Getting The Brown Rice Mix
Tuesday, September 12th, 2017
Fermentation can reduce the negative effects of bran on final cereal products. In fulfilling gluten free requirements, fermented brown rice flor has shown great promise as a functional ingredient that can improve the quality of rice products. By Muna Ilowefah, Chiemela Chinma, Jamilah Bakar, Hasanah M. Ghazali, Kharidah Muhammad and Mohammad Makeri, Universiti Putra Malaysia
The past two decades have seen a rapid increase in consumer demand for healthy foods, which has prompted recent research to find methods for production of healthy and functional foods.
The usage of whole grain cereal instead of milled cereals is one such trend for production of healthy and functional foods, as consumption of whole grain foods has shown a reduction in the risk of several diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes and some types of cancers.
One of the most significant components in the whole-cereal grains that play a significant part in its health properties is dietary fibre and phenolics, which are mainly concentrated in the outer layers of the cereal grain.
Production of whole grain foods is a complicated task for the food industry due to the mechanical negative effects of the bran on protein network formation and consequently on the sensory properties of the end product. Accordingly, the most common forms of cereals composition are milled products, such as white wheat flour or white rice.
Rice is a unique crop due to its colourless, soft taste, low sodium levels, easy digestible carbohydrates and hypoallergenic properties. Therefore, its flour is an attractive food material to be used for making gluten free foods.
Steamed bread is a traditional product made from white rice and is known as Apam in Malaysia. It is very popular in this part of the world and consumed at breakfast. It is formulated with white rice flour, sugar, salt, water and yeast. This kind of product is an example of gluten free foods.
Gluten free materials such as white rice flour do not have the required characteristics for production of leavened foods, since their proteins have no ability to develop a viscoelastic network such as gluten. In addition, lack of nutritional value has existed as a health problem of gluten free products specifically produced from white rice flour.
Consequently, in recent years, there has been an increasing interest in using different food materials such as, gums, hydrocolloids and starches to enable developing a similar gluten network. Moreover, whole grain flour such as millet, brown rice and sorghum were used to enrich gluten free foods. Accordingly, using whole grain cereals flour could be promising for the development of healthy and acceptable gluten free foods.
Modification of whole-cereal flour prior to its usage by using simple food processing, such as fermentation, could eliminate the negative effects of the bran. Pre-fermentation of the whole-flour might increase fibre solubility due to enzyme reactions on the cell wall structure.
The addition of pre-fermented wheat bran to wheat dough caused an increase in the bread volume of high fibre wheat bread. The addition of yeast-fermented peeled bran to wheat bread increased its volume by 10–15 percent and softened the crumb structure by 25–35 percent compared to its unfermented bran. Also, the addition of pre-fermented flour positively affected the texture, shelf life, aroma and nutritional value of gluten free foods, most probably because of metabolic activities of the microbes.
The positive effects associated with fermentation are the partial degradation of fibre and softening of bran particles. The acidification rate of the dough is also an important property to achieve appropriate crumb structure and higher bread volume, since it affects the enzyme activities.
Recently, fermentation became a trend for production of healthy foods from whole grain cereals. Industrial application of the biotechnology of fermentation for the production of gluten free baked products is a promising innovation in the health foods industry.
Fermented Brown Rice Flour
A study was recently conducted to evaluate assess the possibility of using fermented brown rice flour (FBRF) as a functional ingredient. The results show that with addition of FMRF, the peak viscosity increased significantly. However, breakdown, final viscosity and setback were significantly reduced.
The breakdown is associated with the ability of starch granules to be more resistant to being broken during heating and shearing. The results of this study indicated that the breakdown value was significantly reduced with the addition of FBRF.
This result may be explained by the fact that, with an increase in protein content, some rice proteins could protect starch granules from being broken and increase pasting viscosity, as FBRF had a higher protein content after fermentation.
In addition, the increase of peak viscosity and the decrease in breakdown values might indicate higher resistance to deformation and higher stability of the paste during baking. Moreover, the findings of the study are consistent with those of earlier research which reported that final viscosity of rice paste decreased at low pH (4.10) and, in this study, the acidity of the rice batter with FBRF was higher than that of the control (data not shown).
Another important finding was that the retrogradation phenomena could be significantly reduced in the final product, where setback—which is an indication of retrogradation phenomena—declined after addition of FBRF.
The viscoelastic properties of the white rice batter (WRB) and WRB containing 40 percent FBRF were studied using a dynamic oscillatory test.
The mechanical spectra of the WRB sample indicated that both elastic (G′) and viscos module (G′′) values were higher than that of WRB with FBRF at all the tested frequency ranges. In addition, G′ and G′′ of WRB containing FBRF, independent of the frequency, compared to the reference sample.
This suggested that the structure of WRB containing FBRF became softer and stronger than the control. It is reported that addition of acid to wheat dough reduced its extensibility and increased its resistance to extension.
The steamed white rice bread (SWRB) containing 40 percent FBRF gained higher volume (80 cubic cm) and specific volume (2.46 cubic cm/g) in comparison to the reference sample (70 cubic cm and 2.06 cubic cm/g, respectively).
The reduction in the pH during dough fermentation activates some enzymes such as α-amylase and protease. During addition of pre-fermented flour to wheat dough the acidity performs on the gluten network, which could improve extensibility and softness of the dough that helped to retain higher amount of carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, consequently increase the loaf volume.
However, high rate of acidity might increase hydrolysation of the protein network, resulting in less elastic and softer dough that lead in a reduction in the bread volume, and elevate staling rate and bread firmness, as indicated by the addition of sourdough with high acidity to wheat dough.
The moderate decrease in the pH (5–6) of the dough because of microbial fermentation positively influences its structure specifically in high fibre breads, where addition of cereal fibre causes detrimental effects on the dough and bread structure. Also, the increase in bread volume of SWRB containing FBRF could be linked with the reduction in the loss and storage moduli of its batter and the reduction in breakdown of starch granules, which make the structure of the batter softer, stronger and more stable during steaming.
The results indicated that the addition of FBRF softened the bread by recording less hardness value in comparison to the control. The SWRB containing FBRF had higher values of chewiness, cohesiveness and resilience, but a lower springiness value that indicated FBRF significantly improved the texture properties of SWRB.
The values of hardness and resilience of breads with fermented wheat germ were lower than those of the control, which means bread containing fermented germ was softer than its counterparts. The addition of pre-fermented wheat bran to wheat bread supplemented with bran improved the crumb texture properties, specifically the elasticity.
In addition, it improved the bread volume and its shelf life. It is reported that adding pre-fermented bran with yeast and lactic acid bacteria improved the carbon dioxide retention during dough proofing, and as a result increased the bread volume and the crumb softness.
Addition of fermented brown rice flour to steamed white rice bread significantly improved rheological and textural properties as well as volume of the bread as indicated in this study. Currently, investigation of the effect of fermented brown rice flour on the nutritional value of steamed white rice bread is under way.
SHARE WITH FRIENDS:


