It has been almost 60 days since our backyard remodel project concluded, back-to-back weekends of machinery and manual labor, that ultimately culminated in a backyard free of hazards with a brand new grassy play space for our kids.
If you missed the first half of this two-parter, where I explained what we did to destroy our backyard, give it a read here. In this post, it’s time to look at the steps we took to put it all back together and some of the advice we can offer if you’re taking on a project like this of your own.
Step 3 – Minimizing Our Material Costs
Three of the challenges we faced in re-shaping our backyard were:
- Filling in all the low areas of our yard that previously been part of the pool area,
- Re-grading the steepest area of our property, and
- Improving overall drainage so that we weren’t stuck with unwanted puddles after manipulating earth
For filling and drainage, we brought in 3/4″ crushed rock, and not just a little. A total of 38 cubic yards were delivered for our job, a large enough quantity to allow us to negotiate down the per-yard cost of the material. We also arranged to have all of it delivered at once, using a large dump truck and an additional 20-yard trailer. Scheduling it this way reduced our delivery charges compared to multiple partial loads. (It also provided excellent defense against armies attacking on horseback).
We had to follow up our drainage foundation with another 25 cubic yards of turf-blend topsoil, which we dumped using the bobcat into the high spots and spread by hand with rakes and shovels to bring us the extra 6-12″ up to finished grade. Given the enormous amount of material that we brought in for this project, our contractor (my cousin) did a fantastic job estimating our needs so we had little to no surplus and just enough to create the contours we desired.
To create our lawn, we had the option to roll out sod across the entire area. But given that we were completing the project in late-April and anticipated a few more weeks of Greater Vancouver spring rain before the warmth of summer arrived, we decided to bring in a hydroseeding firm to spray a combination of mulch, fertilizer, and three varieties of grass seed over the entire 3,500 square foot backyard and just patiently wait for it to grow.
We selected a company called Hydrolawn (local to us here in Pitt Meadows). At $0.15 per square foot, versus upwards of $0.75 for sod, it was an affordable way to cover the space. The process took this husband and wife team maybe 20 minutes to complete and we were given clear instructions on watering and fertilizing to help us nurture growth.
After four weeks of patience and regular watering, the grass was tall enough to cut.
Step 4 – Minimizing Our Rental Costs
For scheduling reasons, we planned our whole job to take place over a single weekend, which ended up getting pushed to two weekends due to weather. The benefit to the weekend job was that the bobcat rental company was closed Saturday and Sunday, so we were only charged a single-day rental fee between Friday morning and pickup on Monday. By shutting down the machine at every opportunity, we kept its usage within daily constraints and minimized our equipment rental charges. The second weekend was scheduled similarly, resulting in a two-day paid rental (plus delivery charges) for roughly six days of machine time.
Step 5 – Building Our Garden
In the steepest section of our yard, we decided that building one or more tiers would help us reduce the severity of the slope. Constructing retaining walls to achieve this would have been costly (depending on the type of material used) and/or required proper engineering (depending on the height). So we elected to bring in some medium sized boulders instead (30-40 of them, each about 1.5 x 1.5 feet), for a couple hundred dollars. The end result was three incremental tiers, each only a foot or so taller than the previous with natural materials to support them at a fraction of the cost of a structured set of walls.
We decided to leave the lowest tier as a gravel pad (15′ x 15′) for our kids play structure and a future shed, and chose to set aside the two upper tiers as garden space. Rather than cover the areas with garden soil, however, we built planter boxes with space between each to give us room to tend our plants and get to any unwanted weeds.
We fabricated a total of four boxes for our garden from 2.5″ x 10″ yellow cedar, with 4″ x 4″ red cedar posts in each corner for stability. Two were 3′ x 6′ and two were 3′ x 9′, giving us a full 90 square feet of garden space for vegetables and herbs. Because we used 12′ lengths of cedar, cut for us at the lumber yard to the lengths we needed, we were able to build all four boxes using seven length of cedar boards with no waste for a total cost (including posts) of around $200. We added a few ceramic pots that we already owned for tomatoes and strawberries.
Lastly, we had three cubic yards each of garden soil and 3/8″ pea gravel delivered to fill the planters and surround them. We used the excess pea gravel on the lower pad to offer a softer play surface for the kids beneath their play structure.
We’re really happy with the resulting transformation of the backyard. It’s so easy to be drawn to the house and home magazines and the Pinterest dream project imagery and feel like you need to compete with Versailles to achieve anything of value. But I think the important thing is to reflect on the reasons you took on a project in the first place and see if you managed to stay true to those objectives. When we started this project, we had three goals in mind:
- Safety – Removing all of the hazards, holes, and toxic materials that could cause bodily injury
- Useability – Recovering dead space for play, function, and relaxation
- Property value – Producing an end result that would better serve our family and the property as a whole
In the end, we achieved these goals and we kept to the budget we intended. There are certainly additional changes that could be made in terms of decking, patios and other living spaces. But in the mean time we’ve regained a 4,000 sqft space that’s now safe, fun, and functional for our family.


Worm Castings are an integral, but often overlooked ingredient in all forms of agriculture. Worm Castings are exactly what you think they are, worm poop. Worm castings are especially important in container gardening since there is no contact with native soil that already contains worms and their castings.
The easy solution here is to ensure that you are using at least one gallon containers and just drop a red wiggler aka compost worm on top. DO NOT add “Night Crawlers” to your container plants, night crawlers have a tendency to snack on living roots.
Although horse manure is not recommended as a soil amendment, for many reasons, a big pile of horse manure is a great place to search for compost worms. Other good places to look for a few are inside piles of grass clippings, underneath large flat objects on the ground or at the interface between all of the fallen plant matter in the forest and the soil underneath. Anywhere that organic matter sits and composts is a good place to find compost worms. Hence the name.
Just one compost worm in each container is enough to get a population going, although it can take some time. If you add too many to one container, the food sources inside will be depleted too fast and they will all just leave. Placing one compost worm per gallon in your container garden at the beginning of the growing season will serve you very well all year long.
There is no need to go out and spend crazy amounts of money on worm castings. There is no need to but those expensive worm farming containers. Just get some worms and be patient.
There is only really one situation that will not work for worms living in your growing containers. If you are using chemical fertilizers, your worms will not do very well at all. In fact, they will most likely die. In this case, you would need to purchase or farm your own worm castings. Do not despair, by the end of these articles, you will have the required knowledge to stop using chemical fertilizers. It is easy, give mother nature what she needs to do what she does and let her do it. She doesn’t need much, she just needs the right stuff.
Worms do need something to eat though. This is also simple. Any form of plant matter that is not hard like wood is good food for worms, save a couple things. Try to avoid citrus and capsaicin (peppers).
Some good things to use are a combination of
-non plastic coated paper
-grass clippings that do not have dog or cat excrement in them
-leafy greens and their stalks
-and many other things. If you would compost it, you can 99% of the time, feed it to your worms.
Just letting the worms live in your growing containers cuts you out as the middle man. There is no need to take up extra space with worm bins, castings sifters, lights, watering schedule or heat mats for winter.


Kalabagh dam project will meet the needs of irrigation water and meet the food production for the growing population in the coming year. So this dam is very important for the economic stability of the Pakistan. There are some benefits are as under:
Benefits of Kalabagh Dam
- This multi-purpose project would have a live storage capacity of 6.1 million acre feet. (MAF).
- It would add a large amount of cheap hydro-power.
- Kalabagh Dam will generate an average 11,400 million KWH annually.
- Average power benefits are estimated as Rs. 46.0 billion per annum.
- With large amounts of energy generate during the summer months, the station will operate as source of base load power with thermal plant providing addition peak time power as required.
- To generate the energy necessary which meet the demand and stop load shedding?
- Kalabagh Dam generates a large amount of low cost Hydro Electricity power near major load center.
- To replace the lost live storage capacities of Mangla and Tarbela, reservoirs gradually being depleted due to sedimentation.
- To utilize surplus water waste fully flowing to sea.
- Kalabagh would store surplus water in the flood season and make it available for controlled utilization during the low flow season.
- This project would provide irrigation water to meet the demand of food production for our growing population.
So with the commissioning of Kalabagh Dam, the irrigation short fall would completely eliminated in average and above average inflow year.
- The additional water will mostly made available during the Rabi Season from October to march, thus increasing the cultivated area which may cropped twice annually.
- Kalabagh Dam would enable addition and improved irrigation supplies to all provinces within a short period.
- Additional water made available from Kalabagh for irrigation purposes will increase crop yields.
- The impact of Kalabagh Dam in reducing the short falls in irrigation supplies.
- Irrigation oriented operation of the project gives the highest overall economic return.
- Annual irrigation supply will increased by an average of 4.5 MAF, when the project is first commissioned.
- Kalabagh Dam would store water in the flood season. This water could thus used for sowing and final maturing of the Kharif crops and entire Rabi crops.
- The grand Kalabagh Dam could supply plenty of water from its reservoirs to the network of canals during the dry seasons.


