Appreciated flavours in the whole world
One of the most important parameter to award “marchio Q” restaurants abroad, is their ability to utilise and promote the best Italian raw materials
Italy is a country full of traditional food connected to its territory affected by its climate, story and the human’s manual ability. An example of what has been just said it is represented by the making of “Parmigiano Reggiano”, through techniques which date back to the mediaeval era and that have been handed down from generations to generations. In the same way, Genoese basil has been cultivated through the centuries depending on favorable climate conditions of the Genoese west. Likewise, the aging of “Prosciutto di Parma” is strictly connected to the territory and the “Marino” wind, which blows from Liguria region to that area and that gives the right salty flavour to this type of ham.
Nowadays, typical products are identified by “Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)” and “Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP)” brands. Centennial farming and handcrafted production techniques connect DOP and IGP products to the territory, which were born with different techniques compared to the industrial ones. E.g., the use of the machine for pressing allows the making of fine extra-virgin oils in the past and it does so today. Food’s regional culture represents an important means of grouping together the local community, which often celebrates the unique history of the product in festivals and parties.
The connection between Italian territory and gastronomic tradition is particular appreciated in the rest of the world: “marchio Q” restaurants know how to combine Italian’s typical products with an expert manual skill, doing justice to the Italian uniqueness abroad.
Cheese is the Italian territorial product par excellence: each city and region has its own cheese, made through traditional techniques known by in the specific area and handed down from generations to generations only.
Unique climate and environmental conditions have favoured the development of specific techniques: e.g., north Italian mountainous areas have given birth to cheeses which could remain edible in the long term, when preserved in natural fresh environments.
The big agricultural area in the Pianura Padana helped the production of long aging cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano. Central Italian regions, instead, are historically more suitable for sheep breeding, and so this area is famous for the production of different types of Pecorino cheese.
The south of Italy has elaborated on the spun paste’s culture and so, scamorza, provolone cheese and mozzarella are the most common type of chees in this area.
Mozzarella, is one of the most appreciated cheeses abroad, both individually and in typical recipes of the Italian gastronomic culture. Particularly, Campania buffalo mozzarella is one of the central products used in the Mediterranean diet and it is subject to the DOP regulation, which guarantees the originality of the product to consumers.
Compared to other types of cheeses, buffalo mozzarella has a rather low sodium consumption, while it is abundant of lactose and cholesterol, becoming so a perfect source of proteins with a moderate fats consumption.
Thanks to its popularity abroad, its export represents 25% of the certified production of buffalo mozzarella, which in 2015 exceeded 41 million Kg. France, Germany and the US have the highest number of consumption of buffalo mozzarella. The merit is given to its taste and versatility: most of the time it is eaten fresh, but it is possible to use it in different traditional recipes. The most important thing is that it has to be adequately preserved and consumed as soon as possible.
Buffalo mozzarella is not the only popular DOP Italian dairy product abroad: the export of Parmigiano Reggiano, for instance, reached 35% of the total production in 2015. Its long aging makes this type of cheese a food easy to digest, suitable for an international consumption and capable of valorising every type of recipe. A wheel of buffalo mozzarella is made up of 70% of nutritive elements, which are fundamental for the health of children, adults and elderly men.
Among the flavours most appreciated in the whole world, the olive’s oil is the protagonist of the Mediterranean diet, nowadays acknowledged and promoted as a human heritage.
Being a symbol of the Italian gastronomic culture, tasty and abundant of healthy virtues, the olive’s oil represents a fundamental ingredient for the good cuisine and the good food. The olive’s oil is the only oil obtained from the squeezing out of a fruit, becoming a real juice. Each of the 1.600 varieties of olives which exist in the world has its own aroma, but almost all of them have positive nutritional features to our wellness.
Some research has identified different healthy properties to our organism, among which:
• Improvement of our metabolism thanks to the oleic acid
• Vitamin E, D, K and pro-vitamin A
• Prevention of tumors, arteriosclerosis and hypertension
• Skin’s care
Oil can be used in plenty of preparations and dishes, both raw, intensifying and completing recipes, and cooked, facilitating the assimilation of wealthy substances included into it. The high number of varieties of olives give birth to a number of different oils just as many, which generally can be divided in 3 categories: light fruity, middle fruity and intense fruity.
The match of the oil with the dish, generally, depends on the personal taste. Nevertheless, there are some fundamental rules to keep in mind for an aware and right consumption of the olive’s oil. The colour of the oil does not give any information concerning its quality, while a bitter and spicy flavour, in particular in the extra-virgin oils, is synonym of benefits for the wellness. Moreover, a correct preservation avoids losses of quality: olive’s oil is delicate when it comes to light, so it is recommended the usage of dark bottles which have to be kept in an environment between 14 and 21 degrees, and once opened, it is advisable their consumption within a month.
To prove the existence of a strong connection between the olive’s oil and the territory, extra-virgin oils represents the 4th products in the UE rankings regarding the recognition of the DOP-IGP products per sector. The geographical environment that makes unique each oil, comprehends both natural and human factors (production’s techniques) and for this reason it is not reproducible. Almost 40% of European DOP oils is represented by Italian oils: the number of registered products is 43, especially from Sicily, Puglia, Campania and Tuscany.
Wine, which combines dishes of the Italian tradition, intensifies and enhances the quality, the taste and the flavours of the peninsula’s cuisine.
The history of wine is ancient and strictly connected to its territory where is produced, as it happens to other Italian products. Nowadays, Italy is the biggest global producer of wine and one of the greatest consumers of it, by virtue of this linkage between good food and good wine.
Wine’s production is spread in each region of Italy, making a total of 300 acknowledged and vinified native vine varieties. These vine varieties can produce hundreds of different wines, distinguishable for colour (white, red, rosé), origin, type (still, sparkly, spumante, passito, dessert wine and young), wine varietal and methodology of production (conventional, biologic, biodynamic, natural and vegan). In Italy, the production and the classification of wines is subordinate to both European and Italian regulation, with the ultimate goal of protecting the qualitative features of the product. This happens both for the methodology of production (which has to be certified) and for the territorial origin (IGP and DOP). In particular, Italy is collocated at the first place for number of EU acknowledgement, with around 500 DOP and IGP wines.
Matching wisely the right wine to the dish make you taste them both completely. Considered the existing number of wine’s varieties, it is difficult to spot a fixed method. Nevertheless, some general rules exist which guarantee the mutual fervour of the flavours between dish and wine. Some of these depend on tradition: a dish of a specific geographical area can be matched with a wine of the same area, with the goal of recreating the flavours. Alternatively, it is possible to take the season in consideration, choosing fresh wines in summer and organic and full-bodied wines in winter.
In any event, in most cases it is based on flavours: the choice has to be taken either for contrast or for analogy, avoiding the overlapping of tastes. Wine represents an historic feature of the Mediterranean diet and it shares with it some of the wealthy properties, when it is taken in moderation and not with empty stomach. In particular, red wine would have protective effects against stress, benefits on humour and memory, along with the speeding up the metabolism. White wine, instead, has recently been subject of studies which showed that the caffeic acid present inside it, contributes to the protection of heart and kidneys.
Modena’s Balsamic vinegar is one of the ambassadors of the Italian gastronomic tradition and nowadays it is known and exported in around 120 countries.
It is a particular condiment with an acetic base produced from vine varieties cultivated in Modena’s province with ancient procedures and handed down orally from generation to generation.
It is possible to distinguish two main types of this product: Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena (Modena’s Traditional Balsamic Vinegar) (ABTM) and Aceto Balsamico di Modena (Modena’s Balsamic Vinegar) (ABM), which avail themselves of DOP and IGP certifications. Certifications allow the products to keep bequeathing their secrets without being modified, giving to the consumers the guarantee to taste an unique product. The difference between the twos, mainly consists in the duration of the ageing and in the absence of aromatic elements. Besides these European certifications, the marketing promotion of the balsamic vinegar is judged by a commission of expert tasters, who value its visual, olfactory and gustatory standards.
Despite its ancient history, which dates back to the Mediaeval Modena, balsamic vinegar has been adapted to the modern cuisine: sure enough, it is an extremely adaptable product, capable of matching both refined and simple recipes. It can be tasted with a spoon, on a piece of Parmigiano Reggiano, as a seasoning in the salad or with fruit. In any event, it is common to add it at the end of the preparation of the dish, in order not to alter its features given by its intense flavour.
By its nature, l’aceto balsamico di Modena (ABTM) DOP is less suitable toward the industrial production compared to the IGP product. Given the difference regarding the duration of the ageing and the purity of the musts, it is possible to find the former in few thousands of barrel in the attics of the Modena’s province, while the latter has a certified production of over 90 million litres per year, with a sales volume of 700 millions of euro.
In the collective consciousness, pasta is the element that represents Italy the most.
Despite the regional and handcrafted variations, the history of pasta coincides with that one of the Peninsula: an element of unity shared through all the Country, its origins date back to the tradition of the wheat’s cultivation in the roman era.
Although its production is spread in the whole Peninsula, its regional and handcrafted variations are characterised by different productive techniques, shape and condiment. In particular, it can be distinguished between dry pasta, which represents three quarters of the total consumption, and fresh pasta: the former is traditionally made through maze’s grinding, which mostly grows in the south of Italy; while the latter is produced with soft wheat flour, originally from Pianura Padana. The environment and the climate of the two territories explains the difference in the consumption of dried past in the South and fresh past in the North.
Besides the type of wheat utilised, the typologies of pasta can be different depending on the usage of eggs in the dough, the presence of filling or the shape. Concerning the latter, it can present a different condiment, both for historic association, and for a certain type of preparation, and so for its compactness and its capacity to hold condiments back. In particular, some variations of pasta have recently obtained the IGP denomination, which protects its quality and its reputation both in Italy and abroad: Gragnano pasta and Campofilone’s Maccheroncini.
In the last few years, the global consumption of pasta reached 14,5 millions of tones and Italy is the biggest consumer and producer of it. Despite pasta has reached such a diffusion in the world, its production it is not necessarily intensive; rather, being easily transportable and capable of resisting to different temperatures, it is a sustainable product and almost lacking of wastefulness.
In the Mediterranean diet, pasta id the element that provides energy, covering 55% of the daily energetic needs. Besides, it has a low glycemic index, which contributes to check the weight and keep our body active and wealthy.
Mediterranean diet is unique in its category thanks to the quality and the nutritive properties that compose it.
More than a half of the total calorie consumption of this diet is due to cereals, pasta and bread. The usage of these elements by the Mediterranean population has been documented for ages, as that one of olive’s oil and wine, compared to other elements, which have been recently introduced in this diet.
Wheat is the most consumed cereal among Europeans, about which generally is it is used the inner part of the grains only, which does not maintain all the nutritive properties of the whole grain. For this reason, generally it is recommended to consume whole cereals and other elements containing it. Whole cereals are commonly included in our diet through flakes, rice, spelt, barley, pasta, cereal for breakfast, oatmeal, biscuits, crackers and especially bread.
Bread is generally obtained through the cooking of flour, water, yeast and sault, and, together with pasta it is one of the most important energy source in the Mediterranean diet. Bread is a product full of complex carbohydrates and proteins, and as for non-processed cereals, its wealthy effects are more efficient if it is integral, given that the amount of fibres and other beneficial elements for the wealth decreases during the process of refining for the production of white flour.
Thanks to the ease for its preparation at a domestic level, bread constitutes a typical regional product in Italy, since each area produces a different type of it which differentiate in shape and dough.
Some examples are Sardinian bread Carasau, crunchy and thin; Coppia Ferrarese, a re-twisted bread with a shape similar to a croissant; Altamura’s bread, baked in ovens fueled with oak wood; and Genzano’s bread. In particular, the lasts variations have received the IGP certification, highlighting the specificity of the area of production.