Knightongale farm, a 90acre working farm owned by joel greenwell sr and his children. Pick pumpkins at one of these howard county patches ellicott. Pick your pumpkins at the giant pumpkin patch and navigate the largest corn maze in southern maryland. If youre headed for the patch, lift the pumpkin off the ground and make sure the underside hasnt started to rot. The event is free to attend and will feature an urban pumpkin patch with over 3,000 pumpkins to choose from, a petting zoo with over 25 farm. This is the closest thing youll get to the patches of the old days when you can tromp around a field. Dundalk, md celebrate fall with a pumpkin, hayride and more. We cant forget our hayride and other fun activities. Jumbos pumpkin patch middletown 2020 all you need to. Webers is a great place to find the perfect madetoorder holiday gift and bakery. Jumbos pumpkin patch 6521 holter road middletown, maryland 21769. There is also a store where you can purchase jellies and bakery items as well as seasonal wreaths, crafts, and candles.
Below are just a few examples of some of the fun fall activities we have at the farm. I went to jumbos pumpkin patch yesterday with a group that included a 20 month old and a 6 year old. Find 1 listings related to punkin patch in dundalk on. The best place to purchase a pumpkin is at a pickyourown pumpkin patch.
Coronavirus in mdmore than 14k cases of covid19 in maryland, nearly 600 deaths reported. Pumpkin theatre of baltimore celebrating 50 years of. From the country store to the barnyard, through the corn maze and pumpkin patch, homestead gardens is. Celebrate autumn at homestead gardens 36th annual fall festival. Find a maryland pumpkin patch or corn maze in or near baltimore, washington d. Weve compiled a list of pumpkin patches, hay rides, corn mazes and fallrelated destinations in maryland and delaware to explore in 2019. Browse through the spookiest haunted attractions in maryland, including haunted houses, haunted trails, scream parks, zombie hunts and shootouts, haunted corn mazes and hayrides. We couldnt be more excited about the assortment of fall festivals, hay rides, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, nature hikes and other fall activities available throughout northern virginia, washington, d. Description on october 56, summers farm will offer a host of special events to celebrate all things pumpkin. Pumpkin patches, hay rides and other fall activities on delmarva.
Purchased in 1870 by the huffer family, huffer family farm has been home to seven generations of our family. Our annual harbor harvest childrens festival brings the country to baltimore city. Complete list of 2020 pumpkin patches, corn mazes and other halloween activities in and the the website has rest of the united states, canada, and other countries along with pumpkin carving tips, the history of halloween, corn mazes, spook houses, instructions on how to make a pumpkin pie from a pumpkin and other related information. Come spend a day on the farm with something for everyone to do. During autumn, pumpkins adorn the front of homes and kitchens across maryland. Fun fall festivals in frederick frederick, md things to. A wonderful tradition for the family to participate in, pumpkin picking can be found at local farms and patches, and is usually a main attraction at many seasonal events, including fall festivals. Great for birthdays, family outings, and youth groups. Decorate them this fall for your front step or paint them with the kiddos. Theres something for every thrill seeker to make the most out of their halloween season. Monday thru friday 8 to 6 8 to 5 in november pickyourown apples are saturdays only. A faith based community preschool for 3 and 4 year olds in the gray manor neighborhood of dundalk, md. When folks in this part of maryland think of christmas, many are thinking about webers cider mill farm where they know they can order farmfresh turkeys and delicious fresh baked pies for their special dinnerswebers also offers fresh apple cider and wassail. The best 10 pumpkin patches in baltimore, md last updated.
Best pumpkin patches in baltimore, md homestead farm, webers farm, the maryland corn maze, baughers fruits and vegetables, butlers orchard, sharps. Looking for a local, pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayride, gourds and other halloween activities in maryland. Pumpkin patch click read more to learn all about our unique csa program with produce and custom cuts of beef and pork pick up on the farm every saturday morning 812. This place is known for their enchanted forest theme but dont let that distract you from their charming pumpkin patch. Pumpkin patch, corn maze, pick your own apples, visit the farm market, launch a pumpkin during the pumpkin chunkin. Carve a jack olantern or bake a piecheck out these great pumpkin patches and pumpkin picking spots around dundalk, md. With a wide array of attractions and entertainment for kids of all ages, your experience is sure to be a memorable one. Maryland pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and more find. Easily search and find local pumpkin patches in your area to celebrate the fall season. Skip to content 410 6586850 1416 telegraph rd, rising sun, md 21911 open 7 days a week.
Festivities include a corn maze, crafts vendors each weekend, the pumpkin patch and hayrides of course, petting zoo, horse drawn wagon rides, and more. Founded in 1967, pumpkin theatres mission is to entertain, educate, and empower children through theatrical productions and educational programs. This spot is perfect for kids, making for a festive fall day. Huffer family farm is home to some of marylands most scenic countryside. Dundalk pumpkin patch popup baby goodskids goods 14. Oct 6 harbor harvest fall childrens festival baltimore, md patch. Enjoy the maze, choose from hundreds of pumpkins and take a hay ride. Maryland pumpkin patches and corn mazes chesapeake family. Our farm is the perfect place to host your next birthday party. Rodgers farms baltimores corn maze and pumpkin patch. Fall activities and shopping, pumpkins and halloween decorations, fun for the. There are over 80 varieties of gourds, squash, and pumpkins available.
The plumpton park zoo is located in rising sun, maryland, united states, along maryland route 273, which is part of the mason and dixon scenic byway. Center place learning center 5 center pl dundalk, 21222. Pick pumpkins at one of these hoco patches ellicott city, md there are a handful of pumpkin patches in howard county with fun activities. Creamline milk and ice cream from our grass fed guernsey cows. Family fun and pumpkin patch at webers cider mill farm in parkville, md, ne. Misty meadow farm corn maze and pumpkin patch home. Jumbos pumpkin patch in maryland celebrates 20 years this. Maryland, family and friends can enjoy hayrides to the pumpkin patch, corn mazes and a. Delmarva pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and more. Dundalk, md corn mazes get lost in a maryland corn maze. In addition to our corn maze, pumpkin patch, and wagon rides, the maryland pumpkin festival will feature live entertainment, face painting, and more. Pumpkin picking near dundalk where to go pumpkin picking. Everything from the basic package plus a pony ride and a. Located in middletown, jumbos has a petting zoo, pony rides, a corn maze, and a hayride to the pumpkin patch.
Maryland pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and more. Also, we love pets too but please dont bring them to the farm. Hunting for halloween events in dundalk, md like trick or treating, trunk or treating, haunted houses, ghost tours and more. Five corn mazes, two pumpkin mazes, hay rides, hay forts, hay maze, campfires, and more. Local montgomery county farm growing and selling our own fruits and vegetables in the market and have pick your own vegetables, apples, peaches, blackberries, herbs and flowers. This event features an urban pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, a hay maze, face painting, pumpkin decorating, pony rides, live music, food trucks, stilt walkers, and other fall festivities without having to leave the waterfront. Misty meadow farm corn maze and pumpkin patch, smithsburg, md. This year the north runrodgers farm will be celebrating 10 years of pumpkin picking. We are 1 acres nestled in beautiful middletown valley. Check out our collection of pumpkin patches, farms, and stands near dundalk, md. Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in virginia, maryland. Kids will love the petting zoo, barrel rides and the. The farm will be open september 21st through november 3rd.
On september 21st, spider hall farms opens for the pickyourown pumpkin patch. See a guide to the best pumpkin patches in maryland and northern virginia, fall festivals, hayrides and family fun in the washington dc area. Pumpkin picking near dundalk md harbor harvest childrens festival. Pumpkin patch thirteen acres of pumpkins and gourds await your visit. Please dress your child in play cloths and play shoes for the pumpkin patch trip tomorrow. Family zoo in maryland plumpton park zoo 410 6586850. By ali baker october 6, 2015 explore the shore weve endured our fair share of wind and rain so far this month, but since we are glasshalffull types, the way we see it, the cloudy days just make us all the more grateful for the sunny ones. From pie pumpkins, to white pumpkins, small ones and tall ones, jackolantern and specialty we have one especially for you. See more ideas about dundalk maryland, baltimore and maryland. Stop by our own pick your own pumpkin patch and take home a special pumpkin for yourself. Hayrides, pick your own pumpkin patch, 12acre corn maze, slides, farm animals. Apples, pumpkins, pumpkin patchpick in the field, pumpkin patch already gathered from the field, and prepicked produce, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, wagon rides. Huffer family farm is a working farm owned by the huffer family and home to jumbos pumpkin patch, llc. Come out and enjoy the pumpkin patch, corn maze, games, hayrides and more.1109 521 739 787 827 926 1454 826 790 131 618 866 433 1389 974 1359 1028 357 787 658 1223 986 1036 893 982 316 655 254 328 1048 165


I really had no idea what to expect driving past by a gated area with the sign "Edible Garden & Saturday Market"
So, today I decided to leave the car at home, walk there and explore.
The weather here in London today was spectacular. Really nice and warm June weather (30'C), sunny, almost cloudless sky. It was inviting to explore.
They grow vegetables, herbs, fruit trees, fruit shrubs. Produce is available every Saturday inside the community mini market. They don’t sell the produce, people give a donation for what they think it is worth.
It’s all organic.
I asked the guy (with the hat in the pictures) how he deals with snails and slugs and other pests and creepy crawlies, something I find very irritating in my own little urban garden.
In a relaxed tone of voice he explained that it is a no-kill organic zone, and certainly absolutely no toxic chemicals used in the area. He collects the snails and transports them elsewhere. Regarding the creepy crawlies, they just get washed off. He likes to maintain the organic food cycle, meaning, bugs become food for birds etc.
He mentioned several times that he likes the area pure from the energy perspective.
Well, I will be back next Saturday and get some seasonal, organically grown veggies and herbs.
What a discovery!!!
Enjoy the pictures of the 'Community Edible Garden' near me.


This post was originally featured on TechCrunch.com
Marijuana is an ancient plant with borderline mystical properties — just ask the 266 million people who smoke it every year. Hemp, the industrial strain of Cannabis sativa, has been used for many purposes — food, fuel and textiles among them — for tens of thousands of years. Unlike its sister strain, hemp can’t get you high. But much like the drug, it has extraordinary qualities.
America is no stranger to hemp. In fact, Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag with hemp and George Washington farmed it at Mt. Vernon. Unfortunately, its full potential was never realized; drug restrictions that banned marijuana suppressed hemp, too. This spurious conflation quashed the industry for about 60 years, until a 2014 farm bill defined it as an agricultural crop, leaving the door ajar to American farmers.
As marijuana laws continue to loosen across the country — and the world — it looks like hemp could be brought back in a big way. With China leading in worldwide hemp production and Canadahaving capitalized on it during America’s drug war, now is the time to get in the game. In today’s fast-paced and tech-driven world, this means re-adopting the plant for today’s innovation economy.
Hemp could make a huge difference in everyday products, certainly. But even more exciting are the groundbreaking research and high-tech products it’s already spearheading.
Before we launch into some of hemp’s cooler applications, it’s important to understand just what makes hemp so unique.
First and foremost, hemp is incredibly environmentally friendly. Instead of depleting the land’s nutrients, like cotton does, hemp actually puts nitrogen back into the soil. It takes less water, but produces more plants per acre (for reference, one acre of hemp produces four times the paper an acre of trees does.) Its low lignin content and natural brightness reduces the need for pulping and bleaching, meaning fewer chemicals are needed all around.
Hemp grows in a wide variety of soils and climates, so it can be harvested in all 50 states (though only about half legally). It’s one of the strongest plant fibers and is naturally resistant to weeds and pests. It harvests quickly, growing 10 to 20 feet in just four months.
Then you have hemp seeds, an incredible source of protein. More than 25 percent of their calories come from high-quality protein, considerably more than similar foods like chia seeds and flax seeds. Various studies have linked them to a reduction in risk of heart disease and easing of PMS and digestion.
Hemp is also ideal for the production of ethanol, the cleanest-burning liquid bio-alternative to gasoline. Combustion releases water vapor and CO2, which plants absorb.
It’s no wonder hemp is called a smart plant, as it seems almost too good to be true, especially in a world rife with environmental and climate concerns. Considering farmers need the DEA’s approval before sowing seeds, there is still a barrier to entry — for now, anyway.
Restrictions aside, preliminary research has yielded results that only confirm hemp’s potential, and not just as an everyday alternative to cotton and wood, but for high-tech innovations.
Ever heard of graphene? Hemp fiber is also incredibly strong and light, and Dr. David Mitlin, a scientist from Clarkson University in New York, says his team has mimicked the nanomaterial’s amazing qualities using hemp waste. According to Dope Magazine:
Dr. Mitlin and his team were able to recycle leftover hemp-based fiber, cook it down and then dissolve it until carbon nanosheets that resembled the structure of graphene were left behind. They proceeded to build these nanosheets into powerful energy-storing supercapacitors with high energy density, thus creating a hemp based “graphene.”
The best part? This graphene-like hemp costs only a fraction of the price of traditional graphene: $500 a ton compared to $2,000 per gram. Dr. Mitlin also suspects the hemp-based product could outperform graphene.
Another amazing product is hempcrete, a concrete made with hemp and lime. For construction, hempcrete is essentially a super-concrete: Its negative CO2 footprint alleviates the greenhouse effect and improves air quality. Its natural insulation keeps homes warm or cool, reducing need for energy. Its resistance to cracks under high pressure makes it well-suited for earthquake-prone areas. It’s even mold, fire and termite proof.
Hemp also can be used to create bacteria-fighting fabrics. As early as the 1990s, scientists in China were developing blended hemp fabrics with superior resistance to staph in order to prevent sometimes fatal infections in hospitals. Considering at least two million Americans get staph infections when hospitalized, and 90,000 die, this could be a life-saving innovation here in the U.S.
Luckily, Colorado company EnviroTextiles is on it. The company’s hemp-rayon fabric blend has shown in preliminary studies to be 98.5 percent staph resistant and 65.1 percent pneumonia-free. In addition, EnviroTextiles offers hemp fabric resistant to UV and infrared wavelengths, ideal for military purposes.
These are just a few of the many high-tech and future-forward applications hemp has. As a form of sustainable agriculture, hemp farming holds enormous potential — for the planet, the economy, and even veterans seeking employment. Once the hemp is produced, it may not get you high, but figuratively, the sky’s the limit.
After all, how fitting is it for an ancient plant, used both 10,000 years ago and in early America, to continue its legacy in our modern world? Betsy’s hemp-based flag became a symbol for the country, which is now a leader in technological innovation. It would be foolish not to take the bull by the horns and ride it.


