is in the spring when temperatures rise and rainfall starts to taper off.
The “which of the following is not considered to be a component of turf quality” is a question that has been asked on Quora.com. The answer given by the user, was “turfgrass.”
Bahiagrass, bermudagrass, carpetgrass, St. Augustine, and zoysiagrass are all warm-season grasses.
Furthermore, which of the turfgrasses listed below is a warm-season turfgrass?
Creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue are the most common cool-season turfgrasses. Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, centipedegrass, Saint Augustine grass, and zoysiagrass are the most common warm-season turfgrasses.
Second, in the warm zone, what is the most common species for winter overseeding? Bermudagrass grows in a spreading pattern. The ligule of St. Augustinegrass is hairy, whereas the ligule of centipedegrass is not.
Where on the plant are Ligules located in this regard?
The ligule is a portion of the leaf that is located at the point where the blade and sheath meet. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the most frequent are a transparent membrane or a fringe of hairs.
What factors influence a turfgrass species’ Vernation?
Vernation is the arrangement of unexpanded leaves in a bud that may be observed by cutting through older leaf sheaths or buds and seeing inside; tall fescue leaves exhibit rolling vernation (Fig. 1).
Answers to Related Questions
Does bermudagrass have a tendency to spread?
The grasses that have the potential to form one or both of these lateral stems have a spreading growth habit. Bermudagrass, for example, may produce both stolons and rhizomes. Stolons are the sole form of lateral stem produced by a spreading grass, which is known as a stoloniferous grass.
What is the best kind of grass for sporting fields?
Bermudagrass is well-suited to sporting grounds because to its high wear tolerance and capacity to recover. In fact, in the southern United States, bermudagrass is regarded the best turfgrass for sporting grounds.
What is the origin of bermudagrass?
It’s a sort of weed that comes from the African Savannah and India. Bermuda Grass gets its name from the fact that it was initially imported to the United States from Bermuda. Bermuda grass is a perennial lawn, turf, or forage grass (pastures).
Cool-season turfgrasses are best suited to which climatic zone?
Warm-season turfgrasses thrive in hotter regions, whereas cool-season turfgrasses thrive in cooler environments (see Figure 1, below).
What is the role of Ligule?
The ligule is the least researched and understood of the grass leaf’s three component organs: blade, sheath, and ligule. Traditionally, it was thought to have a passive role in preserving the culm and leaves it encloses from water, dust, and dangerous spores.
In plants, what is an auricle?
An auricle is a tiny ear-like protrusion that emerges from the base of a leaf or petal in botany.
Ligule selaginella is a kind of Ligule.
The ligule, a tonguelike outgrowth from the leaf surface at the leaf base, is a distinctive tonguelike protrusion from the leaf surface. On this basis, Lycopodium and Selaginella leaves may be distinguished. At maturity, the ligule, which first develops early in the development of a leaf, is a fairly complicated structure.
What is the most often cultivated turfgrass species as a winter annual?
Annual and perennial ryegrass are the two types of ryegrass utilized in turfgrass. Annual ryegrass is mostly used to overseed bermudagrass in the winter since it is well acclimated to sunny circumstances and can withstand the cold. Annual ryegrass is a low-heat-tolerance grass with a gritty texture and a gleaming pale green color.
What is the most common turfgrass species that is used as a perennial?
The most frequent turfgrasses in Michigan include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, fine-leaf fescue, and creeping bentgrass. The traits, location adaptations, and management needs of these species differ.
What is the first structure that appears when a seed germinates?
How can I tell whether my grass is in the cold season or not?
Identifying cool-season grasses includes the following steps:
To distinguish it from other varieties of grass, look at the texture. The large blades and bunching properties of coarse tall fescue seem harsher than the thin, delicate leaves of bluegrass and rye. It’s most likely fine fescue if your grass has thin, needlelike leaves.
What’s the difference between fescue and bluegrass grass?
The kind of root structure formed by fescue and bluegrass differs significantly. Fescue grass has bunches of roots, but bluegrass has rhizomes, which are horizontal roots.


The Federal Government published, on Thursday (05/01), Law No. 14,293/2022, which institutes the Over-the-Counter Sales Program (ProVB) with the objective of promoting small animal breeders' access to public corn stocks. According to the standard, the National Supply Company (Conab) may sell the product to the breeder who has the Declaration of Aptitude for the National Program for Strengthening Family Agriculture (DAP-Pronaf) active, or another document that will replace it. there.
“The program was previously operated by Conab through ordinances, which had to be published annually,” explains the Company's Operations and Supply director, José Trabulo Júnior. "With the enactment of the law, the maintenance of the program and the development of one of the most representative segments of the national economy, which is the production of animal protein, is assured."
The president of Conab, Guilherme Ribeiro, also highlighted the importance of publishing the law. “The corn to be acquired will certainly contribute to the maintenance of small farmers in their activity, consequently ensuring income and jobs,” he said.
The established rule also provides for the inclusion of aquaculture farmers among the public benefiting from the Program. “To guarantee this access, Conab will also carry out a study on the per capita consumption to serve the herds and the method for inspecting these creations”, ponders the superintendent of Social Supply at the Company, Diracy Lacerda.
Purchase of corn
With the enactment of the law, Conab gains a new tool to acquire corn in order to supply the Over-the-Counter Program, in addition to the Minimum Price Guarantee Policy (PGPM). The purchase operation will be established annually by an Interministerial Ordinance of the Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) and of the Economy, and cannot exceed 200 thousand tons. In exceptional situations, this limit can be changed. The measure aims to ensure the regular supply of inputs to numerous rural properties, especially after the corn crop failure.
It is noteworthy that the PGPM is an important tool to reduce fluctuations in the income of rural producers and ensure a minimum remuneration, acting as a guide for the supply of food, encouraging or discouraging production and ensuring the regularity of national supply. According to this rule, the Federal Government may purchase any products covered by the Policy, as long as the prices paid to producers are below the established minimum.
Over-the-Counter Sales Program
The purpose of ProVB is to promote access for small animal breeders to the public corn stock. Beneficiaries of the program will be small animal breeders, including aquaculturists, characterized in accordance with the national policy on family farming. The volume allowed for purchase by producer is evaluated according to the size of the herd, and cannot exceed the maximum limit of 27 tons per month.
To have access to the Program, the interested party must be registered in the National Registration System of Rural Producers, PAA Public, Cooperatives, Associations and other Agents (Sican), of Conab, in addition to being in good standing with the Registration and Control System Defaulters (Sircoi), from Conab, among other requirements.
With information from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply
Agriculture and Livestock


Vegetable gardening is a FUN, and then you get to eat the 'fruit' of
your labors! It is truly amazing how God puts all of the
information needed into a seed so that it can grow if the conditions are
The pages below were inspired by my niece
and her husband and are intended to record and share my own amateur
gardening experience only. I am NOT a gardening expert and do NOT
suggest that what works for me will work for anyone else.
Timothy's Garden Comments for May 2011 GETTING


