Recently in Organic Agriculture Land Management Category

"Killer spices" provide eco-friendly pesticides for organic fruits and veggies

Rosemary, thyme, clove, and mint are well-known spices that are emerging as organic agriculture's key weapons against insect pests.

Scientists in Canada are reporting new research on these so-called "essential oil pesticides" or "killer spices." These pesticides have added to the crop-preserving arsenal of organic growers and offer several advantages over their counterparts -- they're readily available and don't require lots of regulatory approval.

And they're safer for gardeners and farm workers, who are at high risk for pesticide exposure.

Murray Isman, Ph.D., of the University of British Columbia is developing these pesticides.

So, just what is it exactly about these spices that allow them to work their magic outside the kitchen? Here's Dr. Isman again:

"It turns out that some of these oils and some of the chemical constituents in the oils are neurotoxic to many types of insects. At least one of their actions, and we're not certain about all of their actions, one of their actions is they interfere with a neuromodulator in insects called octopamine. It's sort of an internal valium for insects, it sort of calms them down so their nervous systems
don't get overstimulated by external stimuli. If you remove that octopamine, which is what
some of these oils do, they get hyperexcited and eventually die."

These pesticides, usually a combination of spices diluted with water, have added to the crop-preserving arsenal of organic growers and offer several advantages over their counterparts. First, they are readily available and don't require lots of regulatory approval. Also, insects exposed to the spices are less likely to evolve resistance to the toxins. And, they're safer for farm workers, who are at high risk for pesticide exposure. 

"Some of these oils, as some other people have mentioned, are very good antimicrobials,
so they could be very useful against food spoilage organisms, for example. They are useful
against certain plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria, and they do have this phytotoxic effect
on plants, so at high concentrations they can be used as natural herbicides."

 

Don't you love this idea?  I can just see this as a rose garden :-)


In the heart of a residential neighborhood there is a wonderful community garden with some amazing surprises. Community gardens are very special for a multitude of reasons. They provide small growing plots to people who may not have access to any other planting area. They are popping up all over urban and suburban centers all over the United States . In place of debris, abandoned neglected vacant lots, greenery, flowers and vegetables are sprouting. People are taking pride in their new gardens and neighborhoods improve because of them. New friendships bloom. Going green, producing your own locally grown food and being politically correct: it's all great!

Read more about urban gardening at Robert's Tropical Paradise Garden

The Community Beautification Grant of the City of Los Angeles, Board of Public Works, Office of Community Beautification has been awarding grants since 1998. The staff has a special knowledge of the people, organizations and neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

Grants for Urban Farming Gardens

Urban Farming has a well-known sponsor interested in paying the costs to develop five (5) 20' x 20' (400 square ft) produce-bearing gardens in Los Angeles that can be secured for at least two years, with a goal toward becoming sustainable through initial and ongoing community members and group involvement.

Find the general criteria at CBGrant.blogspot.com

Suggested Garden Locations: Community center grounds; Parks; City lots; University/College campus; Faith-based organization sites that accept other community member involvement and also those that are non-denominational. (this is for community sites, rather than elementary/middle/high school locations)

Please contact: Meg Glasser for further information.
meg.glasser@gmail.com; 646.726.1563; http://www.urbanfarming.org/

Farmscaping is the management of vegetation on and around the farm, to include plantings on roadways, field margins, waterways, natural areas and generally non-cropped areas. The term "farmscaping" can cover a wide range of practices, such as grassed waterways, buffers, filter strips and cover crops, as well as hedgerows and windbreaks.

Hedgerows are defined as lines or groups of trees, shrubs, perennial forbs, and grasses that are planted along roadways, fences, field edges or other non-cropped areas. The word "hedge," from the Old English word "hegg," referred to an enclosure or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or by dead plant material.

Windbreaks are barriers usually consisting of trees or shrubs that are used to reduce and redirect wind, resulting in microclimate changes in the sheltered zone.

