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ALL-ROUNDER Comfrey’s bell-shaped flowers are adored by bees, while its nutrient-rich leaves decompose quickly and make a great liquid fertiliser and an excellent addition to compost.
The unprecedented stretch of warm weather we had recently and the lack of extracurricular activities in lockdown mean that more of us than ever are becoming keen gardeners.
I’ve talked before about growing whatever you can, wherever you can, even if it’s just one herb in a pot on a sunny windowsill. If you have a bit more space and are looking to develop more skills, I’m happy to share a few tips and tricks that we’ve been practising in our garden.
When you’re just starting out growing food, it can be daunting to think about how best to prepare beds and get in sufficient soil. The easiest way to build up your supply of quality compost is to make it yourself by redirecting your food waste into a compost heap. This will save on the cost of keeping a brown bin, and will return nutrients to the soil.
All raw veg and fruit material, plus coffee grinds and tea leaves, make up the nitrogen rich ‘green’ portion of the compost, and leaves, grass clippings, and even shredded paper and cardboard are the ‘brown’ matter that are carbon rich.
It is recommended to have a ratio of 3:1 brown to green matter, and to avoid composting cooked foods and any animal products (meat and dairy – but egg shells are an exception) unless you have a closed composter that can break these down before pests get to them. Even if it takes a while to build up your compost operation, anything you can add to your veg patches during growth or when preparing next years’ beds will be a boon.
At garden centres you will also find shelves of products designed to boost the growth of both food crops and flowering plants, but there are ways to create your own fertilisers from plants that are easy to grow or collect.
I recently put on gloves and harvested a bucket full of nettles, topped it with water and stuck in a stone to keep them submerged. It is starting to develop a distinct rotten smell that means it will soon be ready to be fed to my leafy green crops.
Comfrey is another easy-to-grow plant, and it is potassium-rich, encouraging fruit and flowers to set; cut and steep comfrey leaves like the nettle ‘tea’ and apply weekly once fruit is forming on plants.
Many people collect seaweed from the shore to soak and apply like the nettle solution, or to cover beds over the winter; the remaining seaweed can be dug into the soil before planting.
If you’re more focused on weeding than growing, we have been using a simple solution of five litres of plain vinegar, one cup of salt and a good squirt of washing up liquid to spray onto weeds growing in footpaths, on the gravel drive and along borders. It has been remarkably effective after two applications, and better still, it is a mixture that is not harmful to people or pets or damaging to wildlife.
McKinley Neal co-runs PAX Whole Foods & Eco Goods, a minimal-waste shop in Westport offering bulk organic foods, reusable goods, household products, eco-friendly personal care items and gifts.


Sabah Avocado Box contains 2 Supersize Avocados fresh collected from farmers.
Scientific evidence suggests that avocado is indeed a superfood, with numerous health benefits that are supported by research. From improving cholesterol levels to promoting heart health and aiding in weight management, avocado is a delicious and nutritious addition to any diet. So go ahead and add some avocado to your next meal and enjoy the many benefits of this amazing superfood!
Good farmers are hard to find. We have explore the field and learnt to make good relationship with them.
Simon Chong is one of the pioneers in planting Sabah avocados. A hardworking and knowledgable farmer. He came back from city life and helped his family. His expertise is mainly in avocados plantation.
We strive to build close relationship with local farmers to ensure consistency of quality and volume.
Farmers face lot of challenges nowadays with the climate changes and also market inflation. We need to understand both customers and farmers need in order to meet both requirements without compromising on the quality of products.
Get it now!
Order our fruits today and we will deliver it to you fresh from farm. Eat fresh, eat healthy from farm.
You can order our products online with your mobile or computer.
|Dimensions||29.4 × 15.3 × 8.0 cm|


Exhibition market Gresta Valley
Where? Val di Gresta
The organic vegetable garden of Trentino on display for a month
Five weekends to buy the organic products of the Gresta Valley. Scheduled workshops for adults and children and guided walks to discover the valley.
As usual the organic garden of Trentino is also this autumn on display!
In Val di Gresta an annual exhibition market with important cultural and food events is organized between September and October to make people discover high value vegetables such as cabbages, potatoes, carrots cultivated using organic farming.
Five weekends to visit the vegetable gardens of the valley and the vegetables that have the scent and the flavour of the past.
Every Saturday and Sunday from 9.00am until 6.00pm, you will be able to buy the organic products of Gresta Valley by the Consorzio Ortofrutticolo (Fruit and Vegetable consortium)
Workshops, guided walks and meetings will be divided in several themes, that will change every weekend:
- 19-20 September “The land of organic agriculture“
- 26 e 27 September “The handicraft and the old crafts: yesterday and today”
- 3-4 October “ Healthy nutrition, recycle and reuse ”
- 10-11 October “ Wandering between the labs of Gresta Valley” ”
- 16-18 October “By the Fruit and Vegetable consortium ”
Download the plan to have detailed information about the Exhibition Market Gresta Valley!


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- Bactrocera dorsalis is a species of tephritid fruit fly that is endemic to Southeast Asia, but has also been introduced to Hawaii, the Mariana Islands and Tahiti. It is one of the major pest species in the genus Bactrocera with a broad host range of cultivated and wild fruits.
- The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a significant pest species that damages a wide range of fruit and other horticultural products, causing major financial losses to horticulture. Trichlorphon [dimethyl (2, 2, 2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl) phosphate] is a moderately toxic organophosphate insecticide that has been widely used to control this pest because of its low toxicity to humans and its high efficacy; however, resistance to this pesticide in B. dorsalis has been increasing, thus threatening the effective management of the oriental fruit fly. .
- Common Name: Oriental fruit fly
- NCBI Taxonomy
Different Sex & Tissues
|Gene Symbol||Gene Name||Application Scope||Accession Number||Primers (5'-3')
|Size [bp]||Tm [℃]||Detection|
- Name: Jin-Jun Wang
- Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
- Institution: Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China
Cited by 91 (Based on Google Scholar [2017-06-16])
- Shen G M, Jiang H B, Wang X N, et al. Evaluation of endogenous references for gene expression profiling in different tissues of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae)[J]. BMC molecular biology, 2010, 11(1): 76.
- Cheng D, Guo Z, Riegler M, et al. Gut symbiont enhances insecticide resistance in a significant pest, the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)[J]. Microbiome, 2017, 5(1): 13.


If so, these are the newest opportunities for fruit pickers at Canada Business Bank. There are a lot of vacancies available for farm picker work such as apple picker, cherry picker, a strawberry picker, tomato picker, and many other fruit picker jobs in Canada. These types of jobs are mainly available to Indians, Filipinos, Nigerians, and other Asian and African countries.
Farmer jobs in Canada
Annual farmers’ earnings increase or decrease from year to year depending on various factors, such as weather conditions, in addition to other factors that affect agricultural production. Most farmers tend to receive income from non-agricultural sources. Provide attractive benefits for independent farmers, such as insurance and retiree life plans. Also, apply for unskilled jobs in Canada for foreigners. Other Bank of Canada Jobs for Fruit Picker Vacancies 2020. Fresh Fruit Farm Worker and Picking Jobs in Canada
- Location: Wallaceburg, ON
- Salary: $ 14.18 per hour
- Education: No degree, certificate, or diploma
- Experience: No experience
Type of crop
- An Apple
- Corn seed
- Cultivation, cultivation, and irrigation of crops
- Crop harvest
- Specific skills – extensive crops
- Harvesting vegetables by hand
- Hoe crops
- Collecting stone and wood
Canadian work visa: Canadian work visas are issued under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) by the Department of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC).
TFWP aims to help Canadian employers hire foreign workers in response to labor market shortages.
TFWP consists of four streams: Highly Skilled Worker, Low Skilled Worker, Seasonal Farm Worker Program, and Live Carer Program.
Fruit or vegetable picker
- Langton, ON
- $ 14.18 per hour
- No degree, certificate, or diploma
- Weight handling: up to 23 kg (50 lbs)
- Type of vegetable crops
- Specific Skills: Harvesting Rows and Horticultural Crops
- Loading, unloading, and transport of cages, supplies, agricultural products, livestock, and poultry
- Workplace environment
- Transportation / travel information for transportation
- Public transportation is not available
- Working conditions and physical capabilities are a fast-paced environment
- Repetitive tasks
- Physically demanding
- Manual dexterity
- Hand-eye coordination
- Crouch, crouch, and kneel
- Overtime required
Harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables brings great satisfaction to the home garden. To get a quality food product from your garden for new use or storage, you must harvest fruits and vegetables at their appropriate stages of development. An improper harvest affects quality and storage capacity, as well as the continued productivity of the plant.
How much fruit can you win?
Fruit picking is dependent on cutting rates. Her salary is based on the weight of the fruit she harvests and complies with national minimum wage legislation. Fieldwork system “The more you choose, the greater your profit.” Currently, our collectors earn between $ 10 and $ 25 per hour
Is packing hard fruit work?
Physically challenging, but he emphasized that we have to work hard to earn some money. … long hot days in the summer sun, a persistent job despite its benefits, you have a very diverse group of people working with you, including backpackers from all over the world.
How old do you have to be to pick fruit?
As for the job itself, first-time pickers don’t need to worry about a lack of experience. Farms have a lot of practice in training new workers, so the only requirement is to be 18 years or older and fit, healthy, and ready to do some manual work.


