Manure provides all the fertilizer that you will ever need to maintain fertility. The Wingfield Harrow breaks up clumped manure and evenly spreads the manure to fertilize the pasture. Cattle dislike grass that is located near manure, and experienced ranchers notice that cattle will not eat grass that grows within one foot of a manure pile. Harrowing can break up these manure piles, thereby increasing manure’s fertilizer treatment and absorbing the fertilizer into the soil more quickly.
Many livestock producers use the Wingfield Harrow to rotate their cattle around an individual pasture. A large Midwest university placed GPS tags on 2 cows; they found that the cattle spent 75% of their time in only 25% of the pasture. With the Wingfield Harrow, ranchers found that utilizing “spot treatments” evenly spreads the manure throughout the pasture. Because cattle dislike grass located near a manure pile, they move to other areas with clean grass. Harrowing assists grass growth by keeping the cattle away and allowing a broken pile to dissolve into the soil. While it is best to harrow pastures on a regular basis, our customers have found that harrowing a pasture two to three times a year is effective.
The benefits of pasture harrowing don’t stop there! In addition to spreading manure evenly throughout pastures, the Wingfield Harrow also works to decrease fly populations, which can cut livestocks’ risk of mastitis. By keeping pastures aerated and breaking up piles, manure dries at a faster rate and prevents larvae from maturing inside manure piles. Our customers report that continual harrowing in dry feed lots reduces fly population by 30%!
Intensive grazing provides a challenge because as livestock concentrate in choice areas, increased pasture stress results due to large amounts of manure and tramping the grasses into dormancy. We recommend moving your livestock to another pasture and harrowing these trouble spots several times, breaking the manure into small particles. These small particles of manure will dissolve into the soil, increasing the recovery of vegetation from the roots. If the recovery of the existing vegetation is not sufficient, we recommend broadcasting additional grasses or legumes, and incorporating with the Wingfield Flexible Harrow. Grass has a maximum growth zone of 3 inches to 11 inches, and harrowing is most beneficial in areas that have been grazed in this zone.
Horses create an interesting problem because they are such picky eaters, preferring to graze in one area, and drop manure. Harrowing forces horses to graze the entire pasture, and thereby distribute fertilizer all over the pasture. This assists grass growth, allowing horses to return to their favorite spots more quickly.
The Wingfield Harrow is the only tool farmers need to inter-seed pastures. Our agronomist recommends the following procedure to establish new vegetation in the shortest amount of time, using the least amount of seed. Cool season grasses can be seeded twice a year (spring or fall), depending on where you live. Harrowing can cut the manufacturer’s suggested seed rate in half, and it is important to use two or three harrow passes to reduce seed rates First, drag our harrow on the aggressive setting, which removes the thatch and opens the soil to a depth of one quarter to one half inch deep, the ideal depth for grasses. Second, broadcast your seed. Finally, make two harrow passes to work the seed through the existing grass. These passes settle the seed into the groove that was created on the original pass, and place the thatch on top as mulch. On the second pass after seeding, some of our customers like to keep the front section aggressive, and the back section either turned around, or upside down (tines pointing up) to provide a little better settling of the seed. The dry mulch creates a cover that prevents moisture from moving from the finer soil where the seed is placed through capillary attraction. You will find the seeds will germinate faster even with little rainfall or just a heavy dew.
Adding weight allows the harrow to more deeply penetrate soil depths, but additional weight will increase wear on the tines. The most popular item is the truck tire, which evenly distributes weight across the harrow and is easily wired to the harrow mat.
When you have a harrow on a 3-point frame, you control the harrow. With a drawbar, the harrow controls you. Harrows can be mounted on a drawbar or a frame. Frame-mounted harrows are easily transportable, can be reversed, and allow farmers to lift the harrow and shake out collected material. Some farmers start out with a drawbar, and purchase a frame later to mount the harrow.
The Wingfield Flexible Harrow does an excellent job to dethatch, aerate, break up manure, and inter-seed grasses. You can never over-harrow your pastures. Some of our customers harrow their pastures 8-10 times a year, and other customers harrow every day. We use the highest quality high-carbon steel, which is why the Wingfield Harrow outlasts and outperforms the competition, and provides a healthy environment for your livestock.