Circular farming solution in South Africa
Who is our client
DA supports Colsen International B.V., an innovative, family-owned Dutch SME, focusing on water technology, energy and environmental technology. Through their subsidiary Aquest Colsen Ltd in South Africa, they are developing a manure to energy solution to serve almost 50 chicken farms in the West Cape region in South Africa.
With the co-financing of DA, FMO supports Colsen with the feasibility study and to prepare for the development of a manure-to-energy biogas plant for the West Cape region, where the plant would process manure from around 50 chicken farms in this region in South Africa. The biogas derived from the plant will then be sold back to these farms and used to heat their stables. The technology will be exported from the Netherlands.
Why we fund this project?
DA funds the project to make one of the largest protein producers (chicken) in South Africa more sustainable and less dependent on unreliable services of the electricity utility and less dependent on LPG imports. The developed project would reduce the CO2 footprint of the chicken farms by producing green energy and clean fertilizer from a waste stream of chicken manure, which is currently spread out on land, polluting the soil and emitting CO2. By funding this project, we support a Dutch exporter in doing business in South Africa and bringing Dutch innovations to emerging markets.
DA investment | EUR 455,583
Instrument | Development Contribution
Country | South Africa
SDG | 7 and 13


This Week at the Market – July 27
July is an eventful and rewarding month at the Brighton Farmers’ Market. July opens with strawberries and other early summer crops, and by the end of the month, summer’s full bounty has arrived from the farms. The arrival of sweet corn at the market marks a summer milestone; this week Fisher Hill Farm is bringing early corn, plus sweet onions, scallions, beets, Swiss chard, carrots, potatoes, beans, garlic, lettuce, radishes, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, chicken, eggs, and Red Jacket juices. K&S Bischoping will have Flamin’ Fury peaches, blueberries, black raspberries, black and red currants, and gooseberries. Organic Matters will have romaine, butterhead, Red Lollo and buttercrunch lettuces; Tuscan and Red Russian kale; peas; beans; and fresh garlic.
Lighthouse Gardens will have certified organic cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, garlic scapes, baby head lettuce bouquets, mixed baby kale, and sunflowers, as well as herb, vegetable, berry and ornamental transplants, summer blooming perennials and organic potting soil. Clearview Farm is bringing garlic, cukes, zukes and patty pan squash, dry beans, kale medley, bok choy, scallions, parsley, sweet marjoram, thyme, lemon basil, lemon mint, and buckwheat (for whole grain flour or garden cover crop). Jake of Lagoner Farms says this is a great week to stock up on blueberries for jam, freezing, or pies; Jake will also have peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, red and black raspberries, currants, eggplant, peppers, broccoli, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, radish, beets, and carrots.
Honeyhill Farm will have a small amount of certified organic cherry tomatoes, along with bunches of red and golden beets, green beans, and fresh, pasture raised chicken. Fellenz Family Farm is bringing certified organic lettuce, kale (including bonus sized juice bunches), cucumbers, summer squash, Purple Haze carrots, peppers (sweet and hot), tomatoes, and eggplant. R&M Bischoping will have skinny no-spray green beans, sunflowers, no-spray cucumbers, baby and full-size zucchini and summer squash, Swiss chard and kale.
Shannon Brook Farm is featuring certified organic pork butt roasts for pulled pork. Bolton Farms will have soil-grown eggplant, peppers, and beans, and from the hydroponic greenhouse — Boston Bibb lettuce, lettuce bouquets, spring mix, spinach, tatsoi, bok choi, watercress, arugula, Swiss chard, basil, parsley, and kale (Red Russian, curly, and Lacinato).
Andy’s Specialty Garlic & Produce is bringing certified organic beets, radishes, arugula, green beans, carrots, lettuce, garlic, green cabbage, kale, turnips, and pickling cucumbers. Buzz’s Garden will have tri-colored string beans, lime and Rosie basil, speckled Amish Bibb lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, beets, scallions, and young onions. Squash Blossom Farm is bringing new potatoes, cherry and slicing tomatoes, cabbage, kale, fresh sweet onions, basil, romaine lettuce, dandelion chicory, radicchio, escarole and artichokes.
Happy Hooves Organic Farm will have some free range fresh and frozen chickens and cuts and eggs from free range hens,100% grass fed and finished beef cuts, and pasture raised pork cuts, all certified organic and soy free, plus the farm’s newest product — grill-ready chicken seasoned with certified organic herbs and spices. Dearhaven Farm is bringing garlic, onions, cukes, zukes, cherry tomatoes, beets, carrots, and herbs.
Growing Family Farm will have lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, beans, broccoli, summer squash, and Singer’s tart cherry and organic apple juice. Shady Lane Farm is bringing new red potatoes, red beets, red mini-cabbages, scallions, broccoli, kohlrabi, summer squash, Swiss chard, the last of the sugar snap peas, parsley and chocolate mint, and fresh-cut flowers. Tripleberry Farm will have pesticide-free blueberries, new batches of goat milk soaps, including a new soap for poison ivy sufferers and an unscented soap for babies, and pesticide-free berry jams, including fresh blueberry.
Chicory Blue Gardens is bringing pretty summer bouquets, lilies, and glads. Newbury Park Pastries will have chicken, veggie, panang, and shepherds pot pies. Brian’s Kitchen is introducing new and improved snickerdoodles. Nordic Farm‘s jam of the week is blueberry, with blueberry jam bars, all made from Lagoner Farm blueberries. JonJohn’s Bakery will be featuring the first fresh cucumber veggie salad from John and Jonathan’s own garden plus pineapple upside down cake and peach cobbler.
Eat Me Ice Cream is bringing “I Dream of Italy” ice cream sandwiches (fresh basil and Luciana olive oil ice cream on a black pepper waffle), with dairy and vegan options, pints (lavender coconut, peanut butter coconut vegan, I Dream of Italy, and chocolate cherry bomb/creme fraiche sour cherry), and yogurt cherry and cherry berry ice candy. Hedonist Artisan Chocolates and Ice Cream will have fig and waffle bit and carrot cake ice cream pints.
Wohlschlegel’s Naples Maple Farm is bringing maple cotton fluff. Lavender Moon Herb Gardens will have all natural Bug Off insect repellent and other home grown herbal products. Lettuce B. Frank will have breakfast sandwiches w/ Irish Bacon, vegan carrot or beet sliders with egg & Ithaca raw milk cheddar on English muffins, Farmers Plates with rosemary sweet potato hash, vegan coleslaw, pickled market veggies & your choice of topping.
Also at the Market
Music this week is by the Stardust Jazz Trio. ColorBrightonGreen.org will collect recycling items; check here for items they are currently able to accept and recycle. The group is also looking for more volunteers to help with these collections; please consider helping this good cause. Please consider donating to the Brighton Food Cupboard, to support their efforts on behalf of the needy in our community.
The Brighton Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday through October 26 from 9 am to 1 pm. It is held in the Brighton High School parking lot, 1150 Winton Road S., and is sponsored by the Town of Brighton. More information about the market can be found at www.brightonfarmersmarket.org or on the Market’s Facebook page.
See you Sunday!


