Lawns are ubiquitous in the United States and according to a 2015 NASA study, they take up three times as much space as the next largest irrigated crop, corn. These familiar patches of green require 9 billion gallons of water per day, around 90 million pounds of fertilizers and 75 million pounds of pesticides per year. Plus, the lawnmowers that maintain them largely...
SANTA FE, Texas (KTRK) — Painted on Santa Fe City Hall, a mural serves as a reminder of the May 18 attack, but directly behind the building, there’s a place that could one day help survivors cope with the trauma. Mandy Jordan leads the nonprofit Keep Santa Fe Beautiful. Jordan’s working to turn the greenspace behind City Hall into a therapeutic garden,...
INDIANAPOLIS — There is a burgeoning group of generationally and ethnically diverse women growing food in central Indiana. The face of agriculture is changing, and there is great momentum behind the trend of more women involved in agricultural enterprises, said Eliana Blaine, soil health outreach coordinator at Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District. “Women...
Dr. Willem Van Cotthem experimented with this vertical gardening system using recycled plastic bottles stacked and attached to a fence. He began with the 2011 growing season and continued through 2012 with great success. This type of garden is cheap to start and is extremely effective for those who do not have a lot of growing space. A system like this could...
More mushrooms? A proposed bill in the Florida Senate could usher in more beds of beets at homes statewide by barring local governments from regulating vegetable gardens. It would create a Catch-22 for cities such as Orlando, where city officials bristle at preemptive moves from Tallahassee and are looking to expand urban agriculture. City officials said this week...
Before they might open up selected Eau Claire parks to beekeepers, City Council members want more details as they grapple with how that could affect residents who are allergic to the insects’ stings. The council discussed potential changes Monday night to its ordinance that allows beekeeping, which are expected to come back for a vote later this month after undergoing...
Young Woman Working in a Home Grown Vegetable Garden Whether you’re a newcomer to the city or a born-and-bred Seattleite, it’s no surprise that the Emerald City has a reputation for being green in more ways than one. In July, Seattle became the first city in the nation to ban the use of plastic straws at cafés and restaurants. In 2015, composting became not just...
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Saratoga County is a microcosm of New York’s diverse $5 billion agriculture industry, which ranks nationally as a leader for goods such as yogurt, cheese and sour cream (first); apples and maple syrup (second); and milk production (third). Many more opportunities such as farm-to-school initiatives, urban gardening and enhanced marketing...
Detroit — Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow on Monday championed reforms to encourage urban agriculture in the 2018 Farm Bill. Stabenow, a ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, urged President Donald Trump to sign the bipartisan legislation that would widen a safety net for farmers, encourage conservation efforts...
Bowery Farming Inc., a two-year-old startup that uses robotics to cultivate crops indoors, is on track for more growth. The New York-based company plans to announce on Wednesday that it raised $90 million from investors including Alphabet Inc.’s GV and Uber Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, said Bowery’s co-founder and CEO, Irving Fain. The company declined...
The green revolution that transformed modern agriculture has generally increased its scale. There’s tremendous potential for efficiencies in the large-scale application of mechanization, fertilization, and pesticide use. But operating at that level requires large tracts of land, which means sources of food have grown increasingly distant from the people in...
It’s been a BEAUTIFUL year! Now that it’s coming to an end let’s have some FUN and celebrate by looking back at our most POPULAR posts from 2018. 1. @urbanorganicgardener 2. @mimscuisine 3. @myactiveroots 4. @825farm 5. @bigdeliciousplanet 6. @suburban.existence 7. @almabackyardfarms 8. @lifecanbeadreamsweetheart 9. @suburban.existence Happy...
“An urban garden that will yield colorful plants to make dye for artists and educators is being planned for a vacant lot in West Baltimore. The half-acre garden will be located in the Rosemont community as part of a nearly 6-acre parcel in the 800 block of Ashburton Street. The property is owned by Coppin State University and will be a part of a pilot urban...
TomatoFest announces the release of “Anthony Bourdain Tomato” seeds. “Anthony Bourdain was an American celebrity chef, author, and television personality who explored the cuisines, culture, joys and essentials of human existence around the world. He was an icon to me, and many others, who love food and cooking as a most enjoyable way of gathering...
As far back as World War I, nature and farming have been used to help returning veterans heal invisible wounds from war. Brian Sales, a disabled combat veteran who served nearly a decade in the U.S. Army Infantry, knows firsthand the power of connecting with nature after seeing war. When he returned to civilian life after two tours in Iraq and one in Kosovo, he struggled...
Q: Now that winter has come, I miss my garden and eating what I grow. Can you give me some tips for things I could try growing inside during the winter? – Beth from Newburgh A: It is tough when that frost-bite chill of winter nips at your green thumb and forces you inside, I know. And while I have some houseplants growing and they are nice to look at, and occasionally...
Maybe you think of your garden as a place to escape from work or other stresses. Or perhaps you see it as a special place where you can feel close to nature. But have you ever thought of it as a sanctuary? As a sacred space? If you haven’t taken this leap of faith but are intrigued by the idea, then take the time to read “Creating Sanctuary: Sacred Garden...
1. Pick hardy plants. Of course, if you don’t have a green thumb to start with, winter can pose a whole other challenge. Use this season to focus on naturally hardy and already well-established plants, rather than deciding now’s the time to try your hand at a new specialty. “Sansevieria is a standby as a truly solid, highly tolerant plant,” Lowrie tells Brit...
DENVER — People walking or driving by Altius Farms have picked up their phone to call and ask about the greenhouse at 25th and Lawrence. The glass-enclosed structure houses an urban farm that is using advanced technology to change the way we think about growing food. “This is our mission, is to bring urban farming back into our communities,” said...
UIHS, an organization founded by a group of women in 1970, expanded from a small building in Weitchpec, CA to the 40-acre Village it manages today. When the board of directors purchased the land, which had been converted to cattle pasturage, they agreed with the city of Arcata to use 20 acres for the health village and restore 20 acres of land to its natural state....
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