Consultant & Garden Coach
With over a decade in the business, Hill's Edible Landscapes is dedicated to making this small little portion of our world a better place by helping Spokane residents grow their own delicious, beautiful & sustainable Edible Landscapes and Gardens.
Pruning & Orchard Maintenance Coaching
This is the perfect time of year to prune your fruit trees! One of my specialties is teaching home orchardists how to prune & organically maintain their own fruit trees and berries for optimum health and fruit production.
My prices are very reasonable and will save you a fortune compared to hiring a company to do it for you. Fruit tree pruning is different than regular old pruning and it's a lot of fun once you are comfortable with what you're doing. Did I mention it's a great excuse to get outside after a long winter of hibernation!? Well, it is!
Last season I helped a client prune his 4 old apple trees. He called me over the weekend to tell me that he had his best apple crop ever... and he's had the trees for 20+ years! I was pretty excited to hear that I'm really making a difference in the local food movement!
Garden Planning & Coaching
Years spent farming and gardening have left me with a wealth of knowledge for gardening in our area. Whether you need simple advice about which organic fertilizers would be best or where to plant your garden on you property, or if you need a full garden layout I can help.
Edible Landscape Consulting
Growing a yard full of beautiful, nutritious edible plants is a great way to bring the local food movement right to your own front, or back yard! Many people will notice how wonderful your yard looks but I'll bet they wont know that it's edible! There is a lot to consider when making such an investment and I can give you the confidence and skills to get you started!
Fruit Tree Grafting
Learn how to graft your favorite varieties of fruit trees for a fraction of the cost of buying from a nursery. My hands on coaching will walk you though the proper use of tools and the steps it takes for a successful graft. My clients have said that they're most proud of the fruit trees that they've grafted and love to show them off!
P.S. I have some great fruit trees on my property and will supply you with grafting materials while my supply lasts!
When I was young I spent a lot of time in my grandparents gardens, I'm sure I was very helpful ;) As I got older I spent less time with my grandparents so gardening sort of slipped off my radar. I grew up a bit and went to college for Architecture but wound up interning with SPVV Landscape Architects, I was fortunate to spend 9 years with them, I learned a lot about Irrigation and Landscape in general but something was missing, I didn't feel like I was making much of a difference in ways that were important to me, the crew there became my family and it was terribly hard to leave but I decided to head back to school for teaching.
Somewhere in that first year back in college I watched a video about school gardens, being reminded of my grandparents gardens I immediately knew the impact of kids being in the garden and I was hooked. I started applying for farming internships so that I could learn what I knew I wanted to teach. I ended up interning at a really neat organic farm in Sandpoint, Idaho called Greentree Naturals, that internship didn't run the whole summer so I finished off the season working at another cool little organic farm in Spokane called Urban Eden.
Very randomly as I was finishing up that summer on the farms, I was offered a job at a design/build landscape company who were known for their great designs, they specialized in high end residential landscaping and there were hopes of bringing edible landscaping to their service list and I took the job, unfortunately it never went past a raised bed here or there. I spent 3+ years there all the while taking various classes and workshops through the county extension and SCC for pruning and various edible plant care. I learned a TON during that spell but realized that I still wasn't passionate about what I was doing and still not making a difference in ways that I had hoped for, so Hill's Edible Landscapes was born!
Since the start up I've been coaching people through design, planting and managing their gardens and edible landscapes, as well as maintaining and pruning their fruit trees, I've done a lot of pruning and garden installation in the past, unfortunately I developed overuse injury's in my hands/wrist/arms so I'm taking the 'doing' part out of the business and focusing on design, teaching and training.
I am very passionate about our community as well:
I started and run the 'Audubon-Downriver Crop Swap Stand' which has really brought my neighborhood gardeners together. I am a master composter/recycler and volunteer throughout the city teaching the community about composting and recycling. I spend a fair bit of time at local schools helping with various degrees of gardening and garden planning. I volunteering some of my design time with River City Youth Ops, the program helps teach local teens job skills and helps them to improve their lives and neighborhoods through gardening and other ventures.


In the past few days, we've been working on the garden in back. First, we assessed the soil quality. It looked pretty bad and very very dry. It was so dry, it was as hard as a rock, like a sheet of cement was there instead of dirt. It was even the color of cement! So we said, we have to go to Home Depot and get some tools to break up the soil and start making it good to garden. There were already two old rose bushes growing back there, and they survived without watering for about a month before we got there, so maybe the soil was salvageable.
After our trip to "The Depot," we were ready to get to work. We picked the hottest day, unfortunately, so breaking up the soil was even harder (although when I say hot I mean 80s). But watering the soil while breaking it up worked well, and we realized that the soil was good underneath the top hard crust. It actually retained a lot of the moisture we put into it while breaking it up. The rose bushes were infested by some crazy green plant with white tubers. It looked at first like green onion, but it lacked the deep green color and the stem wasn't whitish at the base. But it had long finger-like whitish tubers underground. It was stubborn as hell to pull out. There were multiple green tuber plants around the rose bush, which went wild, and I suspect they were slowly killing the old rose bush, taking its nutrients away to make so many tubers! At first I thought they might be good to eat, like potatoes or something, but I got so angry at them after more than half an hour trying to pull all of the tubers out, that I though, 'screw eating them!' Now I'm afraid of the tubers. What if they will grow into more green tuber plants!?
Once the soil was all turned, we went back to The Depot the next day to get some plants. We tried to pick plants that were either native or didn't need to be watered a lot. So we found some baby Italian Cypres trees for $5 and some golden evergreen shrubs (also for $5) and some native Rosemary, and ivy. I also cut some succulents from the front of the house, and planted them in the back for ground cover. We also bought some California Red Poppy seeds and Morning Glory seeds and sowed them in the soil. Hopefully they will germinate soon! Romy found a weird looking Elephant Foot Palm, and he couldn't resist buying it. We planted that in a pot and put it on the patio.
We celebrated the end of all the work in the garden by grilling some burgers on our patio. Mmmmmmm they were good!


Dr. Megan Wilkerson believes that everyone has an inner botanist, patiently waiting to be watered. Under optimal conditions, agriculture can be used to educate, inspire, and bring communities together. Megan created the Savvy Botanist to awaken the future generations of agricultural stewards.
Currently, Megan teaches Climate Change and Carbon Reduction at the University of District of Columbia and serves as Chief of the Pesticides Branch at the Department of Energy and Environment in Washington, DC. In the nation’s capital, Wilkerson’s team empowers DC residents by regulating toxic substances and the surrounding environment. In 2019, Megan was a Plant Scientist at Architect of the Capitol (AOC) and managed the overall plant health on Capitol Hill and the surrounding 300 acres. She brings twelve years of experience in managing programs and agricultural landscapes in domestic and international settings.
Dr. Wilkerson received two Doctorates from Penn State University (PSU), in Entomology and International Agriculture & Development. Megan also holds a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Science from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). She specializes in green infrastructure, urban sustainability, knowledge transfer, integrated pest management, social impact assessment, and community capacity building.
During her career, Megan researched in India, Trinidad and Tobago, Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mozambique, and South Africa. In 2016, Wilkerson was awarded a USDA Fellowship and spent 2 years in Ghana. During her residency, Megan collaborated with local farmers to develop pesticide alternatives. Dr. Wilkerson worked directly with USAID, USDA, World Cocoa Foundation, and the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture to examine knowledge retention and supervise training programs. She has a 100% pass rate among pesticide certification participants and is certified in CORE, Turf 3B, Ornamental 3A, Public Health 8, and Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health Related Pest Control 7E.


Wasteflow – Advanced treated effluent dispersal
Land Dispersal via Dripline Irrigation
Biolytix exclusively utilises Wasteflow dripline which is designed specifically for dispersal of treated effluent and which has two patented technologies that no other dripline offers:
1. Emitters are protected by Rootguard technology which uses Treflan herbicide to prevent roots growing into the emitter. The herbicide is impregnated into each drip emitter during the moulding process to direct root growth away from the drip emitter which stops root intrusion.
2. Wasteflow is protected against slime growth on the inside walls by the use of Geoshield. Geoshield is the green inner lining of the Wasteflow tube which is extruded with an antimicrobial agent that inhibits organic growth inside the dripline. This allows any debris accumulating within the dripline system to be more easily flushed out during maintenance.
Subsurface disposal through pressure compensating dripline offers the following advantages:
- The wetted volume of soil around the emitter is about 40% larger compared to surface installations.
- It reduces the potential for human or domestic animal contact which is important as secondary treated effluent can still have high pathogen concentrations.
- The potential for odours evident in the disposal area is reduced.
- The potential for UV degradation or mechanical damage is reduced.
All Biolytix BioPods are supplied with a standard dripline irrigation kit to allow for the controlled dispersal of treated wastewater into or onto the topsoil in your backyard. The dripline is a flexible and easy to install polyethylene dripline with pressure compensating turbulent flow emitters which distribute effluent slowly and uniformly across the entire disposal area even in difficult soils and on hilly terrain.
The major advantages of a sub-surface irrigation system:
- Grows more with less
Have a lush garden all year. The sub-surface irrigation helps you save water. It targets the root zone, where it is needed most. Far less valuable water is lost through evaporation, spray drift and run-off.
- Safeguards your family and pets
Sub-surface irrigation is your safest option. Even though the treated water from the BioPod is better than the required secondary standard, it is safest to keep it in the soil. The soil is an effective barrier to human contact with effluent. It eliminates the hygiene risks associated with pathogens in spray and puddles from above-ground irrigation.
- Less intrusive and reduced on-going costs
The irrigation is out of sight, out of mind. No need to mow around sprinklers and pipes, as these are not exposed to damage from the mower.
- More versatile
It is also better suited for steep slopes. In contrast, spray irrigation or surface pinned dripline on steep slopes can cause soil erosion and run off, and is more likely to result in uneven distribution.
Find out how the Award Winning Biopod works and how it ticks all the boxes for the Environment and Saving Money.


