As the vibrant hues of fall foliage adorn Southwest Virginia, residents are gearing up for the inevitable task of dealing with the falling leaves. While the default response might be reaching for the trash bags, experts at Virginia Tech are urging a reconsideration of this traditional approach.
The recommendation from Virginia Tech’s experts is clear: mulch your leaves. This eco-friendly alternative involves running the fallen leaves over with a standard lawn mower or, even better, a specialized mulching mower.
Beyond the immediate benefits of saving time and reducing the influx of bagged leaves into landfills, mulching serves as a natural fertilizer for your lawn. According to Mike Goatley, Virginia Tech’s Extension Turf Grad Specialist, the process enhances organic matter in the soil and feeds essential microbes. These microbes play a crucial role in breaking down the mulched leaves, ultimately contributing to improved root development in the turf grass system.
“We increase organic matter in the soil with feeding microbes in the soil that are going to degrade this, and as this soil breaks down, it is going to develop a better root development of your turf grass system,” explained Goatley.
The timing of mulching is a key consideration. Goatley recommends mulching leaves when they are slightly damp, as this makes them easier to shred efficiently. This approach not only aids in the breakdown process but also ensures a smoother integration of the mulched leaves into the soil.
By advocating for mulching, Virginia Tech’s experts are aligning with sustainable practices that benefit both individual homeowners and the environment at large. As autumn sets in, consider trading in the traditional trash bags for a mulching mower, and let your lawn reap the rewards of this natural and efficient leaf disposal method.


On June 1, 2002, a thunderstorm rolled in over Philmont’s North Country, bringing with it several lightning strikes. The next day, four separate plumes of smoke could be seen on the northern horizon. By June 3rd, the fires had reached a total of 32,000 acres. Firefighters from across the country made their home at the Maverick Rodeo Grounds in Cimarron for the next two weeks in order to battle the blaze. The fire was finally contained on June 18th but not before burning 92,194 acres.
The entirety of Philmont’s north country was closed for until the end of that summer when a few selected trails were reopened. This caused Philmont to divert its 20,000+ participants for the summer of 2002 into the southern two-thirds of the ranch.
While the Ponil Complex Fire subsided, the aftermath was just beginning. A massive amount of erosion was occurring, leading to the loss of topsoil that clogged streams and prevented quick re-vegetation rates. This, in turn, sparked the occurrence of huge floods in the North and Middle Ponil Canyons and their drainage.
After a hot fire, there are obvious detrimental effects. The lack of vegetation gives way to erosion of topsoil, which inhibits re-vegetation and clogs stream beds. Fires can also sterilize soil by killing microorganisms and nutrients. However, there are also negative effects that are not so obvious. An effect called hydrophobicity occurs after a very hot fire comes through and burns away all of the surface vegetation. All plants have a waxy coating on their leaves called a cuticle that retains moisture for the plant. The fire vaporizes the cuticle and it sinks into the soil and solidifies, leaving a hard waxy layer anywhere from one to three inches below the topsoil. This ultimately prevents water from sinking into the soil, and seeds from germinating. Hydrophobic soil also increases loss of fertile topsoil by providing a firm layer that the soil can easily erode down during even a light rain.
Philmont quickly became proactive in impeding the devastating effects of erosion and water pollution by implementing several strategies. First, the ranch used aerial seeding to re-vegetate the 8,000 most severely burned acres on Philmont. However, much of the seed dropped did not germinate because of erosive effects. Philmont also employed the use of heavy machinery – a Feller-Buncher – which cut dead trees at the base and laid them perpendicular to the slope, in hopes of slowing down erosion. The following summer Philmont took on heavy re-seeding efforts with the help of thousands of Philmont participants. This will involve contour raking, and spreading seed and rice thatch.
Perhaps the biggest investment Philmont undertook, though, was the Fire Rehabilitation crew. The staff, consisting of a director, a support coordinator, crew foremen, and crew members worked all throughout Philmont’s north country, attempting to stop erosion and re-vegetate the forest. Throughout fall and winter, the fire crew had a major impact on the restoration of Philmont’s burned forest and, although at first glance, the work seems very small in light of the 28,000 acres, it was a major starting point from which plants will begin to re-grow.
Since the beginning of this project Philmont has planted over 59.2 acres of pine seedlings, aerially reseeded 8,306 acres, Feller Bunchered 72 acres, contour log fell 362 acres, and spread straw and hand seeded over 597 acres.


7. New Society Publishers
One of our sponsors, New Society Publishers has a plethora of publications to help you along your urban or rural homesteading journey. For our Grow Gift Guide, here are a selection of our favourites. Note that the festival receives a percentage of sales for books sold via these links. Thank you for supporting this grassroots event!
The Market Gardener
A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming by Jean-Martin Fortier
Inspired by the French intensive tradition of maraichage and by iconic American vegetable grower Eliot Coleman, author and farmer Jean-Martin shows by example how to start a market garden and make it both very productive and profitable. Making a living wage farming without big capital outlay or acreages may be closer than you think.
The Food Forest Handbook
Design and Manage a Home-Scale Perennial Polyculture Garden by Darrell Frey & Michelle Czolba
This timely book makes the concept of food forests accessible to everyone. Focusing on the potential of perennial polyculture to enhance local food systems, The Food Forest Handbook shows the reader how to mix and match plants in unique combinations to establish bountiful landscapes and create genuine self-reliance in years to come.
Soil Sisters also contains case studies, inspirational ideas and savvy advice nuggets from over 100 successful women farmers and advocates. Targeted specifically to members of the fastest-growing demographic in local agriculture, this highly readable guide is practical and pragmatic “Chick Lit” for today’s food scene.


Selling Goats, Cattle Online
By Syed Azwan Syed Ali
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- His keen interest in livestock rearing and the bright future for the industry prompted former contractor Muhamad Isa Saad, 44, to change his occupation.
Starting on a part-time basis, he reared Jamnapari goats from Indonesia for eight years, but is now the proud owner of a large concern, ER System Sdn Bhd, which sells goats and cattle online.
The company has 200 Jamnapuri goats at any one time, reared in sheds on a 0.607-hectare site in Dengkil, Sepang, Selangor.
"Potential buyers need only to surf www.lembuonline.com
. to buy our cattle or goats of the Jamnapari, Boer, and Anglo Nobian breed speedily.
"We sell the Kedah-Kelantan stock of cattle," Muhammad Isa, who is the company's managing director, told Bernama at the "Livestock Asia 2007" Expo and Forum held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here.
The farmer-entrepreneur from Bagan Datoh, Perak, also publishes "YourLiveStock.com", the first magazine on farming and livestock rearing in the country.
His aim in producing the magazine is to help spread the latest news on developments in the field and to provide the latest tips to rearers.
"For a start, we are printing 10,000 copies of the magazine which will be sold at RM5.50 each. The first copy will roll out this November," said the father of five children from his marriage to Rohani Abdul Aziz, 44.
He said he invested RM50,000 in his farm, including the cost of the sheds (RM30,000) when he started the project in 1999.
The Jamnapari goats are sold as stock while cattle are mostly for Hari Raya Aidiladha sacrifice.
The goats fetch between RM1,800 and RM4,000 each, and the cattle between RM1,800 and RM2,200.
"It only costs 50 sen to feed each goat in a day," he said, adding that he never looked back since he ventured into this field because he was confident of its bright future.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday said the government would continue to promote agriculture and had allocated RM1.73 billion for the sector next year.


If you've decided you want to grow crops in Stardew Valley, then you're going to have to buy some seeds. Now you have two locations you can visit to buy seeds from, that is JojaMart and Pierre's General store. For now we'll treat it as if you were going to Pierre's. Here are a few selections of the items on offer.
Parsnip are the cheapest and quickest to grow seeds taking only 4 days to mature and costing 20 gold.
The Bean starter takes 10 days to mature and you can keep harvesting crops without having to plant it again. It takes 10 days to grow and because it grows on a trellis will be a physical barrier to you, so be careful when placing it do as to not block anything off.
The Potato only takes 6 days to grow and can be continually harvested like the bean plant but it won't cause an obstruction because it doesn't grow on a trellis. The seeds cost 50 gold.
Jazz seeds produce a flower in 7 days and will stay in bloom until the season is over. They cost 30 gold each.
Basic fertiliser slightly increases the chance the crop you are growing will be of higher quality, but costs a whopping 100 gold.
Once you've chosen the seeds you want you'll need to till the soil (dig a hole).
Then we put in our seeds.
And finally we water the crop.
Some crops are asked for in later quests and events, so make sure you have some saved in a chest.
If you put down a fertiliser before you plant a seed you have an improved chance the crop will be of higher quality.
Flowers in bloom around bee hives cause the honey they produce to be flower honey, which is worth more than the standard wild honey produced.
Make sure to harvest crops and flowers before the season ends as they will die and you will lose out (there are exceptions, so read the descriptions).
Be mindful where you place the starter beans as the trellis they grow on form a barrier and can obstruct your movement.
Make sure you have enough stamina to plant crops by only tilling the amount of soil you need and remember to leave enough energy so you can water them too.
Remember to water your crops everyday, unless it rains, in which case mother nature is taking care of business.
What do you want to do next?


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Our experience and professional technicians can install custom lawn sprinkler systems for virtually any sized lot, as well as provide superior lawn sprinkler repair and service for existing systems. Our irrigation and lawn sprinklers are discreet and efficient, keeping your lawn looking great with minimal water usage. We can provide sprinkler system repair and maintenance, such as winterizing and spring start-up. All workmanship and parts carry a 2 year guarantee.