Easy product returns
You can return the product without providing a reason within days.
This product is available in our stores
You can buy in installments!
Arabica Peru MCM SHB comes from the CECOVASA organization, which was founded in 1970 to organize direct export. This allows you to get a better payment for your work and better sharing the costs of growing and processing coffee. Most crops are located in the Inambari Tambopata valley on the eastern slopes of the Andes in southern Peru.
Kawa Peru MCM SHB It is characterized by medium acidity and a very complex aroma, in which you can easily distinguish raspberry sweetness. Peruvian coffee is very mild, has a strong aroma of ripe citruses and leaves in the mouth a pleasant creamy aftertaste. Peru MCM SHB is considered low power coffees with low caffeine content, so it can be consumed all day long. Peu MCM SHB coffee has been very highly rated for its amazing quality and taste.
Do dwóch tygodni


After summer ended, and I had pulled the last withering tomato plants out of the ground and canned the last few pounds of crushed tomatoes, I started wondering if I could grow tomatoes year-round in our mild LA winter. Garden-fresh salsa in February sounded too tempting to pass up!
Since I didn’t have time to start from seed, I wandered through one of my favorite nurseries, Moneta Nursery in Gardena, and came across some starter plants for “winter tomatoes.” One of them was actually called a Siberian tomato… now if that doesn’t thrive in cold rainy weather, I don’t know what will!
I ended up buying three plants to experiment with — Siberian tomato, Oregon Spring tomato, and High Country tomato — all of which seemed appropriately named. They’re all early varieties that are supposed to be resistant to cooler weather… but with tomatoes, it could be hit or miss.
They were planted in late October, grew steadily through November, and even survived our massive rainstorms and cold front in December. Little green tomatoes appeared on the vines and have slowly ripened over the last few weeks. The warm weather in January seemed to have revived the plants because there are more tomatoes popping up now, even as the plants look like they’re about to keel over and die.
While they’re not as big or bright or bountiful as my summer tomatoes, I can’t really complain — I have organic tomatoes! In February! That’s practically an oxymoron.
And though I don’t have nearly enough for salsa, I have plenty to toss into my salads… which beats those plastic-looking, styrofoam-tasting, supermarket tomatoes any day!
TiarianaJune 2, 2021 at 1:38 am
The Siberian tomatoes are GREAT! They work perfectly on our SUMMERS ;D true story… greetings from Finland! This is one of my favorite garden blogs. Even though i do envy ur climate!!
Rebecca LingleJune 27, 2014 at 5:46 am
I’m in South Carolina. Our winters are pretty mild, but we do get frost. This probably won’t work for me, but I loved reading about it anyway! 🙂 Like you, I’m always trying to think of ways to use more of what I grow for longer periods of time. (I dream about having a greenhouse one day) I just recently discovered your blog and I love it – can’t wait for your cookbook. Thanks for writing!!
Linda LyJuly 2, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Thank you for the sweet comment, Rebecca. I hope you enjoy the other posts as well. 🙂
ghzocOctober 15, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Hello Linda 🙂 I just sowed siberian tomato today. Hopefully they could survive through the winter. I live in Las Vegas and winter temperatures here could go as low as 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Did you have to cover yours every night?
Linda LyOctober 16, 2013 at 7:56 pm
Vegas winters are pretty brutal (I grew up there). Unless your tomatoes are protected from frost somehow, I doubt they’ll survive. In SoCal, we don’t have frost so tomatoes grow easily here (albeit slowly due to the shorter days).
ghzocOctober 16, 2013 at 9:16 pm
Thank you for the advice Linda. I will try to take several measures to protect it from frost and see it if it will survive. Hopefully in few years I could move there in Socal so that I could enjoy gardening as much as you haha 🙂
MeganMay 7, 2012 at 10:15 am
Which winter varieties did the best?
Linda LyMay 8, 2012 at 6:42 pm
I’ve had good luck with a number of different Siberian and Russian types. They grow slowly through winter, but go gangbusters once the days get longer and warmer in spring.


A joyous nose of mulberry, dark cherry, damson and raspberry, all backed by a lovely pepperiness. The palate is lively and again filled with dark spicy berried fruits, not heavy in any way, fresh and deliciously quenching. L&S (Jul 2017)
This family run Bodega has been growing grapes in the Campo de Cariñena since 1945, but only bottling their own wines since 2004 when the three siblings Victor, Maria and Ana took the reins. With beautiful, very old vineyard holdings the fruit they grow is incredible on their gnarly old bush vines. Great quality wine being made here offering stunning value. The Cariñena DO was created in 1932, making it one of the oldest protected growing regions of Europe, at the same time as being the largest vineyard area in the northern region of Aragón.


Ridge Lane Farm began as a family-owned and operated farm near New Paris, Indiana. Passion to grow the healthiest and best-tasting vegetables, fruits, greens, and meats enables us to supply high-quality foods to local families. Organic farming practices allow us to grow food that is both good for you and good for the land.
At Ridge Land Farm, we value sustainable farming practices and hold a strict standard for the produce we offer. We care for our fields using cover crops and natural fertilizers. Avoiding genetically modified seeds and harmful chemicals frees us to focus on powerful and natural methods that cause our crops to thrive! The foods you purchase from us have our high-quality guarantee.
In 2017, Nathan Hooley took over the family farm as his own business. He works in an RV factory and farms on the side. But someday soon, he plans to farm full-time. Agricultural science fascinates Nathan. He loves finding the smartest methods to raise strong, healthy crops. When you meet Nathan, you will enjoy his friendly conversation and readiness to serve you.


PF 2018 Addons - PF 2018 mods - Pure farming 2018 mods
Newest and the most realistic farming experience of Pure Farming 2018 can be even more realistic with some addons. Addons are like mini-expansions to an already extremely diverse experience, so just imagine the limitless possibilities once you apply them to your gaming experience. Do you want to run the biggest farm in the world? If so, don’t hesitate to download and install those PF 2018 addons.


Allan Scott Wines
Allan Scott Wines has a reputation of producing wines consistent in flavour and quality year after year. Allan Scott Wines attribute their success to excellent growing conditions, hard work and a desire to produce the world's best wines.
Allan Scott Family Winery has several vineyards situated in two of the world’s most prestigious growing regions - Marlborough and Central Otago, New Zealand. As the owners of their own vineyards and winery they have control of our product, from the growing on their vines and the harvesting of our grapes to the bottling and marketing of the wines.


15 Mar Lemon Street Market CSA & Flower Share
Our “Abundant” CSA and Flower Share are now open! We are limited to 30 people, so sign up today through our Square store or with a cashier in the store (no phone calls, no emails, please).
$100 deposit required upon registration (remainder due by June 1) for CSA and full amount due upon registration for the Flower Share.
All items contained in our CSA boxes will be local, chemical free, and GMO free. Pickup will be at Lemon Street Market on Thursdays between 11 AM and 7 PM. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet the farmers (and food purveyors) each week from 11 AM – 4 PM.
Abundant CSA Share
8-10 items per box for 18 weeks (June 1-September 28)
- Good size for a veggie–loving couple or small family
- Includes a variety of produce, herbs, seasonal fruits, and berries with the occasional cheese or jar item
- Includes recipes, new varieties, and helpful tips
- Boxes can be vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore
1 bouquet per week for 14 weeks (late June-September)
- Local, chemical–free, field grown flowers arranged by Amy of Promised Land Farm
- Unique bouquets of hand gathered flowers, herbs, and foliage
- Bouquets may include: asters, sunflowers, zinnias, strawflowers, celosia, snapdragons, coneflowers, salvia, cosmos, and more


We are a certified organic farm producing a wide variety of artisan farmstead cow and goat milk cheeses, fluid non-homogenized milk, butter and yogurt from our farm’s own grass-fed cows and goats. Visit our farm shop to sample our prize-winning cheeses and shop for quality local products and gift items. Watch the cheese making process through our viewing windows and take time for a stroll around the farm to visit the animals and maybe meet a real farmer!
Winner of the 2016 Agriculture & Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Award.
Open 10am to 5pm 7 days a week year round. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the first 2 weeks of January.


Sometimes I get the question
"Can put plants in this?"
I originally designed the Geo Skull Vessel to be used as a planter :D
The dwelling in the rear of the skull is sized to fit plants and succulents repotted from standard 1" , 2" and 2.5" plant nursery pots.
I use the best quality Artisan Concrete for making every Skandle Vessel. This material is long-lasting and non-toxic so it's completely safe for the long term life of your beautiful plant babies.
Every Vessel is sealed twice with a natural finish concrete sealer keeping it water and stain resistant that won't steal water from your plant.
Steps to replanting into a Skandle Vessel
1. Remove plant from plastic pot, loosen soil around the roots.
2. Carefully trim bottom and sides of roots if they are too large to fit into the vessel
3. Grab the base of the plant and press firmly into the vessel
4. Fill in with extra soil, pressing in a circle around the plant to secure it in place.
5. Water 1 - 2 times per week. Soil should not stay soggy or wet for longer than a day.
6. Try not to move the plant around too much during the first 3-6 weeks while it grows new roots to secure itself!


Limited time buy 2 get 1 free
Canadian Ginseng Powder (114g/bottle)
- selling price
- unit price
Item has been added to cart
Net Weight: 114g
Contents: Canadian Ginseng
Country of Origin: Canada
Preservation method: Please keep in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight
Great Mountain Ginseng started in 1976 and is the first Chinese-run Canadian ginseng company in Canada. It has accumulated more than 40 years of experience in growing ginseng. From sowing to harvesting, strict quality control standards are set. An experienced selection team carefully selects high-quality Canadian ginseng. This dedication and perseverance has also made Great Mountain Ginseng Canadian ginseng the first choice for Chinese people around the world.
Canada has superior geographical conditions, so the Canadian ginseng in Great Mountain Ginseng is uniquely endowed by nature. The quiet water quality and fertile soil make the grown Canadian ginseng especially good in texture and mild in properties, suitable for consumption all year round. Great Mountain Ginseng's unique dehydration and drying technology allows Canadian ginseng without additives to retain the most nutrients, allowing you to eat 100% healthy.
Great Mountain Ginseng's Canadian ginseng powder is directly ground from dried American ginseng. It has a fine texture and is easy to absorb. It is recommended to take it directly, brew it with boiling water, or add it to vegetables.


