Learn weed control strategies from Feb. 5 range webinar
Best management practices for weed control will be the topic of a Feb. 5 webinar by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Ecosystem Science and Management Unit. “To Spray or Not to Spray” is the next topic in the Texas Range Webinar Series, which airs on the first Thursday of each month from noon to 1 p.m., said Pete Flores, webinar coordinator.
“Weeds are a common problem among landowners and can be managed with some best management practices,” said Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, AgriLife Extension forage specialist. “This presentation will include discussion on effective weed control with weed identification, proper timing and herbicide selection.”
This webinar and others in the series can be accessed at naturalresourcewebinars.tamu.edu.
Participants seeking Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units must pay a $10 fee on the website. For all others, there is no fee, Flores said. Licensed agricultural private pesticide applicators participating in this webinar can earn one integrated pest management unit.


What is the meaning of arable agriculture?
Arable farming is growing crops in fields, which have usually been ploughed before planting.
What does the arable mean?
the growing of cropsDefinition of arable (Entry 1 of 2) 1 : fit for or used for the growing of crops arable land. 2 British : engaged in, produced by, or being the cultivation of arable land arable farming arable farmers.
What is an example of arable?
An example of arable is a working vineyard. The definition of arable is land with soil that will be able to support the growth of crops. An example of land that is arable is that on which you can see corn growing.
What does arable land mean?
capable of producing crops; suitable for farming; suited to the plow and for tillage: arable land; arable soil. noun. land that can be or is cultivated.
What are arable crops and examples?
Examples of arable crops and their uses can be seen below (Figure 1) : grain crops cultivated for their edible starch grains (wheat, maize, rice, barley, millet); pulse crops of the legume family grown for their edible seeds which are high in protein (lentil, beans, peas);
Why is arable land important?
Why Save farmland? Arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. According to Future Directions International, “Land is absolutely essential to agriculture and therefore the relationship between levels of arable land and food security merits serious consideration.
What do arable farmers produce?
Arable farming produces a wide variety of crops, including cereals such as wheat, and barley, oilseed rape, peas and beans, sugar beet and potatoes.
What are the advantages of arable farming?
Advantages of arable farmingA larger volume of land can be ploughed within a shorter time.Soil enrichment with oxygen.The possibility of deep processing, which allows turning of the soil layer.Increase in productivity.Reduction of labor costs and human efforts.More items…•
Where does arable farming take place?
eastern EnglandArable farming Arable farmers plough the land to produce cereal crops such as wheat and barley, vegetables, oil seed rape and linseed. Arable farms are mainly found in eastern England, including Norfolk and Lincolnshire, as well as the east of Scotland. The farmers use machinery and so prefer flatter land.
What is the difference between arable land and agricultural land?
Agricultural land is defined as the land area that is either arable, under permanent crops, or under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land under temporary crops such as cereals, temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow.
What is arable land AnSwEr in one sentence?
AnSwEr. Arable land is the land that can be used for agriculture. The term is derived from the Latin word “arare” meaning, to plough.
What is meant by arable land AnSwEr in one sentence?
If you describe land as arable, it means that something can grow there. If you’re looking to raise crops, you better find yourself a patch of arable land. Arable has its Latin roots in the word arare, which means “to plow.” Arable soil is ground that can be plowed and cultivated.


There are many different types of weed eater heads available on the market today. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to choose the right one for your needs. In this blog post, we will take a look at the different types of weed eater heads and discuss their pros and cons.
Different types of weed eater heads
Different types of weed eater heads can be made of different materials, such as plastic, metal, or even nylon. The type of head you choose will depend on the task at hand as well as your personal preference. Some heads are designed for cutting grass, while others are better suited for trimming around delicate flower beds. Some heads even come with multiple blades to make quick work of thick weeds. No matter what type of head you choose, be sure to keep it clean and sharp for the best results.
What are the different types of weed eater heads?
The three main types of weed eater heads are string trimmers, edgers, and blowers. String trimmers use a spinning nylon string to cut through grass and weeds. Edgers have a metal blade that is used to cut a clean edge along sidewalks and driveways. Blowers use a powerful stream of air to blow leaves and debris away from your property.
How do you choose the right weed eater head?
If you have a specific type of weed eater in mind, then the process of choosing the right weed eater head becomes much simpler. For example, if you have a gas-powered weed eater, then you will need to find a head that is compatible with that type of weed eater. The same goes for electric weed eaters. However, if you are not sure which type of weed eater you have or if you are looking for a specific type of head, then there are a few things you should keep in mind.
The first thing you need to consider is the type of vegetation you will be cutting. Different heads are designed for different types of vegetation. For example, some heads are designed for thick grass, while others are better for thin weeds. If you are not sure what type of vegetation you will be cutting, then it is best to choose a head that can handle both.
Another thing to consider is the size of the area you will be cutting. If you only need to trim a small area, then you do not need a head that is designed for a large area. Conversely, if you have a large area to trim, then you will need a head that can handle that size.
Finally, you need to consider the price. Different heads can range in price, so you need to find one that fits your budget. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for, so a more expensive head may be of better quality than a cheaper head.
What are the benefits of using a weed eater head?
A weed eater head is a great way to remove weeds from your lawn without using harmful chemicals. It is also an eco-friendly option as it does not release any emissions into the atmosphere. Weed eater heads are easy to use and can be attached to most lawn mowers.
How to use a weed eater head
A weed eater head is a tool that is attached to the end of a weed eater in order to make it more effective at cutting weeds. There are a variety of different types of weed eater heads available on the market, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The most common type of weed eater head is the plastic head, which is designed to be lightweight and easy to use. However, these types of heads can sometimes break easily and are not as effective at cutting through thick weeds.
Another type of weed eater head is the metal head, which is more durable and can handle thicker weeds. However, these types of heads can be heavier and more difficult to use.
The best type of weed eater head to use depends on the type of weeds that you are trying to cut. If you are only dealing with light weeds, then a plastic head should be sufficient. However, if you are dealing with thick weeds, then a metal head may be necessary.
What are the best weed eater heads?
The best weed eater heads are those that are designed for the specific type of weed that you are trying to remove. For example, if you are trying to remove dandelions, you would want to use a head that is designed to cut the taproot of the plant. Other heads are designed to cut grasses or to trim hedges.
It is always my pleasure to provide insightful information on important topics and if you have learned something from my article then I thank you for taking the time to share it with your friends or family.
We put a lot of heart and invest a lot of time trying to bring you the most interesting articles.
You would encourage us to do it even better in the future. Thank you!


Standard Windbreak Mesh has multiple uses, with the main ones being reducing wind speed by up to 50% and protecting crops from wind damage, soil erosion and water loss. In addition, Standard Windbreak Mesh can make projects stand out more and give them a bit of an edge. Available in multiple sizes, Standard Windbreak Mesh is an effective way of protecting plants and crops in an area prone to strong winds and adverse weather conditions.
Standard Windbreak Mesh Key Characteristics & Benefits
Protects plants and crops from wind damage, soil erosion and water loss


BIO Web Conf.
Volume 37, 2021International Scientific-Practical Conference “Agriculture and Food Security: Technology, Innovation, Markets, Human Resources” (FIES 2021)
|Number of page(s)
|27 October 2021
Study of daily dynamics of cow milk quality indicators
Stavropol State Agrarian University, 355017, pereulok Zootekhnichesky, 12, Stavropol, Russian Federation
* Corresponding author: email@example.com
The introduction of modern technological advances and principles of dairy herd management, which were developed in the member countries of the International Committee for Animal Registration (ICAR), contributed to the increase in milk productivity of pedigree cattle at the national level. The harmonization of national regulatory documents with the methodological principles developed in ICAR is a promising area. The study of new methodological approaches to the assessment of milk productivity shows that one of the differences in the assessment of daily milk yield, milk fat and protein yield is the different frequency of performing the corresponding work on the control milking of cows, the formation of a daily milk sample and the necessary mathematical calculations. In the in article various approaches to assessing the daily yield of the main dairy components during 2- and 3-fold milking of cows of a herd of pedigree black-and-white cattle are considered and coefficients are proposed for recalculating the daily content of fat and protein in milk. At the same time, the presented research results, in general, coincide with the main trends in the dynamics of milk fat and protein indicators shown in the ICAR recommendations.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2021
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.


