When choosing organic or conventional produce, there's no simple comparison, even if it's apples to apples.
However, in a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, researchers found that when comparing conventionally grown apples to their organic counterparts, organic apples harbored a significantly more diverse bacteria population.
Conventional apples and organic apples both contained about the same amount of total bacteria, about 100 million per apple. But, that's only if you eat the whole thing — stem, seeds and all.
The production method dictated the types and variety of bacterial colonies.
And that can mean good things for gut health.
Raw Organic Fruits and Vegetables May Be Better for Your Gut
"Vegetables and fruits, especially when consumed raw, represent the most important source for a diverse microbial community, which is mandatory for a healthy gut microbiome and our immune system," said Birgit Wassermann, a PhD student at the Graz University of Technology in Austria, and first author of the study.
Wassermann and her fellow researchers chose to look at apples because of their immense popularity throughout the world.
About 83 million apples were grown in 2018 and production continues to grow. Raw fruits and vegetables are an important source of gut bacteria — cooking tends to kill off all the bacteria.
In the comparison of organic and conventional apples, not only was bacteria more diverse in organic production, but it was also associated with the presence of so-called "good" bacteria Lactobacillus, a common probiotic.
Conversely, conventional apples were more likely to have potentially pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia and Shigella, which are known to cause food poisoning symptoms like diarrhea and cramps.
"The highly diverse microbiome of organically managed apples might limit or hamper the abundance of human pathogens, simply by outcompeting them," said Wassermann. "Probably, the microbial pool organic apple trees are exposed to is more diverse and more balanced and potentially supports the plant also in resistance during pathogen attack."
When it comes to gut health, however, Wassermann explained that it's not as simple as choosing organic over conventional apples.
Such a simple inference can't be drawn from her work alone. Instead, she emphasizes that diverse populations of bacteria — whether found in nature, apples, or the human gut — tend to be more beneficial no matter the environment where they are found.
And for most people, simply eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is a more important first step than discriminating between apples.
"Organic or conventional? Pretty irrelevant. The main thing is that people eat more fresh produce in general," said Wassermann.
With a focus on bacteria and by extension, gut health, the research adds yet another lens through which to view the ongoing debate for consumers on how they choose to buy produce.
And the organic versus conventional debate is far from settled.
But as questions about the benefits of either method have become more nuanced — it's not as simple as saying one is "better" than the other — consumers now have more awareness about what they want out of their produce.
The debate over organic and conventional fruits and vegetables has primarily focused on four aspects: nutrition, environmental impact, cost to consumers, and pesticides.
Depending on how important these factors are to you should inform your purchasing choice rather than strictly choosing one over the other.
What Do ‘Organic’ and ‘Conventional’ Even Mean?
Organic is a label conferred by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on foods that are grown in accordance with certain federal guidelines. These guidelines include things like what kinds of pesticides can be used, soil additives, and how animals are raised.
Conventional refers to modern, industrial agriculture which includes the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms.
Some studiesTrusted Source have found that organic produce likely isn't any more nutritious than conventional, but it will reduce exposure to pesticides and harmful bacteria.
However, that's not to say that organic produce is completely free of pesticides — it's not.
Your choice should also be impacted by other health factors as well, such as pregnancy or other chronic conditions.
Studies in recent years have looked at the prevalence of pesticide exposure among pregnant women via produce, as well as the potential for prenatal pesticideTrusted Source exposure to lead to intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.
For most consumers, a practical place to start is identifying which fruits and vegetables are more prone to having exposure to high amounts or different varieties of pesticides.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), an environmental and consumer advocacy group, annually publishes their list of the Dirty Dozen, which are the fruits and vegetables with the highest rates of pesticide contamination, and the Clean Fifteen, which are those with the lowest rates.
The worst offenders from 2019 include:
- strawberries (coming in at #1)
For the produce with the least amount of pesticide exposure, reach for:
- sweet corn
- frozen sweet peas
"I usually follow the EWG Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen designations," said Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD, the manager of Wellness Nutrition Services at Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.
"There are also certain things that I always recommend to purchase organic, like dairy productsTrusted Source and strawberries, as well as foods that I usually tell my clients to skip the cost and go with conventional, like produce with a significant outer layer such as pineapples or bananas," she said.
Organic foods may offer some health benefits, but they'll also cost more, and that's a major consideration for most families.
A 2015 study from Consumer Reports found that organic apples were anywhere from 20 to 60 percent more expensive than their conventional counterparts. Milk was similarly 20 to 64 percent and for things like organic strawberries and zucchinis, consumers could end up paying twice as much.
In short, choosing how and why to pick conventional or organic produce is a serious balancing act. But one thing is for certain: You should be eating more fruits and vegetables no matter how they are grown.
"The most important thing I tell my patients is this: Increasing your fruit and vegetable consumption is far more important than organic versus non-organic. If you choose not to eat fruits and vegetables because you can't afford organic, that's the wrong choice. Any fruits and vegetables are better than none," said Kirkpatrick.


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When it comes to sweeteners, most people think of sugar or artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose. However, a lesser-known natural sweetener, stevia, has recently gained popularity.
Stevia is a sweetener known for its zero-calorie content and natural sweetness. It’s not only a healthy alternative to sugar but also the most sustainable form of sweetener available today.
Before we get into the sustainability aspect of Stevia, let’s briefly understand stevia and its properties if you’ve not heard or used it before.
What Is Stevia?
Stevia is a plant native to South America used as a natural sweetener for centuries.
The plant contains compounds called steviol glycosides, which are responsible for its sweet taste. Steviol glycosides are about 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, which means only a small amount of stevia is needed to achieve the same level of sweetness as sugar.
Stevia is available in different forms, including powder, tablets, and granules, and can be used in a wide range of food and beverage products.
Stevia is popular among people trying to reduce their sugar intake or manage their weight, as it contains zero calories and has a negligible impact on blood sugar levels.
Sustainable Cultivation of Stevia
- Requires fewer resources: One of the reasons why stevia is the most sustainable form of sweetener is that it requires less land, water, and other resources to cultivate for the same amount of sweetness that traditional sweeteners like sugar give. Unlike sugar, stevia requires only one-tenth of the land to produce the same sweetness.
- Grows in various climates: Stevia plants can be grown in various climates, from tropical to temperate regions, and cultivated using conventional and organic farming methods.
- Chemical Use: Traditional sweeteners like sugar and high fructose corn syrup are often produced using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, adversely affecting the environment and human health. In contrast, stevia is a natural product that does not require synthetic chemicals to grow or process. This makes stevia a safer and more sustainable sweetener.
- Short growth cycle: Stevia has a relatively short growth cycle of about three to four months, which means farmers can harvest several crops in a year.
- Economic benefits to farmers: Stevia cultivation can provide an additional source of income for small-scale farmers who can sell their crops to food and beverage manufacturers. It can help improve their livelihoods and reduce poverty in rural communities.
Environmental Benefits of Stevia
Stevia has several environmental benefits compared to traditional sweeteners.
- Lower Carbon Footprint: The production of traditional sweeteners like sugar and high fructose corn syrup has a significant carbon footprint due to the energy-intensive processes involved.
- In contrast, stevia has a much lower carbon footprint, requiring less energy and fewer resources to grow and process. Stevia farming also helps sequester soil carbon, making its net carbon footprint lower than other sweeteners.
- Positive impact on biodiversity: Stevia also has a positive impact on biodiversity. Cultivating stevia can help preserve natural habitats and protect wildlife, as it does not require the clearance of large land areas. In contrast, the cultivation of sugar has been linked to deforestation, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss.
- Renewable Resource: Stevia is also a renewable resource. The plant can be harvested multiple times a year, and the leaves can be dried and processed to produce sweeteners. This means stevia can be a sustainable alternative to sugar, a non-renewable resource.
Health Benefits of Stevia
Apart from its environmental benefits, stevia also has several health benefits.
- Safe for people with diabetes: Unlike sugar, which can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and other health problems, stevia has no calories and does not affect blood sugar levels. Stevia is also safe for people with diabetes, as it does not raise blood sugar levels.
- Protect against chronic diseases: Stevia has also been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help to protect against chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
- Moreover, stevia is a natural alternative to artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, which are linked to health problems such as headaches, digestive issues, and even cancer.
- Better sugar substitute: Stevia can be used in various food and beverage products, including tea, coffee, soda, baked goods, and snacks. It can be used as a sugar substitute in recipes or added to food and drinks for a sweet taste. Stevia is available in different forms, including liquid, powder, and granules, which makes it easy to use in cooking and baking.
Stevia is a natural, sustainable, and healthy alternative to sugar sweeteners. It requires less land, water, and other resources to cultivate than sugar and has a lower environmental impact.
Stevia can also provide economic benefits for farmers and help to improve their livelihoods. In addition, stevia has several health benefits and can be used in a wide range of food and beverage stevia products.
With all these benefits, it’s no wonder that stevia is becoming increasingly popular as a sweetener.