Advisory Committee Chair
Advisory Committee Members
Karolina M Mukhtar
Date of Award
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) College of Arts and Sciences
Studying plant gene function is essential for understanding the underlying mechanisms that govern plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation. This knowledge can improve crop yields and food security by developing plants resistant to diseases, pests, and environmental stress. Moreover, understanding plant gene function can also aid in environmental conservation efforts by providing insight into the mechanisms that plants use to adapt to changing environments and can help preserve endan-gered plant species. For several reasons, studying gene function in plants can be more challenging than in animals. Plant genomes are larger and more complex than animal genomes, making it harder to identify and study specific genes. Many plants have multiple copies of each chromosome, known as polyploidy, which can make it difficult to determine the function of specific genes. Few genetic tools and techniques are available for studying plant gene function than animal gene function. Additionally, plants are sessile organisms, meaning they are anchored in one place and cannot move in response to environmental changes. We can use several experimental techniques to study plant gene function, including genetic mapping, Tilling, CRISPR-Cas9, RNA interference (RNAi), transgenic plants, proteomics, and metabolomics. Though, experimental techniques for studying plant gene function have several disadvantages, including being time-consuming and re-source-intensive, having limited applicability, and having unintended effects. Along with experimental techniques, several computational techniques are also available to infer plant gene function, including Homology-based prediction, Gene ontology analysis, Co-expression analysis, Pathway analysis, Protein-protein interaction analysis, Machine learning, and Network biology. These computational techniques can complement experimental techniques and provide valuable insights into the function of plant genes, particularly for genes with unknown functions. In my research, I have developed computational tools and pipelines based on graph theory, such as a Graph convolution network to infer gene function (SeqGraphInfer) and integrate multi-omics graph data to identify critical element gene regulatory net-works (POTFUL and CentralityCosDist). Furthermore, I have developed a natural language processing workflow (PATHAK) to mine genes and their potential ontologies from research articles.
Kumar, Nilesh, "Enhancing Plant Functional Annotation By Integrating Graph Convolutional Networks and Natural Language Processing" (2023). All ETDs from UAB. 25.
Available for download on Friday, May 09, 2025


Why People Who Grow Plants Should Use LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights are ideal for growing plants inside the home. Using an LED grow light will help you plans grow faster. If you area lack sunlight that plants can use, you can still grow them with LED grow lights since they help in the process of photosynthesis.
Here are some of the benefits of using LED grow lights.
You can grow several plants, flowers, and vegetables inside your house with LEDs. You can grow lettuce, roses, thyme, cilantro, and many others. You get a lot from buying LED grow lights in terms of effective and affordable plant growth. There are also red and blue LED lights that you can buy for specific plant needs. Blue light may be used to produce sturdier seedlings and will help in controlling sprawling, trailing, or aggressive plants.
LED grow lights are light in …


Julién is president of the village organic cotton growers’ association. He farms 5 hectares of cotton which he grows with other crops including the local foods maize, cassava, yam and egusi.
Conventional cotton farmers around Glazoué can achieve yields of up to 40% more than those of organic growers. However, they have to spend around half their incomes on chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Organic growers also receive a premium for their cotton and can grow other crops like cashews, maize and sorghum alongside their cotton. This means that organic farmers tend to make a higher profit than conventional farmers. “Before organic, I used to use pesticides to grow my cotton. After spraying I would feel dizzy and sick. I had a rash all over my arms that itched terribly. I scratched until I bled. Now I grow organic cotton. I make more money and I don’t need to spend money on dangerous pesticides. I have been able to build a good home for my family and to buy a motorbike.”
Thanks to training and access to new technologies, Julién and his fellow organic cotton farmers have been able to dramatically increase their yields over the past two seasons making growing organic cotton a viable economic alternative. To Julién, it means more money in his pocket and less damage to his and his family’s health.


Role of Women Cooperative in Agricultural Development A Study of Women Cooperative Members in Awka South
This paper dwelt on the role of women cooperative in agricultural development focusing on Awka south local government area of Anambra state. Sixty five 65 farmer members were randomly selected from six women cooperative in the area. In this research, descriptive analytical method was used to investigate the specific objectives. They include descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution table, percentage, mean and standard deviation. For the hypothesis posed, t test or t statistics was used to draw if there is any significant effect of the cooperative roles on the members output. Likert scale analysis was used to examine the perception of members on how cooperative functions activities such as input supply, marketing and processing have brought about an enhancement to their economic well being as represented by output. The researcher found out that women cooperative in the area has played significant role in marketing and processing of their members agricultural produce. The effect of the cooperative functions activities input supply, marketing and processing has significantly improved the income and standard of living of the women farmer member of cooperative in the area. Women cooperative are encouraged to process and market their member’s agricultural produce since it has strong significant effect on their member’s income, and also provide credit and improved varieties of inputs to their members at appropriate time to enhance their productivity. On the other hand, government should aid those women cooperative in the area by giving them loan and grants to boost their productivity and also construct a good road network for easy evacuation of their produce to the cities where they will attract more income to the members of women cooperative.
Okafor Ogochukwu Esther | Okafor Patronila Ifeoma | Uzondu Chikodiri Scholastica


The Prairie Precision Sustainability Network (PPSN)
The Prairie Precision Sustainability Network (PPSN) is a newly formed collaboration between research teams at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Calgary. By combining grower harvest data and satellite imagery we are building a model that will predict future yields on low production areas, by individual fields.
We are analyzing unproductive field zones over multiple years, accounting for variations in crop, weather, and markets. Our research will provide insights across thousands of fields and multiple years, leading to better-informed decisions and preparedness for future challenges.
If you meet the criteria to participate you will be eligible to receive a Marginal Area Map, and a Marginal Area Report from our Agricultural Economist outlining options for improving the profitability of your operation now and into the future.
Follow the Data
The data collected will be combined with satellite imagery to detect yield patterns and locate low production areas within your own fields for multiple years.
All participants are eligible to receive:
A Marginal Areas Map of their fields
A Marginal Area Report(s) from our Agricultural Economist outlining options for improving profitability within those marginal areas
This is your opportunity to contribute to future prosperity and sustainability within the grain farming industry!
The Participation Process
The Grower-Cooperator Liaison (Tamara or Andrea) works with the producer and/or their agronomist to collect raw yield data directly from the combine monitor, from the producer's stored files or through certain apps such as JD Operations Centre or Climate Field View.
There is a short, multiple choice questionnaire that can be completed over the phone with Andrea or Tamara, or it can be completed online by the producer themselves.
All participants sign a Permission to Use statement that outlines that the data is used for research purposes only, the data will be stored securely during the entire process and all participants will remain anonymous.


When I bought my house, I suddenly found myself with a yard and garden and no idea what to do with them. Good gardening feels like magic granted only to those born with a green thumb. But, with a little research and a lot of quality time, you can grow your green thumb and build the garden of your dreams. Here are some books to get you started!
The Beginner's Guide to Starting A Garden: Transform your yard with this simple guide to achieving maximum impact in the garden with minimal investment.
How to Make your Garden Grow: A comprehensive guide to selecting, planting, and caring for popular plants.
Beginner Gardening Step by Step: Helpful photographs and expert tips make this visual guide to gardening a great choice for the absolute beginner.
The Beginners' Guide to Gardening: This handy guide contains everything you need to know about growing and caring for all kinds of plants.
Ready to take your garden to the next level? Let us know your favorite gardening resources in the comments.


Blogs and News - St George's School For Girls, Edinburgh
That time of year has come around again when the Little Owls get busy with planting! This term we focused on flowers and ways to take care of them. So, what better way to learn how to take care of a plant than planting and growing our own.
We decided to plant potatoes and sunflowers. We all enjoyed putting our hands in the soil and using gardening tools. Our watering cans were on fire that day!
Stay tuned as the shoots will start to appear in a few weeks!