Every time a vehicle or machine enters a farming property, there is risk of unwanted pests, weeds or diseases that come in with them. Vehicles working on the farm also gather a lot of dirt and grime and will need to be regularly washed. A wash down facility is therefore a worthwhile investment for a working farm. The facility also should work hand in hand with an effective water treatment system built to treat the wash down water. Together, they provide the perfect solution for managing quarantine, and weed & seed hygiene, as well as staying compliant for wastewater treatment.
Weed and Seed Hygiene & Disease Quarantine
The spread of weeds threatens primary industries like agriculture. It also poses risks to the environment. For example, the Panama disease is a fungal infection that recently affected Queensland banana growers and eventually posed a huge threat to the entire industry. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Biosecurity Queensland ** conducts regular surveillance of the infected areas and work with the banana industry to improve management of the Panama disease in the future. Enviro Concepts is working closely with DAF and local farmers to find appropriate solutions.
Moving vehicles and farm machinery contaminated with weed seeds can infect weed-free locations. The way to prevent it is to have good vehicle and farm machinery hygiene. Farm owner and service providers should consistently clean their farm vehicles to meet with both environmental and regulatory obligations. This includes heavy machinery (like dozers, excavators, graders) that may contain weed seeds in mud on the tracks, to farm vehicles (like tractors), implements (like slashers, ploughs, mulchers), harvesting machinery, wheeled loaders, cars, trucks and other vehicles.
Features of an Effective Wash Down Facility
For maintaining weed and seed hygiene, it is important to follow the council & biosecurity guidelines and have an effective wash down facility. Important considerations that will minimise infestation are:
- The guidelines recommend that the vehicle wash down facility should be located away from livestock and crops, have access to power and high pressure water for easy cleaning.
- Sites should be close to entry/exit points and clear of the watercourses and drainage lines.
- It should have a sump to collect any waste water and regulations for treating the water if it needs to be discharged or recycled.
- Appropriate disposal of waste and contaminants is essential.
For many farmers, working out all the parts of an effective and compliant wash down facility can get challenging. Enviro Concepts works closely with farm owners to create and install quick, modular wash bays with the appropriate water treatment system that would give their business the best return on their investment and maintain a high level of weed and seed hygiene.
If you have any question for you farm wash down facility, contact us or write to us for a FREE ESTIMATE.
** Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Biosecurity Queensland page – https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/biosecurity


News From The Course
Course Update - Greens & Tee Boxes (Posted mid Sept)
Presently the greens are undergoing different types of maintenance:
* The 1st, 4th, 15th & 16th Greens have been spiked, treated with a course of nutrients (feed) and top dressed. This type of work was carried out to these 4 greens, as they tend to suffer from disease and wear and tear the most.
* The remaining greens have been sprayed to boost the colour of the greens but also to prevent disease creeping in over the next couple of weeks/months.
* The tee boxes have been treated with fertiliser to generate growth to the grass thus ensuring an excellent cover for the months ahead.
9th Tee Update
The 9th tee is well underway its recovery to being back in full play. The new sod was recently layed on the newly constructed 9th tee box. All that is required over the next 5-6 weeks is for a few courses of sand to be applied to the surface as well as some growth to tie everything together.
The new tee area should test golfers during their round and depending on where the tee markers are located will give a new dimension to playing the 9th.
Revised Dates - Annual Course Maintenance (Posted Early Spet)
The dates for the annual course maintenance have been moved from September to the 9th, 10th & 11th of October.
The dates have been changed in order to maximize the usage of the remainder of the peak season and to also avail of the settled weather that September normally provides.
The type of work taking place in October will not be as severe as previous years, which should result in a quicker recovery (weather dependant)
Greens Update (30th July)
With the very warm, moist/wet weather we are currently experiencing, the greens at present can be prone to disease. The plan over the next number of weeks will be to apply a preventitive spraying programme, the first will happen straight away and then again around the 7th/8th August.
It is essential that we take these measures to ensure that the disease does not take hold. During any spraying, signage will be placed at the first tee, please be mindful during any spraying programme.
Bunker Update (20th July)
Michael (Head Green Keeper) has recently sourced a part for the second bunker rake that will assist in breaking aprt compacted sand after washouts. This part has been in action over the last few weeks and already proving to be very helpful during these very unsettled weather conditons.
NEW 2012 Course Machinery
To view images of our new course machinery click here
Annual Course Maintenance Update
- The Annual Course Maintenance which occured between the 5th - 9th March saw essential works carried out to the course. The huge investment by our owners FBD, will ensure that the course continues to go from strength to strength.
We would ask all members and visitors playing the course during the recovery period to please be patient, as it will be a number of weeks (weather dependant) before the course recovers and returns to normal playing conditions.
Should you have any further questions on the type of work occuring during these dates please speak to a member of the golf team on 051 380587.


No products in the cart
Many people enjoy vanilla. It has to be one of the most noticeable and distinct flavors we encounter.
Vanilla is native to Mexico although many assume it is native to Madagascar and the outlying neighboring islands (La Réunion and Mauritius) as these are the largest modern producers. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s when a young man figured out how to propagate vanilla by hand that other parts of world began to produce vanilla.
Many orchids develop to attract specific insects for pollination and this is the case with Vanilla in Mexico. For vanilla, the melipona bee is the only natural pollinator. Thus, all of the vanilla outside of Mexico must be hand pollinated.
At Pinch, we are currently offering organically produced vanilla from Mexico. Beyond the beans, we also offer organic vanilla paste and organic vanilla sugar.


Biopolymer innovator Teysha Technologies has joined NIAB to research, test and develop bioplastics for the agricultural industry in the UK. The opportunity will allow Teysha to expand as the start up further commercialises in the UK, utilising the Eastern Agritech Innovation Hub near Cambridge. The Hub will be the focal point for developing and testing new sustainable materials and bioplastics to tackle growing plastic pollution as well as investigating waste feedstock options within British agricultural operations.
The first innovation to be delivered from the new Teysha laboratory will be a series of new polyester composite materials. Their purpose will be to replace some products that are currently based on petrochemical plastics, as well as improve the biodegradability of existing bioplastics such as polylactic acid. Unlike other polymer manufacturing processes, the synthesis of Teysha’s materials generates zero chemical by-products for disposal. Its properties make it susceptible to microbial breakdown, a desirable benefit for applications like packaging.
Teysha’s new polyester composites show promise as plastic alternatives across industries like agriculture and horticulture. For example, British gardeners go through 500 million plastic plant pots a year that are either incinerated or sent to landfills. On average they take an estimated 450 years to degrade and in the process may release toxic additives, dyes and microplastics into the environment. To address this, Teysha is targeting the development of alternatives using polyester composites. The goal is to prototype alternative options that provide additional plant nourishment while also having the ability to either biodegrade or be composted.
“This opportunity to work with the NIAB will allow us to further develop innovative, sustainable materials that can replace harmful plastics in industries like agriculture, as well as examine waste feedstocks for our range of biopolymers.” Said Matthew Stone, Managing Director of Teysha Technologies. “Working with such an important UK institution will also accelerate commercialisation in the UK.”
Teysha Technologies was established to solve the problems surrounding the production and use of plastics. In partnership with Texas A&M University, Teysha have developed novel second generation bioplastics based on sugar polycarbonates. Now, Teysha is extending its commercial operations to the UK where it is establishing a laboratory facility and a relationship with the NIAB.
The NIAB Group is the UK’s fastest-growing crop science organisation, addressing the challenges of food security, climate change and sustainable development in agriculture. The group works with local and national businesses at the hub to carry out commercial scale pilot studies that aid the development of the agricultural and horticultural industries in the UK.
To find out more about Teysha Technologies and its research into tuneable biodegradable biopolymers, visit the Teysha Technologies website.


The Farm Crisis Council of Nebraska was organized in the early 1980’s during the farming crisis of that decade. The Emergency Fund is used to assist farmers and ranchers who may be experiencing a personal crisis resulting from illness, death, and other unforeseen expenses. It is used to assist farm families with groceries, medical supplies or doctor bills, and utilities,.
Farm Crisis Emergency Fund
To raise money for farmers and ranchers in crisis.
$0.00 donated of $5,000.00 goal
Bookmark the permalink.