There are a number of good reasons to choose a greenhouse for winter gardening. If you live in a temperate region, you will need a greenhouse for year round gardening. Greenhouse gardening is also popular with adherents to “green” lifestyles and gardeners who want to grow organic foods. Healthy eating is also more accessible in colder climates if you use a greenhouse. If you are growing a bonsai tree however you may want to move it inside, here is a great guide to growing an indoor bonsai tree with ease.
Planting your vegetable garden as late as winter, rather than in autumn or the last few weeks of summer, only works with a greenhouse. Although many varieties of tropical plants you could choose to grow require heat year round, a greenhouse does not necessarily need to be heated. Just the shelter of the greenhouse can provide enough warmth for many varieties of flowers and vegetables to flourish during the winter.
Choosing a heated or unheated greenhouse is the first decision you will make when you undertake greenhouse gardening. A hot greenhouse is simpily achieved by placing the greenhouse in an area that receives direct sunlight. You will need to monitor the internal temperature of the greenhouse to make sure it doesn’t rise above about 90 degrees. At higher temperatures, the greenhouse will need ventilation to moderate the heat. You can avoid this by placing your greenhouse in partial shade rather than in full sun.
A cold greenhouse, suitable for growing plants acclimated to temperate weather, is mostly shaded. The shelter provided by the greenhouse alone will allow temperatures to remain above freezing. Monitoring the temperature of a cold greenhouse is equally important because low temperatures are also a threat to plants. Space heaters can be used to warm up a cold greenhouse as needed, when outdoor temperatures are freezing.
Ventilating the greenhouse and spacing your plants apart so that they have access to circulating air is a good way to keep the plants healthy. You can purchase or build a greenhouse that has windows and doors to open for breezes, if you prefer not to install an automated ventilation system.
You can plant most kinds of vegetable in either a hot greenhouse or a cold greenhouse. Corn and pumpkins grow well on the greenhouse floor. Remember to space the plants apart, following the directions on the seed or seedling packages. You can use either potting soil or the soil below the greenhouse for plants on the greenhouse floor. Tables and small benches can be used to add extra room.
Keep potted plants spaced as well, again so that air can circulate. You can plant turnips, carrots and beets in flower boxes as long as they are reasonably deep. Flower boxes will fit under most benches, giving you even more space if you wish to vary the vegetable selection.
Both floor and potted plants can survive the winter in a greenhouse. Kale and broccoli, onions and garlic, and even most lettuce varieties will thrive during the winter months even in a cold greenhouse. As long as you water your plants and protect them from extreme temperatures, you will have a bountiful winter vegetable harvest from your greenhouse.
When winter arrives, most people are quick to put away their gardening tools. Shoveling snow and breaking up ice takes priority, so lawn care is easily forgotten. You might remember to get ready for the first frost by winterizing the pool and bringing in the patio furniture, but there is more to winter lawn care than just that. Caring for your lawn during the winter won’t demand very much of your time, but it shouldn’t be neglected altogether. If you enjoy growing a bonsai tree then this ultimate guide to bonsai tree types is a must.
Begin winterizing your lawn in the fall by gradually lowering the blade height on your lawnmower, until it shaves your lawn very close to the ground. This is a trick that heads off new growth by cutting the grass closer to the base of the stem. New growth is more vulnerable to cold damage and would suffer in a freeze.
Mowing your lawn close to the ground also protects the grass from breakage, by preventing it from clumping up in brittle and dried heaps. You won’t want a yard full of damp, broken hay at the end of autumn.
You will want to remove all your heavy lawn equipment, put away outdoor toys and take down yard ornaments during the winter. Anything that rests directly on the grass will cause the lawn under it to smother and rot. When spring returns, if you haven’t cleared your lawn, you will have brown spots where the ornaments or toys were placed.
Putting away your gardening tools for the winter gives you a chance to organize them in storage, so that you will have them handy in the spring. Moving heavy furniture like picnic tables or kiddie pools is also important to protect the grass beneath them when it becomes dormant.
Aerating the soil and fertilizing the grass before the winter is essential to making sure your lawn looks its best in the spring. During the winter your grass will be dormant, but a generous feeding in late fall helps it rebound spring returns. Several commercial fertilizers are available specifically for winterizing your lawn, or you can use compost instead.
Servicing your lawnmower and drawing up a landscaping plan for the coming year is a great way to continue lawn maintenance during the winter. Since you will not need your mower for several months, this is a good time to have a professional change the blades and oil. Even a push mower should be serviced, since it is important to keep the blades sharp.
Although not as labor intensive as summer lawn care, winter lawn care is still very important. That last round of fertilizing, done just before the first hard freeze, will be stored by your grass until spring. The protection that you provided your grass during the winter, by trimming it close to the ground and removing lawn ornaments and furniture, will also make it much healthier in the spring.
If you are looking for ways to control the growth of weeds in your garden and patio area, you can choose to purchase off the shelf chemicals, or you can pursue a more environmentally friendly, natural solution. Here are some natural tricks for removing weeds, all of which require only the use of common kitchen supplies.
Applying table salt to the soil around each plant is a very reliable way to kill weeds. You only need a small amount, a fraction of a teaspoon. Sprinkle it at the base of each weed, and the salt will draw out all the moisture from the plant by osmosis, starving it of its nutrients until it dies.
The disadvantage of using salt is that it will affect any type of vegetation. Once it is in the soil, other plants nearby will suffer as well. The best place to use a salt solution is in areas where you do not plan on growing other plants, such as in the gaps between paving slabs or on a graveled yard area.
Boiling water kills weeds by scalding the leaves and shoots. The heat from the water turns the plants brown and they immediately shrivel up and die, making it easier to pull them out by the roots. Boil some water and pour it directly on the weeds, being careful not to scald yourself.
Using boiling water is not a long term solution for weed control, and works best for very small areas. Like salt, it affects the growth of other plants as well, in this case removing micro-organisms from the soil that are needed to help your own plants flourish. So just as with table salt, the best places to use boiling water are in areas where you are not planning to plant flowers or vegetables.
White Wine Vinegar
Vinegar kills weeds because its active ingredient is a powerful acid. Spraying a vinegar solution on weeds will starve them of moisture and turn them brown within a few days. Once the weeds begin to shrivel up and die, you can pull them out of the ground completely.
These three affordable remedies are all effective ways to get rid of weeds. As these solutions can affect the soil and the plants that you are actually trying to cultivate, the best places to apply them are in areas where you do not anticipate growing other plants rather than in the lawn and garden.


A B C in CBD
The CBD (cannabidiol) path began in Texas with the passage of the U.S. Agriculture Act in late 2018. This law legalized the cultivation of hemp in the United States and was a precursor to the laws of individual states that were passed to restrict cultivation. Hemp. and buy and sell cannabidiol products that don’t make you cool. Texas followed the Farm Act by issuing its own law passed in the summer of 2019. It also legalized the cultivation of cannabis and the purchase and sale of cannabidiol products. Texas farmers are looking forward to growing their first hemp crop in 2022, pending approval by the Texas Department of Agriculture of rules and regulations for farmers who register to grow hemp.
Several other states, including Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington, North Carolina and Kentucky, are just a few years ahead of Texas, and farmers grow hemp there and sell their cannabis to processors who buy cannabidiol and sell it. as tinctures, topical and edible for humans, as well as for pets. Farmers have moved from growing other crops, such as tobacco and cotton, to growing hemp, promising to double the yield of new approved crops.
Why is cannabidiol no longer a crime? What has changed? The problem was that hemp looked and smelled just like its sister plant, marijuana, an infamous plant that people use to get high. Therefore, cannabis, like marijuana, was banned in the United States in the 1930s because law enforcement officials and others could not distinguish between the two plants, so they threw the baby away with the water from the bathtub. This was only corrected in 2018, when the Farms Act was passed, restoring the legality of hemp.
In fact, marijuana produces less cannabidiol than hemp. And hemp produces a smaller amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a chemical that causes high. You can check THC amount with the help of analysis certificates (COA) of independent third-party laboratories issued by cannabidiol manufacturers and sellers.
What’s wrong with CBD? Cannabidiol is a non-psychiatric compound extracted from a cannabis plant that has some truly amazing properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, unpleasant, muscle relaxant, antidepressant, anxiety disorder and many other properties. It has been shown to reduce pain, promote wound healing, promote sleep and improve the overall health and well-being of people and animals. Informal data and scientific studies have shown the potential and effectiveness of the use of cannabidiol to treat these conditions and improve health and well-being. More research is continuing and more research is needed to improve our knowledge of cannabidiol and its effects.
In addition to cannabidiol, there are many other compounds, such as CBN, CBG and many terpenes associated with flavors and smells derived from hemp. It’s a great plant. Historians say that hemp is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, plants grown by humans. Archaeologists have discovered hemp fibres in the crocks of broken ceramics in Taiwan 10,000 years ago. In China, rulers used hemp extract for abdominal and muscle pain, and throughout history hemp has been used to make ropes, sails, building materials, and hemp seeds have even been used as a food additive.
All of these compounds extracted from hemp can be used together as a very powerful healer called the “entourage effect.” The sum of the pieces is larger than each piece individually. That’s why scientists and entrepreneurs are so excited about cannabidiol and its potential.
In conclusion, the CBD market in Texas is thriving, and there are numerous opportunities for farmers, processors, and retailers. CBD products offer numerous health benefits, and there is growing interest in their potential as a natural remedy for anxiety, PTSD, and sleep disorders. More research is needed to understand the full potential of CBD fully.