I’ve been greedily devouring any information I can get my hands on regarding farming, homesteading, even B&B business planning in an effort to be as prepared as possible for problems that could arise. Of course through this process we are always refining our business plan and our goals. Recently I was looking up some info on the Missoula County extension office website and found a flyer for a seminar on starting a small farm and I decided to sign up. The info was good, but the most benefit came from being in the same room with 15 people all with the same type of goal we have: to produce healthy, organic, and local food products and value add products.
At the end of the seminar I stayed late to talk to a few of the other beginning small-farmers and exchange ideas, and one subject that came up was the idea of a “food hub”, or specifically our location becoming a “food hub” for our local area because we have the space, will presumably already be retailing our own produce, are located smack in the center of a 20 mile diameter circle with no food retail at all, and are conveniently located right off a main thoroughfare. I think it’s a great idea and as we move forward I’m going to be looking at the feasibility of setting up a small retail stand/area to carry products and produce from other local small farmers to maximize value for our customers and work together with other folks starting out just like us.
The process for us so far has been to “just do it”. “Lean start-ups” just do it. We can’t wait for years to save enough money to build out everything at once, nor do we want to. An incremental process will allow us to start small and slow in all areas of production and find out what we really like and what performs well in our model. Chickens are a great example, we just had seven chickens our first year to learn about them, decide if they were worth the effort for us, and develop systems. Now that we have been working with ours a while we were able to make an informed decision about whether to expand our chicken operation, and we are as we speak! Taking this approach to every facet of our homestead will minimize our exposure to financial risk and flatten the learning curve.
During my weekly phone business meeting with the wife we decided we want to get all of our land into production this year, why waste it? We want to offer areas of our property that won’t be used by us this year to folks in our area that maybe don’t have any space for a garden, but want one. We’d like to set up a kind of share-cropping deal with some local folks so we can get a little food in exchange for the water and electricity, and provide them with a place to grow their own food or animals!
My year is going to focus on planting trees. We need to get that done this year because they need time to get established and grow. In addition to trees I’m going to be setting up raised beds to grow a few different high-dollar-per-acre crops so we can see how they perform and make a decision about what we want to grow out here long-term.
Stuff happens, and things change. It’s exciting to be living on this property and growing it, and growing with it. I’ve learned so much this last year and can barely sleep at night thinking about the potential this venture holds for us. I’ve got a lot planned for this summer, from planting and building to networking in the community and focusing our brand. Stay tuned because I’m going to be hitting y’all up with a Kickstarter later this year to purchase a small still that we can use to produce alcohol from our fruit trees, I intend to let others use it for a fee or a small share when we get it up, running, and licensed.
Anyone interested in homesteading, backyard chicken ranching, small-scale farming, etc., take a look at your county extension office’s website for some helpful information and opportunities to find like-minded folks to bounce ideas off of.


If your garden is big enough, make a compost heap
out of sight, like this one
Grass clippings are another ingredient that help and gardeners with lawns have too much for their compost heaps
Heat is a byproduct of the composting process--a well-made compost heap
becomes amazingly hot.
Rosemary Hooper, Wimpole estate's in-house 'master composter', encouraged anyone to urinate on their compost heap
Certain items are not to be included in the compost heap
And when this visual, which contained so much more than words could express, finally began to make some sense to the girls, they made off with a visible and tangible piece of that world, which had the effect of proclaiming the faith that this man possessed as a boy, to the point where he had decided to return to the Church that very hour--a chain of events that a compost heap
probably would not have initiated.
Like a compost heap
, a lasagna garden can have problems and not cook properly.
His legacy turns out to be less that of an inventor and more that of an organic gardener, mixing his compost heap
in carefully measured proportions so as to provide the best conditions for growth.
Additionally, I try to make my sailboat a statement for ecology (wind and solar for electrical generation, solar hot water, and composting [added to my home compost heap
whenever I return to port] for now, with more coming), and to be able to cook vegan on board just makes the picture more complete.
You compost vegetation and this sort of thing, and you make a compost heap
out of organic material only.
Working at a business school keeps me in circulation, up-to-date, in touch with young people from all over the world - and probably keeps me from being thrown on the compost heap
for a while longer.
It is not a corpse but a compost heap
, or a quake-prone field.
The easiest way to turn organic material into garden food is to make a compost heap
Every compost heap
is different owners of tiny spaces could perhaps consider a worm garden and the amount of time taken to work its wonder varies.
DIVIDING RULES: I'm raiding our compost heap
for the last of the rich, black stuff to plant out some of the pulmonarias that I have been dividing.


April 9, 2004
Purdue scientists finding ways to outsmart crop-damaging bugs
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. A new screening method aimed at boosting pesticide effectiveness may be commercially viable, according to Purdue University researchers.
The process is designed to identify chemical compounds that could be added to current pesticides to overcome resistance insects have developed to them. In a recent issue of the journal Pesticide Biochemistry & Physiology, the scientists report that the method will be applicable to a variety of insects and chemicals.
"It's becoming more and more difficult to find new, effective pesticides," said Barry Pittendrigh, assistant professor of entomology and senior author of the study. "If we can kill these pesticide-resistant insects in the field, then we have the potential to increase the functional life of the insecticides currently in use."
Crop-damaging insects mutate over time so they are able to overcome the effects of chemicals developed to kill them. A toxin that protected a crop for more than a decade or two eventually may lose its lethality due to resistance in the insect population.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than $7.5 billion is spent annually on agricultural pesticides. This is about 30 percent to 50 percent of the variable costs involved in managing harmful insects.
Pittendrigh and his research team studied common research fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, in which the molecular mechanism that provides the insect with chemical resistance was known. They applied that knowledge to test known chemicals' toxicity to the resistant insects.
A pesticide's toxic effect occurs when a molecule on an insect's cells, called a receptor, acts as a loading dock for molecules in the pesticide. When a toxic chemical is used, its docking molecule, called a ligand, joins the receptor and kills the bug.
But nature allows pests to challenge control methods by altering their own receptors. These biochemical changes prevent binding of the chemical to the receptor and its entry into the bugs' system. Once this occurs, the chemical becomes ineffective and a new way to stop the insects is needed.
Discovery of other toxins to attack insects that have the altered receptor offers a new way of minimizing resistance in the insect population, Pittendrigh said. The newly introduced insecticide provides negative cross-resistance, meaning the chemicals react with the mutated molecule.
"Insects have a tremendous capacity to adapt to chemicals that we use to control them," Pittendrigh said. "That's just evolution in motion. With negative cross-resistance, we're buying time for the commercial life of another pesticide. Using resistance-breaking compounds is a way to potentially double or triple the time that the original compound is effective."
In this study, the researchers tested nine related insecticides in order to identify a negative cross-resistance toxin. They found that the resistant flies were highly susceptible to one compound called deltamethrin. Use of deltamethrin dramatically reduced the numbers of pesticide-resistant insects in a fruit fly population.
The researchers used DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) as their base chemical because they know the insect molecule with which it reacts. This gave them insight into how other chemicals would behave.
After finding that deltamethrin was the most effective, they added the DDT. Then they tested the combined toxicity.
Though it's banned in developed countries, DDT is commonly used for mosquito control in Third World countries where malaria is still the No. 1 killer.
"In the fly line, we have a known mechanism of resistance, and we understand how DDT works at the molecular level," Pittendrigh said. "So then we can describe and understand molecularly how negative cross-resistance occurs. DDT was used simply because it allowed us to test a model system."
One argument against negative cross-resistance has been that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find compounds toxic to mutated insects, Pittendrigh said. However, this study shows it may not be as difficult to identify negative cross-resistance compounds as once assumed.
The screening process will speed up and simplify identifying effective compounds and add another weapon in the arsenal to fight crop-destroying insects.
"If we can extend the commercial lifetime of a current pesticide with a negative cross-resistance compound, that's the best we can hope for," Pittendrigh said.
The screening system for identifying negative cross-resistance compounds has the potential to be applicable to other insects and to be produced and used at a commercial level, he said. But first, the molecular evolution of pesticide resistance in each targeted insect must be known.
For the negative cross-resistance toxin to be beneficial and financially viable, it would have to be used in cases where the evolutionary change in the target insect is seen in more than one line of the bug, which is found across a wide geographical area, Pittendrigh said. The chance of successful use of a chemical is even better if this resistance mechanism is the same across a wide variety of pest insects.
The other researchers involved in this study were: Joao Pedra and Andrew Hostetler, a doctoral student and a researcher assistant, respectively, in Purdue's Department of Entomology; Patrick Gaffney, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Statistics; and Robert Reenan, associate professor, University of Connecticut Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology. Pedra and Pittendrigh also are part of the Purdue Molecular Plant Resistance and Nematode Team.
The Purdue Department of Entomology provided funding for this research.
Writer: Susan A. Steeves, (765) 496-7481, email@example.com
Source: Barry Pittendrigh, (765) 494-7730, firstname.lastname@example.org
Related Web site:
Hyper-susceptibility to deltamethrin in parats-1 DDT resistant Drosophila melanogaster
Patrick J. Gaffney,c Robert A. Reenan,d
and Barry R. Pittendrigha,b,*
Department of Entomology, Room 100, 1158 Smith Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1158, USA; MPRINTMolecular Plant Resistance and Nematode Team, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1158, USA; Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center-MC3301, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
The extensively studied para gene encodes a a-subunit of the voltage-activated sodium channel in Drosophila melanogaster, which is the documented target site of DDT and pyrethroid insecticides. The parats-1 fruit fly line carries a recessive sex-linked insecticide-resistance trait (parats-1 allele) that has been defined on the basis of the behavioral phenotype of temperature-sensitive paralysis. We have determined that parats-1 confers hyper-susceptibility to deltamethrin in addition to the previously annotated resistance to DDT, revealing the presence of negative cross-resistance. We investigated the potential use of negative cross-resistance shifting parats-1 gene frequencies in D. melanogaster populations. After five generations of selection, the parats-1 allele, respectively, became more or less frequent whether Drosophila populations were selected with DDT or deltamethrin.