Pollinated Foods Are High In Antioxidants – Study Reveals!
A recent study conducted by a nutrition expert and a group of pollination ecologists at the University of Berlin, Germany, the Leuphana University, Luneberg and the University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco has showed that globally, crops pollinated by animals are extremely rich in vitamins A, C, E, minerals such as fluoride, calcium, iron and dietary lipids.
Another important aspect was that the crops propagated by pollinators were high in nutrients that lowered the risk of heart disease and cancer. These included carotenoids such as β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene and other antioxidants found in vitamin E.
The researchers estimated that nearly 40% of the very essential nutrients coming from fruits and vegetables could be lost without the intervention of pollinators.
Animal pollinators such as bees are declining in numbers throughout the globe. If this is the case, in the coming years we might be eating food that is deficient in required nutrients leading to the development of several diseases.


As a conclusion to the Applied Ecology and Sustainable Systems unit on agriculture and soils, science students took a trip to the Conserve School garden to do some learning by doing. The students worked together to plant 200 tulip, hyacinth, and grape hyacinth bulbs each class period. These three species were selected by Conserve School’s Science Teacher Andy Milbauer and Stewardship Coordinator Jean Haack because they are an excellent food source for bees in the spring. When the snow finally disappears from campus, these flowers will not only provide habitat for our resident bees, but be a pleasant sight for those of us eagerly welcoming warmer weather.
To prepare the garden beds for planting, students dug up and turned over existing soil and vegetation. They then shoveled holes about half as deep as their hands, placed the bulbs pointed side up in the soil, and re-covered the holes they had made. More soil layers were added over the garden bed and students stomped, danced, and jumped on top to compact them. This compaction will deter squirrels from digging up the bulbs and prevent the bulbs from rotting in air pockets. Although the CS5 students will not be here to see the results of their planting, they worked diligently to get the job done. In just one class period, they were able to expand Conserve School’s garden, add to the diversity of species on campus, and plant flowers for future semesters to enjoy.
- Graduate Fellow Maria Kopecky


How does chemistry aid the success of crops?
In the spring, many people begin to plant their gardens. They see ads in catalogs or shop the gardening section of a local store to get ideas. The right place in the garden is selected, seeds or plants are put in the soil, and then they wait. Whether it is a small home garden or a large thousand acre farm, chemistry contributes greatly to the success of the crop.
Crops need four things for good growth: sunlight, water, nutrients from the soil, and protection from predators such as insects. Chemistry has made major contributions within water usage, nutrient availability, and plant protection. Water purification uses a number of chemical and physical techniques to remove salts and contaminants that would pollute the soil. Chemical analysis of soil allows the grower to see what nutrients are lacking, so that they can be added. In the spring, grocery stores, hardware stores, and gardening centers have high stacks of bags containing fertilizers and weed killers that enrich the soil and keep down unwanted plants. These same stores also provide a number of sprays or solid treatments for insects that might otherwise eat the plants.
Fresh water is essential for good crops. In some areas of the world, there is enough rain to accomplish this task. In other locales, water must be provided so that the crops will grow. Worldwide, irrigation covers about \(18\%\) of farm land and produces some \(40\%\) of crops. Obtaining clean water in many parts of the world is made possible by the process of desalinization.
Desalinization involves to the treatment of sea water to remove salts; the resulting water can then be used for irrigation without contaminating the soil with materials that harm the growing plants.
In many areas of the world, the soil is deficient in essential nutrients. A number of minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium may not be present in large enough amounts for plants to grow well. Nitrogen is also extremely important for good crops.
Soil analysis is available from a variety of labs. Local university extension services can provide valuable information as to the composition of a soil, and will also make suggestions as to the types and amounts of needed nutrients. Fertilizers can be purchased and added to the soil to enrich it and ensure better yield of crops.
Even if the crop grows well, there is still the possibility of insect or pest damage. The insect or pest can consume the crop or can damage it to the point where it will not grow well. Infestations of army worms can do major damage to corn and grain crops. Aphids and boll weevils are major predators of cotton crops. Failure to control these pests results in widespread crop damage and financial loss for the farmer.
A wide variety of pesticides have been developed by chemists and other scientists to deal with pests. The basic approach is to develop pesticides that interfere with some biochemical process in the pest. Ideally, the pesticide will not affect other living organisms, but this is not always the case. It is very important to read the labels and observe all precautions when using pesticides.
- Obtaining clean water in many parts of the world is made possible by the process of desalinization.
- Plant nutrients are very important for good plant growth.
- Chemical analysis of soil can tell he farmer or gardener what nutrients are needed.
- Chemists have developed many pesticides that will kill plant predators such as the army worm and the boll weevil.
- List three things crops need for good growth.
- How much of the water used in farming is provided by irrigation?
- What fraction of crops are grown using irrigation?
- Why do nutrients need to be added to the soil?
- How do pesticides work?


Biopolymer innovator Teysha Technologies has joined NIAB to research, test and develop bioplastics for the agricultural industry in the UK. The opportunity will allow Teysha to expand as the start up further commercialises in the UK, utilising the Eastern Agritech Innovation Hub near Cambridge. The Hub will be the focal point for developing and testing new sustainable materials and bioplastics to tackle growing plastic pollution as well as investigating waste feedstock options within British agricultural operations.
The first innovation to be delivered from the new Teysha laboratory will be a series of new polyester composite materials. Their purpose will be to replace some products that are currently based on petrochemical plastics, as well as improve the biodegradability of existing bioplastics such as polylactic acid. Unlike other polymer manufacturing processes, the synthesis of Teysha’s materials generates zero chemical by-products for disposal. Its properties make it susceptible to microbial breakdown, a desirable benefit for applications like packaging.
Teysha’s new polyester composites show promise as plastic alternatives across industries like agriculture and horticulture. For example, British gardeners go through 500 million plastic plant pots a year that are either incinerated or sent to landfills. On average they take an estimated 450 years to degrade and in the process may release toxic additives, dyes and microplastics into the environment. To address this, Teysha is targeting the development of alternatives using polyester composites. The goal is to prototype alternative options that provide additional plant nourishment while also having the ability to either biodegrade or be composted.
“This opportunity to work with the NIAB will allow us to further develop innovative, sustainable materials that can replace harmful plastics in industries like agriculture, as well as examine waste feedstocks for our range of biopolymers.” Said Matthew Stone, Managing Director of Teysha Technologies. “Working with such an important UK institution will also accelerate commercialisation in the UK.”
Teysha Technologies was established to solve the problems surrounding the production and use of plastics. In partnership with Texas A&M University, Teysha have developed novel second generation bioplastics based on sugar polycarbonates. Now, Teysha is extending its commercial operations to the UK where it is establishing a laboratory facility and a relationship with the NIAB.
The NIAB Group is the UK’s fastest-growing crop science organisation, addressing the challenges of food security, climate change and sustainable development in agriculture. The group works with local and national businesses at the hub to carry out commercial scale pilot studies that aid the development of the agricultural and horticultural industries in the UK.
To find out more about Teysha Technologies and its research into tuneable biodegradable biopolymers, visit the Teysha Technologies website.


Greencare Lawncare - Our Services
Greencare Lawncare provides more than just weekly lawn maintenance. Please consider us when in need of any of the following services.
We welcome the opportunity to provide full maintenance service. We offer 4-season lawn care from basic lawn mowing to full landscape maintenance. However, if all you need is a company to mow the yard, we are happy to help.
Standard service includes mowing the entire yard, line trimming (weed eating) around all trees, posts, fencing, etc., edging all sidewalks, patios and driveways, and clean up of all clippings. We mulch as it is much better for the lawn. When necessary, grass clippings are bagged and removed from the property.
The major goal of turf fertilization is to produce attractive turf that is healthy, and able to withstand the rigors of its intended use. Fertilization is one of the most basic and important components of a turf management program.
Turf fertilization contributes greatly to lawn color, density, uniformity, and growth. Properly fertilized grass can compete with weeds and is able recover from damage caused by environmental stresses faster than improperly fertilized lawns. When developing a turf fertilization program, we consider a number of factors including:
• Minerals required for turf growth and development
• Natural soil fertility
• Fertilizer selection
• Turf/grass species, desired quality, and use
• Environmental and management conditions
• Application schedule
Let us improve the health of your lawn by aerating your soil. Lawn aeration, or core aeration, helps by pulling up plugs of soil and then allowing air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots of your grass. Lawn aeration will help strengthen the roots and allow them to grow deeper. Strong roots in grass will help make it look very green and more beautiful.
Thatch is the layer of living and dead stems, roots, stolons, and rhizomes between the green blades of grass and the soil surface. A thin layer of thatch (less than 1/2 inch thick) can be beneficial to the lawn because it helps to limit weed germination, reduce water evaporation, and protect from frost damage. However, thick thatch layers can prevent water, air, and nutrients from penetrating the soil, causing reduced root growth and increased potential for drought stress. Thatch also favors fungal growth and can harbor insect pests.
Lime helps neutralize acidic soil. If your lawn is in good shape, you probably don't need lime. Let us test your soil and determine if lime is needed to adjust the Ph balance. Lime is a treatment for your soil, not your grass, and the best time to get at the soil is when there's no grass on top of it. However, if you already have grass, we can determine the best time of year to apply a treatment. If your soil is too sour and has slipped out of the ph zone that keeps your grass happy and healthy, lime will sweeten it up again and help keep your lawn in good shape.
Moss in lawns is usually the result of conditions that are not beneficial to good growth in turf - including poor soil fertility, low soil pH (acidic soils), heavy shade, and excessive moisture. If any of these conditions are inhibiting turf growth, moss can and will invade the lawn and establish itself.
Let us treat your lawn and effectively gain control of your moss problem. We will get your yard looking lush and green once again.
Weeds tend to thrive at the expense of the more desirable grass, flowers, or shrubs. They provide competition for space, nutrients, water and light. To prevent their germination and growth, we use a combination of pre-emergent herbicides applied to the soil, and some organic techniques. We will fight those hard to kill weeds until they are gone.
Mulch is a protective cover placed over the soil to retain moisture, reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and suppress weed growth and seed germination. Using them in gardens and landscaping mimics the leaf cover that is found on forest floors.
Mulching also provides a beautiful contrasting curb appeal. We are happy to provide all of your mulching needs. You just can't go wrong with proper mulching.
Tree and Shrub Timming
Enhance the appearance of your trees. Proper tree maintenance consists of clearing the tree of deadwood, thinning branches, breakage and rubbing limbs removal, and raising the tree canopy. Not only does it make the tree healthier - it reduces decay, allows for more airflow and reduces a lot of unnecessary weight.
Mowing the yard is only half the challenge. Bushes that are not consistently maintained hurt the appearance of even the best-kept property.
We will leave your bushes looking beautiful and designed just how you like.
Concerned we do not offer the service you seek? Call us; we are happy to recommend service providers that maintain the same standards we do.
Do you need property maintenance for a commercial property? Greencare Lawncare can establish a budget and remain within it. All costs are known. There are no hidden or indirect charges. Are safety practices, training procedures and comprehensive insurance, nearly eliminating your exposure to liability as a result of careless or abusive use of equipment or chemicals.
Greencare Lawncare strives to be a one-stop 'Outdoor Service Provider'. If your outdoor services are not currently managed by one service provider, let us show you the return on investment (ROI) earned by switching to Greencare Lawncare. We solely focus on grounds maintenance so you can focus on your business.
Property managers love us because we make their job easy.
Call today to see if Greencare Lawncare is the right service provider for you!