The use of organic food items for enhancing the diet has been around for ages. When the population started rising and the use of organic food products became less common. Organic products, while they are high in nutrition, take a lot of time to grow.
Intense research and a targeted approach led to the invention of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs that are extremely harmful to human health. While the chemical-based methods increased food production incredibly and resolve the food crisis, they also cause problems after continuous consumption.
After a rise in food and nutrition-related diseases, people from all over the world are realizing the importance of organic food. More than 60% of households in the upper-end segment rely on organic food items as a part of their daily diet. Organic food items are obviously better than inorganic food items. They taste better, are chemical-free, and help in the healthy preservation of the ecosystem. Today, we have compiled a list of the best organic food products that you can consume to maintain a healthy diet.
Best Organic Food Items for a Healthy Diet
1) Organic Vegetables
Vegetables are the most consumed food product in the world. Vegetables such as spinach, Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Carrots, Capsicum, Green chili, etc are some of the most common organic vegetables around the world.
Organic produce is mostly the exposure by humans rather than toxic chemicals which is why organic vegetables are densely planted.
2) Organic Fruits
Another common organic food item is organic fruits. Organic fruit consumption is also vastly high all over the world. Some of the most common fruits consumed are mangoes, bananas, apples, peaches, etc.
Organic fruits don’t contain any shots of Ethylene Hormones and Quick ripening chemicals. This is why organic fruits are much better tasting and healthier for the human body. The quality of organic fruits is also higher than inorganic fruits.
3) Fruit Juices
While they may not sound common, more than 5% of people around the world consume organic fruit juices. The most common examples are “coconut water, orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, etc. Consumption of organic juices can improve the fiber intake and nutrient intake of your body.
Milk is a widely consumed food item globally. Out of all the food items, milk is the most inorganically produced. Organic milk means that the milk is derived from cows that haven’t been fed any growth hormones and antibiotics. They are also fed organic grass and feed to make the milk as pure as possible. This is done to ensure that the produced milk is free of chemicals. Organic milk has a better consistency and contains more nutrients.
5) Organic Eggs
Just like any other food item on the list, eggs are also consumed widely worldwide. They are one of the most common breakfast items. To support this growing need for eggs, the chickens are given growth hormones and antibiotics to increase the rate of egg-laying.
Organic eggs are produced from chicken that is kept on a natural diet and contains no antibiotics. The chickens are also not raised in captivity, the difference can be easily seen between organic and inorganic eggs by the color of their yolk.
Conclusion: Best Organic Food Products
As the world is becoming digital, it is getting easier for people to get organic food items whenever they want. We suggest that you go to the nearest farmer’s market to get the freshest organic produce. Including organic food items in your diet can offer you a plethora of health benefits, why don’t you try it today?


Expert advice on seasonal and local yacht provisions in France
As the French Riviera remains one of the main summer luxury yacht charter destinations, Gourmet Deliveries, a yacht supplier on the French Riviera, has compiled a list of top ten seasonal fruit and vegetables grown in this corner of France to ask your local provisioning company for:
- Tomatoes can be used in numerous recipes or are delicious eaten on their own, with a subtle hint of basil. Both tomatoes and basil are grown in abundance in the South of France, and the former are particularly sweet here as they are ripened under the sun.
- A bowl of freshly picked apricots serve as an ideal snack. This popular fruit is grown in France and can be sourced locally.
- Melons in the South of France are sweet, juicy and perfect for a healthy breakfast or served at lunch with Parma ham, both products that can be ordered via a yacht supplier.
- Look at any rural scenery in the South of France at the beginning of summer and you will find cherry trees laden with ripe, juicy cherries.
- Also grown in abundance and perfect for snacks or as ingredients in sweet or savoury dishes is the fig, from another tree, which adorns the French countryside.
- Les haricots verts are a staple part of many meals in France, and local beans are perfect for a summer day’s lunch.
- Local peaches are great as a desert, snack or for that first Bellini of the evening – peach juice with champagne.
- In early summer one of the most delicious vegetables grown locally is asparagus, delicious with a dab of butter or poached egg.
- Another vegetable grown in abundance in the green houses and on the terraces on the Cote d’Azur is the radish, which the French love to eat with butter too.
- Finally, don’t forget to order from a gourmet yacht provisioning company, locally grown strawberries, which guests will never tire of. A bowl of strawberries will also make your guests happier, according to a report, which revealed that 86% of people feel more relaxed just by thinking about eating one.


The area around Maputsoe, the town in which Action Lesotho primarily operates, has high potential for agricultural development. In a country with such limited access to food and capital this is incredibly valuable. However there are many barriers to taking advantage of this potentially arable land: poor equipment, frequent droughts and storms, and the unpredictability of planting seasons as a result of climate change. This is made yet more difficult due to a lack of agricultural knowledge in such a challenging environment.
Our Agriculture Programme seeks to bring high standard and practices of Irish agriculture to Lesotho with the goal of facilitating the agricultural needs of the local community by providing access to expertise, manpower and equipment.
The goal of the Agricultural Programme is to create a successful and self-sustaining farming model which can be replicated across the country.


BackYard Produce~A Taste-bud delight & budget friendly.
Three generations have farmed the same soil and we are proud to keep up the tradition. Our parents and grand parents farmed this soil with truck farming. Now we market garden and grow a wide variety of vegetables and fruit. With season extension techniques we are able to harvest produce from the end of May thru December. All produce is picked when flavor is at it's best.
We grow produce with a combination of old fashioned horse sense, biodynamic preps, companion planting w/herbs and flowers, green cropping, tree barriers, intercropping, intense gardening methods, mulching, composting, soil amendments and love in caring for our little slice of paradise.
Where you can find us
We will have all your favorite seasonal local produce including summer squash, cucumber, tomato, pepper, melon, corn, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, chard, spinach, lettuce, salad mix, potato, garlic, leek, asparagus, winter squash, pumpkin and more! We grow our produce without synthetic chemicals and use a combination of methods to deter pests including but not limited to companion planting, intercropping, home made red pepper spray and we succession plant in several plots. The growers we work with use a variety of methods including integrated pest management for produce. If you have a question about the produce just ask us when you are at the stand. Everyone loves fruit including the pests so realistically some kind of determent is used to prevent a crop loss. The level will differ and depends on what kind of growing year we have.
We are not a certified organic grower, a grower must pay a licensing fee (and fill out a 37 page application) to use that term and we do not. We grow using an assortment of non synthetic methods including ideas and principles of permaculture and biodynamic concepts.
We also work with local farmers and purchase locally grown produce so we have a larger variety for our customers. We believe it is extremely important to network with the local growing community and develop a structure that will strengthen the local food shed. We are not huge with thousands of acres at our disposal for growing everything under the sun. We are a small family farm and grow several varieties of produce on our little slice of paradise. WE look to local growers to assist us with what we do not grow(primarily orchard fruit) and we are proud to be part of the Michiana local growers network. A strong local food shed is extremely important in creating food security for our great community. To create a strong local food shed we need a more growers/farmers not less.
Sign up for our weekly produce alert to get the news on what is in season and the produce we have in stock.


About Xundra's Garden
There are hundreds of flowers to collect in Xundra's Garden, each is given randomly as a seed to another flower.
In addition to collecting seeds via flowers, there is a "Garden Point" system that awards spendable points for weeding and squishing snails that appear in garden beds, and a "Green Thumb" level system where for each seed you collect you gain a point towards the next level up - higher levels unlock more flowers.
All you need to start is a flower and a pot. Watering is free, and done via the "Pot" or "Garden" menu. If you want to collect garden points, you will also need a garden bed (large if you want snails). If you have a garden bed you don't need a pot
Plants can survive outside of garden beds / pots and can even be watered if you have a watering can (included in the starter kit), however they will not produce seeds.
Plants do not die. If their hydration reaches zero, they will stop growing and producing seeds
The Starter Kit
Included in your starter kit is a flower and a medium pot (there is also a watering can, but it is not needed)
To get started, all you need to do is:
- Rezz the Pot
- Rezz the plant near the pot
- Click the pot and select "Add Plant"
- Click the plant.
The plant is planted, and will start to grow. You will need to water your plant, watering is done by clicking the pot and selecting water.
Your plant will grow in size every day up to age 5.
At age 10, then ever 10 days after that, your plant will go into seed. Click the plant and click "Yes" to the dialog to collect the seed. A new plant will be sent to you.
A plant must be planted inside a pot, planter or garden bed to go into seed.
Pots / Planters and Garden Beds are available at Xundra's Stuff
- Pots hold 1 plant, do not grow weeds or attract snails.
- Planters hold multiple plants, do not grow weeds or attract snails.
- Half Size Garden Beds hold 6 plants, and grow weeds.
- Full Size Garden Beds hold 12 plants, grow weeds and depending on the number of flowers planted, can attract snails.
Weeds and snails last 12 hours, and when clicked on, grant garden points. Garden points can be used to purchase special plants that can not be obtained via seeds.