Obrimah Blog, founded in 2014 by 'Tunde Obrimah, believes that the time has come for Nigeria to embrace the challenge of progress and development in a substantial, concrete sense.
We bring a huge commitment to offer our country the type of media that will advocate for the people and nudge our nation on the path of development and social reengineering. This is a place to learn, no age limit, no discipline limit, no gender limit, no tribal limit, and no religious limit. Welcome.
Although not an expert, I am impressed to add my views to the GMO debate after the court in Nigeria recently dismissed a case brought by somegroups against the introduction of Genetically Modified Seeds into the Agriculture Sector. What exactly are the issues with GMOs? I will refer to a few articles that have discussed this issue and also express my two pence
Traditional Crop Breeding and GMOs
Breeders identify certain traits and conduct research to see if they will be stay dominant in subsequent generations. They had and have in the process identified certain traits such as disease resistance when other similar crops were infected; bigger cobs and grains as compared to others, larger tubers; bigger fruits or seedless fruits etc. and bred to see if these traits will be carried to the next generation.
“The human race has been selectively breeding crops, thus altering plants’ genomes, for millennia. Ordinary wheat has long been strictly a human-engineered plant; it could not exist outside of farms, because its seeds do not scatter. For some 60 years scientists have been using “mutagenic” techniques to scramble the DNA of plants with radiation and chemicals, creating strains of wheat, rice, peanuts and pears that have become agricultural mainstays. The practice has inspired little objection from scientists or the public and has caused no known health problems” (David Freeman)
The difference is that selective breeding or mutagenic techniques tend to result in large swaths of genes being swapped or altered. GM technology, in contrast, enables scientists to insert into a plant’s genome a single gene (or a few of them) from another species of plant or even from a bacterium, virus or animal. Supporters argue that this precision makes the technology much less likely to produce surprises. Most plant molecular biologists also say that in the highly unlikely case that an unexpected health threat emerged from a new GM plant, scientists would quickly identify and eliminate it. “We know where the gene goes and can measure the activity of every single gene around it,” Goldberg says. “We can show exactly which changes occur and which don’t.”
Genetically Modified and Genetically Engineered – What’s the difference?
Genetically engineered and genetically modified are often used interchangeably when referring to varieties of crops developed by means other than traditional breeding. Genetic modification refers to a range of methods (such as selection, hybridization, and induced mutation) used to alter the genetic composition of domesticated plants and animals to achieve a desired result. Genetic engineering is one type of genetic modification that involves the intentional introduction of a targeted change in a plant, animal, or microbial gene sequence to achieve a specific result.
There is a scientific consensus that currently available food derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food,but that each GM food needs to be tested on a case-by-case basis before introduction.Nonetheless, members of the public are much less likely than scientists to perceive GM foods as safe.The legal and regulatory status of GM foods varies by country, with some nations banning or restricting them, and others permitting them with widely differing degrees of regulation (Wikipedia)
BENEFITS AND WORRIES
The bulk of the science on GM safety points in one direction. Take it from David Zilberman, a U.C. Berkeley agricultural and environmental economist and one of the few researchers considered credible by both agricultural chemical companies and their critics. He argues that the benefits of GM crops greatly outweigh the health risks, which so far remain theoretical. The use of GM crops “has lowered the price of food,” Zilberman says. “It has increased farmer safety by allowing them to use less pesticide. It has raised the output of corn, cotton and soy by 20 to 30 percent, allowing some people to survive who would not have without it. If it were more widely adopted around the world, the price [of food] would go lower, and fewer people would die of hunger.” (David Freedman)
In the future, Zilberman says, those advantages will become all the more significant. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the world will have to grow 70 percent more food by 2050 just to keep up with population growth. Climate change will make much of the world’s arable land more difficult to farm. GM crops, Zilberman says, could produce higher yields, grow in dry and salty land, withstand high and low temperatures, and tolerate insects, disease and herbicides.
And although it might seem creepy to add virus DNA to a plant, doing so is, in fact, no big deal, proponents say. Viruses have been inserting their DNA into the genomes of crops, as well as humans and all other organisms, for millions of years. They often deliver the genes of other species while they are at it, which is why our own genome is loaded with genetic sequences that originated in viruses and nonhuman species. “When GM critics say that genes don’t cross the species barrier in nature, that’s just simple ignorance,” says Alan McHughen, a plant molecular geneticist at U.C. Riverside. Pea aphids contain fungi genes. Triticale is a century-plus-old hybrid of wheat and rye found in some flours and breakfast cereals. Wheat itself, for that matter, is a cross-species hybrid. “Mother Nature does it all the time, and so do conventional plant breeders,”.
Could eating plants with altered genes allow new DNA to work its way into our own? It is possible but hugely improbable. Scientists have never found genetic material that could survive a trip through the human gut and make it into cells. Besides, we are routinely exposed to—and even consume—the viruses and bacteria whose genes end up in GM foods. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, for example, which produces proteins fatal to insects, is sometimes enlisted as a natural pesticide in organic farming. “We’ve been eating this stuff for thousands of years,” Goldberg says.
In any case, proponents say, people have consumed as many as trillions of meals containing genetically modified ingredients over the past few decades. Not a single verified case of illness has ever been attributed to the genetic alterations. Mark Lynas, a prominent anti-GM activist who in 2013 publicly switched to strongly supporting the technology, has pointed out that every single news-making food disaster on record has been attributed to non-GM crops, such as the Escherichia coli–infected organic bean sprouts that killed 53 people in Europe in 2011. (David Freedman)
Most scientists would say that almost all the food we eat has been “genetically modified” by man and that genetic modification includes not only conventional breeding, but simple selections man has made over millennia. Carrots were not orange until the 1700’s and tomatoes used to be the size of marbles. Corn used to have very small ears and kernels with hard seed coats and low digestibility. (See picture below from NSF).
Genetically modified food would include almost all the food we eat. Several different way plant genomes are altered “conventionally” and via genetic engineering are described here. Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genome using biotechnology. Although many people think this means moving genes from one species to another, that is not always the case. There are several biotechnological methods of manipulating genes. Sometime this is done by actually moving genes within a species or from a closely related species. This resulting organism is referred to as cisgenic.
Gene editing is another method of manipulating DNA. There are several techniques available for gene editing including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and the clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas systems. Gene editing may involve deletion, insertion, silencing or repression. The resulting organism from gene editing is called subgenic. The type of genetic engineering that the public is most likely familiar with is transgenic. This is where a gene is moved from one non-closely related species to another. Cisgenic changes to DNA would also be possible through conventional breeding, while transgenic changes to DNA are not possible via conventional breeding. (Keith Edmisten)
Both GMOs and GE foods have several advantages in strengthening the global food supply, including pest and disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought tolerance, cold tolerance and higher crop yields. The nutrition of certain foods can also be boosted, as in the case of golden rice, which has been genetically engineered to include more beta carotene (vitamin A); this offers more nutrition to populations who face a higher prevalence of malnutrition.
According to the FDA, GMOs and GE foods meet the same safety standards as foods from non-engineered crops and have been evaluated for toxicity, allergenicity and long-term safety; as of now, there are no GMO or GE foods on the market that do not meet these standards. Still, some critics argue that GMOs and GE foods have contributed to the increasing prevalence of allergies and that there may be human health risks that we don’t yet know about. Others suggest that there are hazards to the environment and its ecosystem: The use of GMOs and GE foods may cause unintended harm to other organisms; gene transfer to an unintended species may occur, unintentionally modifying that species genome; and pesticide resistance may develop.
Mutations occur spontaneously in nature without human intervention and identifying these changes has been the basis for conventional crop breeding. I remember conducting a study in 1987 on the colors of maize as my first degree research project. It was interesting to find purple seeds and red seeds in white maize cobs and taking them to a second generation to see if these colors will be dominant, also crossbreeding various colors to see what will happen in the next generation. This hasbeen the basis of conventional crop breeding.
Nigeria is the largest producer of yam tuber in the world, however, yield is 11 tons per hectare whereas Mali a neighboring country and Japan record yields of 22 tons per hectare. The difference comes from technology. In Nigeria yams are planted using yam setts from harvested tubers which still carry diseases and limitations from the parent stock. In Japan and Mali yams are planted using vines produced through biotechnology (hydroponics and aeroponics). They are disease free, higher yielding with better starch content. IITA and BiocropsNigeria (a private based biotechnology company) based in Abuja Nigeria are spearheading the transition using biotechnology to produce vines for yam production which should transform the yam value chain and make them to be more acceptable for export.
My Two Pence
Does GMO change maize, tomato, yam etc. from being what they are? Was any of the nutrients in these crops lost due to genetic modification? The only available answer for now is NO!
With the world population on the increase and challenges of food shortages; Are new technologies not the solution to rapidly produce food? The only answer available for now is YES! – The US Military uses Hydroponics and Aeroponics to produce food for their men in war zones to optimise the little space available and also to save cost of logistics of importing food into war zones for its officers. (Diamantis& Kotler)
There are people who are afraid of the effect of genetic modifications in the future. I think these fears are unfoundedbut have been hyped by Hollywood science fiction movies where plants become monsters and start attacking people. These are fictions and money making scams. Genetic modification in crops are as old as mankind, technology has only helped to speed up the process as against conventional breeding that takes years of research and confirmation.
I think activists should stop crying wolf where there is none and come up with better solutions if they have one. We have a hungry world to feed!!!