The problem with vanilla
Nethaji Gallage and Birger Lindberg Møller discuss bioproduction of Vanilla in article in Chemical And Engineering News
In the article researches explain why bioconversion of vanilla via yeast and bacteria present challenges and what has been done to overcome them.
From the article: In a review of vanillin bioconversion processes, Nethaji Gallage and Birger Møller, plant scientists at the University of Copenhagen, found that both ferulic acid and eugenol are pricey raw materials (Mol. Plant 2015, DOI:0.1016/j.molp.2014.11.008).
Production of eugenol is industrialized because the molecule is used to produce various flavors and fragrances, but its price tag is still around $50 per kg, the researchers say. Naturally extracted ferulic acid costs even more, around $180 per kg.
Compared with synthesizing vanillin from petroleum or extracting it from vanilla beans, bioconversion via yeast and bacteria presents limitations, Gallage and Møller note. High concentrations of both ferulic acid and eugenol are toxic to most microbes, as is vanillin. Indeed, all three compounds are made by plants as antimicrobials.
What’s more, yields are generally low because the microbes also produce undesirable vanillin alcohol and vanillic acid. Obtaining a vanillin yield of more than a few grams per liter of fermentation broth requires specialized or mutated strains and often lengthy incubation periods.
The biotechnology firm Evolva developed a process to get around high feedstock costs and toxicity problems by feeding glucose to a genetically modified microbe that produces vanillin glucoside. The sugar group makes vanillin much less toxic to the production organism but must be removed to get vanillin.
Read the full article here


Farmers in at least three districts in Maharashtra on Sunday protested at APMCs against the Centre’s decision to impose a 40 per cent duty on the export of the kitchen staple.
Amid protests, state Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde said he would speak with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday and try to find some ”amicable” solution to the issue.
A day after the Central government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions till December 31, 2023, wholesale markets at Satana, Malegaon and Lasalgaon (In Nashik district), in Ahmednagar, and at Manchar and Khed in Pune district saw protests by farmers.
Munde’s cabinet colleague Chhagan Bhujbal said he would raise the onion export duty issue with the state deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
”I will request him to discuss this with officials in Delhi. We will try to take steps to find an amicable solution,” Bhujbal told reporters.
A Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna (SSS) leader said protests will be held in wholesale markets across Maharashtra to mount pressure on the Union government.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole alleged that the BJP-Shiv Sena government is pro-industrialists and pro-businessmen.
”The state government is trying hard to keep the prices of onions low and it doesn’t care about the interests of farmers. We condemn this decision (to impose the export duty on onions) of the Union government,” he said.
Earlier in the day, onion growers in Rahuri tehsil of Ahmednagar district halted the ongoing auction of the bulb in the wholesale market.
“The Union government’s anti-farmer stand has again come to the fore. Farmers in Maharashtra were expecting good returns from onion exports, but the imposed duty has ensured that there will not be any export. The prices in the domestic market will crash and farmers will incur losses,” said SSS state president Sandeep Jagtap.
Several parts of Maharashtra have received insufficient rainfall and this will delay the arrival of fresh onions in the market, he said, accusing the government of protecting the interests of consumers and ignoring farmers.
“The Centre should also pay attention to our woes because the export duty has sent a message to traders that all the available onion is going to be sold in domestic markets only. Traders have now started quoting lower prices for our produce,” a farmer protesting in Rahuri said.
According to sources at Lasalgaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee, the largest wholesale onion market in India, there was a rise of nearly 45 per cent in the prices of the kitchen staple last week.
“Onion was being sold at Rs 1,500 per quintal two weeks ago, and it jumped to Rs 2,200 in just one week. Now, the rates have started coming down, as exports have become nearly impossible,” a trader from Lasalgaon APMC said.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)


Nick “the Pumpkin Man” and Bambi Venetucci made Venetucci Farm a community icon with their annual pumpkin giveaway. The Venetucci pumpkin tradition began in the 1950s. As the story goes, Nick Venetucci was driving an old pick up truck full of pumpkins up Tejon Street and could not resist the wide-eyed fascination his pumpkins brought to the children he passed by. He ended up giving all of his pumpkins away along the route, and before long, school groups were coming to the farm so kids could pick a pumpkin. For decades, Venetucci Farm has gifted pumpkins to area school children and hosted a fall festival that welcomed the community onto the farm.
Since the legacy began, Nick and Bambi Venetucci became community icons. Their generosity and community spirit have been chronicled by the likes of Reader’s Digest and the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. More importantly, they wove a tradition through the Colorado Springs community that runs through generations. For years, children would choose their pumpkin on the farm, joining a tradition shared by their parents and grandparents.
Since 2004, Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation (PPREF) with Pikes Peak Community Foundation (PPCF) have owned and managed the farm as Bambi asked of them: The land is preserved from development by a conservation easement with Colorado Open Lands, and every year thousands of families are able to enjoy the farm and its signature pumpkin patch.
- Venetucci Farm has given away more than 1 million pumpkins since the tradition began.
- Nick’s one rule for the giveaway: you must carry your own pumpkin!
- Bambi Venetucci, besides presiding over the pumpkin giveaway, was named Colorado Teacher of the Year in 1983. She was also one of the first blind students to attend the University of Colorado.
Continuing a Legacy of Community
In January of 2021, three sisters came together to grow a flower farm and become stewards of the Venetucci Wedding Venue and Pumpkin Festivals. Creating a space for gathering once again, Gather Mountain Blooms has joined Venetucci Farm in growing a vibrant sustainable flower farm with community workshops that focus on the beauty of growing and arranging flowers and also integrates aspects of healing, art and well-being. Venetucci Farm continues to be a sanctuary of connection, and partnered with Gather Mountain Blooms, we are about spreading beauty and kindness as people gather together to share in special moments that create lifelong memories.
love grows here
Venetucci Farm reborn.
In 2019, the Quad Innovation Partnership published a report titled “Venetucci Farm: Re-imagining a Community Asset“. The report conducted community interviews and analyzed case studies on how to best utilize Venetucci Farm into the next decade, and recommended a wedding venue, pumpkin festival, and a distillery.
The distillery was replaced by a flower farm but the rest is being fully implemented through a lease with Gather Mountain Blooms.
The Farm is still owned by Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation and Pikes Peak Community Foundation, but is leased and operated by Nikki McComsey of Gather Mountain Blooms, who is able to manage the property in the spirit of Community, and maintain sustainable practices.
Join us as the legacy of the Venetucci family continues in the spirit of community. We invite you to the farm to experience all it has to offer.


SOCIAL MEDIA B2C SECTOR
Brand: Mon Potager
Monpotager.com cultivates the values of local agriculture, also known as local food systems. The website provides solutions for urban dwellers to become more familiar with the goods they consume, allowing them to grow their own vegetable gardens online.
The result ?
We ran a campaign of ongoing content on social media (with high engagement rates, between 3 and 4%) during the #COP21 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.
The Campaign for Mon potager
To stimulate the Mon potager social media channels, we created image and text-based content. Audiences were therefore attracted to the channels at a time when the news on the environment was strong.
Staenk offered content creation services to this client
- Choosing images
- Creating texts
- Planning the publication of content on social media


Ever heard of the term edible landscaping? As crazy as it sounds, it does exist and it is used by landscapers! The phrase refers to landscaping that you can actually eat. While you may imagine the Chocolate Room from Willy Wonka, this concept is a little bit plainer. The landscape incorporates edible plants, bushes, walls, herbs, and fruits and vegetables. These are healthy foods you can pick off the land and eat. The plants are strategically placed so that they blend in and make the property more beautiful. Additionally, you’ll save room in your garden and pantry for food storage. If you want to incorporate this concept into your yard, follow these tips from Sacred Space Garden Design.
Bushes and other shrubberies are commonly used in landscaping. Why not make them edible, too? The cranberry bush could make an excellent addition to your yard. It’s a bush that can double as a hedge. Expect it to grow between 6 to 10 feet tall. In the spring, you’ll see white flowers and then bright red fruit. Cranberries are excellent for straight plucking or using in jams and baked items. If you’re not loving cranberries, opt for brambles. Brambles are great for creating privacy because they act as a barrier. You may grow either blackberries or raspberries from home without paying the expensive grocery store price. Alternatively, you may want bush plums on your lawn. They grow cherry plums, which are tart fruits that make excellent jams and jellies. They start out as white flowers and then ripen. These bushes reach heights of 6 to 10 feet. Last, consider the little yet decorative currant bush, which reaches 5 feet in height. In a group formation, they are great for concealing unattractive air conditioners and electric boxes. The red, black, or white fruits make great juices and jams.
When referring to edible walls, it doesn’t mean walls you can walk up to and lick and chomp on. These are standard walls and fences that grow edible items. Solid walls could benefit from kiwi vines or edible climbing roses or an espalier. For your fences, you may consider plants that grow upright such as tomatoes, anise, sunflowers, and asparagus. Alternatively, consider a vine plant such as raspberries and blackberries. A similar vine could be jicima or Choko. On the other hand, you may prefer those seasonal plants like beans, peas, cucumbers, melons, squashes, and nasturtiums. As for other ideas, consider grape vines and non-toxic honeyberries.
Fruits and Veggies
Maybe you want to grow standalone trees and plants that produce fruits and veggies. Think about planting trees that can produce apples, pears, and cherries. They’ll be pretty in the spring and give you a good crop in the middle of summer. For your walkways, imagine how peppers and tomatoes would appear along the sides. Hues of yellow, orange, red, and other colors would certainly make these walkways pop. Tomatoes may also go in window boxes. Herbs like basil would accentuate the tomatoes. Another way to incorporate red into your landscape is to place potted strawberry plants along the steps. Spring brings forth white and pink plants while summer will produce a rosy red fruit. For more ideas on edible landscaping, be sure to consult Sacred Space Garden Design or a similar company. Good luck and don’t neglect to enjoy the fruits of your labor–literally!


The SPECTARIS GmbH and the Swissmem industry association Photonics cordially invite you to the knowledge transfer seminar "Smart Farming enabled by PHOTONICS" on June 29, 2022 in Zurich. Already the day before there will be an exciting practical insight on the topic and a get-together.
Vertical Farming & Get-Together on June 28, 2022 from 4 p.m.
On June 28, 2022, a tour to the Yasai Pilot Farm in Zurich at 4:00 pm is the start of the event. The start up will give an insight into the future of vertical farming. Afterwards, the invitation is extended to a joint dinner in Zurich at the LaSalle restaurant.
Knowledge Transfer Seminar on 29 June 2022 from 9:00 to 16:00
The use of innovative technologies such as light-based solutions - photonics - is gaining enormous importance as an influencing factor in agriculture. In the knowledge transfer seminar on photonic technologies in agriculture, an insight into the opportunities as well as challenges in this application area will be given from the perspective of science and practice. How can photonics companies and system integrators participate in and drive the smart agriculture of tomorrow? These questions will be highlighted in particular on the three main topics of resource conservation, optical sensors in animal husbandry and crop production, and urban/vertical farming. The Knowledge Space Seminar will take place at the Hotel 25hours Zurich West.
The participation fee for members of Swissmem or SPECTARIS is 210.00 EUR (plus VAT) and for non-members 320.00 EUR (plus VAT).
The participation fee includes the tour of the Yasai Pilot Farm, the transfer and the get-together at the LaSalle restaurant on June 28 as well as the knowledge transfer seminar on June 29, 2022. The event will take place exclusively as a face-to-face event.
To register by June 15, 2022 at the latest, click here.
Benefit from the early bird discount of 10% until May 16, 2022! The discount code is "Photonics".