Conclusions: At the municipal garden in Mandarituba, soil was contaminated with transformer oil due to an act of vandalism. COPEL, the utility company was responsible for the cleanup and restoration of the contaminated soils and the company decided to use AgroRemed BR CTBA specially customized for such applications. The site was excavated and treated as biopile with AgroRemed BR CTBA. Both TPH values and VOC’s were acceptable and the project is closed. The studies showed that AgroRemed BR CTBA was effective in the ratio of almost 1 gallon per ton of soil contaminated with transformer soils.
Transformers at the substation and spilled oil
The transformer oil from the transformers was spilled by miscreants at the substation in a municipal garden in Mandarituba in Brazil. The utility company COPEL was responsible for the cleanup according to the regulators. It was not possible to transport the contaminated soil and hence on-site treatment using AgroRemed BR was considered as the available option.
On-site treatment through biopile
Contaminated soil was excavated and set in biopiles at the site for bioremediation treatment.
Application of AgroRemed BR using watering can
AgroRemed BR received in 55 gallon drums was transferred into inexpensive watering cans for spray on the biopiles.
AgroRemed BR being sprayed on the biopile
AgroRemed BR was sprayed at the rate of almost 1 gallon per ton of soil and the soil was analysed after three weeks and there was a great reduction in the TPH values. Concentrations of VOC was also determined and based on these values the project was closed.


Water-neutral means that the products are manufactured in a water-friendly way, it's all about reducing and offsetting the impacts of water footprints.
Bamboo can be a very sustainable crop, it is a fast-growing grass, that requires no fertiliser and it self-regenerates from its own roots, so it doesn't need to be replanted (unlike most other materials). When comparing bamboo to cotton cultivation for example, cotton requires large amounts of water, pesticides and is labour intensive, so the advantages of bamboo are clear.
Hydrophil use bamboo, a natural ingredient that grows without artificial irrigation.
They only use paint that is produced without mineral oils or other chemical additives and therefore leaves no residues in the drinking water or groundwater during composting.


India is largely an agrarian economy with 55% of Indians today
engaged in farming and contributing to about 17% of GDP. Farmers
are under stress due to falling margins and rising input
Another cause for poor farm income, is an archaic supply chain dominated by middlemen, called ‘Arthis’, who charge extravagant commissions. This has led to farmers getting a fraction of what the end-consumer pays for farm products.
Kisan is my initiative at providing a better supply chain
to the farmers by cutting out the middlemen.
My goal is to achieve the following with my project
i) Providing more avenues and regular farm income
ii) To empower small and marginal farmers by increasing their income substantially and transforming them into entrepreneurs.
I collaborated with the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) in two cities, Secunderabad and Bengaluru and organized spot markets. Through these FPOs, farmers are allowed to bypass the present supply chain.


We're growing! Cremona Municipal Library is pleased to present "The Little Seed Library"🌱“Borrow” seeds- come into the library and browse our selection. Choose up to 10 seed packets to try for FREE
🌱 “Check out” seeds- take your seed selections to the front desk so library staff can complete the check out form
🌱 Plant seeds, grow your community- grow your own food and flowers. Share your gardening tricks, tips and bounty with others. Keep an eye out for events, workshops and gardening resources at the library
🌱 “Check in” seeds- at the end of the season, if you have allowed some plants to go to seed, harvest the seed and we would be happy to accept seed donations so we can keep the seed library stocked for next year!
Can you dig it?! We can’t wait to see what you get growing! Share your gardening tips and pics on the Cremona Municipal Library Facebook group using #cmlseedlibrary .


Over the past few years, we have spent many weeks working with the Lambadi community settled in a valley in the northwestern part of Tamil Nadu. We spend our days with them working together on design, color and stitch ideas, getting to know the individual women through their stories and learning about the processes involved in creating the hand embroidered pieces that are part of our collection. Even though we have been visiting these women since 2011 and it feels so familiar to arrive in the village every time, there is always something to discover or to learn.
Led by a few elders in the community, this group, consisting of around 50 artisans, has been striving to keep their traditional craft alive, preserving and passing on this heritage to future generations. Traditional designs would have been colorful and geometric. Floral patterns would have also been used to adorn clothing and household accessories. Jumma one of the oldest artisans, who must now be close to 75, recalls the days when embroidery and cooking skills were important for a young bride to be able to demonstrate the family she newly married into. The stitches that were used once had special meanings, the knowledge of which however has been lost over time. What still remains strong are the Lambadi ways of living and their unique Lambadi dialects.
Life in the village communities that are dispersed throughout the fields of crops is simple. Houses are roofed with thatch and mostly one story. The family's livestock, when not out grazing or helping to plow the fields, are tethered outside on their small front “terraces.”
The women start their days early, gathering water and grinding the spices which will be used to season the day's meals. Wood is gathered to feed the fires where much of the cooking is done. The men spend their time in the fields, harvesting the season's crops or coaxing their bullocks around in order to till their soil.
The nature around here is quite abundant, especially in times of good monsoon. Turmeric is plentiful as are different millets, and, depending on the season, sugar cane and corn are also grown. Irrigation means that crops can now be grown year round. We really value the time we spend here in this serene setting, working with these talented woman and being able to have a glimpse into their future.


When looking for a gift that needs to be easily sendable or something for someone who has everything- the Gift of Seeds cards are just perfect. Available in a number of varieties, there is a card to suit everyone.
Featuring the beautiful illustrations by Daniella Germain, these are the perfect gift for any occasion.
- Made in Australia
- 100% recycled paper
- Includes an illustrative recycled card plant label to mark where your seeds are planted
- Comes with a recycled kraft envelope for mailing
The beautiful Billy Buttons, an easily grown Australian native flower ball that looks great in the garden and will continue to please as a dried flower.
To sow, scatter seeds in a sunny position and cover with a thin layer of soil. Ensure that the soil stays moist. Beat the rhythm of life with nature’s own golden drumstick.
Variety: Pycnosorus globosus. Billy Button’s are also known as drumsticks or craspedia.
The Bug Wonderland seeds will enchant nature lovers and budding green thumbs young and old. Containing easy to grow old favourites dianthus, cosmos, cornflower and alyssum which will attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial bugs as well as produce a delightful display of colour.
Simply scatter seeds in the garden or into a pot with potting mix, lightly cover with soil, keep moist and wait for these quick-growing seeds to pop up in a few days.
Cosmos sulphureus, Lobularia maritime, Dianthus barbatus, Centaurea cyanus
NOTE: Due to quarantine restrictions we are not able to send the Gift of Seed Cards to WA or TAS


8 qt Seed Starter Magik Moss PVP
Magik-Moss Seed Starter Potting Soil – contains both vermiculite and perlite potting soil additives
Magik-Moss Seed Starter is an all purpose, ready-to-use potting soil mix. This Seed Starter Media has been professionally formulated with a combination of peat, vermiculite and perlite potting soil additives to provide excellent seed germination and growth of young seedlings.
A general guideline is to plant the seed at a depth of 3 times its diameter. This will provide adequate contact with the seedling media and the seed to insure excellent germination providing, of course, other environmental conditions such as temperate and moisture are maintained in the media.
A weight and color change in this media from dark brown to light brown assists you in deciding when to water.
This media can also be used for continued growth of plants.


It is officially apple season. Yay! If you follow me on Facebookor Instagram, you know how much I love visiting pick your own farms. From flowers to berries, New Jersey has some of the best farms for pick your own. Autumn is all about the apples! One fall, we visited four of our favorite farms for apple picking in New Jersey! If you’re looking for a fun fall family activity, check out one of my favorite farms for apple picking below. (Updated September 2022)
Located in the charming town of Chester, Riamede Farm is one of my favorite places to pick apples pumpkins. They offer hayrides to the orchard and pumpkin field. I’m also a huge fan of their sweet orange, yellow and red cherry tomatoes! They also have cut your own sunflowers.
Looking for someplace with more kid-friendly activities? Try one of these farms:
Located in the scenic Morris County, Wightman Farms offers hayrides, a pumpkin slingshot, pick your own apples, a hay maze and more! They also have an onsite store featuring locally grown produce, fresh baked goods and local artisan products.
Another great farm in Chester, Alstede Farms, offers everything from pick your own apples, seasonal veggies, flowers and much much more. They have a fantastic giant hay pyramid that my son loves to climb and jump from. They also have two corn mazes (one for kids and one for adults), farm animals, wine tasting, an onsite store and homemade ice cream and more!
One of Somerset counties best kept secrets if you want to ditch the crowds and commotion is Ripple Hill Farm in Basking Ridge. This is the place to visit for a laid back afternoon picking apples. The serene setting of this quaint apple orchard makes it my favorite farm to visit in the fall. They also happen to grow Granny Smith apples, among many other varieties, which I love!
Located in Princeton (my hometown!), Terhune Orchards is a beautiful 200 acre farm and historic apple orchard that has everything from apple picking, pumpkin picking, farm animals, a farm market, fresh pressed cider, pies and more. They also have a vineyard and winery! Not only was this the first place I ever picked apples as a child, but one summer in high school, I worked in the farm market. Visit their website for advance tickets and Covid precautions.
One of Morris Counties favorite farms, Sun High Orchards dates back to 1945 and has 25 acres of fruit trees. In additional to offering apple picking, Sun High Orchard has friendly animals, including alpaca “Jersey Gold” and mini donkey “Jessica”. Enjoy apple cider donuts, fresh baked pies, ice cream and more in its bountiful farm market. You can even play a game of checkers or Candyland in front of a reconstructed historic bee hive oven and fireplace.
Happy apple picking!
What is your family’s favorite farm for picking apples in New Jersey? I’d love to hear from you! Comment below or get in touch here and I will be sure to respond!
[…] If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy reading my Favorite Farms for Picking Fruit in NJ. […]


In addition to Intel, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the agricultural packing company, Curry & Co., also partnered on the pilot.IoT sensors, manufactured by Honeywell, were placed in totes, or the bins used to collect the produce, as well as the shipping containers. These sensors monitor the time spent awaiting transport and shipment as well as environmental conditions which include product temperature, ambient temperature, humidity, and location. The sensors contain re-usable and recyclable components to maximize cost efficiency. During delivery, the sensors alert in real time whether temperatures fall below or exceed specified parameters or whether the product deviates from its usual route. After shipment, data is aggregated and analyzed. Blockchain ensures that data can be traced and verified along each step of the process, and is kept secure from tampering and theft.


