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...
Visualize a forest. Close your eyes and look around. What do you see? Of course there are trees in your forest. Moss, fungi, lichens and ferns blanket stones and fallen timber on your forest floor. The earth is covered with an array of low growing herbs. Song birds flutter from branch to branch, nabbing insects and berries while adorning the landscape with music. Water...
WHAT IS THE WINTER SOLSTICE? The word solstice comes from Latin sol “sun” and sistere “to stand still.” In the Northern Hemisphere, as summer advances to winter, the points on the horizon where the Sun rises and sets advance southward each day; the high point in the Sun’s daily path across the sky, which occurs at local noon, also moves southward each day. At...
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...
1. A Veggie Tray for the Holidays Headed to potluck after potluck this season? Looking for something that’s easy to assemble, festive AND healthy? Try this healthy tray via “ModernParentsMessyKids.com“ 2. Christmas Tree Veggie Platter The holidays are such a fun time to create fun and festive recipes and dishes. There are usually so many activities,...
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....
It’s 6:35 a.m. on a humid Saturday in a community garden on Milwaukee’s north side, and a black man is kneeling to inspect the green tomatoes starting to form on a vine. He’s singing an old Negro spiritual: I am on the battlefield for my Lord. And I promised him that I would serve him till I die. Andre Lee Ellis spends every day on the battlefield. It surrounds...
Dan Buettner has studied five places around the world where residents are famed for their longevity: Okinawa in Japan, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece, and Loma Linda in California and Sardinia in Italy. People living in these so-called “blue zones” have certain factors in common – social support networks, daily exercise habits and a plant-based diet,...
Gardeners know the benefits of digging in the soil. It elevates a person’s mood, improves mental and physical well-being and the outcome is always good – added beauty or tasty nutritional food. But many of us are stuck indoors for the winter, have a lack of space to garden outdoors or just can’t get enough of this healthful activity. Adding greenery indoors...
Agricool today announced it has raised $28 million for its system that uses specially designed trailers to grow strawberries in big cities. The Paris-based company has now raised a total of $41 million as it works to meet the growing demand for locally grown produce through technological innovation. “We are very excited about the idea of supporting urban farming...
“ATLANTA—On a 4-acre farm a few miles south of the Fulton County Jail, Abiodun Henderson swung a pickax into the soil at her feet. She kept at it until she was winded and sweating on this brisk October morning. Around her, 10 young men and women tentatively swung their own tools at the ground, loosening the soil for a set of raised beds where turmeric and...
The growing information about possible negative health effects caused by over-processed foods and artificial additives like artificial sweeteners has fueled interest in eating clean. Now more people are opting to eliminate artificial additives, such as flavors and preservatives, and replace them with simpler whole ingredients like fresh produce and whole grains. If...
The plot of land where the old Alaska Native Medical Center used to be near Ship Creek is getting a makeover. The 10-acre tract of land at Third Avenue and Ingra Street has been vacant since the hospital came down in 1992. While the overall plan for the entire space is still being discussed, the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska Food Policy Council...
