As many NGO’s, governments and outreach programs strive to aid developing world farmers, the real struggle is to implement low cost, long term solutions to environmental degradation. In developing countries, farmers plant permanent cash crops, close together to maximize their production and thus increase their income. This is often the case in Vietnam where coffee, tea, and fruit plantations cover the rolling hills of the central highlands. The environmental and economic problems associated with these mono-crop systems are tremendous, leading to erosion, nutrient loss, loss of topsoil, polluted water sources and compacted soils. Most of these environmental issues increase the dependence on the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, which can have severe consequences to human health and the earth’s future food productivity. Several organizations focused on outreach recognize these issues and search to find practical solutions for farmers. When creating realistic answers to these problems we need to break the common monoculture mold and create low cost, low-labor, permanent solutions to restore soils. Read More
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February15th
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January30th
by Ross Mittleman
Coffee is one of those crops that seem to defy traditional categorization. It has taken on a life and purpose above and beyond that of nourishment or delight that we associate with most food and beverage products. Throughout all corners of the world it has established itself as a venerable staple of countless cultures. Coffee’s heightened status may be due to that mild stimulating effect appreciated by so many, its association with individual ritual and routine, or its ability to connect people through a reunion between friends or a first date between strangers. Beyond that, its warmth, flavor, and aroma speak to the human senses in a manner representative of utter comfort. Perhaps it is no surprise that the coffee trade accounts for a large percentage of international commerce, but few would believe that it is second only to petroleum as the most traded product in the world. Despite its widespread consumption, the coffee plant is cultivated only in certain areas accommodating to its distinctive climatic preferences, which are generally tropical and between 1200 to 1600 meters above sea level. Much of the final product is consumed far from its origins but both the producer and consumer are linked through socio-economic factors and dependent upon one another. The relationship invites investigation and here we will examine one particular source of The Bean. Read More
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January24th
By Doug Decandia, Food Growing Project CoordinatorThe Food Growing Program is a project initiated by the Food Bank for Westchester, of Westchester County, NY. The Food Bank is the supply and support center for over 200 hunger relief agencies (soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, etc.) throughout the county. These agencies that directly distribute food and supplies to individuals and families experiencing hunger. Read More
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January13th
A statement from Larry Jacobs:
The New York Times recently published an article that erroneously implied organic farmers in Los Cabos are growing unsustainably. The article included many statements about both water use and the impacts of organic farming in the area that are just plain wrong. The Del Cabo cooperative is recognized internationally as a model for organic farming and sustainable development. Given the tremendous population and tourism growth in Los Cabos in recent decades, the small family farms supported through the Del Cabo cooperative are arguably an environmental bright spot in the area. Read More
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December25th
Renovating an Old Orchard Provides an Opportunity for Diversification and Creativity on the Farm
Posted in: ESSAYS
Hickory Nut Gap Farm – The family that owns and operates our farm has history on this land that dates back to the 19th century. A wealth of agricultural enterprises have been born here, including the Farmers Federation by James G.K. McClure in 1920. This land once hosted a dairy, and it was the long time home place of former North Carolina Senator James McClure Clarke, who worked passionately in his life to establish a number of orchards around his home. In it’s current state, Hickory Nut Gap Farm is a very diverse family farm that produces everything from grass-fed beef and pastured pork to a successful agri-tourism business, and most recently we have ventured into producing certified organic fruit such as blueberries, blackberries, and apples. Organic orchard management poses a great challenge, especially in the south where disease and insects are more prevalent than the northern climates particularly well known for growing apples. Organic orcharding has even been called “the last frontier in organic agriculture” by Michael Phillips, an experienced holistic apple grower out of New England. -
December12th
Gardening without Digging by Les Anwyl
Posted in: ESSAYS