- Scientific Name: Cynara scolymus
- Garden: Edibles and Herbs Garden
- Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennials
- Evergreen/Deciduous: Evergreen
- Sun/Shade Exposure: Full Sun
- Moisture Requirements: Moist, Well-Drained
Artichokes are Mediterranean plants that thrive in full, hot sun. They need a minimum of six hours of direct sun a day at the peak of summer. A rich, well‐drained soil is ideal. In the Portland area, seeds can be started indoors February through April (two months before the average last frost date), and directly outdoors starting in May. Transplant starts in late spring when the ground has warmed up and there is no chance of frost. Give plants 3’ spacing and full sun. A site protected from winter winds and extreme cold is best. Amend soil with 2” of compost and/or manure before planting. Add an organic transplanting fertilizer to the bottom of the hole. Once planted, top‐dress with good mulch, making sure not to smother the crown. WATER REQUIREMENTS Artichokes like moist soil, but never soggy. When watering, drench the root area completely. Frequency of watering varies with every situation. In the heat of summer, it may need a thorough drink once a week. Watering frequency will decrease during cooler weather and as plants become established. Artichokes are very drought tolerant once established after the first year. Water a second-year plant thoroughly in the hottest summer months. A third-year plant should be fine without additional water. In containers, artichokes will need regular watering weekly before the soil pulls away from the sides of the container. Artichokes in containers will need regular water for life because they will have a restricted root system. FERTILIZING Artichokes benefit from an annual feeding in the spring, side‐dress with kelp meal or any other all-purpose granular fertilizer. A 1” layer of composted manure also works. HARVESTING & STORAGE Newly planted artichokes begin to produce edible heads early to mid-summer. Established plants can start flowering in late spring. Harvest before the outer “petals” have begun to open, cut buds with 1” of stem along with it. Store in refrigerator; lasts up to a week or more. PESTS & DISEASES *Snails and slugs leave large holes in leaves when they feed at night. Slug baits, and beer traps are just a few ways to control them. *Verticillium and Bacterial Wilt are soil borne virus which cause the plant to suddenly wilt. Remove and destroy infected plant. Replant a new plant in a different area (or container). *Die out‐ All artichokes have a limited life span and lose vigor, dying away after 5 years of production. *Gray Mold shows as brown spots on buds which develops a white or gray mold in wet weather. Remove infected buds, avoid overhead irrigation and improve air circulation. Treat healthy foliage with a fungicide if desired. *Aphids often appear as a black coating on the flower buds. Also, sticky sap on leaves and stems and white aphid skeletons are quite prevalent. There are numerous sprays and control measures to help combat aphids. Garlic and cayenne sprays help deter them, and insecticidal soap kills them when spayed every 7‐10 days. *Earwig damage appears as holes bored through the base of the buds. Set traps for earwigs made out of rolls of corrugated cardboard. Earwigs will hide in the cardboard in the day. In the morning shake the traps into a bucket of soapy water or simply discard away from the garden. WINTER PROTECTION Cut artichoke foliage to the ground in late fall. Artichokes in containers need protection at temperatures around 25°F or colder. In the ground a thick layer of straw will help insulate the root mass for the winter. The key for survival in the ground is great drainage and temperatures above 20°F.


Researchers from Sonomaceuticals, LLC, the USDA-ARS, and UC Davis have collaborated to learn more about the ways in which a by-product of Chardonnay winemaking that has been viewed simply as a waste product may have potential health benefits.
Dr Torey Arvik, Dr Wallace Yokoyama, Dr Carl Keen, Dr Roberta Holt, and Fanny Lee are interested in how Chardonnay marc – the solid remains of the grapes after being pressed for their juice – could be upcycled into ingredients used in foods and dietary supplements that may improve cardiovascular and gut health. Harnessing the health benefits of Chardonnay grape marc as a value-added ingredient enables more sustainable wine production.
A grand challenge in the global food and agriculture sector is minimizing food waste and negative environmental impacts while meeting increasing global demand for healthy food. Innovation is urgently needed to transform underutilized food- and agriculture-derived resources into new ingredients and products that contribute to health and nutrition while also being conducive to a more sustainable environment.
Transforming by-products into co-products during wine production
Wine production is a sector where innovation can have a big impact. In 2018, 292 million hectolitres (one hectolitre equals one hundred litres) of wine were produced worldwide.
The process of winemaking involves crushing ripe grapes into grape must. For white wine, the must is then pressed to separate the juice from the solids. Next, the juice is fermented to produce wine.
The grape solids removed from the must are called pomace, or marc. Grape marc contains all the other components of the grape, including the skin, seeds, and pulp. Grape marc makes up the largest underutilized by-product from winemaking, with over 1.1 million tonnes generated in 2019 in California alone. Although a small amount of marc has traditionally been used to produce marc brandy or grappa, it is more commonly used as fertilizer or animal feed.
“Overweight or obese individuals may have improved insulin responses when consuming a blend of Chardonnay grape marc and seed extract.”
Collaborative research between Sonomaceuticals, LLC, the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the University of California Davis (UC Davis) is providing exciting new insights into the potential benefits of co-products that usually go largely to waste in the production of Chardonnay wine. This multi-year program of collaboration is revealing new potential in Chardonnay marc co-products that can yield new food and dietary supplement ingredients having health benefits due to the concentration of certain naturally occurring compounds.
Potential bioactive components of Chardonnay grape marc
Sonomaceuticals is interested to better understand the use of Chardonnay grape marc to benefit human health. Dr Torey Arvik is involved in work which aims to valorize grape solids left over from winemaking. Valorization, a process that is gaining traction in numerous industries, simply means finding a better use for co-products, thereby reducing waste and enhancing value.
This has partly contributed to a new area of research which aims to explore the potential health benefits of bioactive components in Chardonnay grape marc.
Previous work by Dr Wallace Yokoyama, a scientist at USDA-ARS, compared the profiles of grape seed flours from different varieties to determine if there were different health impacts. Compared to other grapes, Chardonnay grape marc contained high levels of nutrients known as phenolics, with the highest levels found in Chardonnay seeds.
The team at Sonomaceuticals further explored the phenolic content of Chardonnay grape marc. They aimed to characterize the marc, with and without seeds, the seed alone, and an extract of the seed, to better identify the chemical composition of these winemaking co-products. The majority of phenolics in Chardonnay grape marc are the flavan-3-ols, including (-) epicatechin. Flavan-3-ols are compounds naturally present in plant-based foods such as grapes, tea, apples, and cocoa. Importantly, a number of research studies have shown that increased intakes of (-) epicatechin and other flavan-3-ols can have beneficial health effects on the cardiovascular system. Indeed, work from an international team of researchers, which included Dr Carl Keen and Dr Roberta Holt, observed that flavanol intake could improve vascular response and platelet function. Continued research on flavan-3-ols has convincingly demonstrated beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. This may be due to their ability to affect a number of cellular signalling and metabolic pathways.
Aside from the flavan-3-ol content of marc, the Sonomaceuticals team were interested in the relatively understudied complex carbohydrate content of Chardonnay grape marc that can benefit gut health. This included the oligosaccharides, a type of fiber, known for their potential prebiotic benefits.
All Chardonnay marc samples analyzed contained abundant levels of flavan-3-ols, with the seed extract being the most concentrated phenolic. Thirty-six distinct oligosaccharides were discovered in the four samples. Whilst there was some overlap between the Chardonnay marc fractions, they each had their own individual oligosaccharide profile. These results demonstrate that Chardonnay marc could be a substantial dietary source of phenolics and oligosaccharides. Research is currently ongoing to determine the contribution of each of these Chardonnay grape marc components to health.
Potential health benefits of Chardonnay grape marc
Research by Dr Yokoyama identified ways that Chardonnay grape seed flour may benefit cardiovascular health in a series of studies using a rodent model. His group supplemented a high-fat diet with Chardonnay grape seed flour. This prevented the mice from gaining fat, despite consuming more food than the control group. The mice also had lower levels of a form of cholesterol often associated with increased cardiovascular risk, that is, low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol. Moreover, Dr Yokoyama’s team were able to demonstrate that Chardonnay grape seed flour-induced changes in LDL were associated with changes in specific gut microbial populations and metabolites. Dr Yokoyama attributed these health benefits to the fiber and flavan-3-ol content of the Chardonnay seed flour. These results suggests that Chardonnay grape seed flour may benefit cardiovascular health in the management of obesity and obesity-related health effects that include improvements in cholesterol levels and gut health. However, further research, including well-controlled clinical trials, will be required to confirm the impact of these key Chardonnay grape marc components in humans.
Fanny Lee’s research is focused on exploring how pre-packaged capsules containing WellVine Chardonnay marc may affect the gut microbiome and cardiovascular health in humans. She and her collaborators have conducted initial trials examining the effects of Chardonnay grape flour and seed extract on cholesterol and insulin resistance. At this year’s meeting of the American Society of Nutrition, Ms Lee presented data suggesting overweight or obese individuals may have improved insulin responses when consuming a blend of Chardonnay grape marc and seed extract. While promising, further work is required to confirm these findings.
“Including Chardonnay marc in food products can potentially contribute to both public health and environmental sustainability.”
During the past several decades, much has been learned about compounds present in foods having bioactivity beyond that contributed by the currently recognized micro- and macro-nutrients. (-) Epicatechin, present in various plant foods, and specific oligosaccharides found in human breastmilk, are representative of these new discoveries. The cross-sector research collaboration between Sonomaceuticals, USDA-ARS, and UC Davis suggests Chardonnay grape marc is a food ingredient containing compounds that have this potential, including flavan-3-ols and oligosaccharides. Sonomaceuticals has already demonstrated that grape seed flour can be used in commercially available flours to enhance bread and other baked goods, and believes there is a potential for including Chardonnay grape marc in a wider variety of foods, beverages, and dietary supplements. In addition to the health and nutrition benefits associated with the compounds it naturally contains, inclusion of Chardonnay grape marc in these products contributes to environmentally sustainable viticulture and winemaking operations.