One day I am going to build it with the double-ring hubs as seen on this website www.ziptiedomes.com. It is
Learn more about this project here: pyrapod.org/p/pyratunnel-edmonton-sandponics
This one is slightly different from the Dixon Project in Redwater, AB, Canada. This one has less digging and smaller
Learn more about this project here https://pyrapod.org/p/pyratunnel-edmonton-sandponics
This one is slightly different from the Dixon Project in Redwater, AB, Canada. Less digging and smaller size.
For more info about the project, please go to https://pyrapod.org/p/pyratunnel-edmonton-sandponics
More info about this project at https://www.gofundme.com/f/pyratunnel-aquaponics-calgary


Uruguay, a small corner in the world located between Argentina and Brazil, where soil fertility turns the agricultural sector into the main country’s economic income.
This small country land, with only 3 million inhabitants, has more than 12 million cattle heads, using 84% of its territory in farming, with 13 million has. of native pasture with more than 250 breeds.
Uruguay is the 7 th beef meat exporter in the world, with access to 150 markets. We produce 1 million tons of live weight per year, exporting 70% of the production,
representing 5% of the meat volume exported worldwide.
Regarding beef consumption, Uruguay occupies the 1 st position at world level with 57,8 kgs per person per year. This fact, combined with the ranking in whisky consumption, will make your visit quite an experience.


The Monashee Community Co-op has celebrated over a year of successful marketing of organic produce and groceries in Lumby. The underpinnings of this endeavor are based on such principles as expounded by world renowned organic crusader Dr. Vandana Shiva who was in Vernon this year for the conference of the Certified Organic Association of BC (Feb. 24.)
Vandana Shiva reminded us of the external costs that chemical pesticides cause to the biosphere. Any damage caused by bad farming practices are passed onto to society. Such agreements as the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) indemnify our losses. The touted efficiency of industrial food production is a myth, and one that destroys bio-diversity. Data about yields are manipulated and the nutrition from such food is degraded. She mentioned our one-time environmentalist Patrick Moore who had it wrong about the nutritional benefits of Golden Rice (owned by Monsanto subsidiary Syngenta). Our animal feed consisting of corn and soy is 90% GMO and as such becomes concentrated in what humans eat—to our detriment.
The production of synthetic nitrogen uses a tremendous amount of energy, a product of post-World War II chemical surpluses, and is seen to be one of the drivers of climate change. Traditionally Indian farmers grew pulses that fixed nitrogen when combined with other crops and allowed crop diversity. This practice has declined and India has become dependent on chemical fertilizers as well as imported pulses.
In response to concerns about increasing gluten intolerance, she noted that ancient wheats had 40% more protein and were not a health problem. The advent of industrial agriculture has seen the decline of 200,000 (?) rice varieties traditionally grown in India to only 3,000—the seeds of which were conserved by Vandana Shiva’s group Navdanya. The high nutritional value of organic farming practices could feed two Indias.
Vanadana Shiva referenced Sir Albert Howard, the father of modern organic farming working in India for 25 years, who demonstrated that pests are created by bad farming practices and that traditional organic farming minimizes the dangers from pests. Correcting unsuitable conditions of the soil and unsuitable crops made the environment virtually immune to pest attack and created healthy food and livestock.
The Indian government is suing Monsanto for its bio-piracy and illegal practices. India’s cotton growing region (amongst others) underwent such an exorbitant increase in the cost of seed and chemicals that led 300,000 Indian farmers to suicide. The corporate invasion from American seed companies has hamstrung India’s food sovereignty and at last the federal government is reacting.
In a just society 50% of what the consumer pays for food should go to the farmer, as opposed to the 1% that farmers get from industrial agriculture.
All living systems are self-organized and you can’t improve upon nature by contaminating plants with a foreign gene as in food contaminated by GMOs. It’s not about precision but the organism and the entire eco-system.
This is first in a series written by Monashee Community Co-op members. These topics would elaborate on local food production, healthy soil, bee pollination, non GMOs, seed diversity, humane and ethical treatment of animals, healthy diets as well as water usage and climate change.


Application for NIRSAL Loan 2023 – Agro Geo-Cooperative Loan Application
NIRSAL Loan 2023 – NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative Loan
Are you a Nigerian farmer seeking for a loan to grow or improve your company in 2023?
If so, you now have the chance to apply for the NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative Loan 2023, as we will lead you through the process and explain if you qualify.
A financial service provided by the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System is the NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative Loan.
Nirsal Agricultural Lending supports the expansion and development of agricultural cooperatives and small-scale farmers in Nigeria.
The loan is intended to be used to pay for agricultural operations including the purchase of inputs. building of infrastructure and value chain growth.
The lender and NIRSAL share the risk of the loan. The loan is made on a risk-sharing basis (commercial bank or a microfinance bank).
Additionally, some agricultural value chains, including those for crop, livestock, and agro-processing production, are tied to credit. Only farmers and cooperatives involved in these value chains have access to it.
2023 Requirements for NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative Loans
Depending on the lender and the particular agricultural value chain under consideration, the NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative Loan’s specific conditions may change. Typically, the conditions listed below may be applicable:
Only small-scale farmers and agricultural cooperatives residing in certain Nigerian states are eligible for this loan.
participating in certain agricultural value chains (eg crop production, livestock production, agro-processing).
Additionally, interested farmers or cooperative societies should be eager to use the NIRSAL’s specialist technical and extension services.
Collateral may be needed for the loan.
Collateral might take the form of real estate, equipment, or other assets.
For loans, financial statements:
For a loan, you may need to provide financial records, tax clearance, audited accounts, and other financial information.
A thorough business strategy that makes use of the financing may be necessary.
This covers the particular farming operations that will be funded, the anticipated return on investment, and the payback schedule.
How to Apply for an Agro Geo-Cooperative Loan from NIRSAL in 2023
There are various stages you must complete in order to apply for the NIRSAL Agro Cooperative Loan.
Make sure you first satisfy the requirements for the loan. This can include prerequisites like being a farmer in Nigeria and having a workable business strategy for your farm.
Gather all of the necessary paperwork that must be included with your loan application next. Financial information, company strategies, and identity papers may be included.
To get an application form, either go to the NIRSAL website or the office of the bank or microfinance institution closest to you.
Fill out the application form completely, making sure to include all of the necessary details about your company and financial status.
Send the completed application form and any necessary supporting papers to the relevant authorities (such as the bank or NIRSAL office).
Wait for the outcome of your loan application, which should come in a few weeks.
You may utilize the loan money to improve or grow your agricultural company if your loan application is granted.


Common Grounds Farmer Programme: Promoting Child Education in Ugandan Coffee Communities
||Kyagalani Ltd, CEFORD, Rainforest Alliance, RVO
||Greater Masaka and Rwenzori districts of Central and Western Uganda.
||At least 9,000 coffee growing households
Uganda is one of the world’s leading Robusta producers, and smaller quantities of Arabica are also grown in the Mt. Elgon and Rwenzori highlands and in the West Nile region.
More than 1.8 million smallholder farmers in Uganda depend on coffee for their livelihoods though the majority of Ugandan smallholder coffee farmers live below the poverty line and work on farms that average less than 0.2 hectares. Children continue to face educational challenges in Uganda’s coffee communities which increases the risk of child labour and the likelihood that children won’t receive quality education.
For most of 2020 and 2021, schools in Uganda were shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic and preliminary post-pandemic data shows that farmers are now more likely to be unable to afford to send their children to school due to the combination of school fee hikes and economic hardship stemming from the pandemic and from cost of living increases associated with inflation.
Without increased community awareness and community based monitoring and remediation systems this challenge is likely to continue. This project “Promoting Child Education in Ugandan Coffee Communities” is a joint initiative partnering with one of our suppliers Kyagalani Coffee Limited, Rainforest Alliance, Ugandan based Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) and Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) Fund Against Child Labour (FBK).
Together we are working at the community level in two coffee sourcing regions of Masaka and Rwenzori to tackle child labour and its root causes. The approach is to involve all stakeholders within the area including coffee exporter staff, teachers, parents, children, community groups, religious and cultural leaders and local authorities in a participatory approach to tackle this complex issue.
As we now complete the project we are in discussions with the partners and local stakeholders to align on how to scale the learnings and interventions to reach more coffee communities.


Kansas Farmers in panic as harvest dies due to wet weather
TOPEKA – November 19, 2018
Kansas farmers are in a true panic as they stand to lose a significant part of this year’s harvest due to wet weather this upcoming winter season, as it has presented challenges for those getting soybeans and milo out of the fields and winter wheat in the ground. As the state is considered one of the most important agricultural centers of the country, this could also affect the economy of all neighboring states as well.
“I would have planted a little bit of wheat this year, but don’t think I’m going to get any in,” said Raylen Phelon, a fifth-generation farmer. In fact, Phelon was in Topeka at a meeting at the Kansas Wheat Commission, and his son texted him that he was finally back in the fields cutting beans, yet it required much effort and time.
“He said it’s muddy and sticky, but he’s able to go,” Phelon said, adding that he typically has soybeans harvested by Halloween.
Brad Parker, spokesman for the Kansas Soybean Commission, admitted there is a significant problem in Kansas with the harvest, as just 74% of it has been completed this year, whilst the five-year average for this time of the year is close to 90%. Specialists, such as Marsha Boswell, spokeswoman for the Kansas Wheat Commission, added that the challenge, though, is that farmers who couldn’t get their soybeans harvested face issues with their wheat planting.
“There are certain deadlines that farmers have to have their wheat in by to qualify for crop insurance and keep that coverage,” she said. “We are essentially past all those deadlines for Kansas.
“If they haven’t gotten their wheat planted at this point, it’s likely that they are not going to plant it.”
Based on that likelihood, Boswell said, the Wheat Commission expects to see fewer acres planted.
The wet weather isn’t the only reason for a bad harvest, as Kansas State University researchers have also issued a report about purple seed stain, or a blight caused by a fungus that is affecting crops in the state.
“Large areas of the soybean belt have poor quality soybeans that are being either severely discounted or outright refused at the elevator,” Kansas State’s Department of Agronomy stated in their report. “In Kansas, there are confirmed reports of loads being rejected at local elevators and large terminals due to high levels of purple seed stain.”
Between trade tariffs affecting commodity prices and the wet weather, it has been a tough year for some Kansas farmers.