Deputy Commissioner decides to hold daily meeting with the officials of procurement agencies
No negligence will be tolerated in procurement of wheat
Amritsar, April 20 (kuljit With the increase in the arrival of wheat in the district, Deputy Commissioner Sh. Gurpreet Singh Khaira has decided to hold daily meetings with all the agencies involved in the procurement work. He said that it was our first responsibility to procure the produce of the farmers and take care of the food needs of the country and no negligence or laxity would be tolerated in this. Meeting with SDMs, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller, District Mandi Officers and inspectors supervising the work in all the agencies and mandis procuring wheat at his residence here today. Mr. Khaira said that the supervisors and inspectors of each mandi should ensure that the farmers would not face any problem during the procurement of wheat in the district.
Mr. Khaira said that this is a 10 to 12 day season and all the officers working in the field should be present at their places of duty to ensure procurement. The Deputy Commissioner directed all the SDMs to ensure personal checking in all the mandis in their area and must meet the farmers and maids in the meantime. He said that if any issue comes to the notice of any place, it should be brought to my notice immediately so that it can be resolved in time. Mr. Khaira said there was no problem with the bags, but the humidity could be higher due to inclement weather. He directed that in view of the weather forecast in the coming days, tarpaulins etc. should also be provided in the mandis to cover the wheat. Additional Deputy Commissioner Himashun Agarwal and officials of other departments were also present on the occasion.
कृपया अपनी खबरें, सूचनाएं या फिर शिकायतें सीधे firstname.lastname@example.org पर भेजें। इस वेबसाइट पर प्रकाशित लेख लेखकों, ब्लॉगरों और संवाद सूत्रों के निजी विचार हैं। मीडिया के हर पहलू को जनता के दरबार में ला खड़ा करने के लिए यह एक सार्वजनिक मंच है।


Video: How to preserve our natural environment while promoting organic and regional agriculture
In the run-up to the national elections, the Mouvement Ecologique has invited the political parties to debate the preservation of biodiversity and its habitats, as well as the agriculture of the future, and to set the tone.
Preserving our natural resources, quality food production and farms should be a top priority in our society, both for today’s generation and for future generations. Despite the positive initiatives launched during the current legislature, Luxembourg remains on a challenging path.
The room was very full, and the lively discussion demonstrated the interest and urgency of these issues. Among the audience were numerous nature conservationists, farmers, local authorities, interested citizens and others.
The round table brought together representatives of various political parties to examine together the solutions proposed by their parties to address these pressing issues. The following politicians took part in the round table.
- Benoy François, Déi Gréng
- Boonen Jeff, CSV
- Diderich Gary, Déi Lénk
- Graas Gusty, DP
- Haagen Claude, LSAP
- Majerus Luc, Fokus
- Ben Polidori, Pirate Party
- Prof. Dr. Schoos Jean, ADR
You can watch this round table in the video to get an overview of the ideas and viewpoints of the political representatives.
A second round table with party representatives will take place on October 5 on the theme of “Growth and regional planning”.
Translated with deepl.com


Methodological Approaches to System Experiments - International Summer School
The International Summer School on Methodological Approaches to System Experiments will take place from 23 to 28 June 2019 in Volterra (Italy). This event is at the initiative of INRA and is aimed at French and international researchers, engineers, PhD students involved in the design, monitoring and exploitation of system experiments.
The objectives of the summer school are:
Strengthening the scientific nature of system experiments through a solid methological corpus
Learning how to build an experimental design taking into account the objectives, hypotheses and how the data will be analysed
Sharing the difficulties encountered in analysing the data collected in system experiments and proposing appropriate solutions
Building an international culture with shared representations on system experiments
Jean-Noël Aubertot (05 61 28 50 21) AGIR : AGroécologie – Innovations – TerRitoires


Pollen is a small yellow or white grain that is often observed on bees, but also on flowers.
It is an important component of plant reproduction and agricultural production systems. Although it is so small and invisible to the naked eye, it has great importance for the environment and for biodiversity.
You can find our special file on pollen allergies .
What is pollen?
Pollen is a set of microscopic grains carried by the wind, insects and birds between plants to facilitate fertilization.
Pollens are produced primarily by the stamens of flowers and consist of a protein-rich nucleus surrounded by an exine that forms its protective, moisture-impermeable shell.
The color of the pollen can vary according to the species and its origin: yellow , red or even green pollens are sometimes found.
What is the role of pollen?
Pollen is essential for the reproduction of plants, because it is thanks to it that the seeds are formed. When the pollen enters the flowers, it fertilizes the ovary which allows the plant to produce seeds.
Pollen is therefore the basis of all plants, without which the production of new seeds would be impossible.
In addition, pollen plays a crucial role in maintaining animal populations.
Indeed, bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects use pollen as a food source. These animals are very important for nature because they allow the transport of pollen between plants and thus promote the reproduction of plant species.
How does pollen affect the environment?
The impact of pollen on the environment is considerable.
Indeed, it is at the base of the food chain, because it provides animals with the food they need. Without this resource, animal populations would decline rapidly and biodiversity would be seriously threatened.
In addition, pollen is also necessary for the production of good harvests, as it allows the fertilization of plants. Thus, without pollen, it would be impossible to grow certain types of plants and produce adequate crops.
In general, pollen helps preserve biodiversity and improve air and water quality. In some cultures, pollen is even eaten for its nutritious and healing properties.
However, pollen can also be a source of problems for allergy sufferers. Fortunately, there are effective treatments to relieve allergy-related symptoms.
What are the benefits of pollen?
- Pollen helps maintain biodiversity and boost agricultural production.
- It is a food source for various animal species.
- It can help purify air and water.
- It is rich in nutrients and has healing properties.
- Symptoms related to allergies can be relieved with available treatments.
Pollen is a micro-organism that plays a vital role in the environment and in our daily life. It is an incredibly powerful substance, capable of maintaining biodiversity and agricultural production.
If we take care of the pollen, it will take care of us!


These two wire shelves would fit into an IKEA Milsbo(tall) cabinet that is being converted into a greenhouse cabinet for plants. It can easily take the same weight as the original glass shelves. It is also easier and safer to handle than glass. All you need to do is to place them in the same brackets that are holding up the glass shelves in your Milsbo Cabinet. Together with a suitable fan, it will provide good air circulation which will promote transpiration and prevent fungal growth. It will also help to even out the humidity and temperature through out the cabinet. Lighting for a lower shelf can easily be attached to the underside of each shelf using cable ties. These shelves will make your plants very happy.


From 1980 to 2016, grain manufacturing in Brazil elevated greater than fourfold, and the nation now stands because the world’s largest soybean exporter and the second largest exporter of corn. The 2 foremost drivers of this improve in meals manufacturing had been cropland enlargement and double-cropping, harvesting two crops, similar to corn and soybeans, from the identical discipline in a single yr.
Whereas cropland enlargement has lengthy been acknowledged as one of many drivers behind the rise in Brazil’s agricultural output, a brand new examine revealed in Nature Meals quantifies for the primary time the impression that double-cropping additionally had on serving to Brazil obtain its nationwide grain increase.
Jing Gao, assistant professor of Geospatial Information Science within the College of Delaware’s Faculty of Earth, Ocean and Surroundings (CEOE) and Information Science Institute (DSI), was a co-author on the examine that included collaborators from establishments in China and Brazil.
Gao contributed to the group efforts by inspecting agriculture census-related knowledge gathered from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and figuring out spatial patterns and modifications that occurred over time in three key agricultural areas on the subject of meals manufacturing: the Centre-West, Southeast-South, and Matopiba areas in Brazil.
“You do not know what is going on till you analyze knowledge,” stated Gao. “This was the primary time this distinctive dataset was analyzed from this angle to point out how the system labored. Understanding how the enhance in Brazil’s grain productiveness was achieved within the latest previous supplies perception for growing sustainable meals manufacturing sooner or later.”
These three areas lined 36% of Brazil’s territory and accounted for 79% of the nationwide soybean manufacturing and 85% of the nation’s corn manufacturing in 2016. The Centre-West space confirmed the most important will increase in manufacturing in addition to cropland enlargement. As such, the Centre-West displaced the Southeast-South because the dominant grain producer within the nation, producing 46% of the nation’s grain in comparison with 29% for the Southeast-South.
The rise in grain manufacturing within the Centre-West could be attributed to cropland enlargement in addition to double-cropping.
Contributions from double-cropping within the Centre-West elevated from 19% to 33% from 2003 to 2016. Whereas the rise in soybean manufacturing was largely as a consequence of cropland enlargement—soybean fields account for greater than one-third of Brazil’s cropland—the rise in corn manufacturing may very well be linked to the follow of double-cropping. Within the Centre-West, the agricultural space for second season corn—or the corn grown after the primary season soybean is harvested—elevated from 26.3% to 66.6% from 2003 to 2016, and in 2012, the second season corn crop surpassed the corn grown in the course of the first season as the primary supply of corn nationwide.
Tao Lin, from the Faculty of Biosystems Engineering and Meals Science at Zhejiang College in China and the corresponding writer of the paper, stated that it was attention-grabbing to see the agricultural developments in these areas had completely different approaches to agricultural enlargement and double-cropping.
“The Centre-West area has skilled a fast cropland enlargement in the previous couple of a long time, and after the brand new cropland was created, farmers then determined to additionally improve the double-cropping space quite a bit,” stated Lin. “In the meantime, the contribution of double-cropping within the Southeast-South area is over 50%, which has had a a lot increased impression than cropland enlargement in latest instances, as a result of there may be not a lot arable land remaining for additional enlargement on this business agricultural area.”
The researchers additionally discovered that the strongest driver behind this fast improve in grain manufacturing has been the rising demand for corn and soybean exports from Brazil on a world scale.
You will need to perceive how double-cropping has helped a rustic like Brazil, which performs a crucial function within the world meals provide chain, improve its agricultural productiveness whereas limiting the conversion of pure land for agricultural use and probably serving to offset a number of the unfavorable environmental impacts which may consequence from cropland enlargement.
From 2003 to 2016, double-cropping in Brazil offset the equal of about 76.7 million hectares of arable land for corn manufacturing, that’s, greater than twice the annual harvested space of corn in the USA.
Whereas not each nation is rising meals in an space of the world that’s conducive and even doable for double-cropping, for different grain-growing pantropical international locations, double-cropping may very well be an answer to extend grain manufacturing with out increasing cropland over pure landscapes.
Deforestation and land-clearing are taking a toll on Brazil’s corn yield
Jialu Xu et al, Double cropping and cropland enlargement enhance grain manufacturing in Brazil, Nature Meals (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s43016-021-00255-3
College of Delaware
The impression of double-cropping (2021, June 9)
retrieved 9 June 2021
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half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for info functions solely.