Q-P Farm Market 1339 Portland Cobalt Rd, Portland, CT06480 Open since 1993, Q-P (quick pick) Farm Market is open from spring until Halloween. This farmers market is owned by…More Gotta's Place off of Glastonbury Turnpike. There are several greenhouses in the back where the business grows its crops. Customers can stop by Q-P and purchase locally grown produce such as corn, squash, tomatoes and apples. Customers can also pick their own peaches and strawberries. For those looking to do some planting of their own, Q-P's has a garden center which stocks all manner of decorative plants and mulch as well as heirloom tomato plants.


Smallholder vegetable farmers in Zimbabwe could lose thousands of dollars due to the lockdown enforced by the government to combat the spread of Covid -19 pandemic that has ravaged communities across the globe. Covid -19 and the response measures particularly lockdown and social distancing could not have come at a worse time for many smallholder farmers, particularly women. The lockdown policy response, though necessary to break the coronavirus transmission chain, threatens to disrupt agricultural markets and supply chains for smallholder farmers already reeling from the effects of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 drought, fall army-worm and underlying economic challenges.
On 30 March 2020, the Government of Zimbabwe enforced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid -19 pandemic that threatens to bring down global economies and communities. The nationwide lockdown was abrupt, with the citizens given only two weekend days to stock up supplies for the lockdown.
A snap survey conducted by Oxfam in Zimbabwe in its project areas shows that, unless the government comes up with targeted policy measures to support the farmers during the lockdown period and beyond, thousands of smallholder farmers stand to endure losses that will worsen hunger, malnutrition, poverty, inequality and vulnerability to the climate crisis among other challenges rural farmers are already battling with.
Beneficiaries of Tapudzai Garden in Ward 11 of Gutu District (about 250 km southeast of the Capital City of Harare) whose quarter hectare of tomatoes is currently under production, expect to start harvesting their crop in two weeks’ time (18 April). Members of the Tapudzai garden comprising of 19 women, 10 men and 7 youth farmers are anticipating a yield of about 10 000kg from their irrigated quarter hectare. Tomatoes are fetching ZWL9.30/kg at the market and the members were hoping to get a gross income of at least ZWL93,000 (US$3,577) which translates to a net income of US$1,802 after production costs.
If the lockdown persists and the tomatoes are not sold as expected, Tapudzai garden members stand to lose almost USD2000, a loss which the members cannot afford now given the underlying economic challenges bedevilling the nation.
Small scale vegetable farmers, mostly women, in Gutu district whose crops are almost ripe for harvesting, have cited access to markets as their major challenge during this lockdown. Cellestino Chakabuda (58) a father of five and one of the members of the recently constructed Tapudzai solar driven market garden in Ward 11 under the SIDA supported Oxfam in Zimbabwe and partners Climate Adaptation for Rural Livelihoods (CARL) project, has this to say:
“We had planned to sell our vegetables including cabbages, tomatoes and beans to nearby boarding schools and the Gutu town market, but now with the lockdown in place, we don’t know what we are going to do. Schools have been closed and the market is closed as well, so there is barely no market to sell our vegetables to” said a distraught Chakabuda.
“Vegetables have a short shelf life, the crops are almost at harvesting stage and we are not sure what to do if the lockdown persists beyond 21 days and schools remain closed”. On the 3rd of April 2020, the President of Zimbabwe Emerson Mnangagwa in a televised address, relaxed the lockdown measures when he ordered the police to allow farmers to deliver their produce to urban centres. This came after shocking images of police burning a truckload of vegetables in Mutare’s Sakubva market flew all over social media.
Chakabuda however said commendable as the President’s gesture was, it did not do much in addressing the market challenges the communal farmers still have to face in the wake of the lockdown. “Though the President said we can now go with our produce to urban markets, our challenges still remain. For starters, there are no buses on the road to carry our vegetables to town because all public transport was banned from operating during the lockdown except for Zupco buses but these are all concentrated in urban centres. So how are we going to get our vegetables to town? If schools remain closed, our challenges are far from over as accessing urban markets is a toll order for most of us” said Chakabuda.
He further added that even if they somehow manage to get their produce to urban markets, the market still remains too small to cater for both communal farmers and commercial farmers as most vegetable vendors and small shops that usually buy smallholder farmers produce remain closed due to the unpredictability of the situation. Chakabuda said he fears if they do not get a market for their produce at the earliest possible time, all their efforts may go down the drain and they may be unable to send their children back to school when they reopen.
Chiedza Hungwe (36) a mother of five and also a member of the same project weighed in “There hasn’t been much crop yield in most farmers’ fields this year owing to drought and our only hope was income from the recently constructed market garden which has constant supply of water”.
Even farmers in irrigation schemes have not been spared from supply chain and market disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown response measures. In the SIDA – Oxfam supported Ruti and Mutunha Irrigation Schemes in Gutu and Buhera districts respectively, farmers must prepare for the winter crop season but are finding it difficult to move around to sell their produce, source agricultural inputs and conclude supply contracts.
“As a farmer, I need to move from place to place looking for markets, interact with extension officers and buy inputs. Now with the lockdown and social distancing measures, it’s already a nightmare for most of us farmers to access markets and procure inputs for the upcoming winter cropping season which starts in May” said Mary Chinembiri (35) of the Ruti irrigation scheme. Failure by farmers to procure agricultural inputs and access markets could spell major disruptions to Zimbabwe’s food supply chain. Farming activities follow seasons and getting things done on time often separates a successful farming season from an unsuccessful one.
“Our first crop is almost ready for harvesting and we were preparing to sell the produce at the nearby Murambinda growth point and started contract negotiations with private sector off-takers for a winter crop but now all that has been put into disarray because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed by the government”, said Moline Mudzukwa (49), a beneficiary of the Mutunha irrigation scheme and garden implemented in Buhera District through SAFIRE under the CARL project. “We are between a hard place and a rock, as we want to stay safe from Covid-19 but also continue with our farming business”, said most farmers across the three districts.
These farmers’ voices highlight the worries about socio-economic effects of COVID-19 among smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe and the urgent need for policy measures that alleviate hunger and that address poverty and inequality for rural constituencies.


