Of course this gardener is ‘getting ready for spring.’ He never stopped.

Spring is the short, simple title we give to the complex and drawn-out awakening of the natural world after winter dormancy.

We declare the season underway next week, but the natural stirring has been going on for some time, although probably unnoticed unless you grow camellias or witch hazels or keep honeybees. The process of rebirth lasts well into May, when most trees have finished unfurling their solar panels.

The most evident aspects of the season — the warming temperatures, the longer days, the arrival of the cherry blossoms — have a way of exciting those among us who are least connected to the cycle of life forces at play.

Why should these phenomena even register, you ask? Phenologically, we may be the one species on the planet that is the farthest removed from the spring. We don’t have babies just during lambing season or grow hair only after the vernal equinox or mark spring by growing a new pair of antlers.

READ THE FULL STORY at WashingtonPost.com

Do’s and don’ts for early spring gardening

“A warm day in March can inspire a kind of madness in gardeners. It can cause them to burst out the door, desperate after months cooped up by cold and snow, and start work way too soon.

“Be careful what you do right now,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “There are things it’s just too early for.”

Here are some do’s and don’ts for early spring gardening:

Do get rid of tree wrap. If you wrapped the trunk of a young tree to protect it from animals over the winter, unwrap it now. “Leaving tree wrap on too long can trap moisture and encourage disease,” Yiesla said.

Don’t walk on or dig in wet soil. “That can compact the soil, which smothers plant roots,” Yiesla said. “Compacted soil is a very difficult condition to correct.” Even as the soil thaws at the surface, a hidden layer of impermeable ice often remains below, trapping water like a soup bowl. Wait until the soil has thawed all the way down and water is draining freely through it before you start digging or even walking on any part of the yard, including the lawn.

Do force branches of flowering shrubs. Cut branches of forsythia, flowering quince or other spring bloomers and stand them in a vase of warm water to encourage them to bloom indoors. “Just make sure you prune carefully and leave the overall shape of the shrub looking good,” Yiesla said.”

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE at ChicagoTribune.com

Best apps for gardening and yard work for spring 2019

“Not everyone has a green thumb or an eye for landscaping. Some people don’t even get to try because they’re so busy. Others watch HGTV over and over again and still never achieve the yard of their dreams because it’s easy to forget most of what you learned by the time you get outside.

But since you can take your phone with you when you walk out into the yard, there are now some digital tools that can make you a more effective gardener. We’ve gathered together some gardening and landscaping apps that can walk you through how to take care of your plants and keep your yard looking fabulous.”

See the BEST APPS NOW, at CNET.com

Stackable pottery that helps you turn your household food waste into fresh produce. [KICKSTARTER]

Compottery is a simple solution for reducing household food waste while growing fresh produce.  This happens through a process called Vermicomposting.

What is Vermicomposting?

Vermicomposting is the process of transforming organic waste into fertilizers with the help of nature’s gardeners- composting worms!

Learn more about Compottery on KICKSTARTER, NOW!

Spring Gardening Checklist

• Spring will officially be here on March 20th and whether there’s still snow out where you are, or it’s already feeling like summer… Spring is a great time of year to start working on a few things in the gardening department.

  In March, in addition to starting seeds indoors, gardeners with cold frames (see season extension techniques) may use them either to start an early crop of greens (especially spinach) or to start plants like broccoli that will later get transplanted outside the cold frame.
  

  Each grow zone will be a little bit different when Spring finally does roll around, so we encourage you to do what you can and what the weather is permitting in your unique location.

  Below is a list of chores that we’ve compiled to help give you some things to start thinking about this time of year.

  • Plant summer bulbs.
  • Read up on applying organic fertilizers.
  • Remove winter weeds and edge plant beds.
  • Cut flowers of spring blooming bulbs and place them in water & a clean vase to enjoy indoors.
  • Feed acid-loving plants such as azalea & rhododendron.
  • Plant cold-hardy vegetables and herbs, such as onions, potatoes, peas, lettuce, rosemary, oregano and thyme. (View more cold-hardy vegetables and herbs, here!) 
  • Feed your lawn with a high nitrogen fertilizer. (Or think about digging up your lawn to grow more fruits, veggies and herbs!)
  • Remove weeds before they flower, to keep them from multiplying

  

• Start seeds indoors. (Read our tips on how to start seeds indoors!) 
• Amend soil by adding organic fertilizers and compost.
• Water fall-planted trees and shrubs once new growth appears.
• Sharpen hand tool blades, replace worn equipment, and re-string edgers and trimmers.
• Fertilize citrus and feed it monthly thereafter.

