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The Rise of Urban Farming and Other Varieties of Sustainable Ag

The Rise of Urban Farming and Other Varieties of Sustainable Ag
My newest buzzword for 2011 is CSA. I'd never heard the term until recently, but now it seems to be popping up all over, as is interest in sustainable agriculture and urban farming. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture -- the practice of signing up with a local farm for weekly produce and, in some cases, meat and dairy. I first read about CSA in Kristin Kimball's recent memoir, "The Dirty Life," which is justly attracting rave reviews on Amazon. Kimball's book is an engrossing depiction of the back-breaking work and edible rewards of CSA. Urban farming is also on the rise. Urban farming comes in a variety of models. A vision of urban and vertical farming. Next Page: More visions of urban farms.

Plants For A Future : 7000 Edible, Medicinal & Useful Plants Recommended this month Permaculture News: Permaculture International Research Network (PIRN) and Free Research Handbook Research is one of the five key areas of the UK Permaculture Association's work. All aspects of the Association's research share two key aims; building a strong evidence base for permaculture and improving permaculture practice. New Book ** Plantes Comestibles: Le guide pour vous inspirer a choisir et cultiver des plantes comestibles hors du commun [Paperback] Edible Plants: French Translation. More >> Plants For A Future: A resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants Plants For A Future (PFAF) is a charitable company, originally set up to support the work of Ken and Addy Fern on their experimental site in Cornwall, where they carried out research and provided information on edible and otherwise useful plants suitable for growing outdoors in a temperate climate. Plants For A Future: 20 years on The Plants for a Future Concept more

Studio G - Garden Design & Landscape Design inspiration » 2009 » February Spring is coming and wedding season will soon be in full swing. I am sensing a trend in this era of cost cutting and economizing that garden weddings (perhaps at cherished family home) are a realistic option for brides. I have had a couple of clients speak with me about developing thier gardens for upcoming events so I thought I would share some ideas for creating a wedding garden. 1. ) Theme your garden with plants that are named with wedding titles like these…. 1. 2.) 1. 3.) and another at Hatley Gardens in Canada. I am running out of time today, so I am going to cut this short….but I am having so much fun with it, I am going to continue a little later…some bridal garden lighting ideas, focal points in the garden for the ceremony…and more.

12 Vertical Garden Tutorials There's a saying in the construction biz. It goes something like this: If you can't build out, build up. It's also the fuel that started the vertical gardening craze. When we think of vertical gardens, we might first picture the work of Patrick Blanc. Everyone has room for these DIY Terrarium Magnets. Vertical doesn't necessarily mean 'up against the wall'. The next two use the same technique for construction, but have different looks and added functions. And here's a colorful version that has an added bird bath. Here's a tiered offering that also functions as a house number sign. Mike at Shelterness shows us how to turn a wooden fence into a quick hanging garden using flower pot hangers. Here's an even easier idea using a pocket shoe organizer. The pallet-as-vertical-garden certainly deserves a spot on our round up. Usually, you don't want vegetation growing in your gutters. Whether you have a large wall to plant or a small one, this recycled PET vertical garden will do the trick.

5 Easy to Grow Mosquito-Repelling Plants As the outdoor season approaches, many homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts look for ways to control mosquitoes. With all the publicity about the West Nile virus, mosquito repelling products are gaining in popularity. But many commercial insect repellents contain from 5% to 25% DEET. There are new DEET-free mosquito repellents on the market today which offer some relief to those venturing outdoors in mosquito season. Here are five of the most effective mosquito repelling plants which are easy to grow in most regions of the US: 1. Citronella is the most common natural ingredient used in formulating mosquito repellents. Citronella is a perennial ‘clumping’ grass which grows to a height of 5 – 6 feet. Gardening centers usually sell citronella as small plants in pots, ready to transplant to a larger pot or into raised garden beds on the ground. When purchasing citronella, look for the true varieties, Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Let the Fish do the work Starting up an aquaponic gardening system can be a rather easy job, particularly for those who have already tried the hydroponic system. Aquaponic gardening system – Let the fish do the work Yet, many people still have doubts about the efficiency of such a system. If you are one of them, then you most likely wish to know even more about the aquaponic gardening system and how it can improve your life-style. If you would like to learn more… Click here to see my recommendation to you…!!! Well, keep reading and we’ll try to deal with any questions you may have and hopefully give you satisfactory answers to help you in making informed decisions. Aquaponic gardening system vegetables Firstly, let me say that an aquaponic gardening system does not modify in any way the plants which are to be put in the netting pots. No substances will be added to speed up their development and no extra assistance will be given for the crops to be available earlier than they would be if cultivated in the ground.