Your prolific correspondent Alex Hodges ('Scrapping GM crop ban is a disappointing decision', Stock Journal, August 22) raises some often repeated claims about genetically-modified crops that require comment.
GM technology is too expensive for the third world. The cost of GM technology is indeed very high and includes the initial research and development, the variety development, the pre-release testing but mostly the cost of deregulation in the country growing the crop and buying it. Despite that, GM technologies do have a role in the third world.
GM eggplant or brinjal is widely grown commercially in Bangladesh as it improves crop yield and quality and saves weekly sprays for caterpillars. It has been so successful that farmers in neighbouring India are desperately seeking approval to grow it.
While working with CIMMYT - one of the 15 major crop centres with the responsibility of improving food security in the developing world - projects were undertaken breeding maize for sub-Saharan Africa with GM resistance to corn borer.
Major life science companies were offering their GM technologies through their charitable foundations or at a discount to the technology fees charged in developed countries. Furthermore, several of the Bt genes for insect resistance are nearing the end of their patent life and after that expires, the technology is freely available.
It is also worth noting that the rate of adoption of GM crops has been higher in developing than developed countries since about 2000 and since 2011 the developing countries account for more than half the global area sown to GM crops.
Breed drought tolerant crops using conventional means rather than GM. Australia has a long and proud history of breeding for drought tolerance. But, this is an extraordinarily difficult technical task and so all tools available to a plant breeder should be considered whether they be 'conventional', GM (transgenic approaches) or the newer gene editing approaches.
In my opinion, there is nothing to fear and much to gain from combining these approaches. Indeed, we will not deal with the projected impact of climate change on our cropping systems without this integrated approach.
Giant biotech companies fund university research. Yes, and why wouldn't they? Much of the work in gene discovery and innovative genetics and genomics comes from the universities - and government research agencies - but given the cost of deregulating a GM event for commercial use there are very few universities that could contemplate taking a new gene discovery to market by themselves.
We should encourage our governments to invest more in agricultural research and simplify the regulatory environment so that the public sector can play a greater role in technology delivery.
GM organisms cannot be corralled. GM versions of our major crops do not have super powers to leap tall buildings and studies have shown that they are no more likely to spread from point of origin than conventionally-bred varieties of those crops.
Experience in NSW, Vic and WA clearly shows that GM and non-GM canola can be successfully separated both on-farm and in the supply chain.
Health dangers of GM crops. GM crops are grown on more than 190 million hectares in 26 countries, for more than 25 years and so there is large-scale evidence of the safety of GM crops to complement smaller lab-scale studies.
The European Union supported extensive research into the health and safety issues associated with GM crops and concluded that there was no reason to suppose GM crops presented any new risks. Indeed, they commented that GM crops were probably safer due to the additional scrutiny and tighter regulation compared with conventional crops.
Organic crops are the future. I am a big fan of organic principles for your backyard veggie patch, and many of the principles of organic farming - integrated pest management, use of animal manures, crop rotation - are key parts of modern farming, but the reality is that for the world's staple crops, using current organic technology, yields will be 60 per cent to 70pc of current practices.
That is fine for affluent and well-fed countries in Western Europe, North America and Australia but try telling a farmer living on $2 a day in sub-Saharan Africa or Asia that there is suddenly one-third less food.
Former University of Adelaide professor of plant breeding and CIMMYT board member, Pinery.
- Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Click here to sign up to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.


Funding available for agricultural hydropower projects
The Colorado Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are seeking applicants for on-farm agricultural hydropower projects. The total amount of available assistance for this round is $1,300,000. The funding is available to Colorado agricultural irrigators with appropriate hydropower resources.
“This program gives producers a way to cut their costs and use their resources efficiently. It’s about water quantity, water quality, and energy resources,” said Sam Anderson, CDA’s Energy Specialist, “We focus on helping farmers upgrade outdated and labor-intensive flood-irrigation systems to more efficient pressurized-irrigation systems using hydropower or retrofit existing sprinkler systems with a hydropower component.”
The funding is part of the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Within RCPP, the Colorado irrigation hydropower program provides funding to agricultural producers to help them add hydropower to new or existing irrigation systems.
Past projects have helped farmers use irrigation water to generate electricity, offsetting some of the cost of power for those farms. Other projects have allowed farmers to run large center-pivot sprinkler systems on hydro-mechanical power without the need for any electricity.
The overall hydro program is funded and assisted by 14 agencies and groups, collectively contributing $3 million to the effort for project funding and technical assistance for Colorado agricultural producers.
CDA is currently accepting applications for the next round of RCPP irrigation hydro projects. The application deadline is January 18, 2019. Applicants must be eligible to receive funding from the NRCS EQIP program. For more information and to submit an application, visit the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s ACRE3 hydropower website: www.colorado.gov/agconservation/hydro-navigation-guide.


As I explained in my Introduction to Annuals, they can be summarized as follows: seed, germinate, grow, flower, flower, flower, I am so pretty, flower, flower, oh my biological clock is ticking, make seed, die. Time elapsed, one year or less.
Perennials are plants that grow for more than a year (assuming they live; it’s a life style, not a contract with God). They take their time; frequently they don’t even bloom in the first year of growth after the seed germinates.
When they do get around to blooming, perennials have shorter blooming seasons than annuals, or, if they bloom for several months, usually the first few weeks are intense and the re-bloom is more sporadic, sometimes requiring some encouragement on the part of the gardener. This might be something like shearing a couple of inches off of the top of the plant to remove the old dead flowers
Perennials tend to be either cool weather, late winter/spring bloomers or warm weather summer bloomers (but not both). There are even a few fall bloomers. The summer bloomers tend to have longer blooming periods than the spring bloomers.
We know a few things about garden center shoppers. We know that most of you a) shop in the spring, and b) you tend to buy what is in flower when you shop. Because a lot of the fun of perennial gardening is watching things change from day to day and week to week as plants grow and come into flower, you really should visit the garden center a couple of times in the summer to see what’s currently in bloom. Really. It’s for your own good.
Of perennials, it is said that the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap. So, during the first year after you plant your perennial, not that much happens. The second year (after the first winter) you have more blooms on larger plants, and the third year, they really hit their stride with much larger plants and heavier bloom. Assuming everything goes right.
Most perennials die completely down to the ground in the winter, overwintering with living bits below ground. Or, they overwinter with small tufts of foliage (leaves) above the soil. Technically, these are “herbaceous perennials.” While we are jargoning, we may as well toss in hardy, which means they tolerate some below freezing temperatures. So what we are talking about are hardy herbaceous perennials: you’ll do fine if you just say “perennials.”
There is another outdoor herbaceous group that falls between the annuals and perennials, the biennials: plants that grow without flowering the first year, flower the second, and then die (so bi-ennial; two years). These include cabbage, parsley, and foxgloves. These are sold with the vegetables, herbs, or perennials, wherever they seem to fit the best. There aren’t that many.
Why use perennials?
Most people do it to save the effort of replanting annuals each year. This does save some planting time, but for a perennial garden to look good, it does require some care—cutting back old flowers and so on—so planting perennials doesn’t save much time, it just spreads it out. The real reason to choose perennials is that it allows you, should you be inclined, to “paint” with flowers. Perennials change in many dimensions over the season—height, width, color; texture of foliage (fine or broad leaves); how one color plays off the colors of surrounding plants. So, you really get to play. If you enjoy repainting your walls with new colors, then you will enjoy painting the garden with perennials.
Perennials are best planted in groups, three or five plants of a given type. If you have a big enough space, you can repeat the group in several spots to “unite” the garden.
by Larry Hurley
Photo by Susan Harris of the healing garden at an AIDS services center in Buffalo.


Gujarat presents diverse climatic conditions with a major part exhibiting low rainfall (
Identification of a new lac host, Prosopis juliflora, available in abundance throughout the state is a very significant finding under this initiative. Very good lac crop yield (yield ratio of output/ input with up to 21) was demonstrated on this host. The production technologies for this host for winter kusmi lac was demonstrated at Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot, Bhachau (Kuchchh) and Basan. A package of practices was also developed for winter kusmi lac crop on this host. F. semialata was successfully demonstrated as suitable host, for providing the summer kusmi broodlac, under irrigated condition (output/input yield ratio ~10).
A demonstration of winter lac production was also given in the farmers’ field (Tajpur, Banaskantha) on 1,000 big trees of ber (Gola). The 2 000 kg kusmi broodlac brought from Ranchi, Jharkhand and Bankhedi, Madhya Pradesh was inoculated @ 2 kg/ tree in July 2008. A total 220 q broodlac was harvested. Since, there is no market of broodlac, 70 q of sticklac worth Rs 4.9 lakh was prepared from the harvested crop. Two small scale processing units (100 kg/day) were installed at Forest Research Centres at Basan and Piplej for demonstration of conversion of sticklac to seedlac. Based on the success of this project, a new project has been sanctioned by the Gujarat Forest Research Institute with a budget allocation of about Rs 1.742 million for establishment of two kusmi broodlac farms with farmer-participatory approach for promotion of lac cultivation in traditional and non-traditional areas of Gujarat
(Source: email: iinrgilri [dot] ernet [dot] in )


I needed the greenhouse to withstand lots of snow and wind
What do you grow in your greenhouse?
Tomatoes, bush beans, spring onions, radishes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet peppers, lettuce, flowers
What other brands did you consider before deciding to go with a Planta Greenhouse?
I love the design and the strength of the greenhouse. Living in northern Vermont, I needed the greenhouse to withstand lots of snow and wind. And the Sungrow is such a pretty structure.
How was your online shopping experience like buying from Planta Greenhouses?
Planta has been easy to work with. The greenhouse was delivered on time and in good condition, with no missing parts.
How did this greenhouse change your gardening experience?
So far, it has lengthened my season by about one month both spring and fall.
What's your favourite thing about the greenhouse?
Climate control is number one, but it is also pretty to look at.