HLB wants to contribute to efficient and sustainable agriculture by means of good research, practical diagnoses and advice with demonstrable benefit for the agricultural chain. Agriculture and horticulture are determining factors worldwide in the increasing demand for more and sustainable food and clean water. HLB also contributes to efficient and sustainable business operations in agriculture. They achieve this by carrying out detailed research with diagnoses and practical recommendations that provide demonstrable added value for the agricultural chain. In doing so, HLB makes the latest knowledge in the field of sustainability practical for farmers and horticulturists.
Ton Bolster, Operations Manager, explains: “We were looking for a new system to automate the processes of the HLB group. During that search, a new company was added to the HLB Group. This company, De Groene Vlieg Bio Diagnostics and De Groene Vlieg Bio Control also had their own system. In addition to the fact that we wanted to automate the processes, we also had to link these companies. Because of the uniformity, it was important to work with one platform. After the requirements and needs had been mapped out, we started a selection process. It was also important that the new system would support laws and regulations, such as the NEN standard. We ultimately opted for FileLinx because the software offered us maximum flexibility”.
HLB carries out research on a project basis and has a lab that carries out routine and specific research. Within De Groene Vlieg we have a routine research lab, but we also have a location where we grow onion flies in large numbers. For research, routine processes and production processes, standard systems are available that support that specific process, but there is no system that properly supports all the processes mentioned. FileLinx can do that.
We made a plan beforehand. The plan consists of several phases. The first phase has now been completed. In this phase, we have automated a routine part of our soil sample surveys. The process consists of sampling a plot to be investigated until the final report is sent to the customer.
FileLinx generates the labels for sample recognition and follows them through the process. This allows us to see where the sample can be seen in the process and calculations can be made of, among other things, lead times. The ultimate goal is to advise the customer based on the test results found. Formerly, we would send the research results and advice by post, but now this communication is completely digital. We now have much more insight into our process and it is more automated. The energy we now use to arrive at the end product is much less than before. What is even more important is that the process runs faster, so that we can also serve the customer faster.
In addition to the routine soil samples, the customer can also ask for a very extensive survey. These surveys are added to FileLinx in the second step. This phase is more complex than phase 1. Apart from the fact that there are more variables, the formulas we use to arrive at the end result are also more complex. We do not only use FileLinx as a logistics system. FileLinx takes care of the entire process, including the interpretation of the survey results up to the customer’s final report.
The third step has to do with the HLB fly division, De Groene Vlieg. We control the onion fly by means of a biological control method, by using sterilised onion flies and we monitor root flies in particular in order to be able to advise the grower on whether or not to spray with a pesticide. FileLinx will help us to further optimise these processes. In the fourth phase, we will put our large HLB projects in FileLinx. We do research in many areas. Each area has its own specific questions, schedules and techniques. For example, we look at new products from crop protection firms. We do research for the government or the sports sector. In some cases they ask us to set up testing grounds. We follow these testing grounds from the moment of sowing to the harvest of the crop in question and the examination of the crop itself. At the end of the season, we deliver a report with the findings. This report is generated by FileLinx, but to write this report we have to follow-up the entire season (in Filelinx).
At the end of February, we tested whether we could enter the laboratory data directly into FileLinx via an iPad. At the moment, the lab technicians write it down on paper and someone else types it into FileLinx. That test went well, the app is now being further developed and we can also use the app for other applications.
Position within the organisation
FileLinx will be a very large part of the organisation. One of the reasons we bought FileLinx is that we wanted more structure. The researchers would like their results to be clearly presented, so that they can draw conclusions very quickly.
FileLinx is flexible, versatile and innovative. You can go in any direction with it. I was used to working with systems that had a certain format. You easily get used to a particular structure. FileLinx does not have this structure. You are now very free to choose how you want to configure the software. We now have the experience that by having a good conversation with a FileLinx consultant, you will arrive at a good analysis and the best solutions. These cannot be captured in a standard package. It offers a lot of freedom.


California suffering through driest three years ever recorded, with no relief in sight
RENO — In recent years, California’s drought has become one of its defining features.
But things look far different this year, with the dry conditions that have pushed farmers and ranchers to seek more arid places and the state’s water supply more vulnerable to climate change, not to mention the ongoing federal government water restrictions.
“This is the wettest three years in the past 35-40 years,” said Mike Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno.
The record high state precipitation of 15.45 inches was set on Aug. 19, and that was just one day shy of the record, set Aug. 28, 2015, when 16.31 inches had been recorded. That marked a period of time when California, the world’s driest, wettest, and sunniest state, was enjoying its Golden Age.
The five-year period beginning July 1, 2009, is now in its 41st month, but it has seen record-breaking rainfall and the state’s water supply has been threatened by drought, a major factor in the state’s prolonged dryness.
“We’ve hit a wall,” Anderson said.
The average rainfall for the year, Anderson said, has been just 5.9 inches — the wettest on record — and the state’s average water supply is down to just 7.7 percent of average by the end of the year.
Since the state’s first “drought year” in the 1950s, the number of years with 10 percent or more of its average water supply has almost tripled to almost three years.
This year, the Bureau of Reclamation estimates that water supplies for more than 9 million Californians are at 20 percent or less of the average, or more than 7 million. That is a new record.
“We’ve hit a wall,” Anderson said. “Water is being pulled out of the ground at an increasing rate. We have to continue to grow.”
The Bureau of Reclamation does not have a complete forecast of what the water supply looks like after the winter storms. But its projections have shown that water supplies on the lower Colorado River, the main source of water for California, will be about 50 percent


******************FARMERS MARKETS LOCATIONS, DATES, AND TIMES****************
Thanks to all our loyal customers for your continuing support. We really enjoy seeing each of you and bringing you the very best organic produce we can grow.
Contact us at: gthornton at sneakycrowfarm dot com for any questions/suggestions. ********************************************
SEE YOU IN 2019 AT THESE MARKETS.
"AUBURN UNIVERSITY FARMERS MARKET AT AG-HERITAGE PARK"
The market is now open. See you there. The market is held on Thursdays from 3:00 - 6:00 PM, CST. The location of the market has changed to the grass area next to the Red Barn (the one with two silos); the new address is 580 A South Donahue Drive. Thanks.
The open-air growers'-only farmers market located on the Auburn University campus was established in 2005 and in the years since has become a favorite summertime tradition for the Auburn community. Hosted by the College of Agriculture, The Market features area vendors offering an abundance of seasonal, fresh-from-the-garden fruits and vegetables and other goods that range from fresh-cut flowers to goat cheese.
Historic Langdale Mill Farmers Market, Valley, AL on Fridays. The market is now open. The market is open from 3:00 PM EST until 6:00 PM EST. The location is 6000 20th Avenue (Highway 29), in Valley. The market is held under a pavilion and this should mean the market will be held no matter the weather!
"Randolph County (Alabama) Farmers Market." This market is co-located with the Randolph County Equine and Agricultural Center at 295 County Road 333, Wedowee, AL 36278. Just off U.S. Hwy. 431, just south of the town of Wedowee, the market is a morning market opened on Wednesdays from 8:00 AM to 12 Noon CST. The market is now open.
"Market on Main", La Grange, GA on Saturdays.Market on Main is located on Main St at the corner of East Depot & Main St. in Downtown La Grange. The market opened in June. Market hours are 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST. Please note that this is an outdoor market and is not repeat not a part of the "LaGrange Farmers Market store" located on LaFayette Parkway.
Sneaky Crow Farm Roadside Stand. In 2013 we started selling some of our produce from a roadside stand at our farm. The stand is open Monday thru Saturday (8:00AM - 12:00 NOON). We are closed on Sunday. For directions to the farm and information on what is available at the roadside stand, please click the Roadside Stand tab on this website. Call ahead (334-338-1575) for produce availability or directions.
Our roadside stand is among the 50 best roadside stands in the U.S., and the best in the State of Alabama, according to Rodale's Organic Life magazine.
RANDOLPH COUNTY FARMERS MARKET (Wedowee, AL) Co-located with the Randolph County Equine and Agriculture Center. It is located just off US Highway 431 - Look for the signs!
Valley, AL Farmers Market at the historic Langdale Mill. The market is held under a new pavilion provided by the City of Valley.
La Grange, GA Farmers Market also known as "Market on Main."