Black Magic Aquaponic Gardening: Growing Fish and Vegetables Together What if I told you that you could catch fish for dinner right in your own backyard? And if you did, what if I told you that right up until you caught those fish, they were growing the veggies for the rest of your dinner? Would you believe me? Aquaponics is, at its most basic level, the marriage of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants in water and without soil) together in one integrated system. Any type of fresh water fish works well in an aquaponic system. There are also only a few limits to the types of plants you can grow in an aquaponics system. So can all of this work in any climate? Here is the rest of the good news about aquaponics: Aquaponic gardening enables home fish farming. Aquaponic gardens are straight forward to set up and operate in your own backyard or home as long as you follow some basic guidelines. Sylvia Bernstein will present a workshop at the Puyallup, Wash. 2012 MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR.

The Sexiest Men in Rock & Roll - A Scientific Study - Beth Mann "You want this." Some think sexiness is in the eye of the beholder. But is it? Here at Silly Lists of Nothingness, we say its an exacting science that can be proved in labs with women in white coats using complex formulas that are beyond you, so don't worry pretty little head. This isn't a case of "I think he's hot" as much as this guy is definitely hot - like, scientifically. Here's the criteria which lead us to our findings: They ooze sexiness. The Top Ten Hottest Men in Rock 1. Topping our list is the Lizard King himself. 2. Young Sting was a HOTTIE. 3. "Big ego, maybe...but I'm smoking. 4. "I'm feeling cocky....can't you tell?" 5. "I plan on fucking a lot. 6. "I want to fuck you like an animal." 7. "Please...this list was invented for me." 8. "Yeah, right, Jagger." 9. "Easy, boys. 10. "Stroke me." 11. "I'm non-traditionally sexy but I got "it" in spades." 12. "I don't know why I'm here." 13. "Bitch please. 14. "Need I say more?" ...scientifically: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. "This isn't fair."

14 Genius Ways To Recycle Used Coffee Grounds Coffee is good for more than just waking you up in the morning! Take a look at this list and find the perfect recycling tips and tricks so you can enjoy your coffee again – even after you’ve finished enjoying your morning cup of Joe! You’ll never throw your away your used coffee grounds again after seeing just how many things you can do with them! How To Use Old Coffee Grounds In the Garden: 1. Pest Repellent Sprinkle used coffee grounds around your plants to protect them against destructive garden pests like ants, snails, and slugs. 2. If you grow azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias, roses, or other acid-loving plants, then used coffee is the fertilizer for you! Just remember that this fertilizer lacks phosphorus and calcium so it isn’t ideal for encouraging blooms and fruiting. 3. If you don’t have a use for coffee ground fertilizer right away, go ahead and throw it on the compost heap. 4. If you love carrots and you love coffee, then you’re in business! 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Urban Vertical Garden Built From Hundreds of Recycled Soda Bottles As part of an innovative partnership called Home Sweet Home (Lar Doce Lar) between multidisciplinary design firm Rosenbaum and TV producer Luciano Huck, the teams went through dozens of Brazilian homes doing dramatic makeovers of interior and exterior spaces. On their 48th home Rosenbaum designed a pretty amazing vertical garden that was suspended in a narrow walkway just outside the house. Reponse to the garden was so huge the firm quickly released design schematics (in Portugese) detailing how to build one.

Root microbiome engineering improves plant growth -- ScienceDaily Humans have been breeding crops until they're bigger and more nutritious since the early days of agriculture, but genetic manipulation isn't the only way to give plants a boost. In a review paper published on September 25 in Trends in Microbiology, two integrative biologists present how it is possible to engineer the plant soil microbiome to improve plant growth, even if the plants are genetically identical and cannot evolve. These artificially selected microbiomes, which can also be selected in animals, can then be passed on from parents to offspring. Only a few published studies have looked at the effects of artificially selecting microbiomes. "My hope is that others will become interested in optimizing methods in other systems," says Mueller. Microbiome experiments can be tricky and affect reproducibility because of the complexity of propagating entire microbial communities between plants or between animals.

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