The APIZ company announced the launch of a revolutionary and global project based on the tokenization of real business from the agricultural sector. APIZ became pioneers in their plan of uniting the agricultural and crypto worlds, which in the future will provide a unique opportunity for the joint development and application of blockchain technologies in both areas.
The idea of creating this project came about on the basis of a successful real business that currently exists in 5 countries of the world: Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Spain, and Andorra. Industrial apiaries are apiaries where there are concentrated from 100 to several thousand bee colonies. Such apiaries are the most efficient and cost-effective, but realizing that the development of beekeeping stopped about 100 years ago, the unification of beekeeping systems is still impossible. Mainly the impossibility of creating an effective mechanism for maintaining an industrial apiary, starting from the knowledge that humanity has today, it was decided to develop their own system based on the advanced achievements of mankind: industry, animal husbandry, the agricultural sector, IT Technologies, Blockchain. After all, no one had even thought before that agribusiness could be put on the blockchain and that the blockchain itself could be used to improve the efficiency of agribusiness.
Igor Ganya started his active work 15 years ago in China, with a capital of $ 5,000, and today his group of companies has spread its branches in more than ten countries of the world, covering the fields of agriculture, winemaking, restaurant business, crypto mining, business relations and much more, providing decent pay for more than 400 employees. Today, all forces are thrown into the development of beekeeping, since the leader of the company believes in its prospects most of all.
The APIZ project is based on a ten-year development plan. The main long term goal of the company is to create a system for 1,000,000 hives and tokenize such a factor as a living organism and this organism will be one bee, which will be equated to one APIZ token. Based on an average number of bees in a hive of 50,000 units, the total number of tokens which will be issued is equal to 50,000,000,000.
According to current calculations within the company's economic model, the market price of one bee is $0,01. At the time of the launch of coins, they will all be frozen, and the defrosting system will be strictly prescribed in the smart contract. It will be completely tied to the yearly economic reporting of the enterprise and based on the number of hives at the end of the active beekeeping season (end of October), that part of the coins that corresponds to the formula: quantity of bee colonies at the enterprise * 50000 will be defrosted.
Holders of more than 50,000 coins will get the opportunity to stake coins in order to become the owner of a virtual hive. Investors will have access to actual telemetry of the hive that is represented in company’s balance sheet, with the possibility of receiving it as NFT asset in the future, as well as an annual profit of 7% based on the average net profit from one hive of the company, paid in APIZ tokens.
Holders of more than 2,500,000 tokens will receive the status of the owner of a virtual apiary, having the opportunity to choose the region where the prototype is located, as well as a series of additional options in the form of the possibility of disposing of a part of the finished product, a personal visit to a real location in order to get acquainted with company’s activities, and regular virtual inspection of the apiary, which is possible due to VR technologies and connection to the beekeeper during the real-time inspection. Also, such investors receive an annual profit of 10% based on the average net profit from one hive of the company.
The purpose of telemetry is to increase production and efficiency of the hives and apiaries, which will be achieved by optimizing processes based on the analysis of the working time of beekeepers, recording and documenting data and increasing the operational reliability of equipment. At the moment, APIZ company is deeply studying the methods and how they can be integrated in the beekeeping industry.
70% of investments received from the sale of tokens will be redirected to the development of the beekeeping project. The constant growth of the token’s value will be based on the development of the offline project. Today in beekeeping, the cost of one bee is 0.01 dollars and the profit from it during the year is about $0.017. APIZ company already achieved a profit of $0.025 dollars per bee during the year. Based on the calculations, after ten years, the profit from each bee during the year will increase to $0.15.
The APIZ project is not a startup and until now, the total investments in the project are more than $6,000,000 dollars, with its value today already at $25,000,000. Thus, the company and its offline business is becoming a guarantor of the safety of all investments in a crypto project.
APIZ is guaranteeing to all their investors a ROI on the token in the amount of 110% within 18 months from the date of purchase, based on its value at the time of release. It is the unique connection between the crypto project and the project in the real sector of the economy that gives the opportunity to secure your investments.
Company name: HONGWINE INTERNATIONAL, SLU
Address: Torrent Pregó s/n. Planta 2, Encamp AD200, Principat d’Andorra
Contact Name: Igor Ganea
Professional Email: [email protected]


After college and ten years in the Marine Corps, including three combat tours in Iraq, we moved from an apartment in Newport Beach, California to the pine forests of The Woodlands in southeast Texas. We sell honey produced and harvested on our land by our bees, and we grow chemical free seasonal vegetables utilizing both the high-tunnel system and traditional open air crops. We believe sustainable agriculture is important, therefore we do not practice the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and we use only natural methods to maintain the health of our soil.
Hi, I'm Mike Atkinson, along with my wife Theresa, and my son Bobby.
This is a 4th generation farm, with my grandfather having started farming in Harris County.
In 1961 my grandfather purchased the farm my son and I farm own today. Now our market caters to the local grocery store, Bayou City Farmers Market, and The Woodlands Farmers Market. Presently we farm about 100 acres of vegetables. We have two box trucks for RB Schoemann, 19 tractors, over 100 pieces of equipment, and 8 full time workers at about 60-70 hours per week. We grow a variety of over 60 different vegetables year round, dependant on what is in service.
Edmonds Farms is working hard to preserve the heritage of family farming which has been passed down through many generations dating back to 1872. Edmonds Farms, though relatively young, is part of a much older, established family farm and currently involves three generations of family working on the farm. At Edmonds Farms, we grow all of our produce pesticide-free and deliver it to you within 24 hours of harvest insuring you get the freshest crops possible!
Agricola Family Farm
We first bought our land ( about 2 acres) back in 2016 when the family decided that it was time to expand! Since then, we have been able to slowly increase production for veggies and poultry (eggs and meat).
Half a section our land is strictly used for crops while the other is used for our poultry farming.
Jollisant Farm was established in 1955 as a working dairy farm. In the early 70’s the dairy business was closed, but the barn and garden remained. With the garden still producing each year, we would sell a few of our vegetables just to pay for seed. Then in 2008 we started selling to the public on a small scale. By 2012, we added strawberries and officially turned the farm into a pick your own. Today, consumers pick their own vegetables and strawberries while enjoying fresh country air and sunshine.
Montgomery Texas Specialties
Rick and Joanna have a backyard organic vegetable garden. They sell their excess to the public.
Rain Song Farm
Ed produces vegetables, fruits, herbs and starter plants sustainably, always striving to minimize inputs such as energy, water and fertilizers.


The purpose of the FAO Diversification booklets is to raise awareness and provide decision support information about opportunities at farm and local community level to increase the incomes of small-scale farmers. Each booklet focuses on a farm or non-farm enterprise that can be integrated into small farms to increase incomes and enhance livelihoods. The enterprises profiled in the FAO Diversification booklets selected are suitable for smallholder farmers in terms of resource requirements, additional costs, exposure to risk and complexity. The products or services generated by the enterprises are suitable for meeting demand on a growing, or already strong, local market and are not dependent on an export market. The main target audience for these booklets are people and organizations that provide advisory, business and technical support services to resourcepoor small-scale farmers and local communities in low- and middle-income countries. It is hoped that enough information is given to help these support service providers to consider new income-generating opportunities and how these might enable small-scale farmers to take action. What are the potential benefits? What are farmer requirements and constraints? What are critical ‘success factors’? The FAO Diversification booklets are also targeted to policy-makers and programme managers in government and non-governmental organizations. What actions might policy-makers take to create enabling environments for small-scale farmers to diversify into new income-generating activities?
|Penerbit/Pengarang||:||Elaine Marshall and N. G. (Tan) Nair | FAO Fiat Panis|
|Jumlah Halaman||:||53 Halaman|
|Ukuran File||:||886 KB|


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17155: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Letters to the editor-Haiti needs imports (fwd)
From: leonie hermantin <email@example.com>
Haiti needs imports
Re the Oct. 26 article Some areas really miss the tariffs on Haiti:
I have worked in Haiti with a mission agency for more than 20 years. We do
many community-development projects. In the past we have had poultry
projects. All have closed down -- not because of the availability of cheap
American chicken parts but because of the cost of necessary imported chicken
feed that for many years had been available at a reasonable cost. Then its
cost went out of sight. No reason given.
Yes, U.S. rice and poultry imports also have cost some jobs. However, the
article failed to mention that Haiti has never in recent history been able
to produce enough rice to provide for the need. Rice is such a staple here
that it has to be imported.
To protect a few local rice farmers with high tariffs on imported rice would
only make a tough economic situation far worse for the millions of Haitians
who aren't in the few areas able to produce rice. To protect a few thousand
jobs at the expense of 8 to 10 million people isn't good economics.
The availability of cheap rice and poultry actually has been a great help to
the masses. The chicken parts provide good protein and much more meat per
pound than local chickens.
All the Haitians I know are happy with the availability of good rice and
poultry at reasonable prices.
DANIEL SHOEMAKER, Les Cayes
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Welcome to the home of CalvadosUK
Calvados (French pronunciation: [kal.va.dos]) is an apple brandy from the Normandy region in France.
Based in the UK and with over 10 years experience visiting Normandy and surrounding regions we have developed a great appreciation of this Norman spirit which is so evident in the landscape of the region. From watching apple harvests to visiting Calvados producers from farms (la ferme) to ancient houses or Domaine’s (translates literally as ‘field of’) we have experienced the production of Calvados from start to finish.
With a history stretching back to the 1500’s the production of apples and pears to produce Cider and for distillation into Calvados is indelibly tied to the agriculture and environment or ‘terroir’ of the region. Traditional farm production uses the apple (and occasionally pear) orchards to shelter their herds of characteristic red and white Normande cattle which graze them. Production of milk & dairy products, especially cheese, supplement the seasonal fruit harvest, fermentation and distilling activities.