Potato Harvest…yeah more harvest photographs
It’s been really enjoyable photographing harvest. I think part of the enjoyment comes from having something really specific to photograph, rather than wandering around and trying to find something to photograph.
I went out again this evening. One of the farmers offered to let me photograph in his field and even ride on the trucks and combine. It was a lot of fun. I also made a few more panoramic images. Enjoy.
Potato Harvest from Truck, Walker, ID 2008
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Regular cotton is grown using more agricultural chemicals that any other crop in the world. For years the global demand for cotton was met through this method; however since the 1970s evidence of the adverse impact these chemicals have on workers and the surrounding environment began to emerge. Meanwhile, with the advance in technology to manipulate genes, the use of genetically engineered seeds has seen a sharp growth worldwide as a means of producing big yields of high quality cotton. In India, a major cotton producer, genetically engineered cotton now accounts for more than 90% of the total. However genetic engineering technology cannot be accepted in the organic world. In order to sustain organic cotton, the procurement of non-GE seeds has emerged as a pressing issue.
Global cotton production for 2011-2012 totaled around 27 million tons. Of that, production of organic cotton was a mere 138 thousand tons, not even 1% of the total. Organic cotton is produced in 18 countries including India, Turkey, China, Tanzania and America. Following is a summary of the state of production during this season.
Record droughts in Texas caused the national organic cotton yield to drop 45% from the previous year.
Organic cotton production is expanding rapidly in Africa. Blessed with plentiful rainfall, Tanzania saw a 153% growth in production from the previous year.
Increase in crop land lead to a 64% increase in production for Turkey.
While small in scale, production in Nicaragua increased 190%.
India saw a large drop in production last year due to an increase in genetically modified seeds, however still remains the world leader in organic cotton production at 74% of the global yield.
Syria has been the second largest producer after India, however political turmoil and ensuing conflict has made production and inspection work impossible, leaving no data for this season.
(Source：Textile Exchange Farm & Fiber Report 2011-2013)
With the release of the annual report, it is apparent how strongly organic cotton production is influenced by weather conditions and political situations. The towels we make at IKEUCHI ORGANIC are directly linked to this ever changing world. Organic cotton reflects the emotions of people in the surrounding world. We take that organic cotton and constantly endeavor to simply make towels with it. At the rapidly changing forefront of organic cotton, we continue to produce premium towels.
Genetically modified seeds may not be used in organic farming. However there has recently been a rapid global increase in use of genetically modified seeds for many major crops including cotton. To continue growing organic cotton under these circumstances, bioRe India is working with a local agricultural university and Swiss Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL) to grow native varieties of cotton that are suited to local conditions and maintain seed stock. They also implement a strict management system to ensure that genetically modified seeds do not mix with non-genetically modified seeds.
The only way to purchase organic cotton seeds is directly from breeders who can ensure they are not genetically modified. Field tests to check for genetically modified cotton involve compressing cotton leaves and stems, mixing the extracted liquid with a test agent and watching for a reaction on a test strip. These tests are conducted regularly by bioRe staff and if results show the presence of genetically modified seed, the cotton from that field must be sold as regular and not organic cotton even if agricultural chemicals and chemical fertilizers have not been used.
The bioRe project maintains transparent traceability through the whole manufacturing process ensuring genetically modified seeds are not used for growing organic cotton. After eliminating the possibility of genetically engineered seeds, farmers grow the cotton each year and harvest cotton as well as seeds for the next season’s crop. This natural process is repeated every season in the fields, spinning together an organic future.


You may have noticed the small symbols accompanying each of our products; these refer to the ethics relating to each particular product.
Contains GOTS Certified Organic Cotton
Ethically made in a factory that complies with the Ethical Trading Initiative base code.
Made in England, Supporting local communities and lowering carbon emissions.
What is GOTS Certification?
GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard. This standard stipulates requirements throughout the supply chain for both ecology and labour conditions in textile and clothing manufacture using organically produced raw materials.
Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic, persistent pesticides and fertilizers. In addition, organic production relies on adequate animal husbandry and excludes genetic modification.
About 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 12% of the world’s pesticides are used on conventional cotton crops.
Some of these chemicals are considered to be the most toxic chemicals in the world. Aldicarb is listed by the World Heath Organisation (WHO) as “extremely hazardous” The Institute of Science In Society says that one drop can be fatal to an adult male so it’s no surprise that WHO report 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning annually with 1 million of these cases requiring hospitalisation.
It takes just a few years for pests to develop resistance to a new pesticide. When new pesticides are manufactured, privatised cotton companies sell them to farmers on credit. This dependency on pesticides frequently forces farmers into debt. There have been a shocking number of suicides as a result of cotton farming debts, over 1500 in Chhattisgarh (an agricultural state in central India) alone. Industrial pesticides have also been linked to a variety of health issues including depression, reduced brain activity, stomach and lung problems and burns.
There is also the potential of pesticides entering the food chain and water supply not only via the water cycle but also because cottonseed and cottonseed husks are used as feed for farm animals. Cottonseed oil is also used in cooking in many parts of the world
However, organic cotton farmers find novel ways to successfully fight cotton pests in their crops.
For Example in Uganda, black ants are used to control cotton-eating pests and elsewhere natural soap, chilli and extracts from local trees are enough to deter them. Insect traps are used to monitor insect levels allowing farmers to time their applications of natural repellents to best effect.
Crop rotation, habitat management and encouraging natural predators have proven to be effective and safe ways to reduce natural predators and these have the added benefit of allowing nutrients to remain in the soil so it can be used in future to grow food crops.
The high standards of GOTS certified organic cotton provide you, as a consumer, with the knowledge that the product you are purchasing has been produced with the aim of avoiding damage to the environment and human health. By choosing to buy organic cotton we are also sending a message to business and government that there is a demand for justice in the growing and manufacture of cotton products and that consumers are increasingly interested in where and how their clothes are made.
All the factories we use comply with the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) base code.
The ETI is an alliance of companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations working to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable workers across the globe.
To find our more about the Ethical Trading Initiative please visit their website at http://www.ethicaltrade.org
We have close links to local suppliers and manufacturers within the Midlands and feel strongly about supporting the local community and British manufacturing. This is an issue with growing public support thanks to Mary Portas and her television programme “The Bottom Line”.
All of our cotton jerseywear and knitwear is designed, knitted, dyed, printed, manufactured and distributed here in Leicestershire, keeping carbon emissions low.


FOGO means all of your food waste can go into your green bin, along with garden organics, lawn clippings and leaves.
Once your FOGO bin is collected, your organics are then be reprocessed into compost and mulch at Shellharbour’s own FOGO processing facility.
Did you know the average Shellharbour household red bin contains 22% food waste which is sent directly to landfill? By sending our food scraps to FOGO, we are able to:
- Save landfill space
- Reduce methane gas emissions
- Give back to the earth by producing a nutrient-rich compost
- Help reduce our environmental footprint
Let’s contribute to a greener future by simply throwing our food scraps into the green bin!


Well since we are working our way through the summer so fast and before we know it summer will be over, I figured it was about time to give an update on our Organic Vegetables Garden that we planted this year. Everything we planted was done with help of the kids. Involving children in planting and harvesting a garden gives them important skills that they can use later on in life and will make some wonderful memories together as a family that will be remembered for many years!! Our summer has been a very cold one and we have not had very many 80′ days this year at all our mornings are so cool and you need a sweat shirt not to freeze, everything still seems to be doing good, but the cooler weather veggies are doing the best obviously.
If you are wondering what the stuff is around our plants in a lot of the pictures is. I cleaned out the chicken coop and put some into the mulch piles and the rest around the plants hay and chicken droppings are great fertilizer for the garden!!
We have gotten lots of zuchinni from our plants, we have found so many great uses for our zuchinni after we planted some we decided to make a couple more rows a few weeks behind our other plants. They are just starting to produce the beautiful flowers, so hopefully lots more zuchinni soon!!
This was one of our first zucchinis for the year!
Fresh Green Beans they get eaten so fast I just haven’t gotten a picture of the beans themselves. Here are the little bean plants.
Here they are grown HUGE!!!
White and yellow onions.
So a bunch of our onions got stomped by the chickens so they were pulled out a lot earlier then they were supposed to be.
Almost all the onions are dried out now! We will be storing them away for winter soon!!
Corn is getting very tall and has many corn cobs growing now, we also have a second corn field that was a few weeks behind the first since sweet corn is something that is very loved in our house and I want to be able to enjoy it through the winter without eating GMO corn…
Our second cleared out plot that now has our second batch of corn, lettuce, carrots, summer squash, zucchini, and our strawberry patch.
Sweet Peas For some reason my kids all love these so much that not many of them ever make it into the house. The fact that we had to cage them in better because my chickens started using them as a dirt bath probably didn’t help either 😉
Tomatoes while we haven’t had any ripe tomatoes we have TONS of green tomatoes that will be ripe soon! I tried something new this year and pinched off all the flowers until the base was thicker and also pruned off all small branches that started to grow near the bottom. This has made for some HUGE plants that will hopefully give us lots of delicious Heirloom tomatoes soon YUM!!
As you can see the plant is so BIG that it is knocking the string over, so we have added a post for it to lean against!
This is the lone tomato plant that ended up growing in the lettuce.
Here is our container tomato plant that my chickens decided to eat half of the plant!!
Lettuce we have lots of Romaine lettuce which we are loving I just started a few new kinds of organic lettuce to make for a colorful salad for the cold weather that is close behind.
Here the lettuce is when it was smaller.
Radishes were one of the first things that came up, but no one really likes them because they are really spicey so we probably won’t be growing them again next year.
The 1 lemon Verbadum plant I got, it is now a HUGE bush!!
Our cantaloupe we finally have 1 mini melon!! Anyone have any ideas on how to hide melon so that chickens don’t eat it before we get it??
Here is our broccoli plants. Not doing quite so good but still coming along.
We just planted spinach, the new kind of lettuce, acorn squash, beets, and butternut squash for our cold weather vegetables, so our garden is far from done for the year!
Our new spinach plants starting.
Here is our beautiful little lettuce plants.
Next year we will have our garden fenced off from chickens and kids, there have been to many things that have happened letting the both have free reign of the garden. Lesson Learned 😉
Now I have been busy canning and freezing all kinds of goodies to last us through the winter.
I am linking up with these great linky parties!!