Stefano Accordini’s family involvement with wine started early in the 20th century when Stefano’s father Gaetano Accordini bought 5 ha of vineyards in the hills between Verona and Lake Garda. Stefano continued his father’s passion for producing Valpolicella wine on their family vineyards all his life and was followed by his sons Daniele and Tiziano (pictured). In turn, the current generation of Accordinis; Giacomo, Paolo, and Marco, have inherited the love for Valpolicella and a place in their family enterprise.
It might seem like stating the obvious, but you get something really special when four successive generations dedicate themselves to producing and refining one particular style of wine. With a total of 10 ha under vine, the Accordindis know every inch of their land intimately. The vineyards have south-eastern exposure and a balanced soil composition perfect for growing the Corvine, Rondinelle and Corvinone grapes that go into the Accordini Valpolicellas.


11 Foods That Are Already Being Impacted by the Climate Crisis
Food is an entrenched part of any culture. In America, we associate peaches with Georgia and shellfish with New England; we go to Napa for wine tasting, and sing songs about the heartland’s amber waves of grain. But in a few short decades, rising sea levels and changing temperatures could transform where and how we harvest our food.
We’re already seeing changes. Fruit trees are struggling to bloom after warmer winters; cranberries are being scalded by heat in the bogs they’ve grown in for centuries; in Asia, rice crops are being flooded with saltwater. And as the ocean becomes warmer and more acidic, the sea life we depend on is either moving to different waters or being decimated.
In many cases, these changes mean that the foods that are part of a region’s identity — Vermont’s maple syrup or Colombia’s coffee — will have to migrate as their ideal climate shifts, often further north. “Napa Valley pretty much ends up in Canada not too long from now,” says Lisa Goddard, director of the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University.
And it’s not just specialty foods. Rising temperatures are making it harder to produce staple grains across the globe — slashing yields, wiping out crops in droughts, even making these essential grains less nutritious. In developed countries like the U.S., we likely won’t stop eating as much corn or wheat; we’ll just start cultivating more land — increasing the already enormous environmental impact of the agriculture industry. “The demand for food is so powerful, it’s the fundamental thing that people need to buy. They will find a way to buy it,” says Keith Wiebe of the International Food Policy Research Institute.
But it also means prices will go up — which could be devastating for nations that are already facing widespread hunger. “For people in poorer countries, where they spend half of their total expenditures on food, and half of those expenditures are on just the basics — maize meal or cassava flour — even a small change in something like that has a huge impact,” says Wiebe. “They’re already scraping by, and trading off between food and school books and health care.”
The key is learning how to adapt. Researchers are breeding climate-resistant crops — building DNA libraries and reviving old, wild strains — and working to insure farmers financially against increasingly variable growing seasons.
“It’s a race between innovation and the impacts of climate,” says Wiebe. “The entire history of agriculture is based on experience with relatively stable temperatures. And we’re going to move beyond that in the next decades.”
Here are 11 foods, from beloved regional favorites to essential staples, that are already being affected by climate change in their cultivation methods, quality, and survival.
Accounting for 20 percent of all calories consumed by people — and 100 percent of all comfort food — wheat is threatened by drought and rising carbon-dioxide levels. Researchers project that even if we stop global temperatures from rising 2 C, the wheat-growing areas affected by drought will double in the next 20 to 50 years. Rising CO2 levels may offset some of that by fueling photosynthesis and increasing yield, but a recent study suggested rising CO2 will also strip significant amounts of nutrients from wheat and other plants like barley, potatoes, and rice.
Small open-water fish like sardines, herring, and anchovies are among the most “climate friendly” fish to catch, requiring by far the least amount of boat fuel to gather. But rising ocean temperatures are deadly to sardine larvae, and the species depends on plankton for food, which is becoming scarcer in some parts of the world due to increasingly variable wind patterns. An 87 percent collapse of sardine fisheries in the Southern Caribbean over the course of a decade was attributed largely to climate change, with overfishing contributing as well. At the same time, research suggests sardine populations in the Pacific Ocean will travel north to cooler waters over the next 60 years, reducing stock in current California fishing ports by 20 to 50 percent.
California grows about 80 percent of the world’s almonds. “That crop takes a ridiculously lot of water to grow,” says Goddard. “As California’s facing water shortages, this is going to be a problem.” In addition to rainfall, California farmers rely on snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada mountains flowing into the state’s irrigation canals. As less snow accumulates and melts earlier because of climate change, thirsty crops like almonds are likely to be especially affected by the late-season water shortage. Researchers are studying whether the almond industry could eventually shift north into Oregon and Washington, which by 2050 may be warm enough to support the crop.
About 10,000 years ago, we started domesticating chickpeas. It helped make the legume what it is today — the primary source of protein for some 20 percent of the world. But it also robbed it of its genetic diversity, which has made it harder for the plant to adapt to climate change. It’s particularly vulnerable to drought, which can decimate half of a crop, and disease, which can wipe a crop out entirely. To keep chickpeas thriving, researchers have collected seeds and DNA from the domesticated chickpea’s heartier, wild counterparts in Turkey and Kurdistan, hoping to breed a plant that is more resistant to drought, extreme heat, and pests.
Considered the canary in the agricultural coal mine, wine grapes require hyperspecific climates to produce wines with sugar, acid, and tannins balanced exactly right. Already, growers are entering regions that were once too cold for the crop and seeking higher altitudes for more consistent temperatures. Drought, floods, hail, fires, and unpredictable rains and freezes threaten to decimate yields. In 2020, smoke damage from the worst wildfire season in modern California history ruined 13 percent of the state’s wine-grape crop. A recent study predicted that if global temperatures rise by 2 C, suitable wine-grape regions could shrink by as much as 56 percent by the end of the century. Diversifying varietals could offset some of that loss, but that will mean the end of generations of growing certain grapes in certain regions in favor of those more suited to climate change.
Indigenous peoples in the Northeast United States have used this winter-hardy crop in their foods and medicines for thousands of years. In Massachusetts, which produces about a quarter of the country’s cranberry crop, the industry is worth $1 billion and employs 7,000 farmers. But the plants, many of which are more than 100 years old, grow in ancient bogs that fall prey to erratic rainfall and drought. And in heat waves, cranberries can suffer from a condition called “scald,” where the fruit cooks on the vine because it can’t cool itself.
Baby shellfish like oysters and scallops start building their shells when they’re somewhere between the size of a speck of dust and a lentil, filtering calcium and carbonate from ocean waters to construct their protective layers. But as the oceans’ acidity increases due to the rising CO2 levels, the number of carbonate ions in the water declines. Unable to build their shells, the shellfish die or grow more slowly, making them more vulnerable to predators. One report estimated that with scallops, ocean acidification could reduce the population by as much as 50 percent in just a few decades.
In winter, when hardy fruit trees like peaches and cherries are dormant, they need to experience a certain number of “chilling hours” — where temperatures remain between freezing and 45 degrees — for the fruit to reliably form. A study found that between 1950 and 2000, yearly chilling hours decreased by as much as 30 percent in some parts of California. But there is hope: In 2020, the USDA released three new peach varieties bred to survive shorter, warmer winters.
Corn is the most vital crop in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, and it’s the largest grown in the United States. But the grain is sensitive to rising temperatures and dwindling rainfall, so healthy crops can be taken out in one fell swoop by an ill-timed drought. “Even in developed countries like the United States or Brazil, you have these wonderful crops, growing great, and then right when the crop starts to flower—which is critical—you get a drought, and the whole crop goes down the drain,” says Walter Baethgen, senior research scientist for the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University. Tith the constant threat that crops could be wiped out at any moment, it could become financially impossible for small corn farmers to sustain their farms. And even when crops survive, the changing climate is expected to reduce corn’s growth rate: a global temperature rise of just 1 degree Celsius would slow the rate by 7 percent.
Higher temperatures, more intense rain, and persistent humidity have made coffee plantations hospitable hosts for the “coffee leaf rust” fungus. Dusting coffee leaves with rust-colored spores, they feed off the plant, spreading from tree to tree and making it impossible for the plants to photosynthesize or produce the prized coffee berries. From 2012 to 2017, coffee rust forced almost 2 million farmers off their land. One study estimates that because of global warming, we could lose 50 percent of the land suitable to grow coffee by 2050.
Rice production is fundamental to global food security: It’s a staple for more than half the world’s population, nearly a billion of whom suffer from chronic hunger. The crop thrives in wetlands — making it especially susceptible to droughts or unpredictable rainfall. But the biggest enemy may be rising sea levels. In Bangladesh, coastal flooding is literally salting the earth, making it impossible to cultivate the rice fields. According to one study, 200,000 coastal farmers will likely be forced out by rising tides in the next 120 years. Wealthier farmers have begun farming shrimp where they once grew rice, but 80 percent of the world’s rice is produced by small-scale farmers without the resources to make that change. Instead, many are expected to migrate inland, where there’s good news: researchers are isolating breeds that are drought- and flood-tolerant, to adapt to changing weather patterns.


Diabetics and calorie counters rejoice!
According to a recent article in Science News, researchers have developed a low-sugar alternative to the standard U.S. supermarket watermelon.
Melon geneticist Angela Davis of the U.S. Agricultural Research Service - and her team - produced two lines of fruit whose seeds now uniformly grow into pink, low-sugar melons.
And if a series of tastes tests encompassing more than 170 youth and adults is any indication, the melon could be a huge hit with people following restricted sugar or low-carbohydrate diets. As background, domesticated watermelons tend to be so sweet, they are typically off-limits to most of the nation's 20 million people with diabetes.
The individuals involved in the taste test process were offered two types of watermelon - the conventional supermarket variety and a low-sugar version sweetened with sucralose. Researchers report the majority preferred their melon with sucralose.
The Oklahoma team will now turn its experimental melons over to seed companies.