Hunan Furui Mechanical And Electrical Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
|Business Type:||Manufacturer, Trading Company|
|Location:||Hunan, China (Mainland)|
|Number of Employees:||301 - 500 People|
|Total Revenue:||US$10 Million - US$50 Million|
|Average Lead Time:||15 Day(s)|
Our company is located in Hunan. We are one of the main manufacturers of power, garden and agricultural machinery in China. Our main...
Our company is located in Hunan. We are one of the main manufacturers of power, garden and agricultural machinery in China. Our main products include gasoline/diesel tiller, cultivator, tractor, lawn mower, engine, corn sheller, combined rice polisher, chopper, rice and wheat thresher, etc. Our company is an expert in designing and making gasoline engine and diesel engine tiller.
The technical team of our company has been in the power product industry for more than ten years. Our tillers and cultivators have been selling in domestic and overseas markets in large quantity. Our company is also very innovative and creative in developing new products.
Africa : 25.00%
South Asia : 20.00%
Factory Size : 5,000-10,000 square meters
No. of Production Lines : 5
No. of R&D Staff : Above 50 People
Email to this supplier


CAS Number: 8006-82-4 ; 84929-41-9
FEMA Number: 2851
EINECS Number: 284-524-7
Paras Code: PEO1178
Native to India's Malabar Coast and to Sri Lanka, Piper nigrum is a woody, climbing vine. It is also found in Vietnam, Malaysia, Madagascar and Brazil.
Black pepper is harvested when nearly ripe, fermented then dried at a moderately elevated temperature. It is composed of pulp and seeds together.
White pepper is obtained with fully ripe Pepper fruits. The outer hull is removed, leaving only the seed. Usually the berries are soaked for about a week after fermentation.
Green pepper is early-harvested, far from ripe and processed in a way to exclude fermentation. It is composed of pulp and seeds.
Based on harvest periods a and the post-processing method, all three Pepper types could in principle, be produced from the same plant.
Fresh, woody, warm, spicy odour
Known and appreciated since Ancient Times, in the Roman Empire Pepper was an important product with a high market value. In fact, it was used as a monetary unit, notably to pay taxes and ransoms. In the 15th century, the Portuguese traded Pepper directly with Malabar Coast. The search for Pepper was Vasco de Gama's principal motivation when he set off an sailing explorations.


FLAVOR: Apricot, black tea, sweet, toast
This Washed Yirgacheffe Grade 2 Kanketi comes from smallholder farmers in the villages of Foggi and Negele Gorbitu in Abaya which borders the Gedeo Zone in Yirgacheffe. Coffee farming in Abaya started in the 1970s under the European Union's Coffee Improvement Program. Only in the last decade did farmers in Foggi and Negele Gorbitu start coffee production. Coffee from these villages have a bean structure and cup quality that reflect vigor of their youthful coffee trees.
This coffee was produced by Fikadu Abayneh Kebede whose mill serves approximately 400 smallholder farmers from the villages of Foggi and Negele Gorbitu. Fikadu started working in coffee over 15 years ago, under the supervision of his father; he established the wet mill in Foggi about 10 years ago. Fikadu's wet mill buys freshly harvested coffee cherries from local farmers for processing. The cherries are fermented in tanks for 36 hours before being washed. Afterwards the coffee goes through a natural drying process on raised beds over a period of a week. Post processing, coffees from Fikadu's mill are put up for sale through Kanketi Coffee Export.


Trust us, it doesn’t come by taking shortcuts. At BlackEyed Distilling Co., our ingredients are 100% sourced from Texas. As former farmers, we know the difference quality ingredients can make. That’s why we carefully inspect every batch of grains we use. By keeping a hand in every step of our process, we’re delivering a true farm-to-bottle experience.
Sure, a lot goes into being a true Texas original. And at the root of it all is our surprising signature ingredient. So what’s the real story behind the black-eyed peas? Well, before we were distilling black-eyed peas we were growing them on the family farm in Muleshoe, Texas. But drought can force you to rethink a few things. That’s when we were struck by that bold idea to make the first vodka out of black-eyed peas. We knew we had something special from the very first sip.


Your garden is an oasis of peace and safety where you feel the harmony of your home. Each garden is unique and specific in some way, and we try to create gardens which fulfil the innermost wishes of every client.
We can currently offer realization of your garden, from its establishment to subsequent maintenance. All jobs are performed by qualified staff, with many years of experience in the field.
Before planning the garden design, we meet with you in person on site to familiarize ourselves with the space of the future garden and your concept. Upon agreement, we prepare a preliminary proposal of the garden design. If accepted, we draw up a budget and complete documentation, which we discuss with you.
- Terrain Modifications
We do rough terrain modifications (levelling any irregularities, building natural terrain waves), as well as subtle modifications (preparing lawns and beds for planting).
These jobs mostly involve moving soil and replacement or replenishment of garden substrate in order to improve the soil quality.
- Planting of Shrubs, Perennials, Trees
Plants are always supplied by specialized certified tree nurseries with a long tradition. These nurseries are concerned with the improvement of planting procedures and guarantee high quality.
- Lawn Establishment
A well-chosen soil type is a prerequisite for a high-quality and long-lasting attractive lawn. We establish lawns by sowing, as well as by laying turf.
Both methods require that the ground be well-prepared, weed-free, with permeable and non-settling soil containing hummus.
- Irrigation Systems
Irrigation systems delivering moisture directly to the root system are an integral part of garden establishment. According to your needs, we can design such a system, present you with a price quote and implement the system you choose. Irrigation saves you considerable time . Switching on and off is controlled automatically throughout the day and night. With the irrigation system, you can just enjoy your beautiful garden and relax.
- Subsequent Maintenance
Following the garden establishment, year round maintenance is necessary so that your efforts to create a marvellous garden are not in vain (see Subsequent Maintenance).


I don’t have a green thumb. I’m fairly persistent though, so I do occasionally get vegetables to grow and when that happens I am so overjoyed I can barely contain myself. What I love about gardening is that the garden can surprise you sometimes with plants that you either didn’t plant, or planted so long ago you gave up on them when suddenly you are faced with a fruit from a plant that came out of nowhere! That’s what happened today. In my little square foot garden I found a rock melon growing on the trellis. I remember planting rock melon, but it was at least 4 or 5 months ago. Could it have laid dormant in the ground this long? Surely it hasn’t been there the whole time and I just haven’t noticed? Well, a very welcome surprise. Grow little fella, grow!
I did say there were more surprises though! A plant that I definitely didn’t install myself: passionfruit! A kind little bird or other little animal must have donated a seed somewhere along the line. Next to our compost bin, growing on an old decaying mango tree is a rampant passionfruit vine FULL of fruit! There must be 100 fruit on that vine or more! They haven’t ripened yet, but I’m thinking I’ll have to learn how to make passionfruit curd with it. I’ve also heard somewhere that you can empty all the fruit and then freeze the pulp to use as needed. I can’t wait! Probably another couple of weeks before maturity at least.
The last little surprise in the garden is the rose that I planted last year donning a tiny flower bud. It must be a sign of good weather ahead – the start of winter. And well deserved after a hot and humid summer.
This has been a great way to cheer me up after a couple of pretty stressful weeks. I accidentally deleted all the files for the new website I’ve been writing. I finished writing it and then made a mistake trying to back up and ended up deleting instead. Ooops. Well, I’m almost finished re-writing and I should be able to post here VERY soon my brand new store. Keep checking up – it should be any day now!


In Midwest, U.S.A., we are fortunate to have the Food Export Association which is a non-profit organization that promotes the export of food and agricultural products from the midwestern region of the United States.
The organization has been helping exporters of midwestern food and agricultural products sell their products overseas since 1969, when it was first created as a cooperative effort between 12 midwestern state agricultural promotion agencies and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS -- excellent resource).
If you are not familiar with the Food Export Association, you should be. Overlook the notion that you may not be based in Midwest, U.S.A. for you can still learn a lot about producing, selling, buying and marketing food products by visiting the website and downloading a couple of past Global Food Marketing newsletters (PDF files). Here are a few:


- Fri, 14:17: Right, time to feed the gardeners more coffee, it's freezing out there. (They're putting actual plants in out garden!!!!).
- Fri, 14:52: Wow, my garden looks like a real garden, with plants and everything. It's never looked like that before :D
- Fri, 15:03: It keeps trying to snow here ... and failing ... hope it keeps not managing it. Have to get to Essex this weekend.
Fri, 16:02: RT @ hourlywolvesbot: HourlyWolves presents: https://t.co/pe1GY5wqGa Sat, 09:55: RT @ moonlettuce: 100 Days of Marwan…


|Heritage Plant Sale
||May 19, 2012
||Friends of Waterloo Region Museum hold their 17th Annual Heritage Plant Sale. A selection of the flower and vegetable varieties that can be found in the village’s heritage gardens will be available for purchase while supplies last.
FREE admission to Plant Sale.
||Waterloo Region Museum
||9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – or while plant supply last
Browse another region:
Eastern Ontario - Greater Toronto Area - Georgian Bay Area - Northern Ontario - Niagara Region
Visit Castle Kilbride
Go wild in Cambridge at
African Lion Safari
Caesars Casino in Windsor is a must see
Spend an afternoon in St. Jacobs


Factors to Help You Pick the Perfect Lawn Care Company.
Every homeowner wants to ensure that their yard looks nice and healthy. It is not easy to ensure that your home yard is well maintained. With most people, they fail to know the right way for the maintenance if their yard. You thus need to consider hiring a lawn care firm to handle the task. You need to ensure that you pick a reliable lawn care form so that you can get the best services. You need to put in mind the factors below to assist you to pick the perfect lawn care firm.
The first thing you need to look at from lawn care company is the certification. Consider the lawn care contractor that is well trained to handle the task. You are supposed to research the background of the firm. Confirm that the firm employees trained staffs; this means that they will be aware of how to do the application of the fertilizers and pesticides right. Ensure that you get a copy of label from the lawn care company you want to hire. Choose the lawn care contractor that will do the task according to the law in that region.
The other crucial thing should be testing the customer care service that the lawn care company offers. A good lawn care company should be ready to communicate with you well. During the process, it is crucial that there is good communication. This means that in case you need the services of the firm, they will be available always. Ensure that the service provider will respond perfectly to your calls and emails. It is essential that you define your needs before searching for a lawn care company to hire. You should consider the service provider that will provide you with the services according to your requirements.
When you want to find the right lawn care service provider, you are supposed to check at the tools that are posed by the firm. A good service provider should have done the right maintenance of the tools. For example, the reliable lawn care service provider will ensure that the mowers blades are always sharp. The good company is one that ensures that they do the maintenance of the tools regularly. You should look for the time that the lawn care company works with the mowers before sharpening the blades. A good lawn care service provider should sharpen the mower blades not more than ten hours of working with it. Therefore, you are going to have the work on your yard done professionally as you need. Additionally, it is best that you select the service providers that have purchased the modern tools for handling the work as those will give the best services.