Innovative research network ColombiaCONNECT:
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This project aims at an innovative transdisciplinary networking and meaningful complementation of the existing Colombian-German cooperation structures in the fields of peace and conflict research, biodiversity and climate impact science as well as bioeconomy and sustainable agriculture.
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The overall objective of ColombiaCONNECT is to establish a permanent Colombian-German innovation network “ColombiaCONNECT – Fair and sustainable use of bioresources in a post-conflict society”. Based on a transdisciplinary cooperation, ColombiaCONNECT will:
- Link the fields of biodiversity and climate impact research, bioeconomy and sustainable agriculture, and peace and conflict research for the fair and sustainable use of bioresources
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- Support the strategic expansion of scientific and economic cooperation between Colombia and Germany.
Please send your proposals to the email: email@example.com


Apr 26, 2017. Straw Bale Gardening is great form of organic gardening that is a cheap alternative to raised bed vegetable gardening. “How do I begin?” you ask. Start with a straw bale. Wallington's stocks inexpensive straw bales all year around. You can use Hay, which has more nutrients, but it's also more expensive.
What is the best wood for raised garden beds?. Straw bales; Avoid. Railway ties—. How To Grow A Dream Garden On $100 Per Year These cheap.
Last year I became inspired by Paul Gautschi’s "Back To Eden" documentary http://vimeo.com/28055108 and I decided to build my own "Eden" garden. I.
At a Federalist Society lunch in Washington yesterday, conservative columnist and TV commentator George Will announced that he changed his. conservative anti-Trumpers should do now, Will said: "Make sure he loses." But.
He once made a suggestive reference to a colleague’s performance in bed and compared it to how she was. “They protected the s— out of Matt Lauer.” Some producers told Variety they were conflicted about what to do around Lauer.
One hapless son came with bales of straw, which did indeed fill the house but which were. Lighting is awesome, and a relatively cheap and easy way to create a whole new atmosphere in the house you’re so desperately bored with. And.
If you're an urban gardener who's despaired of finding enough space to grow even a tomato plant or two, “building” a garden with straw bales creates a whole new range of possibilities. Do you have rocky, uneven, or unyielding clay soil? Are you unable or unwilling to dig up a big plot of ground to prepare the soil for a.
Frequently asked questions (and answers) on growing harvesting, and storing hay, for small farms.
Apr 18, 2016 · How to Grow a Straw Bale. Using straw and compost rather than soil as beds for plants, straw bale gardens can be. com/raised-bed-garden-straw-bale.
After years of having a regular garden, and with my wife not wanting to give up more yard I decided to build my first raised beds. But out of what.I wanted a bed.
The Hayema Heerd campsite in Zuidhorn consists of several buildings: the Hayloft, Straw Castle and two Straw Igloos.
Roseville’s Joel Karsten will present a series of free hourly classes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today (Saturday) on the basics of doing straw. growing in bales is a great way to garden, without the huge investment and permanence of raised.
Want to know the best wood for raised garden beds? Raised beds are garden containers, commonly made from wood, and the type.
I’ve been wanting to do a few “raised beds” in my vegetable garden, but mostly to give me some level garden beds in my very sloped garden.
I currently have 21 bales of straw laid out in. bet to build something cheap, its own contained raised bed garden. The idea is that the straw inside.
Then Bell discovered straw. Resurrecting a 60-year-old no-dig gardening method, she discovered that straw wasn’t just cheap. bales side by side, she created walls beside the cedar chip paths and threw the rest of the straw onto the.
Straw bale gardening is a low-cost, environmentally-friendly technique for creating a raised bed garden. If you're looking for an inexpensive, readily available and easy-to-work-with (read: no power tools required) material for a raised bed garden, try straw bales. Straw bale gardens offer the same benefits of any raised.
Thank you for reading 10 free articles on our site. You can return in 30 days for more, or for immediate access LOGIN to your account (included with your 7-day print subscription) or purchase a digital subscription: What’s included? You’ll get.
I had no experience with a vegetable garden of my own, but I knew I was just the person to tame this 4-by-8 foot raised bed. I grew up watching my dad grow veggies. I worked on a flower farm in high school. And I trained as a plant.
Straw Bale No-dig Garden. A straw-bale garden made from pea straw is just about the easiest and cheapest raised garden bed to build and the best thing about it is that, over time, the straw on the outside starts to rot down and eventually the whole thing can be composted and used on the rest of the garden. Absolutely.
8. Save Cost Of Raised Beds And Buying Containers. You don't have to invest in wooden planks or containers when constructing raised beds. Straw bales are a cheaper and a much better option. You'll need to get new bales at the beginning of every growing season, but the bales can be put to better use at the end.
Oct 7, 2009. Raised beds make gardening easy and productive. A simple way to make them is to use bales of straw (available at feed and farm supply stores) to enclose soil. The bales themselves can be planted — just cut pockets into dampened bales, add soil, and plant. Your plants will benefit from the heat produced.
Jul 16, 2013. Faced with the expense (OK, and effort) of building raised beds, I decided instead to go cheap and easy: a straw bale garden. You can put together a straw bale garden right on your lawn, your driveway (oh yes, your neighbors will love you) or anywhere that gets at least six to eight hours of sun.
But the main point in any conversation about these topics is to warn people to be careful that they DON'T get hay when they buy 'straw bales'. Straw and hay are often packaged up identically, and many garden centers—and even farmers who sell their extra bales on the roadside—use the term 'straw' whether the bale in.
Apr 30, 2013. The Straw Bale Pallet Crate Garden – Simple, attractive and inexpensive to make – this is an easy way to break into gardening!
Currently, the residents in the Old Town Agriculture District are offered special benefits such as discounts on BUF workshops, raised beds and rain barrels. Olson said BUF has experimented with straw bale farming. The.
This page is the second part of how to build a raised bed. MAIN. Again do not worry if the straw is above the top of the raised bed as it will settle as the.
May 2, 2017. Container gardening is a great way to grow flowers, vegetables, and herbs if you don't have access to areas of ground suitable to garden in—but container gardening isn't cheap when you factor in large containers and the potting soil needed to fill them. Luckily, there is a simple and much less expensive.
A raised bed potager, or kitchen garden, showcases the orderly, formal design these beds can bring to a setting. Simple wood frames constructed from rot-resistant.
. Mining the Urban Waste Stream for Building Materials. cheap, non-toxic and fun way to build a temporary garden bed and. Raised bed made from straw bales.
Aug 17, 2011 · Straw Straw is the most common type of bedding used. The advantage of straw is that is is typically inexpensive and available almost everywhere.
From noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 14, those interested in straw bale gardening will pack the downtown office in hopes of learning how to create the easy-to-care-for raised beds. "We’ve been offering Lunch and Learn classes monthly through the.
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Raised Garden Bed Construction – Clay?. I make my raised beds about 8 to 10 inches off of the ground. Go with the straw bales,
One reason is that raised beds are easier to care for than a garden that is tilled. A raised bed is not as prone to grass growing in the garden.
The result is an inexpensive method of growing organic vegetables. It's a good idea to build your straw bale garden around that date, so that you're right on schedule to plant your vegetable garden. In addition to purchasing bales of straw, you'll need some simple equipment to get your straw bale garden started. For an.
Straw Bale Gardening 101. There are many benefits to growing in a straw bale; it's quick, easy and overcomes most garden soil challenges. Get started today.
Raised garden with hay bales. "Cheap and can be used on the pathways, compost, or turned into the soil itself once they no longer hold shape (we think they will last at least a year). It was also easy to remove one bale in order to move our wheelbarrow in when we filled it with dirt.when we want to expand later, we can.
That’s a lot of raised beds and I bet you can hardly wait to see them growing veggies at full capacity. I like the look of the metal but my biggest concern would be.
A straw bale raised bed is an inexpensive method for creating a raised bed. Perfect for new gardeners, frugal gardeners, or gardeners needing more space.
Unlike the wall in a typical home, which is about 6 inches thick, a straw-bale wall is 18 to 23 inches thick, providing greater insulation against winter cold, summer heat and sound. Fire and pests are not a problem, advocates say, and.
Find out where to locate used pallets. + Create a raised bed with an upcycled pallet (pdf) Straw bale garden image via Straw Bale Gardens Straw bale gardens (pdf) are unique and fairly eco-friendly, but do have various pros and cons to.
Gardeners who find difficulty bending will find it easier to access the higher planting surface of a straw bale raised bed and have a comfortable place to sit and work from. A raised bed. Gardeners with poor soil or limited space will like bale gardening for its fertility, It is cheap and fits even the smallest patio. Also the very.
Growing Vegetables in Straw Bales. You can grow crops from seed or plant seedlings — just as you would in a raised bed or in the ground. For seedlings,
Vegetable Gardening in Raised Beds. or you can build them. There are lots a very cheap. those into a virtually free raised bed. Straw bales are a popular.
Additionally, Ram engineers wanted to make sure the new engine would run best on 87. felt vastly improved and almost downright refined. Our test truck had a bed full of hay bales and carried the tall load with composure and control.
Jan 31, 2013. I have good news–there is an economical way that keeps the plants very happy: straw bale raised beds! Straw bales. Now don't you think that is cheaper and far less back breaking than than buying wood, building a frame, buying topsoil and extra soil amendments and slapping it all together? Yes. Maybe.
Truck Dump Beds For Sale The SZ Truck Bed Model is a utility style bale bed with the ability to pull gooseneck trailers. The SZ comes in three sizes: 8’-6”, 9’-4”, and 11’-4”. Pik Rite dump bodies are built to handle the heavy duty jobs: Municipal, Construction, Mining, Excavation, Agriculture and more! Custom sizes, body styles and tail gate options
You can find bales at garden centers. Wheat-straw bales are best, though other legumes, such as alfalfa and buckwheat, are reasonable substitutes. Avoid hay bales, which are often quite a bit cheaper. They often include dried grasses with lots of seeds. In addition, they break down too quickly and become weedy.
Home » Grow It Yourself » Archive by category Raised Bed Gardening. Raised beds are an excellent choice if you are. Tire Gardening This is a cheap and easy.