The artificial intelligence revolution is coming, and there is nowhere to hide — at least, not for weeds.
Third-year computer science major Andrew Jouffray is working with assistant professor Rakesh Kaundal of Utah State University to develop software that will allow machines to identify and remove weeds without human involvement. Instead of a programmer specifying exactly what a weed looks like, Jouffray and Kaundal are helping one computer to teach another computer.
“Currently, training a computer to detect objects in an image requires humans to go over thousands of images and ‘draw boxes’ around the objects the computer must learn to detect,” said Jouffray. “This method is very slow, so having a computer do it for us could save months of work.”
The results are impressive.
“While a human takes 15 to 45 seconds on average to go through an image and mark out all the object of interest, our system can do it in 0.05 seconds,” said Jouffray. “A computer trained on images generated by my system has achieved 77 percent accuracy in locating and identifying fruit.”
Jouffray and Kaundal aim to create a dataset of roughly 250,000 images. To do that, they are in the process of gathering images of a range of plant types. A computer then creates numerous modified copies of each image, which then helps another computer identify different plants even under chaotic conditions outside of a lab.
Kaundal sees great potential for the project.
“Allowing farmers to quickly monitor and control the spread of weeds in their fields without having to rely on harmful chemicals can reduce the cost of organic-grown food and help in maintaining healthy soils and aquifers,” Kaundal said.
The project contributes to the advancement of precision agriculture — that is, using data to make farming more efficient, sustainable and productive.
“The method we’re developing is not limited to weeds,” said Kaundal. “It could be used to monitor crop health, locate fruits and vegetables for harvest and more. Robotic precision agricultural systems could assist in reducing the workforce for large farms and allow for the expansion of those farms to meet the growing demand for food security.”
Although computers and agriculture are not often thought of together, Jouffray had an interest in both at an early age. He maintained a vegetable garden with his mother while growing up in southern France before studying computer science.
Kaundal himself has a doctorate in plant breeding and genetics, a post-graduate degree in bioinformatics, and an adjunct position with the Department of Computer Science in addition to leading the Kaundal Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Bioinformatics Lab at Utah State. He believes there are many advantages to working across disciplines.
“One of the benefits is a more holistic understanding of the world,” said Kaundal. “Different perspectives help students to deal with real-world problems. It also hones their collaboration skills. When students graduate, they work with people from across the world with diverse backgrounds, so why should higher education be any different? College is not only about gaining advanced knowledge, but also learning more about yourself, nurturing your passions, discovering your interests and growing as a student and individual in society.”
By that measure, Jouffray is already making the most of his education.
“I love solving problems that can make an impact in the world.” Jouffray said. “Seeing a computer recognize objects that it has never seen before, and knowing that machines in the future might be able to learn on their own to harvest and weed crops, is such a rewarding feeling.”
Jouffray’s work also might not stop with plants.
“I would love to apply my technology to trash detection,” said Jouffray. “If that can make an impact in cleaning up the world, it would be wonderful.”
The project was made possible by an Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunity grant from Utah State’s Office of Research, which provides students with a one-semester, $1,000 scholarship for conducting original research or creative work under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Jouffray’s worked with plant scientist Steve Young before joining Kaundal, and his bioinformatics research will continue beyond the initially funded semester.
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"The mountains I climbed, the butterflies I counted, the streams I swam, the jungles I walked along, all called me back. The urge to go back to nature was very strong," says Tibin Parakal from Trissur who quit a lucrative engineering job in Delhi to start a restaurant but then ultimately became a farmer.
Tibin Parakal at their farm in Trissur
Educated youngsters show no interest in carrying on the farming tradition of their forefathers. But one 26-year-old chucked his job as a networking professional in Delhi to be a farmer in Kerala.
Moreover, he has chosen to farm without the use of pesticides.
Tibin Parakal's father was a farmer, but he discouraged his son from being one. So, Tibin studied Information Technology and networking, and worked as a networking professional in Delhi.
"From the cradle of nature, I was thrown into the concrete jungle that is Delhi. I felt suffocated. I didn't see human beings around me; only machines that worked to earn lots of money.
"The mountains I climbed, the butterflies I counted, the streams I swam, the jungles I walked along, all called me back. The urge to go back to nature was very strong," Tibin explained.
Still in Delhi, he began planning an organic restaurant he would start in Trissur on the lines of what his friend was doing in Trivandrum.
He hid his plans from his parents; he knew they would be horrified if their son quit a well paying job in Delhi to start a 'hotel' in Trissur.
He only discussed the viability of the idea with some of his friends. One of them, George K Jose, had just joined Infosys in Bangalore.
Tibin and two friends from Trissur, George and Aneesh, pooled in one lakh rupees to start an organic restaurant called Pathayam, in Trissur.
George K Jose at their farm in Trissur
The restaurant opened during Onam in 2010.
Recalls Tibin, "We employed only the cooks; serving and the rest of the work was done by the three of us and some of our friends."
They attracted excellent publicity in the media. At the evening opening they served five types of puttu like ragi, wheat, vegetable, corn etc, which went down well.
"Hundreds of people came and had to wait outside. It was unprecedented. Everybody appreciated our efforts. We were soon making Rs 10,000 every day with a profit of around Rs 5000-6000," Tibin said.
As expected, Tibin's parents were horrified at their son's decision.
Tibin tried to scare them by saying, 'If you want to see me alive till I am 60, let me do what I want to. But if I continue to work in Delhi, you will see me only till I am 35!'
The restaurant had to close because of construction work in the vicinity. Not able to find another place to suit their budget, the three entrepreneurs abandoned the project.
"I was not dejected. I had always wanted to be a farmer, and I thought it was a good opportunity to do it. We had started with organic food made without any chemicals but the first step should have been natural farming," Tibin said.
Tibin and George attended a five-day seminar on Zero Budget Natural Farming, by Subhash Palekar from Maharashtra.
"We were bowled over by Palekar's ideas. He understood the real vibrations of nature. In those five days, it was not farming that he taught us; he made us understand and feel the pulse of nature. He introduced us to the most minute living beings in nature. It was an eye opener for us," Tibin recalls.
Tibin's parents agreed to part with 10 cents of land (10 cents = 0.1 acre = 4356 square feet) to their 'crazy' son and his friend so that they could experiment with natural farming.
"My father was not in favour of our experiment. He asked me, 'Do you think we are fools? I have been cultivating paddy for the last several years and you say we don't know anything? Even with pesticides, our yield is only this much, and you want to show us that without pesticides, you can have more yield?'
"He literally laughed at us. I begged him for a small piece of land to do our experiment just once. Reluctantly, he agreed.
Zero budget natural farming needs only one kilo of cow dung for 10 cents of land. "We must have the cow dung and urine from pure breed cows and not cross breeds. With great difficulty, we found one person who had such cows and I went on my bike to collect the cow dung and urine," Tibin said.
Tibin had learnt from Palekar that one gram of cow dung and urine of pure bred cows contains 300-500 crore micro organisms. But the cow dung of the cross breed cows contains only 40-50 lakh micro organisms. "The Jeevamrutha solution (that is added to the crop) acts on the micro organisms and help them multiply in large numbers," he said.
They planted paddy using the seed of an ancient variety of rice called kuruvai, cultivated by adivasis. They tilled the land and did the planting themselves.
They used no pesticides, only the Jeevamrutha solution made of cow dung, cow's urine, jaggery, flour, soil and water, as created by Palekar.
The resultant paddy was much healthier, greener and bigger than the one cultivated by his father using chemical pesticides.
"Our paddy looked so healthy, and when the paddy of the nearby areas got infected, ours remained unaffected. That was when everybody realised there was something right in what we did. My father was shocked when we got more yield than he had ever got in his life!"
Most of the first yield was kept as seeds for the next season. "That was in 2011. We even distributed the seeds. You won't believe this, but today many people cultivate kuruvai in Kerala from the seeds we distributed.
"My father now cultivates kuruvai on his entire one acre plot and follows zero budget natural farming!" says a triumphant Tibin.
Fans of this type of rice are former Chief Minister of Kerala, V S Achuthanandan and actors Mammootty and Srinivasan.
Tibin and George have inspired the film actors to start farming and helped them out.
The paddy cultivation expanded to embrace two acres of land taken on lease and made a profit of Rs 50,000 the second year.
The success of the first two yields prompted them to expand their holding to 25 acres of land. The yield was worth more than Rs 15 lakh but faulty marketing resulted in a loss of Rs 7 lakh. That did not dampen their spirits because it was a marketing failure and not a farming one.
Since then, they have been making a profit of Rs 2 lakh every season.
Other than farming, they undertake projects for the Agriculture department, helping families develop a kitchen garden.
Tibin has decided to concentrate on cultivating organic vegetables on 15 acres of land at Kattappana in Idukki district. Some 100 kilos of vegetables are sold every day.
In due course, Tibin wants to develop a model farming institute to train youngsters in natural farming.
Tibin Parakal and George K Jose with their friends working in their farm
Tibin and George are indirectly involved in farming 400 acres of land, as advisers.
They continue to farm their 25 acres of land taken on lease. "Our life is dedicated to farming. We want others to do zero budget natural farming too. That is why we work as advisers.
"When actors like Mammootty start farming, we hope that it will inspire more people to engage in natural farming.
"We know we will survive as farmers. Our dream is to popularise Palekarji's natural farming for the betterment of nature, people and society as a whole," Tibin Parakal concludes.


The organic movement has been going since the 1940s, but recently organic food has moved into the spotlight. With concerns about the environment growing, and farming increasingly finding itself pitted against environmental campaigners, the organic movement seems to offer a happy medium between agriculture and ecology. But there’s still a lot of confusion surrounding what organic produce actually is, why it’s good for the environment, and whether it’s healthier than non-organic produce. Here’s our brief attempt to clear up those questions.
What is organic produce?
Organic products are produced without the use of man-made herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers, and other chemical products which wouldn’t naturally be found in the growth environment. So, for example, organic potatoes are never fed industrial fertilisers, never sprayed with pesticides, and any weeds attacking them are pulled up by hand. Organic beef and milk comes from cattle who graze chemical-free grass and aren’t fed any additives.
Why is it important?
The organic movement is growing in strength for a number of reasons. Some people think that organic produce is more nutritious than non-organic (although the scientific jury is out on that one - more on that in a moment). Others feel that organic farming is more environmentally responsible. Which, in fairness, it is. When it’s done properly, organic farming is sensitive to the surrounding ecosystem and can even help wildlife to thrive. For example, chemical-reliant agribusiness is credited with huge loss of habitat and the extinction of many invertebrate species in the UK alone. Organic farming, with its lack of pesticides and other invasive practices, poses far less of a threat to the local environment.
Is it more expensive?
Kind of. It depends where you buy it. If it’s bought locally, or even directly from the farmer, organic produce tends to be cheaper than non-organic. In supermarkets, however, it can be marginally more expensive. This is due to a number of factors, including scale and labour. Organic farms tend to be smaller scale and, because they’re not taking any chemical short cuts, the farm workers have a more labour-intensive job. In order to produce the huge amounts of food demanded by supermarkets, organic farmers therefore have to pour a whole lot more resources into their farms than their non-organic counterparts. Hence the price hike. However, as organic produce grows in popularity, you might be pleasantly surprised by how affordable it actually is.
Is it healthier than non-organic produce?
That depends on what you mean by ‘healthier’. In general, organic fruit and veg has the same nutritional content of non-organic fruit and veg. There may be a marginal increase in vitamins and minerals in organic produce, but scientists say that the difference is too small to be significant. However, organic produce has (as you’d expect!) far lower levels of heavy metals and pesticide residues due to the lack of man-made chemicals used. So, an organic apple isn’t going to give you more vitamin C than a regular apple - but it is going to give you a lot less pesticide.


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Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away...Oops, wrong story. This is the story of Ken and Mary West and how Mt Olympus Berry Farm came to be. This is the condensed version: Boy meets girl in 1985 and they date for a few years. She works in a bookstore in Shockoe Slip and he works for a lawn company. The bookstore is sold to Boo & Jim Smythe. Boo is from Richmond originally and they are moving back to the area to the farm her father bought in the 50's as a weekend getaway. It was originally called Magnolia Inn but he renamed it Mt Olympus. That's another tale.
Mary came as a fixture with the bookstore and Ken came with Mary. Eventually he started doing odd jobs for the farm and other independent contracting projects. Fast forward to 1988 and they get married and go into partnership with the Smythe's and their son Scott. Voila, a farm is born.
We started out with 5 acres of blueberries. After planting a small garden plot of vegetables, Ken thought, "Hmmm, we could make money selling vegetables". HA! Thirty years later we are still trying to make money selling vegetables. In the early 90's we expanded into strawberries and blackberries and each year we added more acres of vegetables. We now farm 50 plus acres.
In 1995 Ken and Mary started a personal project. Ken designed and built a timber frame home with trees off of the farm. It was designed to be energy efficient with lots of south facing glass and radiant floor heat. In the fall of 2014 we added an outdoor wood furnace to fuel the boiler to the house and shop.
In the late 90's/early 2000 along came the newest additions, Emily and Ben. Emily helps at some of the Fairfax farmers markets and keeping our packing house and market trucks organized. She thinks she may be interested in running the farm one day. Ben helps out in field operations, at markets and other tasks. He is currently considering a career path in IT or computers.
Mt Olympus Farm is committed to being good stewards by utilizing the best practices for our land including: conventional, organic, no-till and sustainable agricultural production. It is our job to produce healthy, nutritious products. We are also dedicated to making the land better than we found it and be good neighbors and community helpers.
The philosophy of organic food production maintains certain principles: biodiversity, ecological balance, sustainability, natural fertilization, natural pest management & soil integrity. Certified organic crops are produced on land that has been free of known and perceived toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers for at least 3 years prior to certification. Also synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are not used in production. Natural based pesticides may be used. Mt Olympus uses green manures, low-impact pesticides and limited synthetic fungicides.
After the USDA standards were implemented all farmers describing their product as "organic" had to go through a national certification process involving a substantial fee and extensive record keeping.
This process was too costly and time consuming for many smaller "organic" and sustainable producers. Most stopped using the word organic instead of certifying their farm. This is why Mt Olympus Farm is not certified organic at this time.
Here are some of the practices we use:
Drip Irrigation (Fertigation)- reduces water and fertilizer use and prevents “splash” which helps control diseases.
Crop Rotation- breaks up pest cycles and helps in nutrient depletion.
No-till production- preserves moisture, prevents erosion by not disturbing the soil and promotes soil biological life.
Planting Cover Crops- helps prevent soil erosion, suppresses weeds and enhances soil quality by increasing organic matter. Puts nutrients needed back into the land naturally.
IPM/Integrated Pest Management- using beneficial insects to control harmful ones.
Plastic Mulch- suppresses weeds and reduces use of chemicals.
Raised beds- provides better water drainage, which helps to control diseases.
Using organic or low toxicity chemicals- only when needed and available.
Utilizing Nutrient Management Plans- using soil testing to manage fertility.