Antioch for Youth and Family is a non-profit organization that helps local veterans, veterans’ families, seniors, and children in need of food assistance in Western Arkansas. Each month, Antioch serves approximately 30,000 people. Senior and Veterans Mobile Pantries deliver food to low income, elderly, disabled, and struggling families. Whenever possible, fresh produce is provided at the pantry. They also have a Discovery Garden that teaches children about growing food and is part of a seed-to-table farming initiative focuses on family nutrition.


Lexington Environmental & Agricultural Foundation (L.E.A.F. )(Formerly SAFE)
Advisor: Kaczmarek, Sheryl – email@example.com
Description: The purpose of this club is to educate and work towards a more sustainable future. We have a plot in the community garden, among other things, and share the produce with local food banks.
Student Club Leaders: Anaya Joshi and Tieren Adams
Time of Meeting: Wednesday in 173 from 3:15 to 4:00


I thought I would post about something other than PSP for once, I'm not giving up on it don't worry, just thought I should write some of my other geekiness here for once.
Lately I've been looking up on hydroponics, and I'm thinking of making a small garden soon. Most likely an ebb and flow one. For those that don't know, hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, supplying nutrients directly in the water. There are 6 major designs for a garden, some passive and simple, others a little more complicated.
Ebb and flow hydroponic gardens basically have a tank of fluid below the garden, with a pump inside the tank to pump the fluid to flood the garden. There is an overflow pipe, so that it doesn't litterally flood, and when the pump is turned off the water drains back through the pipe to let the plants roots get air. This could be controlled with a timer, or possibly a computer.(I might build a small PIC circuit for mine)
I'm planning on growing grape tomatoes, just because they are amazing. I currently have some seeds fermenting to get rid of that slimey coating, they should be ready to use in about a week or so. Still not entirely sure what I'm going to use to make my actual garden, though. When I figure it out I'll post instructions.
For those PSP people patient enough to read through all this, I am looking for ideas for things to program for PSP. I'm thinking of possibly dropping the RegEdit, just because the main hacks you would do using it are already made into homebrew,(buttonhack and fontmod) but if anyone is still interested just say so and I'll bring it back up. Things I'm thinking of making right now are mic-based homebrew(a recording program, a walkie talkie, and a tuner, are the three I'm focused on) and possibly a top down shooter, though that would be a bit further in the future most likely. I would love to hear other peoples ideas for homebrew they think is still needed for the PSP, it's better to know your work is wanted.
I also would love ideas on the hydroponic garden, if anyone has any experience or even if someone would like to try and want me to post more info about it, please comment. In my oppinion hydroponics is probably one of the best ways to garden, just takes a bit of geekiness to get started ;)


GENEVA, Ala. (WDHN) — Today, a member of the Geneva County Conservation District Board retired after some 45 years of service.
A reception was held for Henry Martin who was appointed to the board in 1978.
But now at 96 years old, Martin felt it was time to let someone younger be appointed.
He and his family have more than 950 acres of land in Geneva County which Martin began farming in the 1940s. His two sons and their families have now taken up most of the daily chores.
As he retires, Mr. Henry believes he’s been a good advocate of the environment working
hard to improve soil and water erosion on agricultural land.
At one time, Mr. Henry sold tractors. He says he’s not yet sure what the next chapter in his life will bring, but we surely wish him well with gratitude for his many years of service.


6 maart 2023
Why Progeny Breeding has chosen E-Brida
Colombia is the second largest chrysanthemum exporting country, with over 160 million euros of export value. Progeny Breeding is one of the leading companies in Chrysanthemum breeding. Recently the company chose to work with Agri Information Partners’ software solution, E-Brida. We are curious about the first experiences Esteban Falconi Ph.D. Research Director of Progeny Breeding, wants to share.
Where are your breeding sites for those who do not know the geophysics of Columbia?
Progeny Breeding has developed two breeding sites to breed varieties suited for Bogota Savannah and lower altitudes close to Medellin. The evaluation area is in “La Ceja,” the most significant production area in the country. Progeny Breeding’s varieties are known to have the best characteristics for the American, European, and Asian markets.
What is essential in your breeding operations?
As a plant breeding company, we permanently generate much information and we need to keep, in a very well-organized way, all the data collected in evaluations, trials, experiments, etc. It allows us to take advantage of these data with calculations and analyses that we need to perform all the time.
What made you decide to work with E-Brida?
The growth of the Company has driven us to make this wise decision. We must deal with bigger and bigger databases, and we realized that E-Brida could be the tool that we need to organize all this data and make it available to access and analyze it.
You are a new user of E-Brida. Can you describe the impact noticeable on your breeding operations? What is the most significant change you reckon?
Because E-Brida has developed an integrated system to collect the data directly from the field (using a simple device/cellphone), all these data are stored on our server. Even our images get stored in E-Brida . You can imagine that our amount of data is incredibly high. The significant advantage of using E-Brida is that every single data is associated with every Pedigree Item. Hence, data analyses and results come faster and are structured.
What is your idea of using the other software solution Mercado
At the moment we are not using Mercado because we focus on E-Brida.
What do you think of the cooperation of Agri Information Partners?
We received the appropriate training and a permanent accompaniment. So far, we have gotten timely attention and response. We are totally satisfied. Thank you, Esteban for your cooperation and openness! We think it’s a pleasure working with Progeny Breeding and certainly support your quote “Let’s watch the flowers grow!”. Good luck in the future!


~ Our Story~ Stanton's All Natural Beef is a family-owned production with the intention of producing quality beef for consumers. We raise and grow our beef on our Old Homestead Farm in Westerlo, NY. The main focus of raising our beef cows is open pastures and a healthy diet that does not consist of using any hormones. Our beef is all natural and pasture raised, and then corn finished. We take pride in providing our customers with quality beef that has great flavor and is very nutritional to our bodies. Our beef is dryaged for three weeks before it is packaged in order to enhance its flavor and tenderness. It is important that our customers have the opportunity to purchase all natural, local beef and know where it comes from. At Stanton's, we can ensure that your beef is top quality and will not fall short of your expectations.
Our beef is available for purchase at our retail farm markets from May through September. We harvest every spring and sometimes cull a few cows in the fall depending on demand. Stay tuned for updates regarding sales or bulk beef offerings throughout the winter months.
For more questions or inquiries: Message us on Facebook: "Stanton's Feura Farm" Call: 518-768-2344
~Our homegrown beef is processed and packaged at Double L Ranch butcher shop (USDA inspected) in Altamont, NY.~
Diet: Our cows have a very healthy diet that consists of absolutely NO hormones. During the warmer seasons, they are grazing on grass in our spread of pastures. We have a rotational grazing system that allows us to keep the pastures thick with vegetation for the cows to eat. The rotational grazing keeps the grass from being overeaten and allows for clean pastures for the cattle to enjoy. The cows benefit from rich nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids in the green leaves of the vegetation, resulting in better health. Throughout the summer and fall, the cows are fed a small amount of fruits and vegetables from our farm, as well as the remaining pumpkin crop after October, which is all non-GMO. Even this small amount of fruits and vegetables - sweet corn, peppers, cantaloupe, berries, mushrooms, apples, and more - give the cows extra nutrients that are beneficial to their health.
Over the winter months, the cows are fed corn silage from our non-GMO plantings of sweet corn and field corn, as well as hay cut from our fields. The corn silage is a high energy forage that helps keep weight on the cattle during the cold winter months. The key to a healthy herd is the feed!
In the last three months before slaughter, the cows are fed a finishing of our own homegrown, non-GMO ground corn and silage.