Finally A Way To Reduce Feed Costs On Your Farm To Under 6c Per Pound, Without Breaking The Bank!
Register below to get your FREE feed calculator to compare the massive savings!
WHY FODDER GROUP?
Fodder Group leads the way globally in hydroponic system production.
Our systems are the global benchmark in quality, production levels and management systems.
Fresh On Farm
Hydroponic fodder is freshly grown on your farm 365 days of the year! .
Reduce Feed Costs
The high and fluctuating cost of hay and grain based feed can be crippling to farms however fodder changes everything
Spending money on feed with little nutritional value is a blueprint to bankruptcy. Fresh fodder ticks all nutritional boxes
Uses Less Water
Fodder uses a fraction of the water it requires to grow feed conventionally. Fodder solves high costs and inconsistent rainfall
That grain in your manure is actually your cash. Fodder is over 90% digestible giving maximum value & results
FG20 Transportable Delivers Results
Maximum yield means more animals fed leading to maximum profitability
1700lbs (770kgs) of fresh fodder produced each day. 1:6 ratio of grain to seed in 4 days is outstanding
Every component in our FG20 transportable is best in class ensuring longevity
Made in the USA from quality American components. Built to extremely high standards
All of our systems can be run on solar or generator, reducing energy requirements and cost
Perfect quality fodder 365 days a year makes it easy to budget and accurately predict costs
4 Day Grow Cycle
Huge explosion in yield verses a 5, 6 or 7 day cycle. More yield equals more animals fed and better value
WORLD'S FASTEST GROW CYCLE
Unique 4 day growing cycle from seed to feed.
A 4 day growth cycle provides an incredible 20% more fodder over a 5 day cycle. Increased yield in the same amount of trays means more animals fed each day
Feed Larger Herds With Onsite Systems
Feed any size herd with systems built your farm, to your specification
Standard size onsite systems start at 5200lbs per day right through to 13000lbs. Custom sizes available
Low Power Use
Super low power draw by our state of the art IGroTec air and management system
We manage everything from the design to the end product. All you supply is the power and water
Watering, air and lighting system all activate at precise times. Conveyers can be added to move the fodder
Low Water Usage
Extremely low water usage without anything being wasted. Excess water can bee fed to your stock
Extremely low maintenance with only preventative cleaning required. Remote monitoring included
Cost Effective Finance
No need to outlay cash resources when you can intelligently finance your fodder system purchase. Free up capital for stock and other important purchases
From just $1275 per month
* Price subject to credit score and approval. Provided as an indication only. Assumes purchase is an FG20 system over 60 months
They All Love It!
Livestock instinctively know what's good for them and literally come running when they see hydroponically grown fodder. Here are just a few of many animals we feed.
These clients are reaping the benefits and want the world to know
System Owner & Beef Producer
"My FG20 system produces well over the rated 1500lbs Fodder Group said it would. I could not be happier"
"I've been buying grain for the fodder industry for nearly 10 years and the Fodder Group is way ahead of the pack"
"Horses absolutely love fresh fodder fodder and I'd recommend all owners to introduce it into their horse's diet"
Saving Our Environment
Fodder is Environmentally Responsible
Feeding livestock fodder is a responsible thing to do as it's sustainable, economical and we get the greatest use out of our resources. Let's leave the next generation a legacy.
USES LESS WATER
Managing our water resources wisely is important to future generations. Fodder reduces water consumption
LEVERAGE GRAIN STOCKS
Fodder has a 1:6 ratio of grain to fodder over 4 days. Let's get maximum value from every grain we grow
Feeding fodder reduces methane emissions verses feeding a typical feedlot or grass diet
Start Your Own Fodder Business
Growing and selling fodder is a business model that is now taking off. Watch our video to learn how you could start your own business today without any competition!
833 363 3371
© Copyright Fodder Group Inc 2019. All Rights Reseved.


Gill Wing Farm was formerly Cobbarn Farm, a very pretty old Sussex farm with a long history in hops and cattle. The farm, after years of total neglect (and attempts to turn it into a golf course!) came up for sale and was bought by Gill Wing in 2004.
As the farmland had lain untouched for over a decade it was already in an ‘organic’ condition i.e. completely free of chemicals and we decided to keep it that way. Contrary to most modern specialist farms we decided to go for a totally mixed farm growing the largest range of original produce we could. We aim to offer, direct to the consumer via our farm shop, the best and biggest range of foods this small piece of Sussex land can produce.
We now have pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, turkeys, wild rabbits, pigeon and venison, eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, squashes, leeks, lettuce, spelt, wheat, barley, beans, apples, pears, plums, cobnuts, blackcurrants, gooseberries, quinces and vines. We rear and prepare all our own meat, stone grind our home grown spelt into flour and make all our own breads, cakes and pastries, as well as jams and conserves. We are growing as much of the animal feed on the farm as we can and all our animals are free range, roaming the land.
The results are on offer in our farm shop. Our farm produce has been grown here on Gill Wing Farm, with no chemicals, no transport miles, and is picked daily. We also offer some other local produce including milk and yoghurt from Northium Dairy and at least ten types of local cheese! We are now working to produce a complete range of Gill Wing Farm meals preserved through fresh freezing and jams, chutneys and more through traditional bottling.
So what next?
We aim to start rearing squabs, young nutritious pigeons which will be fresh and tender and not riddled with 12-bore shot.
We’ve set ourselves the challenge of farming an altogether different animal…bees! We are setting our own hives this spring and hope to sell our own honey.
Our 2000 vines are growing and in about three years we should have grapes. The next step will be Gill Wing Wine.
In addition to food, the farm has many seams of good clay. Gill Wing has a history in pottery and we would like to produce a range of thrown tableware from the farm clay. We would also like to develop turned wooden bowls made with wood sourced from the farm. Maybe!
Watch this space!


Know a great deal about Mandi Tax and the system of farmer’s produce selling
Mandi Tax is technically not a tax but a fee on the purchase and sale of agriculture produce. It is known as Mandi Tax because states and union territories invoke their powers under the constitution to levy it. Mandi Fee or Mandi Tax is levied to get back the expense of running an agricultural wholesale market, APMC, where farmers get good prices from the buyers.
How does the system work?
There are two ways the farmers can sell their produce. Either the farmers can directly sell the produce (Crops, fruits, vegetables and more) to the buyer (retailer, private company) or they can sell it to middlemen also known as Artiyas, who will then sell it to the retailer or a private company. Now, when the farmers sell their products in APMC, where Arthiyas sit, and Arthiyas sell it others, they have to pay a Mandi Tax. The central government has nothing to do with it. All the fee or tax goes directly into state and union territories government’s accounts.
Mandi Tax rates vary states to state and one food grain to another. Punjab levies Mandi fee at 6 per cent in the case of rice, while Delhi government levies only 1 per cent. Similarly, the Mandi fee for pulses vary from 0.6 per cent to 2.5 per cent and on wheat it varies from 1 per cent to 4 per cent.
Experts have often said that there should not be state-specific fee and all fees should be common across the states and union territories in the country. But it is difficult to achieve it considering the diversity of the states.
New Farm Bills
Three new farm bills have been passed in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. They are Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Service Bill, 2020. These bills now just need the President’s signature to become law.
The government has said that the new farm bills will accelerate growth in the agriculture sector through private investment in supply chains and in building infrastructure for farm produce in the Indian and the global market. As per the government, the bills are intended to help small farmers who don’t have means to either to invest in technology to improve the productivity of farms or bargain for their produce to get a better price. The bill on Agri-markets will allow the farmers to sell their produce outside APMC aka Mandis to anyone they want. The government has asserted that the poor farmer will get better prices through competition and cost-cutting on transportation.
This bill could mean that states and union territories will lose Mandi Tax as farmers will sell their produce directly to private buyers or enter into a contract with agri-business firms or large retailers on a pre-agreed price.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Minister of Food Processing Industries and the only Shiromani Akali Dal representative in the Modi government resigned from her post, in a protest against the bills. Opposition parties including Congress, DMK, TMC, and BSP, opposed the farm bills and said that they were against the interests of small and marginal farmers.
The Farm Bills have not been received well by the farmers across the country, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Farmers believe that the new bills will only hurt the farmers and thus they have raised voice against the bills. They have also called for ‘Bharat Band’ on September 25. This strike has been supported by many, including some Punjabi stars.
Celebrities like Ammy Virk, Diljit Dosanjh, Gurnam Bhullar and many others have shared the poster of 25th September “Bharat Band” on their social media profiles. The texts in poster say that everyone is standing with farmers and every person in Punjab is standing solidarity with them. It also says that if anyone thinks that the farm bills are justified, should come and talk to the farmers.
Have a news story, an interesting write-up or simply a suggestion? Write to us at email@example.com