When John Deere debuted what the company called the “Next Generation of Tractors” in 1960, the transition from the long-stroke, two-cylinder tractors were dramatic in the extreme. When the Generation II tractors debuted in August 1972, it wasn’t quite so dramatic, but a big leap ahead in many ways. As it did in 1960, the debut would keep John Deere at the forefront of tractor sales and technology for many years to come.
Probably the most notable and noted change in the Gen II tractors was the Sound-Gard cab. Not only did it offer unparalleled noise protection and comfort, it offered rollover protection never before seen in a stylish, comfort-oriented cab. The cab was fully isolated from the tractor on four hefty rubber mounts and so to the seat and controls. The driver was surrounded by tempered glass, but protected by a four-post ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) that doubled as cab pillars. The cab was pressurized to keep out dirt. A heater and A/C system were both optional.
When you spend 10 to 12 hours a day grinding over rough, exceedingly boring ground, comfort is important and the Sound-Gard delivered in that department. You could buy a Gen II tractor without a cab in this era, but you don’t see many. The Sound-Gard cab made believers out of many die-hard farmers.
The Generation II tractors brought more to the table than a great cab. The entire line was revised and a few new models were introduced as well. Another notable styling change was the new sloping hood, which offered better visibility and a more timely look. Most of the tractors got new designations along with the other improvements and that brings us to the 100-plus horsepower 46 Series tractors, but we need to go back a couple of years to set the stage.
Deere introduced its first turbocharged tractor in 1969, the 4520 (see the March, 2013 issue Tractor Talk). Cranking out 120 PTO ponies, the 4520 was a timely addition to the 100-plus hp tractor market. It had a few teething issues, one of the few notable John Deere faux pas. They upped the ante in 1971 with the 4620, which added an intercooler (among other improvements) to the turbocharged 404-cid diesel giving it a 135-hp output. For the Gen II era, JD introduced the 4630, which made 150 hp from a more finely tuned 404. Optional transmissions included the tried and true Synchro-Range manual unit, the equally tried and true Power-Shift and the new Quad-Range. Qua- Range combined a Synchro-Shift with a hydraulically operated hi-low range to further split gears. A new Category 3N hitch was offered that allowed both Cat 2 and 3 implements to be used.
The 4630 was offered from 1973 into 1977 and replaced by the slightly upgraded 4640 that year. It was a good tractor. Strike that… it was a great tractor in terms of quality and design, but it had a weak link. It was too powerful for rear drive only. The 1970s was the era when power began to exceed the tractive abilities of what had been the standard rear drive layout for decades. Duals and ballast notwithstanding, it was still difficult to get a 150-hp tractor to put all that power to the ground. It was no accident that as the Gen II tractors debuted, John Deere was seriously pushing MFWD and four-wheel-drive tractors as primary tillage tractors and the 4630 would be offered this way as well. Two-wheel-drive tractors were fine for utility and PTO work, but the big tillage implements needed an extra driving axle and that was that. In many ways, you could think of the 4630 as one of the last of the old school big power tractors. DW
Northwest Tractor, Ottawa, Ohio


Role of h 2 o 2 in pea seed germination the effects of h 2o 2 on germination were more prominent when seeds were incubated in darkness than under light conditions. The effects of ph on pea plants germination measurements the effect of low ph on different phases of nodule formation in pea plants 31(3). The effects of ph on peas can give an insight into studied the effects of acidic fog and ozone on green pepper the germination was done by taking wet. How does germination affect cellular respirationpdf effects of germination in peas on cellular the effect of germination versus nongermination on pea. Germination is rapid at or sandy soils where soil ph is in the use of a snap bean or green pea harvester most domestic cowpea production is. Abstractdifferent ph level may affect the growth and development of the plants certain key words include: ph level, germination, acidity, osmosis and diffusion this. How to germinate peas depending on the type--from sugar snap peas to dry peas to green garden peas an ideal ph for pea plant growth is 55 to 65.
The effect of ph on the grotwh of green beans this study examines the effects of an acidic environment on green beans imbibitions and germination. Effects of hydro and osmo-priming study was conducted to determine the effects of osmo-priming on germination of pea while green pea has 22 million ha. Seeds & germination science fair soybeans, peas and sunflowers the effect of presoaking the which organic acid accelerates the germination of the green mung. Effect of exogenous spermidine on salinity tolerance with respect to seed germination effect of nacl on seed germination /flask in case of green peas.
Germination and growth of green pea plant and paddy effect on green pea and rice growth promotion the effect of ph on ga 3. Fulltext - modelling the effect of temperature on the germination speed in some legume crops. The ph does have an effect on plant growth or the yellowing of the leaves in such a way that the leaf veins remain green dahlias, chrysanthemums, sweet peas. Investigating the effect of soil ph on the germination of avicennia alba seedlings little green dot student research grant.
The effect of germination versus nongermination on pea soil ph --should too acidic in this activity you are investigating both the effect of germination. Also known as garden peas, shelling peas, snap peas high in organic matter with ph 60 to 70 widely adapted ©2006 cornell university.
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Botany science projects & experiments - learn about seed germination botany and seed germination experiments 6 the effects of light on (a ph meter can be. A model for enhanced pea seedling vigour following low ph and the effect of low ph and sa treatments on pea elongation of peas following germination. Effect of salinity on germination, growth icpl-151 and icpl-850014 of pigeon pea was assessed at germination (ph 70) and the extract was. Lesson plan 12 salt and germination brief description this fascinating, cheap and very reliable experiment clearly demonstrates the damaging effects of salinity (salt. Impact of fertilizers on the seed quality 32 germination the effect of fertilizer dose on high application of nitrogen fertilizer in pea had decreased.
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GM crops ten years on: Hope, hype and reality
By Ian Scoones, co-director ESRC STEPS Centre
26 January 2011
A decade ago there was much hope and hype about the potential of GM crops. They were going to feed the world and solve poverty and development issues. It was claimed that pest-resistant crops using so-called Bt technologies to resist insect predation could reduce pesticide use and improve farmers' incomes, and that technologies for dealing with drought or nutrient deficits were in the pipeline. GM crops would help poorer farmers in the developing world, with a ‘gene revolution' succeeding the ‘green revolution' of previous decades.
However, others predicted disaster: GM crops would result in environmental and health catastrophes and global domination of agriculture by large corporations. Just as the pro-GM lobby could be accused of excessive, unfounded hype, anti-GM campaigners often generated doomsday scenarios based on limited evidence.
In reality a more complex and mixed story has emerged. In some circumstances, some farmers have benefited from GM crop technologies while others had bad experiences or were bypassed altogether. But even now, wild claims are still made and false expectations generated.
GM crops have expanded rapidly in some locations. Annual assessments by Clive James of ISAAA, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, show GM crops sweeping the globe selectively. GM crops were planted in 25 countries in 2008, but only eight countries planted more than a million hectares.
About 98 million hectares out of a global GM crop area of 125 million hectares were grown in just three countries, by large-scale farmers: the United States (62.5 million), Argentina (21 million) and Brazil (15 million). The GM crops which have been commercialised are primarily insect-resistant Bt maize and cotton, and herbicide-tolerant soy.
A recent book by Robert Paarlberg, Starved for Science: How biotechnology is being kept out of Africa, again makes the case for GM crops as a solution to agricultural development.
Paarlberg argues that Africa's poor have scandalously been denied the vital, life-saving technology of GM crops because of European anti-GM campaigns. He claims that inappropriate, precautionary biosafety regulation is a major hurdle to the widespread adoption of poverty-reducing technologies.
Paarlberg's arguments have been picked up by policymakers and lobby groups, the latter arguing the ‘tide is turning' in favour of GM crops as a result of the political recognition of the global food crisis. New efforts are making the case for a GM solution, especially for the potentially vast markets of the developing world, for example through the industry-based Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy.