Best Coffee Beans For Espresso Philippines. Different farms will have slightly different coffees under their own brand, but shouldn't be a blend. Get your freshly roasted coffee beans and experience the rich taste and aroma of roasted coffee beans from the philippines!
Why caffeine lovers pass up the coffee maker for the espresso machine. However, shopping for the best coffee brands might have you staring vacuously down a. Roasted coffee beans supplier in the philippines.
Harvesting Requisites Growing Up To The Heights Of 20 Meters, The Liberica Plant Is An Evergreen Tree Sensitive To Environmental Requirements And Therefore, Its Production Is Far.
Keep in mind that not all dark roasts are necessarily rich in oily compounds, so make your due diligence before emptying a bag of beans into your superautomatic. Where you can buy the best specialty coffee beans and coffee equipment with fast delivery. Get your freshly roasted coffee beans and experience the rich taste and aroma of roasted coffee beans from the philippines!
Robusta Plantation Are Located In Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Bataan, Bohol, Cebu, Compostela Valley And Palawan And Various Other Regions.
So if you’re a fan of robusta coffee or arabica coffee, you might want to explore. Different farms will have slightly different coffees under their own brand, but shouldn't be a blend. Apo davao, and miarayon bukidon while from south america are coffees such as brazil cerado, el salvador san emilio estate, and costa.
From The Philippines Are Coffees Such As Atok Benguet, Mt.
Philippines was the first to cultivate the liberica and the decision greatly helped the country’s economy as they were the only coffee supplier for a time, however, liberica’s availability has declined over time. See if you have a preference between a $5 bag of beans and a $20 bag. Farmers' coffee boasts their skillfully roasted beans that are grown from trees 4,500 feet above sea level.
However, Shopping For The Best Coffee Brands Might Have You Staring Vacuously Down A.
Meanwhile, their 100% arabica beans give off a unique and rich taste. Refinery's 2am espresso beans, a nutty blend of brazilian and sumatran coffee, is available for p900 (500 grams). For the former, look for low.
To Get The Most Flavor Out Of Your Coffee Beans, You Want To Use Them Before They Go Stale.
We are known coffee drinkers, and this is one of the reasons why there are many coffee shops across the countryーfrom big ones like starbucks to humble local coffee shops. 10 best espresso machines in the philippines 2022 | breville, nespresso and more. Roasted coffee beans supplier in the philippines.


Indias national agricultural policy a critique
Agriculture is the backbone of indian an economy and the pivotal sector for ensuring food security • national agricultural drought assessment and monitoring • agricultural policy decisions • declaration of drought and shortfall in food grain and contingency planning. Review of agriculture agricultural price policy, farm profitability and food security s mahendra dev, n chandrasekhara rao agricultural price policy has come under serious attack both the national and household levels is one of the major chal-lenges in india today. Operational policy (ads) transparency resource portal what we and the private sector to improve food security locally, regionally, and globally usaid/india food usaid partnered with the indian ministry of agriculture's premier national institute of agricultural extension management. National agriculture policy ministry of agriculture food security and cooperatives asr/per agricultural sector review/public expenditure review mission and objectives of the national agricultural policy.
Health infrastructure in india: critical analysis of policy gaps in the indian healthcare delivery variety of subjects relevant to india's national interests and objectives health infrastructure in india: critical analysis of policy gaps in the indian healthcare delivery 7 of 32. National agricultural policy the first ever national agriculture policy was announced on 28 th july, 2000 the formulation of agriculture policy had been under consideration of the government for the last few years as a comprehensive national agriculture policy was absolutely essential to build on the inherent strength of the agriculture and. National policy for farmers 2007 department of agriculture & cooperation ministry of agriculture government of india. Agricultural policy in india since independence agricultural policy, the economy and economic policy, on the national we shall confme our review of agricultural policy in india to a few specific issues which have figured. National agriculture investment plan (naip) 2014-2018 221 agriculture spending trend analysis nap national agricultural policy ncdp national cooperatives development policy ndp national development plan nepad. Productivity growth in indian agriculture: the role of globalization and economic reform renuka mahadevan the indian agricultural sector has been undergoing economic reforms since in the last five decades, the government's objectives in agricultural policy.
To guide long-term investments in agricultural science and technology box 61 summary of the indian national agricultural ncap national center for agricultural policy ngo nongovernmental organization. India is essentially an agricultural country where agriculture plays a pivotal role in dominating the economic indian agriculture also lacks definite a cultural land use policy at national or regional it is on the sweet will of the farmer to grow one another crop.
Agricultural policy strategy, instruments and implementation: a review and the road ahead fore accelerate the agricultural growth rate policy planners recognised the need for higher agricultural national accounts statistics (various issues). The history of agriculture in india dates back to indus valley civilization era and even before that in some parts of indian national policy for farmers of food and agribusiness, commodity news and analysis (in english) (based in india) agriculture commodity market news - agri. Indian council of agricultural research (ministry of agriculture and farmers situation analysis red and lateritic zone of west bengal is characterized by sub-tropical climate with average annual precipitation of national agricultural education accreditation board important resources. National portal of india is a mission mode project under the national e-governance plan, designed and developed by national informatics centre (nic), ministry of electronics & information technology agricultural policy agricultural policy share this.
National forest policy in india: critique of targets and implementation and forestry represents the second major land use in the country after agriculture and (2001) national forest policy review indian institute of forest management, bhopal india available: ftp. 1960s, indian agriculture saw different policy reforms such as institutional changes, formidable agrarian reforms, development of irrigation projects, abolition of intermediary landlordism and imposition of land ceiling the national agricultural policy. Suresh babu (international food policy research institute) examines the key challenges and opportunities facing india's agriculture as the country seeks to meet its food security need while moving more of its workforce to the industrial and services sectors. A snapshot of the agriculture sector in india, incl market size national oilseeds and vegetable oils development board the indian government announced the mid-term review of foreign trade policy 2015-20 on december 5.
Indias national agricultural policy a critique
Into a complex national development agenda which this policy brief attempts to articulate for the benefit of appropriate reforms in the agricultural sector status of agriculture botswana agriculture sector policy brief 2012. Socialscientist social scientist 09700293 social scientist political economy of agrarian crisis and slow industrialisation in india sudipta 'india's national agricultural policy: a critique', in india's agricultural challenges-reflections on policy, technology and other issues. The national agricultural policy (nap) document released by the government of indian in 2000 aimed to attain an agricultural output growth rate in excess of 4 percent per annum, based on efficient use of resources, and sought to achieve this growth in a sustainable and equitable manner.
- In liberia, the ministry of agriculture has committed to developing and finalizing a national policy on agricultural extension the process of developing the national extension policy is seen as an opportunity for extension management capacity development.
- Welcome to icar-niap icar-national institute (formerly centre) of agricultural economics and policy research (niap) was established by the indian council of agricultural research (icar) in march 1991 to strengthen agricultural economics and policy research in the national agricultural research system.
- These reviews present a comprehensive overview and assessment of subject countries' agricultural policies combined with oecd estimates of the level of su.
Agriculture - indias agricultural policy india's national agricultural policy: a critique chand, r / institute of economic growth, delhi university , 2004 the national agricultural policy (nap. Objectives at the end of this session, participants should be able to: 1 understand the development, organization and management of national agricultural research systems (nars. The national agricultural policy (nap) document released by the government of indian in 2000 aimed to attain an agricultural output growth rate in excess of 4 percent per annum, based on efficient use of resources, and sought to achieve this growth in a sustainable and equitable mannerthis paper argues that (by 2004) no serious action had been. Food security policies in india and china: implications for national and global impacts of food policy of india and china on national and this argument is supported in this paper by a set of observations obtained from a detailed review of food and agricultural policies that.


NEW DELHI: Unseasonal rains in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have, so far, not affected much the standing rabi (winter sown) crops in most parts of these states, but the forecast of rains and thunderstorms in next 24 hours may spell doom for farmers if these weather events intensify during the period.
Ground reports from parts of Punjab and Haryana show that high wind speed and rains flattened standing wheat crop in areas surrounding Panipat district in Haryana and Ludhiana district in Punjab.
Officials in agriculture ministry, however, said the situation was not as bad in other parts of these states. “Light rains at this stage will, in fact, benefit crops like wheat and mustard. Farmers should worry only if rains intensify in next 24 fours or contiRead More – Source