The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) with the City of Santa Barbara and East Bay Municipal Utilities District initiated the Graywater Study in the spring of 1996. Graywater is untreated waste water which has not come into contact with toilet waste. The purpose of the study was to collect data at single-family sites to determine the benefits, costs, and impacts of graywater. The project was modeled after the 1992 City of Los Angeles Office of Reclamations Graywater Pilot Project. It was hoped that there would be ten sites throughout the State to participate in this two-year project. While initial interest was great, only three sites in the cities of Santa Barbara, Danville (Contra Costa County), and Castro Valley (Alameda County) were able to obtain local permits and meet the other requirements of the study.
Because of the limited number of sites, this should not be considered a comprehensive, definitive report on graywater, either extolling or discouraging its use. Rather, it is a valuable case study with observations of the operation of these three legal graywater systems over a two-year period.
DWR provided specific sampling procedures and basic instructions to the participating agencies. Soil samples were taken from within six inches of the subsurface irrigation line. An Oakfield stainless steel tube was used to take several soil cores to seven inches deep, discarding the top one inch. The soil cores, constituting of at least 500 grams of soil, were deposited into a ziploc plastic bag.
Water samples were taken from an outlet of the surge tank and deposited directly into a sampling tube, then poured into a one-quart polyethylene container.
Samples were labeled; packed in a cooler and iced to maintain the temperature at 4 degrees Celsius for 25 hours; and sent in overnight delivery to the DWR laboratory in West Sacramento.
The water samples were analyzed immediately upon receipt at the lab. The soil samples were dried, then weighed out to 50 grams of soil. Then 500 milliliters of de-ionized water was added to the soil, and extracted after 48 hours. Finally, the water was filtered from the soil and analyzed.
The soil and water samples were tested for Boron, pH, Sodium, Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, Specific Conductivity, and calculated Sodium Adsorption Ratio. These chemical parameters indicate conditions of the soil that may affect plant growth directly or indirectly.
The chemical composition of graywater varies greatly based on numerous factors including the original quality of the water coming to the home; personal habits of the family members; which plumbing fixtures are connected to the system; and usually most importantly, the laundry soaps used. While samples taken from the graywater tank provide important reference data, samples from the soil are better indicators of the potential effect on the soil and plants. Therefore, the following observations are based primarily on the soil-based samples.
See Table A for a complete tabulation of the laboratory reports. The laboratory reports were reviewed in terms of ranges of values of chemical parameters for plant growth conditions; upward trends over the two-year period; and obvious spikes of chemical concentrations. There were no significant, consistent upward trends or spikes in chemical concentrations from the soil samples in any of the constituents tested. However, at the Castro Valley site, there was a temporary increase in salinity in both the graywater storage tank and the soil from July 1996 until the end of 1996 (see Specific Conductance, SC.) The value of 1060 micromhos/cm indicates that salt had accumulated in the soil to a potentially lethal level for plants. Presumably, either supplemental irrigation with potable water or rainfall between November 1996 and April 1997 leached the salts from the soils.
The normal range for pH is from 6.5 to 8.4. Measurement of pH of less than 7 indicates an acidic soil; 7 is neutral; and greater than 7 indicates an alkaline soil. Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium are alkaline chemicals. Lab reports from all except one sample for all three sites showed that pH exceeded 7.1, indicating alkaline soil conditions. This supports the recommendation that gardeners avoid planting acid-loving plants such as azaleas, gardenias, camellias, and rhododendrons in landscapes irrigated with graywater.
Also, pH can be an indicator of the potential for drip irrigation emitters to clog. The combination of high pH and high Calcium can cause potential clogging problems due to a build up of precipitated lime in the emitters. According to Pestcod (FAO 47, Wastewater treatment and use for agriculture, 1992):
Degree of Restriction of Use
None Slight-Moderate Severe
pH <7.0 7.0-8.0 >8.0
Based on these criteria, pH was slightly to moderately problematic in terms of clogging emitters at all sites.
The concentration of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) is an indication of the capacity of water to precipitate soap (form a lather). For irrigation equipment purposes, soft water is preferred over hard water. The lower the concentration of CaCO3, the softer the water:
Concentration of CaCo3 (mg/L) Description
300 and up very hard
(from the Quality Criteria for Water, U.S. E.P.A., 1986)
Three of the soil samples were in the "moderately hard" range while all the rest were in the "soft " category.
High levels of Sodium can degrade the soils physical condition and contribute toward an alkaline soil condition. In addition, high Sodium can be toxic to certain plants and disrupt the Calcium nutrition of the plant. UNFAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Publication #29: Water Quality in Agriculture) indicates "no problems" at levels less than 69 mg/L, "increasing problems" between 69 and 207, and "severe problems" at greater than 207. Neither the Santa Barbara nor Danville sites registered Sodium readings from the soil samples that would cause problems. Castro Valley registered three readings in the "increasing problems" category, and one indicating potentially "severe problems." (Based on the soil samples being multiplied by 25 to estimate the concentration as a "saturated paste," the scientific standard by which potential plant effects are based.)
The specific conductivity (SC) or electrical conductivity (EC) of the water is an indicator of the salinity hazard. It is a measure of all dissolved salts in the water. The higher the concentration of salts and minerals, the greater the potential for adverse impacts on the soil and plants. The standard classification of soils from the National Soil Survey Handbook, NRCS, 1993, related to salinity is:
Class Specific Conductivity (Ece)
0. non saline 0-2,000 micromhos/cm
1. very slightly saline 2,000-4,000
2. slightly saline 4,000-8000
3. moderately saline 8,000-16,000
4. strongly saline > 16,000
None of the samples exceeded 2,000 micromhos/cm, indicated that non saline conditions exist in all cases tested. In nearly all cases, the EC was near or below 1 dS/m, and does not pose a salinity hazard (SP/1000=Ds/m, multiplied by 24 for an estimated EC.) In one case in Castro Valley, the EC increased in the tank to 1.9 Ds/m, but later decreased to 0.4. Should the EC in the water increase to this level on a frequent basis or remain at this level for a prolonged period of time, certain sensitive plants could suffer salt injury.
The Sodium Adsorption Ratio is an important parameter because, in combination with SC, it can indicate whether a water source will reduce the infiltration rate of water into the soil. SAR is calculated from the concentrations (in milliequivalents per liter, meq/L) of Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium. High Sodium Adsorption Ratios reduce the infiltration rate of water into the soil. Soils with values for Sodium Adsorption Ratios of 13 or more may result in soils with reduced permeability and aeration, and a general degradation of soil structure (according to the National Soil Survey Handbook, NRCS, 1993). All SAR readings in this study were well below 13.
A look at the combined effect of SAR and EC also indicates that graywater at these three sites would not create an infiltration or permeability problem. This is based upon the following criteria from Dr. Jim Oster, Soil Specialist for the University of California Riverside Cooperative Extension:
When SAR is: Potential infiltration problem is:
Unlikely if EC is: Likely if EC is:
0-3 >0.7 <0.3
3-6 >1.0 <0.4
6-12 >2.0 <0.5
12-20 >3.0 <1.0
20-40 >5.0 <2.0
In proper amounts, Calcium is an important micronutrient for plants. In excessive amounts, Calcium could clog the emitters of a sub-surface drip irrigation system, such as is often used with graywater systems, if not properly filtered. High levels of Calcium could contribute toward an alkaline soil. The measurement of Calcium levels is used to determine Sodium Adsorption Ratios, and has no established specific level of concentration that would be damaging to the soil or plants.
In proper amounts, Magnesium is also an important micronutrient for plants. Likewise, in excessive amounts, Magnesium could clog the emitters of a subsurface drip irrigation system, such as is often used with graywater systems, if not properly filtered. The measurement of Magnesium levels is used to determine Sodium Adsorption Ratios, and has no established specific level of concentration that would be damaging to the soil or plants. Magnesium levels are relatively low and are not problematic.
This element can cause toxicity to plants at very low concentrations. UNFAO indicates "no problems" at levels less than 142 mg/L, "increasing problems" between 142 and 355, and "severe problems" at greater than 355. Chloride measurement from the soil samples at all three sites were within the "no problem" category.
This element can also cause toxicity to plants at very low concentrations. UNFAO indicates "no problems" at levels less than 0.75 mg/L, "increasing problems" between 0.75 and 2.0, and "severe problems" at greater than 2.0. All sites recorded less than 0.1 mg/L of Boron from the soil samples tested. This is well within the "no problem" range.
Based on the samples taken, there appear to be no problems related to hardness, SAR, Chlorine, or Boron. The pH was routinely alkaline. Specific conductivity results indicate non saline conditions. Sodium was slightly high in the Castro Valley site, highlighting what could be the greatest concern for the use of graywater: transient salinity conditions, especially in systems which use subsurface drip irrigation. Winter rains or occasional leaching of the soil would usually take care of this problem.
Both the City and County of Santa Barbara developed a permit system for the use of graywater during the last California drought to provide citizens a legally recognized way to use graywater to keep their landscapes alive. At that time, the City of Santa Barbara only allowed the use of graywater during a "drought emergency" condition. Many homeowners that used graywater during the drought expressed interest in using graywater after the drought was over. However, even after the State approved graywater standards in 1994, staff found problems in the process to permit and install a legal graywater system as only three permits for graywater systems had been issued by the City of Santa Barbara Building and Zoning Division since 1990. One of the Citys reasons for participating in the DWR study was to develop methods for increasing graywater use with legal permitted systems.
The study site is a single-family residential lot on the west side of the City of Santa Barbara. The property is 6,900 square feet with a 1,100 square foot home. The home has one bathroom. The home was torn down and rebuilt by the homeowners in 1992. The landscape consists of a vegetable garden, fruit trees, and low-water using plants. There are two large landscaped areas in the front of the house separated by a central path. Additionally there are small landscaped areas on the sides and back of the house. The homeowners are organic gardeners and therefore use only organic products on their landscaping. The landscape is heavily mulched and the soil is in excellent condition.
Connections to the graywater system are made from the bathtub/shower, bathroom sink and clotheswasher. This is a gravity-feed system requiring no filtering and no tank. Graywater drains through 2" ABS pipe at a slope of a minimum of _" per one foot allowing debris to be flushed through. Infiltration is switched between two zones every 2-3 weeks to allow the soil to rest and dry out. Each zone splits the water numerous times as it flows to supply water to numerous fruit trees. Splitting is achieved through precise leveling of "T" fittings. Infiltration occurs through reservoirs consisting of buried perforated five-gallon buckets surrounded by wood chips.