Det brukar ju inte vara någon svårighet att övertala våra svenska politiker, det räcker med manipulerade forskningsstudier, eller? Så om det nu inte fungerar med de giftiga genmanipulerade fröerna i Indien så kanske vi skulle pröva dem här på de svenska åkrarna, eller? Det skulle innebära att även Sverige skulle behöva hamna i långivaren IMF:s klor och det är väl bra, eller?
Det skulle även resultera i lägre kostnader för vaccin och sjukvård eftersom självmordsrisken markant ökar, eller? Ja, det finns säkert ett hundratal fler positiva ekonomiska vinster som skulle genereras.
Monsanto = petrokemisk industri = ledande inom läkemedelstillverkning = ledande inom livsmedelsproduktion..... låt oss gynna denna drake som gör allt för att vi människor skall må bättre och leva ett långt , rikt och hälsosamt liv.
Monsanto’s operation in India illustrates monopolization and manipulation of the market economy, tradition, technology, and misgovernance. The world’s largest producer of genetically engineered seeds has been selling genetically modified (GM) in India for the last decade to benefit the Indian farmers – or so the company claims.
In a country of more than 550 million farmers who are largely poor and uneducated and the agriculture market rife with inefficient business practices, the Indian government sought to reform the market by eliminating subsidies and loans to the farmers.
The government reform did not help the farmers. With pressure from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Indian government has “forced market liberalization on India which means the elimination of government subsidies and government-backed loans to farmers.”
Enter Monsanto with its “magic” GM seeds to transform the lives of the poor Indian farmers.
The U.S. agri-business giant took full advantage of its entry into the Indian market. It entered into an agreement with state governments including Rajasthan and Andhara Pradesh to introduce a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that dictated the terms of disseminating the GM technology in Indian market.
For Monsanto, it is one thing to convince farmers to use artificial seeds for the purposes of enriching their lives, it is quite another to manipulate nature and technology to profit from them.
The irony is GM seeds have not been effective in India and the consequences are not as rosy as what Monsanto had promised to deliver. Scathing reports of mass suicides of the Indian farmers broke out as recently as three years ago when scores of farmers took their own lives in order to escape the burden of high price and failure of Monsanto’s GM seeds.
Monsanto offered its GM seeds to the farmers of India with hopes of reaping plentiful crops. Plain and mostly uneducated farmers thought Monsanto has come to provide a “magic” formula that would transform their lives. They had no idea what was coming.
Monsanto’s seeds in India did not produce what the company had promised and farmers hoped. The expensive seeds piled up debts and destroyed farming fields. In many instances, the crops simply failed to materialize. The farmers were not aware that the GM seeds required more water than the traditional seeds. And lack of rain in many parts of India exacerbated the crop failure.
With no harvest, the farmers could not pay back the lenders. Burdened with debts and humiliation, the farmers simply took their own lives, some by swallowing poisonous pesticides in front of their families. To date, an estimated 200,000 farmers have committed suicide all over India.
To add to the misery, wives inherited the debts along with the fear of losing their homes and lands. With no money coming in, they also had to pull their kids from the schools. The mass suicide among the Indian farmers is known as the “GM genocide.”
In its company website Monsanto declares that its pledge is “our commitment to how we do business.” And then there are the business philosophies with virtuous words like “integrity” and “transparency.”
Monsanto’s business practices in India quite remarkably live up to the company’s motto. It purposefully leverages its power and influence in government to penetrate farming markets with motive but without morale.


Pumpkin is a warm-season vegetable that can be grown throughout much of the United States. Pollination Choosing and caring for your HARRIS MORAN pumpkins HARRIS MORAN offers many features of pumpkins to fill all market slots. Pumpkin is a very tender vegetable. Just by consuming a small amount of pumpkin seeds, you will be able to get a good amount of zinc, magnesium, and healthy fats. Powdery mildew causes a white, powdery mold growth on the upper surfaces of the leaves. There is no swelling on the bases of the male flower stems. Bengaluru, Karnataka. A. “Baby Boos” and “Small Sugars” need 2 feet of distance from one another and about 6 to 8 feet in between rows. The Pumpkin on a Stick will have you asking “is it a pumpkin, a gourd or a tomato?” but it’s actually an ornamental eggplant! To open, place the pumpkin on newspaper and insert the tip of a chef knife or break it open by cracking on a hard surface. Such articles are not suitable for any (self-) diagnosis and treatment of individual illnesses and medical indications. The leaves are lobed with 3 or 5 lobes. However, cross-pollination does not affect the taste, shape or color of the current season's fruit. Pat soil over the seeds and water them well after planting. square feet Top 5 Counties for Number of Pumpkin Acres Harvested in 2012 Stark 1,068 Peoria 1,323 Tazewell 4,669 Mason 2,627 Wayne 1,547. For example, zucchini crosses with Howden's Field pumpkin, acorn or spaghetti squash, small decorative gourds, or Jack-Be-Little miniature pumpkins because they are all members of the same botanical species (C. Pepo). 10 pc Lumina White Pumpkin Seeds Fresh Home Garden Fruit Seed Halloween Decor . Pumpkin seeds are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of Omega-3 fatty acid. Grease your palms with little ghee and make laddoos. Method: (i). Unless you are dealing with specific rules or regulations at a show, you can pretty much interchange the words squash and pumpkin, though you can expect a fight with purists, no matter what you do. Varieties of each of the four species, discussed in this section are popularly called "pumpkins," and varieties of each are called "squash," more by tradition than by system. Propagation is through seeds. Alert: Making Pesticide Applications in School/Community Gardens. Healthy feet mean elderly people are able to keep moving and stay active, which promotes a longer life and overall happiness. If you aim to grow more than one pumpkin plant, space them at least 4–8 feet (1.2–2.4 m) apart. Selecting a planting site 1) Select a sunny place in your garden. Besides being used as jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween, pumpkins are used to make pumpkin butter, pies, custard, bread, cookies and soup. Q. Make the Mummy Pumpkin: Cut off the top one quarter of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Store the roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 months for best results. The male flowers may predominate under certain conditions, especially early in the season, or under certain kinds of stress. Buy with confidence from a trusted seller . These pumpkins can get as large as 150 lbs, depending on growing conditions. Pumpkin must be processed in a pressure canner. As a result, we recommend using drip irrigation on winter squash to reduce plant moisture and feed plants more effectively. Thin to the best one or two plants. Feed, Seed and All Your Gardening Needs. Starting GiantPumpkin Seeds Indoors. Rinse the seeds in cold water and strain. “Most pumpkin dishes involve scooping out the seeds, cutting off the skin, and chopping up the flesh before cooking.” ― Yotam Ottolenghi ‘The Great Pumpkin,’ quotes. Pumpkin seeds have many anti-oxidants, such as carotenoids and vitamin E. Anti-oxidants help protect your body against free radicals, which attack and damage cells. Ensure that your pumpkin vines have room to spread out; plan for about 400 to 1,000 square feet per bed or hill—a mound of soil that helps trap heat and encourage drainage. General Tips for growing "THE BIG ONE" GENETICS!!!! Unhealthy, brittle nails have been linked to a biotin deficiency, something that can be fixed by ingesting biotin-rich pumpkin seeds. Pumpkins will benefit from the warm soil by planting on hills; raise the soil about 12 inches (30 cm) tall and 20 inches (50 cm) wide. For additional recipes on pumpkin, visit our website "Pumpkins and More. Will pumpkins, squash and gourds cross-pollinate and produce freak fruit if I interplant several kinds in my garden? PUMPKIN BIG MAX 10 SEEDS PRIZE WINNING GIANT HEIRLOOM NON-GMO LARGE SQUASH USA. Similar to other members of the squash family, pumpkins produce male flowers for 1 to 2 weeks before female flowers appear. Spacing & Depth. 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Each week, I write down how many fertilizers are lower and higher in price, and it took me seven steno note pads to find this information.
Looking at this time frame, during the entire months of August and September 2017, a majority of retail fertilizer prices were lower, according to the data. This represents the last major move lower in the retail fertilizer market.
Prices for a couple fertilizers have either moved or could move into interesting territory soon if this price trend continues.
UAN32’s price, for example, was at $295 per ton last week, the first time the fertilizer’s price has been under $300 per ton since the first week of December 2018 when the price was at $293 per ton.
The price of MAP last week was at $503 per ton. If it drops below $500 per ton, it would be the first time since the fourth week of February 2018 when the price was at $497 per ton.
Retailers have told me quite often over the last couple of years that retail fertilizer prices never “reset” themselves, which was why prices were higher. Previously, the normal pattern was for retail fertilizer prices to move higher in the fall and spring due to increased demand and then decline in the summer and winter with lower demand. However, prices haven’t followed this pattern for the last several years for some reason.
Now, for the first time in almost two full years, it appears retail fertilizer prices are seeing a uniform price decline. In a world full of negative agricultural news, this might be one piece of good news for crop producers if prices continue to decrease.
With prices significantly lower this week, one fertilizer’s price is now lower than it was a year ago. MAP is now 1% less expensive from last year at this time.
Seven of the eight major fertilizers continue to be higher compared to last year. DAP is 1% higher, 10-34-0 is 7% more expensive, both potash and UAN32 are now 9% higher, UAN28 is 11% more expensive, anhydrous is 13% higher and urea is 14% more expensive compared to last year.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.