Brussels sprouts pack nutritional punch
Oct. 28, 2010By Dianne Lamb
It’s time to enjoy Brussels sprouts, the vegetable that has often gotten a bad rap from kids and adults. This vegetable looks like a small cabbage. In fact, Brussels sprouts belong to the same botanical family as cabbage (Brassica oleracea).
Although the word “Brussels” might make you think that these small heads originated in Belgium, it is believed that Brussels sprouts were grown in northern Europe in the 1200s (based on oral tradition). However, the first written description of this vegetable did not appear until the late 1500s.
Brussels sprouts spread and became popular in France and England, making their way to the Americas with the early settlers. There are references to this vegetable growing in Louisiana in the early 1800s as a result of French settlements.
Brussels sprouts can be grown in Vermont and northern New England. In fact, frost enhances their flavor. Brussels sprouts grow on a stalk with the leaves of the plant on the top. The small heads (sprouts) completely surround the stalk and are harvested from the bottom of the stalk when the leaves begin to turn yellow. The sprouts should be firm, green, compact and about 1 inch in diameter when picked.
Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable, meaning that the blossom on the plant resembles a cross. Other cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. All of these cruciferous vegetables contain compounds that help to keep the human body healthy by reducing the risk of many diseases.
Brussels sprouts are a nutrient-dense food. One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts has 61 calories, 4 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams dietary fiber, 495 milligrams potassium, 33 milligrams sodium, less than 1 gram of fat and no cholesterol. In addition, they are high in vitamin C (97 milligrams, which is more than the daily recommended allowance), folate, carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.
You can buy this vegetable fresh at farmers’ markets or supermarkets. The small heads may be prepackaged in pint containers, loose (allowing you to pick the ones you want) or on the stem, letting you cut them off the plant. Brussels sprouts also can be found in the frozen vegetable section at the supermarket.
If you don’t eat them, it may be that you tried them as a kid and were turned off because they were overcooked, odiferous and very strong flavored. Brussels sprouts need to be cooked until just tender. Overcooking releases the sulfur compounds in the vegetable, creating a foul smell.
Fresh Brussels sprouts need to be refrigerated. Left at room temperature, the outer leaves of the sprouts will turn yellow. When cooking, try to cook sprouts of equal size, so they will cook uniformly. Avoid puffy or mushy ones. The outer leaves are the most nutritious part, so do not remove unless they are yellowed or wilted.
When ready to use, wash the Brussels sprouts well in lukewarm water to remove any debris (soil or insects). Rinse in fresh water. Trim the stem end, but try not to cut flush with the bottom of the sprout as the outer leaves are apt to fall off. Some people score the base of the sprout with an “X” to help the heat penetrate the core of the sprout, so it cooks as quickly as the leaves.
Brussels sprouts can be steamed by bringing 1 inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a pan. Place a colander or collapsible basket in the pan. Add the sprouts and cover. Reduce heat and steam for 5 to 7 minutes or until just tender.
This vegetable also can be cooked in a microwave oven. Wash, trim and make an “X” on the bottom of the stem. Place sprouts in a 1 1/2-quart covered dish. Add 1/4 cup water. Microwave 1 pound (4 cups) for 4 to 8 minutes on high power until just tender. Stir once during cooking.
Brussels sprouts usually are too strong-flavored and chewy to eat raw, especially if they have been stored for awhile. They can be blanched in boiling water or steamed, then drained and quickly dunked in ice water to stop the cooking. Thoroughly drain again. These blanched sprouts can be marinated or used as crudités with a dip.
Or roast in the oven, add to stews, stir-fry or use in soup. Some herbs and spices that go well with Brussels sprouts include basil, caraway, dill, mustard, sage, thyme, curry, nutmeg, garlic, cumin, marjoram and savory.
Other quick ways to use Brussels sprouts include:
> Lightly steam or blanch whole sprouts for grilled shish kebabs;
> Toss cooked sprouts with vinaigrette or salad dressing. Serve as a side dish or salad.
Dianne Lamb is the Extension nutrition and food specialist at the University of Vermont.


There is something about a garden that makes me smile and brings peace to my heart. When I thought I was destined to have a black thumb forever, I was a little defeated. Having a black thumb means you’re a terrible gardener and kill everything just looking at it. However, if I am anything, I am persistent and chose to keep at it. With the help of my husband, family, friends and the internet, I have learned quite a lot and I had a very lucrative Vegetable garden this year. I am by no means a great gardener, I am still a newbie and still learning but I will share what wisdom I do have.
Part 1-Starting with seeds
I had attempted to start a garden from seeds many times but this year that is exactly how I started all 25 of my tomato plants and most of my other vegetables too. So here is my process & tips that worked for me.
- Choose your seeds house -You can use an old paper Egg carton to start your seeds or buy a greenhouse set like this one here for less than $10. I have used both methods and both work just fine. I personally prefer the greenhouse because they seem to grow faster,and its easy to use. Follow instructions on the back of the product.
If your using an egg carton cut carton lid off, fill the pods with a good soil mix , water it down, then put seeds in, cover with more dirt if needed.
- Put the seed pointy side down. This one was new to me, a farming mama friend shared this tip with me and it works. You’ll notice most seeds are tear drop shaped, you want to place the seed in the pod with the pointy side down. It apparently takes less energy from the plant to grow if its already facing the correct way.
- Do not over water! Seeds are fragile and its easy to drown them, you want the soil to dry up a bit before watering again. Obviously not too dry either, every few days is what worked for me.
- Keep them somewhere visible. The key for me was having them somewhere I walked by everyday and could easily see if they needed water or not. For me that was our sunroom where I let the dogs out multiple times a day. They do need sunlight but not direct sunlight so by a window is ideal.
- Introduce sunlight gradually. You don’t want to take your plants from being inside by a window to outside planted, they wont know what hit them. I would take the pods outside in the morning while I did some work outside then bring them back in before lunch, I would slowly leave them out longer and longer until they were fine being out all day.
- Don’t plant outside too early. Your seeds have sprouted, yay I’ve done it! It very exciting but slow down, don’t go planting them in the garden too quickly. They will be in shock when you first plant them so you want them to be nice and strong to bounce back. Also, make sure your climate wont have any more freezes, for us in Colorado, Mother’s day is usually the rule of thumb.
Part 2- Planting
1. Get your soil prepped. We rented a till from local hardware store for about $30 and tilled every bed before we did anything else outside. Add a few bags of a vegetable soil mix in with the tilled dirt. Now the plants have soil to thrive in and it honestly didn’t take very long to do.
2. Put a weed barrier down. Just roll out a weed barrier fabric and cut it to the size of your bed and pin down. You may need to buy more pins than what’s provided with the fabric.
3. Plan out your placement. The seed packaging will have a plants recommend spacing, usually about 2′-4′. Just get a measuring tape out and plan where each plant will go. Using a pocket knife or scissors cut space out for plants.
4. Plant Tomatoes deep. Plant about 3-4″ of the stem down into the ground. If your planting a bigger established plant it is more like 6″-8″. More than you thought? Me too! A local gardener told us that bit of info and it worked! You probably will need to trim the bottom few leaves off to do this and that’s ok. *this only applies tomato’s
5. Lay down mulch. This serves as another weed barrier and it makes bed pretty!
6. Give the plants support. Put your cages ,trellis, or roping system around your plants. You may need to guide them a bit as they continue to grow. We waited too long to do this and it was a mess, so learn from our mistakes and do it from get go.
6. Water! If your able to set up a soaker house system on a timer that is ideal. If you have a sprinkler system that hits the bed that works, but ideally you don’t want to water tomatoes leaves.
7. Wait and harvest. Wait patiently and your garden will come to life and you’ll have a garden full of colorful beautiful fruits and veggies.


Striving to be more conscientious about using the earth's resources,to make this a better world, starting with me and my little piece of it.
I love Michael Pollan, great video. I do believe that there is enough (I'm always taking about abundance, aren't I?) but we need to prioritize first. Feeding people, all people, should be at the very top of the list. In a world where food is thrown away every single day, tons of it, no one should go hungry.
There is enough. It stymies me why this is such a hard concept. Even in countries like Africa where we send aid, the food is there, just consumed by the few. It seems just wrong that cars get fuel from land where food crops could grow. Unfortunately, corn produced for biofuel is not edible....sad, sad, sad.
@Melinda, hear, hear!!@Linda, you said it!!
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Extreme weather conditions have slammed the United States this spring. Tornadoes and flooding in many U.S. states have killed hundreds and ripped through millions of acres of farmland. Residents of Joplin, MO continued to sift through rubble this week after being hit Sunday by the nation's deadliest tornado since 1953.
Many U.S. towns now have to rebuild from devastating losses, and many farmers are left with a questionable future for their land.
This prompted a reader to ask the Money Morning Mailbag how U.S. agriculture and food prices have been affected by the nation's drastic weather conditions.
What does all the recent weather catastrophes in the United States mean for crops and farmland? Will this add to food prices that are already too high for our own good?
-- Rob S.


Our organic dried fruits
Organic dried Mangoes
Did you know that drying mango prevents waste? During the peak season, mango production is so abundant in Burkina Faso that tons of fruit end up rotting at the foot of the trees. Thus, drying the fruits allows to postpone their expiration date by several months.
Our sustainable mango agricultural chain is developed in association with the Chouboupi cooperative. Located in the province of Kénédougou, in the west of Burkina Faso, this group gathers more than 120 mango producers.