Author Archives: jlubenau
In foreground: broccoli rabe, then Hakurei salad turnips, then beets. These Crops did great. We are still harvesting beets and broccoli rabe but the turnips are gone and the space has been replanted to tomatoes.
The woods are alive with the sound of dripping as the maple trees fill up the buckets with cool sweet tree sap or Ent Draught as I like to call it. The weather has been perfect the past few days … Continue reading
The first seeds of the season were planted a couple weeks ago in the smaller hoophouse and are just starting to poke through the surface. This hoophouse is unheated and will drop down well below zero Celsius at night. These … Continue reading
The new hoophouse got its plastic poly covering a couple weeks ago when we had a nice warm calm day. The soil has been warming up and drying out over the past couple weeks and is almost ready to be … Continue reading
This past Sunday I took the first cuttings of the year. Hopefully, these cuttings will sprout roots and grow into healthy herb plants. These stem cuttings are stripped of excess leaves and then placed into plastic plug trays. The trays … Continue reading
Seasonable temps and occasional sunshine certainly help make this month bearable and with the right hobbies it can be quite enjoyable, namely cooking, eating and soaking up the sun inside a hoophouse


Article: Hemp: The Sustainable Superstar in Textiles
Hemp: The Sustainable Superstar in Textiles
Hemp fabric stands out as an extraordinary textile due to its myriad of eco-friendly and practical qualities. Renowned for its sustainability, hemp plants require minimal water, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers, making them a far more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional textile crops. The cultivation of hemp also enriches the soil, promoting biodiversity and reducing the ecological footprint of agricultural practices. Beyond its environmental benefits, hemp fabric possesses exceptional durability and breathability, ensuring longevity and comfort in clothing and other textile applications. The fibers derived from the hemp plant are known for their strength, meaning that hemp fabrics are resistant to wear and tear, resulting in products that withstand the test of time. Moreover, hemp fabric has natural anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties, contributing to the creation of hypoallergenic and hygienic textiles. As the world increasingly seeks sustainable alternatives, the versatility and eco-friendliness of hemp fabric make it a truly remarkable choice, embodying a harmonious blend of durability, comfort, and environmental responsibility.
Hemp is the green warrior of crops. It grows like a champion, demanding minimal water and zero pesticides. No nasty chemicals mean a cleaner, greener planet.
Durable and Resilient:
Who likes clothes that wear out fast? Not us! Hemp fibers are like the superheroes of the textile world—strong, tough, and built to last. Your favorite hemp piece will have longevity in your wardrobe.
Ever felt like your clothes were suffocating you? Hemp lets your skin breathe, keeping you cool in the summer heat. No more sweaty fashion faux pas—just pure, airy comfort.
Kind to Your Skin:
Hemp textiles are naturally hypoallergenic, giving your skin the love and care it deserves.
Fashion should never cost the Earth. Hemp is a renewable resource, making it a guilt-free choice for conscious consumers.
Hemp doesn't just stop at looking out for your style; it's got your health covered too. The fibers offer a natural shield against those harmful UV rays, ensuring you step out in style without worrying about sun damage.
From comfy loungewear to chic accessories, hemp can do it all. Versatility is the name of the game, and we're here for it. Elevate your wardrobe sustainably with pieces that seamlessly blend style and substance.
When the time comes to part ways with your hemp treasure, fear not! Hemp is biodegradable, gracefully returning to the Earth without leaving a trace. It's the circle of fashion life done right.
Hemp is a highly sustainable crop. It grows quickly, requires minimal water, and doesn't need pesticides or herbicides to produce. The cultivation of hemp has a lower environmental impact compared to many other textile crops. Hemp plants absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere than most plants, contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gases easily making it one of our favorites.


|Description||I have experienced that Jatropha Curcas is growing very well in the Canarian Islands. And they are producing seeds already after one year.|
Jatropha Curcas (biofuel) is a very interesting plant as it grows fast and with little water. The roods are helping to avoid the erosion of the soil and the plant prevents damages from storms. The plant will grow on all Canarian Islands and could bring wealthy results for many landowners.
Member Start | Profile | People | Subjects | Resources | Communicate | Groups | Activity|


Tradition, craftsmanship and passion.
De Ruyge Weyde cheese farm is our 5th generation family business in Oudewater, where we have been preparing real Gouda farmer’s cheese since 1847.
The organic cheese farm De Ruyge Weyde is owned by the van Vliet family (Rien, Teuni, Rene & Sander), and the only organic cheese farm in the Netherlands where raw milk farmer’s cheese is combined with a milking robot and grazing for the cows.
The story goes back to 1847, from this year Krijntje de Koning started preparing cheese on this farm; raw milk farm cheese made from fresh milk from our own cows, prepared according to the traditional farm cheese recipe.
Now five generations later, we still do it in the same way. We are proud of this! Today there are is a maximum of 100 farmers in the Netherlands who still make real Gouda Farmer cheese from raw milk. A maximum of 10 of these are organic, like us.
The cheese farm has undergone a transformation over the years. To minimize our food print, we have switched to organic business operations, and we are virtually self-sufficient in our water and electricity. In addition to all our business activities, we started in 2016 with the realisation of our guesthouses on the farm. In 2017 the dream of the ”farmers daughter” Anja and her husband Tom came true, by becoming our new neighbors, a beautiful farm directly adjacent to ours.
The name Ruyge Weyde derives its name from the polder road on which the farm is located: the “Ruige Weide” which means: rough meadow
We can imagine that you have become very curious about our organic cheese farm. Below you can continue to the website of the farm, go on a journey of discovery, and find out what makes us so special