The war in Ukraine is having a global impact, and Malawi has not been spared. Both Ukraine and Russia are major producers of fertilizer that is used heavily in Malawi, where nearly 80% of the population live in rural areas and are subsistence farmers.
Before the war, the price of fertilizer in Malawi was roughly $30 per 100-pound bag, which was already too much for the average farmer in our service area. After the war began, the price rose to an unfathomable $70 a bag.
The result: Thousands of the families we serve were left without fertilizer, which means their harvest in June/July will be insufficient to feed their families despite this year’s good rains.
One woman was heard on her farm crying out, “We are appealing to anyone who will listen to us! This year is going to be bad. Just look at my farm. I don’t know what to do. Please help us!”
Pamoza has a plan, but it’s going to take careful preparation and funds. We will:
Funds from sales will be reinvested into Pamoza’s food security programs. If we don’t act, vendors will follow the same plan except when families start to run out of food, they will sell the corn at exorbitant prices, making it difficult for families who are already struggling.
Based on our initial calculations, we estimate that 3,000 families will face severe food insecurity in our service area.
Please consider making a special gift today to support our food relief effort. Checks can be made out to Pamoza and mailed to P.O. Box 23804, Philadelphia PA 19143 or you can donate online here.


By Brent Paul Pearson
Where does fossil fuel come from and why haven't we created something better?
CHRIS: It comes from Life, from near extinction levels. The fossil remains from the bio mass of that Life is petroleum. To artificially Create this substance is trying to Create a substitute for it. The Creation of petroleum in the first place is mass death, almost 90 percent of the Life on Earth. The other way of producing petroleum is from the artificial Creation of oil (photosynthesis) through massive cultivation of a specific and very prolific specie of algae. They keep it reproducing in banks of large circulating tanks. They found that it procreates like crazy under artificially controlled conditions. From this artificially produced petroleum is being manufactured from massive algae farms made up of rows and rows of hanging plastic bags.
BRENT: I read something about plans for Transferring from fossil fuel to corn oil fuel
CHRIS: There is a lot of controversy about that. First of all, that’s being controlled by a vested interest, Genetically Engineered corn by Monsanto Corporation. They are going to make trillions of dollars. They can make more money selling it as fuel. Gasoline is a byproduct of the petroleum industry. Ethanol from corn has been obsolete for almost 75 years. These commercial interests are trying to control energy for a profit.
BRENT: Do you think it’s a good energy source?
CHRIS: There are much better energy sources. They should be growing corn to feed animals and Human Beings. Corn for fuel farming is like what is happening in Afghanistan. Instead of growing food they were growing opium because it was the number one cash crop export to feed all the heroin addicts Worldwide while the people in Afghanistan were starving. That is what’s happening with corn. Monsanto has all the patents. They will use vital farm land for ethanol production from corn rather than growing food to feed the United States and other people in the World because it’s more lucrative as a fuel product. There is no need for ethanol. There is no need to use gasoline to power cars it’s all a matter of exploitation and corporate profit. It’s been obsolete for 100 years. All the technologies that would replace this have been suppressed. The patent office is an extension of the National Security Agency. You either shut your mouth or we’re going to kill your family. They will not release this to the General Public because they want to control the status quo.
See Appendix Note: IV re: Criminal Paradox
:: We are Shooting new videos for Future Eyes


New research conducted by Voconiq, a research company spun out of CSIRO, reveals that levels of trust and acceptance of the egg industry by Australians has increased significantly since 2018, whilst the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to highlight the importance of eggs in Australian lives.
The research, commissioned by Australian Eggs, engaged 5,920 Australians and is the fourth annual cycle of community engagement that explores the Australian public’s attitudes and opinions towards the egg industry, and informs Australian Eggs’ annual Sustainability Framework Report and research and development programs and investments.
Dr Kieren Moffat, Voconiq CEO, said “Community trust in the Australian egg industry has increased significantly each year we have undertaken this survey, with overall trust across multiple measures improving from 53 per cent in 2018 to 63 per cent in 2021, with 65% of Australians specifically expressing trust in the egg industry to act responsibly. This has led to a corresponding increase in community acceptance of the industry from 64 per cent in 2018 to 80 per cent in 2021.”
“It is challenging to build trust in a crisis and this data reveals that the strong relationship that the egg industry has established with the Australian public is helping it weather this pandemic storm better than many other industries.”
The development and implementation of technology is one of the more tangible ways the egg industry has demonstrated responsiveness to the concerns of the Australian community, and this in turn contributes to higher trust and acceptance. With 8 in 10 (80%) believing that technology has improved the welfare and environmental outcomes of egg farms, Australians are highly supportive of the use of technology and research and development in the egg industry.
Rowan McMonnies, Managing Director of Australian Eggs, said “The Australian egg industry should be very proud of this increased trust and their hard work in recent years to innovate through technology. It’s great to see that close to 9 in 10 (88%) Australians support egg farming after weighing up the benefits and costs of the industry, which is up 5% from 2020, showing that during the pandemic the net industry benefits increasingly outweigh its costs.”
“This shows that although egg production is complex, Australians believe that it is a good and modest use of environmental resources with egg farms having a relatively low carbon footprint, eggs are an important source of human nutrition and are affordable, and that the industry creates jobs for Australians and contributes to the national economy.”
The research also found that 76 per cent of Australians agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic made them appreciate the effort farmers went to in producing our food, and a further 70 per cent agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic made them understand their dependence on safe, reliable egg supply, with 87 per cent seeing egg production as an essential service.
“It’s no surprise that during challenging times that we tend to trust what we know and seek solace in having a reliable supply of foods like eggs. We appreciate that Australians are feeling grateful for farmers who put food on our table,” said Mr McMonnies.
“Whilst the industry takes a lot of positives out of this research, it’s important that we use these findings to continue to push our farmers to be even better and see where we can continue to improve in understanding and exceeding community expectations.”
“Though we are seeing positive sentiment in general across environmental questions, with 83 per cent of respondents saying that they believe egg farming is a ‘good use of land’, up 10% from 2018, environmental sustainability is the most important area for our industry to consolidate and improve our relationship with the Australian community.”
According to the research, 70 per cent of Australians see eggs as a more sustainable choice now than they used to, while 79 per cent agree that the egg industry maintains higher standards of hen welfare than it used to.
“The Australian egg industry is proactive in working to discover ways to better operate from a sustainability and environmentally-conscious point of view, continually investing in new technology to improve welfare and environmental outcomes. We intend to showcase again how responsive we are to taking the public’s feedback on board over the coming year,” concludes Mr McMonnies.
For more information and to read the full report here.