The two zones are in the large landscaped area in the front of the house that irrigates a mixture of citrus, stone fruit and other fruit trees. Zone 1 is 52 square feet and irrigates six fruit trees and Zone 2 is 44 square feet and irrigates four fruit trees. See diagram below of the graywater irrigation system.
The homeowners use Oasis laundry soap (1/16 1/8 cup per load of laundry) in the washing machine which appears to have no negative affects on the majority of the fruit trees. Only the guava tree seemed stressed by the use of graywater. In April 1998, homeowners began using Ultra 7 enzyme cleaning solution, a soapless water treatment disk, in the laundry. They use Oasis soap periodically with the disk. Since the use of the disk, homeowners state that the guava tree appears to be doing better.
When the homeowners rebuilt their home, they plumbed the home with the intention of installing a graywater system. Capital costs of the graywater system were low because of this foresight. The home has a raised foundation that made the plumbing changes much simpler than if the home had a slab foundation. The total materials cost of the system was $781, with $212 for the graywater system and $569 for the irrigation system. The homeowners installed the system themselves, thus reducing the labor costs substantially. The only labor costs were $350 for plumbing work. Because of the relatively basic nature of this type of system, the capital costs are significantly lower than for other types of graywater systems.
Operating costs are minimal due to the very simple, gravity system that was installed. The homeowners estimate that one hour per month is spent on maintaining the system.
Homeowners irrigate Zone 1 for 2-3 weeks and then switch to Zone 2 for the same period of time. A separate meter measures the graywater use to evaluate the potable water saved. Because the site has a gravity graywater system, it was necessary to use a meter that could operate at atmospheric pressure. A tipping bucket meter is used to measure the graywater that works by filling and tipping every 1.5 gallons and then records the tips on a digital counter. The homeowners kept a monthly log which included recording the readings of the graywater meter. The first winter the homeowners turned the graywater system off for most of January and February. From November 1996 to March 1997 the total graywater use was only 3.5 hundred cubic feet (hcf). The 1997 spring/summer graywater use (April 1997 to October 1997) was 12 hcf. From November 1996 to June 1997 there were three people living in the home, after that time there were only two people living in the home.
Graywater use for the second winter of the study was minimal. For November and December 1997 the graywater use was only 1 hcf. The graywater system was turned off for January through the end of March 1998 due to heavy rainfall. The 1998 spring/summer graywater use (April 1998 to September 1998) was 8 hcf.
Because the homeowners were continuing to landscape their property with additional plantings irrigated with potable water during the study, one cannot compare the historical potable water use of the property to calculate potable water saved. However, it is the assumption of the author that a significant percentage of the graywater used offset potable water use that otherwise would have been necessary to irrigate the fruit trees.
Based upon an estimated life of the graywater system of 20 years, the total water savings is approximately 190,740 gallons. This is equal to 0.6 acre feet or 255 hcf. At an average cost of $3.50 per hcf in the City of Santa Barbara service area, the customer water savings is $893. Since the cost of the system was $1131, the net cost to the homeowner over 20 years would be around $238.
Since there are only two people living in the home, the amount of graywater produced was just enough for the fruit trees on the system. However, this type of system could be expanded to irrigate larger landscaped areas with more graywater at a home with an increased number of residents, which would increase the cost effectiveness of the system.
Overall, the homeowners are very happy with their graywater system. The homeowners are organic farmers with a strong conservation ethic and had a positive attitude towards graywater. Installation of the gravity run system was somewhat difficult because the slope of the system had to remain at _" drop per 1 foot. However, once installed the simple nature of the system allowed it to be basically maintenance free.
The homeowners were pleased with the health of their fruit trees. The only problem they had was with the large amount of slugs that congregated in the reservoirs. Due to the set up of the system, fruit trees are irrigated for 2-3 weeks in Zone 1 and then graywater is switched to Zone 2. The homeowners noticed that the citrus trees appeared to do well with the continued watering for 2-3 weeks without a drying out period, however the stone fruit trees seemed to be slightly stressed by the long irrigation periods.
Permitting of the graywater system by the local regulatory agencies was a lengthy process mainly due to a lack of knowledge on the graywater standards. When the homeowner and the author first approached the City of Santa Barbara Building and Zoning Division (Building Division) with a request for a graywater permit, the inspectors had no knowledge of the California Graywater Standards. There was also confusion on who had jurisdiction to permit a graywater system. The Building Division referred us to the Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Department, who after having the plans for six weeks, informed us that they had no jurisdiction for review. Once this confusion was cleared up, the permit process was resumed at the Building Division and went very smoothly, as we then received the permit in three days. The cost of the permit was $80. The study site permitting process was an educational process for the regulatory agencies in Santa Barbara and they now know how to handle graywater permits.
The type of graywater system at the City of Santa Barbara site works well for that particular size of property and the type of landscaping that is irrigated with graywater. It is a small system with low capital costs. Installing the system was simplified because this site was pre-plumbed for graywater when it was rebuilt. Homeowners completed the majority of the installation of the system themselves which reduced the labor costs substantially.
It is the authors opinion that until the permitting process with the regulatory agencies is streamlined and uniform for the State, it will deter citizens from permitting their graywater systems. Because of the confusion and lack of knowledge of the regulatory agencies, the permitting process delayed the installation of the graywater system at the study site by almost two months. A simple, straight-forward process will encourage citizens to apply for a permit.
A mailing was sent to 500 randomly selected East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) single family customers seeking participation in the graywater study. The mailing included a qualifying survey whereby participants had to have at least four members in the family and be living in a dwelling with a raised foundation. Two sites were selected from 15 site inspections.
Both of the selected sites involved two story detached single-family dwelling with approximately 10,000 square feet of irrigated landscaping. Both sites also have four family members, three bathrooms, a clothes washer, and an automated irrigation system.
The installed graywater systems both included the following components:
Connections to the graywater system in both residences are made from the clothes washer, and two out of three of the bathrooms. All three bathrooms are full bathrooms, in that they contain a wash basin and either a bath or shower. The reason one bathroom at each site was not connected to the graywater system was due to cost concerns. Adding the remaining upstairs bathroom to the graywater system would have involved extensive work to get into the walls to make the plumbing changes.
At one site, the graywater irrigation system is used to irrigate a lawn area and at the other site a sloped shrub area is irrigated.
The capital cost for each graywater system was $1250, which included the cost of plumbing connections. The labor cost for the two sites averaged $4150 each. Approximately $1,000 of the installation cost was for the installation of the irrigation system, which was required to be buried to a depth of about 9 inches in a 17 inch trench. Irrigation lines needed to be 14 inches apart and cover approximately 1200 square feet. The installation of the graywater systems was labor intensive due to the difficulty incurred in making the drain line plumbing connections from the various household fixtures. The total system capital and installation cost averaged $5400 for each site.
The quality of the landscape was reviewed monthly during the study and no noticeable negative impacts were noted. At one home, where the graywater irrigation system irrigated a lawn area, supplemental water was needed on occasion.
The estimated per capita flow from the graywater system was expected to be around 30-35 gallons per person per day or about 50% of indoor use. A water meter was installed on the graywater line running to the landscape to measure water flows from the graywater system. The average annual discharge to the landscape at one home was 74 gallons per day and was 89 gallons per day at the other home for a per capita annual average of 20.4 gallons per day. One obvious reason that the measured use was lower than expected could be due to the fact that one bathroom was not connected to the graywater drain line system in both of the homes.
Based upon an estimated life of the graywater system of 15 years, the total water savings is about 446,200 gallons. This is equal to 1.37 acre feet or 596 hcf. At an average cost of $1.50 per hcf in the EBMUD service area the customer water savings is $895. Since the cost of the system was $5400, the net cost to the homeowner over 15 years would be around $4500. The energy cost to operate the pump was not calculated but would add to the total cost. The cost for water to back-flush the filter system (six times a year and for 10 minutes each time) over a 15 year period was calculated to be around $20.
Homeowners were required to maintain a monthly log and note any maintenance problems or absences from the site of several days or more. Study participants were satisfied with the graywater systems and incurred no maintenance problems during the study period. Both homeowners plan to keep using the graywater system. However, they also indicated that they would not be willing to pay for these systems without a significant financial incentive.
The permitting and inspection process was somewhat involved at the two permitting agencies: the Town of Danville and the County of Alameda. The Town of Danville permit cost $140 and the County of Alameda permit cost $125. Neither agency was excited about permitting a graywater system. However, after several letters and several telephone calls, both agencies issued permits. Both agencies were concerned about the proper venting of the drain line system, the plumbing of an overflow return line from the surge tank to the sanitary sewer system, and the proper drain line connections. Neither agency, on the other hand, inspected the irrigation system. The County of Alameda also required that the surge tank be strapped down in case of an earthquake. Both agencies required proper labeling of the waste stream which involved a note that said "Danger- Graywater- Do Not Drink". Both agencies required a site plan showing the layout of the drain lines and the irrigation system.
The following comments are offered based upon observations of the author made during this graywater study:
The graywater study concludes in November 1998. Soil and water quality analysis are forthcoming and will be presented at the Conserv 99 Conference.
Drawing from the results of the study, the following recommendations are proposed to promote the use of graywater in California: 1. Provide the public with information on the different types of systems and their associated costs and potential benefits; 2. Improve the graywater permitting process establish statewide guidelines that will streamline the process for a homeowner to obtain a permitted legal system; 3. Provide incentives for residences to use graywater, including dual plumbing in new construction; and 4. Encourage graywater system manufacturers to work with large hardware stores to have training on graywater systems for customers.
Special thanks to Stephen Grattan, Plant and Water Relations Specialist at the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources of the University of California, Davis who contributed generously to the design and analysis of this project.
www.oasisdesign.net Copyright © Art Ludwig 1997 -2013