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Agricultural Engineering has to play a leading role in sustainable agriculture in climate change scenario. All the disciplines under agricultural engineering are fundamental to conservation of land, water resources and to bring about climate resilience in agriculture. New agriculture need to address issues of unit productivity/profitability and ensure safe food to growing population. High-tech farming, precision agriculture, Artificial intelligence & robotics in agriculture, addressing agriculture value chain components and creation of skilled human resource are challenges which are vital for successful journey towards new revolution in agriculture sector. Agricultural engineering now has to address these new challenges and thus the major objective of this conference is to provide a platform for policy makers, academicians, industries, farmers, students and others.
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Gardening with kids is one of my favorite activities to do year round! In the cold winter months you can even start seeds indoors. Children can then observe changes as the seeds begin to sprout and grow over time and record their observations on the free printable recording sheet! NGSS: Disciplinary Core Idea LS1.C. Recycled Container Gardening with Kids Trisha Art & Crafts, Nature, Science Recycled container gardening is a fun a way to get kids involved and is a great way to reuse and upcycle containers you would otherwise be recycling. Get this from a library! Kids' container gardening: year-round projects for inside and out. [Cindy Krezel; Bruce Curtis] -- Provides instructions for gardening in containers such as . When kids get involved, it’s even better. I have had the book “Dinner from Dirt” by Emily Scott, Catherine Duffy and Denise Kirby on my shelf and in my bag of “books for kids” for years, and I have talked about theme gardening for children at hundreds of workshops. One person in my house likes to garden even more than me.
Kids Container Gardening
Publisher: Tandem Library
Written in English
- Juvenile Nonfiction,
- Children"s Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction,
- Children"s gardens,
- Container gardening,
- Juvenile literature,
- Children: Grades 3-4
|The Physical Object|
- Nutritional influences on illness
- The Timaeus, and the critias
- Lets review
- Intermediate Reader of Modern Chinese
- technique for mass-marking fish by means of compressed air
- Inventing Motherhood
- Petrography and petrology
- Feeronaih Abbosh
- The rise and development of Western civilization
- Bright Ideas for Creative Parents
- The design of reinforced concrete
- Memorial addresses on the life and character of Frank Welch
- There is the land
- Claims of the country on American females.
- Augustine and the Greek philosophers
- Classical Sinhalese sculpture
- Deadham Hard (A Romance)
- KINGDOM OF HORROR (Grailquest, No 5)
- Public relations practice in South Africa
- Solution of social problems
Kids Container Gardening by C. Krezel Download PDF EPUB FB2
With 18 projects gleaned from the author’s experience as director of the Good Earth Kids’ Club, Kids’ Container Gardening will teach enthusiastic young gardeners how to create an assortment of container gardens that are simple to make, that are fun to work on, and that make great zed by season, the books’ chapters will help kids develop their green thumbs with projects 4/4(5).
With 18 projects gleaned from the author’s experience as director of the Good Earth Kids’ Club, Kids’ Container Gardening will teach enthusiastic young gardeners how to create an assortment of container gardens that are simple to make, that are fun to work on, and that make great zed by season, the books’ chapters will help kids develop their green thumbs with projects 5/5(1).
This is the definitive and most authoritative book ever published on the glories of English gardening—historically and horticulturally, a tour de unprecedented in-depth look at the English garden by one of Britain's foremost garden writers and authorities, this book.
Kids' Container Gardening book. Read 8 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Enthusiastic young gardeners have the opportunity to devel 3/5(8). Container gardens are super fun for kids. Because of variety in size, shape and what is grown, container gardens are fun and intriguing to little ones.
Container Gardening with kids is also manageable, and even the youngest of children can be in charge of their own container garden. Download: Container Gardening for Kids Overview: A container garden makes a great first garden project. All you need is something that can hold soil with small holes in the bottom for excess water to drain.
Materials: Container (a 3- or 5-gallon bucket works great). Hydroponics and Greenhouse Gardening: 3-in-1 Gardening Book to Grow Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruit All-Year-Round (Urban Homesteading) Richard Bray out of 5 stars Gardening Projects for Kids: Fantastic ideas for making things, growing plants and flowers, and attracting wildlife to the garden, with 60 practical projects and photographs Jenny Hendy.
Because container gardening simplifies the gardening process, it shouldn’t be a surprise that kids love it. With this in mind, container gardening could be a great way to bond as a family. The kids will enjoy their growing success and healthy veggies while you get to share knowledge and enjoy quality time.
A container garden is a perfect way to get kids interested in gardening by giving them their own domain – without the commitment of a plot of land in your yard. Maybe you’re short on space or don’t trust your child’s budding green thumb enough to feel comfortable handing over a.
Read "Kids' Container Gardening Year-Round Projects for Inside and Out" by Cindy Krezel available from Rakuten Kobo. Enthusiastic young gardeners have the opportunity to develop a green thumb and experience the joys of gardening in this Brand: Chicago Review Press.
I borrowed this book from the local public library after learning about it from an online website. Now, while I can't disagree that the author did a great job of giving tips and ideas of how to put together a really beautiful and organic-looking container garden, I must say this probably wouldn't be a really good book for beginners who want to learn the basics about container gardening in general/5(3).
General gardening greatness is found this book. Mesmerizing illustrations and great seed and plant facts. Gardening Activity Books: Gardening Lab for Kids by Renata Fossen Brown. Gardening Projects for Kids: Ways to get kids outside, dirty and having fun.
Grow Your Own for Kids: How to be a Great Gardener. A container garden can be as simple as a few pots of herbs in a window box or as elaborate as an array of large, outdoor tubs with plants that rotate seasonally. You can do all your gardening in containers or they can complement an in-ground garden space.
Some of the benefits of container gardening include: Maximizing your space. There are lots of toys and other containers that are just perfect for turning into gardens, and kids will love coming up with ideas. A kiddie pool makes a great raised bed, and trucks, wagons, and almost anything else that can hold enough potting soil and a plant will do.
Make sure to add drainage holes so excess water can : Kerry Michaels. As a life-long gardener and frequent apartment resident/city-dweller, these are my top five container and small space gardening books. Each one has specific strengths, so make sure to choose your go-to gardening book with your particular needs in mind.
These books are listed in no particular order - each one is fantastic and worth owning. Kids' Container Gardening Year-round Projects for Inside and Out (Book): Krezel, Cindy: Provides an opportunity to develop a green thumb and experience the joys of gardening through seventeen projects that show how to create a year-round assortment of simple and fun container gardens.
If you are new to gardening, have limited space or really little kids, consider container gardening. There is no need to go buy containers unless you really want to. Look around and recycle what is around you.
Each kid should have their own garden space, whether it’s a pot or two or their own Square Foot Garden (details in this book). The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids Mister Owita's Guide to Gardening Container Gardening for the Midwest Gardening in Illinois Guide to Illinois Vegetable Gardening Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening.
Related Videos. Today’s #DailyReader should bring. Plant your garden. Add one or two large, flat rocks in the sun so butterflies a place to bask when mornings are cool. Since butterflies cannot drink from open water, provide them with a "puddle" by filling a container, such as an old birdbath, with wet sand where they can perch and drink safely.
Once the garden is planted, stand back and wait. Gardening Books and Activities for Kids. We’ve checked out loads of gardening picture books from the library and added a few new ones to our collection.
One of the children’s favorites is Miss Rumphius. This lovely story is all about making the world more beautiful and in the story, the heroine does just that with lupine seeds. - Explore nationalplt's board "Easy Indoor Gardening with Children", followed by people on Pinterest.
See more ideas about Outdoor gardens, Garden projects and Gardening tips pins. Container Gardening For Kids Submitted by Cindi Greenfield on April 2, - pm I'm developing a program ("Sprouts") to provide disadvantaged school aged children K an opportunity to grow fresh produce in their homes (on a deck if available.
Kids' Container Gardening. by Cindy Krezel Bruce Curtis ebook. Read a sample Read a sample a listing of plants and resources used in the book, and numerous photographs to show kids that they're proceeding on the right path as they create their individual containers.
Gardening Juvenile Nonfiction. Container gardening is a great way to begin gardening with kids. A surprising amount of food can be grown from containers. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pole beans, herbs and strawberries can all thrive in containers.
Buy pots that drain and are at. Gardening & Botany Lesson Plans & Activities. Choose from these resources to increase students' knowledge about gardening. Included are activities highlighting math and science skills through literature based activities, growing a class garden, and learning about different types of soil and habitats.
Overall, be sure to reserve a container or two that are just for your kids. Travis and Gabe Valbert, brothers and co-owners of GardenSphere in Tacoma, note that children take great pride in creating a personal garden where they can make all of the.
Container Gardening Complete takes the guesswork out of successful container growing with hundreds of full-color photographs of eye-catching plant combinations and lists of the very best fruit, flower, vegetable, and herb varieties for container culture. Also included in the book are over 20 step-by-step projects using unique, upcycled.
- A hand curated list for the Best Books for Gardening with Kids. #gardening #gardeningwithkids #preschool #Kindergarten #kidsgardeningideas Stay safe and healthy. Please practice hand-washing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
of over 2, results for Books: Home & Garden: Gardening: Container Gardening Veg in One Bed: How to Grow an Abundance of Food in One Raised Bed, Month by Month 7 Mar /5. Gardening Guides Family Gardening A Guide to Family Gardening When the kids grow their own tomatoes and berries, they're way more likely to actually eat them.
Here's our guide to getting the kids interested in planting their own garden.She’s the author of five gardening books, including the Amazon-bestseller Good Bug Bad Bug, winner of the AHS Book Award Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control, and her newest title Container Gardening Complete: Creative Projects for Growing Vegetables and Flowers in Small Spaces.
Jessica also.Enthusiastic young gardeners have the opportunity to develop a green thumb and experience the joys of gardening in this how-to guide for kids. Eighteen time-tested, proven projects gleaned from the author's experience as director of the Good Earth Kids' Club teach children how to create a year-round assortment of container gardens that are.