Catfish Farming in Nigeria This blog is to enable us discuss issues that pertains to catfish farming. What are the challenges and the way forward. ... Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria I am a Civil Servant with the Lagos State Government in the Ministry of Agriculture Department of Fisheries. Phone:+2348023148863, +2347032970658. e.mail emmanuelaudu ...
How to Start Catfish farming in Nigeria. Catfish farming in Nigeria – Fish farming is branch of aquaculture known as pisciculture. Man has consumed fish from time immemorial as food and today, fish is a very important part of man's diet across all continents of the world.
Profitability of catfish farming in Nigeria Catfish sells very fast because it is cheaper than meat, so there is a high demand on it. This kind of fish grows quickly, farmers even can increase the speed of fish grows by adding special feeds.
Farm-raised catfish is available to the foodservice operator in many forms, both frozen and fresh. Catfish processors are working constantly on developing new foodservice products and improving existing product lines to fill the ever-evolving needs of operators.
Profitable Fish Farming Practical advice for profitable fish farming… Toggle the mobile menu. Toggle the search field. About; ... Catfish farming began in Nigeria in the 20th century with the establishment of a catfish farm at the experimental station in Panyam Jos, a state in North Central Nigeria. ...
Catfish Farming in Nigeria This blog is to enable us discuss issues that pertains to catfish farming. What are the challenges and the way forward. ... Norgem Nigeria Limited is offering a product called Meramet Plus. Addition of this to the feed requires less fish meal inclusion ratio in fish feed composition.
Catfish Farming Nigeria - Kings Fishery Services, Abakaliki. 1,454 likes · 1 talking about this. Catfish and Tilapia Farming Business tips.... Jump to. Sections of this page ... Home. About. Photos. Blog. Posts. Community. Info and Ads. See more of Catfish Farming Nigeria - Kings Fishery Services on Facebook. Log In. or. Create New Account ...
Catfish Farming: This is the most popular aquaculture business in Nigeria, because of the popularity of the breed of fishes grown. Catfishes are the most common fishery products used in African meals at various s, restaurants, events, hotels, and a lot more.
Catfish Farming Step 3: Feeding Your Fishes. By Bamidele Onibalusi. In business ideas. GET PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT CATFISH FARMING: ... Thank you so much i find your write-up educative. I base in Bauchi state of Nigeria, and i want to start catfish farming business and i have one confusion of whether i should mix with tilapia fish farming ...
CATFISH AND SNAIL FARMING IN NIGERIA - Bestnaija. 1 likes; 5 comments; 3528 views » » olamson (m) » 12 Jul 2010, 4:49 pm Fish farming consists of two major subdivisions, which could either be operated separately or as an integrated process. The two …
Economic analysis of catfish (Clarias gariepinus ) production in Ibadan metropolis ... aquaculture in Nigeria is essentially the story of catfish culture and the hope of fish supply in Nigeria hangs on its ... Describe the catfish farming practices in the area.
Cost of Catfish farming in Anambra state Nigeria. A feasibility study carried in Anambra state and prepared for a catfish farm of capacity is 10,000. Fingerlings were of high breed catfish. The expenses from pond construction to marketing are taken into consideration.
Many catfish farmers fail because of their little knowledge of the business. Learning from successful individual farmers could be the major way to a remarkable breakthrough in the business of catfish farming. Abiodun Eniola is a veteran catfish farmer and the CEO of Keen International.
See food, especially fish farming in Nigeria is very popular. Fish farming is also an established lucrative business. And the demand of catfish is increasing continuously. Among all the fish species, catfish farming has a great demand in Nigeria.
1). Catfish Farming: This is the most popular aquaculture business in Nigeria, because of the popularity of the breed of fishes grown. Catfishes are the most common fishery products used in African meals at various s, restaurants, events, hotels, and a lot more.
Beginner's Guide on How to Start Fish Farming in Nigeria. SEO Guru Life 9 Comments. ... Tilapia farming and catfish farming in Nigeria are also among the aquaculture fish farming. ... It is easier to get all the supplies you need to set up your small fish farm and start fish farming.
[b]Catfish farming in Nigeria, detailed information, project guide The following article gives information on" Catfish Farming in Nigeria". Introduction to Catfish Farming in Nigeria Catfish is a hardy fish that can survive in any kind of regions and they are easy to farm especially in warmer climatic conditions such as Nigeria's.
Catfish Farming Business Plan in Nigeria / Feasibility Study. Do you need a catfish farming business plan and feasibility study to start your catfish farming business in Nigeria? Then here is a detailed guide and business plan to starting a catfish business in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
Catfish Farming. Introduction of Catfish Farming:-Catfish is a hardy fish that can survive in kind of regions and they are easy to farm especially in warmer climatic conditions.Raising catfish in tanks and channels are considered to be safest method as their waste and disease do not spread to the wild.
Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Nigeria are the largest exporters. However, the profit potential of farming catfish is hugely dependent on the. cost of fish feed, proper management, and the; quality of your market-ready fish. Fish feed alone is the largest cost component and is likely to make up 60-80 percent of your production costs. This is ...
Getting fingerlings for Fish Farming. The next thing to do after preparing a pond for fish farming in Nigeria is to buy fingerlings. You can get to buy fingerlings even on the internet. However, your best chance is to partner with an already established fish farmer, from whom you can get fingerlings.
· Catfish Farming Nigeria EcopondsNigeria. Loading... Unsubscribe from EcopondsNigeria? ... CATFISH FARM UPGRADING - Duration: 8:20. …
For reference, catfish is the most traded fish in Nigeria, seconded by Tilapia, Titus and Prawns. Considering the scope of profit, many farmers have plunged into the fray of aquaculture, but are still skeptical about where to start. ... How to Start Fish Farming in Nigeria
catfish farming is a booming business, especially in Nigeria, Uganda,Bangladesh. While one thing preventing the development of fish farming in these countries is lack of quality fish feed pellets. and We have to admit this fact: most fish farmers import fish feed pellets from Foreign Companies, such as coppens in Netherlands.
Catfish farming is increasingly becoming an attractive form of agriculture for many Nigerians especially young people. Farming fish which belongs to the part of agriculture referred to as 'aquaculture' is catching the eye of many people as the prospects of profit, especially at …
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMERCIAL CATFISH AND TILAPIA FARM AT KUCHI KUCHI KAU, KARU LGA NASARAWA STATE NIGERIA BY GMSJNN FARMS LIMITED This project is the outcome of a group efforts to whom credit and technical responsibility goes.
How to Start A Small Scale Catfish Farm in Nigeria Posted at 08:49h in Application Since the demand of fish is increasing continuously, many farmers have started fish farming in small scale for fulfilling their daily family demands or in large scale for making more profit.
Catfish Farming in Nigeria. Catfish farming is increasingly becoming an attractive form of agriculture for many Nigerians especially young people. Farming fish which belongs to the part of agriculture referred to as 'aquaculture' is catching the eye of many people as the prospects of profit, especially at first glance seem motivating enough.
Fish farming is an act of rearing fish for commercial purpose in Nigeria. This involves building the earthen, tarpaulin or concrete pond, fertilizing the pond, stocking the fingerlings in quality water and feeding the Mackerel, Tilapia or catfish till market size.
· How to Start a Catfish Farm. Launching a catfish farm can be an interesting way to earn supplemental income or to start a whole new career. Catfish have been farmed for food for generations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America....


WHILE large supermarkets are rationing their dwindling supplies of certain vegetables, Coleford greengrocer Pat Scott has found a guaranteed supplier.
Pat who runs The Choice is Yours shop in the town centre reckons her South Wales wholesale supplier is keeping her one step ahead of the supermarket chains.
Tesco and Morrisons hit the headlines in the last week when they started rationing customers to no more than three iceberg lettuces at a time.
The shortages are due to unseasonally cold weather and floods in Southern Spain and Italy two of Europe’s prime growing areas.
The main varieties affected are courgettes, spinach, broccoli and lettuce.
Pat said: “There is no rationing here as our wholesaler has assured very good reliable supplies in Spain in spite of the shortages.
“Of course it all comes at a price. A box of courgettes I could get for £6 last year now costs about £20.”
During the winter months, Spain’s south-eastern Murcia region supplies 80 per cent of Europe’s fresh produce.
But after suffering its heaviest rainfall in 30 years, only 30 per cent of Murcia’s growing fields are useable.


The Agricultural Outlook 1998-2003 by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Download PDF EPUB FB2
: The Agricultural Outlook (): Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD: Books. Get this from a library. The agricultural outlook, [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.;].
Agricultural Outlook (AO) ceased publication in December A new magazine, AmberWaves, replaced Agricultural Outlook, FoodReview, and Rural America in February This archive contains AO publications covering commodity markets and trade, farm policy, and other food- and agriculture. The Agricultural Outlook has been designed to provide a comprehensive monthly analysis of the factors which affect agricultural developments.
The report will carry aggregate analyses for the general and agricultural economies and will digest and update major commodity and foreign trade. The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, incorporating expertise from collaborating member countries and international commodity provides market projections for national, regional and.
Rising uncertainties from COVID cloud medium-term agricultural prospects According to the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlookthe pandemic is expected to depress demand in the next few years and could further undermine food security.
The Agricultural Outlook: USDA’s Commodity Analysis Program and Current Market Prospects Gerald A. Bange Chairperson World Agricultural Outlook Board Office of the Chief Economist U.S.
Department of Agriculture Presented to John Deere Executives Moline, Illinois J 2 Topics for Discussion • USDA’s Analytical Program. Outlook on Agriculture is a peer reviewed journal, published quarterly, which welcomes original research papers, reviews and perspectives on current developments in agricultural science and associated disciplines for an international and interdisciplinary readership.
The EU agricultural outlook, published once a year, presents the outlook for major EU agricultural markets and for agricultural income until It is based on a set of assumptions regarding macroeconomic conditions, the agricultural and trade policy environment, weather conditions and international market developments.
Discover the best Agriculture Industry in Best Sellers. Find the top most popular items in Amazon Books Best Sellers. This OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook dataset includes data beginning from through to projections for The projections cover agriculture markets and commodities such as cereals, oil-seeds, dairy products, cotton and more.
Trade statistics include data on production and output, prices, trade balances, The Agricultural Outlook 1998-2003 book stocks, consumption, transformation, and so on. Agricultural Trade Multipliers. Agricultural Trade Multipliers provide annual estimates of employment and output effects of trade in farm and food products on the U.S.
economy. Farm Income and Wealth Statistics. Forecasts and estimates of farm sector income with component accounts: for the United States, F; and for States, traditional agricultural commodities as feedstock (first generation technologies).
The IEA World Energy Outlook (on which this Outlook bases its own projections) foresees decreasing total fuel demand in both regions, suggesting limited growth in biofuel consumption (Figure ). Get the latest updates on the Agricultural futures and options market with product news and information, macro trends, and more.
View all. Explore our Agricultural products Learn about the products we offer across the agricultural spectrum, and explore different ways to buy and trade. BLACK SEA. Feed Outlook: August The August Feed Outlook report contains estimates for /20, and projections for the /21 U.S.
and global feed markets, based on the most current World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. Aug PM Rice Outlook. The book contains six chapters, each focusing on a particular topic. The first chapter, “General conditions for cultivation of crops”, talks about the basic needs of farmers and farming sector, by providing basic knowledge on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), enhancing the awareness of farmers on critical factors.
Search the world's most comprehensive index of full-text books. My library. Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Economic Research Service (ERS) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) Albert R.
Mann Library, Cornell University; United States Department of Agriculture; Cornell development contact information.
Developed & supported by. Agricultural Outlook report provides: an overview of global agriculture and prospects; an in-depth analysis of the outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa agriculture and a consideration of some of the challenges facing the sector; and two-page snapshots for each commodity with associated.
Trade plays a crucial role in delivering food and clothing to consumers worldwide. It helps to provide greater choice in consumer goods, and has played a role in reducing food insecurity across the globe.
Over the past decade, international agricultural and food markets have witnessed a number of changes, which have brought domestic and international markets closer together.
The Agricultural Outlook is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations as well.
Urban Agriculture by Mohamed Samer. This book provides useful information about Urban Agriculture, which includes the production of crops in small to large lots, vertical production on walls, windows, rooftops, urban gardens, farmer's markets, economic models of urban gardening, peri-urban agricultural systems, and spatial planning and.
In cooperation with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri-Columbia (FAPRI-MU), UCED annually prepares the year International Agriculture Baseline as a companion to FAPRI-MU's U.S. er these baseline projections serve as a basis from which FAPRI conducts agricultural policy and other research related to crops and livestock.
Agriculture and the Rural Economy in Pakistan: Issues, Outlooks, and Policy Priorities seeks to answer these questions by examining the performance of both agriculture and the rural economy.
The authors identify several measures that can promote agricultural productivity growth as well as wider economic and social development. Mupepele et al.__Insect conservation in agricultural landscapes – An outlook for policy-relevant GAIA 28 / 4 (): – FORUM Get this from a library. The Agricultural outlook, [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.;].
OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook - Ebook written by OECD, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook Download Oecd Fao Agricultural Outlook books, The sixth edition of the OECD Agricultural Outlook analyses the major forces that will shape agricultural markets for the main temperate zone products up to Tables provide detailed commodity projections to for production, consumption, trade, stocks and prices.
Today, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced Staff Sergeant Dustin Grooms, a fourth-generation farmer and manager of a family-owned strawberry farm in Plant City, as the August selection for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Veteran of the Veteran of the Month program, established by Commissioner Fried shortly after taking office.
Access the latest Agricultural Outlook. Reading the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook is free, simply visit the iLibrary for an online version or read it in the embedded window below. Members of organisations that subscribe to the iLibrary can also download the full publication in PDF format.
Ma U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook. FAPRI-MU Report # presents a summary of year baseline projections for U.S. agricultural markets, farm program spending, farm income and a variety of other indicators.
Microsoft Excel Tables include historical data for crops, biofuels and aggregate indicators. Please see MU’s College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural.
This is the 13th edition of the Agricultural Outlook and the third time it has been prepared jointly by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
Based on the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations, this report forecasts market trends for the world’s main agricultural.
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Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Farming has remained a defining staple of the Champlain Valley for over 200 years. In this outing, we will explore several small farms and meet producers who are ushering in a new wave of farming in the Adirondacks. Local food production is transforming the landscape and revitalizing regional farming. We will visit a group of these farms and adjacent enterprises on Mace Chasm Road near Keeseville including Mace Chasm Farm (meat and vegetables), Ausable Brewing Company (beer), and North Country Creamery (milk, yogurt, and cheese). Although this outing focuses on the resurgence of small farming in the area, we will also delve into the history of agriculture in the Champlain Valley at the Ausable Valley Grange Hall, a hub for local husbandry past and present. Lastly, explore how the Keeseville Pharmacy and Adirondack Action pioneered a way to bring underserved communities farm-fresh vegetables and ingredients through their “Farmacy” project. We will enjoy samples and a farm-fresh lunch generously provided by Northern Feast Catering. Bring your coolers, tote bags, an appetite, and curiosity for this exciting experience!
This outing is led by several farm and local business owners from Ausable Brewing Company, Mace Chasm Farm, North Country Creamery, and the Keeseville Pharmacy. This tour begins at 10 AM and ends around 3 PM.
The fee is $55 for AARCH members and $65 for non-members. Lunch provided by Northern Feast Catering is included.
Some photos courtesy of North Country Creamery and Mace Chasm Farm.