CCDP is proud to present a locally produced documentary by Chatham's own Linda Booker. Join us to learn about the what Hemp could mean to our economy and our health.
A father’s search to find the healthiest building materials leads him to the completion of the nation’s first hemp house. Hemp with lime is a non-toxic, energy efficient, mildew, fire and pest resistant building material. The drawback — industrial hemp is currently illegal to farm in the U.S.A. Industrial hemp is a non-psychoactive plant, grown in 31 other countries that makes thousands of sustainable products and offers solutions for global warming, nutrition, poverty and deforestation. Here in the U.S., hemp could be a money-making crop for farmers and create jobs. But why can’t we grow it here?
Check-in opens at 5:30 pm and our program begins at 6:15. The Pittsboro Roadhouse menu is available for snacks or dinner. There will be opportunity for discussion after the film. Donations to the CCDP are welcome.
39 West St
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Google map and directions


Posted on March 3, 2014 @ 04:32:00 AM by Paul Meagher
Me and my wife purchased a 62 acre farmstead property in our home town about 4 years ago. Much of the land consisted of hay fields. Up until last year, the hay fields were just an expense for me. I had to hire someone to come in once a year and drop the hay just to keep the hay fields in good condition. I had started accumulating second-hand farm equipment since we purchased the place. Last year I needed a second hand hay rake and baler to round out the equipment I would need to make square bales of hay myself. I decided to go for it and partnered 50/50 with my brother-in-law to make and sell the hay (he also had the full compliment of square-bale hay making equipment so we had two mowers and balers going as we were making it). The farmstead came with a big old barn whose massive roof I had reshingled the previous year so it was being underutilized. We decided we would make the hay and store it in the barn until we got sale for it. Here is us filling up the barn with hay bales.
I'm videoing the event. My brother-in-law is the guy at the top of the mow throwing the hay to the back of the barn. Because I don't live at the farmstead now (mostly a spring/summer/fall residence) my brother-in-law, who lives in the area, is handling the calls for hay. We sold some hay to date but were starting to get concerned that we would have quite a bit left in the barn by spring (which would make it harder to sell and create storage issues for any new hay I would make this year). I was just informed this morning that we now have sale for 1400 bales. My brother-in-law ended his email with "We should have made more". I'm quite emboldened by the success of this hay making venture. I'll recoup my machinery investments, labor investments, and make a small profit. The hay was money in the bank as far as I was concerned. I had already paid out all my expenses to make it. When it was sold it would be like I was cashing out my investment. Cha-ching!
The moral of the story for me was that I was correct to recognize the opportunity and to make the necessary machinery investments to realize that opportunity. Farming is a hard business to make money at, and many farmers go broke buying too much equipment, or equipment that is too expensive, but the reality is that I couldn't make a sellable product, hay bales, without buying a rake and baler last year. I could have lost a good amount of money in this venture if the hay did not sell, but I'd never know if I would or not if I did not make the investment. The barn would have also been a useless asset if I did not start using it for it's intended purpose - to store hay. I'm not going to get rich making hay, but it is an important stream of income for the farm that can be used to fund other farm projects. Maybe the farm will show up as source of revenue rather than a tax deduction on next year's tax return. For that to happen, I may have to ramp up hay production this year while some of my other farm product investments (1600 grape vines and 180 apple trees so far) mature enough to become additional sources of farm revenue. My long term plan is for around 6 streams of income from the farm, two of which are now being realized (hay production, farm vacation accommodations).
In my theory of entrepreneurship I discuss the importance of developing multiple lines of business. This is what I'm doing with my farming venture. I'm not necessarily looking for the next big innovative idea, I'm looking for the next revenue stream that might pan out. For me, hay production is one new revenue stream that appears to be panning out. It is also good productive physical exercise to counteract the effects of too much time spent indoors in front of a computer monitor. On the farm, I also use sheafs of hay for thick mulch around my grape vines (to suppress weeds and winterize), as a growing medium for potatoes (embed seed potato between sheafs), and when it rots out it is a source of soil fertility for the grape vines and my garden. The square bale format is ideal for these purposes and is another reason to make them beyond any direct income they might generate.
Hay Production Investments For My Farm Startup


Source: Pierce Paul, Alissa Kriss, Dennis Mills, Katelyn Willyerd, Ohio State University
Based on a statewide survey of wheat fields over the past 10 days, the incidence of head scab ranges from about 3 to 61 percent. This means that between 4 and 53 heads out of every 100 heads have some scab. Head scab is a disease caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum or Gibberella zeae (two names for the same fungus). Scab develops best when wet, humid weather occurs when the wheat is flowering. The conditions have been favorable in a number of locations this spring. The disease causes shriveled and lightweight kernels, reducing grain yield and test weight. In addition, the fungus also produces a toxin called vomitoxin that is harmful to humans and livestock. So, the effects of scab can be devastating, lower yields, lower test weights, and toxin contamination = price discounts or complete grain rejection at elevators. For a comparison between Fusarium Head scab and Stagonospora Glume Blotch the two photos.
At this stage, nothing can be done to control scab, but several approaches can be used to minimize losses. As you scout fields and make decisions or recommendations, here are a few DOs and DON'Ts:
1- Do not make a decision before you know exactly how much scab is out there.
Incidence is a very good measure of disease, but when using incidence one needs to be carefully not to overestimate or underestimate how serious the problem really is. A wheat head has on average 15 spikelets. If you look at 10 heads and 3 out of the 10 heads have a single spikelet diseased, then the incidence is 30 percent. If in another field, 3 out of the 10 heads have 5 spikelets diseased, the incidence is still 30 percent. However, the severity of scab is quite different between the two fields. Severity has a closer relationship to how much yield will be lost as well as potential levels of DON. Although this is not always a straight correlation. To get a handle on how severe disease is we begin to look closer at the spikelets within each head and how many of those are scabby.
Now if you consider that each spikelet will give you 3 kernels. Each set of 10 heads will give you 450 kernels (10x15x3). In the first case, 9 (3 heads each with 1 scabby spikelet x 3 kernels/spikelet) of the 450 kernels will be scabby (2 percent of the kernels). In the second case, 45 (3 heads x 5 scabby spikelets x 3 kernels per spikelet) of the 450 kernels will be scabby (10 percent of the kernels). The second field with 10 percent of the kernels scabby will likely have more vomitoxin than the first field with 2 percent scabby kernels, even though the incidence is 30 percent in both fields.
2- Do not make a decision based on how the field looks from a distance.
Scabby heads contrast nicely with green leaves, making the field look more scabby than it really is. In addition, we have quite a bit of glume blotch (another disease of the head) this year, and you will not be able to tell the difference between glume blotch and scab from a distance. Not because you know for a fact that your neighbor has scab you should assume that you have it too. Your variety may be more resistant to scab than your neighbor’s or even if the varieties are the same, you and your neighbor's fields may have flowered at different times.
3- Do not wait until it is too late to scout fields.
This is the most important. Fields are turning. Scabby heads and maturing heads both take on a straw color. So if you wait until next week you may think all the heads are scabby or all are healthy because they will all look bleached and straw-colored.
4- Do not feed grain from fields with scab to livestock before getting it tested for vomitoxin.
Animals, particularly swine, may have serious health problems if fed grain with high levels of vomitoxin.
5- Do not use straw from fields with scab for hay without getting it tested for vomitoxin.
Yes, straw from field with high levels if scab also becomes contaminated with vomitoxin and may cause the same problems caused by feeding scabby grain.
6- Do not handle scabby grains without gloves and masks.
1- Do scout field to make sure that you do indeed have scab, and more importantly, to determine how much scab is there.
Walk fields and examine heads at multiple (30 or more) locations spread out across the field. At every point, count the number of heads with scab out of every 40 heads you examine. Also observe the heads to determine how much of each head is scabby, that is, how many of the spikelets on the head are diseased. Assuming that each head has about 15 spikelets and each spikelet produces about 3 kernels, use the table below to help you estimate what percentage of your grain may be scabby. For example if you examine 40 heads and 3 are scabby, the incidence will be 7.5 percent. If the scabby heads have an average of 4 scabby spikelets, then the percent scabby kernels will be about 2 percent.
The incidence of scab will likely be highest where there is more corn/wheat residue on the ground close to source of inoculum. It will be higher where the moisture takes longer to dry off. If an area was impacted check the fields that are not tilled or have trees surrounding the field preventing air flow.
Table 1. Estimate of average percent scabby kernels based on scab incidence and the assumption that each head has 15 spikelets and each spikelet produces 3 kernels. These are assumptions based on some research data. The results will vary based on the variety, disease severity and the environmental conditions that will occur over the next few weeks. This table is a preliminary estimate and guide to use for when fields should be not harvested. All fields with scab should be tested for DON levels.
Vomitoxin will likely exceed 2 ppm in the red area when the percent scabby kernel is greater than5 percent (red). Vomitoxin levels can be deceptively high in some years at low scab levels (blue), especially if rains for several days between flowering and harvest.
2- Do turn up the air on the combine to blow out scabby kernels.
These kernels are lighter than non-infected or healthy kernels.
3- Do harvest areas or fields with the most scab first and keep that grain separate from the rest.
4- Do get grain tested for vomitoxin before feeding.
5- Do plow under scabby wheat stubble, if you choose to abandon wheat fields with high levels of scab to plant soybean. Scabby wheat on the soil surface means more spores available to infect corn and cause Gibberella ear rot. Yes, the same fungus causes both diseases. Remember last year? Let's break this cycle.
6- Do continue to read the C.O.R.N newsletter for more on head scab and vomitoxin.
Disclaimer: Dr. Paul, Field crops disease team and The Ohio State University will not be held liable for the information presented in this table. This is just meant to be a guide. The association among scab incidence, percent scabby kernels, and vomitoxin contamination will vary with variety and weather conditions and as such may be different from that shown here. DO NOT use this information as a substitute for vomitoxin testing. Sending sample to a certified lab is the best way to tell how contaminated the grain is.