One of the easiest and most effective ways to improve and build soil fertility in any gardening situation is to use a method known as sheet mulching. Thick layers of mulch are placed directly on the soil, simulating the thick leaf litter and humus found in natural forest systems. Sheet mulch provides multiple benefits, including water retention, weed suppression, slow release of nutrients and increase of beneficial soil organisms. Read More -
November22nd
When we think of air pollution, we normally think of outdoor air pollution in heavily populated urban areas. However some of the worst air pollution occurs indoors in rural areas. The burning of biomass such as wood, coconut coir and other crop residues as a source of fuel generates smoke, particulates, carbon monoxide, methane and hundreds of organic compounds including many carcinogens. As a result, thousands of people in Vietnam die each year.According to World Health Organization estimates, more people in the developing world die each year from conditions related to indoor air pollution—mostly from inefficient, solid-wood-burning stoves—than tuberculosis or malaria.[1] Read More
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November7th
The Relevance of Indigenous Trees in Sustainable Agriculture, Ketindui, Kenya — Dan Kiprop Kibet
Posted in: ESSAYS
Reclaiming and Reconciling with the Ecosystem‘’It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.’’ - The late Prof. Wangari Maathai
I came across an advert reading, “CHEBOR AGRI-FOREST NURSERIES,” with a list of indigenous tree seedlings, fruit trees, flowers, and seeds available as well as quantity, price, and planting season. It conveyed a message to everyone that planting a tree will plan the future. This is a timely and appealing message to all at a time when Kenya is in dire need to plant more trees. This year, 2011, is the International Year of Forests, so we are considering:
- the role of indigenous trees and sustainable agriculture in Kenya
- inadequate rainfall, soil erosion, poor yields, and diminishing indigenous forests in Kenya
- Kenyan governmental policy to advocating allocation of 10% of land to planting indigenous trees
- the issue of global warming/climate change Read More
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October24th
COMPOST BIODIVERSITYCompost is normally populated by three general categories of microorganisms: bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi (see Figure 3.3 and Table 3.6). It is primarily the bacteria, and specifically the thermophilic bacteria, that create the heat of the compost pile.
Although considered bacteria, actinomycetes are effectively intermediates between bacteria and fungi because they look similar to fungi and have similar nutritional preferences and growth habits. They tend to be more commonly found in the later stages of compost, and are generally thought to follow the thermophilic bacteria in succession. They, in turn, are followed predominantly by fungi during the last stages of the composting process.
There are at least 100,000 known species of fungi, the overwhelming majority of them being microscopic.31 Most fungi cannot grow at 500C because it’s too hot, although thermophilic fungi are heat tolerant. Fungi tend to be absent in compost above 600C and actinomycetes tend to be absent above 700C. Above 820C biological activity effectively stops (extreme thermophiles are not found in compost). Read More
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October17th
Submitted by Tommy Tepper
As a part-time community gardener at the Joyner Community Garden in Asheville, North Carolina, I am writing this piece to add to A Growing Culture’s scope of global food production. Food is the essence of every culture and it is the commonality of us all, no matter who you are. This is not just in terms of large farms, but also backyard gardens and community gardens. These types of garden systems should be held in the same regard as all other food production systems. All of us are trying to simply reinforce the vital importance of knowing what’s in your soil, knowing what, in fact, is on your plate or in your hands when you are eating. The fact that many people don’t seem to know how their food got to them or all that went into making the product just makes no sense to me.
I am very blessed to live in an American town like Asheville where there are many community gardens and so many backyard gardens. Some even have fishponds, ducks, goats, and chickens, but what really is important and good to know is that the word and the message keep on spreading from one person to the next. People walk by the Joyner Community Garden all the time, asking, “how did you grow that?” or, “what kind of vegetable is that?” Or, even, “why are you guys and girls here all the time?” The point is that people can‘t help but notice the flowers, the bees and butterflies; that for some reason on this city street filled with houses upon houses, there is this rather small parcel of land with a garden with lots of things growing. Even if it is just the neighborhood mail carrier deciding to plant 4 tomato plants at his house or a new neighbor getting her hands dirty at the community garden, all these things spread wings and that, to me, is the whole point. Read More