By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
I thought I’d lighten up the mood by posting on a plague that’s actually visible: locusts (here is a photo essay in The Atlantic. See also previous NC posts in February and March. Wikipedia has a country round-up). Since the locust swarms of East Africa are already well-covered (“Crunch, crunch: Africa’s locust outbreak is far from over“), I’ll look at the Indian subcontinent (Nepal, Pakistan, India) and Latin America (Argentina, Brazil). To review, locusts are bad. From NPR, “Locusts Are A Plague Of Biblical Scope In 2020. Why? And … What Are They Exactly?”:
Locusts are ravenous eaters. An adult desert locust that weighs about 2 grams (a fraction of an ounce) can consume roughly its own weight daily. And they’re not picky at all. According to the FAO, a swarm of just 1 square kilometer — again, about a third of a square mile — can consume as much food as would be eaten by 35,000 people (or six elephants) in a single day.
“When they do descend, they can have almost total devastation,” Overson says. “They can cause 50 to 80% of crops to be destroyed, depending on the time [of year].”
The last large locust outbreak, which started in 2003 and lasted until 2005, resulted in an estimated $2.5 billion in crop damage. Studies found that the economic effect was largely felt by subsistence farmers. Children who grew up during the period were much less likely to go to school, and girls were disproportionately affected.
(We’ll look at subsistence farmers in Nepal and India, especially.) And to review, locust swarming behavior is fascinating. From Forbes, “What’s Up With Those Locust Swarms?“, in layperson’s terms:
Trouble starts when an environmental change improves conditions for the insects and lets them breed rapidly. The locusts sense the change in their population through sight, smell, and by physically bumping into other individuals, said Rick Overson, a locust expert at Arizona State University’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability.
The increased population density alters locusts’ appearance and brain chemistry, causing them to start moving together in large groups, or swarms. Scientists once believed solitary and swarming desert locusts were two different species because they look and behave so differently, said Overson. He said juvenile locusts that can’t fly yet will march together as nymphs when they are in their swarming state.
It isn’t completely clear why locusts swarm. Overson said one hypothesis is that since locusts’ habitats can change quickly and unpredictably, the swarms help them move to where there is more rain and food in case good conditions don’t last.
(This NC post contains a more science-y explanation of swarming, if you wish to read and retain words like “density-dependent phenotypic plasticity,” and “phase polymorphism.”) If you’re an entemologist, being inside a swarm is pretty neat. From the Harvard Gazette, “East Africa facing massive swarms of locusts”:
When you’re in a swarm, especially if it’s just as they’re getting moving, it’s actually quite an incredible experience. You see, they change color when they’re young — they’re more pinkish and then as they mature they become yellow — so when they are flying around you at that stage, you have all these pink and yellow wings whirring around and a slightly nutty smell of the locusts surrounding you and lots of birds feeding on them.
(The “slightly nutty smell” translates, I imagine to flavor; some consider locusts a delicacy.) With that, let’s move on to the Indian subcontinent.
The Indian Subcontinent
First, the map. From the “Desert Locust Watch” of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO), here is a map of the current situation:
(Note the arrow from Pakistan into India.) Just for shock value, from India:
Locust swarms invade Gurgaon, near New Delhi, India. pic.twitter.com/7kHQGJUI0H
— Channa Prakash (@AgBioWorld) June 27, 2020
I’m amazed to see the trees swaying under the impact of the swarm. And for amusement:
Locusts in Nepal
A Crow tries to capture a locust in Kathmandu, Nepal, 30 June 2020. The Swarms of locust have already entered Nepal were spotted in Kathmandu on 30 June 2020. So far no damaged crop have been reported.
EPA-EFE/Narendra Shrestha pic.twitter.com/s5DS9HYSED
— Narendra Shrestha (@Narendraphoto) June 30, 2020
It’s gonna take more than onesies and twosies!
With that, let’s look at the individual countries. I’ll start with Nepal, because there I have a worked example of the effects of a locust infestation on a subsistence farmer (as above,” studies found that the economic effect was largely felt by subsistence farmers. Then I’ll move Pakistan and India, focusing on actions taken at ground level (since we already know locusts are bad, eat everything up, cause “food insecurity,” etc.).
From the Katmandu Post, “Eight million locusts have entered Nepal, consuming hundreds of hectares of crop“:
Lal Bahadur Kewat of Lohraula in Buddhabhumi Municipality, Kapilvastu was busy transplanting paddy on Monday when his neighbour informed him that a swarm of locusts had descended on his vegetable farm.
By the time Kewat reached his farm, his green beans and bitter gourds on one-and-a-half katthas of land had already been destroyed.
“Everything was completely ravaged. I just cried looking at the loss,” said Kewat. “We [farmers] are being hit from everywhere.”
Kewat had taken a loan of Rs20,000 for his vegetables, which had just begun to bear fruit. With green beans and bitter gourds in season, he had hoped to earn Rs150,000.
“It’s all gone,” said Kewat, who has a family of six to feed.
(Obviously, Kewat should learn to code.) 1.5 katthas is 0.12 acres, so even though Kewat is a landowner — at least for vegetables, though not for rice — his land is tiny. The NPR150,000 Kewat hoped to gross is $1,256, above Nepal’s per capita income of NPR106,333 ($1,004). But now Kewat is in debt NPR20,000, or $167, which sounds small, but a man can drown in six inches of water. Multiply Kewat’s predicament by however many hundreds of thousands or millions are in the path of the swarms.
Now let’s look at Pakistan, which is applying pesticides. From the Associated Press of Pakistan, “Anti-locust operation completed over 2.294 million acres : NLCC“:
ISLAMABAD, Jul 04 (APP):The anti-locust operations have been carried out in 9, 297 square kilometers, approximately 2.2927 million acres of land across 31 affected districts of the country in order to eradicate the locusts swarms.
As many as 966 joint teams comprising over 5,082 people took part in the anti-locusts operations across the country, according to details released by the National Locust Control Center (NLCC).
(Surprisingly, given that the swarms crossed Pakistan on their way the India, the infestation seems not to have been politicized.) Pesticides as standard operating procedure, but this program is hearteningly ingenious. From Phys.org, “Pakistan battles locusts by turning them into chicken feed“:
At night the creatures cluster on trees and plants, making them easy to scoop up as they lie motionless in the cooler temperatures until the sun begins to rise.
Key statistics on the desert locusts which are decimating harvests in Pakistan’s agricultural heartlands
For a reward of 20 rupees (12 cents) per kilogram of locusts, locals worked all night to collect them.
One farmer who lost all her crops to the insects [like Kewat] said she and her son earned 1,600 rupees ($10) during a single locust-gathering outing, helping to offset the financial damage.
With 20 tonnes of captured locusts, authorities ran out of money to pay the collectors and the programme was paused.
The harvested locusts went to Hi-Tech Feeds—Pakistan’s largest animal-feed producer—which substituted 10 percent of the soybean in its chicken food with the insects.
While the project is not a solution to the devastation caused to crops, it can provide hard-hit farmers with a fresh revenue stream and relieve pressure on authorities struggling to distribute locust-beating pesticides.
20 tonnes! In one village! Holy moley! Give this program more money! Just for confirmation, here is an account that participated in the program.
Participated AZRI meeting on Locust Control at Umerkot, Twelve centers have been set up in Tharparkar & Umerkot districts where live or dead locusts vl b purchased frm area ppl at a rate f Rs15 pr kilo in a bid to encourage elimination of the deadly insect, says DG of ARC Sindh. pic.twitter.com/l89uTfHZ8Z
— Emran Khan (@TheEmranKhan) June 30, 2020
So now chickens can enjoy that nutty goodness. (This also sounds like a much better program than the 100,000 ducks China was going to send.)
So now we turn to India. From the New York Times, “India’s Capital Faces a ‘Swarmageddon’ of Locusts“:
But as a new planting season nears, farmers worry that more than 200 million acres of rice, sugar cane, cotton and soybeans could be decimated. In parts of Rajasthan, more than 60 percent of crops have been damaged, and a government relief package has covered only a small fraction of farmers, according to local news outlets.
The coronavirus has complicated efforts to stop the locusts. With confirmed infections topping 500,000 nationwide and many cities still under partial lockdowns, officials have strained to keep supply chains open and enforce locust containment measures across state borders.
(There’s something about a plague of locusts that seems to cause some Western editors, who write the headlines, to really go funny-not funny: “Crunch, crunch,” “Swarmageddon.”) From the Hindustan Times, “Six states on high alert as govt warns of more locust swarms“:
In a year punctuated by cyclones, heat waves, surging coronavirus infections and overwhelmed hospitals, scientists warn that the locusts could push agrarian parts of India to the brink of disaster, severely disrupting food supplies and slashing earnings for millions of struggling farmers.
Operations to control infestation are continuing in six states — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana — by locust circle offices. The invasions have caused “minor crop losses”, according to a status update till July 3.
The crop losses, so far, are minor, since India is the “lean season” between harvesting and planting. However, the Times of India warns, in “Locust menace: FAO asks India to be on high alert for next 4 weeks,” warns:
NEW DELHI: India should remain on high alert against locust attack for the next four weeks, the [FAO] has warned amid the country facing the worst locust attack in 26 years. The FAO said spring-bred locust swarms, which migrated to Indo-Pakistan border and travelled east to northern states, are expected to return back to Rajasthan with the start of the monsoon in coming days.
These swarms will return to Rajasthan to join other swarms still arriving from Iran and Pakistan, which is expected to be supplemented by swarms from the Horn of Africa in about mid-July, it added.
“Early breeding has already occurred along the Indo-Pakistan border where substantial hatching and band formation will take place in July that will cause the first-generation summer swarms to form in mid-August,” FAO said.
Measures recommended for Indian farmers, from NDTV: “Make Noise, Shut Windows: Gurgaon Administration Warns Of Locust Attack“:
Gurgaon residents must keep their windows shut as precaution against a possible attack from crop-destroying desert locusts, the city administration said on Friday as a swarm was sighted at an adjoining Haryana district. The administration has asked them to make clanging noise by beating utensils to ward the insects off.
Pot-banging and drumming is also recommended in Africa; it seems cargo cult-like to me, but insects do have a sense of hearing, so maybe it works. One farmer believes so. From Newsclick, “Sleepless Nights for UP Farmers as Locusts Damage Crops in Several Areas“:
“I couldn’t sleep for a minute since locust swarms were moving freely around the whole night. I kept shooing them away the whole night, making loud noises by beating utensils,” said 65-year-old Hukum Singh, a farmer in Mathura village.
Well, if the locusts were shooed away, excellent. Further recommendations include neem oil:
— CropLifeIndia (@CropLifeIndia) July 3, 2020
What seems to be unique to India is the use of drones and helicopters. From the World Economic Forum, “Drones and helicopters are battling India’s fast-spreading locust swarm“:
India have deployed a helicopter and a dozen drones spraying insecticide to stop desert locusts that have spread to nine heartland states of the world’s second-biggest producer of rice and wheat.
India, battling its worst desert locust outbreak for decades, pressed into service 12 drones to track the movement of locusts and spray insecticides on the swarms.
It seems, however, that drones have their limitations. They are useful only for locusts in trees:
Ground control is the most effective way to control Desert locusts. However, for effective control of locusts settled in tall treetops and inaccessible areas, drones are deployed for spraying pesticides. India is the first Country in the world, using drones for locust control. pic.twitter.com/AONnbEmggx
— Locust Warning Organization, Jodhpur-India (@LocustIndia) June 28, 2020
Further, drones are not suitable for dense swarms. From The Conversation, “Huge locust swarms are threatening food security, but drones could help stop them“:
Drones don’t perform well in areas that are densely packed with locusts, due to damage to propellers. And while the technical specifications of drones have made rapid improvements over the past few years, they still only provide a limited load of insecticide for spraying.
(Plus some editor’s funny-not funny subhead, “Some bugs remain,” ffs.) I can’t help but think that the Pakistani incentive program would be useful in India. I mean, can drones spraying pesticides really kill 20 tonnes of locusts? And can those same locusts then be fed to chickens?
From the Indian subcontinent, we turn to South America, where thankfully there is only one swarm. El Globo provides the following map:
(The red dots, captioned “Peligro,” mean danger.) The Sun, of all places, provides a more dramatic version:
One locust swarm is much like another, at least to a layperson, but for completeness:
NUVEM DE GAFANHOTOS FAZ SUL DO BRASIL DECRETAR ESTADO DE EMERGÊNCIA
O Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento declarou estado de emergência fitossanitária no Rio Grande do Sul e em Santa Catarina devido ao enxame de gafanhoto que pode chegar ao país pic.twitter.com/zyFQuaHEwY
— UOL (@UOL) June 26, 2020
Information on the Latin American swarm, at least in English, is very thin. (Oddly, the FAO’s “Desert Locust Watch” does not include Latin America. Perhaps the species is different?) From Reuters, “Argentina, Brazil monitor massive locust swarm; crop damage seen limited”:
Argentina and Brazil are monitoring the movement of a 15-square-kilometer locust swarm in Argentina’s northeast, though authorities and specialists said so far it had not caused significant damage to crops in the South American countries. Argentine food safety body SENASA said the swarm, which initially entered Argentina from Paraguay in late May, contained about 40 million insects. It is in the province of Corrientes, near borders with Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Argentina and Brazil are among the world’s largest soy and corn exporters.
“We are following the movement of the plague,” Héctor Medina, a coordinator at SENASA, told Reuters on Thursday. Due to the arrival of a cold weather front from the south, the movement of the locusts would be limited in the coming days, he added.
And a handy tip for the farmers in Nepal, Pakistan, and India. In addition to pesticides:
“My grandfather dealt with locusts many years ago. Farmers used to dig ditches in the ground, cover insects with soil, and then set them on fire,” [Eugenio Hack of the Copercampos cooperative in Santa Catarina] said.
So why so many swarms now? In a word, climate. From the Washington Post, “The world’s climate catastrophe worsens amid the pandemic“:
Scientists suggest the magnitude of the new swarms is a direct consequence of warming temperatures in the Indian Ocean, which created a pattern of torrential rainfall and cyclones that yielded more fertile breeding grounds for the locusts. Though much of the Indian spring harvest was collected before the locust swarms arrived, the Horn of Africa region could suffer up to $8.5 billion in lost crops and livestock production by the end of the year as a result of this locust outbreak, according to World Bank estimates.
“Nations which were already under threat of food insecurity now face a real danger of starvation,” Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) said in a statement touting bipartisan legislation in the House to boost aid to African countries affected by the infestation. “There are now up to 26 million people who are at risk of acute food shortages and widespread hunger.”
What would it cost to save 26 million people from starvation, and $8.5 billion in lost crops? A pittance. From the FAO, “Government of the Federal Republic of Germany contributes 2.3million EUR to boost FAO’s fight against Desert Locusts in Uganda“:
FAO considers the fight against the rapid spread of Desert Locusts in East Africa one of its top priorities. Therefore, as part of its global appeal to support the fight against the Desert Locust outbreak, safeguard livelihoods and promote early recovery, FAO issued an emergency humanitarian appeal totaling $153.2 million. So far, the agency has received $117.3 million in donations from national governments, foundations and other organizations including the Federal Republic of Germany. FAO in Uganda has so far mobilized USD 10 million from its core resources and development partners.
$153.2 million? Really? That’s only ten of Obama’s house on
Oak Bluffs Martha’s Vineyard. Or Jeff Bezos could check under his couch cushions for loose change. If only there were “the political will.” From NPR once again:
There’s a slate of international institutions that coordinates locust management and response. The primary effort is conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which runs the Desert Locust Watch to surveil and track locust migration patterns and oversee regional response efforts [but not in South America].
In individual nations, a lack of cash, competing priorities and domestic challenges make it hard to mount a long-range pest management strategy. Because locust numbers ebb and flow, Overson says it’s been difficult for countries — such as Kenya, which hasn’t seen an infestation in 70 years — to build up intermediate and long-term infrastructure to address outbreaks proactively. That’s why so many governments are now scrambling to come up with solutions.
“It’s hard to maintain funding and political will and knowledge and capacity building when you have these unpredictable boom and bust cycles that could play out over years or decades,” he says. “The drama and spectacle of the outbreak right now is important to cover, but the more nuanced narrative involves the slow, ratchet method of building infrastructure: If you wait until it’s reactive and forget about it until it happens again, we’re going to be in this situation forever.”
Just like COVID-19. Of course, there can’t possibly be a plague of locusts here, so there’s nothing to worry about. Except not. From Geocurrents, “Mapping Locust Swarms“:
The most widespread species, the migratory locust, has declined in recent years, its last major African “plague” occurring in 1942. The reasons for its waning do not seem to be fully understood.
The biggest locust mystery surrounds the species that was responsible for the largest swarms, the Rocky Mountain locust of North America. One outbreak in 1875 was estimated to have contained 12.5 trillion grasshoppers, which together would have weighed some 27.5 million tons. Yet within thirty years, the species was extinct, and since then North America has been virtually locust-free.* The cause of its extirpation has never been determined, although it has been argued that “the plowing and irrigation by settlers disrupted the natural life cycle of the insects in the very small areas they existed in between swarms.” Yet vast areas of the Great Plains, the core habitat, were never plowed, and irrigation was rare here in the late 1800s. Nor was overgrazing the likely cause. Recent research conducted jointly by scientists at the University of Arizona and the Chinese Academy of Sciences determined that extant locusts thrive on “low-protein, high-carbohydrate diets, typically found in overgrazed areas.”