Lammas/Lughnasad is one of the four “Greater Sabbats,” which makes it one of the most important days on the Wheel of the Year. It is the cross-quarter day between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox, and it marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Traditionally the peak of summer heat, the first hints of Autumn also start to show themselves—the first grains are ready for harvest, the trees begin dropping their fruits, and daylight slowly starts to shrink. It is a time to give thanks for the abundance of the past growing season and to look forward to the remaining weeks of light and warmth as we continue reaping what we have sown.
Lammas rituals are related to harvest and gratitude, and acknowledging and celebrating what has unfolded so far during the course of the year.
In our Wheel of the Year Workshops, we combine the power of the Work that Reconnects with where we are in the wheel of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere).


Katahdin sheep are a unique and fascinating breed that originated in Maine, USA. They are known for their hardiness, versatility, and ease of care, making them a popular choice among farmers and homesteaders alike.
Unlike traditional wool sheep breeds, Katahdin sheep do not require shearing as they shed their wool naturally. This makes them a low-maintenance option for farmers (like us) who do not have the time or resources to shear their sheep regularly.
In addition to their ease of care, Katahdin sheep are known for their excellent meat quality. Their meat is lean, tender, and has a mild flavor that appeals to a wide range of tastes.
Katahdin sheep are also highly adaptable to a variety of environments and climates, making them an excellent choice us given our cold, harsh winters and dry summer. They are well-suited for grazing on pasture, but they can also thrive on a diet of hay and concentrates.
Dorper sheep are a hardy and adaptable breed that originated in South Africa in the 1930s. They were developed by crossing the Dorset Horn and Blackhead Persian breeds to create a sheep that was well-suited to the harsh and arid conditions of the South African landscape.
One of the defining characteristics of the Dorper sheep breed is their unique shedding ability. Dorper sheep have a short, slick coat that sheds naturally. In addition to their shedding ability, Dorper sheep are known for their excellent meat quality and increasing the growth rate of lambs when cross bred. Their meat is tender, flavorful, and has a high yield, making them a popular choice for meat production programs.
Dorper sheep are highly adaptable to a variety of environments and climates and parasite resistant. They are well-suited for grazing on pasture, but they can also thrive on a diet of hay or other forages. They tolerate both hot and cold temperatures, making them a versatile and safe choice. Overall, we were looking for a low-maintenance, adaptable, and high-quality meat-producing sheep. With their unique characteristics and adaptability, the Dorper were a natural fit for us to introduce into our breeding program.
Icelandic sheep are a unique and ancient breed that is highly valued for its meat, wool, and milk. One of the defining characteristics of Icelandic sheep is their lean, tender, and flavorful meat, which is considered a gourmet delicacy by many.
Icelandic sheep meat is known for its exceptional flavor, which is attributed to the breed's unique genetics and natural diet. Icelandic sheep are raised on grass and other forages, which gives their meat a distinct and delicious taste. Their meat is also low in fat and high in protein, making it a healthy choice for those who are conscious of their diet.
In addition to their excellent meat quality, Icelandic sheep are also highly prized for their wool, which is versatile and can be used for a wide range of products. Their milk is also rich and flavorful, making it a great choice for dairy production.
Overall, Icelandic sheep are a unique and valuable breed that offers a range of benefits for farmers and consumers alike. Whether you are interested in meat, wool, or dairy production, or are simply looking for a delicious and nutritious meat option, Icelandic sheep are a great choice.
Work in progress


The Healthy Kids Community Challenge Hastings & Prince Edward has purchased 1200 new blue bins from a local supplier for the Community Development Council of Quinte (CDC Quinte), to be used for the local Good Food Box program. The Good Food Box program is a bulk food buying program that offers fresh produce at a fraction of the retail price. The fresh produce is delivered to community depots throughout Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. The Healthy Kids Community Challenge Hastings & Prince Edward bought the bins as part of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Theme 3 Choose to Boost Veggies and Fruit.
The Good Food Box program was looking for ways to support an increase in the program uptake. “These new bins will increase the capacity of the delivery truck by at least 30 percent because they allow for more efficient packing without compromising the integrity of the vegetables and fruit,” says Jim Mallabar, the local Good Food Box Coordinator. By increasing the capacity of the delivery truck, more good food boxes can be offered to community members without an increase to the program’s transportation costs. This will allow the program to continue to grow for the next few years.
Choose to Boost Veggies and Fruit theme is all about increasing the daily servings of vegetables and fruit for children and their families. Only one in ten Canadian youth are meeting the five servings of vegetables and fruit they should be eating everyday. The Good Food Box program is a valuable community resource to have fresh produce available at affordable prices.
The local Good Food Box program is over 20 years old and continues to grow. The CDC Quinte estimates the program started packing and delivering about 75 boxes each month. As of 2017, they are averaging 1200 boxes every month. The program offers a $15 large good food box for three or more people, a $10 small good food box for one to two people and a $5 fruit bag. These are ordered and delivered once every month and available from sixteen depots throughout Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. The CDC Quinte also offers Community Gardens, Community Kitchens and monthly Good Food Markets to help increase access to fresh produce throughout our communities.
For information about the Good Food Box or the other programs run by the CDC Quinte please visit www.cdcquinte.com. For more information about the Healthy Kids Community Challenge, please visit www.healthykidsHPE.ca.
Jim Mallabar (right), Good Food Box Coordinator, and a long-time volunteer Norm Culley (left) pack the new Good Food Box bins for the monthly delivery.


As the world’s most popular beverage, coffee takes many forms. From instant coffee packets to exotic, rare blends, there’s something for everyone. But among the broad spectrum of beans and brews, one type stands out: specialty coffee. This unique subset of the coffee industry emphasizes quality, sustainability, and flavor profiles that can delight even the most discerning coffee drinkers.
Table of Contents
What is Specialty Coffee?
Before we delve into its significance, let’s understand what specialty coffee is. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) grades coffee on a 100-point scale. Those scoring 80 points or above are termed ‘specialty coffee.’ These beans are grown in ideal climates and are carefully harvested to yield a distinctive flavor profile.
The Importance of Specialty Coffee
Elevating Your Coffee Experience
Specialty coffee is about an enhanced experience, akin to wine tasting. It’s not just a caffeine kick but an exploration of nuanced flavors. The taste is affected by a multitude of factors: the coffee variety, the region it’s grown in, the altitude, and the processing method. A cup of specialty coffee can contain notes of anything from berries and citrus fruits to chocolate and spices.
Ensuring Quality and Traceability
Because specialty coffee must meet stringent quality standards, it guarantees a high-quality cup every time. This attention to quality extends beyond taste; it also ensures traceability. Most specialty coffee roasters provide information about the origin of their beans, the farmer who grew them, and even the altitude at which they were cultivated. This traceability establishes a direct connection between the consumer and the farmer, fostering a sense of trust and authenticity in the coffee experience.
Promoting Sustainable Practices
Specialty coffee promotes sustainability within the coffee industry. Many farmers growing specialty coffee employ shade-grown farming techniques, which can be better for the environment. They often refrain from using harmful chemicals and pesticides, instead opting for natural, environmentally friendly alternatives.
Moreover, specialty coffee encourages practices like direct trade, ensuring fair pay and working conditions for coffee growers. This focus on fair trade not only helps improve the livelihood of farmers but also promotes sustainability by providing them with the necessary resources to maintain environmentally friendly farming practices.
Enhancing Community and Culture
Specialty coffee cultivates a sense of community and fosters a culture of appreciating fine quality. Coffee shops serving specialty coffee often provide a welcoming atmosphere for consumers to not just consume but learn about the coffee. Baristas in these establishments are more than just employees; they are skilled craftsmen who take pride in their brews.
In summary, the specialty coffee movement is about more than just superior taste. It’s a holistic approach to coffee that prioritizes quality, sustainability, fair trade, and community. By choosing specialty coffee, consumers support a chain that begins with the farmers who cultivate the beans and ends with the steaming cup of unique flavors that they savor. Specialty coffee is not just a choice; it is a conscious decision to endorse a more ethical and sustainable coffee industry. So, the next time you have your coffee, consider specialty coffee. You’ll be indulging in a richer experience while contributing to a better world.