The beginning of Agriculture can be traced back to more than 10,000 years
ago. With the passing years, agriculture played avital role in the lives of the people,
as in India almost two-thirds of the employed class, depends upon farming as the
only means of livelihood. The Agricultural sector provides approximately 52 percent
of the total number of jobs available in India and contributes around18.1percent to
the GDP. Recently on17th September, 2020 Rajya Sabha passed two contentious
farm bills amid uproar and protests by the opposition and farmers. The two
agricultural reform bills-The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce(Promotion and
FacilitationBill,2020) and The Farmers(Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of
Price Assurance and Farm ServicesBill,2020 were cleared by voice vote in
Parliament. Rajya Sabha also passed the Essential Commodities(Amendment) Bill
2020 with provisions to remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible
oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. These Bills received
President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent turning them into laws. This Article ‘New
Agriculture Bill 2020’s hall focus as to why this Bill was passed and what are the
main objectives and purpose of these three Acts. It shall further discuss why the
farmers protested against the passing of this Bill and how the Indian Government
has clarified the lingering fear and doubts of the marginal farmers.
Keywords: Agriculture, Bill, Commodities, Farmer, Trade, Commerce, Essential,
voice vote, Facilitation.
The year 2020 shall be preserved as a watershed moment in the history of
Indian Agriculture as the Parliament was successful in passing the agrarian reform
Bills, although a lot of protests were triggered by the farmers of Haryana and Punjab.
The main objective behind the passing of the ‘New Agriculture Bill 2020’ is to liberate
the farmers from the exploitation of middlemen and as these farmers were bound
and bullied by Arathiyas since decades, this new set of Bills would pave away
through which the farmers can sell their produce directly tot he buyers without
interference of any middle men and it would also facilitate inter-state and intra-state trade.
The Central Government Ordinances was passed on June5, 2020 and
collectively seek to (i)facilitate barrier-free trade off armers’ produce outside the
markets notified under the various state APMC laws,(ii) define a frame work for
contract farming, and (iii)impose stock limits on agricultural produce only if there is
as harp increase in retail prices. The three ordinances together aim to increase
opportunities for farmers to enter long term sale contracts, increase availability of
buyers, and permit buyers to purchase farm produce in bulk
THE FARMERS’ PRODUCE TRADE AND COMMERCE(PPROMOTION AND
The primary objective of this Act is to facilitate and promote selling,
marketing, distribution and promotion of the agricultural products of the farmers.
Although initially the main purpose of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee
(APMC) was to promote marketing and selling, trade and commerce in the field of
agriculture but it failed to do so because of some inherent problems in some APMC.
Under the existing APMC Acts, all agri produce was procured through ‘Mandis’ to
which farmers transported their produce. Although these m and is were initially meant
to protect farmers but gradually it transformed into local monopolies. Transparent
price discovery through auctions was replaced by collusion and price fixing.
Therefore, the mechanisms designed to protect farmers ended up severely harming
them. Rent seeking behaviour was common, as commission agents, known as
arathiyas, and middle men commanded substantial influence, through being both
buyers of produce and providers of informal credit. Keeping that in mind a lot of
reforms were made in APMC but they did not work out well. So the Government
wanted to find an alternate solution which is far better than the APMC and hence this
Act was enacted with the aim of liberating the farmers from the archaic laws of the
past and giving them the liberty or freedom of choice of sale and purchase of Agri-
produce.The Farmers can sell his produce anywhere now. The buyers can buy from
any farmer he wants. Now it is not mandatory to go to the APMC, Mandi and sell the
agricultural produce but the Government also clarified that APMC, Mandis will not be
closed down. The farmers now have two options to sell their produce, either to go to
the Man dior enter into contract farming with a company or promote his product through inter-state or intra-state trade and commerce out side the markets under
state agricultural produce–marketing legislations. The farmers will not be charged
any market fees or levy for sale of their produce outside APMC areas. Further
they do not have to bear any transportation costs. The Bill also proposes an
electronic trading in transition platform for ensuring seam less trade electronically. In
addition to mandis, farmers will have the freedom to do trading at farm gate, cold
storage, warehouse, processing units etc. Farmers will be able to engage indirect
marketing there bye liminating intermediaries.
Now the questionarises as to why an out roar of protests by the farmers of
Haryana and Punjab broke out. The farmers and specially the intermediaries or
middlemen, arathiyas felt that the new agrarian reform bill would completely
eliminate the functioning of mandis and APMC as are sult of which it might
adversely affect their livelihood. However, this new Bill has given the farmers options
to sell their produce at other places in addition to Mandis Another fear was wille-
nam survive or will it be replaced by some thing else. The Government has clarified
that e-nam will continue to exist and along with it various other electronic platform
too will function so that e-nam also does not become another monopolised platform.
THE FARMERS (EMPOWERMENT AND PROTECTION)AGREEMENT OF
PRICE ASSURANCE AND FARM SERVICES BILL, 2020-
The Farmers Agreement Ordinance creates a frame work for contract farming
through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer prior to the production or
rearing of any farm produce.
It will transfer the risk of market unpredictability from the farmer to the
sponsor. It will also enable the farmers to access modern technology, better seed
and other inputs-the company invests in farming. It will reduce cost of marketing and
improve in come off armers. This Bill states that the price off arming produce should
be mentioned in the agreement. For prices subjected to variation, a guaranteed price
for any additional amount above the guaranteed price must be specified in the
agreement. Further, the process of price determination must be mentioned in the
In India Contract Farming has been adopted from U.S. But it is not a very rosy picture in the US because the companies are able to arm twist the farmers by telling
them that they require a particular quality of potatoes, but note very potato can be of
the same quality and size and in order to ensure that every potato is of the same size
they end up using heavy pesticide, fertilizer which are often bad for the soil. Even if
they are able to produce that, the company knows that the farmer is completely
dependent on the company for its sales and therefore they start rejecting their
produce. They become very picky and choosy, so that they cant wist the farmer and
reduce the price. Either they have to sell the produce at a particular price fixed by the
company or the farmers do not sell it at all. The farmers have to consent as they
have no option left and agree. This is the way the company often exploits the
farmers in the U.S. as well. This is the main problem or thre at that the farmers fear to
However, it provides for a three-level dispute settlement mechanism; the
conciliation board, Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Appellate Authority. A farming
agreement must provide for a conciliation board as well as a conciliation process for
settlement of disputes. The Board should have a fair and balanced representation of
parties to the agreement .At first, all disputes must be referred to the board for
resolution. If the disputes remain unresolved by the Board after thirty days, parties
may approach the Sub-divisional Magistrate for Resolution. Parties will have a right
to appeal to an Appellate Authority(presided by collector or additional collector)
against decisions of the Magistrate. Both the Magistrate and Appellate Authority will
be required to dispose of a dispute within thirty days from the receipt of application.
The Magistrate or the Appellate Authority may impose certain penalties on the party
contravening the agreement. However, no action can be taken against the
agricultural land of farmer for recovery of any dues.
Regarding the protests for this Bill, the Farmers had doubts that farmers will
not be able to determine prices under contract farming, small farmers will not be
able to do contract farming, problem might arise to transfer the goods to a desired
locality and in case of dispute only large scale companies will have advantage. The
Government however clarified , that farmers will have full power to determine prices.
Payment will be received with in maximum three days.10,000SPO’s will helps mall
farmers. Agricultural produce will be picked up from the farmer’s family by the buyer.
Farmers need not go to the court to resolved is put es as local dispute redressal mechanism will be there.
THEESSENTIAL COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL2020:
It was enacted to ensure the regular supply of essential commodities and to
stop the hoarding and black marketing of these goods. Drugs, fertilizers, food items,
petroleum are some of the essential commodities. The Essential Commodities
(Amendment) Bill proposes to allow economic agents to stock food articles freely
without the fear of being prosecuted for hoarding. Unlimited stocking can lead to
artificial price fluctuation and low prices for farmers after harvest.The third
ordinance amends the Essential Commodities Act to provide that stock limits for
agricultural produce can be imposed only when retail prices increase sharply and
exempts value chain participants and exporters from any stock limit.The Ordinance
requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce must be based on
price rise. A stock limit may be imposed only if the reis:(i)a100%increasein retail
price of horticultural produce and (ii) a50% increase in the retail price of non-
perishable agricultural food items. The increase will be calculated over the price
prevailing immediately preceding twelve months, or the average retail price of the
last five years, which ever is lower.
As regards this Act was concerned the farmers had insecurity that only rich
and successful farmers will be benefited and the marginal farmers do not have
infra structure of Storage. The Government however clarified that the farmer scan
also hold their products and sell them later at good prices. The legislation will help in
attracting the investment in cold storage and modernization of food supply chain.
CONCLUSION- The three ordinances aim to increase the availability of buyers for
farmers’ produce, by allowing them to trade freely without any license or stock limit,
so that an increase in competition among them results in better prices for farmers.
With there forms that have been introduced in the three Acts it can been sured that
an enabling environment is created for India becoming a food export power house in
the future. The benefits of these reforms should be the next step to bring in the
door step soft he farmers. It is here where technology can create abridge. With 43%
of our 500 million plus strong work force engaged in agriculture, the lives of millions
stand to be transformed as a result of these reforms, us hering in an era of
modernisation and prosperity for Indian farmers.
[LLM in Crime and Criminology & IPR]