Well, my patio-grown strawberry experiment seems to have been a success. For the past 3 weeks or so I’ve been rewarded with about a daily dozen ruby red jewels. That may not seem like a lot, but considering I only have about 16 plants total, I’d say I’m doing pretty well.
One of the challenges I’ve been having with growing the strawberries this year has been pollination. Colony collapse disorder has taken it’s toll on honey bees all over the country and Colorado is no exception. My area specifically is undergoing a lot of development and colonies of wild pollinators just aren’t around.
The first couple weeks my plants had blossoms, I wasn’t paying attention and was disheartened to find vine after vine of dead flowers. I’ve since been more proactive and everyday I take my handy dandy pollinator (also known as a q-tip) and pollinate the blossoms myself. It’s tedious and impractical and there’s no way I could do it if I had an entire strawberry field full of plants. But for my tiny little project, I’m willing to put in the effort to make sure I get their delicious bounty. It just makes me appreciate how vital pollinators are to agriculture.
To reward my persistence, I decided to make a sweet and tangy strawberry pudding. Cool and refreshing, it is the perfect dessert for a hot summer’s day.
Paleo Strawberry Pudding
* 4 TB cold water
* 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
* 3 cups fresh hulled strawberries (you could use frozen if you want)
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/2 cup plain coconut milk yogurt (you can use greek yogurt instead if you like dairy)
Mix the gelatin and water in a small, microwavable dish and let sit for 1 min. Microwave for about 20 sec until gelatin is dissolved but not boiling. Stir until smooth.
Add the strawberries, honey, and vanilla to a food processor or blender and puree. Add the yogurt and pulse to combine. With the food processor running, slowly add the dissolved gelatin. Cover and chill until set, about 4 hours. Garnish with more chopped strawberries or mint sprigs.
Note: This is an excellent way to use older strawberries that have lost their texture but still have great flavor.