“The farmer had harvested the padi in the field”.
to pick and collect crops, or to collect plants, animals, or fish to eat: In the US, winter wheat is harvested in the early summer.
the time of year when crops are cut and collected from the fields, or the activity of cutting and collecting ..
gather (a crop) as a harvest. “after harvesting, most of the crop is stored in large buildings”
synonyms:gather in, gather, bring in, take in; reap, pick, collect; raregarner, ingather, glean, cull
“once he’s harvested the wheat crop, there are still the beans”


L93 bentgrass seed has not been readily available for the longest time. We have access to approximately 175 pounds of immediately available L93 bentgrass seed. It is being sold by the pound, or in five, ten and 25 pound increments. This is fresh, high germination L93 bentgrass seed, and it’s first come first serve. No way to know how the l93 bentgrass seed Spring harvest is going to do, so you might want to grab some L93 bentgrass seed while it’s still available. Again, since it’s such a short supply, no complaining if you go to take advantage of this opportunity, and it’s all sold out.
L93 Bentgrass Seed – Why should you use it?
One of the reasons that L93 Bentgrass is so popular is because it is ailment and infestation tolerant and requires a lower number of pesticides or herbicides, L93 bentgrass, which happens to be extremely temperature resistant and doesn’t have to have the similar air movement and sunlight as a number of the more common grasses.
Greens that utilize L93 bentgrass, result in putts that move more true and locate the bottom of the cup on a regular basis!
L93 bentgrass seed is by far, one of the best choices for putting greens and tee boxes.
L-93 bentgrass originated as a result of propagation initiatives involving Rutgers University and Lofts Seed for a decade and launched in 1995. Parental product and beginning choices have been determined by qualities including color, advancement behavior and sickness opposition. Chosen product was taken care of with no fungicide programs using a perspective to discovering materials together with the maximum degrees of sickness opposition.
L-93 bentgrass seed continues to be most popular bentgrass seed selection in the united states as well as in South Africa. Its putting characteristics along with its easier managing helps it be commonly known as the best new technology bentgrass seed to keep. A reduced fungicide need tends to make L-93 bentgrass seed a fundamental element of an IPM (integrated pest management) process and decreases operations expenses.
Even though this assortment features a fine and thick consistency, it doesn’t need an extraordinarily higher level of thatch managing. Typical hollow tining procedures and top dressing procedures are adequate.
Because it doesn’t experience anthocyanin build-up (leaf-purpling) in fall months, L-93 bentgrass seed retains its eye-catching shade in the winter months. Because of its temperature level of resistance and cold hardiness, L-93 bentgrass seed is commonly used, executing effectively through the entire United states and South Africa.
It truly is ideal for use on greens, tees and fairways, despite the fact that L93 bentgrass seed isn’t presently utilized as being a fairway turf in South Africa. It may also be utilized on bowling greens as well as on grass tennis courts.


Shouguang Youxian Seed Co., Ltd. was founded in 2005, is located in Shandong Chinese town of vegetables - Shouguang City, office covers an area of 30 acres, with new varieties display, screen breeding base of more than 100 acres, is a collection of scientific research, experiment and demonstration, to promote the integration of vegetable seed companies.
Company introduction and the accumulation of a large number of germplasm resources at home and abroad, the operation mode of modern seed enterprises, R & D, mainly engaged in high-grade tomato seed introduction, testing, promotion, sales, at the same time the company from Australia, Holland, Israel, the United States, Japan and other foreign institutions to introduce a large number of excellent breeding tomato varieties, testing, screening, and according to the different climate and cultivation conditions, promotion of choice. After the outbreak of tomato TY virus, the company launched a series of anti-virus varieties, well received by growers.
The company has always been the spirit of "service first, customer first" principle, and adhere to the "professional, innovation, integrity, win-win" business philosophy, and colleagues, work together, common development, service in the vegetable industry. For the new and old customers to provide professional, first-class service, customer cultivation, management in place, to provide first-class management, cultivation techniques, so that customers do not worry.
The company has a factory seedling base, perennial high-quality book all kinds of vegetable seedlings, are exported to all over the country.
Main products: domestic and international famous, Hitt tomato varieties of nearly 200


Pollen is the male seed of flowers. It is required for the fertilization of the plant. The tiny particles consist of 50/1,000-millimeter corpuscles, formed at the free end of the stamen in the heart of the blossom. Every variety of flower in the universe puts forth a dusting of pollen. Many orchard fruits and agricultural food crops do, too.
Bee pollen is the food of the young bee and it is approximately 40% protein. It is considered one of nature's most completely nourishing foods. It contains nearly all nutrients required by humans. About half of its protein is in the form of free amino acids that are ready to be used directly by the body. Such highly assimilable protein can contribute significantly to one's protein needs.
The Benefits of Bee Pollen
Bee pollen contains all the essential components of life. The percentage of rejuvenating elements in bee pollen remarkably exceeds those present in brewer's yeast and wheat germ. Bee pollen corrects the deficient or unbalanced nutrition, common in the customs of our present-day civilization of consuming incomplete foods, often with added chemical ingredients, which expose us to physiological problems as various as they are numerous.


Will you really like garden but don’t have plenty of area to get it done in your back garden? Or maybe you wish to start garden earlier around or later to the drop, although the weather conditions isn’t cooperating. A greenhouse might be the perfect option to suit your needs! In this particular blog post, we will talk about some tips and tricks for constructing your very own greenhouse.
Idea Top: Plan In Advance
Before starting creating your greenhouse, it is important to take time to plan ahead. You have got to choose the size of the greenhouse, and also the spot. Additionally it is crucial that you take into account what type of vegetation you would like to develop, simply because this will affect the kind of greenhouse you develop.
Tip #2: Select The Right Place
The area of your respective greenhouse is important for a couple of motives. First, you need to make sure that this place becomes enough sunshine. When the spot is way too dishonest, your vegetation is not going to develop well. Second, you have to be sure the area is stage. A levels surface area will make it easier to develop your greenhouse and keep it levels after it really is built.
Hint #3: Select The Right Materials
If you are choosing the materials to your greenhouse, you should pick materials that may endure the weather conditions problems in your town.
Tip #4: Create A Greenhouse
While you are building your greenhouse, it is very important develop a greenhouse that fits your needs. You should consider how big the greenhouse, and also the form of plant life you want to increase. If you would like increase huge vegetation, you might need a larger sized greenhouse. If you wish to increase fragile plants, you will need a more compact greenhouse.
When you are constructing your own personal greenhouse, you should take time to make plans and choose the best supplies. If you do this, your greenhouse will be sturdy and definately will last for several years.


You can start in Marrakech and enjoy the early morning drive or stay locally and start fresh for your hike.
The trek starts from the village of Imi Oughlad in Imlil Valley and you ascend through the village to Tagadirt n´Ait Ali village.
Here you see the lifestyle of these mountain people and how they use the land around them to grow fruit trees and crops.
The hike continues to ascend to reach the pass and then descends to the hidden village of Tinzert where you see a typical unspoilt adobe village stacked up along the mountainside with steep terraced sides.
Lunch will be in the vicinity of the village before taking the high trail up out of the village with superb views.
The trail crosses woodlands and plateaus to bring you down to Asni market town.
This is a peaceful trek with full immersion in nature, green woodlands and the sound of birds; a great way to de-stress and enjoy the local lifestyle.
1 Day Hike from Imi Oughlad - Tagadirt nÄit Ali - Tinzert - Asni
You can start from Marrakech with an early morning drive up to the village of Imi Oughlad, or Asni if you are doing it in reverse.
The hike takes you through the villages of Imi Oughlad and Tagadirt nÄit Ali where you can see how these mountain people live and take care of their crops and animals. Fruit trees fill the terraced fields with fodder for animals growing between them, vegetables are also be grown. Leaving these two villages you leave the Imlil Valley below and ascend through woodlands of juniper, wild oaks and wild herbs. From the top, you descend to the small valley where you find the hidden village of Tinzert amongst terraced fields of wheat. Goats graze on shrubbery and children can be heard playing. This is a beautiful unspoilt region with adobe houses clinging to the mountainsides. After a lunch break, which may be either a picnic or perhaps in a local house, you ascend out of the village and cross plateaus and woodlands to emerge in Asni Valley.