Wines Puligny-Montrachet Jacques Bavard
OF JACQUES BAVARD
SIMPLICITY IS THE ULTIMATE SOPHISTICATION
Historically, and until the mid-1970s, my paternal grandfather's wine estate was one of the flagship estates in the commune, and the memories of Chevalier, Bâtard, and other Enseignères wines have remained with me.
Today, this desire for excellence drives me when creating our wines; we offer a selection of grapes that are vinified and matured in the cellars of our house. My first vintage was 2005.
Briefly, to describe our work, we monitor each parcel from March and follow the evolution of the growth every three weeks on average, like a winegrower on their estate, and our preference at harvest is for freshness and minerality for the whites, and optimal maturity without excess for the reds, in order to preserve crunch and structure.
We do not blend from different plots, and limit our purchases to a maximum of 10 pièces.
Harvesting and Winemaking
Manual harvesting; choosing the optimal harvest date (monitoring the ripeness of each plot).
Great care is taken at all stages of harvesting, with sorting in the vineyard and at the arrival of the grapes in the winery to ensure impeccable quality and healthy grapes.
Gentle pneumatic pressing.
Settling. Débourbage (in our air-conditioned winery).
Prior to alcoholic fermentation, transfer by gravity to Burgundian ‘pièces’ (oak barrels), for a period of 12 months.
Careful selection of the origin of the wood (from the Allier oak forests), the volume of the barrels, and the choice of cooper.
The whites are mainly matured in 350-litre pièces, 10% of which are new, the remaining being one to two years old; they are matured for 12 months in the wood and blended to spend 4 to 6 months in stainless steel tanks to give the wine its full expression. Tension, precision, aromatic structure and length are the precepts that guide us.
Our white wines are fined using clay in order to eliminate elements negatively affecting taste due to the presence of proteins, allowing all the aromatic potential to be revealed; filtration is not carried out.
For the reds, cold maceration for 10 to 12 days, then placed in 228-litre pièces with the same proportion of new barrels as the whites.
Our red wines are neither fined nor filtered.
Our wines do not undergo bâtonnage.
The wines are bottled at the estate using a neutral gas, and great care is taken with the cork, of superior quality and measuring 49 lines.
Jacques Bavard offers a guided tour of the winery and cellars, as well as wine tastings, in order to bring together the world of wine and the terroir.
Average duration : 1.5 hours
Cost :from €10 per persone
Vines planted on sedimentary soil at the foot of the Chassagne village appellation. Rich and structured wines; harvested early to preserve freshness (60 Hl/ha; 15% new barrels).
Auxey-Duresses «Les Clous»
Located opposite the Meursault hillocks; south facing. The clay-limestone soil of this lower slope provides structure, weight and power (49 Hl/ha; 25% new barrels).
Santenay «Sous La Roche»
Plot located at the top of the slope and at the edge of the forest. Exposed to wind and bad weather; majority limestone, in the form of marl; favours fine and floral wines with great length. Its eastern exposure gives freshness at harvest without excess alcohol (45 Hl/ha; 25% new barrels).
Saint-Romain «Sous La Velle»
Above the plots of the village, Sous la Velle is probably the one that deserves a 1er cru label. Facing east, its pure limestone soil skilfully structures the wines, and controls the yields naturally.
Maturation takes place in 25% new barrels, giving bearing and substance (59 Hl/ha).
Saint-Aubin 1er cru «Combes Dessus»
Located above the slope of Puligny, next to the climats of Remilly and Murgers Dents de Chien, the south and south-west exposure of this plot takes us close to excellence. Growing on pure limestone for the most part, the grapes are balanced, powerful and tonic at the same time (48 Hl/ha; 50% new barrels).
Saint-Aubin 1er cru «En Frionnes»
Historical climat because of its location around the village of St Aubin; the clay-limestone soil is the best fining method, resulting in a frank, fresh and structured wine. Vines facing full east for an expression of freshness (55 Hl/ha; 50% new barrels).
Facing full east, the plot is mostly clay-limestone. Planted with Pinot Fin, we obtain pure, velvety wines without excess tannins. Red fruit dominates (35 Hl/ha; 25% new barrels).


...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING... ...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 expected. Frost is also expected. ...Portions of southeast Kansas and central, east central, south central, southwest and west central Missouri. ...From 2 AM to 9 AM CDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
Current Condition: Clear
Wind Speeds: 5.55mph
Chance of Precipitation: 0%
Temperature: 65/52 Possible light rain overnight. Sunday:
Temperature: 68/30 Rain throughout the day. Monday:
Temperature: 48/32 Clear throughout the day. Tuesday:
Temperature: 55/33 Overcast throughout the day. Wednesday:
Temperature: 56/40 Partly cloudy throughout the day.


Everyone remembers the luminescent bike path dedicated to Van Gogh. Its designer, Daan Roosegaarde, has created another installation with evocative features, exalting the beauty of the earth and paying tribute to agriculture with “a dream landscape that shows the beauty of light and sustainability. Not as utopia but as protopia”.
The field of LIGHT that GLOWS at night
# Grow is a hymn to farmers and the land
Thousands of red and blue lights dance at night on the 20,000 square meters of a leek field in the agricultural area of Flevopolder, the largest man-made island in northern Holland.
It is with the Grow project that the visionary architect and designer and his team want to enhance the beauty of agriculture through a play of light and by merging art “with science, poetry and cutting-edge technology.”
In fact, the artist recalled that “most of the time we don’t notice these huge cultivated areas, yet the soil and the fruits of the Earth feed us every day and allow us to live.”
# Grow isn’t just art: it promotes sustainable agriculture and protects biodiversity
In addition to offering a dream landscape, the goal is to implement an experiment in more sustainable agriculture that is being carried out in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research, BioLumic and MediaMonks.
Inspired by advances in photobiology, a discipline that studies the interactions between light and living organisms, the installation uses special blue, red and ultraviolet lights to improve plant growth and resilience and to reduce the use of pesticides by up to 50%.
# A hopeful message for the future
The high-intensity LED system creates a hypnotic, carefree vision that, “in times of pandemic, is full of meanings”. In fact, according to Roosegaarde, Grow is “a call for light in these dark times. A work to do good for nature, but also give people hope“.
However, the location of the installation has remained secret due to the pandemic.


Creeping speedwell seeds are small, round, and light brown. They are also sometimes called “running speedwell” due to the way they grow. These seeds are extremely quick to germinate, and fast-growing perennial plants can be found in prairies, old fields, and other habitats, including pastures, meadows, and gardens.
These plants are one of the few prairie species that grow in the shade. Creeping seeds are a common weed found in lawns and gardens in the United States. This weed can grow and spread rapidly and is often found in fields at the edge of a lawn. This weed is a perennial plant and can be identified by its purple flowers. Speedwell is generally found in the eastern parts of the US but can be found in other parts of the country. Creeping Speedwell seed are a common weed found in lawns and gardens. This weed can grow and spread rapidly and is often found in fields at the edge of a lawn.
Facts About Creeping Speedwell Seeds
- Creeping Speedwell is a weed that can be found all over the world, but is usually more common in drier climates. It is typically seen creeping along the ground and sprouting up in the cracks of concrete, but can also be found in gardens and on roofs. This perennial weed can grow up to 18 inches tall and can be identified by the cross-shaped leaves it has. Creeping Speedwell can grow over time to become a major nuisance.
- The creesping speedwell plant also has a variety of different names, including creeping Jenny, hen and chickens, and even strawberry blite.
- It is a perennial ground cover that is hardy, does not need much care, and is deer-resistant.
- Creeping Speedwell is a perennial plant native to Europe and North Africa. This plant is typically found in moist areas, like near streams and rivers, and is also sometimes planted by gardeners in rock gardens. This plant produces small pink flowers and has a creeping habit.
- Creeping speedwell seeds spreads quickly, making it a great choice for those who want to add ground cover to sloped or poorly drained areas. Creeping Speedwell can be found in most gardens and is a great choice for those who want to create a picturesque setting.
- There are many different types of creeping speedwell seeds that are available on the market. The flowers are a bright blue, and you can find them in a variety of other colors as well. These seeds have a long life when stored in a dry environment. They are also a favorite for many butterfly species.
Uses of Creeping speedwell seeds
- Speedwell seeds are a versatile flower that can be used in both wildflower and mixed flower beds. They are a perennial plant that is easy to grow and makes a great addition to any garden.
- Speedwell seeds are some of the best flowers in the garden. They are versatile, easy to grow, and provide a pop of color.
- I have been planting creeping Speedwell seeds all over my garden this year. This plant is a perennial, and it is easy to grow. It’s been great to have it around, because it has provided an excellent ground cover on my side of the garden. It has also been great, because it is a good nectar source for bees.
- The Speedwell plant is a grassy plant that thrives in dry and sunny climates, but also in cold winter climates. There are many benefits to creeping Speedwell Seeds, and the following are just a few that it offers.
- The Speedwell plant is a great choice for those looking for a ground cover, as it does well in dry climates, but also has a long tap root that will keep the soil moist and cool. For those looking for a natural lawn alternative, the Speedwell plant is a great choice, as it needs very little water and no fertilizer.
- They are easy to spread and can grow in a variety of environments and are considered to be a weed. They are often used to fill in areas that need a little more green.
Identify Types of Creeping speedwell seeds on the basis of exposure to sunlight:
- It is hard to know what type of speedwell seed you have, but you can find out by looking at the shape and size of the seed. The seed can be round, oval, or even triangular. The seed will have a papery sheath if it has not yet been exposed to light.
- The seeds have a different smell if they have not been exposed to light. If you can smell a strong, sweet citrus smell, the seed has not been exposed. If you smell a grassy, floral smell, the seed has been exposed to light.
Methods to sow the seeds:
Creeping Speedwell is a delicate and colorful flower perfect for adding to any garden planted with native wildflowers. This flower is also a great choice for those looking to attract butterflies and bees to their personal garden. If you are looking to add Creeping Speedwell to your garden, it is important to know how to sow the seeds.
Follow the process given below:
- Sow Creeping Speedwell seeds within 8 to 10 weeks of planting outside. Lightly sow the Creeping Speedwell seeds on the surface of a peaty start mix, and gently push the seed into the mix. Germination requires light, and the ground cover seed must be kept wet at all times.
- Creeping Speedwell ground cover seeds can also be planted outside after the frost season. Prepare a weed-free seed bed in a protected place, spread the seed on the surface and keep it moist. Creeping Speedwell is a ground cover with extremely low maintenance.
- Creeping Speedwell is a shade-intolerant plant that prefers moist, organic soil. It can be grown in various conditions and thrives in low-maintenance gardens.


Community Cooking is about building confidence, developing knowledge and improving skills around healthy eating and cooking.
Through the district councils and Public Health in Lincolnshire, there are a range of community cooking initaitives happening across the county.
From ‘Cook and Eat’ sessions to community demonstrations and roadshow activities, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Anyone aged 18 plus can take part, but some sessions are open to children and families too.
For general cooking and growing enquiries contact:
Office: 01522 550 659
Mobile: 07786 028 881
Community Growing is about growing local produce in local communities across Lincolnshire.
With a range of growing spaces, Community Growing aims to provide communities with access to healthy ingredients which can be grown and distributed through the local area.
Volunteers and community gardeners support local people to grow their own produce, helping people to develop knowledge and skills around growing and preparing healthy food.
The role of the Master Gardener is to promote food growing and healthy eating to the wider community e.g. through events, talks, articles, community groups, schools and other innovative ways to bring people together, including through our community growing spaces.
Master Gardeners believe that everyone can grow their own food, whether in a garden or allotment, on their balcony, a window sill or on communal land. Whatever the crop, whatever the space, food growing is important for a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Through the District Councils and Public Health Lincolnshire there is also a range of community cooking initiatives happening across the county, from cook and eat sessions, community demonstrations and roadshow-type activities, all aimed to promote confidence, knowledge and skills around healthy eating and cooking in a fun and exciting way.
To find out more about the Master Gardener project, contact Rick on 07584 474779 or email email@example.com.