When it comes to raising chickens, providing enough space for them to roam is crucial for their happiness and health. As responsible chicken farmers, we must ensure our flock has the necessary acreage to thrive.
But how many acres do chickens need? Determining the optimal space for chickens depends on several factors, such as the breed, flock size, and farming system used. In this article, we will explore these factors in detail to help you calculate the perfect acreage for your chicken farm.
Additionally, we will discuss the importance of providing adequate coop space for your chickens to ensure their comfort and well-being. By creating a stress-free environment for your flock, you can foster happy and healthy hens.
Join us as we delve into the world of chicken farming and uncover the optimal space requirements for a happy and thriving flock.
Calculating Acreage for Chicken Farming: Factors to Consider
When it comes to calculating the acreage needed for your chicken farm, there are several factors to consider. By taking these factors into account, you can determine the appropriate amount of land needed to support a happy and healthy flock.
Chicken Land Requirements
The first factor to consider is the land requirements for your chickens. The amount of land needed for your flock will depend on several factors, such as the breed, flock size, and type of farming system used. Typically, free-range chickens will require more land than those kept in an intensive farming system.
For instance, if you have a small flock of chickens, you may only need a quarter of an acre to support them. However, larger flocks may need up to five acres or more. It is important to ensure that you have enough land to support your flock, while also taking into account the needs of neighboring properties.
Determining Chicken Land Needs
When determining the land needs of your flock, it is important to consider their natural behaviors. Chickens have a tendency to forage and search for food, so you will need to ensure that your land has enough grass and vegetation to support them. Additionally, chickens require space to dust bathe, roost, and establish a pecking order.
To determine the appropriate acreage for your flock, you will need to consider the recommended square footage per chicken. Most experts recommend a minimum of four square feet per chicken, with additional space needed for roosting and nesting boxes. This means that a flock of 25 chickens will need at least 100 square feet of space, not including their coop.
Overall, calculating the acreage needed for your chicken farm requires careful consideration of several factors. By taking into account the needs of your flock, you can create a sustainable and happy environment for your birds to thrive.
Optimal Space Requirements for Chickens: Acreage per Chicken
When it comes to providing space for your chickens, it’s crucial to consider their individual needs. Different breeds and flock sizes require varying amounts of space to thrive. Additionally, the type of farming system used, be it free-range or intensive, also plays a role in determining the acreage needed.
One key factor to keep in mind is the recommended square footage per chicken. It’s important to allow enough space for your chickens to engage in natural behaviors such as roosting, foraging, and dust bathing. The general guideline is to provide at least 4 square feet of outdoor space per chicken. For indoor coop space, the recommended amount is 10 square feet per chicken.
It’s also important to consider the recommended number of chickens per acre. The optimal number varies depending on the size of the land and the farming system used, but a common rule of thumb is to provide at least 250 square feet of space per chicken. This ensures a balanced and sustainable flock that can thrive in their environment.
|Breed of Chicken
|Outdoor Space per Chicken
|Indoor Coop Space per Chicken
|2 square feet
|5 square feet
|4 square feet
|10 square feet
|Large Breeds, such as Jersey Giant
|8-10 square feet
|15-20 square feet
It’s important to note that providing adequate space isn’t just about the physical well-being of your chickens. It also impacts their emotional health. Overcrowding can lead to stress and aggression, which can manifest in various negative behaviors, such as feather picking and cannibalism.
By providing the recommended space per chicken and maintaining a balanced flock, you can ensure that your chickens are happy, healthy, and thriving.
Designing the Perfect Chicken Coop: Coop Space Requirements
When it comes to raising chickens, providing adequate coop space is crucial to their health and wellbeing. Chickens need a safe and secure space to roost, nest, and relax. As a rule of thumb, each chicken requires at least 2-3 square feet of coop space, but this can vary depending on their breed, size, and habits.
It’s important to ensure that your coop is well-ventilated to prevent ammonia buildup, which can lead to respiratory problems. Additionally, chickens require a source of natural light to maintain healthy circadian rhythms.
|Coop Space Requirements Checklist:
|Provide at least 2-3 square feet of coop space per chicken
|Ensure good ventilation to prevent respiratory problems
|Offer natural light to maintain healthy circadian rhythms
|Include nesting boxes for egg-laying
It’s also important to provide enough nesting boxes for your hens. A good rule of thumb is to have one nesting box per 3-4 hens. Nesting boxes should be filled with clean, dry bedding, such as straw or pine shavings, and be situated in a quiet and private area of the coop.
By following these coop space requirements, you can ensure that your chickens are living in a comfortable and stress-free environment. This not only leads to happier hens but can also result in healthier eggs and meat for you and your family.
Fostering Happy, Healthy Hens: The Benefits of Sufficient Acreage
Providing your chickens with ample acreage is crucial for their happiness and health. By giving them enough space, you’ll promote natural behaviors that foster their overall well-being. But how many acres do chickens need, and what is the optimal space for chickens on your farm?
The answer depends on various factors, such as the breed of chicken, flock size, and farming system used. However, as a general rule of thumb, a minimum of 2-3 square feet per chicken outside the coop is recommended. For example, if you have 25 chickens, you’ll need a minimum of 50-75 square feet of outdoor space.
In addition to outdoor space, it’s essential to provide enough indoor space within your coop. This space is crucial for roosting, nesting, and overall comfort. The recommended indoor space per chicken is about 4 square feet. So, for 25 chickens, your coop should be at least 100 square feet.
By providing sufficient acreage, your chickens will enjoy significant benefits. They’ll have the opportunity to forage and engage in natural behaviors, which promotes better physical health. Additionally, ample space reduces stress and aggression among your flock, ensuring a more peaceful and harmonious environment.
In summary, understanding how many acres chickens need is critical for their well-being. By following recommended space requirements and providing enough acreage, you can foster happy, healthy hens on your farm.
Q: How much space do chickens need?
A: The amount of space chickens need can vary depending on factors such as the breed, flock size, and farming system. As a general guideline, most experts recommend providing at least 4-5 square feet of outdoor space per chicken and 1-2 square feet of indoor space within the coop.
Q: What happens if chickens don’t have enough space?
A: If chickens don’t have enough space, they may become stressed, agitated, and prone to health issues. Overcrowding can lead to feather picking, aggression, and increased susceptibility to diseases. It’s important to provide adequate space to ensure the well-being and happiness of your flock.
Q: Can chickens be kept in a small backyard?
A: Yes, chickens can be kept in a small backyard. Even with limited space, you can provide enough room for them to roam and fulfill their natural behaviors. Consider utilizing vertical space with perches and vertical gardens, as well as incorporating rotational grazing or free-ranging when possible.
Q: How many chickens can I keep per acre?
A: The number of chickens you can keep per acre depends on various factors such as the breed, management practices, and intended purpose. A general rule of thumb is to allow 2-4 chickens per 1000 square feet of outdoor space. However, it’s always best to consult local regulations and guidelines to ensure compliance.
Q: What are the benefits of providing sufficient acreage for chickens?
A: Providing sufficient acreage for chickens offers numerous benefits. It allows for better physical health through increased exercise, access to fresh pasture, and natural foraging behaviors. Additionally, it reduces stress, aggression, and the risk of diseases. Sufficient acreage fosters happier and healthier hens overall.


Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
On-line version ISSN 1806-9290
NEVES, Fabio Pereira et al. Structural characterization of a natural pasture vegetation from Pampa Biome under different herbage allowance management strategies. R. Bras. Zootec. [online]. 2009, vol.38, n.9, pp.1685-1694. ISSN 1806-9290. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982009000900007.
The objective of this trial was to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of feeding sites stratified by strips of herbage mass and sward height, and the percentage of effectively grazed area, herbage growth rate and dry matter yield of a natural pasture from Pampa Biome managed with different herbage allowance management strategies. A randomized block design with two replications was used with three fixed herbage allowance (8, 12 and 16%) and three herbage allowance variables throughout the year (8-12%, 12-8%, and 16-12%), with first value corresponding to the spring season. The 8% fixed herbage allowance presented greater effectively grazed area, but the average height and herbage mass were lower than in other allowances. The highest herbage allowance, 16% and 16-12%, presented 9.0 cm average sward height and herbage mass of 2,000 kg/ha dry matter, and a smaller effectively grazed area than the 8% and 8-12% herbage allowances. In spite of the different management strategies used, between 60 and 70% of feeding sites occurred in strips considered to constrain animal intake, except in the 16% and 16-12% treatments, in which a smaller frequency of feeding sites in strips lower than 6.0 cm was registered. In general, the feeding sites were concentrated on strips <6 cm SH, and herbage masses <1000 and 1000-1500 kg/ha dry matter, in all allowances. However, at 16-12% and 8-12% herbage allowances, the feeding sites were better distributed among the strips for herbage mass and sward height.
Keywords : feeding sites; grazing intensity; herbage mass; sward height; sward structure.


EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Lansing's first urban farm project, developed by two Michigan State University professors, will soon have farming apprentices and a mobile vegetable cart to assist its efforts to economically revive the city's east side, thanks to a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.
The two-year, $90,000 grant will be administered by Allen Neighborhood Center, which serves as a hub for community development. Part of the USDA's Farmers Market Promotion Program, the grant will be used to develop marketing strategies; increase the number of growers by targeting youth from the area; and partner with organizations focused on food security, land use, job creation and community development.
Laura DeLind, senior academic specialist in the MSU's Department of Anthropology and visiting assistant professor in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, and Linda Anderson, professor emeritus of teacher education, founded the Lansing Urban Farm Project — and Urbandale Farm — last spring.
Established in the 1920s, Urbandale was the first suburb of Lansing to provide affordable housing for auto workers. It consists of large lots with mature trees, a mix of longtime and recent residents, and, increasingly, vacant lots and empty houses.
Development in the area is limited because of the area's flood-plain status and urban agriculture is one way to transform vacant lots into productive and welcoming spaces, DeLind said.
She added that Lansing's east side is an area where convenience stores and fast food franchises serve as the major food sources. In addition, about 30 percent of the population of Urbandale doesn't have easy access to whole, unprocessed food due to lack of transportation.
"Using land agriculturally makes a lot of sense instead of leaving it open or as an eyesore," DeLind said. "We want residents to have improved access to fresh vegetables and to consider incorporating them into their diets and daily lives as much as possible. We also hope the farm builds a sense of ownership while beautifying the neighborhood and granting a sense of purpose and place."
Since spring, area residents have been involved in every stage, from cleaning up the lot to final fall harvests. The farm is beginning to serve as a commons where neighbors meet each other and a neighborhood block party has been planned.
Other LUFP collaborators include The Garden Project (of the Greater Lansing Food Bank) and The City of Lansing's Office of Planning and Neighborhood Development.
For more information, visit Lansing Urban Farm Project or call (517) 999-3916.


October 12, 2020
Click the brackets in the bottom right
corner to view the magazine in full screen.
In this issue...
Executive Insights: Matter of Trade
ISA CEO Kirk Leeds answers questions about the state of agricultural trade.
Policy Update: Driven to Deliver
ISA Director of Public Affairs Michael Dolch shares insights.
Picking Up the Pieces
Photo essay depicting the aftermath of the Aug. 10 derecho in Iowa.
The American Soybean Association celebrates 100 years of representing U.S. soybean growers.
A Century of Soy
Iowans reflect on their experiences leading the American Soybean Association.
Leading the Way in Water Quality
A national award highlights the Iowa Soybean Association's dedication to collaboration.
Making Progress in Water Quality
Iowa Soybean Association experts help guide farmer’s path to cleaner water.
Raising Awareness in Water Quality
The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and WHO and WMT Radio partner on the Clean Water in Iowa Starts Here campaign.
Project to enhance soybean’s leading export region officially kicks off.
Spotlight on Soy
Event highlights reliability of U.S. soy.
The Last Word: The Farm Truck
There's soon to be a new addition to this staple publication — a Letters to the Editor page! Read Iowa Soybean Review Editor Ann Clinton's column to find out what she is calling on magazine readers to share about this month. For a chance to be featured in a future issue, send Ann a note by Tuesday, October 20!


How to Care for Potted Plants?
Having plants around the home is known for boosting our moods and increasing productivity and creativity, so it’s no wonder that more and more people are enjoying the presence of potted plants inside the homes and outside in their gardens. Not only that, but plants are well known for cleaning the air we breathe by removing toxins and producing oxygen, so with this in mind, let’s give back to our green friends and understand how best to look after potted plants. To ensure we can carry on enjoying the many wonderful benefits of potted plants and to ensure they’re happy in their new homes, we’re here to offer answers to some commonly asked questions about potted plants.
Which plants make good beginner plants and how do I look after them?
- Prayer plant – thrives in bright locations where it can receive indirect sunlight, all it needs is a weekly mist and weekly water (to ensure the soil is moist). In the winter the prayer plant should be watered less regularly. This is a pet-friendly plant.
- Fishbone cactus – enjoys bright light but do not place on a windowsill where it might get too much direct light as the Fishbone Cactus needs indirect sunlight. The fishbone cactus plant is a low maintenance plant and is forgiving when there’s been unintentional neglect. Should its stems become really long, feel free to prune them, as new stems will sprout from wherever you’ve cut it and this will make the plant look thicker and healthier. Water this plant semi-regularly in the summer months but do allow it to dry in-between watering sessions. This plant is pet-friendly.
- Kentia palm – sits happily in low-light and is simple to care for. Mist the Kentia palm weekly and wipe leaves when they become dusty with a damp cloth to allow its pores to breathe. This plant looks great in corridors, bedrooms and living rooms and can grow to 3m tall. The Kentia palm is pet-friendly.
- Snake plant – an extremely hardy houseplant that requires very little attention. The Snake plant is great for improving air quality and looks great anywhere in the home as they are tolerant of low light levels but are happiest in indirect sunlight. Never water if the top layer of the soil is damp, wait until it is dry before watering again, as you don’t want to over-water the snake plant. This plant is toxic to pets but is only a problem if they like to nibble at plants, otherwise, both can live in harmony.
- Aloe Vera – needs bright light, so place on the windowsill where it can bask in the glorious sunshine. Aloe Vera is easy to care for and pruning is not required, do not over-water, make sure the soil is dry before watering again. If you watered the plant and it is still wet the next day, make sure you drain the excess water and allow it to dry. This healing plant is, in fact, toxic to pets, so be sure to keep it away from nibblers or choose a pet-friendly house plant.
How do I choose the right pot for my plant?
- Drainage is paramount when it comes to potted plants as this allows water to drain through and out of the soil when there’s too much. Plant pots without drainage holes will trap excess water and cause the plant to drown or develop root rot. If this is happening your plant will start to wilt and droop, and the soil will be moist to touch.
- Space is important in a plant pot as the plant will need enough room to grow. When a plant’s roots are unable to stretch and spread throughout the soil, you will end up with a top-heavy plant and its roots will be unable to hold the foliage that sits above the soil’s surface.
How do I choose the right potting mix/soil for my plant?
Always buy potting soil from your local garden centre. Potting soil has a nice loose and light consistency that allows the plant’s roots to spread and anchor down into fresh new territory. Potting mixture usually consists of peat moss, vermiculite and organic matter, which is ideal for most house plants. However, if you’re looking to re-pot cacti or succulents, you’ll want to use their very own cacti or succulent focussed soil.
Top tip: never use soil from your garden, as it’s likely to be contaminated with weed seeds, insects and even fungal disease.
How do I feed potted plants?
Potted plants require additional fertilising, so if you want thriving, lush green plants, be sure to feed them liquid fertiliser once a month in line with whatever the label of your chosen houseplant feed suggests. For example, Baby Bio suggests that 5-10 drops of feed needs to be mixed with half a litre of water to make for the optimal solution. When watering your plants be sure to think about its size and water appropriately – do not be tempted to over-water.
Feel inspired to branch out to outdoor gardening? Contact R&J Landscapes. We have decades worth of experience and a plethora of completed projects under our belts, which means we’re able to bring any landscaping project to life. Simply call our friendly team and let’s get you pencilled in.


Rounded and sweet with milky caramel, toffee and chocolate notes, creamy mouthfeel, full body and low in acidity with a long aftertaste.
680฿ – 2,520฿
- Country: El Salvador
- Region: Santa Ana/ Canton Potrero Grande Bajo.
- Farm: Santa Rosa
- Owner: The Pacas Family.
- Processing: Fully Washed.
- Altitude: 1,857+ meters above sea level.
- Varietal: 100% Bourbon
This 100% Bourbon lot hails from Finca Santa Rosa, owned by the Pacas family. The Pacas family is one of the oldest and most prominent coffee farming families in El Salvador. They have a stellar reputation not only as producers of coffee but as some of the most socially conscious employers in the country.
The Pacas legacy began in the 1800s when Jose Rosa Pacas decided to explore the world of coffee. He purchased land high in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range and planted Bourbon trees. During the mid 1900s, his son, Fernando Alberto Pacas Figueroa, picked up the baton, earning for himself a reputation as an unparalleled grower of coffee. He was particularly known for experimenting with farming methods to increase productivity. His most important achievement was discovering a new coffee variety on one of his farms: what we know today as the ‘Pacas’ variety.
Alfredo has passed this heritage and a love for coffee farming to his children – Alfredo and Maria – who bring an energy and modern approach to coffee production that is passionate and quality focused. They have a clear vision for the specialty coffee sector in El Salvador: specifically, their own farms. They continuously push the boundaries to improve quality, mixing traditional best practice (like using the agobio method of pruning, implementing careful soil and shade management, & use of older varietals) with cutting edge quality control systems and techniques. Management and record keeping from harvest to harvest are notable for their stringency and scientific approach.
The family has decided to focus on high quality varietals such as Pacas, Pacamara and Bourbon. All these varieties grow under a protective canopy of shade, made up of indigenous tree varieties such as the leguminous balsam and Ingas. These trees are chosen for their heavy leaf fall, which provides a rich, natural mulch that both inhibits undergrowth and fertilises the trees. The farm is also home to many different animals including squirrels, armadillos, wild cats and quails.
Coffee from Santa Rosa is hand-picked only when perfectly ripe and is delivered to the Pacas’ family wet mill, Vivagua, on the same day that it is picked. The coffee is then floated, pulped to remove the skin and then left to ferment in tanks for 2 to 3 hours. During this time, around 30% of the mucilage is loosened from the parchment.
Following this brief fermentation, the coffee is rinsed in clean water and then spread on patios to dry in the sun, where it is turned regularly to ensure even drying. When the coffee reaches 11% humidity, it is bagged and then moved to the warehouse, where it is rested until ready to dry mill. This results in an excellent cup, creamy and sweet with notes of milky caramel, toffee and chocolate.