Our marijuana artisans and master breeders use small-batch, artisan growing methods to allow the cannabis genetics of each plant to reach their full potential. Our methods produce pristine, pesticide-free craft cannabis flower. The plants are then fully-flushed and gently slow-cured for several weeks to enhance the smoothness of the eventual smoking experience for our guests.
Bred in-house with a focus on providing the most beneficial effects possible, 818 Genetics™ flower line was created to suit a wide variety of lifestyles.
For inquiries & orders contact us below!
LICENSE NO: C11-0000179-LIC
© 2020 818genetics.com


UPCOMING CLASSES & PRESENTATIONS
August 28, 2023 (Monday)
4 p.m. PST
Morbid Anatomy Online
Super Natural: Plants Behaving Weirdly
Once upon a time, "weird" referred to the supernatural—anything eerie, fantastic, or mysterious. Today, it still connotes the unconventional. Plants are conventionally perceived as passive organisms that serve human culture by being decorative and/or productive. But nature is rife with weird plants that defy this concept. Some upend the natural order by eating animals. Others are parasites or produce treacherous narcotics. Most survive by manipulating animals (including humans) for their own purposes. Meet some botanical rebels that demonstrate all plants are wonderfully weird.
Free online presentation:
September 22, 2023 (Friday)
The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Botanical Bedfellows: Meet the Pollinators
In recent years, growing concern has focused on the survival of pollinators, particularly honeybees, which are important to many commercial crops. But the 400-plus other bee species that are native to California are also vital pollinators—and they are only part of the story of plant reproduction and biodiversity. Plants rely on pollinators to produce fertile seeds and other animals—often birds—to disperse their seeds. Though butterflies are often grouped with pollinators, their role in this survival saga is more indirect. Learn about the beautiful and complex botanical connections between bees, birds, and butterflies.
November 9, 2023 (Thursday)
Southern California Horticultural Society
Rooted in History
The plant collections at The Huntington are rooted in stories—sagas of inspired plant collectors, of agriculture and agronomy, of the deft manipulation of plant DNA over centuries, of strange and wondrous evolutionary adaptations, and plants employed as elements in time-honored landscape narratives. Complementing the living history that fills the gardens are scientific works from the Library collections that chronicle the evolution of botany and horticulture as well as the natural and cultural histories of the plants that surround us in The Huntington Gardens.
Sandy Masuo is the senior writer in The Huntington’s Office of Communications and Marketing and has shared the remarkable tales of many a plant as a contributor to the weekly blog, Verso. She is also a popular presenter and has given talks for various plant societies and garden clubs. Join her for a stroll through the pages of noteworthy books that will make the gardens bloom anew.


The federal government has given its official seal of approval to the Alaska Children’s Industrial Hemp Program.
This means that hemp entrepreneurs who make hemp products, which can range from health products such as CBD oil to clothing, can now market products nationwide.
Currently, “Made in Alaska” hemp products are only available in Alaska.
While there is a lot of competition across the country in the hemp product market, a competitive advantage for Alaska manufacturers could be that Alaska is one of the few states that inspects products for their quality and purity. which is especially important for products that are ingested by humans, such as capsules.
In the past, hemp was combined with marijuana as a banned substance, and although hemp has a much lower content of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical compound in marijuana that causes the “high” that took years in Congress to accept it and decriminalize it. hemp.
Marijuana products tend to have a much higher THC content, up to 12 percent or more, and are still illegal under federal law, although many states, including Alaska, have legalized marijuana.
Hemp contains cannabidiol, or CBD, which has health benefits and has a much lower THC content. Alaska regulators inspect hemp products to make sure their THC content, especially for CBD health products, is 0.3 percent THC or below.
CBDs are known to have a wide variety of health benefits and are used in medications to control seizures and to help reduce anxiety, relieve diabetes complications, and relieve pain.
Hemp also has many other uses, including in clothing and as animal feed.
There are registered marijuana growers in Alaska who operate under strict licensing rules, as well as several hemp growers who operate under the rules of the Agriculture Division. So far, only a handful of companies have been asked to manufacture products such as hemp CBD.
Procedurally, Alaska has so far been operating its industrial hemp pilot program as a pilot program under federal law, but with federal approval it has paved the way for the state program to expand.
“Almost a legislator and the governor have supported the establishment of the hemp industry in Alaska,” said Dave Schade, director of the state’s Agriculture Division.
He cited the support of Sen. Shelley Hughes, a Palmer Republican, for her role in sponsoring the two bills that paved the way for the commercialization of industrial hemp in Alaska.
“The goal is to diversify Alaska’s economy by adding a new crop to our farmers. Industrial hemp is a crop where Alaska is not years behind the developing Lower 48,” Schade said. .
Dunleavy expressed hope that industrial hemp would become a viable commercial crop for Alaskan growers. Food security and all agriculture is a high priority.
“I’m excited to see what production and markets are developing in Alaska. We see great opportunities in local, national and international markets,” Dunleavy said.
The production, manufacture and sale of all industrial hemp products require registration with the Agriculture Division, and anyone operating without complying with Alaska’s bylaws and regulations will face immediate enforcement action, he said. Schade.


In Nigeria, the most common apples are those grown in temperate or Mediterranean climates. Unfortunately, apple farming in the Nigeria is not common because they need cool temperatures to thrive and produce fruits.
Over the planting season, temperate apples should be exposed to temperatures below 70°C for at least six (6) weeks (1,008 hours).
Meanwhile, these temperate apples are thought to have been grown in the past in Nigerian plateau regions such as Jos, Mambila, and Obudu. If you live in one of these cold areas of the country, you can try growing temperate apples on a small scale.
Apple can be grown in Nigeria!
Since the Nigerian climate does not allow the production of temperate apples, this does not rule out the possibility of growing them. According to research, the Bell apple is the kind of apple that could be grown in large amounts in Nigeria.
This apple is also nutritious, with a sweet and sour flavor that varies depending on how mature the fruit is.
The Bell apple can be found in 34 of the country’s 36 states, with the exception of Borno and Sokoto in the north.
Since only a few farmers are interested in planting this apple, there is already a high demand for Bell apple seedlings and fruits. So, why not seize the opportunity?
Steps to cultivating the Bell Apple in Nigeria:
- Soil Requirement
Bell apples need a lot of humidity and rain to grow well. It can grow in a variety of soil types, from sandy to clay. It can actually grow in mildly acidic soil.
The Bell apple has a planting season that runs from September to April. At a spacing of 5m by 5m, you can plant 160 seedlings per acre. The seeds are pressed onto the soil but only slightly covered.
This is large because seeds need light to germinate. Seeds can also be spaced at least an inch apart.
After planting, the soil should also be watered. The seed usually takes about three (3) weeks to germinate.
- Care & Management
Tree training and pruning are needed to ensure optimum plant growth and improved productivity.
During the fruiting season, the most common apple pests are ants, bats, thrips, and aphids. These can be avoided by using pesticides that are resistant to pests.
The use of disease-resistant rootstock will also reduce disease resistance in the case of diseases like crown blight and collar rot. Another issue arises during storage.
The apples are perishable and will rot after three days. If refrigerated, it might last a couple of weeks.
It usually takes three years for the tree to start bearing fruits. Each harvest yields at least 500 fruits, with at least two harvests per year.
Depending on the things you concentrate on, you can earn a 100% return on your investment in as little as six (6) months or as long as 3 years.
This means that Apple Farming in Nigeria can be lucrative. Within six months of planting, you might market the seedlings. You could also wait until the fruits are fully mature and ready to sell.