Terre Etruria, Farming Cooperative between producers, extends along the Etruscan Coast, starting from Pisa until to Grosseto. It pays particular attention to the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, where tradition meets innovation to offer a genuine, authentic and certified Toscano PGI oil, appreciates on the typical tuscan dishes.
This oil on each bite tells the story of those who have worked with passion and pride to product it and, at the same time, it lets taste the image of the land where it was born and matured. The olives of Terre Etruria derived only from the land of the cooperative producers and the cold pressing takes place in mills business.
The result is an Extra Virgin Olive Oil that ensures Quality and Personality, Passion and Commitment, needed to reach the certification and the guarantee by the Consortium for the Protection of extra virgin olive oil PGI. This authority, in more than 15 years of activity, with more than 11,000 members, was able to protect and promote the Tuscan extra virgin olive oil in Italy and abroad, certifying compliance with the product specification on all stages of processing extra virgin olive oil PGI, from harvesting and milling of olives and packaging of the product, which must necessarily take place within Tuscany.
This oil is also subject, in order to be certified, to chemical and sensory tests (taste by commissions paid by the Ministry of Agriculture) to check its compliance with the specification. That's how you get an excellence that was born and raised in Tuscany, an Extra Virgin Olive Oil PGI guaranteed by consortium.
Antico Borgo is a brand of Terre dell'Etruria, a product range that revolves around Tuscany, the places and the men it stands for.
We make our Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil from olives picked and ground in Tuscany, through a careful selection of the best oils brought by the coop members, based on the results of the best oils brought by the coop members, based on the results of the chemical and organoleptic tests the oil undergoes once the olives have been ground.
Additional documental and organoleptic tests are conducted on the product by Consorzio per la tutela dell'Olio Extravergine di oliva Toscano IGP, (protection geographical indication consortium) as a further guarantee of the origin of the oil and its compliance with production specifications.


"I believe one of the ways to save the sea is to manage the land organically"
I began growing organic produce at my home farm in Belmont Shore, California, in 1974. Since that time, I have shared my knowledge and success with many other urban farmers. Twenty years later, I founded Long Beach Organic (LBO), to make organic produce available throughout the City by turning vacant lots into organic community gardens. I currently sell county-inspected organic produce from my home garden to the surrounding neighborhood. The garden also serves as the major provision source for my expeditions.
Other than my passion for, and dedication to, the sea, turning vacant lots into community gardens is my dream
April 30, 2018. At home from the Shanghai Symposium in time to harvest Coriander Seed and plant Cilantro.
It's wonderful to be back with my hands in the soil and to enjoy making things grow and to share the fruits of the soil with the neighborhood and friends.
2017. Bounties from the soil all year round. Christmas baskets for friends and neighbors.


Worm Composting and it’s Immediate Needs
This, just like any other process requires certain things. Number one of course is the composting worm. Without this, then you can never even begin with step one. So how do we choose the best worm for our compost?
First, forget about the earthworms in your garden. You may think that they will do but the truth is, they won’t be of great help. We recommend Eisenia fetida or commonly known as Red Wiggler worms.
You would also need of course a shelter for these worms which we will call the worm bin and for a better home, you have to give them moist bedding. We will discuss the following as we move along.
Preparing the Bedding
Well, you do not want to just place your worms inside the bin without proper bedding, do you? It is important that before you even transfer the Red worms, everything is perfectly fine. To begin with, look for materials such as frazzled newspapers, moistened stripped cardboards and leaves that are not fully decomposed. With all those, be reminded to keep the bedding moist. Never leave it dry or too wet because it may endanger your worms. Also, know that you should have different kinds of beddings for your bin because it will make your red worms more comfortable. Remember to change the bedding regularly. Never ever crowd the bin with too much beddings; it will make your worms irritable.
Having the Right Food for Worm Composting
Use this as a guide in feeding your worms. Research shows that red wiggler composting worms do eat as much as their body weight. So from that, measure the organic wastes that you are to give them everyday. Never over feed them. Giving them too much food scraps may eventually lead to their death. They can adjust to small amount of foods sometimes but giving them too much is not a good idea.
Also, know what to feed and not to feed them. Know-how with regards to this matter is very vital. First take note of the things that are not good for them. This includes vegetables and fruits that were sprayed with insecticide or pesticide. Second, please spare your worms from plastics, meat and meat bones. Never attempt to try feeding them with dairy products or anything that may also cause insects to attack the bin.
Put these things in your list though. Speed up the process of worm composting by chopping or cutting into strips your kitchen scraps like vegetables and fruit peelings. If these are no longer available, you can resort to grass clippings rather than throwing them in the garbage. Tea bags and corn husks will also do.
Successful Worm Composting with the Perfect Temperature
To make the know-how procedure perfect, learn the right temperature for your worm bin. Don’t expose them with too much sunlight or with too much rain. Keep it at 40-90 degrees to ensure proper ventilation. You may have the worm composting process inside or outside your house. What matters is you know how to manage. If indoor, all you need to do is keep the bin in your garage, kitchen or your basement.
So there we go! You are now prepared to have your vermicomposting at home. You may buy red worms to start with this. Enjoy and be productive with your worm composting trip!


Compared to other vegetables, potatoes are easy to store. With the right techniques, they can last a few months without any problems. Below, you will find many tips on how to make the most of the potatoes you have at home, whether they come from the supermarket or from your own backyard. Come on?
Method 1 of 2: Storing Potatoes
Step 1. Sort the potatoes
When you arrive from the market or garden, take a moment to organize everything. See if there are any with cut bark, bruises or visible damage, as they should not be stored long term because of the accelerated rotting process. In this case, you have a few options:
- Use the damaged parts within a maximum of two days, cutting the damaged parts first.
- Cure the potatoes to reverse damage and extend their shelf life.
- Discard very bruised or rotten potatoes.
Step 2. Store healthy potatoes in a dark, dry environment
After separating the pieces, store the whole ones in a place away from light and moisture, as these things can end up promoting rot. The pantry and kitchen cabinets are good places to store potatoes.
- It's also good to take care of the ventilation. Potatoes are usually sold in mesh bags that allow breathing, which is ideal. Do not transfer them to sealed jars or bags.
- If you pick the potatoes yourself, arrange them in layers in well-ventilated baskets or boxes. Place sheets of newspaper between the layers, covering the last one with another sheet.
Step 3. Keep temperatures low
Potatoes tend to last longer when kept in environments below 10 °C - although it is ideal to keep them between 2 °C and 4 °C, this is not always possible. A cool, dark pantry is often a great option.
The fridge is too cold for the potatoes and can spoil their taste. Check out the steps below for more information
Step 4. Check potatoes periodically for signs of damage
If you follow the steps above, you will probably have fresh potatoes for a while. After a few weeks, check the inventory and see if you find any signs of a problem, as one rotten unit can end up contaminating the others and it's best to dispose of it as soon as possible. Some "symptoms" to look for:
- greenish spots. Over time, the potatoes begin to soften and turn greenish due to exposure to light. If the problem is mild, just cut off the stained parts before cooking.
- sprout formation. If your potatoes start to show sprouts accompanied by green spots and softening, cut them right before cooking. If the plant is too soft or green, throw it away.
- decay. If the potato looks visibly rotten, has a bad smell, has a soft texture or musty, it is best to throw it away and replace the paper from the storage location.
Step 5. Cure the potatoes to store them longer
The procedure is a good option for those who would like to have potatoes that last longer or who would like to "recover" plants vulnerable to decay, as the cure ends up closing small cuts and superficial "bruises" in the potatoes. For such:
- Place the potatoes on a few sheets of newspaper in a cool, dark environment.
- Raise the room temperature to about 10°C to 15°C.
- Let the potatoes rest for two weeks. Thus, the husks will be thicker and drier. Now, remove surface dirt and follow previous storage instructions, lowering the room temperature again.
Method 2 of 2: Avoiding Common Mistakes
Step 1. Do not wash potatoes before putting them away
As much as cleaning gives the impression that the potato will be less vulnerable to rot, in fact, the effect is the opposite. Exposing plants to moisture reduces their lifespan and increases the likelihood of premature rot. Keep potatoes dry whenever possible.
If you've bought dirt-soaked potatoes, let them dry naturally and clean them with a blunt brush to remove the most visible dirt. Wash them only when cooking
Step 2. Do not store in refrigerator
The refrigerator is too cold to store potatoes well, as low temperatures will cause starches to convert to sugars, affecting the color and taste of food.
If you have stored them in the refrigerator, allow them to gradually return to room temperature before cooking them. Thus, you reduce the sweet effects, but be aware that the results will not be perfect
Step 3. Do not store potatoes open
After cutting a potato, cook it as soon as possible, as the inside does not hold very well. If it is not possible to cook everything immediately, store what is left submerged in cold water for a day. After that time, it's better to throw it away.
Step 4. Do not store potatoes near fruit
Fruits like apples, bananas and pears release a substance called ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process - you've probably noticed that fruits ripen faster when stored next to each other, right? Ethylene can cause potatoes to sprout earlier, so separate them from the fruit.
- If you plant potatoes and have leftovers during the spring, use them for next year's crop. For more information click here.
- If your potatoes are sweet, move them to a warmer but still dark and dry corner for a week. Thus, sugars will turn back into starches, reducing the sweet taste.