Crooked Creek Farms in Old Fort. Credit: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
Asheville, NC prides itself on a thriving farm-to-table scene and flourishing network of family farms. While the city owes that reputation to many active organizations and individuals, one local non-profit laid the groundwork for city’s food future.
The Rise of ASAP
In 1995, Charlie Jackson started what would become the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). At the time, tobacco was falling out of favor as the tobacco and cigarette industry came under fire. Tobacco was the foundation for many family farms in Western North Carolina, and Charlie feared the worst if tobacco disappeared from community agriculture.
Charlie and his wife, Emily, worked with several community members to form ASAP. The organization’s goal was to assist family farms as they transitioned from tobacco to food crops. Through education and marketing, ASAP developed and advocated strategies that helped family farms prosper, preserved farmland and provided access to healthy, locally grown food.
Making Local Food More than a Catch-Phrase
Fast forward 15 years later, and ASAP is still on the scene changing the way the Asheville-area views and approaches local food.
“ASAP has spent a lot of time collecting and communicating information about local food. We get to know locals farmers and share that information, so the community can make accurate and well-informed decisions when they decide to buy local,” says Rose McLarney, who handles Communications & Marketing for ASAP.
One of the ways they raise awareness is through the annual local food guide. The guide serves as the definitive resource to family farms within a 100-miles radius of Asheville. What started out as a Xeroxed piece of paper has grown into a magazine with over 100 pages that’s distributed at local businesses, visitor centers, hotels, restaurants, newsstands, schools and community centers.
The creation of ASAP’s Appalachian Grown Certification has also helped educate local buyers. “The certification is a process that certifies farms as local and family-owned. It helps consumers identify ‘real’ local food in stores and restaurants,” says Rose.
Sharing the Bounty of Local Food with the Entire Community
But the attention on local food doesn’t stop at the market. ASAP works with local schools on the Growing Minds Program. The program helps educate youngsters on the benefits of fresh food by facilitating school gardens, cooking demonstrations and visits to local farms. The final touch is getting fresh food from local farms on the school cafeteria menu.
ASAP has also spent time ensuring that nutritious and healthy food is available to everyone in the community. Last year, they rolled out an EBT Food Stamp program at several local markets that allowed locals to purchase fresh food using their EBT cards.
Learning from ASAP’s Victories
While ASAP has been influential in changing the food scene in and around Asheville, their success is not an isolated event. The group is adamant that any city can become a partner in the movement for local food.
“Success starts with a few basics,” says Rose. “Ensure you have good and accurate information from farmers when promoting local food, and don’t underestimate the benefits of good marketing and publicity.”
She also recommends working with a diversity of markets and farmers. “Reach out to larger conventional farmers and also to the smaller, more niche farmers. And when it comes to identifying distribution outlets, don’t discount any venue. School cafeterias and farmers markets all have a place in the local food scene.”
Her final piece of advice is to recognize the positive message behind local food. “You can appeal to a diversity of people with messages connected to health, heritage, the environment or the economy. And anyone can be a part of the local food movement, whether they’re shopping for a few affordable basics or enjoying fine dining,” says Rose.
Original article here:
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It sounds like a Willy Wonka invention, but the ice cream bean is very real! Also called the pacay, the ice cream bean is a long podded fruit native to Central and South America.
The ice cream bean is a legume in the same family as green beans, snap peas, and peanuts, and the sweet, fluffy texture of the white pulp inside has inspired comparisons to vanilla ice cream.
Ice cream beans grow on trees over 60 feet tall, and the beans themselves can grow over a yard long. It’s delicious eaten plain by splitting open the leathery pod and scooping out the pulp inside (but don’t eat the large black seeds!)
Ice cream beans have long been a popular human snack from Puerto Rico to Mexico to the Amazon rainforest, and birds and monkeys also love the sweet, juicy fruit.
The pacay is also valuable in reforestation projects, according to the Los Angeles Times, as it grows quickly and can tolerate acidic soils.
Have you ever tried an ice cream bean? What did you think? Tell us in the comments!


Arabica vs. Robusta
After roasting, coffee beans essentially all look the same. However, were you aware that there are dozens of different varieties of coffee beans? In fact there are over 120 coffee species! However, there are two main types that are widely produced and sold all around the world: Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (aka Coffea Robusta). So when it comes to your daily cup of coffee, these are the two that matter.
What’s the difference?
Well, differences are significant and it is helpful to understand said differences when choosing your coffee.
Arabica coffee (pronounced: \ ə-ˈra-bə-kə) is approximately 60-75% of the worlds coffee. Arabica coffee contains almost 60% more lipids (fats, oils, vitamins, etc.) and almost twice the concentration of sugar than Robusta. Which generally leads to better tasting coffee. High quality Arabica coffee should have a slightly sweet flavor, with hints of chocolate, nuts, and/or caramel. And you may also notice hints of fruit or berries. There should be a pleasant acidity and a little bitterness leading to an all-around smoother coffee experience than Robusta – though how the beans are roasted will drastically affect the flavor profile.
Arabica beans are slightly larger and more oval in shape.
Arabica originated in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia (or ‘Arabia’) and Arabica coffees are grown in Africa and Papua New Guinea, though largely grown throughout South American and Central American countries with the largest producer being Brazil.
The Arabica coffee plant is a persnickety plant, preferring temperatures between 59°F and 75°F and is grown at higher altitudes (900m/3000ft to 2000m/6600ft). It prefers mountainsides, hillsides and shady areas in more temperate climates.
There are several varietals of Arabica coffee, which we’ll dive into soon!
Robusta coffee (pronounced: \ rō-ˈbə-stə) is approximately 25-40% of the worlds coffee. Robusta coffee contains around double the caffeine (and less concentration of sugar) than Arabica. Which generally leads to a less appealing coffee flavor. Robusta coffee typically has a more bitter, rubbery/grain-like flavor, with a peanutty after taste, leading to an all-around stronger and harsher coffee experience than Arabica. Robusta is an easier crop to tend to and has a higher yield. And in fact the extra caffeine Robusta beans produce is a chemical defense system which is toxic to insects.
Robusta beans are smaller more circular in shape.
Robusta originated in central and western sub-Saharan African and Robusta coffees are largely grown in the Eastern Hemisphere, mainly in Africa and Indonesia with the largest producer being Vietnam. Historically, large producers would add Robusta beans to bags of Arabica as a filler (to help save $$$) or to add a particular flavor, though this practice has dropped significantly in recent years (note: No Coast Coffee Roasters provides 100% Arabica coffee, and does not dilute any blends or potential blends with Robusta coffee). That said, espresso blends (and instant coffee) often DO contain Robusta beans, as it is said to improve the Crema (mainly on Italian-style roasts and at the expense of better taste – a true give and take relationship).
The Robusta coffee plant is a resilient plant, that is often grown at lower altitudes (sea level to 900m/3000ft). It prefers tropical and subtropical areas, can survive high temperatures (85°F and up) and is less susceptible to disease.
From a price perspective, green beans of Robusta are about half the price of Arabica green beans (on the commodity market). So as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
So which one is better: Arabica or Robusta?
The short answer is Arabica. Arabica is the undisputed champ. Though again, how the beans are roasted can significantly affect the end results. Generally speaking, Arabica provides a smoother coffee, with a sweeter taste, and is more popular for iced coffee and cold brewing as well.
Head to our online store and snag some of our delicious 100% Arabica coffees -