Annual report highlight: InnovateJuly 1, 2021
West Central Michigan Horticultural Research, Inc.
In less than two years, the West Michigan Research Station went from a field and a dream to a collection of neat green and white buildings and a hum of activity.
“In 20 months, we went from zero dollars in the checking account to where we are now,” said Andy Riley, president of West Central Michigan Horticultural Research Inc. Located on 68 acres in Hart, Michigan, the $1.5 million agricultural research station serves fruit and asparagus growers in Mason, Newaygo, and Oceana counties. It will host a Michigan State University Extension educator and MSU graduate students researching fruit varieties, invasive species, and more.
According to Andy, the microclimate of the three-county region is unique and boasts diverse crops thanks to its proximity to Lake Michigan. But unlike other regions, there was no station to address the needs of local farmers or for large-scale agricultural research.
“We were one of the largest fruit-growing regions without a research station,” he said. “Traverse City has one, Grand Rapids, southeast Michigan—but we didn’t. Now, our counties [can] be on the cutting edge.”
In addition to being a research hub, the station includes meeting and event space. Project leaders also look forward to offering educational opportunities for local students. The Community Foundation was an early supporter of the project, awarding a $50,000 grant in 2020.
“We’re so grateful for the Community Foundation’s support, for the support of Peterson Farms, and the people who donated,” said Andy. “Everything is always changing. Growers have to know how to adapt. This place is a problem-solving unit.”


Dubai Flower Center
This free zone is floriculture paradise of 21st century, located at international airport in Dubai. The quick access of perishables to the destined markets with an appropriate supply chain management makes this center the benchmark across the world.
This free zone was completed in 2004 at the cost of approximately $ 50 million to do the supply across the corners of the world with help of its contemporary resources and supply through air routes. Dubai Flower Center is able to produce 150,000 tons of perishables with the floor area of 100,000 sq. meters inclusive of buildup stations and automated sorting areas. It has the handling capacity of 300,000 metric tons of perishable products throughout the years and the cold storage is 34,000 sq. meter with 19 tenants from 11 countries with wide range verities of perishables like fruits, plants, vegetables and cut flowers.


By Arjan Bhardwaj
It’s distinct yellow-orange colour and tantalising fragrance has travelled the world, branching out from its origins in Greece and the Middle East, to becoming one of the most expensive spices in the world. Saffron, or kesar, is used not just as a condiment and spice in food, its also used in perfumes, clothes dye and medicines. Derived from the Arabic word ‘Zafaraan’ (meaning yellow), saffron made its way to Spain, travelling there with the Arabs in the 13th century. The Moors took it to Italy, France and Germany. Today saffron is grown in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, from India to Morocco and England. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, close to 85 percent of the world’s saffron is produced by Iran.
Crocus Sativus Bulbs (Image Courtesy: roco safforn)
Today the long red strands, which release complex flavour, are sold is tiny bundles at eye-popping prices (up to $16 per gram). Fortunately, you just need a pinch for your paella, biryani, carrot halwa or Moroccan tagine to get that distinct saffron accent.
Why does it cost so much? That’s because the process of harvesting the strands is painstaking. A large number of the purple flowers (crocus sativus or the saffron crocus) that bear the minute stigmas need to be harvested to give a usable quantity of saffron. Once they have been separated, they are dried in order to preserve the colour and flavour.
According to The Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs and Spices: Seasonings for the Global Kitchen, some 50,000 flowers need to be processed to yield 0.45 kg of dry saffron. Other reports peg the requirement at 75,000 flowers for the same quantity of saffron. There are apparently only three stigmata in each flower. And this is why saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world.
Coupe Spanish Saffron (Image Courtesy :Amazon)
The health benefits of saffron range from improving blood circulation and speeding up the metabolic rate to reducing blood pressure and treating depression. Saffron was blended with egg whites and used by medieval monks to create a yellow-gold colour for their manuscripts. It is said the Cleopatra added saffron to her baths for its cosmetic properties and the Romans used it as a deodorizer.
Rich in manganese, saffron also contains Vitamin C and quantities of the compound, crocin. Combined with milk, saffron is good for digestion, skin and for enhancing immunity.
Available in threads, tips or as a powder, saffron is available all year round. The threads are the best option and the redder the colour, the better quality the saffron. Thankfuly saffron has a long shelf life, especially if stored correctly. The threads should be kept in a cool, dry, dark place and can even be frozen for up to a year.


Dr. Teresa Mellish
In 1970, Dr. Teresa Mellish and her new husband Ken decided to embark upon a life-changing adventure by taking on Cuso International volunteer placements halfway around the world. Teresa taught Agricultural Economics at Kolej Pertanian Malaysia, while Ken conducted livestock nutrition research with the Malaysian Agricultural Research Development Institute (MARDI).
Through volunteering, Teresa experienced different agricultural practices and connected with staff and students from the Kampongs. She developed a new perspective on how agriculture development works, as well as the benefits it brings to the host country and to Canadian volunteers.
Teresa and Ken appreciated that volunteering allowed them to work and travel together. “We always wanted to see the world,” remembers Teresa. During their placement, Teresa and Ken explored Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Burma, Afghanistan and Iran.
Upon returning to Canada, Teresa had an extensive career with the Prince Edward Island government, where she supported effective agricultural practices.
In 1980, Teresa helped found Farmers Helping Farmers (FHF), an award-wining not-for-profit organization that partners with farming families in Kenya on practical projects to support sustainable subsistence farming.
In 2011, Teresa received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Prince Edward Island for her contributions to sustainable international development.
Now retired, Teresa remains active with FHF, as well as the Dutch Warmblood horse breeding farm she shares with Ken, the couple’s children and grandchildren.


On a quest for the best strawberry, I took my BRIX meter to my local farmers’ market. What’s a BRIX meter? It’s a device that measures sugars and other nutrients in a few drops of juice. It looks like a little telescope. When you look through the eyepiece, it tells you the quality of your food on a scale of 0 to 32.
I had no idea how the farmers would respond to my request to test their strawberries. So, I promised to buy the ones with the highest BRIX! The samples were already there for tasting. I just wanted folks to know what I was doing. After all, it might look a little weird to bite a strawberry in half then rub a little juice onto the BRIX meter, which is exactly what I did!
This week, the “BRIX BLUE RIBBON” award goes to Three Springs Fruit Farm! Three Springs has stands at farmers’ markets in MD, PA, and VA. Their berries had the highest score of the day with a solid 10. Better than the 6 logged by another farm stand. A 10 is average for strawberries, but high enough that the fruit was sweet and palatable. I am guessing that as summer progresses, the numbers will rise. Ben Wenk of Three Springs tells me he achieves better berries through the quality of his soil and by testing three varieties to see which grow better. I should have told him that at NaturalCheck, we love testing, too.
Join the quest for the best produce! Email us at Testing@NaturalCheck.com or comment here with the best BRIX you can find. Haven’t tried a BRIX meter yet? No problem. NaturalCheck has two varieties for you to choose from.
Wouldn’t it be great to know where to find the best produce? A few volunteers in the same town could post results online for thousands to share. What do you think?


HarrowHouse.lk is the esteemed online retail store of Elpitiya Plantations, a renowned plantation company under Aitkenspence Plc. Renowned for their tea production, the company also boasts some of Sri Lanka's finest strawberries cultivated in state-of-the-art greenhouses. This article explores the meticulous production process, from cultivation to delivery, ensuring customers receive only the freshest and most perfect strawberries. Additionally, we delve into the plethora of health benefits that consuming fresh strawberries offers.
The Careful Cultivation Process:
Strawberry cultivation at Elpitiya Plantations is a well-honed process, emphasizing precision and care at every stage. The journey starts in sophisticated greenhouses, protecting the plants from adverse weather conditions while allowing for optimal sunlight. Seed selection is crucial, ensuring premium quality strawberries with superior taste and texture. Advanced irrigation systems maintain a consistent water supply, vital for the strawberries' growth. Moreover, natural fertilizers and eco-friendly pest control measures are employed, reflecting the company's commitment to sustainable agriculture.
Harvesting and Handling:
Harvesting is an art in itself, as only fully ripened strawberries are hand-picked by skilled staff. This ensures that customers receive strawberries at the peak of their flavour and nutritional value. The immediate handling and refrigeration post-harvest guarantee that the fruit retains its freshness until it reaches the customer's doorstep.
Swift Delivery for Optimal Freshness:
HarrowHouse.lk's dedication to freshness doesn't end with cultivation. The company has established efficient delivery networks to ensure strawberries reach customers promptly. The strategic locations of distribution centers further minimize transportation time, making certain that the fruit's freshness remains intact during transit.