Cambridge Mill is thrilled to announce the appointment of Joel LaBute to the role of Executive Chef. In addition to bringing with him a fresh culinary perspective, Joel is deeply committed to using sustainable, organic and ethical food sources – so much so that he and his wife run their very own farm.
Born in Windsor, ON, Joel was unaware that acquiring part-time job in the industry would blossom into a full-fledged passion. “I knew I wanted to be doing something with my hands where I could be creative, where I could feel proud at the end of the day,” LaBute recalls. He spent the next 15 years honing his craft in some of the province’s best kitchens, soaking up all he could under the tutelage of such renowned Chefs as Stephen Treadwell and Keith Frogget. “I paid attention as much as possible. The more you focus and observe, the more you learn.” From Queens Landing Inn and Scaramouche to Langdon Hall and Pangaea, Joel dedicated himself to developing his techniques and educating himself on good ingredients.
Organically raised, locally sourced and ethically handled food became so important to Joel that he built a network with resident farmers and crafted his menus based on their harvests. Not only is local produce fresh and delicious, he maintains, but it supports the growth and wellness of a community. Farm fresh became even more literal when he and his wife started their very own farm as a side project. “We wanted to raise our three kids on a farm to ensure they had a great understanding of where food comes from and how it gets to our plate.” Together they farm organically on 9 acres of land in the Niagara region, which he says gives them, “the ultimate connection to food that makes us feel whole in our lives. Living on the farm means constant inspiration.”
Providing both nourishment and incredible dining experiences are the pillars on which Joel builds his menus. Referring to his culinary style as “connection-based cuisine,” Joel wants his food to reflect the journey from farmer to chef to guest. Cambridge Mill guests can expect a clean, refined approach to rustic farm-to-table cuisine. “Simple flavours prepared with care and technique will allow ingredients to steal the show,” he says.
LaBute says the most exciting part of this new chapter is being a part of the Pearle Hospitality family. “I’ve been watching this company grow and expand of the years with the core values I believe in. It’s great to coming on board with a company that truly cares.”
Chef Joel Labute's new Autumn menu is now available. Check out the menus on Cambridge Mill's website here.


Vegetables in general do not tend to be rich in iron, however some garden greens are calcium-rich. Grape leaves and lambs quarters top the list, though grape leaves are used more as a condiment and lambs quarters is not commercially available, though can be foraged in many areas in the wild. Collards, spinach, and kale are widely available greens that are high in calcium.
However, keep in mind that with all of these calcium-rich greens, your best strategy is to prepare them to reduce the calcium inhibitors, notably oxalic acid. Boiling them and discarding the boiling water is your best bet. You will discard some other nutrients in the boiling water, but you will absorb more calcium in your greens. Check out our article on reducing oxalic acid in your food.
Calcium in Common Vegetables
For information on the calcium content of common vegetables, explore these pages on our website:


Seed germination lab report
Bio lab report germination - download as word doc (doc), pdf file (pdf), text file (txt) or read online. View lab report - lab report germination pg 5 from science 101 at millbrook high school analysis: 1 yes, there is a relationship between the number of seeds. Seed germination lab report outline due: friday, sep 28 question: what question will your experiment answer research: three reliable sources with authors. View notes - abstract and intro of seed germination lab report from biol 2107 at georgia state abstract in this lab, an experiment was designed to test whether the. Extracts from this document introduction biology lab report seed germination by: john abarshi (figure one: cress seed germination) introduction this term, we.
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- Biology lab report seed germination (figure one: cress seed germination) introduction this term, we embarked upon our first biology experiment.
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Bee Buffet Sunbath - ORG
Bees enjoy the sun and this mix of organic bulbs will bring the sun to your garden. They are great for naturalising.
Muscari armeniacum (20)
Tulipa linifolia (10)
Tulipa bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’ (10)
Allium sphaerocephalon (20)
1 bag contains 60 organic bulbs
End of season, new harvest available for ordering from March 2020 and delivery from Mid Sept 2020.
Happiness guaranteed. Shipping £ 5.90 free on orders from £ 39
- Flowering period
- Middle-Late Spring
- Planting period
- ORGANIC NL-BIO-01
- Preferred location
- Sun or partial shade


Our first external event!
Preparations are in full swing here at FindingPheno for our first external meeting to be held next week. This is our first real opportunity as a consortium to start connecting with other EU projects, academics or companies working in the intersection of big data and microbiome research. We see this as an important chance to help facilitate knowledge sharing across the research community, bringing new ideas to FindingPheno in the process, and also as an opportunity for all attendees, not just FindingPheno, to build relationships and maybe even new collaborations.
Planning this event has been a huge amount of fun for me because I was able to take the time to learn about all the really cool research going on, then actually reach out to all kinds of interesting people and ask them to come meet with us. Our aim was to get a bunch of relevant people in the same room for a day of presentations, discussions and brainstorming to see how our ideas and technologies can work together to make a difference in the world.
And I think it worked! We have a really great list of attendees, with 53 people representing 16 publicly funded projects and 11 companies coming from 11 countries across Europe. In particular, we have eight speakers coming to talk about challenges and opportunities in their projects and subject areas. I am genuinely really excited about them all so the aim of this post is to share with you why I am looking forward to each one.
Integration and application of multi-omics data
HoloFood: Often called our “sister project”, HoloFood is also coordinated out of the UCPH Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics and has been running since 2019. They focus on measuring molecular interactions across the full holobiont (host animal and its associated microbiota) after dietary interventions in chickens or salmon in order to develop better animal feed products. They are starting to really generate results by now so it will be great to get an update of where they are and what they are finding, giving a strong case study of how hologenomics can be used to make food production more efficient and sustainable,
ELIXIR: The leading EU-wide infrastructure for big data analysis, ELIXIR provides services, computational platforms, research projects and subject-specific communities aimed at making the most of the bioinformatics data being generated in the EU. ELIXIR Food and Nutrition has been grappling with problems of how to manage, store, integrate and analyse all different types of data, both from omics studies and also physiological and even behavioural data, in order to improve food availability and nutrition. I am looking forward to hearing how they are approaching this problem as FindingPheno has a scaled down version of the same thing.
PROMICON: This H2020 RIA has just started and is super interesting to us as they are using some of the same technologies as FindingPheno such as machine learning, systems biology, and bacterial ecology to study microbial communities, but focussed on the totally different problem of how to optimise biotechnology applications such as large-scale fermentation. I am really interested to hear their take on how these technologies can be applied in their field, both because it’s really cool and also to maybe spark ideas of new ways of looking at the problems we are interested in too.
Better and more sustainable agriculture
ECOSTACK: What drew me to this H2020 RIA is the way they focus on multiple levels, from developing and optimising new technologies or methods for use on the farm, to considering biodiversity and the ecosystem around the farm, through to even figuring out the best way to support farmers in actually applying their findings. ECOSTACK includes a work package looking at microbiome-based products to enhance plant protection and I look forward to hearing about their views on how the microbiome can be used in agriculture given their deep understanding of the entire food production value chain.
EXCALIBUR: This H2020 RIA focusses specifically on the interactions between the soil microbiome and plants for improved crop production. They are currently running field trials with strawberries, apples and tomatoes to test microbiome-based biofertilisers, and have been posting so many fun photos on twitter from their field studies and sample preparation. I think that soil has so much potential for not just improving crop production but also for trapping excess carbon and protecting the environment, so am keen to hear more about how EXCALIBUR is going and what they see as the main areas of impact for this type of technology.
ROOTPHENOBIOME: This Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship project aims to understand how the maize root microbiome can affect, and be affected by, the plant genome and environmental conditions. The microbal community associated with roots differs from just the overall plant or soil in general and can have a strong influence on overall plant health or crop yeild. This link between microbiome/host metabolism and overall phenotype is the main purpose of FindingPheno as well, although we are taking different methodological approaches, so we see strong synergies between our projects and are looking forward to hearing more about ROOTPHENOBIOME.
Industrial application of microbiome research
Cargill Animal Nutrition: Cargill is a large multi-national company working in the areas of food production and nutrition and their Animal Nutrition department develops and sells innovative animal feeds or feed additives. Their research includes understanding interactions between microbiota and gut health of food production species, and I am really interested to hear how this knowledge can be used in a real world setting – getting us out of the academic bubble.
Novozymes Human Health: Novozymes are the world leaders in biotech-produced enzymes, holding around 50% of the market, and with a strong history of innovation and new product development in this area. Their talk will focus on the use of microbes and the microbiome in human health applications, looking at unmet needs in this industry and where we could go in the future. While FindingPheno does not include any human health applications it is the obvious next step for our technology, so I am looking forward to hearing a commercial perspective of this area from such a successful company.
So there you have it, the exciting speaker list we have managed to assemble for our first event and, incidentally, the reason why the blog has been so quiet recently while we work on this. I am sure that many new posts will be stimulated by these discussions so there will be more to come!
Written by Shelley Edmunds


BUCKHORN – Recently, female residents on the campus of Buckhorn Children’s Center have been reaping the rewards of their therapeutic gardens.
Each cottage on the Buckhorn campus has its own garden, and over the last several months, the girls have been maintaining and tending to these garden beds every day as part of recreational therapy. In the program, the girls learn how to grow their own produce and prepare it for meals, but more importantly, they are taught keys to a healthy lifestyle, stress management, and responsibility.
And now, they have been seeing results!
According to cottage staff, the girls picked the lettuce they had grown and turned it into a fresh salad for dinner.
“This speaks volumes for these kids,” staff said. “Away from Buckhorn, most of them would never get the chance to learn such a great life skill.”
For more information about BCFS’s Recreational Therapy Program, click here.