The megalithic federal bureaucracy known as the U.S. Department of Agriculture is made up of 100,000 employees who are stationed at 4,500 locations across the country. Their mission statement, in part, reads “to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans.”
When I was a kid, my dad had a compost pile. Seems to me he didn’t really turn it, nor did it seem like he did much to control the amounts of carbon and nitrogen in there, though I do remember him driving around our neighbourhood after dark in the fall picking up bags of …
One of the more interesting aspects of living in Brazil is the different approaches to food. We are connected to local farms from friends and family, spoiling us with organic homegrown everything. Regarding chicken eggs, the sizes vary, the colors of the shells vary but if the egg comes from the family farm, the yolk almost …
Earlier this year, US soil microbiologist Elaine Ingham, of Soil Foodweb Inc. fame, caused several gasps at the Oxford Real Farming Conference with her controversial lecture, ‘The Roots of your Profits’. I recommend anyone interested in joined-up thinking about health to listen to this and view her slide presentation.
Modern synthetic fertilizer consists of varying amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), which are added to croplands to replace these depleted nutrients in the soil. There are several problems with this method, one of the primary ones being that these are finite resources.
Looks like organic food has gone from a new-age trend to a staple in supermarkets and many American diets. According to a new analysis from the Organic Trade Association (OTA), organic food sales in 2014 jumped 11 percent to $35.9 billion, claiming almost 5 percent of the total food sales in the U.S.
Gardens are popping up all over the place, especially in the middle of the city! I had a chance on Tuesday to learn more about urban farming and the food movement, and how its changing lives and healing lands.
Here are some of the stories we’re reading this morning. Arizona Daily Sun: Regulators Want Utilities to Keep Money Out of Campaigns Two state utility regulators want the Arizona Corporation Commission to adopt a formal policy urging utilities to stay out of future races for the panel.
Valhalla’s Earthship Inspired Greenhouse This year I had the privilege to be part of Valhalla’s Earthship Inspired Greenhouse. It truly lived up to its name, and it was indeed a greenhouse made up of Earthship elements, but more importantly, IT WAS INSPIRING. So many problems seem to plaguing our world, and yet the solutions remain …
Before starting this article, I wish to specify that it is not because I choose to question the concept of overpopulation that I also question the need to end poverty, overconsumption and environmental destruction. Overpopulation may be a concept, but poverty and unsustainable practices are a reality and my life is geared towards raising consciousness about alternative ways …
Climate by CREDIT: Stephen Ward, OSU Extension and Experiment Station Communications Last week, researchers at Oregon State University announced that they had successfully patented a new strain of red marine algae, known as dulse, that grows extremely quickly and could serve as an excellent source of plant-based protein.
A guide to practical biological pest control. Biological pest control is the adaption of beneficial elements, pathogens, parasites, and predators in a passive system that manages pests and their damaging effects. Proper identification of your surroundings, it’s species and distinguishing pests from their enemies, is essential to the systems success. These natural allies can be …
Now you know what we’re missing, and the best ways to incite REAL change. (If not, check out Part 1 and Part 2). So what can you do about it? Right now? In the grand scheme of things, not much. Sure, you could attempt to see your friends more often, make conversation with strangers and/or spend less time in faux-communities …
With the world’s population expected to grow to 9.1 billion by mid-century, already depleted groundwater supplies will continue to be gobbled up by agriculture, industry, power generation and personal use, according to the UN’s annual World Water Development Report.
We believe that sustainable food production and security can be achieved in every backyard
Our Capitalism & The Natural World A Mirror Image
Driven by a long-standing desire for justice, American biologist Gordon Sato is spending his retirement helping some of the world’s poorest people, in Eritrea, to help themselves. His innovative Manzanar project harnesses two of the Eritrean coast’s most abundant resources – intense sunlight and seawater – to grow mangrove plants that can be used not …
” Canada’s Largest Food Retailer To Sell Ugly Produce At Low Prices To Cut Food Waste” Share: CREDIT: Niloo / Shutterstock.com Shoppers in Canada will have to look beyond appearance if they want to help reduce food waste – and save some money along the way.
The Western world may have grown accustomed to microwave ovens and electric burners, but the majority of developing populations still cook their food and heat their homes over an open fire.
A number of countries around the world have now completely banned GM food and the pesticides that go with them, or have severe restrictions against them. This comes after the world has experienced a massive resistance against Monsanto and other biotech giants that manufacture GMOs and pesticides.