We have a brand new solar power system to keep things going during a power outage. A limited program for now, but will be adding panels and batteries over time to become totally independent. It was quite a learning experience putting it in. Ready to share what I have learned with any interested party, Meanwhile spring planting is under weigh and looking very good. Fruit trees have bloomed earlier than usual but have been holding up under some frosty mornings. Hoping the extreme cold nights are finished for this year and will allow for a bumper crop of cherries, peaches, Asian pears, plums and apples. There will be plenty of berries as always. My best crops are raspberries, asparagus, garlic, onions, taters, cucumbers and maters. Come for a week in the summer and enjoy these fruits along with my eggs and other products. Already have a hen sitting on eggs. Chicks due around April 23rd or 24th. Polly and Clyde are doing fine. Hazel has moved in with 9 other horses on another farm. Lots of friends for her now and might become a mother. Have three little pigs right now. All good here.


Hay is a town in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales. It is the administrative center of Hay shire Local Government Area and the center of a prosperous and productive agricultural district on the wide Hay Plains.
Located on the main route approximately midway between the large cities of Sydney and Adelaide at the junction of the Sturt, Cobb and, Mid-Western Highways. Hay is an important regional and national transport node. The township itself is built beside the Murrumbidgee River, part of the Murray-Darling river system; Australia's largest. The main business district of Hay is situated on the north bank of the river.
Hay is one of Australia's leading wool growing and sheep meat producing areas, with the area home to around 26 parent studs. Cattle are also produced for sale for slaughter and, in recent years, for sale to feedlots for fattening. In irrigated areas, crops such as lettuce, pumpkins, tomatoes, garlic, corn, rockmelons, watermelons and broccoli are grown, picked and packaged in the area. Hay is also the leading producer in the Riverina of Safflower, lettuce and broccoli.
In recent years, rice and cotton have been produced in Hay. While colder growing seasons have hindered the development of the cotton industry, rice production has expanded from over 400 hectares in 1991-92 to over 7,000 hectares in 1997-98, with production for the Hay district in 2002 estimated at 75,375 tones. A rice receival depot on the outskirts of town is capable of drying up to 32,000 tones of rice before delivery to the mill at Deniliquin.
SHEAR OUTBACK – The Australian Shearers Hall of Fame. This is an innovative new interpretive center with interactive experiences for all ages, and you’ll meet the shearers, shed workers, sheep and dogs who work in the industry. A great experience a little different than you might expect.
HAY GOAL MUSEUM – A diverse collection of artifacts showcasing the history of Hay is displayed in the building and grounds of the old Hay Goal.
THE HAY PRISONER OF WAR AND INTERNMENT CAMP INTERPRETIVE CENTRE – Housed in two railway carriages, the museum tells the story of the camps in Hay where the ‘Dunera Boy’ and Japanese and Italian prisoners of war, were held during World War II.
BISHOP’S LODGE HISTORIC HOUSE AND HERITAGE ROSE GARDEN
Bishop’s Lodge is 1888 iron house designed by architect John Sulman and the Bishop of Riverina to combat the region’s extreme climate. The building is surrounded by a heritage garden, which contains remarkable collection of historic roses.
HAY PLAINS - Surrounded by the awesome Hay Plains, some 4,400,000 vast hectares of terrains on one of the flattest areas on earth.
MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER AT SUNSET - A walk along the Murrumbidgee River culminating in a spectacular Hay Sunset is an unforgettable experience. Hay is truly an oasis.


A model for the adoption and acceptance of mobile farming platforms (MFPs) by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe
Vaal University of Technology
The agriculture sector is the lifeblood of the economies of the world's least developed countries (LDCs). In Zimbabwe, this sector is considered to be the backbone of Zimbabwe's economy, and as a result, it is the sector that supports the economic growth of the country, food security, and poverty eradication efforts. Furthermore, the use of mobile technology has continued to rise in Zimbabwe, and farmers now can obtain agricultural information through the use of mobile technology. Mobile phones are increasingly being integrated into current agricultural trade businesses, owing to the critical role they serve in facilitating information transmission between farmers and buyers. The potential of mobile phones in agriculture spawned mAgriculture, which is the use of mobile phones to provide agricultural information and services. Variousitechnology companies in iZimbabwe have come up with various mobile farming platforms as innovation, with the aim of improving overall performance among smallholder farmers. In order to find the usefullness of these mobile farming platforms, it imperative to measure the adoption and acceptance of this technology in the farming environment. The study sought to investigate the adoption and acceptance of mobile farming platforms in Zimbabwe through a more comprehensive model based on UTAUT 2 that encapsulates the key factors that influence user adoption and acceptance of mobile farming platforms. The main aim of the study was to inform technology start-up companies and other mobile application developers in the development of mobile farming platforms or applications that can be fully adopted and accepted by users, taking into cognisance all salient factors affecting their adoption and acceptance. The model has been used to investigate smallholder farmers in a developing country such as Zimbabwe. The model explores the effect of attitude as one of the key determinants that affect the behavioral intention to use mobile farming platforms. In addition, the model looked at the moderating effect of Hofstede's five cultural dimensions on the key determinants that influence behavioral intention as well as actual use of mobile farming platforms at individual level. A total of 411 questionnaires were received from smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe's three major provinces who were using mobile farming platforms. Structural Equation Modelling was utilized to test the hypothesized conceptual model. Reliability and validity checks were done to the model instrument. As hypothesized, the findings of this study revealed that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE) and facilitating conditions (FC) are significant determinants of the newly added variable Attitude (AT). Attitude (AT), together with social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), hedonic motivation (HM), price value (PV), and habit (HB) were found to be significant determinants of behavioral intention and usage of mobile farming platforms for smallholder farmers. The results also showed that cultural dimensions have a moderating effect on user acceptance of mobile farming platforms. According to the findings, attitude and culture are significant factors to consider when analyzing farmers' behavioral intentions and use of mobile farming platforms. The findings of the study contribute to the literature by validating and supporting the applicability of the extended UTAUT 2 for the adoption and acceptance of mobile farming platforms by smallholder farmers in developing countries. The theoretical contribution of the study was through the extension of UTAUT 2 where attitude was added as one of the new key determinants of behavioral intention and cultural dimensions were added as mediators. The other contribution is to the Zimbabwean farming community where the study was conducted.
D. Tech. (Department of Information and Communication Technology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology.
Mobile Farming Platforms (MFPs), Agriculture sector Zimbabwe, Smallholder farmers, Technology in farming environment


Dan the Mango Man sources fresh quality mangoes from Northern Territory and Queensland farmers and directly on-sell to the public. Dan the Mango Man is all about fresh fruit and vegetables AND of course, MANGOES, with multiple Road Side Stalls, Market Stalls and their main Fruit and Vegetable Shop located on Steve Irwin Way.
Late September to
Fruit & Veg Shop
Lot 22 Steve Irwin Way,
|Fruit and Vegetable Shop – Steve Irwin Way
OPEN 7 days per week
The Australian Kensington Mango Story
In the latter half of the 19th century Bowen, in North Queensland, was the centre of a thriving horse trading business between North Queensland and India. The crews of the ships coming in from India bought many items back with them, including mangoes.
The Bowen Harbourmaster and Customs Officer at the time, Mr GE Sandrock, collected a quantity of mango seeds from the sailors and planted them on his property “Woodlands” just outside Bowen. As this initial stock came into fruit, seeds from the better quality and better producing trees were separately collected and Mr Sandrock gave these to a friend of his, Mr McDonald, who planted them on his property at Adelaide Point near Bowen.
A local farmer, Mr Harry Lott, selected a good stringless type of fruit from McDonald’s harvests and used the seeds to start a small orchard on his property, “Kensington”, in the late 1880’s.
Mr Lott found that his mango variety sold well at the local markets due its smooth stringless flesh, and attempted to monopolise the variety. Other local growers unfortunately got hold of seeds by fair and foul means, and within a few years this style of mango was widely distributed through the Bowen and Burdekin regions. In short, Kensington Mangoes ARE Bowen Mangoes. They are the same variety.
The name “Kensington” has remained although this variety is also called “Bowen Special”. It is easily identifiable by its large, bright orange colour, often with a red blush, and its deep orange flesh that is free of fibrous strands.


In this day of “going green” and organic gardening it’s worth considering how best to use those leaves collecting on the ground in your yard.
DR Power offers a complete lineup of leaf and lawn vacuums to collect leaves. Once you’ve collected them here are three tips on how to turn what used to be waste into a valuable resource.
Tip #1: Make leaf mold
Leaf mold greatly improves the water-holding capacity of soil. That can mean savings to your water bill. The mold also improves soil quality, providing a possible savings on fertilizer, because leaf mold contains valuable stores of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Making leaf mold is easy and there are two ways to do it. The lazy way involves gathering leaves into a sheltered, inconspicuous area of your yard and leaving them undisturbed for two years. The more ambitious method is to make a 3-by-3-foot cage from wooden stakes and chicken wire. Pile the leaves in the cage. Speed up the rate of decomposition by occasionally turning the pile. Keep it moist during extended periods of dry weather.
Tip #2: Make compost
Don’t spurn this purest of organic gardening practices. Making a compost pile might also inspire you to till a small plot of your yard and plant a garden. The bumper crop of fresh vegetables will provide a healthy source of nutrition while cutting costs from the grocery bill. Make compost from fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and grass clippings. Leaves are a great foundation for starting the compost bed. All it takes to fuel the decomposition is occasionally turning the pile with a shovel or rake.
Tip #3: Make mulch
Dry leaves can be raked into perennial gardens or shrub borders to make a pure form of organic mulch. Leaves add nutrients to the soil as they break down, while keeping the soil moist and shaded. That in turn reduces weeds and watering needs. The eventual deterioration of leaves also provides a welcoming environment for earthworms and soil organisms required to sustain any organic garden.
The experts at DR Power want you to get the most from your property. To receive your free buyer’s guide to help choose the best lawn vacuum for your needs click here.