Filter strips are planted areas that use vegetation to control soil erosion, slow water runoff, and capture and prevent sediments and nutrients from entering waterways.

Hedgerows can have multiple functions 

• They can serve as habitat for beneficial insects, pollinators and other wildlife;
• provide erosion protection and weed control;
• serve as windbreaks;
• stabilize waterways;
• reduce non-point source water pollution and groundwater pollution;
• increase surface water infiltration;
• buffer pesticide drift, noise, odors and dust;
• act as living fences and boundary lines;
• increase biodiversity;
• and provide an aesthetic resource.

Diversity in hedgerow species, especially when using natives, assures a range of attributes, such as multiple kinds of insects and wildlife attracted, positive effects to soil and water resources, and success of individual plants under site-specific climatic and other environmental conditions.

Find more info about farmsacping at the Community Alliance with Family Farmers

There are several reasons why urban gardens using containers are effective:

1. They enable us to practice "intensive" gardening method through maximum utilization of limited space.

2. It is easy to practice "intercropping" (planting a variety of plants in one container) which ensures the health of plants due to diversity.

3. It is possible to "conserve" both soil and water as containers prevent run offs of soil and excessive watering.

4. Urban gardens "make use of urban wasteland" (vacant lots, brown fields, unused parking lots, and roof tops)

5. Urban gardening provides "meaningful employment" for persons with limited skills and formal education.

6. Establishing and maintaining an urban garden are very "inexpensive".

7. Urban gardens provide creative ways to "recycle" old tires and other containers that otherwise would be thrown into landfills.

8. Churches and social service organizations can use urban gardening to "rehabilitate, create income generation projects, and provide therapy."

Technology for the Poor publishes a wonderful website that describes effective, low cost ways of developing container gardens that are highly productive. Using wading pools and tires, among other repurposed "technologies" urban residents can sink their toes into the soil in parking lots, on rooftops, in vacant lots and in their tiny urban backyards.  And the productivity isn't just in food -- as delicious as it might be -- it has far ranging quality of life and skill building results.

The purpose of an intensively grown garden is to harvest the most produce possible from a given space.

The Arizona Master Gardener Manual on Intensive Gardening methods examines several ways to grow in small areas.

The practice of intensive gardening is not just for those with limited garden space; rather, an intensive garden concentrates work efforts to create an ideal plant environment, giving better yields with less labor.

A good intensive garden requires early, thorough planning to make the best use of time and space in the garden. Interrelationships of plants must be considered before planting, including nutrient needs, shade tolerance, above- and below-ground growth patterns, and preferred growing season.

Using the techniques described in The Arizona Master Gardener Manual on Intensive Gardening , anyone can develop a high-yielding intensive garden.

A study of the magicians of the soil is an endless endeavor! Paul Stamets makes it a bit easier to learn about mushrooms with this TED talk. Mushrooms are both a citizen of the micro world of soil, but they are the manufacturers of the very soil in which they live. What a sentient approach to sustainability.

It can be done!  One home at a time!  Low impact family gardening makes a huge difference in our climate change strategy...and the health of our families:

Havana relies on 200 urban farms known as organoponicos

Cuba, on the brink of starvation when the Soviet Union collapsed 20 years
ago, now produces 90% of its fruits and vegetable needs, using organic,
low-tech inputs.  The Cuban diet is healthier and uses 1/3 the energy to
produce versus typical western food production.

Some of the plots are small - just a few rows of lettuces and radishes being grown in an old parking space.

Other plots are much larger - the size of several football pitches. Usually they have a stall next to them to sell the produce at relatively low prices to local people.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8213617.stm

Not so long ago, finding good quality compost was not that easy. But times have changed. Nowadays, and for the years to come, good and affordable compost can be found in a lot of places due to the establishment of new legislations all across North America. In fact, municipalities, institutions and businesses are already using the sorting-composting approach, or will have to, in a near future. So, following the principle of supply and demand, you can now get good compost at a good price.