Dear Pastor’s Wife,
We’re raking leaves a lot around here. You, too? It seems like as soon as I get a pile raked up, our puppy crashes through it and my work is not as finished as I thought. 🙂
The other day as I was raking, my daughter rambled over to our garden. Now, you should know that our garden is long finished in terms of harvesting- except for the fact that when we vacated the soil, our farmer neighbor planted some beautiful collards. Because the collards were safely dwelling under the care of another, I haven’t visited the garden or even looked out my window at it since early August. That’s when the farmer plowed it under and re-tilled it to get the soil ready for the collards.
So imagine my surprise when my Tiny Daughter shouted with glee from the garden, “Mommy! Come see!” I looked up from my newly destroyed pile of leaves, and even before she told me what she was so excited about, I saw them: sunflowers. Blooming.
Wait, what?! I walked over to see what this was all about. And I saw small sunflower plants, less than two feet high, scattered around the garden- a second crop blooming. And loaded with more buds- the promise of flowers to come. Walking down the aisle of the garden, I saw a short row of small corn plants, also a second crop. And- an ear of corn that was tasseling! Another thing I noticed was that the collards were weed free. This is the height of unfairness, I say, considering my weeding saga of summertime. But I digress…
The thing that struck me was that I had not planted this second crop of corn and sunflowers. Whether it be from birds or from seeds that remained and germinated after the soil was turned- this garden was making a another attempt at producing- and it was from what I had planted.
Well, my mind immediately went to the parallels in ministry. The soil is your church. You prepare soil, you plant, you weed, you tend, you feed, you water, and you wait expectantly for a harvest. Some of us reap more than others in our ministries. Sometimes it’s a bad year and we work a lot for not much fruit. Sometimes it’s a bad 5 or 10 years. When our time has ended in that particular area, we leave our garden and go to another one that God has ready for us. We don’t look back at the former garden too much, especially not at first.
Just like the farmer in my case, another pastor comes in and begins to plant in the soil where you worked so hard and long. His plants are beautiful, and it seems the weeds are few. Time goes by. And then-
Sometimes you hear of the death or destruction of some of your plants, or even of the soil itself. But other times you hear of new growth, a blooming where you thought it had ceased. Sure enough, what you planted there is still bringing forth fruit…or maybe, finally bringing forth fruit. For what you do see and hear of, there is much more that will always be hidden.
Your toil in that soil has not gone unnoticed by the Master Gardener- you can be sure of that.
But- yet another strange thing happens during your exit and after you leave that soil and move to new soil. This is called transplanting, and what do you discover but that in your new soil, you have brought some of the old along with you?
When a plant is transplanted, it is always done so with a dirt ball kept around the roots. Never do we shake the roots clean- that would prove fatal to the plants in most cases. Shocking at best. No, we carefully dig up a shovel full of dirt and move it to the new place, forever integrating the old soil with the new, and the new with the old. The old soil is always part of the new place of growth.
It is humanly impossible to separate them.
So, what if those sunflowers and corn aren’t the only thing still growing after I’m finished in the garden? What if YOU and I are still growing- as a result of that old soil?
This rather reminds me of last week’s letter about the value of a permanent marker. But now we are taking it a step further. Not only have we been marked by those people and those places, but we have their lives and that place integrated into the very fabric of our being. When we transplant, we take them with us in the form of eternal lessons and wisdom gained and shaping influences (whether positive or negative- but all for His good and ours, too) that have become a permanent part of us.
Oh friend….when you transplant, don’t shake the dirt off your roots. In fact, maybe gather a little more around them. You’ll need it- more than you know- in order to start growing in the new place. Just as the root bound tendencies of plants long bound in a pot have to be cut to allow it to expand in it’s new environment, your transplant may be a painful one as you tear your roots away from one place and sink them into a new place.
And this is ministry- soil on soil, roots in soil, soil turning, seeds sprouting, leaves shooting, buds blooming, fruit bursting (or not). And repeat.
For as long as you both shall live.
“Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing, To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” Psalm 92:13-15
The ways of the Master Gardener are simply magnificent, don’t you think? You can rest in His good ways today.
A Kindred Spirit


I do like to try new fruit and vegetables and as I was browsing the suttons.co.uk seed catalogue earlier this year I came across the James Wong Range and these Cucamelon seeds. I remember seeing these growing in the “wild” where I grew up in Port Orange, Florida. We just thought they were weeds and used pick the little melons and throw them at each other. No one was ever brave enough to eat one, not even on a dare.
It’s was probably too late in the year to plant them but I did sow 3 seeds just to see what might happen.
I don’t even know if we will like them. So far they have required very little maintenance and I now have 3 plants that are covered in little melons. I have high hopes that they will be nice since the plan is to have these to snack on like grapes.
I planted these on July 30th in pots of compost and placed them in my office window. It’s now October and they are happily growing away. Next year I will start them off earlier and grow them in the polytunnel as well. I hope that some of the melons on the vine will fill out and ripen . I’ll let you know what happens.


Dr. Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, the eminent agricultural scientist renowned as the ‘Father of India’s Green Revolution,’ breathed his last in Chennai at the age of 98. His pioneering work in agriculture, particularly the development of high-yielding crop varieties, has left an indelible mark on India’s farming landscape.
Agricultural Pioneer Who Nurtured India’s Green Revolution
Dr. Swaminathan commenced his career in 1949 with research on crop genetics, delving into essential crops like wheat, rice, potato, and jute. However, it was during a period of impending famine that his work would become truly transformative. Collaborating with fellow scientist Norman Borlaug and other experts, he played a central role in crafting high-yield crop varieties that sparked the ‘Green Revolution.’ This agricultural transformation significantly increased crop productivity through advanced chemical and biological technologies.
Awards and Legacy
Dr. Swaminathan’s profound contributions were globally recognized, earning him the World Food Prize in 1987. He later established the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai to continue his mission of advancing agricultural research. His illustrious career garnered him numerous honors, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1971), the Albert Einstein World Science Award (1986), and India’s prestigious Padma awards. He also held key administrative positions in agricultural research, leaving an enduring legacy that continues to benefit Indian farmers.
Dr. M.S. Swaminathan’s visionary work forever transformed India’s agriculture, ensuring food security and prosperity for countless farmers. As the nation mourns his passing, his legacy endures in the bountiful harvests and thriving agricultural practices that have become synonymous with his name. His life is a testament to the boundless possibilities that science, dedication, and compassion hold for the betterment of society.


Watering your plants is an important task that you should do to make sure that your plants survive. There are several ways on how you can effectively and efficiently water your garden and one of them is through drip irrigation. This kind of watering system lets you save on the water that you use as well as your time in manually watering the plants.
The drip irrigation is an effective way to direct the water into the area where the roots of your plants are. The water is delivered in such a way that the soil can let it seep through slowly so that there is no water that is wasted through running off or evaporation. With a slow and steady pace of introducing water to the soil, the soil is able to absorb the water more effectively so that the roots of the plants can get to it when needed. The great thing about the drip irrigation system is its ability to target exactly the plant that you want to water. This helps make sure that the water is not wasted on other weeds that may grow near your plants.
This kind of system is part of the hozelock options that you can select from. It is made to help even the busiest of gardeners to make sure that their plants are still properly watered even in their absence. With the drip system, gardeners wouldn’t need to haul their hoses or drag their sprinklers into place just to be able to water all their plants. Many of the drip irrigation systems are fully automated. You can set when it should start, how long it waters the plants and the interval between each watering session. For some systems, it is still required to manually start the system but it will automatically turn off after the set time or volume of water used.
Faster And Better Growth Of Plants
The plants that are watered in this way are able to grow more quickly than the others because their need for water is always met. They do not experience any water stress that can cause their growth to stop. With this kind of irrigation, you can also prevent the growth of mildew on the plants because they wouldn’t become wet.
Starting Your Drip Irrigation System
The first step that you need to go through when starting your own drip irrigation system is to determine where to place it or where you want to use it. You can decide to make use of this for just a part of your garden or for your whole garden. You should also take a look at the topography of your garden before starting with it. For flat gardens, it would be easier because you don’t need to adjust or make use of emitters that would help in the changes of the pressure in your system. You have to remember that the roots of your plants will follow where the water is. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you balance or uniformly spread the emitters on different sides of the plants especially if you are watering larger trees or shrubs.


The current obsession with ‘carbon neutral’ – in many ways a very good one – has meant that people are very keen to label things carbon neutral when in fact they are nothing of the sort. Biofuels is a prime example. If you look at it simply – you burn a tree and release carbon but, through photosynthesis, it took in that much carbon while it was growing. However, a whole lifecycle analysis is needed to understand how sustainable these crops are. This takes into account emissions from transportation, inputs such as fertiliser, and the disposal of waste products.
Cambridge scientists did this analysis for the production of bioethanol from willow in the UK. Their results showed that bioethanol from willow would produce over 80% less greenhouse gas than burning gasoline from fossil fuels. These savings are much greater than the ‘first-generation biofuels’ that have been grown in the US and come from crops such as corn. They make ethanol from willow seem like an appealing option.
A major advantage of willow over first-generation biofuels is that it can be grown on marginal land. It even improves the soil quality; willows are coppiced so only replanted every 30 years. The soil isn’t ploughed in this time so any carbon that the tree sequesters in the soil remains there.
However, it’s not yet economically viable. A high capital investment is needed, and the provision of the willows themselves and enzymes needed to make the ethanol are expensive. The study suggests that selective breeding can help change this. The significant genetic diversity of willows can be exploited through breeding to make them even more suitable for biofuels use. For example, a higher ratio of cellulose to lignin would increase the yield of ethanol.
A.L. Stephenson, P. Dupree, S.A. Scott and J.S. Dennis (2010) The environmental and economic sustainability of potential bioethanol from willow in the UK. Bioresource Technology 101, 9612-9623
I think this research again highlights the point that has come up in our discussion of GM crops – just because some of the earlier biofuels ideas using food crops turned out to be a bad idea, it doesn’t mean that there’s no potential for biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


AgriSicilia offers an organic Bergamot Marmalade as good as few, with a citrus flavor and unmistakable smell. This product, enriched with BIO brown sugar, is perfect for a healthy and nutritious breakfast. In addition, it is available in convenient 360-gram jars.
Bergamot is the main ingredient, known for its relaxing scent and positive health effects: this good fruit is rich in vitamins and also has numerous antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Organic Bergamot Marmalade in Brief
Ingredients: Cane sugar BIO, Bergamot BIO with peels; gelling agent: fruit pectin; acidifier: citric acid.
Fruit used in the product: 45g per 100g.
Net weight: 360 g.
Storage: Keep at room temperature. After opening, store the product at temperatures within 4 degrees and consume within 14 days.
Taste, Appearance and Smell: Intense yellow in color, the citrus note is persistent and fresh and is matched by an unmistakable fragrance.
Suggestions for use: This organic bergamot marmalade is ideal for breakfast. Also perfect for spreading on bread or rusks, possibly even with a layer of butter to break up the intense flavor.