Unwanted spots in middle of the lush green lawns is a huge turn off. Not anymore, because Belgium-based product designer Tom De Vrieze has created a compact 3D-printed Lawnfixer that can be easily mounted on a broomstick to repair all dead grass patches. It has sharp spikes on its tiny round head for scratching off the ground which acts as a seed dispenser to put grass seeds within the plowed ground for healthy grass growth.
It is made of solid nylon material that is created using a 3D-printer by the designer. There are two ways to use this tool – Soft Way and Hard Way. In soft way, you just need to scratch the ground lightly while putting grass seeds into the ground; it is for areas with light spotting. On the other hand, in hard way method you need to plow the ground rigidly while the round head keeps dispensing the seeds within the plowed area; this method is required in areas with heavy spotting in a lawn.
Lawnfixer comes in two models – Model S (without broom stick) and Model M (with a broom stick). Price of this tool also varies depending on the model you plan to buy, i.e. Model S for € 49.99 (approx. US $65), whereas the Model M for € 74.99 (approx. US $97). Pick a model that suits you and keep your lawns evergreen with persistent green grass.
Follow Homecrux on Google News!


THE HAGUE SEED CENTER
BROUWERSGRACHT 3 - 2512 EP - THE HAGUE
START OF THE SEASON - ONLINE SALE
CALL or WHATSAPP
Knowledgeable in agriculture, The Hague Seed Center Holland offers clients information for top results. Specializing in Genetics from Holland, we assist you in finding specific types of Marijuana Seeds from Holland. Over 2000 unique Marijuana Strains from Holland, available from 150+ Seed banks. All Cannabis Seeds are Feminized. Feminized Seeds produces Female plants. Female plants produces big buds full of THC.
The Hague Seed Center Holland has served customers globally for the last 40 years, known as:
THE GRANDMASTER OF MARIJUANA SEEDS.
All Autoflower cannabis seeds from The Hague Seed Center Holland are feminized. If you do not find what you are looking for, in our list top quality brands of weed seeds. You are always welcome in the best seedcentre & smartshop of The Hague. The Best Seed Bank in The Hague, Amsterdam and The Netherlands. Over 2000 unique indoor and outdoor cannabis varieties from over 150 Seed Banks worldwide.
Besides cannabis seeds we also sell CBD seeds, Magic Truffles, CBD Oils, Peyote seeds, San Pedro seeds and much more. Visit the best smartshop in The Hague.
At The Hague Seed Center Holland you can buy only the strongest and finest autoflowering weed seeds from Holland. Autoflowering seeds produce plants which will flower automatically after about 2-4 weeks, from the start of the growing cycle. Regardless of the amount of light it receives.
The grower does not have to worry about changing light schedules to start and maintain the flowering phase. Or worrying about stressing the plant if something goes wrong. Autoflower seeds are suitable for indoor and outdoor growers. Ideal for the first time grower.


It takes A LOT to plant FRUIT trees!
1. Find a
suitable location and purchase it.
the land by clearing away rocks and thorn bushes.
water, electric and other infrastructure to the site.
4. Install a
fence around the entire area to keep away the animals.
over, flatten and fertilize the soil.
6. Install a
computerized irrigation system.
Strategically plan and carefully plant all the trees.
Weed, water, fertilize, and prune them for 3 years (Orlah - Leviticus 25:4).
9. AFTER 4
years we can finally redeem fruits (Neta Revai - Leviticus 25:4).
10. On the
7th Sabbatical year (Shmitta) no pruning
or selling the produce.
"...the 7th year the land shall rest" (Leviticus
"And I will bless those who bless you" (Genesis 12:3)
Planting fruit trees brings blessing to the people and the


Broadly, we are interested in better understanding the interactive effects of environmental and biotic factors in shaping plant defensive strategies. Our long-term goal is to identify and characterize how varying climate factors shift a plant's metabolic priorities and alter resistance. You can read on to find out more about specific projects below.
CARBON ALLOCATION TO PLANT CHEMICAL DEFENSE IN RESPONSE TO DROUGHT
While we know that severe or prolonged drought eventually reduces chemical defenses, the point at which resources begin to constrain defense and how this interacts with primary metabolism is unknown. By quantifying the interaction between chemical defense, non-structural carbohydrates, and primary metabolism under varying levels of drought stress we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the processes underlying widespread drought-induced tree mortality.
To this end we are testing classical plant defense hypotheses as they relate to drought stress physiology. As part of a collaborative NSF project, we are employing both field and greenhouse approaches to track changes in non-structural carbohydrates, gas exchange, and plant volatile and tissue chemistry along a drought continuum. By coupling stable isotopes with RNAseq, we hope to identify drought-induced mechanisms driving chemical defenses from both a carbon and gene expression perspective.
TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN PLANT GROWTH AND DEFENSE
Plants are constrained by limiting resources and defenses come at a cost, namely of other critical processes, such as growth and reproduction. We still have only a very limited understanding of the causal drivers of such trade-offs including the importance of particular selections pressures, such as herbivory or competition. Addressing the underlying mechanisms driving observable trade-offs is essential for understanding how plants "decide" to allocate their resources under various environmental conditions. This work can be critical to improving breeding programs and has large-scale economic effects for both ecology and industry.
We are using genotype comparisons within populations of conifers to assess constitutive and induced chemistry as it relates to inherent growth rates and other defense metrics (i.e. resin ducts). We are also assessing how these trade-offs may vary under different levels of drought, in response to various management practices, and different regional climate regimes.
MYCORRHIZAL SIGNALING AND PLANT DEFENSE
Plant symbionts, such as mycorrhizae, can enhance plant fitness through a variety of different mechanisms including enhanced nutrient acquisition and increased tolerance against pests, pathogens, and abiotic stress. Plants are also very perceptive and can eavesdrop on volatiles released by herbivore-damaged neighbors and prime their own defenses beforehand. Research in a limited number of plant systems suggests that defense-inducing signals can be transported to uninfested neighbors via belowground hyphal networks. We are currently investigating whether this phenomenon occurs in cereal crops (wheat and barley) and are looking to expand the mechanistic portion of this work by collaborating with other labs who have the facilities and prior experience to investigate this project further.
SOIL LEGACY EFFECTS ON VOLATILE PRODUCTION IN WHEAT
Cover and pulse crops affect the composition of soil microbial communities, which in turn, can alter plant growth and defense. One way that soil microbes influence plant defense is through the priming and production of plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The resulting volatile profiles can then alter the efficacy of the plant’s direct and indirect defenses. In addition, environmental factors can influence plant root exudates released into the soil, which can also cause shifts in soil microbial community composition. However, the relationship between the diversity of the microorganisms and the magnitude and directionality of the above and belowground volatile profiles remains unclear.
As part of a multi-disciplinary USDA-NIFA project, we are currently investigating how climate, cover crops, and livestock grazing affect the soil microbiota, and in turn, how these soil “legacy effects” impact the above and belowground volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by wheat in the subsequent year. We are particularly interested in how these volatiles impact the preference of the wheat stem sawfly and how legacy effects influence herbivore-induced host location cues used by its natural enemies.


Alugbati (basella alba), also called indian spinach, malabar spinach and vine spinach, is an edible leafy plant popular in the philippines it grows best in hot weather, including summertime in. What are the benefits of alugbati alugbati, also known as basella rubra linn, vine spinach, malabar nightshade, ceylon spinach, arogbati, dundula, grana, ilaibakir, libato and lo k'uei, is a spinach substitute commonly grown in organic gardens. Malabar spinach will grow well in a variety of soil conditions but prefers a moist fertile soil with plenty of organic matter and a soil ph of between 65 and 68 malabar spinach plants can be grown in part shade, which increases the leaf size, but it much prefers hot, humid and full sun exposures.
Green leafy vegetables basella alba and basella rubra are species of alugbati which were introduced into the country and believed organic, or compost are. Organic (20 seeds) malabar spinach-basella alba non gmo vegetable seeds + free thai food recipe price: $999 basella alba seeds indian malabar spinach perennial tropical vine asian cuisine. Seedling, basella rubra, malabar spinach, vine spinach, red vine spinach, climbing spinach, creeping spinach indian spinach, malabar nightshade, vine spinach, slippery vegetable (basella alba), with flowers and fruits.
30 native vegetables resistant to global warming, and pesticide-free 13alugbati (basella rubra) the world goes for organic farming - a turnaround. Potential food colorant from the extracts of alugbati (basella rubra l) eurasia 12 conference on to the enhancement in gastric cytoprotection or inhibition of acid chemical science, corfu, greece, 16-21 secretion (kumar et al, 2012 venkatalakshmi and anandarajagopal a, sudhakar d, ajaykumar tv, senthamaraiselvi, 2012. Green malabar spinach seeds - (basella alba) organic: yes days to germination: 10-20 days @ 80f (basella rubra.
Latin name: basella alba synonyms: basella rubra family: basellaceae medicinal use of indian spinach: an infusion of the leaves is a tea substitute the purplish. Basella alba and basella rubra are species of alugbati which were introduced into the country and believed to have come from tropical asia basella alba is the white variety while basella rubra is the red variety. Basella alba is an evergreen perennial climber growing to 9 m (29ft 6in) at a fast rate it is hardy to zone (uk) 10 and is frost tender it is in flower from may to september, and the seeds ripen from july to october.
The literal meaning of its latin name (basella alba) is small white pedestal the synonyms of species are b rubra and b cordifolia basella alba refers to green stemmed variety and basella rubra to redish stem variety, but both are same species of plant. Malabar spinach seeds (basella rubra) green-stemmed is a fast growing vine,organic seeds - warm weather spinach favorite add this item to a list. Utilizing the stems of basella rubra is also practical and economical for the users rich in organic matter, and a warm, sunny, sheltered position are a required. Basella alba, the green-stemed alugbati had significantly bigger stems, wheat in northern china in addition, organic mulch, once decomposed basella rubra.
The crude alkaloid content of basella rubra (alugbati) farah jane babera lagat 1, ronnie lee besagas 2 alkaloids are organic products of natural and. Work a generous amount of organic soil conditioner into the soil with a garden fork add some slow-release 10-10-10 fertilizer to the site as well. Some authorities recognize three different species, basella alba (with dark green oval or almost round leaves), basella rubra (with red oval to round leaves) and basella cordifolia (with dark green cordate leaves.