Suggested citation: Ananayo,Z.(2009). Rice Terrace Construction and Maintenance. Nurturing Indigenous Knowledge Experts among the younger generations, Phase 3. nikeprogramme.net. https://nikeprogramme.net/?p=364
For the Ifugao, the primary purpose in constructing a ricefield is for agricultural production. Due to sheer necessity for food, they painstaikingly carved rugged mountainous terrain to make terraced pond fields for rice cultivation. Despite lack of formal training and technology, Ifugao forebears turned hills and mountains into magnificent rice terraces fortified by enduring stonewalls that were made productive by ample supply of water through intricate irrigation systems.
Over the years, the product of the people’s resourcefulness has become well known especially with the amplification of its aesthetic, archeological, engineering, architectural, and socio-cultural significance.
Indigenous Approach To Rice Terrace Building And Maintenance
The Ifugao approaches terrace building with respect to the agricultural cycle. By evaluating the topography, vegetation, water resource, and availability of building materials, he plans the land use, irrigation and drainage channeling, and work phasing in July to October bearing in mind to finish the construction in time for the planting season in November to early December (Guimbatan, 2003).
Because water supply is very much needed during and after the construction of a ricefield, it is the main consideration when selecting a construction site. The indigenous rice variety (Tinawon) requires that the field be inundated throughout the cropping season just as the pondfield needs to be filled with water the whole year round to stabilize the slopes or to prevent erosion.
Soil type should also be suited for rice production. In the Kiangan area, farmers prefer two types of soil, namely: clay (pidot) and loam (mahalibukag). Furthermore, the terrain is also considered as this affects the ease of construction and maintaining the paddy. For instance, very steep slopes are very vulnerable to landslides and render it difficult to clean its walls. The terrain also affects the area of the paddy. It is observed that where the slopes are steep, the paddies are narrower and where the slopes are gentler, the paddies are wider (Buyuccan, 2009).
Unfinished construction work and repair are done quickly in the early planting season when the seedlings are prepared for transplanting. Thereafter, irrigations are maintained and terraces are guarded from possible erosion from the planting season to harvest season. Eroded terrace parts and slumps caused by sudden rainstorms are only repaired after harvest season. After harvest, evaluations begin again and the cycle continues.
Engineering Principles In Rice Terrace Construction
Engineering techniques are used in constructing and reconstructing the rice terraces. These methods were developed in observance of water behavior and soil consistency.
1. Site Selection
Pondfields are usually constructed where the natural incline is least and where sufficient water supply and other essential materials are available. In U-shaped valleys, terrace building begins at the lower elevations near the main channels of the drainage basin. In V-shaped valleys, terrace construction takes place in areas with gradually inclined slopes (Conklin,1980:16).
Hydraulicking refers to the method of sluicing (bulubul or budubud) fill materials such as soil, gravel, stones, and rocks from an upper elevation to a pond field below with the use of strong water force. The soil is used by the receiving pond field either as fill material or topsoil. Apart from terrace formation, hydraulicking is done to widen ricefields and to clear erosion or landslides which has fallen on the pond field. Sluicing earth and rock as a method of backfilling the stonewalls ensures that the constructed wall is bonded together by the finest material (Guimbatan, 2003).
The process entails the creation of a pond at a higher level where water is impounded. Then, temporary channels from the site are constructed, sometimes passing across other pondfields, leading to the pondfield below so that the materials are guided to where it is needed when water is released. Usually, hydraulicking is done during off season, from July to September, at the height of the rainy season. If rainfall is insufficient, irrigation and drainage water may be diverted to have enough water for sluicing.
3. Retaining Walls
There are two types of terrace walling practiced by Ifugao farmers, the stone-walled (tuping) and mud-walled such as the clay type (mim-i) or those following the natural slopes of the hill or mountain.
Where the slopes are steep, farmers build stone walls to protect and strengthen the terrace walls. Conversely, areas with gradual slopes and rich in clayey soil make use of earthen walls. While these are easily washed out during the rainy season, they are easily restored through a method of soil tamping that sometimes reshape the terrace ponds. In Mayoyao, all rice fields are stonewalled whereas, in Kiangan, Hingyon, Banaue, and Hungduan, both mud and stone walls are utilized. Stonewalls are best constructed during dry season. It has been observed that stonewalls constructed during rainy season collapse easily because the soil is loose.
4. Random Bonding
Preferred stones have different shapes with regular size. Only big ones are used for foundation or placed at the boundary to serve as a marker. Small stones, wedges, and chinking stones are used with stones of different sizes thereby ensuring a tight bond.
Except for the two foundation stones, random bonding is employed in stone walling. As fill is sluiced in and leveled behind the gradually rising masonry, each stone is carefully laid in its best tilted position to avoid unbounded alignments. Larger rocks are placed lower in the wall than smaller ones. Where angular and rounded stones must be used, the angular elements must be used first. Angular and irregularly shaped stones allow for more contacts between elements and ensure greater stability under conditions of weathering, seepage, and ground movement due to earthquakes (Conklin, 1980:19).
Subrounded and oblongish stones are laid so that they tilt back into the terrace body with the heavier and somewhat higher end facing out. In contrast, flat stones are set up on their sides so that their longer cross-sectional dimension is placed more or less vertically. They are also used as sills for spillways. For individual stones with a longer dimension, they are laid more often as headers than as stretchers. This helps to develop transverse strength through the wall (Conklin, 1980:19).
In buttressing, the stonewall is supported or reinforced by building a counterfort or a projection from the original wall. As observed by Conklin (1980) in his study areas in Banaue, the average height of main sections of stonewalls runs about two meters to six meters if there are no buttresses.
Conklin clarified that the batter of terraced stone walls depends on a number of features, the most important of which is the size of building stones. With very few exceptions, walls tilt at angles from 65 to 90 degrees. In addition, the shape or profile of the terrace wall is also important. A straight incline or a slightly concave batter is desirable. Conversely, deviations from this type of profile are signs of a badly filled or poorly constructed embankment.
The purpose of sloped stonewalls and buttressing is to counteract the overturning moment made by active soil pressure. Bigger stone foundations are set to resist slipping at the base and a building technique is employed to bond materials together for structural strength (Guimbatan, 2003). Jutting header stones are sometimes built into steep walls to allow for climbing from one level to the next. Stones or logs may also be set in high walls for women to stand on when weeding.
6. Water sealing
Illustration: Rachel Guimbatan, 2003
Water seepage into the foundation line of the slope may lead to a landslide thereby causing serious damage to the rice pond. To prevent this, moistness and plasticity of the pond bed must be maintained the whole year round. During dry season when water is scarce and cracks (okak) appear at the top soil layer, water is sometimes gently poured over the cracks thereby making the soil expand and sealing the pond bed. A crawling grass with furry leaves (il-ilit or il-li il-li) may also be spread over the dike and wall surface to protect the areas from direct sunlight (Guimbatan, 2003).
7. Irrigation and Drainage System
A carefully laid-out irrigation and drainage system is required to ensure that water is available all year round for the paddies and the rice crops. The entire system depends on gravity. As Conklin (1957), Guimbatan (2003), Buyuccan (2009) illustrated, water from springs (otbol, ofob), creeks (wa’el), river (wangwang) are generally diverted and dammed in an impounding area (putut or paluk) before distribution to the different ricefields by means of artificial irrigation channels (alak) and water conveyor troughs ( tulalok/huyung).
There are three general principles being observed by farmers in water management: heavy flow of water must be diverted from the terraces; entry of water to the pond fields must be gradual; and inundation must be maintained at all times (Guimbatan, 2003). To protect the slopes from eroding, the hydraulic system in the rice terraces is designed in a manner whereby water channels are carefully laid out in recognition of the natural courses of water runoff and its velocity regulated by the angle of its conveyors. In irrigating the terraces, the principle is to reduce the water force as it enters the pond field. The entry of water into the rice paddies is regulated by attenuation and this is achieved through an almost horizontal layouting. This way, water gradually moves along irrigation canals that are either carved out of the mountain sides or through makeshift conveyors.
Photo: Marlon M. Martin
Flooding in the pond fields is balanced by constant maintenance of the spillways (guhing). Excess water from a higher ricefield is drained to the lower paddy or to a nearby creek through the spillways. During rainy season, exit of water from the pondfield is done by expanding the spillway. On the other hand, the spillways are closed especially during dry season to prevent water loss. To divert the flow of an otherwise destructive heavy volume of water, excess water from the irrigation source, natural drainage, and spillways, is directed to a channel (gohang, liglig). The walls of the channel are self-standing and designed to withstand water velocity. In contrast to the principle of irrigation, the water flow of the drain channel travels the shortest distance possible from the top to the river below.
Building A Stonewall
Among the tools commonly used in rice terrace building are spade (gaud), crow bar (dohag/balita), and bolo. Wooden pestles are also used especially in tamping soil or clay during back-filling of stonewalls and dike construction. On the other hand, building materials are composed of stones, rocks and soil. Two kinds of stone are used on terraced walls. One is fired, split sandstone (piningping, pinhi’) from big boulders of rocks and the other is river-washed cobblestone (muling).
One stone is systematically installed on top of the other with the use of soil and small stones as bonding and fill materials. Soil bonding principles are observed when restoring eroded earthen walls or repairing cracked walls. The restorations always start by excavating the damage up to the portion unaffected by the cracks. Restoration methods are applied according to the condition of the damage (Guimbatan, 2003).
Stonewalling and Backfilling: Tuping and Tabab
The foundation stone (gopnad/dalinat) is laid on the excavated slope and filled back with soil. The second stone (aldoh) is laid on top of the foundation stone followed by subsequent layers of soil. Angular stones of longer dimensions are laid as headers. This helps develop transverse strength through the wall. On the other hand, elongated stones are laid tilting back into the terrace body with the heavier and higher end facing out (Guimbatan, 2003).