Totally digging it: how bulls provide the opportunity of a lifetime for pioneer plants and insects
About a thousand years ago, large, wild herbivores started to disappear from Europe. Hunting, poaching and loss of biotope led to their decline. And with the vanishing of those large animals, their behaviour and its influence on the environment stopped too. Not only their grazing behaviour and its effect on vegetation but also the wallowing, rooting and digging. As for the last one, wild bulls used to dig pits in the rutting season to impress the opponents and the cows. As it appears now, these pits were hotspots for pioneer plants and insects.


Paddy Kearsley has always been interested in anything to do with tractors and farming. In the late 1990’s he started supplying machinery for farmers and small tractor owners. This is when he became involved with Fleming Agri-Products in Northern Ireland.
After doing a lot of research into various machinery companies, looking to find a supplier of well-made machinery at affordable prices, Fleming Agri-Products seemed to fit the bill and have been their leading supplier in the area since then.
Having worked with small tractors for many years, Paddy decided in 2000 to look into supplying compact tractors to smallholders and smaller farmers. After a lot of research and discussions with various suppliers we were accepted as local dealers for Mitsubishi and Kioti Compact Tractors.
Since then we have taken on a number of other companies supplying products including Oxdale, Protech, Zanon and SCH.
Paddy’s wife and son have now also joined the business, so we have Paddy (the boss), Pat (his wife and partner) and Pete (our son).
Pete also runs his own business, Kearsley Agri Services from our yard / workshop near Northallerton. He does most of his work on farm tractors out on site and he also repairs and services any compact tractors that we have supplied, and we hope he will take over the business sometime in the future.
Please note: There may be times when we are not always on site for you to view our new and used machinery, so it is always best to call us first to avoid disappointment. We value our customers and always want to give the best service possible, so we ask if you could call us on 01325 378042 or Paddy’s mobile 07850 209468 before popping down to see us. Thank you for your understanding.


על מנת להמשיך למכרז עליך להזין את כל הפרטים האישיים
Over the past few years, global climatic changes have significantly impacted the quantity and quality of the water sources. This trend, together with a steady increase in the global population, have made the use of desalination technology more relevant than ever. By using desalination, it is possible to convert inexhaustible reserves of saline sea water into potable water, and effluent into unlimited agricultural irrigation water.
EMS Mekorot Projects designs, builds and supplies water desalination plants, using the reverse osmosis (RO) process.
Over the past few years, the Company worked to expand the Granot desalination plant, in order to facilitate the utilization of the brackish groundwater in the eastern part of the coastal aquifer, in order to stream the water to the national agricultural irrigation system and, in parallel, to restore the coastal aquifer and prevent it from becoming brackish. The facility has ben expanded in stages: during stage 2, the second 10,000 cu. m. per day capacity desalination unit was put into operation and during stage 3, two additional desalination units were opened, and together they generate 20,000 cu. m. per day.


Oregon has chosen as the Oregon state flower a quite reasonable flower to represent itself. The Oregon state flower is the Oregon-grape. The Oregon-grape is drought tolerant, can grow in poor soil, and produces very little leaf litter. The last characteristic, I think, is the one which makes the plant sound the most reasonable. Not only does the plant grow well in poor conditions, but the plant also produces very little waste. The Oregon-grape is one which advertises itself for planting around one’s house. The plant requires little care, grows well in poor conditions, and doesn’t even need a person to clean up after it much. The plant produces yellow flowers and a fruit that resembles a grape. The fruit is quite bitter and is not eaten without being sweetened first. It is sometimes used in jellies. The leaves of the Oregon state flower are like holly and are evergreen. This has led to the leaves being sometimes used by florists and has spawned a small industry for gathering the leaves.
The only thing unreasonable about the Oregon state flower is its name. The Oregon-grape is not closely related to the grape. The similarity exists in the resemblance between the fruit that they bear. However the similarity ends with the resemblance between how the fruit looks on a grape plant and on the Oregon-grape. The fruit does not even have a similar taste. I think it a little bit funny when one plant is named after another plant. The process of naming one plant after another shows the plants which we endow with significance. The Oregon-grape is named after the grape, because of its resemblance to an important plant, the grape. We commonly eat the fruit and use it in many products. If we had found no use for the grape it is unlikely that the Oregon-grape plant would be named after the grape. Without its significance in human lives, the grape is less likely to be commonly known. Being commonly known and endowed with significance, the grape is more likely to get another plant named after it as it has in the Oregon state flower.
Oregon has chosen for its state flower a plant native to the area. The plant grows naturally in only a few states in the United States. It is common along the northwest coast from northern California and up across the United States border into Canada. I like when states choose a plant that naturally grows in their state to represent themselves. It makes more sense to me to choose a flower that grows in your area to represent yourself than to choose a flower from another area. I suppose that besides being native, the plant has significance specifically to Oregon because of the Oregon part of the name of the plant. Many states choose for themselves a flower that includes their state name. This seems to denote a general pride in the state. I also suppose if Oregon is the one looking at the Oregon-grape, the Oregon part of the name is much more important than the grape part of the name.


Hydroponics is not new, as it has been coming for years. The technique used in hydroponics is amazing, where the growth of plants and nutrients takes place with the help of light and water. You don’t involve soil for the growth of hydroponic gardening. If we talk about general hydroponics, the same methodology is applied to it. It’s an old technique still used in many countries. It’s a field of agriculture that has become advanced because of the invention of technology. Scientists do experiments with hydroponic gardening, so there is no way to ignore this type of gardening in the present time. However, the technique is not favorable for cultivation, but to some extent, it works.
No doubt, the technique is perfect for growing vegetables and fruits, so it works for limited areas. The length and area of hydroponic gardening are not enough as compared to other gardening styles. Overall, it works fine to grow fresh vegetables and fruits. The not only growth is possible in domestic areas, but we have seen a massive response in commercial areas. The hydroponics work in commercial places and it also becomes the reason for the success of commercial life. Indeed, plants, fruits, and vegetables put a lasting impact on viewers in such places. It is the reason commercial growth works great.
Farmers love to grow plants and vegetables in small areas to impress people. The purpose is not to impress people only, but hydroponics NZ is also done for producing fresh fruits and vegetables. Indoor gardening makes sense in all the weather conditions, so hydroponics is the one that keeps your garden look adorable. General hydroponic comes with many advantages for all users, as it also takes care of pests and insects. It is the reason people love to go with indoor gardening and enjoy healthy fruits throughout the year.
Other than reducing pests and insects, the general hydroponics come with the blessing of nutrients. The healthy growth of nutrients is seen in this gardening style that improves production level. Thankfully, you can grow various plants of your choice to create an environment. Also, you can go with macronutrients such as calcium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, and potassium phosphate. Further, technology also improves the growth of the plant cycle when we overview indoor gardening. Overall, it is beneficial for the environment because of greenhouses and healthy nutrients.


Golf Course Turf Manager Salary ExpectationsThe chart below shows the average annual base salaries of Golf Course Superintendents based on their level of education. You'll see that the average base salary for 2-year certificate holders is actually more than those who hold 4-year degrees.
Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA)
According to the 2013 Compensation and Benefits report by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), base salaries for Golf Course Superintendents with a 2-Year Certificate are more than the average base salaries of Superintendents who have a Bachelor's Degree. Data includes both class A and certified superintendents.
Overall, the average base salary for a Superintendent in America is $82,573. Looking at average base salaries by state, New Jersey ranks as highest with a mean of $104,137.


Kenya Mama Simba AB
Region: Embu Varietal: SL28. Ruiru 11, Batian Altitude: 1500-1900 Process: washed Tasting notes: Blackcurrant, blackberry, grapes, bergamot, prunes, juicy, akin to Ribena. Mama Simba AB coffee is a micro lot harvest from a smallholder farm situated at the foothills of Mt. Kenya in Embu. Known for its coffee, Embu is located in the north east of Nairobi, and has an altitude of 1,500 - 1,900 metres above sea level. The coffee is hand-picked and delivered to the washing station for pulping with the rest of processing done at The New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (NKPCU), Sagana Coffee Milling Plant. 200g roasted coffee.


Determining the Effect of pH Values on the Carbohydrate Concentration in Hedera Ivy
As the increase in industry has remained, acid rain has become more of a problem and pH has become a very important factor around the world. Acid rain has a very low pH value, and can easily kill off plants. This type of rain can easily hit any farm and potentially harm the crops. The goal of our experiment was to determine if the pH values of water used to water Hedera Ivy resulted in a difference in carbohydrate concentration, which would affect the nutritional value of a plant. To test against the ill effects of acid rain, we subjected the Hedera Ivy to a pH of 4, which is approximately the same as acid rain. Normal rain is approximately a pH of 7 so we watered another plant with water at the pH of 7. Lastly to test if acid rain was the only factor that could effect carbohydrate concentration, we watered the plant with a pH of 10, a much lower acidity which potentially would effect plant growth. In order to perform the experiment, we watered the plants for two weeks before experimentation, and then we placed the leaves in a blender to liquefy the material. After the leaves were blended, we centrifuged the solution in order to get rid of the plant's cell walls which allowed us to get the data. A titration was then performed in order to get the actual concentration of each solution. In order to test which of our data was significant, we used a two-sample t test. The only significant differences that we got from our experiment were between the plants watered with a pH of 4 and a pH of 10. The p-value obtained from that set was .000003. This proves that there is a significant difference between the concentration of plants watered with the pH values of 4 and 10, and that there was a very small chance that the data received was from random chance.
Research Done By:
L'Anse Creuse High School
Cousino High School