- Any viable spore should eventually germinate. If the spore is that
of a mycelial fungus germination usually involves the production of
one or more germ-tubes. But before emergence of a germ-tube
many spores will require an exogenous supply of nutrients to be
available, will undergo hydration and swelling, and will experience
an increase in metabolic activity.
- Availability of nutrients:
- Some spores are able to germinate in the absence of any exogenous nutrients
in the environment because they possess sufficient ENDOGENOUS
RESERVES (within the spore) to sustain initial growth of the
- Others must be supplied with one
or more EXOGENOUS NUTRIENTS (e.g. a carbohydrate source) before
they are able to germinate.
- Hydration (water uptake):
- The presence of liquid water or a high relative humidity is essential
for the germination of spores of most species - few spores
are capable of germinating at low relative humidities.
- Since most spores have a low water content, hydration is an essential
first step in the germination process.
- Water uptake is an ACTIVE PROCESS and requires a change in permeability
of the spore wall.
- Swelling is due to:
- Deposition of new wall material within the spore - some of which is
destined to form the wall surrounding the developing germ-tube (see
- Germ-tube emergence:
- The small vesicles accumulating near the plasma membrane are involved
in the synthesis of new wall materials.
- As the germ-tube develops these vesicles become arranged to form a cresent-shaped
zone at the tip of the germ-tube - known as the APICAL VESICULAR
CLUSTER or COMPLEX (AVC).
- Emergence of the germ-tube through the spore wall is due to a combination
of enzymic degradation of a small localised region of the spore
wall and the physical pressure being exerted by the protoplasm.
- The germ-tube may emerge from a pre-determined thinner region of spore
wall (GERM PORE) or from some random site.


This is a way to help repel voles and moles from your yard and a nice addition to trapping them in vole traps so that you can make sure the population shrinks. This vole repellent should be used with traps to monitor activity. This Liquid Fence Mole/Vole Quart Concentrate is easy to use all you need to do is attach to a hose and spray your yard and landscapes. It coats the earthworms and the roots of vegetation in your yard like trees and shrubs. This keeps the voles away from their food source causing them to move to another food source away from your yard.


Hunger, malnutrition and the value of openness
How can open data help to end global hunger? Our CEO Jeni Tennison reflects on her time at the Global Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) Summit in New York, and explores openness as a catalyst for innovation in agriculture and nutrition
Nearly 800 million people struggle with debilitating hunger and malnutrition across the world. That’s one in every nine people, with the majority being women and children.
Last week, I attended the Global Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) Summit in New York. The summit asked a big question: how can open data help to end global hunger? The summit involved world leaders, researchers, farmers, students and others – public, private and non-profit, united around a collaboration on agriculture and nutrition data openness.
While the summit explored how open data can be published and used to help create a sustainable food supply, I was struck once again by the importance of openness more broadly. At the ODI we often talk about open innovation - ways of working to re-use data, skills, systems and resources with partners and collaborators – and embrace open solutions that arise from anywhere.
What are the benefits of this open approach? Pace, agility and cost savings.
Talking about ‘ending global hunger’ can easily sound over-ambitious. Certainly, organisations and individuals working in isolation can’t solve it; nor can we wait for grand top-down designs. The challenges posed by a growing population – including the supply of nutritious food – can only be solved by pulling down organisational and cultural barriers, and taking an open and iterative approach to innovation as well as data. That work needs to start now.


Bringing Hope through Farming
Since Bangladesh is an agricultural country, people of rural areas of this country are engaged in farming. I went to visit different village areas of this country and saw the techniques of their cultivation. In rural areas, people cultivate different types of vegetables in empty areas around their homesteads.
Most of the people of Bangladesh are landless farmers. And in order to improve the living standards of these poor farmers, ADRA Bangladesh has introduced various modern and advanced farming methods. Using these methods, farmers have been able to change their destiny.
“In order to make us (landless farmers like me) financially capable, ADRA Bangladesh encourages us to cultivate vegetables in the empty spaces around our homesteads and on the dike in a special way,” said Abdullah.
“ADRA Bangladesh has been working in the village of Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh district through their Women Empowerment Project (WEP) with the support of ADRA Sweden and Swedish Mission Council,” said Babul C. Gomes, Project Manager (WEP), ADRA Bangladesh.
“I’m a poor farmer and I live in Grouripur upazila of Mymensingh district. I’m a direct beneficiary of WEP and received training on different types of method of modern technology and climate smart agriculture. As a result of learning and ceaseless guidance from ADRA staffs, I see a wink of hope and started producing Vermicompost and dike crops,” said Abdullah with a smile on his face. “Now I’m earning well and I’m able to bear educational expenses of my children,” Abdullah added.
“I took it as a challenge that I’d overcome the poverty and would afford three meals daily for my family. ADRA paves the way for me to do it. I’m very happy and now I’m earning good, with which I can meet the needs of my family,” Abdullah said spontaneously. “ADRA is doing a great job in our locality. If ADRA continues their support this way, most of the farmers of our area will be able to get rid of poverty,” he added.
ADRA team felt that their attempt would not have been successful if they did not have ADRA Sweden and Swedish Mission Council beside them to run this project. ADRA Bangladesh would express its gratitude for the long-standing support of ADRA Sweden and Swedish Mission Council. ADRA Bangladesh is also expecting that they would continue their support to change the life of people in Bangladesh.


Many years ago we had great fun helping out at our local 'vendemmia' or grape harvest. The small vineyard belonged to our neighbours Bruna and Alberto who knew that we were keen to get involved. After some instructions as to how we should pick the grapes we soon set to work. We had prepared ourselves for a very long and hard day. However, after about an hour of working and chatting across the rows of vines with other villagers who had come to help , we were all given the signal to stop for a break. We were offered a sample of the previous year's vintage and then we resumed picking the grapes. About an hour after this we enjoyed another short break and even more 'vino'. This was the pattern until we reached lunch time when once more 'everything ground to a halt'. We all huddled around a small vehicle whose bonnet had been magically transformed into a table top complete with a red and white check tablecloth. Bruna and Alberto were the perfect hosts and provided us with a hearty Tuscan lunch: huge chunks of Tuscan bread, flavoursome pecorino cheese, proscuitto (ham) and of course more wine. After a great many plastic cartons of wine, chatter and laughter soon filled the air. Following our most enjoyable lunch we returned to the vines and we filled up more plastic pails with grapes. Before long we had collected every last grape. As a reward for our labours we were given a bottle of grappa. It certainly was an experience we will never forget although it has to be said that I can't quite remember how we climbed back up the hill to our house!
I love to grow and use herbs in both cooking and making natural cosmetics. Basil is used a great deal in Italian cooking, think Pesto, Caprese salad...... mmmm I'm already feeling hungry! Basil can be grown easily as a windowsill plant. I adore the smell of basil it is so uplifting. Even if you don't grow your own and just buy it from a supermarket you will notice it's scent immediately. Interestingly, what I haven't always noticed is the flower of this herb. I must say though that it is a most interesting dainty white flower that really deserves to be seen. Generally the flowers are snipped off from the plant as soon as they appear since it is thought that they slow the production of leaves and reduce the flavour. If like me you would like to appreciate the flowers then just pop them in a vase and enjoy.