The stones are filled with soil and tamped with a wooden pole or a pestle to make it compact. Wedges and chinking stones are also generously used as fillers (tabab). The care with which terrace fill is packed behind each vertical rise of stone walling contributes heavily to the lasting quality of such workmanship.
Photo: Jovel Francis P. Ananayo
Photo: Teresa P. Aliguyon, 2010
Photo: Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement
Photo: Ifugao Cultural Heritage Office
Photo: Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement
When the desired height of the stone wall is reached, backfiling and tamping are done vigorously until the soil is dense to make a hard earth fill (haguntal).
The area is leveled and the terrace bed is filled with soft and thoroughly worked clayey topsoil (luyok) to a depth of at least 20–30 centimeters. The clayey surface is smoothened and inclined slightly downward toward the uphill side margin to safeguard the loss of pond water (Guimbatan, 2003).
A dike is constructed at the outer rim of the rice paddy. This is done by laying of soil to build the bund, moistening the bund, and plastering the bund with clayey soil with a paddle spade and then pressing it into place by the heel of the foot. In drier terraces, the outer margin may be drained for the seal at the rim to be pounded with wooden pestles (Conklin, 1980:19).
If sufficient clay is available, the clay is thickly plastered on the top and sides of the dike with paddle spade and pressed into place with rapid foot action. This coating helps reduce water seepage, retard weed growth on the dike, and raise the dike to the desired level (Conklin:1980:19). Dikes are provided with at least one spillway each. Then, the pond is filled with water. Some of the dikes that are used as heavily traveled footpaths are overlaid with stepping stones.
Photo: Rachel Guimbatan, 2009
Photo: Zenia B. Ananayo
Photo: Marlon M. Martin
Maintenance And Repair
For general hydraulic control as well as prevention of excessive runoff and erosion, terrace owners stress the importance of preserving watershed forest cover (Conklin: 1980:30). Clearly, they understand the adverse effect of subsequent drying up of surface and irrigation water once excessive tree cutting is done.
1. Seepage Prevention
To prevent seepage within the pond bed or at the dike, farmers make sure that the clayey soil of the pond bed is maintained in a wet muddy condition throughout the year. When there is a crack in the pond bed, it is packed with moist soil or clay until the crack is sealed.
Excessive seepage due to remarkable weakening of the retaining capacity of dikes, pond bed, terrace walls, and embankments caused by earthworms may lead to destructive slumping and washouts. To prevent recurrence, coarse gravel and broken shale fill is substituted for the earthen layer just beneath the outer sections of muddy soil and against the upper part of the terrace rim and dike. However, if worm-caused seepage increases alarmingly during the dry season, a temporary mud dike may be formed a few meters back from the bund to prevent further loss of irrigation water (Conklin, 1980:30).
2. Repair of Eroded Retaining Walls
Photo: Zenia B. Ananayo
Repairs that will not adversely affect the crops may be done immediately. However, repair of most landslides and washouts are accomplished only after harvest season since they require sluicing of unwanted silt and debris as well as piling slumped walling stones, fill, and topsoil separately for rebuilding, removal, or possible return to the original level (Conklin, 1980:29).
The following are methods of repairing soil wall erosions (Guimbatan, 2003):
Mim-i Method in Kiangan
The mim-i method is done if a section of the soil wall erodes (gode). Using the same soil material, it applies the principles of soil bonding and improved technique.
- Excavating the eroded portion until the foundation stones are exposed.
- Curing excavated soil by keeping it moist.
- Layering of spadefuls of moist soil in an interlocking manner (munkikinallatan) on the excavated portion.
- Tamping after each layer to make the soil dense, followed by another layer of interlocked soil.
- The process of soil layering and heel tamping continues until compacted soil reaches the desired height.
Illustration: Rachel Guimbatan, 2003
Illustration: Rachel Guimbatan, 2003
Hodhod Method in Kiangan Area
The hodhod repair method is done if there a slump on the soil wall due to cracking (okak):
- Excavating the pond bed beyond the end of the crack. The protruding slumped portion remains as a molder.
- Laying of thin layers of backfill (cured excavated soil) followed by heel tamping. The layering and compacting continues until it levels with the pond bed. The slumped portion remains and acts as a molder for the compacted soil.
- Scraping the protruding slumped portion of the terrace wall until it is aligned with the rest of the wall. This is done through quick diagonal downward strokes alternately applied on both ends of the slumped soil. Scraped soil can be spread evenly on the pond field below or added to the backfill.
Illustration: Rachel Guimbatan, 2003
Illustrations: Rachel Guimbatan, 2003
In the earlier days, Conklin (1980) noticed that a standard unit in stone wall construction measures approximately two (2) meters high and four (4) meters long which is roughly equivalent to five (5) man days of labor and 25 bundles of rice repayment. He further noted that an important condition under such contractual arrangements is that the new wall must stand up through the following harvest. If it does not, it must be rebuilt in the next off season without additional remuneration.
Construction and repair of waterworks is the responsibility of farmers whose properties may be affected inasmuch as spring, irrigation, and drainage channels are not privately owned. The owner of the largest pond field may initiate the organization of labor and provide the food of the work force.
Other modes of labor include the payment of daily wages for each of the workers which are agreed by both the owner and the workers before work commences. Usually, it is the daily wage in the area. The agreement also includes whether food will be provided by the terrace owner or if the workers will bring their own food. In this case, the daily wage is adjusted accordingly. Another mode is the ubbu system where the workers agree to work for each other’s field for similar terrace works for the same duration of time (Buyuccan, 2009).
Rituals are performed before the construction to gain the favor of the deities so that no accidents may be encountered by the workers until the work is completed. Usually, such rituals are performed at the worksite. After widening a rice field through hydraulicking, the farmers in Hingyon peform the ritual halangan to thank the deities for the successful completion of the work as well as a prayer is offered so that it may endure destruction and become productive (Buyuccan, 2009).
In Banaue, whenever a new terrace or major construction job has been completed, a contingent rite (ulpin di p’aagaud) is performed at the embankment near the outlet spillway to celebrate the achievement as well as to ensure its permanence. The entire rite including the sacrifice of at least one chicken takes place at the field site. (Conklin,1980:19).
Meanwhile, in Kiangan, the langlangan ritual is performed after the construction of a stonewall. Seven chickens are butchered. During this rite, the owner of the ricefiled plants either an atolba, bagu, or laglagim tree on the terrace site to make the ricefield more abundant (Buyuccan, 2009).
1. Water Distribution
The water in an irrigation channel does not belong to anyone. When water to pond fields are directly supplied by streams and other natural channels, those nearest to the channel can always access water supply. Meanwhile, pond fields supplied by artificial irrigation channels apply the rights of prior appropriation (Conklin: 1980). For example, “if A, builds an irrigation channel, for his parcel and B later constructs a terrace halfway along the channel, B may tap into the channel by making a payment, usually in pigs, to A and by agreeing to share the upkeep of the channel” (Conklin, 1980:28)
Correspondingly, water which has been flowing to an area of irrigated land may under no circumstances be diverted to irrigate a different area, even though that area be nearer the source of the water. A person who acquires rice fields, one of which is near the source of the water supply and the other at a considerable distance from it, may not pipe or trough the water from the upper field to the lower one if the water has meantime been irrigating an intervening area (Barton, 1919: 61).
2. Irrigation Ditches and Violation of Irrigation Laws
Normally, irrigation ditches are owned by the builders. In a time of great need, one of the builders of an irrigation ditch may sell interest in the ditch. The builders of an irrigation ditch who have sold part of the water from their ditch, must share the water in time of water scarcity with those to whom they have sold, in proportion to the respective areas of the rice fields (Barton’, 1919: 61).
Though the first offense of a malicious destruction of an irrigation ditch or the diversion of water without permission is usually unpunished, repetition of the offense is punishable by fine or even death in some cases.
3. Boundary Disputes
Illustration: Rachel Guimbatan, 2003
Boundary conflicts may arise when a clearly defined boundary line or marker is nonexistent, there is an intentional shifting or removal of boundary markers. Boundary disputes are settled by exposing the foundation stone. In Kiangan and Hungduan, this property line is set by the laying of human hair and rice straw underneath the base stones of the terrace wall. Since rice straw does not rot in airtight surroundings and human hair does not dissipate, the boundary is secure (Guimbatan, 2003).
In addition, trials by ordeal through bultong (wrestling) and uggub (darting) ordeals are commonly utilized. During a wrestling match between the two parties in conflict, the wrestlers need not be the actual persons in conflict, rather, only as representatives of the parties involved. Attempts are made to ensure that opponents are evenly matched so that justice, instead of strength, which is the essence of the match, is achieved. The wrestlers begin the match from one end of the disputed boundary line to the other end. Then, they wrestle again at the midpoint. An umpire facilitates the match. Wherever the wrestlers fall, the umpire drives a peg into the ground beside the left ear of the fallen wrestler. This is to mark the second point of the new boundary line. Stakes are stuck along the line between the first peg and the second peg to form the new permanent boundary.
The ordeal by uggub involves the protagonists throwing runo shoots or eggs at one another. The owners of the rice fields put stakes of runos with leaves along the line on what they conceive to be the correct boundary. Then, by standing at a distance set by the umpire, each takes turn in throwing runo darts or eggs at the back of each other. The one who is hit is declared as the guilty party who wished to move the boundary line; whereas, whoever missed being hit is deemed the innocent party. In case both are hit, a draw is declared and the umpire sets the new boundary usually at the midline of both parties’ claim.
by Zenia B. Ananayo, originally posted in 2009, NIKE programme – NCIP, Phase 3
Acabado, Stephen. 2009. A Bayesian Approach to Dating Agricultural Terraces: A Case from the Philippines. Antiquity Journal. Volume: 83 Number: 321 Page: 801–814.
Barton, Roy Franklin. 1919. Ifugao Law. University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology. Vol. 15, No. 1, Pp. 1-186, February 15, 1919
Buyuccan, Carmelita. Traditional Engineering Techniques in Constructing the Ifugao Rice Terraces. A paper presented during the Inter-Agency Heritage Conservation Workshop to Develop Infrastructure Guidelines for the Ifugao Rice Terraces, March 27, 2008. Hungduan, Ifugao.
Conklin, H.C. 1980. Ethnographic Atlas of Ifugao: A Study of Environment, Culture and Society in Northern Luzon. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
Guimbatan. Rachel B. Terrace Building Systems and Maintenance Technology: Indigenous Approach vs. Conventional Approach. Paper presented during the 1st Review and Stakeholders’ Workshop on July 21-26,2003 at the Banaue Hotel, Banaue Ifugao.