Tuscan Harvest28th October 2011Blog, Qigong, ReflectionsNo Comments
This September, Terry and I biked with Backroads in Tuscany. The sunflower fields were bare as most of the field crops had been harvested, but the grapes were plump on the vines. Each of our meals was evidence of the bounty of the local region. The autumn is a time to appreciate the fruits of the summer growing season and to nourish ourselves with fresh, local food. In Italy we ate figs, tomatoes, mushrooms, and eggplant along with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. The famous Florentine beef, lamb, and rabbit we consumed were local as well.
In a qigong practice, the golden harvest season or Indian summer is an additional season of the year, between summer and fall. In this season of bounty, Qigong students cultivate the emotional energy of gratitude to balance worries and over thinking. It is a time to focus on the earth and nutrition in all its aspects. How can we feed ourselves in a way that supports our health and that of our environment? I support the American Farmland Trust because it wrestles with the questions of maintaining farmland and open spaces in our communities, promoting local farmers’ markets, and right livelihood for farmers. One of the ways AFT raises awareness and funds is by bringing together chefs, farmers, and donors to enjoy harvest dinners. These meals nourish the farmland cause and help build supportive communities.
While the golden afterglow of summer is still with us, what practices can nourish us and prepare our bodies for the colder, darker days to come? What images fill us with gratitude and nurture our spirits? Qigong standing (or sitting) practices for this season help to ground us. The healing sound and gestures for the Earth, the element for this season, remind us of the bounty in our lives and give us a practice to give thanks to the earth and the heavens. The monkey frolic brings us on an imaginary journey through the trees, reaching and grasping branches, eating, and offering fruit.
See my Qigong – Earth post for more practical details.


The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN), also known as PM Kisan Yojana, is a Government of India scheme that provides an income support of ₹6,000 per year in three equal installments to all eligible farmers. The scheme was launched on December 1, 2018, and is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
PM Kisan Yojana Status: Eligibility for PM Kisan Yojana
To be eligible for PM Kisan Yojana, farmers must meet the following criteria:
- They must be Indian citizens.
- They must own cultivable land up to 2 hectares.
- They must be the landowner or the tenant of the land.
- They must be involved in agriculture activities.
PM Kisan Yojana Status Excluded categories
The following categories of farmers are not eligible for PM Kisan Yojana:
- Farmers who are income tax payers.
- Farmers who are institutional pensioners.
- Farmers who are government employees or office bearers of local bodies.
- Farmers who are family members of institutional pensioners or government employees.
How to apply for PM Kisan Yojana
Farmers can apply for PM Kisan Yojana online through the official website of the scheme (https://pmkisan.gov.in/). They can also apply through their nearest Common Service Center (CSC).
Documents required for PM Kisan Yojana application
Farmers need to submit the following documents while applying for PM Kisan Yojana:
- Aadhaar card
- Bank account details
- Land ownership documents
Verification of PM Kisan Yojana applications
The applications received for PM Kisan Yojana are verified by the state government officials. The verification process includes checking the identity of the applicant, their land ownership, and their bank account details.
Disbursement of PM Kisan Yojana benefits
The benefits of PM Kisan Yojana are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of eligible farmers. The benefits are disbursed in three equal installments of ₹2,000 each. The installments are disbursed in the months of April, August, and December.
Status of PM Kisan Yojana
As of August 4, 2023, over 12.17 crore farmers have registered for PM Kisan Yojana. Over 11.39 crore farmers have received the 14th installment of the scheme, which was released on July 27, 2023.
Benefits of PM Kisan Yojana
PM Kisan Yojana has provided a number of benefits to farmers, including:
- Increased income: The scheme has provided a significant boost to the income of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.
- Reduced debt burden: The scheme has helped farmers to reduce their debt burden, as they can now use the benefits to meet their financial needs.
- Improved standard of living: The scheme has helped farmers to improve their standard of living, as they can now afford to buy better food, clothing, and education for their families.
- Increased agricultural productivity: The scheme has encouraged farmers to invest in new agricultural technologies and practices, which has led to increased agricultural productivity.
- Reduced rural-to-urban migration: The scheme has helped to reduce rural-to-urban migration, as farmers are now able to earn a decent livelihood from agriculture.
Challenges faced by PM Kisan Yojana
Despite its success, PM Kisan Yojana faces a number of challenges, including:
- Exclusion of certain categories of farmers: The exclusion of certain categories of farmers, such as income tax payers and institutional pensioners, has been criticized by some farmers and experts.
- Delays in disbursement of benefits: There have been instances of delays in the disbursement of benefits to farmers. This has caused financial hardship to farmers, especially those who rely on the benefits to meet their immediate needs.
- Fraudulent claims: There have been reports of fraudulent claims under the scheme. This has led to the government taking steps to tighten the verification process and to prosecute those who make fraudulent claims.
PM Kisan Yojana is a landmark scheme that has provided much-needed financial support to farmers. The scheme has helped farmers to increase their income, reduce their debt burden, improve their standard of living, and increase agricultural productivity. However, the scheme faces a number of challenges, such as exclusion of certain categories of farmers, delays in disbursement of benefits, and fraudulent claims. The government needs to take steps to address these challenges in order to ensure the smooth implementation of the scheme and to maximize its benefits to farmers.
In addition to the above information, here are some more details about the status of PM Kisan Yojana as of November 9, 2023:
- Over 12.17 crore farmers have registered for PM Kisan Yojana


Penrhos Gins – made with fruit grown on the farm
Provenance has been a buzz word for a while now, applying both to food and drink. There is something honest and appealing in knowing that the product you’re enjoying has been made with ingredients sourced locally. Penrhos Spirits is one producer that’s applying this principle to its recently launched gins.
The county of Herefordshire is a true haven for agriculture. Apple and pear orchards, hop fields and vineyards provide the basis of many top quality soft and alcoholic drinks. For Penrhos, the essence of the Herefordshire Marches forms the core of their products, as co-founder Richard Williams explains. “We grow our own fruit on the farm and use this in our gin. For example, the blueberries in our London Dry help take away some of the sharpness, rounding off the mouthfeel and adding smoothness. The gins we make reflect our orchards because of the botanicals we use. These include blueberries, cherry blossom, honey from our apiary, rhubarb, apples and elderflower.”
Origins of the distillery
Penrhos’ story began in spring 2017 when Richard and his friend Charlie Turner, both fruit farmers, conceived the idea of creating a distillery. They had already been working together for a few years growing fruit, but were looking to diversify. At first, they considered making juices and pressés, but as they were both interested in gin, they decided to research this spirit and took a course in London. First, they converted an old cow shed into a distillery. Then during summer later that year, they began experimenting on a small 1 litre still.
Using farm-grown fruit
They always wanted to utilise as much of the produce on their farm as possible, a distinguishing story and feature of their gins. So they used cherry blossom from the cherry trees in spring to infuse their spirit, along with other farm botanicals including rose petals and blueberries. “We are fruit farmers and there are not many distillers making fruit-inspired gins with their own fruit“, notes Richard. Initially making a London Dry Gin, they then experimented with a rhubarb gin, blending their London Dry with rhubarb juice, using a variety called Red Raspberry. With pink gins being so on-trend, they have recently added 3000 plants of this variety on to the farm.
Water comes from a bore hole on their 450-acre fruit, arable, grass and poultry farm and the bottle logo shows a chequered landscape with blueberries at the top. Richard describes this as “a nod to the local landscape.” Also, although currently buying in grain spirit, they have plans to eventually make their own.
Launch of the distillery
In autumn 2017, they applied for a grant from Herefordshire Council, which was awarded in April the following year. Once they’d received the necessary licenses and other accreditation, they ordered a still from Ryebeck in May 2018. Since they were new to distilling, they worked on recipes with an independent distiller in autumn 2018 who, as Richard comments, “pointed them in the right direction.” The distillery was then kitted out in September, before full production began and the London Dry and Rhubarb Gins were launched in December.
Contact with Ryebeck
They had already spoken to several equipment suppliers but were immediately impressed with Ryebeck’s attitude and expertise. Richard is in no doubt that his experience with Ryebeck has been very positive. “Tim knows his stuff well“, referring to Managing Director Tim Prime. “He offered us a realistic route to get going that fitted our requirements and recommended a quality 2nd-hand still from Germany. We had already done much of the research regarding the kit we wanted and visited several other distillers. We sent Tim a list of our requirements and together with Bob Wessels, a Dutch colleague of his, they sourced what we needed. Bob then came to us last September to set up and commission the still.”
Ryebeck’s involvement throughout the journey
Richard is keen to point out that Ryebeck’s involvement did not start and finish with installation of the still. “Both Bob and Tim have offered us plenty of good advice going forward and we can always reach them by phone if we need to contact them. We first met Tim towards the end of 2017 when we already had our 1L still, but were looking to upscale commercially. We had a good conversation with him then and throughout our journey. He even visited recently to check on progress. Tim and Bob helped source all the equipment, including our bottling facility, as well as assisting with licence applications.”
The Carl still
They use a 150L Carl still, named Connie after Richard’s grandmother who used to work in the original cow shed that was converted to today’s distillery. “We can output 850 bottles per week if we were to do a batch run five days a week“, explains Richard. “At the moment, we usually distil about once a week, which is 170 bottles.” The advice from Ryebeck has proved invaluable in ensuring the best quality distillate. “Bob told us to run the process slowly, taking eight hours from start to finish per batch, which equates to 15L/hour. This method retains as much of the flavour of the botanicals as possible. With the type of still we have, there is much copper contact, leading to a smoother spirit. We also ensure the temperature is never too hot and the simple tap button screens with digital temperature gauge makes all this easy to achieve.”
Richard and Charlie are now developing an apple and elderflower gin due for release probably in August this year. They have other plans for the future too and are in no doubt that Ryebeck will be their first port of call if they need new equipment. For anyone else thinking of setting up a distillery, Richard sums up why he would recommend Ryebeck. “You need to talk to somebody with expertise who can explain things simply and give advice. Ryebeck definitely provides this, they are easily contactable and have a good website too.”
Author – Robin Goldsmith