Fruit Freeze Dryer, Split Freezing & Drying Chamber Food Lyophilizer
DESCRIPTION OF FRUIT FREEZE DRYER
Vacuum freezing and drying technology is currently the most advanced technology for food dehydration processing in the world. Compared with the commonly used drying method, the freeze-dried food produced with this technology features long period of quality assurance, good re-hydration nature, good-looking color, good flavor, taste and high content of nutritious components. The dried food basically remains unchanged in its volume and shape, looks like sponge and has no shrinking. This drying technology can be widely used in process of vegetables, fruits, condiments, aquatic products, biological products, medicine, beverage, exemplar etc.
Scope of application of Fruit freeze dryer
- Herbal medicine health supplements: Ginseng, Gastrodia, Panax notoginseng, Poria, Shouwu, Dendrobium candidum, Cordyceps, bird’s nest, bee products, deer products, etc.;
- All kinds of extract preparations: Anthocyanin, Ginkgo biloba, nutrient solution, biological agents, reagents, enzymes, antibiotics, etc.
- Aquatic products and meat and poultry eggs: sea cucumbers, abalone, shellfish, shrimps, fish, beef and mutton, chicken, egg products, etc.;Deputy specialty forest products: various edible fungi, wild vegetables, matsutake, bamboo shoots, asparagus, mangosteen, snake meat, forest frogs, pollen, konjac, etc.;
- Fruits, vegetables and soups: various fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, lemons, apples, peaches, etc., various types of vegetables such as onions, garlic, yam, purple sweet potatoes, various instant soups and beverages such as egg soup and laver Soup, seafood soup, tomato soup, coffee, orange juice, tomato juice, etc.
Main Advantages of Fruit Freeze Dryer
- Pre-freezing and drying of separate structures are performed at the same time, which improves the freeze-drying efficiency and shortens the freeze-drying time.
- Space-class aluminum alloy separator material, double-sided radiation heating, emissivity above 90%, good temperature uniformity.
- Highly efficient mixed refrigerant medium, lower freezing point and higher boiling point, high heat exchange efficiency and long service life.
- The drying curve optimization control algorithm can control the heating rate and vacuum value of the product in the drying stage.
- The patented gas diversion design and control technology has strong water catching ability and high drying efficiency.
- Pallets are stamped and formed from aviation rust resistant aluminum alloys and have a high heat absorption rate through special surface treatments. Each drying cabin is equipped with 2 sets of holding trays.
- Industrial-grade embedded touch screen + dedicated SH-HPSC-III modular controller, the system is stable and reliable, high control accuracy.
- The professionally designed FD-MANAGER control system can save multiple sets of process recipes and adjust the process in real time during the drying process to improve the process optimization rate.
- Flexible manual + automatic control mode, manual use for groping process, automatic batch production.
- Accurate sensor calibration function ensures the accuracy of long-term use of process parameters.
- You can set user level and password, and decentralize operations and management.
- Optional powerful FD host computer control system can record, save up to ten years of operating data, curves and alarm records, improve product traceability; at the same time convenient observation, operation and fault diagnosis.
- Can be customized according to user needs.
Main part of fruit freeze dryer
FD-FP series vacuum cryogenic drying equipment mainly includes food pre-freezing system, drying bin system, heating system, vacuum system, refrigerating system, material conveying system, medium system, pneumatic system, cleaning and sterilizing system.
Main technical parameters of fruit freeze dryer
|Ice collecting capacity
|Cold trap temp.
||water cooled, water temp.＜30℃
||water spraying+ soaking
|Cooling water consumption


The Piave is a big river which has its spring in the Peralba mountain, beyond the Austrian border. It gives origin to the “Grave”, a land rich in rocks rounded by the action of the floods. The silt from the mountains spreads over the land and gives origin to the fields where the Raboso vines are grown.
Their grapes are used to make Raboso Piave, a rustic and full-bodied wine as dark as ink, suitable to strong palates.
It pricks the veins and is as sharp as the Archangel Michael’s sword.
And above the vineyards the tall mulberries stand out.
Ferruccio Mazzariol, “The Land of Mulberry Trees”
The mulberry, once very common in the Veneto plain especially along the river banks, was often used for silkworm rearing and as a support for the vine.
In the late XIX century the Bellussi family in Tezze di Piave started to grow their vines according to a system known since then as “Bellussi system” or “Bellussera”.
Such system consisted of placing some vines round a central support, often a mulberry, and connecting them to it in a way which reminds of a wheel spokes.
Such system was typical of the Treviso plain for a long time, and it was an interesting subject of study for Italian and European vine growers, especially at the time of the fight against mildew. Nowadays the “Bellussera” is out-of-date, replaced by different growing systems with a higher number of vines per hectare and lower yield; however it cannot be forgotten, as it played such an important role in the story of our area.


...In the vineyard heart of Champagne
The Champagne region extends for 34,000 hectares representing 3.4% of the area of French vineyards.
Divided into 319 crus (municipalities) and 5 major regions:
- La Montagne de Reims
- La Vallée de la Marne
- La Côte des Blancs
- La Côte des Bar
- Les Coteaux Sud
(Pierry, Moussy, Vinay, Saint Martin d’Ablois, Brugny, Vaudancourt, Chavot, Courcourt, Monthelon, Morangis, Moslins, Mancy et Grauves).
« The vineyards of the Champagne Lecomte Père et Fils are spread mainly in the prestigious terroir of Vinay, located in the "Coteaux Sud" of Epernay.
The "Coteaux Sud" are limestones with marl, clay and sand. The chalk is porous, so it is a true water tank to the vine, even in the driest summers.
The Champagne Lecomte Père et Fils cultivates its vineyards with reasoned and sustainable control: the minimum of chemical products is use to get the healthiest possible harvest and an excellent grape juice. »
Excessive drinking is dangerous for the health, please consume in moderation.


Torrid temperatures across much of France have made the past few weeks unbearable for many, but with grape harvests kicking off this week, the country’s winemakers say the heat could not have come at a better time.
“Grape vines like the sun,” said Bernard Farges, president of the wine grower’s association for the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur appellations.
“It rained a lot last spring in nearly all winegrowing regions, especially in the south… so the vines aren’t suffering from the drought,” he said.
Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert told AFP on Monday that this year’s grape output was expected to be “higher than average” after production was hit by weather-related losses last year [ . . . ]
Continue at Source: Heat brings relief for French vineyards


Animals | June 7, 2023 11:54 AM | Alisa
At a farm in central Thailand, an army of 10,000 ducks isn’t just out for a stroll — it’s on the hunt.
Rice farmers in Thailand are enlisting these birds, called “field chasing ducks” to eat their way through rice paddies after a harvest. They help eat golden apple snails and the remains of unwanted rice husks that remain in the field from the last harvest. The ducks also step on the rice stubble to flatten the ground, making it easier to plough.
They work great! My farm only raised 10,000 ducks which were very difficult! want to learn from them too. Those tiny swimming things are Artemia, a type of shrimp. They can tolerate as much as 25% salinity but also occur in freshwater such as rice paddy.
Tropical climate, lots of fruits, harvest all year round, sea and rivers with fish. And on the menu are grasshoppers, snakes, beetles, rats, dogs, mud, and swimming beetles. It is food for hunger. This means that such a favourable climate has appeared recently.
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Honey Bee Orchard Blossom Walk - This event has already occurred
Join Farmer Fred & "Billy Bee" on a walk through the orchard. Find out why it's so important to have bees and other pollinators during blossom time. Tours are FREE & on the hour from 10 to 4. Last tour is 3 p.m. While you're hear... enjoy chatting with local beekeepers from 3Beez.buzz. And the......
Archibald Orchards & WineryEmail
May 21, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Add to Calendar
6275 Liberty St. North, Bowmanville
View on Google Maps


We are Philliskirk Lowe Drainage & Earthworks Ltd, a specialist land drainage, sports turf and earthworks contractor located on the outskirts of York.
With a wealth of knowledge and experience, we have been contracting since the late 1970’s. Originally carrying out agricultural land drainage, we have diversified into the sports field industry and other civil engineering applications.
We pride ourselves on carrying out work to a high standard with a team of experienced management and a skilled workforce. Management consists of trained engineers with SMSTS qualifications and all our experienced operatives are trained to CPCS standard.


Summer is almost upon us, and that means more time spent outside playing and barbecuing in the backyard. Use the following tips to help maintain a lush lawn that your neighbors will admire and both your eyes and your feet will appreciate.
Top seeding or overseeding is a great way to thicken an existing lawn. Spring and Fall are the best times to apply new seed. Mow your existing lawn short (bag grass clipping) to allow the grass seed contact with the soil. Water 1-2 times a day to help the seed grow. Mow as needed.
Fertilizing is an essential step in a healthy lawn. Spring is the most important application of the growing season. Apply a weed/crabgrass control plus fertilizer in the spring to help prevent weeds. A thick healthy lawn is the best weed preventer.
Aerating Plug/core aeration punctures the soil and pulls plugs of soil from the ground. This helps bring air and moister down to the root system. Also helps with soil compaction. Ideal for heavy traffic areas.
Dethatching is the removal of dead grass, roots, leaves and other debris from the lawn. This is best done in the early spring or fall. Dethatching helps prevent water runoff.
Watering most lawns require about 1-1.5” of water per week. Newly seeded lawns should be watered regularly to help establish a strong root system.
Mowing is best done when the grass is dry and in the coolest times of the day. Only mow the top 1/3 of the grass blade, even if it means having to mow it again in a few days. Mowing more than 1/3 of the grass blade will result in “scalping”. A scalped lawn will focus its energy on restoring the grass blade; whereas a longer blade lawn will send its energy to the root system. Taller grass blades also require less water because of the additional shade.
Weed Control and Prevention, following the steps above, is the best way to control weeds. A healthy turf will not allow weeds to grow. Should weeds appear, you can apply a liquid or granular weed killer. A granular weed preventer is best applied with a broadcast spreader. Spot treating troublesome weed areas is best used with a liquid application. Follow the manufacturers recommendations on the label before applying to your lawn.
Ever heard of Creeping Charlie?
While their purple flowers are attractive, this ground ivy outcompetes lawn turf and will take over a lawn if not treated. Here is how to rid your lawn of this invasive species.