After a long winter and a chilly spring, it's finally warming up. That means it's time for wonderful flowers to cut. Right now gardens in North Carolina are full of peonies, and hydrangeas--my favorite!--are just about ready to cut. So I thought I'd pass along this simple tip for making fresh-cut flowers last longer.
The small amount of bleach does no harm to the flowers, and it keeps the water clear. Flowers last much longer in clear water.
See the flowers in the photo above? That picture was taken 12 days after I picked the hydrangeas. As you can see, there's a bit of yellowing on some of the leaves, but the flowers are still going strong!
Bonus tip: if one of your hydrangeas does start to wilt, remove it from the vase, make a fresh cut at the base of the stem, and soak the entire flower (not just the stem) in a sink or bowl of water for about 45 minutes. The petals themselves will absorb some of the water, perking them right back up.
Do you grow flowers? What's your favorite flower to cut and bring inside?


Pasturebird is on a mission to revolutionize agriculture by applying modern technology to ancient farming methods and making pasture raised more accessible for everyone.
At Pasturebird, we believe the solution is in the soil. Regenerative practices restore, rather than deplete the planet. It is our vision to revolutionize farming from a man-made system of depletion back to a natural ecosystem of perpetual regeneration and replenishment; a genuine regenerative future - first for poultry, for people and ultimately the planet. Because healthy soil traps significantly more carbon, regenerative agriculture could be the key to helping stop climate change. Unfortunately, regenerative and pasture raised are loosely defined, making loopholes in raising practices commonplace. Pasturebird is uniquely transparent in its raising practices so you can witness first hand their commitment to the people, the planet, and the animals.
“We believe in farming for the next generation. That’s why soil health is at the center of everything we do. We see soil as more valuable than gold and so rich soil is the legacy we leave.” - Farmer Paul
With Pasturebird, you can really taste the difference. But, don’t take our word for it. Our chickens contain three times more Omega 3, vitamins and minerals than other chickens with housing that moves daily to give them the freshest grass available. Using state of the art solar powered mobile coops, every one of our chickens is moved to fresh pasture every day. When you allow the chickens to live a good life on fresh pasture and under the warmth of the sun the way nature intended, it is no wonder you see such an incredible result. Because you can’t regenerate soil in a petri dish, we must do the work to restore our habitat. The future of our planet depends on the regeneration of our soil that a truly pasture raised chicken provides.
Please enjoy Pasturebird from our home to yours.


Free Soil Sampling
Carolina Fresh Farms believes in providing our customers with endless knowledge of their lawns. In order to provide the customer with the best advice for their lawn, CFF offers FREE soil sampling at every location. It's convenient and simple. Just drop off 2 cups of your soil at any location and we handle the rest (PDF directions on how to take your soil sample properly). Your soil will be processed by the same labs which we use to test our farms. Once we receive the results, our horticulturist will review the results and make any necessary recomendations.
Fertilizer Products -
Preemergent fertilizers are used in the turf industry to prevent many annual weeds which may invade your lawn. There are many products in the market today for the consumer to choose from. Carolina Fresh Farms recommends the use of the professional product Barricade. If used properly, Barricade will last longer than many other competitor’s products in the marketplace today. Due to the longer germination period of weeds and high humidity levels in the Southern states, our customers find that this product is far superior to many others for the control of annual weeds such as crabgrass. Depending on the time of year and the type of lawn you have, this product is available in both a high nitrogen formulation as well as a low nitrogen formulation.
16-0-8 .38% Barricade
0-0-15 .38% Barricade
Many broadleaf weeds such as clover and dandelion are not effectively controlled by preemergent herbicides. Carolina Fresh Farms has selected the professional product Confront 3 as the suggested product for the control of broadleaf weeds. Confront 3 is available in a high nitrogen formulation as well as a low nitrogen formulation. The low nitrogen formulation (0-0-15) is excellent for spot treating the lawn or for use on warm season lawns during the dormancy period. The Confront 3 products are certainly modern day weed and feeds. Confront 3 is labeled for sensitive lawns such as Centipede and St. Augustine.
19-0-6 Confront 3 + Dimension
0-0-15 Lockup (not for use on St. Aug.)
Combination Pre and Post-emergent Fertilizer
Don’t know where to start to fix your lawn? Many times we suggest this one of a kind product. It will fertilize your lawn, prevent annual weeds and control broadleaf weeds.
19-0-6 Confront 3 + Dimension
Nothing is worse than watching your lawn decline due to a fungus. Carolina Fresh Farms suggests the use of the professional systemic fungicide Eagle to prevent disease before it begins. Due to the systemic nature of the chemical, Eagle fungicide is an excellent choice to prevent and cure many diseases such as Brown Patch on a lawn.
Eagle 0.62 granular
Insect Control Fertilizers
With milder winters in recent years, insect damage in the home lawn has been on the rise. Carolina Fresh Farms has several products to choose from depending on the problem. Talstar with the active ingredient bifenthrin has long been recommended for the control of surface insects such as imported fire ants and armyworms. If root feeding insects such as mole crickets or grubs are the issue, we suggest the use of Merit insecticide. If your lawn has both subsurface and surface feeding insects than we may suggest that you apply Aloft insecticide to your lawn. All three products are granular and may be applied with the convenience of a fertilizer spreader.
Carolina Fresh Farms offers many formulations of straight fertilizers for general fertilization of your landscape throughout the growing season. Each product serves a purpose within the landscape. The Woodace products are slow release and designed for ornamental plants. The 12-3-6 Woodace formulation is for acid loving plants such as Azaleas. There are three basic formulations for the lawn. The 16-25-12 provides extra Phosphorous for increased root growth. We commonly refer to this product as starter fertilizer. The 25-0-12 formulation contains IBDU nitrogen. IBDU does not require warm temperatures to release; therefore, this product will keep your Carolina Blue fescue lawn greener during the winter months when most fertilizers will not work. Our most advanced fertilizer product is certainly 20-0-25 formulation which contains EXPO. EXPO is slow release Potassium. In the Southern states, Potassium is either unavailable in a clay soil or leaches quickly in a sandy soil. Potassium is crucial for the survival of your lawn through extreme conditions such as drought or the cold winter months.
16-25-12 25% Meth-Ex 40
25-0-12 34%CRN MESA + IBDU


Ag Commissioner wants more NC corn
Here in North Carolina, the state’s Agriculture Commissioner is calling on farmers in the Tarheel State to help meet more of the demand across the world for corn.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 96 million acres of corn was planted in the United States this year, but less than one percent was in North Carolina.
Commissioner Troxler has challenged North Carolina farmers to come up with a certified 400 bushel per acre yield of corn.
North Carolina corn farmers are forecasted to harvest about 114 bushels per acre this year, which up from last year and more than the 10-year average.
Troxler’s request to see more corn produced in North Carolina comes on the heels of a drought in the Midwest that has devastated parts of the nation’s corn crop.