Dr. Don Batten
(from The Answers Book - About the Author)
Dr. Batten graduated B.Sc.Agr., majoring in horticultural science, with first class honors, in 1973. He was awarded a Ph.D. by the University of Sydney in 1977 for research on the physiology of root initiation in plant cuttings. Don worked for the New South Wales Department of Agriculture from 1976 - 1994 researching newer sub-tropical fruit crops such as lychee and custard apple. He traveled to India, Thailand, Taiwan, and China to study fruit crops and collect varieties. Don has collaborated with scientists at universities in Australia and overseas, as well as with CSIRO scientists. Major research interests include floral biology, environmental adaptation, and breeding. Don once tried to harmonize the Bible with popular beliefs by way of "theistic evolution," but came to see that this does not work. He now works full time for Answers in Genesis, which sees him speaking at various locations throughout Australia and overseas, as well as researching and writing to spread the gospel/creation message.
(back to the biography page)


ABOUT THE BAROSSA VALLEY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The fertile soil of the Barossa is home to some of the world’s most lauded vineyards but wine isn’t all that tastes great in the Barossa. A rich passion for food reflects the region’s strong traditions and rich heritage, mixed with modern innovation and a passion for quality. The secret ingredient is dirt.
The Barossa has a rich 180-year-old culture and architectural history and encompasses the wine-growing areas of the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley.
The Barossa is home to more than 150 wineries, with over 80 cellar doors and a winemaking heritage dating back to 1842. The secret to the highly praised vineyards and the organic fresh produce is the fertile soil – something which has assisted in making the Barossa a world-class food and wine destination.
It is home to some of Australia’s finest restaurants, inspired by fresh food, local wine and produce from the region.
The Barossa has mild summers and cool winters, with an average winter temperature of 14°c and 29°c in summer, making it perfectly suited for red wine production, particularly Shiraz and richly flavored Cabernet Sauvignon. Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Riesling, and Semillon are also part of the Barossa wine tapestry.
Some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines that are more than 175 years old are planted in the Barossa’s wineries, including Langmeil, St Hallett Wines, Cirillo Estate Vineyards, and Bethany. There is now a total of 860 grape growers in the Barossa situated on 13,256-hectares of vineyard area and the average vineyard size is 17.7 hectares.
Preserving, smoking and baking produce are still a part of everyday life and the results include smoked mettwurst, lachschinken, traditional bread, bienenstich and streuselkuchen, dill cucumbers, pickled onions, olives and olive oil, egg noodles, and a variety of chutneys, pickles and preserves.
A rich passion for food reflects the Barossa’s strong traditions and heritage, mixed with modern innovation and a hunger for quality. The Barossa is home to some of Australia’s finest regional restaurants, inspired by fresh food, wine and produce from the region.


Product Code : AT-20
Brand Name : AS TRADERS
With having large distribution network across the country, we have emerged as a successful trader and exporter of standard quality agro products like Sweet Corn. Widely consumed as a gluten free cereal, the Sweet Corn is known for its glucose and sucrose based carbohydrate content. Rich in vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber, this agro product has a key role in regulating blood sugar level and improving digestive function. As per latest research studies, the ferulic acid content of this yellow colored corn is truly effective in reducing the risk of cancer and aging. What is more, the vitamin B complex found in this type of corn is beneficial for secretion of metabolic enzymes of body.


This year, the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, launched an online course named Cannabis Production. It’s aimed at people who grow cannabis both commercially and at home. This university has one of the largest agricultural studies programmes in Canada.
The Canadian cannabis industry needs formally trained people
Canada was only the second country on Earth to legalise cannabis. (Uruguay took first place.) It hence has the opportunity to be the industry leader. Following legalisation, the market is booming. Concomitantly, there’s a demand for people with formal training in cannabis production; the university’s website described its course as designed for entry-level positions. Examples given were customer service representative, cultivation technician, grower, packing technician, processing technician, production technician, quality assurance associate and retail store manager. At present, knowledge all-too-often comes from anecdotes and poorly designed experiments.
Just what the course covers
Teaching will be at the hands of post-graduate student Brandon Yep. Covered will be such cannabis production basics as lighting, irrigation, pests, disease management, curing and packaging. Included will be talk of the history of cannabis and medicinal benefits of the plant. A statement by Yep read: “This course will clarify fact from myth” by providing information about cannabis production that’s backed up by science.
The course runs from 9 September to 1 December 2019. The cost is CAD545 (£335). 60 students made it fully enrolled. From January 2020, there will be courses in cannabis regulations and quality assurance, with the first sign-ups occurring in October 2019. Workshops are already available from the university in association with Cannabis Compliance Inc, the largest grower of cannabis in the world.
More groundbreaking cannabis research at the university
In 2017, researchers at the University of Guelph published what was quite possibly the first North American scientific paper on improving medicinal cannabis production. It appeared in the journal HortSciences. Professor Youbin Zheng groused, “There has been no science guiding this industry.” Proper scientific research was lacking, he insisted, because the growing of cannabis was illegal. With Professor Mike Dixon and PhD student Deron Caplan, Professor Zheng looked into the optimal fertiliser rates and soilless growing substrates to grow cannabis with a greater yield of medicinal components. This research was part-funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
The team has now turned its attention to lighting and irrigation. According to Professor Dixon, lighting in particular affects the concentration of cannabidiol, which is beneficial to health but sadly non-intoxicating. In recent years, even US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has stridently condemned the plant, indicated that he favoured increased research into cannabis.
The Cannabis Growers Club
While not the first course in cannabis cultivation (that was this one), not many are online. The University of Guelph is possibly the only fully accredited university in the world to boast a club dedicated to the growing of cannabis. It opened shortly before the legalisation of cannabis in Canada on October 17 2018. Only university students, staff and alumni can join. There are currently 136 members.


Become a member and receive a signed copy of a CCIR advisor's book.
Canada’s largest development project in Afghanistan may actually be fuelling the opium boom. Ottawa calls it Canada’s “signature project” in the country: a $50-million scheme to rebuild the country’s second-largest dam, the Dahla Dam, and a long-neglected network of irrigation canals in Afghanistan’s main breadbasket region.
This region of fertile farmland also happens to be Kandahar’s main opium-growing belt, according to the UN’s 2010 Afghan Opium Survey.
One of the districts that have benefited from the Canadian irrigation scheme is Zhari, just west of Kandahar City. Since 2008, when the Canadian project began, Zhari has emerged as one of Afghanistan’s key opium-growing areas. Opium cultivation there shot up by 70 percent from 2,923 hectares in 2008 to 4,978 in 2010, according to the UN survey.
The Dahla Dam itself is located in a district called Shah Wali Kot, just northeast of Kandahar City. Opium cultivation there has risen 45 percent since the Canadian project started, from 560 hectares in 2008 to 813 hectares last year.
In Kandahar province as a whole, opium production remained flat from 2005 to 2008, averaging about 14,000 hectares. Then it suddenly shot up to 20,000 hectares in 2009 and almost 26,000 last year.
Findings from the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime show that opium growers are benefiting from the rebuilt irrigation canals and ditches. Its 2007 Afghan Opium Survey reported that 37 percent of villages getting irrigation aid or other external assistance were cultivating opium.


Bakhtar Flour Mill Company was founded in the year 2002 with the aim to be one the modern flour mill in the country to produce quality wheat flour and wheat bran. This is a private investment and it was registered with the state in the year 2002. The production facility is located in Pul e Charkhi Industrial Park in the capital city of Kabul.
Our top-of-the-line flour, supplemented with improvers, Iron, Zinc, Cobalamin B12, Vitamin A and Folic acid.More Info
Produced from selected milling wheat grain, this top quality flour enriched with essential vitaminsMore Info
The bran is basically used to feed the animals in Afghanistan. Bran is manufactured under the supervision of highly qualified personnel utilizing state of the art technology.More Info
Great choice for your
Reliable Product for your
No compromise on Customer


The concept of organic food has been a topic of interest in America since the late 1980’s. Up against factory farming, giant corporations, the squeeze of the family farm and Asian imports, organic food has a tough battle to fight. However, as education and awareness rise, the interest in, and production of, organic food is also on the rise. In fact, almost 70% of all Americans now buy at least some organic food. The benefits of organic food stretch far beyond the individual, impacting the community, the country and the earth. For those looking for a healthy eating plan for weight loss, and have been frustrated by quick fix promises, organic is a great place to start.
What is Organic Food?
In order to understand the benefits of organic food, it is first important to recognize what organic food is. Organic food is produced in a different manner from traditionally processed food. Organic food does not contain synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and feed. Organic meat and poultry farmers raise their animals in a natural environment unlike factory-raised chicken, beef and pork. Organic foods also contain no preservatives, hormones, artificial colorings or flavorings. Another important fact regarding organic foods is that they are biodegradable and do not contain harmful pollutants. In order for food in America, to be considered 100% organic it must have a USDA Organic seal on it.
America is Sick!
The body is designed to utilize food for fuel. Just like a vehicle, a body needs fuel to run. All cellular functions are dependent on the right ratio of nutrient dense foods to perform their job. Since the industrialization of food, the health of Americans has been declining rapidly. Food that is produced on factory farms is void of the nutrients that the body needs and contains dangerous levels of chemicals. Over 80% of illnesses in America today is attributable to lifestyle. This means what we eat and how we live. A poor diet combined with a lack of exercise, sleep and stress management is a true recipe for disaster.
Organic to the Rescue
Eating organic food is not a diet to be adhered to for a short period of time, but rather, a lifestyle. Organic foods contain nutrients in a form that the body can use for energy and health. One of the greatest benefits of organic food is that they are not insulted with chemicals and because of this they are able to produce more phytochemicals needed to resist weeds, pest and disease. Plants left untreated by chemicals become strong and resistant. Strong plants contain loads of healthy vitamins and antioxidants. Not only does eating organic provide vital nutrients for healing and wellness, it is a great plan for people who want a healthy eating plan for weight loss. When we give the body what it needs to be healthy, exercise regularly, and adopt a stress management plan, it naturally gravitates towards a healthy weight. This is the amazing bonus we get when we treat our body with respect.
Organic and the Environment
The benefits of organic food extend beyond the plants animals and consumers to the environment. Organic farming decreases pollutants in groundwater and produces rich and fertile soil that not only helps grow strong plants but also reduces erosion. When pesticides are sprayed on crops, they leach into public water supplies and wells. Organic farming and food production uses natural techniques that work with the environment, not against it.
Local and Organic
The best combination of foods possible is local and organic. When you buy locally grown organic food, you are supporting your community, reducing your carbon footprint and making an investment not only in your health but also in the health of future generations. More and more local farmers realize that the organic movement is spreading. Despite the hard work and commitment involved, some farmers now understand that farming was never intended to be done in a factory. If you have access to grass fed meats and locally grown produce, take advantage of this bounty. When you shake the hands of the people who feed you, relationships develop, and bonds are formed. Eating organic foods does matter. It matters for you, your community and the earth.
We are to be good stewards of all that we have, and that includes all of the earth’s natural resources and our bodies. When you take the time to study the vast multitude of benefits that organic food growing, purchasing and consumption has and will continue to have for years to come, you know you are doing the right thing when you choose to “go organic.”
Committed to your success,