Every season has its own wonderful uniqueness. Summer provides us with amazing produce and long days. Fall has cool nights and pumpkin patches, winter is cold and soups always hit the spot. Farmers markets start opening in spring and berries appear at grocery stores. I love making a Saturday morning trip to the Farmers Market with my family, it is a wonderful way to connect with the community and meet local farmers. It is so important for children to know we grow what we eat, and food from the earth is the best for nourishing their bodies. Here are some in-season in Colorado produce and how are they helpful to our bodies:
Asparagus: Did you know asparagus is a member of the lily family? It originated in the Mediterranean but now is found worldwide. Only 20 varieties of asparagus are edible, there are about 300 varieties known. Green and purple asparagus are trimmed when 6-8 inches tall, but white asparagus grown underground to prevent chlorophyll development. Compared to other vegetables, asparagus is low in carbohydrates but rich in protein. A single cup of asparagus has 24 calories and asparagus is an excellent source of potassium, vitamin K, folic acid (great for expecting mothers). It is also an useful source of vitamin C, vitamin A, Riboflavin (B2), thiamine, B6, potassium, niacin, phosphorus, iron and fiber, like most vegetables. *tip* store asparagus in your refrigerator in a vase, like flowers, it will last much longer!
Kale: Did you know kale and cabbage are related? They are both members of the cruciferous family. There are many varieties of kale such as dinosaur, curly, and ornamental. All are delicious and extremely nutritious. Curly kale was an important crop for the ancient Romans and was eaten by peasants throughout the middle ages. Kale came to the United States in 1600s and is now primarily grown in Delaware and Florida. Kale’s nutritional values exceeds the imagination! It is an excellent source of vitamin C and B6 and manganese (for healthy bones, metabolism, inflammation, etc.). It is a great source of fiber and other healthy minerals like copper, iron and calcium. It is also a good source of vitamins B1, riboflavin and E. *tip* do not wash kale before refrigerating because it will make the greens limp. Always keep in a crisper for longer storage time.
Radish: Did you know radishes were so revered by Greeks, they carried them on golden platters as gifts for the Gods? Mexican artists in Oaxaca create carvings out of the vegetable for their annual La Noche de los Rabanos (the Night of the Radish) that recognizes their introduction to the country by Spanish colonists. Radish are sometimes very mild or extremely pungent. This roost vegetable and their greens are an excellent source of vitamin C. Like kale, radish is also a member of the cruciferous family and they help to keep gallbladder, liver and digestion healthy. The Indian culture uses the root and greens as a diuretic, an expectorant and to aid stomach ailments. Topically, radish seeds, when emulsified can be applied to the face for clearer skin. *tip* a great snack of fresh radish and nut-butter is delicious and help cut through the spiciness of the vegetable.
Spinach: Did you know medieval artists extracted pigment from spinach to use as paint or ink? China was the first country to cultivate it as a food source, about 2,000 years ago. Spinach grows very well in temperate climates and is one of the first crops available at local farms in the spring. This crisp and sometimes bitter green is in the same family (Goosefoot) as beets and chard. Spinach is extremely nutrient dense. It is a great source of vitamin K, carotene, vitamin C and folic acid. These nutrients feed the nervous, circulatory and digestive systems. In addition, spinach contains bone building nutrients calcium and magnesium which help keep growing bodies strong! *tip* Spinach is best eaten fresh, it loses nutrients with each passing day after being picked.
Now that spring has arrived and we can come out of hibernation. Dust off your bike and go on a family ride. Take a walk after dinner before the sun sets. Encourage your children to take notice of how trees are blooming, flowers are popping up from the ground and the sounds of birds chirping in the sky. When you visit the farmers market, let your child choose something special from a local vendor. Work together to prepare a delicious recipe for your family. Cooking together helps create memories that last a lifetime, and sharing a nutritious meal feeds the soul.
Are there new spring recipes that my family will love? Yes!
Spinach Cannellini Bean Soup:
Fine Kale Salad:
Springtime Orzo Salad:
Spinach Banana Muffins:
Jodie Lindsay Popma is a mother of 2 boys and lives in Longmont. She is a Holistic Nutritionist, Nutritional Educator and School Food Advocate. To learn more about Jodie visit www.smartfoodmadesimple.com. To find out more about local school food advocacy please join St Vrain Healthy Kids on Facebook.
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AMARONE: THE SECRET IS PATIENCE
They call it the king of the Italian wines and it’s considered one of the best wines in the world. The Amarone is a noble, complex and expensive wine.
True, the price of a good bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella may reach and easily exceed $50. At this point you may ask: “Is it worth it?”.
There are many reasons that make the Amarone so special and so rare and it all depends on the preparation, so complicated that it is governed by a specific regulation. A preparation that begins from the particularity of its terrain and continues with a process that differs for each cellar.
TERROIR IS EVERYTHING
The Amarone comes from Valpolicella, a valley east of Verona, whose production can be classified essentially in 3 varieties:
There are only 5000 hectares that can boast the label Amarone DOCG. It’s about stony terrains rich of salt minerals like the Cru “Le Bessole” of the Accordini Igino cellar, located in a hilly area between San Pietro in Cariano and Negrar.
The specification (the law that regulates the Amarone production) is very strict: it states that the production of grapes must not exceed 12 tons per hectare. Some winegrowers practice the green grape harvest , a sort of pruning of the grapes while they’re still unripe. In this way the production decreases (about 2kg of grapes per plant) but the quality raises. And this is only the beginning.
THE HARVEST IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
The Amarone wine is produced with grapes of only three varieties: the Corvina Veronese, the Corvinone and the Rondinella. The point is that the Amarone is not an ordinary wine: we can say that it’s the result of a complex process, unique and definitely one of the kind. Each winery jealously guards the secrets of its recipe: the result is a product with a distinct personality.
The grapes get picked and selected: only the best, the healthiest and the perfectly ripe ones are dried on racks – for the Accordini Igino cellar this means for about 150-180 days - in specific areas designed to ensure constant values of humidity, temperature and aeration for the whole period.
At the end of this first phase , the grapes have lost much of their water content, leaving intact the sugars. Then follows the crushing and the two-phase fermentation, where the temperature is controlled according tradition.
After 45 days or more of fermentation, the must goes on the cap of marq through the “rimontaggio” method: a process that lasts for over a month, during which the wine fragrance fully develops and the color captures the beautiful deep shades of the Amarone wine.
REST, REST, REST
Now begins the long lethargy of the must, after which we have our garnet colored gold. As we said above, each cellar follows different paths to enhance the unique qualities of their Amarone. For example, the Accordini Igino winery leave the most in steel tanks for the following six months, doing three pouring offs to eliminate sediments making the wine more limpid naturally: only after this period, the product is laid to rest in French oak tonneau of 550 liters for 12 months, which give to the wine a particular velvety softness, with round non-aggressive tannins as desired by Guido, owner and winemaker of the Accordini Igino winery.
Other six months in French oak barrique Seguin Moreau of 225 liters to add personality to the Amarone wine that is now slowly reaching maturity.
After this period – over two years have passed from the grape harvest- the wine is left to rest until bottling or better until Guido says that the wine is ready.
BOTTLED AT LAST
The wine reaches the end of its journey: after 6/8 months of rest in bottle at controlled temperature (16°-20°), it’s finally ready for the sale.
This is the journey that the wine you’re enjoying has done to arrive to your glass: a long, complex trip, where experience and refinement of winemaking techniques are crucial. A noble wine with a unique and different personality from year to year.
Year 2011 has gifted the Accordini Igino winery with 40000 bottles of excellent product , thanks to particular climatic conditions that led to a plentiful harvest of great quality which gave origins to the Amarone Accordini Igino 2011 “Le Bessole”, officially presented at Vinitaly 2016.