Improved production practices assist.
November 13, 2007 By Top Crop Manager
Rising fuel costs can take a chunk out of a farm's bottom line. Fortunately,
there are a number of ways to plan for next season with fuel economy in mind
– that will not compromise your crop success. It is a combination of efficiently
managing inputs and cropping practices that will yield optimal returns.
Reducing tillage, maintaining equipment, utilizing a good crop rotation, choosing
the right genetics and managing nutrients are all part of the solution. "Obtaining
on-farm fuel efficiency is dependent on the total operation," explains
David Townsend, technical services manager for NK Brand Seeds. "It starts
with how growers prepare and plant their fields."
Fewer passes save fuel, but don't decrease seedbed
Seedbed preparation and planting can have a great impact on fuel efficiency,
but it can also influence yield. "With increasing fuel costs we're starting
to see growers decrease corn acres or alter their soil management practices
to save input costs," says Townsend. "They may be tempted to make
the least amount of passes required to grow the crop, but growers need to ensure
they are maintaining a level of seedbed preparation to achieve proper seed-to-soil
contact at planting. They also need to be careful to seed into soil at the recommended
moisture and temperature." Sacrificing optimal seedbed quality – required
for a quick, healthy emergence – could end up costing growers more in final
yield than what is gained by reducing early season fuel use.
Improving fuel efficiencies during seedbed preparation and planting is best
achieved through reduced-tillage or no-till methods that limit equipment passes
across a field. Adam Hayes, soil management and field crops specialist with
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, cautions against cutting
corners. "If growers are reducing tillage they should ensure their planter
is set up properly," he says. "The planter or drill should be able
to handle the extra residue to achieve good seed-to-soil contact. Row width
is another consideration: a narrower row-width will encourage quicker crop establishment
and ground cover. This will help the crop better compete with weeds, have a
beneficial impact on herbicide input costs and produce greater yields over the
Minimizing the number of tillage passes over a field will have a direct impact
on reducing the amount of fuel being used. "No-till systems, for example,
use about 40 to 60 percent less fuel than a conventional tillage system,"
says Hayes. Even if growers use conventional tillage, they can still save by
using a more fuel efficient implement. "A mouldboard plough takes quite
a bit of fuel and doesn't work a very wide area. On the other hand, a chisel
plough requires less fuel, tills a wider area and can travel faster. The result
is growers will get more acres tilled per hour to increase efficiency,"
adds Hayes. Depending on soil type, shallower tillage – four inches rather
than eight – may provide sufficient seedbed preparation while also increasing
Keeping all equipment on a regular maintenance schedule is one more recommendation
to keep implements operating at peak fuel efficiency.
An effective rotation and good seed choices help improve
According to Hayes, having a good crop rotation is also key to fuel economy.
"If growers seed continuous corn they will use a lot more fuel and inputs
than a corn-soybean-wheat rotation, or a rotation that includes alfalfa or a
hay crop," explains Hayes. "In a multiple crop rotation some crops
won't require as much tillage to get the seedbed ready and growers can make
use of nitrogen-fixing crops to reduce nitrogen inputs."
Good seed decisions will also influence on-farm fuel efficiency by generating
maximum yields and limiting the need for grain drying. Townsend says there is
a potential to save significantly on grain drying costs by selecting varieties
with appropriate maturities for the area. In preparation for variability in
weather conditions, however, he also recommends growers spread their risk by
planting a 20-60-20 ratio of short-day, mid-day and long-day maturing varieties
"Spreading risk with this type of maturity ratio will help growers reduce
their chances of having significant drying costs at harvest. But it's important
not to shorten maturity days too much and risk losing more on average yield
than the cost of drying," explains Townsend. Ensuring dryers are well maintained
will also help achieve optimal fuel efficiencies. If growers are using an old
dryer they may want to consider comparing their per tonne drying costs with
an off-farm elevator and outsourcing their grain drying if it is more economical
for their operation.
Strategic use of nitrogen helps optimize input costs
With the cost of fertilizer nitrogen also on the rise, more efficient use of
on-farm manure, nitrogen fixing crops and cover crops will help growers improve
overall farm costs. Following recommendations for regular soil testing and manure
nitrogen analysis will help growers identify exactly what nitrogen they have
at their disposal and how much more will be required, allowing them to avoid
over-applying nutrients. To make the most efficient use of manure or fertilizer
nitrogen, Townsend recommends customizing application rates on a field-by-field
basis according to needs and productivity. "Seeding high value crops with
the required amount of manure or fertilizer nitrogen on the most productive
fields will also help growers achieve the greatest yield return on their investment,"
Townsend and Hayes agree that achieving greater fuel efficiency relies on improving
practices of a total operation. And those benefits can be much broader than
just reducing input costs. "Greater fuel and nitrogen efficiency will have
a compounding affect in an operation," says Hayes. "For example, there
is potential for growers to save time in the field, minimize equipment use and
repairs and achieve better environmental stewardship to maintain soil life and


George Washington Carver maintained a greenhouse at Tuskegee Institute, where he taught and conducted research from 1896 until his death in 1943. Edited audio file, for full version contact Tuskegee Archives at email@example.com.
- Date Created: Unknown
- Date Digitized: 07-21-2021 by Lesa Redmond
- Creator: George Washington Carver
- Subject: agriculture; Tuskegee University
- Format: mp4
- Source: reel to reel
- Rights: Tuskegee University Archives


Landscaping and Horticulture
The Landscaping & Horticulture program at Franklin County Technical School is designed to provide a diverse education in the agricultural field. Students are instructed in safety and are able to use tractors, loaders, forklifts, and chainsaws, as well as the numerous turf management equipment available. The Plants Science portion of the program includes soil science, plant identification, entomology, plant physiology, environmental control, bedding plant production, greenhouse operations, propagation, arboriculture, and integrated pest management. The technology part of the curriculum involves aquaculture/hydroponics, hydraulics, and equipment safety, maintenance, and operation. Students have the opportunity to study for the Massachusetts Hydraulics Engineer License, the Massachusetts Licensed Pesticides Applicator’s exams and to participate in the FFA Chapter where they can compete in various career development events.


NFU Education is launching its Farmers for Schools programme and is searching for farmer ambassadors who can provide the UK’s teenagers with first-hand experiences about food production and career opportunities within farming.
This programme will be an extension of the NFU’s work in primary schools, with previous programmes such as the Farmvention challenge and Farming STEMterprise project.
Luke Abblitt, a current NFU Farmers for Schools ambassador, said: “I truly believe that children need to learn where their food comes from, and who is better to explain this than the farmers and growers producing it? I’ve done school talks in the past and have been concerned by how removed students are from the way food is produced and its role in nature. The Farmers for Schools programme is so important in bridging this knowledge gap.”
NFU President Minette Batters added: “This is an exciting programme that will give farmers the opportunity to pass on their knowledge and expertise to the next generation, as well as talking about farming’s vital role in producing food for the nation and the role it plays in caring for the environment. “


Cloudy and rainy days with chance of thunderstorms towards the end of the week. Overnight temperatures are ranging between 14 to 18 degrees. Daily temperatures are ranging between 21 to 28 degrees.
Currently we are not harvesting.
We’ve completed planting patch 2 as per schedule. Thankfully, this week we have had a few days of rain which is helping the plants and breaking down our cover crops.


The long type stainless steel plucking shears are a best-selling product for professionals and beginners alike.
This best-selling professional harvesting scissors has a narrow cutting edge, making it suitable for a wide range of needs, including vegetable harvesting and fruit picking.
~Example of use～
・Picking apples and other fruit, use in full-scale orchards
・Harvesting and pruning of home-grown vegetables and flowers
The blade is made of high-quality steel, quenched (heat-treated) to increase toughness and hardness, and finished with superior polishing techniques.
The sharpness of the blade all the way to the tip enables cutting of fine details and harvesting of fruits and vegetables without damaging them.
The blade is stainless steel, so it is resistant to rust, and its size makes it easy to hold, lightweight, and easy to use, making it a good choice for beginners.
ARS Fruit Picking Scissors, Long Type, Stainless Steel 300L-DX-BP Product Details
|Trade (brand) name||Fruit picking shears, long type, stainless steel
(in blister pack)
|Product model number||HP-300LDX|
|Length of a blade||46mm|
|Portion of a handle||Sheet metal|
|Portion of a handle||Vinyl-coated grip|


Baseball Field Conditions
Updates posted by 3:30 M-F
Welcome to the 2023 Season!
Updated on 5/26/23 All fields are OPEN!!
Friendly reminder: When it is raining out and the fields are so wet that your cleats leave mud prints, please DO NOT play on the field. This will cause the fields to be closed longer due to the time it will take for the grounds crew to repair the damage.