Large 6mm S Hooks have now been added to our growing range of handmade products.
Ideal for the greenhouse, garage, workshops and hanging baskets. We have also supplied retails outlets as a different way to hang items.
Made from 6mm round steel.
Approximately 150mm high and 70mm across.
Steel will rust if not protected.
Available in pack sizes 10,25 & 50s. Other sizes on request.
Why not visit our blog.


Bhavya Agro & Steel embraces a broad range of Agro Products. It includes a comprehensive range of tools & essential equipments used boradly in agricultural industry such as Bullock Cart Wheel, Nagar Bhala, Cultivator, Plough, Tiphan, Rotavator and many more. The term 'agro' has came up from the Greek word 'agros' that has defined to its current usage meaning anything related to the 'agricultural' category.
We have gained a distinct position as amongst the most preferred agro products manufacturers, traders and suppliers in Maharashtra, India.
Agro products are the basic necessity to survive life force, the only source of survival for the human life. Not only in India, but the major chunk of the world population is depends on agriculture as their source of survival. An approximate around 36% of the world's population are engaged in agriculture with India's 65% of the population being directly and indirectly connected with this industry. People can avail a huge variety of agro products as per the emerging trend of modern industry.
Our Nagpur based sound infrastructural facilities and immense experience facilitate us in offering our clients with an unmatched quality agro products range that can also be availed with tailor made facilities at market reputed agro products manufacturer and supplier unit in Maharashtra, India. We design and develop our range of agro products using high-tech tools and equipments that allow us to cater the customer's specific requirements within the stipulated time frame. As a prompt growing agro products manufacturer, we are empowered with the industrial experts professionals and sound infrastructural facilities that ensures our complete range is adhering to industrial norms and quality standards.


Omaha, Nebraska, with its beautiful green landscapes and diverse flora, is a city that prides itself on its well-maintained lawns and gardens. A key component of keeping these landscapes lush and vibrant is an efficient lawn sprinkler system. However, as winter approaches, it becomes crucial to winterize your irrigation system to prevent costly damage. Hiring a professional lawn sprinkler system contractor in Omaha is essential to ensure that your irrigation system is properly prepared for the cold months ahead. In this article, we will delve into the reasons why hiring a contractor is crucial for winterizing your irrigation system in Omaha.
Winterizing your irrigation system is crucial to prevent any damage that can occur during the winter months. By taking the necessary steps to prepare your system for the cold weather, you will ensure efficient watering, extend the lifespan of your system, and prevent costly repairs. Efficient watering is one of the key benefits of winterizing your irrigation system. When you properly shut down your sprinkler system for the winter, you prevent water from freezing in the pipes and valves. This means that when spring arrives and it's time to start using your irrigation system again, it will be in optimal condition to deliver water efficiently to your lawn and plants. By avoiding frozen pipes or damaged valves, you won't waste water or experience uneven watering.
Another advantage of winterizing is that it helps extend the lifespan of your irrigation system. Freezing temperatures can cause significant damage to pipes, valves, and other components if they are not properly protected. By draining all water from the system and blowing out any remaining moisture with compressed air, you eliminate any risk of frozen or burst pipes. This proactive measure ensures that when warmer weather returns, you won't face expensive repairs or replacements. Lastly, winterizing prevents costly repairs. Water freezing inside an unprepared irrigation system can lead to cracks or leaks in pipes and valves. Fixing these issues can be costly as it may involve digging up parts of your yard or replacing entire sections of piping.
By investing in a professional lawn sprinkler system contractor who specializes in winterization, you can avoid these unnecessary expenses. In conclusion, don't overlook the importance of winterizing your irrigation system. It ensures efficient watering by preventing frozen pipes and valves while extending the lifespan of your equipment. Additionally, by taking this proactive step before winter hits, you'll save yourself from potentially costly repairs down the line. So make sure to hire a reputable lawn sprinkler system contractor who can expertly winterize your irrigation system in Omaha
Don't neglect winterization or you may face potential risks with your irrigation system in Omaha. Neglecting winterization can lead to a multitude of problems and costly repairs down the line. One major risk is frozen pipes. When water freezes inside your irrigation pipes, it expands and can cause them to burst. This can result in water leaks and significant damage to your system. Another risk of neglecting winterization is damage to sprinkler heads. If water is left inside the sprinkler heads during freezing temperatures, it can freeze and expand, causing the heads to crack or break. This will not only affect the efficiency of your system but also require expensive replacements. Furthermore, failing to winterize your irrigation system can lead to problems with the backflow preventer.
Water left inside this device during freezing temperatures can cause it to crack or burst, compromising its functionality and potentially contaminating your drinking water supply. By neglecting winterization, you are also risking damage to valves and control systems within your irrigation system. Freezing temperatures can cause these components to malfunction or seize up completely, resulting in costly repairs or replacements. To avoid these risks, it is crucial to hire a lawn sprinkler system contractor who specializes in winterizing irrigation systems in Omaha. They have the expertise and knowledge needed to properly prepare your system for the cold weather ahead, ensuring its longevity and optimal performance for years to come.
Make sure you take advantage of the benefits by entrusting an expert to prepare your irrigation system for the winter months. Hiring a lawn sprinkler system contractor offers cost-effective solutions, expert advice, and time-saving techniques. Firstly, a professional contractor can provide cost-effective solutions when it comes to winterizing your irrigation system. They have the knowledge and experience to identify any potential issues that may arise during the colder months. By addressing these problems early on, they can save you from costly repairs down the line.
Additionally, they can recommend energy-efficient upgrades or adjustments that will help reduce water usage and save you money in the long run. Secondly, hiring a lawn sprinkler system contractor gives you access to their expertise and advice. They are well-versed in all aspects of irrigation systems and know exactly what needs to be done to ensure proper winterization. With their guidance, you can rest assured that your system will be protected from freezing temperatures and other weather-related damage.
Lastly, by entrusting an expert with this task, you can save valuable time. Winterizing an irrigation system requires thorough preparation and meticulous attention to detail. A professional contractor has the necessary tools and techniques to efficiently complete this process without any hassle on your part. Hiring a lawn sprinkler system contractor provides cost-effective solutions, expert advice, and time-saving techniques when it comes to winterizing your irrigation system. Don't miss out on these benefits, let an expert handle this important task for you.
One of the first steps involved in preparing your irrigation system for winter is draining all water from the pipes and sprinkler heads. This is crucial because any remaining water can freeze, expand, and cause damage to your system. Hiring a lawn sprinkler system contractor ensures that this step is done correctly and thoroughly. When it comes to winterizing your irrigation system, the cost of professional winterization may seem like an additional expense. However, compared to the potential costs of repairing or replacing damaged pipes and sprinkler heads due to improper winterization, hiring a contractor is a wise investment. While some homeowners opt for DIY winterization, there are common mistakes that can easily be made without proper knowledge and experience.
These mistakes include not fully draining the water from the system or forgetting to insulate exposed pipes. By hiring a professional contractor, you can avoid these pitfalls and ensure that your irrigation system is properly protected during the cold winter months. In addition to avoiding costly mistakes, a lawn sprinkler system contractor will also provide you with valuable tips on how to maintain your system throughout the winter season. They have extensive knowledge of best practices and can offer advice on preventing freezing issues and properly thawing out your system when spring arrives. By hiring a lawn sprinkler system contractor for winterizing your irrigation system in Omaha, you can save time, and money, and avoid potential damage caused by improper winterization techniques.
If you are in need of "irrigation system winterization near me" there's no one better to trust than Millard Sprinkler. As a leading professional contractor specializing in irrigation system winterization, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. With Toronto's unpredictable weather patterns, it's crucial to protect your investment by properly winterizing your irrigation system, and Millard Sprinkler is there to make that process seamless and worry-free. Millard Sprinkler's team of skilled technicians is well-versed in the unique needs of Toronto's climate. They will carefully inspect your irrigation system, drain all water to prevent freezing, and ensure that all components are safeguarded against winter's harsh conditions. With their top-notch service, you can have peace of mind knowing that your irrigation system will be in optimal condition when spring arrives. Contact Millard Sprinkler today and take the proactive step towards protecting your irrigation system from the rigours of Toronto's winter, ensuring a lush and healthy landscape all year round.