HOJIBLANCA EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
One of Spain's main varieties of olives is the Hojiblanca, a hardy olive that ripens late in the harvest season. It's popular as a table olive and also makes a tasty olive oil rich with oleic acid. It has a lively and fresh aroma and tastes slightly sweet to start with a long peppery almond finish.
This olive oil is great for any culinary use. The flavor works well with citrus and fresh melons. Amazing drizzled over puréed soups and gazpacho. Excellent served over white fish and poultry. For an appetizer that everyone will remember, pair fresh mozzarella with Italian-style deli meats by hand-rolling them together, then garnish with Hojiblanca EVOO. Hopefully, there will be some left for your guests!
Extra virgin olive oil
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Spain
CROP: Winter 2022/2023


Broadview Farm Community Garden
The Community Garden is located at Broadview Farm Conservation Area, along Young Road in East Derry.
Plots are available for Derry Residents, on a first come-first served basis. All plots are reassigned each year. A gardener can request up to two (2) plots.
There are also two raised beds for gardeners with mobility issues.
Requests are considered starting April 1st of the current year. Please do not submit a request before that time. Specific plots can be reserved if available, but are not guaranteed. Plots measure approximately 10’X20’, or 200 square feet. There is a well with a hand pump nearby. The water is not to be used for drinking.
To reserve use one of the following methods:
Please observe the following rules and guidelines:
- While the garden is not “Certified Organic,” organic or sustainable products and practices are highly encouraged, in particular for weed and pest control
- Fences are strongly recommended. This is a natural area, and there are many nuisance animals
- Start cultivating your plot within 10 days of the announced opening of the planting season, after the garden has been tilled. If you do not do so, and have not contacted us, your plot will be assigned to someone else
- Perennial plants (e.g. asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries) are not recommended as the garden is tilled each year
- Keep weeds under control, and otherwise keep your plot tended over the season. If you have to cease gardening for any reason, notify us right away
- Keep rocks out of the paths so that they may be mowed without hazard. There are numerous rockpiles on the perimeter of the garden
- Remove and take away all fencing, plastic mulch, and any other foreign material by December 1st.


Last week was insane.
Chickens being killed, health issues, a trip to Urgent Care (I'm fine, just not taking care of myself well), now a chest cold, and a nice but tiring fishing trip to the beach (yay!). I'm so glad to be in a new week.
I took the past two weeks off of anything related to work, and with that plus being under the weather, I haven't spent much time on the internet at all. Well, except for Pinterest, but that doesn't count.
Y'all. It's been amazing. Take a week off from social media and tell me how you feel. I promise you'll feel amazing.
I love how much time I haven't wasted scrolling on Facebook. I've been almost completely disconnected from the world and I feel like I can breathe. I have spent my time cooking, cleaning and organizing my home ( I actually enjoy doing this), and reading wonderful books. I'm loving it so much, I think I'll just check in every now and then to see if anyone is talking to me, and keep ignoring the rest.
I've also spent some time planting. I know I'm terribly, terribly late in the game but being in Southern California our growing season is pretty much all year long and I figured it couldn't hurt to try. My seeds are at least a year old and I need to use them up anyways. I planted last week and was going to wait until I had some sprouts to show you. This is what they look like this week:
Completely munched. What was a nice little box full of wee-baby sprouts with tiny leaves a few days ago, is now a completely decimated lettuce wasteland. I'm almost ready to give up gardening forever. I feel like we can't win at all this year. It either gets munch by bugs, chickens or dogs, or gets dug up by tiny hands who aren't paying attention.
Good news is, so far I have green beans. The chard was victim to munching as well, and I haven't seen a single flower sprout out of all the ones I sowed last week. But if nothing goes terribly, horrifically wrong, we might have green beans!
We have asparagus growing too! My mother-out-law (my sister's MIL) found freebie giveaways of a bunch of sad looking plants at the home improvement store early this spring. We took a few home, planted them with the attitude that if they grew, awesome, if not then nothing was wasted and a few weeks later we had sprouts! They are feathering out nicely with their little ferny leaves. In another year or two hopefully they'll be big enough to grace our dinner table.
After years of trying, a few moves to different parts of the yard, and being chewed down to nubs from a (previous) dog, we finally have edible grapes this year! They tried last year, but this is the first time any of the bunches actually set with grapes. I'm so excited! They are just about ready, so they'll be picked soon for snacks. They aren't huge, maybe the size of a large pea, but they are tasty, and they are ours.
Ok, looking at these pictures all is not lost with the garden. It just feels like it when everything is being munched to death by various creatures. We get a few tomatoes every now and then, and we've gotten about 3 good jalapeno peppers. The berries gave a few this year after being moved, and I think next year we'll get a decent crop if I can keep the dogs from trampling them. And of course, we still get eggs from the girls and sweet Dilly the duck. Food is still coming from our yard, in tiny fits and bursts. It's all good.


The Pine Creek CD is an authorized permitting agency for the Washington Department of Ecology agricultural burning program. For complete information visit the Department of Ecology’s Agricultural burning & permitting website.
Getting a permit from Pine Creek Conservation District
Walk-ins at the office for burn permits are welcome – please confirm that someone will be there by calling 509 339 3808. Applications made at the office can usually be processed in less than 30 minutes. Otherwise applications can be picked up from a folder on the office door or downloaded using the instructions below.
1. Determine if you need a permit:
Permit needed for:
- Post-harvest field and crop residue
- Cereal grain stubble
- Small spots in fields
- Orchard and field flaming
No permit needed for:
- Fence rows
- Ditch banks
- Irrigation canals
- Annual orchard prunings
- Windblown tumbleweeds
2. Determine the permit you need based on what you are burning and how much using the list below
3. Click the permit name to download the application or pick up an application at the office, 401 SR 27N, Oakesdale WA 99158
4. Write a check to Pine Creek Conservation District for the amount determined on your application and send to PO Box 328, Oakesdale WA 99158 or drop off at the office door slot.
Call or email Casey with any questions: 509 339 3808 or email@example.com
Permit types –
Spot burn permit – $37.50
For burning areas that are 1/2 acre or less, up to a total of 10 acres per year, such as small weed patches, spots of heavy residue, equipment plugs and dumps. Click here for spot burn best management practices.
Field burn permit – $37.50 for 0-10 acres, $3.75 for each additional acre
For burning crop residue and cereal grain stubble after harvest to reduce excess plant material. Click here for burning cereal grain crops best management practices.
Baled residue burn permit – $37.50
For burning broken, mildewed, diseased, or pest-ridden bales from 10 acres or less, or a maximum equivalent of 2 tons per acre. Click here for bale burning best management practices.
Other permits that are rarely needed in our area but are available are the pile burn permit and the Conservation Reserve Program burn permit.
Locally led grassroots conservation in partnership with private landowners and producers
Get In Touch
Email or call to discuss your needs firstname.lastname@example.org
509 339 3808 (cell)
509 285 5122 (office)
Come and visit
Pine Creek CD office
401 State Route 27
Oakesdale WA 99158


Great working cattle and sheep farm with loads of opportunity. 123 acres located 6 mile west of Hartville this farm has it all. Excellent 2000+ sq ft home that sits overlooking a beautiful spring fed pond and spring fed creek that has water year round. Home features large open concept and kitchen with island and eat at bar. Two living areas in this home makes it great for family and friends to enjoy. New metal roof in 2019. The farm features large working barns including a 50X60 historic wood barn with hay loft in good condition, a new 60X100 open barn that has a 30X40 enclosed barn that is plumbed for office and bathroom. All barns have waterers and hydrants for livestock and electric. There is a 40X100 shop near the house with concrete floors and large doors to fit all your needs. Farms has excellent pastures and hay fields that produce plenty of grass and hay for year around production. Pastures are fenced and cross fenced for rotational grazing. Permanent corrals and working pens will stay with property as well.If your looking for a working farm that has everything to run any livestock and be self sustained this is a property for you.
|--||New Value: $499,900|
|1/18/2021 1:14:41 PM||New Value: $499,900|
|10/19/2020 11:15:00 AM||New Value: $525,000|


269 Congo Road, Congo
- Approx 16.19 Hectares
This parcel of land is Zoned RU4 and comes with a building entitlement and is only a short drive to Congo and its gorgeous beaches.
There is a very large dam-lake on the property which in past years had been used to irrigate vegetable crops to supply the local area.
The land is flat and had been mostly cleared but now has some regrowth and is predominantly basalt soils.
This is a great opportunity to purchase a large block of land that has potential plus.
Estimated monthly repayments based on advertised price of $2250000.
Interest Rate (p.a)