• Prepare vegetable beds for when the soil is warm enough to sow seeds or transplant tender plants. For tomatoes, that temperature is 55 degrees.
• Deadhead spent spring bulb blooms leaving the leaves to continue to produce food that will be stored in the bulb for next year’s blooms.
• Plant bare root trees and plants just as they are about to break dormancy.
• Apply mulch around the base of trees. This will help with water retention and prevent weed growth.
• Rid the yard of snails and slugs, using a natural or organic method that is pet/child safe.
• Take cuttings of roses, azaleas & geraniums to start new plants.

How urban agriculture could improve food security in U.S. cities

During the partial federal shutdown in December and January, news reports showed furloughed government workers standing in line for donated meals. These images were reminders that for an estimated one out of eight Americans, food insecurity is a near-term risk.

In California, where I teach, 80 percent of the population lives in cities. Feeding the cities of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, with a total population of some 7 million, involves importing 2.5 to 3 million tons of food per day over an average distance of 500 to 1,000 miles (PDF).

This system requires enormous amounts of energy and generates significant greenhouse gas emissions. It also is extremely vulnerable to large-scale disruptions, such as major earthquakes.

And the food it delivers fails to reach one out of every eight people in the region who live under the poverty line — mostly senior citizens, children and minorities. Access to quality food is limited both by poverty and the fact that on average, California’s low-income communities have 32.7 percent fewer supermarkets than high-income areas (PDF) within the same cities.

READ THE STORY https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-urban-agriculture-could-improve-food-security-us-cities

Urban agriculture may uproot traditional farms in world of food ethics

Family-owned farms are decreasing as community gardens and urban agriculture find their footing in a world of food ethics.

In Arizona, it is not atypical to see farmland sold for urban development. Arcadia, a neighborhood located 10 miles from ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus, was originally known for its citrus groves before the land was sold for development.

Similarly, the ASU Polytechnic campus hosts the Morrison School of Agribusiness, which was given its name to honor ASU alumni Marvin and June Morrison, who donated farmland to the school in 1998.

David King, an assistant professor in the School of Geographical Science and Urban Planning, said larger farms may be suffering from a shifting economy that relies less on citrus and more on housing.

READ THE STORY http://www.statepress.com/article/2019/02/spcommunity-urban-agriculture-may-uproot-traditional-farms-in-world-of-food-ethics

Urban gardens: Healthy or harmful?

Home-grown vegetables are only as good as their soil and environment. For urban gardeners, that can be a challenge.

“In food deserts and other areas where people don’t have access to food, they take matters into their own hands through urban gardening,” said Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah, an associate professor of environmental science and ecology at Virginia Union University.

“We encourage people to get out and get into the soil to grow their own food, but there can possibly be metal toxicity in plants grown in urban gardens,” said Cobb-Abdullah, whose doctorate is in environmental science.

Duron Chavis, the manager of community engagement at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, echoed Cobb-Abdullah’s concerns.

“Many Richmond homes that were built in the 1920s and ’30s were torn down,” Chavis said. “They were hauled away, but they may have already leached asbestos and lead into the soil.”

READ THE STORY https://www.richmond.com/life/home-garden/urban-gardens-healthy-or-harmful/article_134cba9d-31fa-514f-ba53-843baf864c9c.html

How urban gardeners can lower their risk of contact with soil contaminants

TEMECULA – City dwellers may once have thought that gardening was a hobby for suburbanites or those living in rural areas. But urban gardening has grown in popularity as more and more city folk have looked for ways to increase their access to healthy, low-cost produce.

Urban agriculture may seem like a relatively new idea, but according to National Geographic, it actually dates back to the 19th century, when former Detroit Mayor Hazen Pingree devised a plan to help the city’s unemployed laborers during a period of economic crisis. Pingree developed an idea to use acres of vacant and idle lands throughout the city to create subsistence gardens. Begun in 1894, the program would peak in 1897 with the participation of more than 1,500 families. The program would taper by 1901 as the economy improved, but there’s no denying the relative success of the mayor’s program.