Deer Lake School Garden – A Budding Success
One year ago the Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation helped launch yet another school garden program in Canada, at Deer Lake School in Burnaby, BC. As the current school year (such as it is) winds down, we thought it would be a good time to take a look at the results of this worthy project. Of course, this year’s spring season planting was limited, and subsequent harvesting not possible due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but this did little to stifle the positive impact that the garden project had on all who participated. Let’s take a look at the feedback we have received from this proud group of green thumbs!
How the Deer Lake School Garden Project Has Made a Positive Difference in the Lives of Students and Faculty
Fostered Collaboration, Problem Solving and Applied Design
The connection between a school garden and horticultural education is clear, but other forms of knowledge and skill development are evident during project inception and the early stages to follow. For instance, as the project broke ground, students from Deer Lake’s Grade 8 Applied Design class and the Grade 9 class collaborated to help analyze formal design drawings, assemble the materials, and prepare the garden site. These adolescents tapped into their cognitive and creative abilities for problem solving and applied design.
Gave K-5 Students Tangible Insight into the Seed to Table Concept
One segment considered among the primary stakeholders (so to speak) for this project are K-5 students and WOW did they shine bright!
They took on the responsibility of planting in the garden beds, putting to soil a large variety of nutritious crops-to-be, including radishes, peas, carrots, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, onions, watermelon, herbs, nasturtium, rhubarb, beets, corn, kale, spinach and sunflowers. As the 2019 school year came to a conclusion, they were able to harvest some of the fruits (or should be say vegetables) of their labor. The harvest was used to contribute to the school’s lunch program, which allowed students to witness the seed-to-table concept in action. But the harvest kept on giving beyond the end of the 2018-19 school year:
“The small garden the K-5 students planted had a huge harvest. Throughout the summer our support staff and various teachers who dropped by were able to enjoy vast quantities of fresh tomatoes, peas, green beans, corn and lettuce. In the fall of 2019 when school resumed , there were still many cherry tomatoes, kale, lettuce, sunflowers and watermelon ready to harvest and explore. Cleaning the beds for winter enabled students to study all the parts of the plants. We were also able to harvest some spinach, kale and lettuce all during the winter months, even in the snow! Students could freely snack on them during recesses. In fact, there was so much harvest from the garden that our own staff couldn’t keep up with it all and it sparked the idea to do more this past summer to connect with the Food Bank, or with Quest Food Exchange, to receive some of our extra vegetables.” – Gaileen Woytko, Director of Operations, Deer Lake School
Provided a Sanctuary for Much Needed Pollinators
Pollinators are a critical part of our ecosystem. If they don’t thrive, we don’t thrive, and now participating students (our future) understand this very well. Deer Lake School’s Grade 7 class took on a very important role, planting and caring for a pollinator garden that produced a healthy variety of wildflowers that will continue to attract an array of essential pollinators for years to come. The entire Burnaby, BC community is in good hands thanks to these young gardeners!
An Opportunity for Mentorship
There were mentoring opportunities throughout the school garden project. Sure, older students provided guidance to their younger peers, but to the delight of teachers they found the opposite to be true too. The results were not only inspiring, but downright adorable!
“Teachers found some unique learning opportunities within our school where younger students taught older students about the garden. An example for us was with kindergarten students who planted daffodil bulbs and learned what care they needed, their life cycle, and so they had an opportunity to teach the Grade 3 class how to water and care for the bulbs. It was an unexpected benefit of having various grades involved in the garden.” – Gaileen Woytko
Provided Opportunity to Get a Healthy Daily Dose of Fresh Air
Beyond recess and lunch hour there is little opportunity to get outside in a traditional school setting. However, with a large number of studies validating a strong shift towards outdoor learning experiences, schools across Canada are looking for ways to incorporate the great outdoors into their respective curricula. A school garden is a perfect channel for this, and Deer Lake most certainly took advantage of it:
“It got kids outside in the fresh air and kept them physically active for several weeks.“ – Gaileen Woytko
The Unexpected Benefits
K-5 students learned all about the seed-to-table process. Grade 8 and 9 students explored more intensive concepts of growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consumption, and disposal of food and food-related items. Grade 11 students dug deep into life sciences, studying plants and the variables that affect plant life from their very own school garden. All of these tremendous learning experiences were anticipated in some shape or form. However, there were some unanticipated benefits that were realized throughout.
i) Supported First People’s Principals of Learning
When Deer Lake School planned to build a garden, they did not anticipate that it would have to support their First People’s Principles of Learning. The garden turned out to be a tremendous asset in that regard, through the following:
- Supported the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
- Provided a holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational experience that focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place.
- Gave insight into the consequences of one’s actions.
- Helped foster a sense of patience and understanding that anything worth doing may take time.
ii) Taught Students About Food Waste
Food waste is a large problem in Canada. Not only is it evident in households, but in Canadian schools too. After a successful harvest, Deer Lake Secondary quickly discovered an issue that would soon provide another amazing opportunity for learning:
“Since our students have started growing vegetables in the garden they have commented about the amount of food waste they are noticing in our hot lunch. It has brought a new awareness on how the production of food really works, how labor intensive it is, and how much food waste there is in our community.“ – Gaileen Woytko
iii) Formed a New Respect for Insects (and other crawlies)
Insects are a misunderstood lot and are often dismissed as creepy crawlies to be squashed underfoot. Deer Lake School students no longer think this way thanks to the garden project. They now understand the concept of beneficial bugs and other critical writers:
“Younger students have learned a new respect for insects as they work in the garden. Prior to having a garden, students had a lot of fear around bees, spiders, slugs, ants, moths, etc. But as they spent more time in the garden teachers observed that their fears disappeared and they had a new respect for the roles of insects in the gardening process.” – Gaileen Woytko
iv) Taking Their Work Home with Them
The 2020 school year quickly changed with the arrival of COVID-19 on Canadian soil. But while spring planting and harvesting on school grounds came to a halt, the learning process did not:
“Since we are presently not growing at the school due to COVID 19, our Kindergarten students (with the help of their parents) are setting up spaces in their yards and balconies to have pollinator gardens. Our kindergarten teacher is sending interested families seeds. So even if our school garden is on hold so far this year, we are still sharing the love and opportunities out into our community. It has been an unexpected new learning opportunity. Our students have been extremely proud of their garden! Teachers comment on that regularly, and during the COVID-19 period with distance learning, a Grade 4 teacher commented that one of the number one topics about what they miss at school has been the garden, and they ask regularly how it is doing.” – Gaileen Woytko
SOME CONCLUDING (AND INSPIRATIONAL) QUOTES FROM DEER LAKE FACULTY
“The garden has grown our students in wonderful ways. Small children, who will not eat a vegetable at home, eat them daily out of the garden. The wildlife that has started to enter our schoolyard makes our play space so much more interesting. From the addition of plants, we began to discover worms, new insects and how many different kinds of bees there are. Not long after these arrived, birds and small animals began appearing. We began to realize how much each of these elements depends on each other. Children learned to approach dirt and the natural world with respect and care. The patience and perseverance required for growing plants is a life lesson not often experienced in our fast, instant gratification culture. There is something in nature that calms the spirit of a child and at the same time excites their wonder and curiosity. It is something our urban students would rarely get to experience if they did not have this chance at school.” Heather Gagnier, Kindergarten Teacher
“With the garden I am excited for us to have the opportunity to have the space to investigate different types of plant life, without compromising the space in the classroom. The study of plant life can continue throughout the year as we are able to go out to the garden during multiple points to observe and interact with plants that have different growing seasons.” Kayla Whitworth, Life Science (Biology) / Chemistry & Anatomy & Physiology Teacher
“In a Bible class I teach, we have the opportunity to discuss ideas related to our spiritual selves and spiritual growth. To help illustrate this, my students and I planted seeds, cared for the plants and watched them grow. This gave us the opportunity to make some meaningful comparisons between what is needed for plant growth and what is needed for growth in our own lives!” (Kayla Whitworth)
“We are so grateful for the financial support we received from Plant a Seed! We believe it’s only just the beginning for our school as we learn how to more fully incorporate garden classroom learning into our entire K-12 school. Our engagement is growing, like our garden!” – Gaileen Woytko
HELP US GROW MORE SCHOOL GARDENS
Teachers, educational institutions and our partners are critical to the Foundation’s work. However, another party is essential to delivering outdoor learning programs to worthy young students – you! Without your help, we will not be able to expand our reach into your communities. Please sign up to be a Friend of the Foundation here, and if you’re able, please donate. The future generations of Canada thank you in advance for your generosity!


A couple of weekends ago, back when it was warm and bright, we travelled to Sopley Farm in Dorset. All to see their beautiful sunflowers.
I’d only ever been to Sopley Farm in the autumn, to pick pumpkins. I had no idea what to expect during the summer and I hoped it wouldn’t be disappointed. I needed haven’t worried, as we were greeted with wave upon wave of rainbow-hued flowers. Glorious golden sunflowers stretching into the sky, gladioli in every shade imaginable, delicate purple flowers tentatively poking their heads out. It was beautiful.
Picking raspberries, trying tayberries
We admired the flowers and took a few photos before heading further into the fields. Here we spotted rows and rows of berries: blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, tayberries. Delicious berries. We weren’t in a rush, so we decided to pick a few raspberries.
I tried my first tayberry!
I pulled some funny faces as I ate it but on reflection, I liked it!
When we pottered back to the farm shop, to buy our berries, I spotted some sunflowers for sale. £2 for 5. I couldn’t resist.
I genuinely enjoyed visiting Sopley Farm, and I can’t wait to visit for some pumpkin picking in October! I think stopping by to see the sunflowers and picking berries might become a new July/August tradition too … watch this space.


The Ibarbi apple route
A trip that will awaken all five senses
Errezil has a local product that the municipality is famous for: the Errezil apple, known to the locals as the Ibarbi apple. This variety, developed over many years, is grown in the valley’s orchards and its quality is excellent, to eat either raw or cooked. In this excursion, we will discover the secrets of this very special product.
- Distance: 3.5 km
- Time: 1 hr 15 mins
- Difficulty: Easy


The company, predominantly, produces Biodiesel. Biodiesel is a purely ecological, renewable and sustainable fuel whose use was officially launched after the Kyoto treaty was signed with the initial aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Europe has tried to go all this one step further by giving an alternative in agricultural production in connection with an attempt to get reduce the dependence of imported fossil fuels.
In recent years, the company has managed to keep its production purely from Hellenic feedstock, using oilseeds of sunflower, oilseed rape and soybeans, coming entirely from contractual farming with Hellenic producers. A large part of its production is based on Hellenic cottonseed and used vegetable oils and fats.
Vegetable raw glycerin is a by-product of Biodiesel production where the company is marketed and exported to several countries around the world.
In recent years, with the rapid growth of its network of contractual farming, the company has a large activity in the production and supply of animal feed which is the by-product of the processing of oilseeds of contractual farming. The specific activity of the company as well as the entire’s sector assists the most in Hellenic livestock farming but in the export activity of the country as the part of the feed which is not available to the Greek breeder is exported. The above two ways of trading have a result the reduction the trade deficit of the country.


Libertarianz Deputy Stephen Berry commends comments from Green MP Nandor Tanczos regarding regulation of the hemp industry. Berry says, “Mr. Tanczos has identified the heavy weight of bereaucracy and compliance that could destroy New Zealand’s small hemp industry.”
Medsafe is the authority charged with regulating the hemp industry. It licenses growers, tests their crops and regulates what is produced. Berry says, “I also agree with Nandor that Medsafe has no business being involved in the hemp industry. Of course, unlike Tanczos, I’d say this about every other regulatory body in every other industry.”
Medsafe wish to charge a $550 fee for the licensing of hemp growers and to test the THC content of plants regularly, which costs an extra $300 each time.
Stephen Berry asks, “How did these people get the idea that they are right to do this? Why should they be allowed to charge people for growing what they wish on their own land? Worst of all, Medsafe expects hemp growers to fund their own potential incrimination, through charging them for the testing of THC content in plants. Even if the industry isn’t completely destroyed by this, the few remaining growers will have had theior property rights steamrolled.”
Libertarianz can appreciate the small progress being made in the liberalisation of laws surrounding cannabis related issues. “It is good that we have gotten this far,” says Berry, “but there is still much progress to be made. We cannot be satisfied until people are left to grow their hemp in peace, without being hounded and destroyed by bereaucrats and clipboard nazis.”