What food do you crave when you come out of a few days in the bush? For me, it’s a takeaway shop hamburger with the works (Oh, and that’s a yes to pineapple and beetroot, bacon and egg), hold the chips. The bits I love the most are the crunchy iceberg lettuce and fresh tomato slices. As much as my go-to hiking food is pretty good, I will always crave something fresh, especially on longer trips.
A really simple solution is to grow your own sprouts in a plastic container hanging off your backpack. Here’s how:
How to grow fresh sprouts on a hike
You will need
- Sprout seeds (Alfalfa, Mung, Adzuki, Lentils)
- Plastic container approx 10cm tall (round takeaway containers are perfect)
- Clean Chux dish cloth
- Robust rubber band
- Access to drinking water twice a day
Place 1 tablespoon of seeds in the clean container. Alfalfa is a good one to start with.
Cut the dishcloth down to a size that when draped over the opening on the container, comes at least halfway down the sides.
Cover the container and secure it firmly with the rubber band.
Pour just enough warm water through the cloth onto the seeds to cover them. Leave overnight.
In the morning, rinse well (twice) with cold water running through the cloth onto the seeds, flip to drain.
Rinse twice daily, morning and evening.
Hang on the outside of your pack in a light coloured stuff sack so that sunlight and warmth can still do their trick and help you bring forth a harvest.
Seeds will start sprouting in a few days depending on the temperature. In warmer climates (eg. NT) they will be ready in a few days. In colder climates, you may need to start your seeds a few days before you head out to make sure they are ready to eat when you are.
Pick out your fresh sprouts and enjoy them with your meals or as a snack throughout the day. If there’s any left at the end add liberally to your Milk Bar hamburger!
Alternative: Instead of using a Chux cloth, you can use the lid of the container with lots of holes pierced in the top.
Food safe warning
Sprouts aren’t the only thing that thrives in warm and humid conditions – unfriendly bugs like salmonella can too. So please check out this great info sheet from Safefood Queensland so you’re aware of the risks and recommendations.


How does chemistry aid the success of crops?
In the spring, many people begin to plant their gardens. They see ads in catalogs or shop the gardening section of a local store to get ideas. The right place in the garden is selected, seeds or plants are put in the soil, and then they wait. Whether it is a small home garden or a large thousand acre farm, chemistry contributes greatly to the success of the crop.
Crops need four things for good growth: sunlight, water, nutrients from the soil, and protection from predators such as insects. Chemistry has made major contributions within water usage, nutrient availability, and plant protection. Water purification uses a number of chemical and physical techniques to remove salts and contaminants that would pollute the soil. Chemical analysis of soil allows the grower to see what nutrients are lacking, so that they can be added. In the spring, grocery stores, hardware stores, and gardening centers have high stacks of bags containing fertilizers and weed killers that enrich the soil and keep down unwanted plants. These same stores also provide a number of sprays or solid treatments for insects that might otherwise eat the plants.
Fresh water is essential for good crops. In some areas of the world, there is enough rain to accomplish this task. In other locales, water must be provided so that the crops will grow. Worldwide, irrigation covers about \(18\%\) of farm land and produces some \(40\%\) of crops. Obtaining clean water in many parts of the world is made possible by the process of desalinization.
Desalinization involves to the treatment of sea water to remove salts; the resulting water can then be used for irrigation without contaminating the soil with materials that harm the growing plants.
In many areas of the world, the soil is deficient in essential nutrients. A number of minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium may not be present in large enough amounts for plants to grow well. Nitrogen is also extremely important for good crops.
Soil analysis is available from a variety of labs. Local university extension services can provide valuable information as to the composition of a soil, and will also make suggestions as to the types and amounts of needed nutrients. Fertilizers can be purchased and added to the soil to enrich it and ensure better yield of crops.
Even if the crop grows well, there is still the possibility of insect or pest damage. The insect or pest can consume the crop or can damage it to the point where it will not grow well. Infestations of army worms can do major damage to corn and grain crops. Aphids and boll weevils are major predators of cotton crops. Failure to control these pests results in widespread crop damage and financial loss for the farmer.
A wide variety of pesticides have been developed by chemists and other scientists to deal with pests. The basic approach is to develop pesticides that interfere with some biochemical process in the pest. Ideally, the pesticide will not affect other living organisms, but this is not always the case. It is very important to read the labels and observe all precautions when using pesticides.
- Obtaining clean water in many parts of the world is made possible by the process of desalinization.
- Plant nutrients are very important for good plant growth.
- Chemical analysis of soil can tell he farmer or gardener what nutrients are needed.
- Chemists have developed many pesticides that will kill plant predators such as the army worm and the boll weevil.
- List three things crops need for good growth.
- How much of the water used in farming is provided by irrigation?
- What fraction of crops are grown using irrigation?
- Why do nutrients need to be added to the soil?
- How do pesticides work?


Senator Clay Sweeting Looks Out For Farmers
From the desk of Senator Hon., Clay G. Sweeting
Opposition Senator and Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government
For Immediate Release
January 25th, 2018
In 2013, the Government of The Bahamas approved a 20-year plan for Rebuilding Bahamian Agriculture. The centrepiece of the plan was the creation of BAMSI as a means of introducing an Import Substitution Policy to address the escalating annual food imports into The Bahamas which had passed the billion-dollar mark.
The 20-year plan identified thirty-two (32) crops which can be produced in The Bahamas to the level of self-sufficiency.
We welcome the Government’s decision to temporarily restrict pepper and tomato imports into the Bahamas as it was our vision for Bahamians to be able to feed themselves. Bahamian farmers are hardworking individuals, and farms such as Five Star Farms in Abaco are just an example of how Bahamians can be competitive produce suppliers in this country.
However, we also sympathize with the hard working farmers of this country, many of whom has not received the relief or support from the Government since the recent hurricane destruction. Many farmers and fishermen of this country was devastated as a result of last year’s hurricane season and they feel that they have not received the assistance necessary to rebound. Many have gone out of business!
We also note that the restriction by the Government also places an embargo on the importation of materials needed to grow these tomatoes and peppers which we feel should be lifted. You cannot cultivate these products competitively without the necessary exemptions on the materials.
We call upon the Government to look at means to further assist the farmers of this country and to continue to work with them and offer them the assistance needed to be competitive.