LSU AgCenter Horticulturist
It's blueberry harvest season. Blueberries are packed with important nutrients, including vitamins and ascorbic acid. They’re also a superior source of antioxidants such as anthocyanins, procyanidins, chlorogenic acid and various flavonoid compounds.
Anthocyanin, the main antioxidant in blueberries, is linked with a myriad of health benefits. It boasts cancer-fighting properties, supports eye health, possesses antidiabetic effects and helps in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Simply put, integrating blueberries into your diet can be a delicious way to bolster your health, and planting them can beautify your landscape.
Among the varieties thriving in Louisiana, the rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum or V. ashei) stands out. This deciduous shrub is native to the southeastern United States and has earned the title of a Louisiana Super Plant for its excellent performance in gardens, landscapes and even containers. It’s named for the pink hue of its fruit before ripening, which is reminiscent of an albino rabbit's eye.
Rabbiteye blueberries are not only valued for their fruit but also for their aesthetic appeal. With delicate blue-green foliage that turns vibrant red and orange in fall and white, umbrella-shaped flowers in spring, they enhance any landscape.
Rabbiteye blueberries, like all blueberries, require acidic soils (pH 4.2 to 5.5) and thrive in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 10. They need at least six to eight hours of full sun daily for optimal fruit production. These bushes can grow up to 8 feet tall and should be planted 4 to 6 feet apart during their dormant phase in fall or winter. For best results, especially in areas with heavy soils, they should be grown in raised beds to ensure well-drained conditions and adequate moisture during dry periods.
Cross-pollination is key to their productivity, so planting at least two to three varieties together is recommended. While rabbiteye blueberries have few major pests, proper fertilization and pruning are essential to maintain health and yield. Pruning helps manage bush size and encourages new growth, ensuring the fruit stays within easy reach.
Pruning is necessary to remove old or dead wood, thin out dense areas and shape the plant. It encourages healthy growth and fruit production. While some blueberries are bred for disease resistance, they can still be susceptible to pests and diseases common in warmer climates such as root rot and fungal infections. Integrated pest management strategies can help minimize these issues.
When selecting a blueberry variety for Louisiana, consider the chilling requirement and ripening time. Traditional varieties like Premier, Climax, Brightwell, Tifblue and Powderblue are well-suited to most areas. Newer varieties like Alapaha, Ira, Onslow, Ochlockonee and DeSoto also show promise. For the southernmost parts of Louisiana where chill hours may be limited, the Prince variety, with one of the lowest chill hour requirements and early-season fruiting, is an excellent choice.
Southern highbush blueberries are another group of blueberry varieties that are particularly suited to growth in the South. They are hybrids developed by crossing Northern highbush varieties with native Southern species to produce plants that can thrive in warmer climates and have a low chill hour requirement. Chill hours are the number of hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit that occur during the winter, essential for the dormancy and flowering of many temperate fruit plants.
Southern highbush blueberries require fewer chill hours than their Northern highbush counterparts, making them suitable for regions with mild winters. They tend to bear fruit earlier in the season, which can be advantageous for markets looking for early produce. These varieties are more tolerant of high temperatures and humidity, key traits for successful growth in Southern climates.
There's a wide range of Southern highbush varieties, each with specific qualities such as size, taste and yield. The plants can vary in size but generally are medium to large, with some reaching up to 6 feet tall. They have an attractive bushy appearance that can also serve as a landscape feature.
LSU AgCenter horticulturist Kiki Fontenot has explored Southern highbush blueberries for their early market potential. They are distinct from the traditional rabbiteye varieties common in Louisiana. She has been evaluating 10 varieties that are evergreen, don’t shed leaves annually and bear fruit earlier, often by March.
Three cultivars that have zero chill hour requirements are Atlas blue, Bianca blue and Jupiter blue. In the first couple of years of observation, Fontenot noted that although these are favored for their zero chill hours, they are not as high yielding as other varieties.
She mentioned that Endura and Arcadia were among the top performers in terms of yield and quality. Additionally, she highlighted Snowchaser as a variety known for its cold hardiness. The final group of varieties she evaluated, which included Ventura, Star, Kestrel and Jewel, were all noted for their good production levels.
Integrating blueberries into landscapes supports both aesthetic enjoyment and health benefits. Resources such as www.pickyourown.org/LA.htm provide information on finding or growing fresh blueberries in Louisiana, celebrating the season's bounty and the versatile appeal of blueberries in home gardening.
Integrating blueberries into landscapes supports both aesthetic enjoyment and health benefits. Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter
Southern highbush blueberries, needing fewer chill hours, are ideal for mild winters and bear fruit earlier in the season. Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter
With delicate, blue-green foliage that turns vibrant red and orange in fall and white, umbrella-shaped flowers in spring, blueberries enhance any landscape. Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter


Reducing the risk of frost damage to short-season crops
Scientists are working to understand what controls flowering time and maturity in soybean productionMADISON, WI, JUNE 23, 2003 – Scientists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are investigating the importance of flowering and how to control it. Early flowering and maturity reduces the risk of frost damage and this is an important variety trait for soybeans grown in areas with short growing seasons.
Flowering time in soybeans is controlled by day length. Soybean plants will flower early during short days and will flower late during the long days of summer. Previous research has indicated that early flowering was the default condition when a plant either has no late flowering genes or is grown in short days. Late flowering occurs when late flowering genes are present in a plant and when they are activated by long days.
For this study, conducted from 2000-2002, scientists grafted soybean plants using a combination of early and late flowering plants and grew them under long days. Early flowering shoots flowered early regardless of the rootstock. This early flowering was seen even if the shoots were defoliated. Early flowering rootstocks speeded the flowering of grafted late flowering shoots. The full results of the study are published in the May/June issue of Crop Science.
"It was surprising to find that early flowering was a much more active process than we initially predicted. Early flowering grafts remained early flowering when grafted to late flowering rootstocks even when we removed the leaves. It appears whatever promotes flowering might be sensed in small, developing leaves or even buds. The control of flowering time in soybeans is complex and still is not well understood," said Elroy Cober, project leader.
For soybean producers on the northern fringe of Canada, early flowering and maturity are of primary importance. Further research into what controls early flowering will assist in the development of cultivars reliably adapted to these short growing seasons.
American Society of Agronomy. June 2003.
rating: 0.00 from 0 votes | updated on: 20 Jul 2008 | views: 872 |


Soil is among the resources on the farm in animal creation and even in harvest. Unless of course farmers take care of the dirt, pasture and their crops can’t provide them the returns and income. The problem is that even though every farmer wants to find the highest yield potential, they forget that good harvest yields can only be accessed if they kept soil fertility through appropriate direction, which helps preserve the nutrient balance in the soil., all the main soil nutrients that are consumed by plants or lost through dirt erosion are substituted naturally hence preserving soil fertility. Organic farming lays the basis of soil fertility.
The usage of the diagram illustrates the significance of soil fertilization given in the first column. It’s clear that matter is an essential portion of the soil including control both composition, living micro-organisms and the construction of the land. The organic matter is utilized in farms, the better the soil becomes more. Since the matter helps increase the level and because of this fertility farmers who add organic matter will notice a gradual increase. If fertilizer have been used year after year, precisely the nutrients balance in precisely the dirt is interfered with, leading to a situation where you’ve more of one nutrient that blocks precisely the others from being taken up by plants, for instance, a lot of magnesium in the dirt can block the absorption of potassium whilst precisely the presence of more potassium can block precisely the release of magnesium to be used by plants in the same manner that excess nitrogen can block the access to potassium and copper to plants.


Student-designed "paths" could include courses on ecological agriculture, permaculture design, and/or the College's Practice of Organic Agriculture course which spans 3 quarters and has both an academic and on-farm component at the Evergreen State College Organic Farm. The course addresses practices in organic farming; running a farm business; and marketing food. One quarter explores "organic food production systems using the three pillars of sustainability - economic, environmental, and social justice." The Evergreen College also has a permaculture site, demonstration site, compost facility, and a biodiesel generation project.
Evergreen State College
Students can explore organic and sustainable agriculture, agroecology and environmental sciences at the 25-acre Evergreen State College's Organic Farm. The Organic Farm's Sustainable Agriculture Lab is a hands-on training facility. The farm includes a food-grade laboratory, the student-designed and built Organic Farmhouse, and the student-run Demeter's permaculture demonstration site and Community Gardens. A Community Supported Agriculture program and community-based activities also are available.


Organic horticulture may be loads of fun Advanced Nutrients Big Mike, and there are so many ways one can improve upon their techniques. So whether you will need more solutions to help the garden grow better, or maybe if you just need a method overhaul, check out the information that are highlighted below.
Run your fingernails across a bar of soap before you go out to weed or plant with your garden. The soap that collected under your nails prevents the assortment of dirt as you work. Afterward Advanced Nutrients, a straightforward scrub using a nail brush will get rid of the soap leaving both your hands clean, with much less effort.
Plan your gardening accordingly on the weather. Living in a area where the ground freezes through the winter Advanced Nutrients
, tend not to plant anything before frost is predicted. If you reside inside a warmer area, take a break in the warmest months of summer in order to avoid wasting a lot of water.
Use water efficiently as you can. Probably the most precious resources in the world today is freshwater. It just should not be wasted, so using mulch and soaker hoses are a reliable strategy to minimize the impact of your garden about the water supply. Consider developing a rain barrel close to the garden to capture and save rainwater to get a minimal impact garden.
Keep considering horticulture by trying something totally new annually. While well tested favorites will invariably be a part of your garden, reserve a part for something totally new and exciting to help keep interest. Remember that some testing is going to be required because one crop which will be a flop in the fall, could be an excellent crop early in the year.
When fall arrives, it's a chance to plant your autumn vegetables. Rather than using clay pots or planters to your lettuce and kale, plant them in a pumpkin! Cut an opening from the pumpkin and scoop the insides out. Then spray the edges and empty inside the pumpkin with Wilt-Pruf and so the pumpkin doesn't rot. If you finish this, it is possible to plant!
To create birds stay away from the produce you're growing inside your garden, tie mylar balloons near your plants. These will scare away the birds whilst keeping your fruit and veggies safe until you're ready to pick them. Silver balloons or balloons that sparkle in the sun make especially effective bird repellents.
Do not give a garden too much fertilizer. Providing fertilizer for your plants enables them to better make food from sunlight. A lot of fertilizer, however, can cause your plant to grow too quickly, which prevents it from fruiting or flowering. Any additional chemicals left with your soil can wash away and pollute the neighborhood ground water.
As you can see from your above selection of tips, organic gardening can be quite useful in having the best and freshest produce possible from your plants. After following the following tips, you will no longer be new to everyone of organic gardening, however you can become an organic horticulture expert.