Landscaping Business Opportunities with Compost
 
This is excellent news for landscapers and a promising future with great business opportunities. Since the recent legislations are limiting the use chemical products and putting in place water restrictions for irrigation in several states for lawn care and landscaping, the need for compost is increasing.

Today, good quality compost is not as expensive as it used to be and it is available at several places such as garden centers, landscape suppliers or compost producers for 15$ - 25$/yd3.

 
Top dressing with compost is the best way to maintain a beautiful and healthy lawn and landscape. In fact, this method is part of a professional and complete maintenance program and it will improve the entire landscape. Top dressing with compost is perfect for grass, trees and shrubs. It provides all the essential nutrients for an excellent soil and healthy plants.
 
1.         What are the benefits of compost spreading?
 
A.        Provides all the essential nutrients needed for a rich and a healthy soil;
B.        increases resistance to all kinds of parasites such as fungus and harmful insects;
C.        helps the soil structure in retaining water;
D.        stimulates microbiological activity;
E.        neutralizes the pH of the soil.
 
2.         How do we spread compost?
 
Top dressing with compost

By using the top dressing method in combination with other services such as re-seeding, core aeration, corn gluten or/and organic fertilizer application = 1 yd3/2000 sq.ft.
 
Turf renovation

To repair damages caused during winter or during a draught, and by insects, or to improve poor density turf: (1 yd3/1000 sq.ft)
a)        Core aeration
b)        Seeding
c)         Top dressing.
 
Seeding with compost
Seeding with compost is more efficient than hydro seeding and without the need for synthetic fertilizer. For the landscaper, seeding with compost generates more profit for his business. 

This service is highly in demand (1.5 yd3/1000 sq.ft.)
 
 3.         How much does it cost?
 
The best way to determine the cost you will charge your clients is counting by the cubic yard. You need to measure the dimensions of the area to be top dressed.
 
For top dressing, we suggest the application of 1 yd3 for 2000 sq.ft.
For turf renovation it should be 1 yd3 for 1000 sq.ft.
For seeding with compost, you will need to calculate 1.5 yd for 1000sq ft.
 
Then you multiply the cost of the compost, including delivery, by 3, 4 or 5:
 
$ X 3 times for municipalities (parks/ sports fields);
$ X 4 times for commercial;
$ X 5 times for residential (or less than 10 000 sq ft.)
 
It is as simple as that!
 
Any questions please, e-mail Ecolawn at:  info  (AT) ecolawnapplicator.com.

Daniel Cote
Ecolawn
62 Railroad Ave
Norton, Vermont
www.ecolawnapplicator.com

I've followed the honey bee crisis known as "colony collapse disorder" because of their close connection with our food supply, with nature, and because bees are one of the few "domesticated" insects in our economy.

Science is finally making headway on what is causing the die off of complete hives of bees.

Penn State researchers worked with the National Science Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agricultural Marketing Service that already tests commodities such as milk and fruits and vegetables.

Honey has not regularly been analyzed, and bee pollen was not a commodity and so was not analyzed at all. The researchers decided to use types of screening the lab uses for milk and apples, which looks at over 170 pesticides. What they found is quite astounding to me... because of what it says about our agricultural practices.

All of the bees tested showed at least 1 pesticide and pollen averaged 6 pesticides with as many as 31 in a sample.

Honeycomb may contain pesticides applied years ago.

Scientists do not know that these chemicals have anything to do with colony collapse disorder, but scientists have concluded that these pesticides are definitely stressors. Penn State's Dr. Maryann Frazier say, "Pesticides alone have not shown they are the cause of CCD. We believe that it is a combination of a variety of factors, possibly including mites, viruses and pesticides."

While beekeepers will have a difficult time controlling pesticide exposure outside the hive, the Penn State researchers tested a method using gamma radiation for reducing the chemical load in beeswax and they found that irradiation broke down about 50% of the acaricides, pesticides that kill mites.

Read all the details at the Environment News Service.