Tomatoes are a great source of potassium, calcium, and vitamin A and C.
When planting tomatoes, remember that they love the heat! So be sure to keep them happy by placing them in a warm sunny spot, preferably somewhere that receives 5 to 6 hours of sunlight per day. If you don’t have a lot of room, they are great for vertical growing. All you need to start is a container and a trellises or some sort of fence the tomatoes can climb as they grow.
Tomatoes can be used in all kinds of kid friendly meals such fresh baked pizza, home made pasta sauce, and a crisp salad. You may also eat tomatoes raw after carefully washing and removing the stem. Use them raw in salads, sandwiches, and even juices!
Although the most familiar shape tomatoes come in are round, they also come in other shapes including, pear shaped, heart shaped, long sausage shape, and ruffled.
Broccoli is a great source of dietary fiber, potassium, folate, beta carotene, and vitamins A, D and E.
Broccoli is happiest growing in cool weather such as late spring or fall.
Broccoli is a wonderful side dish to any meal cooked whole with a little bit of sail and butter. You may also use it in soups, salads, and stir-fries along with other home grown veggies.
The current world record for eating one pound of broccoli is 92 seconds!
Onions are Rich in dietary fiber, folate and vitamin C.
You can buy small onion bulbs from your local nursery. Loosen the soil with a large fork where you will plant the bulbs. Make sure it is in a well lit or partly shaded area. Plant the bulbs upwards in the soil so just the very tip of the bulb is still exposed. Be sure to water the onions regularly.
Onions are often used as a seasoning to add flavor to a verity of dishes such as soups and dips. They can also be eaten freshly picked and raw.
The largest onion ever grown weighed 16 pounds and 8.5 ounces.
Blueberries are a great source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.
Blueberries need plenty of sun and grow best in moist, well-drained, highly acidic soils. The berries ripen over time changing from a bright green to a dark blue-purple. The darker the berries are, the sweeter. The smaller berries usually have a little more tart taste. The fall and early spring are the best time to plant blueberry bushes. Although they take a little longer to produce fruit, it is well worth the wait.
Blueberries are another fruit that you can wash off and snack on without any peeling or pitting. Because of there small size they are an excellent addition to baked goods such as muffins. They are also a sweet topping to your morning bowl of oatmeal or cooked right into a stack of fluffy pancakes!
Blueberries are one of the few foods that are naturally blue in color.
Raspberries are a great source of beta carotene, dietary fibre, and vitamin A and C.
Raspberries love bright sunlight and grow best in well-drained, sandy loam soils. When growing raspberries, you should start with a raspberry plant from a reputable nursery to be sure healthy and free of any viruses. Securing them to stakes as they grow will help support the plant.
Raspberries make the perfect snack freshly picked and also make a great addition to a variety of desserts. They can be used in pies, sprinkled on top of ice-cream and yogurt, or blended into a fruit smoothie.
Raspberries are actually made up of over 100 tiny beads of fruit, which combined together to form a helmet-shaped dome.
Peas are a great source of vitamins A, B and C.
Peas are known as a cool weather crop that grow best when planted in the early spring or fall in cool moist conditions. Even soil moisture is important. They’re great for small spaces because like tomatoes, they can be grown vertically. They are also one of the quickest vegetables to grow, taking about 10 weeks.
Peas are a great snack raw, just pop open the pods and enjoy. They are also a tasty addition to soups and casseroles.
The world’s largest pea grew to be almost 8 inches in diameter, roughly the size of a soccer ball!
Carrots are a great source of fiber, potassium, thiamin, niacin and vitamins A, B and C.
Carrots need to keep a consistent soil moisture from plant to harvest. If you are limited on space you may also consider growing a potted variety such as “Thumbelina” or “Chantenay”, which also grow more quickly. Remember to carefully scrub your carrots when washing to remove any excess dirt from being underground.
Chopped carrot sticks are a fantastic snack raw with some ranch dip and make a flavorful addition to a soup or roast.
Although carrots are commonly orange, they can be found in many other colors such as red, yellow, white, and even Fo-Fo Figgily’s favorite color, purple!
Spinach is a great source of iron, thiamin, potassium, folic acid and vitamins A and C.
Spinach is a cool weather crop that grow best when planted in the early spring or fall and grows in just seven short weeks.
Spinach is best if eaten within a few days days of harvesting. It is a wonderful addition to a verity of meals such as omelets, salad, and even lasagna.
The world’s largest meat, spinach and cheese ravioli measured 5 square feet and weighed 200 pounds! It included 32 9-ounce bags of fresh spinach.
Strawberries are a great source of dietary fibre, folate, and vitamin C.
Strawberries are exceptionally easy to grow. You can plant an individual strawberry bush in a 12 inch pot. If you choose to plant them directly into the ground leave about 15 inches in between each plant. Another great way to utilize space is to plant your strawberries in a hanging basket above your garden. The roots are generally longer so you may need to trim them back about 4 inches so you can make sure they are completely covered in soil. Be careful when watering to make sure you don’t over water. A watering can works best.
Strawberries are usually eaten fresh from the garden after washing. They are a nice addition to a colorful fruit salads, tarts, and even to top off a plate of funny face pancakes with whipped cream. Another favorite treat is chocolate dipped strawberries.
The world’s largest strawberry shortcake was 827 square feet and 6,000 pounds! .
The darker leafy lettuce, which is sometimes purple in color, is a great source of beta carotene. Lettuce is also a good source of folate and vitamin C.
Lettuce is a cool-season crops that perform best when planted in early spring or in the late summer.
Lettuce comes in wide varieties and are about 95 % water, making it a light and refreshing snack. Lettuce is most commonly used in salads with a wide range of mix ins and dressings. Its a nice addition to any sandwich as well.
The worlds largest lettuce salad weighed 22,572 pounds!
Beets are Rich in antioxidants, folic acid, calcium, and potassium.
Beets don’t take up much room. They’re happiest in deep, well-drained soil, and grow well in cooler weather. Beets grow from small pea sized seed clusters which consist of several tiny seeds.
Beets are sweet, and nutritious. They grow best in full sunlight and are most nutritious when eaten raw.
The Bright fuchsia color of beet juice is a great substitute for food coloring! Check out our recipe for Vivala Wee’s Pink Power Pancakes!
Potatoes are a great source of potassium, dietary fibre and vitamin C. They are also a fantastic boost of energy that comes from their starchy carbohydrates.
Potatoes may be grown in containers if you don’t have a large amount of space and they grow amazingly fast. It is very important that you keep the soil moist but not too wet. Sunlight is also essential to make sure your potatoes will grow properly. They need about 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day. A good time to know when to harvest is when the plants have flowered in about 6 weeks time
Potatoes grow in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They can be baked and stuffed, mashed, chopped up, or thinly sliced and fried for your very own home made fries and potato chips!
The potato was the very first vegetable to be grown in outer space!


Our week began with a second observation of our seeds. "I see little red things, those are the roots." "Vines on the bottom." "Roots." And, "My shell cracked open!" After looking at and examining them, everyone got to plant their seeds in a cup. Someone said we should put one scoop of dirt, the seeds, and then another scoop of dirt on top. Several children agreed saying, "Yes, so the seeds are in the middle." We got to work scooping dirt, adding water, and placed them on the window sill.
In the big room we played our usual tricycles, block building, dress up, food exchanging, and jungle gym climbing. There were families taking care of babies and each other, workmen building, speed-racers driving tricycles, and monkeys on the jungle gym. Right after cleanup everyone turned into puppies, kittens, joeys, a German shepherd, and one dragon with hard plates on his back for protection.
On our trip to the Prospect Park Zoo wesaw two peacocks, a python, turtles, an owl, baby sheep, goats, and seals. We got to feed the farm animals and pet the snake. The trip went off without a hitch.
Our seeds are still growing in little cups. We watered them two more times this week. Outside we took turns using two rakes, a hoe, and a shovel, to till the dirt. Everyone worked the land diligently clearing weeds, dead leaves, and discovering loads of crawling things in the dirt. After the rain, we found three slugs, two healthy and one no longer with us. There was also a "worm observation table".
We watered and observed our seeds a third time on Friday. There was a bit of excitement over the fact that some of our seeds had changed overnight.
Next week we will plant our seeds and begin our study of the ocean.
Have a great weekend,


A CONGOLESE migrant with a background in farming and gold mining has spearheaded the creation of a community garden.
In David Nteziyaryo’s home country of the Republic of Congo it is commonplace for people to grow their own food and work alongside neighbours during harvest.
His extensive knowledge of horticulture and collaboration has played an invaluable role in the new community garden, at the Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council headquarters in Mildura.
Mr Nteziyaryo has led the creation of the garden by the Mildura Men’s Group.
The garden, which opened in May, offers a variety of free vegetables including silverbeet, cabbage, garlic and lettuce for multicultural community members to take home.
Mr Nteziyaryo said the garden was a source of fresh produce while also creating a sense of collaboration between the volunteers.
“We made this garden to help men from different countries to come together and share their knowledge,” he said.
“The vegetables are important for the community, it is necessary for people to eat and we can share the vegetables and they can take it home to eat.”
Mr Nteziyaryo said the group wanted to expand the garden and needed volunteers who would like to pick up a shovel and help.
“We want to make more (planter) boxes – we have five at the moment and we are hoping to make another five.”
SMECC’s Michael sang the praises of Mr Nteziyaryo for his hard work in bringing the project to life.
“David has been an absolute revelation his knowledge of the plants and his ability to bring people and add to that, he is very good on the shovel,” he said.
“He has been able to help not just here but in many areas around SMECC he has been a great asset to us.”
By: Jack Evans
Sunraysia Daily, JUNE 19 2023


Grazing horses on agricultural land
Understanding the difference between agricultural use and equestrian use and how to document a grazing arrangement.
Horses can be dangerous, as can the arrangements for keeping them!
The agricultural use of land and the equestrian use of land are two very different things as any planning enforcement officer will quickly explain to you. Grazing agreements, farm business tenancies and protected business tenancies are all very different too as any lawyer will tell you.
“Grazing” horses on land is classified as agricultural from a planning use perspective even where the horses are recreational rather than working horses. The key is that the horses are only on the land for the primary purpose of “grazing”. If the horses are given supplemental feed, kept in a field for exercise, covered with rugs or if they are provided with a field shelter then the predominant use of the land may no longer be regarded as agricultural. Any non-agricultural use will require planning permission for change of use although temporary use (up to 28 days a year) for events such as gymkhanas and cross-country competitions can be held on agricultural land without the need for planning permission.
If horses are to be kept for grazing then a grazing agreement or licence should be entered into and in such circumstances it may be possible to retain the benefit of farming subsidies. If the grazing arrangement has any link to a trade or business then provided it just relates to genuine grazing of an agricultural nature then a farm business tenancy is likely to arise but where there is any non-agricultural element along the lines of the examples outlined above then the arrangement may fall within the definition of a business tenancy within the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 which affords a degree of protection (security of tenure) for the occupier. It is very easy to document a grazing arrangement in the wrong way.
Cases will turn on their facts and problems with the local planning authority or with protected tenancies can prove very costly. Be aware and seek advice.


|Meeting Day||3rd Friday|
|Time||10.00 - 12.00|
|Location||Various outdoor locations & Castle Street during some Winter months.
|Co-ordinator(s)||Kath Edwards and Elaine Boothman
What we do
Our group comprises members with an interest in plants, gardens and gardening.
We meet at Castle Street Community Centre for some of the winter months, where we invite speakers, show DVDs related to Gardening and the History of Gardening , or some members will take part in presentations on a chosen theme.
In the warmer months we visit gardens of interest or other members’ gardens.
Our learning, in addition, comes from our own members’ knowledge as we discuss topics of interest, swap plants, seeds and produce.
During Covid lockdown we will still be meeting via Zoom.
Top of Page


Plants fall into "ruderal," "circumventor" or stress-tolerant categories. Ruderals, including annual and perennial plants, create many seeds that reproduce quickly. Circumventors, including both plants and trees, are less prolific in seed production, more tolerant of their surroundings than ruderals and have some protection against disease and pests. Stress tolerant plants and trees thrive with little water and no fertilizer. They also protect themselves from predators with bark and resins that kill certain insects and inhibit diseases.
Synthetic or chemical fertilizer is created from liquid ammonia. It is inexpensive to produce and has revolutionized American agriculture. Between 1950 and 1975, total farm product output increased by more than 50 percent and farm labor hours decreased by 60 percent. Mechanization, genetic improvement and increased use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers created this change. Environmental science now identifies atmospheric nitrogen overload from synthetic fertilizer as a primary cause of global pollution, according to a report by the World Resources Institute.


Construction & Maintenance of Synthetic Turfgrass
At this point, you may have figured out that the one similarity between natural turfgrass and synthetic is that they are green. Beyond this fact, they are quite different, and each is best utilized when a field is thoughtfully planned. If you are still not sure what type of turfgrass may fit your field, refer to our last blogs exploring the benefits of each type of turfgrass. However, if you are ready to take the next step into construction and field maintenance, you are in the right place.
If you are starting brand new, keep in mind the best sub-base for artificial grass is one that functions like soil. However, there are two main parts to an artificial sports field. First is the base, usually made up of stone and drain tiles. Depending on your location, your material and depth could vary.
Where there are harsh winters, at least 6-8 inches of the trench is needed to accommodate extreme weather that expands and contracts the drainage system. For synthetic turf systems, we even offer heating systems that are used to keep the field from freezing and acting as a snowmelt system. All these specifications make a project’s price range a bit unpredictable until you receive a consultation. At SCG Fields, we construct dynamic base systems and install synthetic turf from all manufacturers in the industry. As a result, we will be your trusted advisor to help you select a system that meets your expectations and needs.
The second process includes the infilled carpet. Infill normally refers to the products that are placed in between the blades or fibers of artificial turf, or the synthetic grass blades. It usually has fibers that are about two inches long and an infill material is brushed into the fibers, leaving about half an inch of exposed synthetic turf grass. Infill materials vary but usually consist of things like silica sand, and crumb rubber as well as many other alternative infills that provide other long-term benefits. The purpose of infill is to help the artificial turf grass blades to stand up or return to their intended upright position after they have been exposed to pressure. Infill also helps to shield the backing used on artificial turf from the damage that is caused by UV rays. For the synthetic turf to be laid down, construction takes place over several days. This is when a concrete border is built, and drainage is installed.
A properly maintained synthetic turf field can last upwards of 12 years. Specialized tools and knowledge are needed for turf maintenance. That is why it is best to invest in expert maintenance. Not only can managing a maintenance program be challenging, but it requires that you have the available time and professionally trained staff to keep your turf looking and performing at its best.A maintenance program consists of regular everyday routine maintenance, semi-annual and annual comprehensive maintenance. A maintenance person should walk the field daily and conduct more detailed inspections according to your field builder’s recommended schedule. To avoid permanent damage to your synthetic turf or safety hazards, check regularly for and address critical items. Along with conducting inspections and making minor repairs, routine maintenance also considers keeping the playing surface clean, maintaining infill levels, and grooming the surface. Regular brushing is an important function that must not be overlooked or neglected. Brushing helps to maintain uniform infill levels, keep the grass fibers upright, remove debris, and improve the field appearance.Over time, comprehensive maintenance should be expected. In these situations, you certainly want to consult your builder before moving forward because more than likely, you will need special equipment. It is important to prepare for special circumstances that might affect your synthetic turf. If you know your region is prone to certain circumstances you may need to complete specialty maintenance, as needed. Environmental changes such as heavy rain, snow, ice, lightning, and static electricity can all be combated with ongoing maintenance. Ensuring these events are taken care of in a timely matter promotes long-lasting artificial turf grass.A field owner needs to understand that certain activities, usage, and other circumstances may impact the field quality, wear and tear, appearance, warranty, and performance of a synthetic turf field. If any doubt exists, the field builder should be consulted. Whether you are looking for a pre-season kick start (30 or 60 days), semi-annual, or permanent maintenance program, let the experts at SCG deliver results that will make your organization proud.


Are you fascinated by innovative gardening methods that conserve water and produce bountiful harvests? Look no further – we’re diving deep into the realm of ponics. In this article, we’ll explore the definition of ponics, its incredible advantages, and the intriguing contrast between two of its popular variants: hydroponics and aquaponics. By the end, you’ll be equipped with knowledge to embark on your journey into sustainable and productive gardening practices.
Ponics, short for “aquaponics” or “hydroponics,” refers to revolutionary cultivation techniques that eliminate the need for traditional soil-based farming. These methods harness water as the primary medium for delivering nutrients to plants, promoting efficient growth and resource conservation. Ponics presents an innovative way to nurture crops, making it a game-changer in modern agriculture.
The Advantages of Ponics
Ponics offers a plethora of benefits that contribute to its rising popularity among gardeners and farmers alike:
- Water Efficiency: One of the most significant advantages of ponics is its water-saving potential. Traditional soil farming requires substantially more water, whereas ponics recirculates water within the system, drastically reducing wastage.
- Year-Round Cultivation: With ponics, you’re no longer at the mercy of weather conditions. You can cultivate your favorite crops year-round in a controlled environment, ensuring a consistent harvest.
- Space Optimization: Ponics systems can be set up vertically, allowing you to maximize your space. This feature is particularly valuable for urban gardeners with limited room.
- Nutrient Precision: By directly delivering nutrients to plant roots, ponics enables precise control over what plants receive. This results in healthier growth and higher yields.
- Reduced Pesticide Use: Controlled environments in ponics discourage pests, reducing the need for harmful pesticides. This translates to healthier produce and a safer environment.
Hydroponics: A Closer Look
Hydroponics is a subset of ponics that focuses solely on cultivating plants in nutrient-rich water solutions. Here’s what you need to know:
What is Hydroponics?
Hydroponics involves growing plants in a soilless environment, typically using water infused with nutrients. The roots are suspended in the nutrient solution, allowing plants to absorb what they need directly.
Key Components of Hydroponics Systems
- Nutrient Reservoir: A container holding the nutrient solution.
- Growing Medium: An inert material that supports plant roots, such as perlite or coco coir.
- Water Pump: Circulates the nutrient solution.
- pH Control System: Maintains the optimal pH level for nutrient absorption.
- Aeration System: Ensures roots receive oxygen for healthy growth.
Aquaponics: A Unique Twist
Aquaponics, another facet of ponics, combines hydroponics with aquaculture, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. Let’s delve deeper:
How Does Aquaponics Work?
In aqua Ponics, fish are cultivated alongside plants. Fish waste provides nutrients to the plants, while the plants filter and purify the water for the fish. It’s a harmonious relationship that mimics nature’s balance.
Benefits of Aquaponics
- Natural Fertilization: Fish waste serves as an organic nutrient source for plants.
- Low-Waste System: The symbiotic nature of aquaponics minimizes waste production.
- Diverse Harvests: Enjoy both fish and crops from a single system.
- Water Conservation: The closed-loop system uses less water than traditional farming.
Q: Can I use any type of plant in hydroponics? A: While many plants thrive in hydroponic systems, some are better suited than others. Leafy greens, herbs, and tomatoes are popular choices.
Q: Do aquaponics systems require a lot of maintenance? A: Aquaponics systems are designed to be low-maintenance. Regular checks on water quality and fish health are essential, but the ecosystem largely regulates itself.
Q: Is aquaponics environmentally friendly? A: Absolutely! Aquaponics reduces water usage, eliminates chemical fertilizers, and minimizes waste discharge, making it an eco-friendly choice.
Q: Can I build my own ponics system at home? A: Yes, both hydroponics and aquaponics systems can be scaled for home use. Numerous DIY guides and kits are available to help you get started.
Q: Are the fish in aquaponics systems edible? A: Yes, many aquaponics enthusiasts raise edible fish like tilapia or trout. The fish can be enjoyed as part of a sustainable and diverse diet.
Q: How long does it take to set up a hydroponics system? A: The setup time varies depending on the complexity of the system. A basic system can be assembled in a few hours, while larger systems may take a day or two.
Ponics, encompassing hydroponics and aquaponics, presents an exciting avenue for cultivating plants and fish in innovative and sustainable ways. As you explore this realm, remember that ponics is not only about growing produce; it’s about fostering a connection with nature, promoting efficient resource use, and embracing the future of agriculture.
So, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, ponics offers an inspiring journey toward greener, healthier, and more abundant harvests.


Cutter's Yard Care FAQ and Advice
Fertilizing the lawn is a good way to green up your yard in a hurry. Grass is naturally nitrogen hungry so the little boost of nutrients will give your yard that nice green glow that everyone wants. Be careful, though because too much fertilizer or applications at the wrong time of year could do more harm than good.
2) Don't mow it too short
Mowing too short is a common mistake but is the easiest to remedy. All you have to do is.. well, nothing. Just let it grow! A good height for grass is in the 2.5 to 3 inch height. The longer roots that grow as the result of a longer blade will allow your lawn to stay greener later into the dry season.
3) water at the right time
It's sometimes easiest to just water when you have time but it's always best to do it at the right time. When is that? The best time to water is very early in the morning so that the water can get to the roots before it evaporates in the heat of the day. Also, it's better for the health of the plant because when the sun does come out the excess moisture on he green part of the plant dries off faster keeping away those nast fungal diseases that can get costly to remedy.