READ THE STORY https://www.myvalleynews.com/story/2019/03/08/lifestyles/how-urban-gardeners-can-lower-their-risk-of-contact-with-soil-contaminants/64932.html

A Lush Urban Garden or Senior Citizen Housing: Which Would You Choose?

The Elizabeth Street Garden’s paved paths meander around a granite balustrade from the early 20th century, limestone lion statues, benches and beds of roses and daffodils.

For years, the half-acre of green grass and leafy trees, tucked in between Spring and Prince Streets in Manhattan, has been a lush backdrop for fashion shows, photo shoots, games of hopscotch and quiet afternoons.

But the city plans to sell the land soon to build a seven-story, 123-apartment elevator building for low-income seniors.

The plans have spurred a clash in the neighborhood, turning the garden in Little Italy into a quintessential New York City power struggle that pits two of the city’s scarcest resources — affordable housing and green spaces — against each other.

READ THE STORY https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/07/nyregion/garden-little-italy-senior-housing.html

25 Gardening Tips Every Gardener SHOULD KNOW!

1. If it’s getting cold and you have tomatoes still ripening on the vine — save your tomatoes! Pull the plants up and bring them inside to a warm dry place. Hang them up, and the tomatoes will ripen on the vine.

2. Companion planting is an excellent way to improve your garden. Some plants replenish nutrients lost by another one, and some combinations effectively keep pests away.

3. Paint the handles of your gardens tools a bright, color other than green to help you find them amongst your plants. You can also keep a mailbox in your garden for easy tool storage.

4. Compost needs time to integrate and stabilize in the soil. Apply two to three weeks prior to planting.

5. There is an easy way to mix compost into your soil without a lot of back-breaking work: Spread the compost over your garden in the late fall, after all the harvesting is done. Cover with a winter mulch such as hay or chopped leaves and let nature take its course. By spring, the melting snow and soil organisms will have worked the compost in for you.

READ THE OTHER 20 TIPS HERE: https://www.planetnatural.com/vegetable-gardening-guru/tips/

Growth In Gardening: Companion Gardening

I am jumping on the companion gardening bandwagon with both feet this year. I have experimented with companion planting in small ways in my gardens over the last several seasons and I am 100 percent convinced that the system is the way to go.

The basic idea behind companion planting is as simple as it is sensible: many plants grow better near some comrades than they do near other plants or when alone. By itself companion planting your garden will not work miracles but applied in a well-maintained garden, it can produce startling results. It sure has for me. It can drastically improve the use of space, reduce the number of weeds and garden pests, and provide protection from both heat and wind, two problems I run into every year. So, as far as I am concerned, in my vegetable garden, this all adds up to getting me what I really want: increased yield.

I will be employing companion planting in my vegetable gardens, but it can also be used when flower gardening and in full-scale farm fields. In fact, some of the most familiar examples come from farming, where it’s a long-standing practice to sow vetch or some other legume in the fall after the harvest. This cover crop provides erosion control through storms and supplies both nitrogen and organic material to the soil when it is plowed under in spring. Most such crops themselves need a helper, known as a nurse crop, usually, a grain that is sown along with the legume. The grain provides weed control while the legume gets established, and helps protect the legume from both wind and the weight of snow.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/features/growth-gardening-companion-gardening

Pet-Friendly Indoor Gardening

Houseplants make a wonderful addition to our home’s décor and improve the indoor air quality.  Those with pets, however, may struggle with keeping plants safe from curious pets and the pets safe from indoor greenery.

The good news is you can grow an indoor garden even when you own pets. Yes, some do love to dig in the soil or even eat our favorite houseplants, but with proper plant selection and planning, you can keep your pets safe while enjoying an indoor garden.

Start by selecting plants that are safe for your pets.  Consult the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website for a list of pet-safe plants to grow and toxic plants you should avoid.  This will reduce your anxiety by helping you create an indoor green space safe for your pets.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/belmar-slash-lake-como/articles/pet-friendly-indoor-gardening-477c2881-e5be-4de5-bace-0397f405593c

Urban wasteland into flourishing vegetable garden

COIMBATORE: A piece of open space reserved (OSR) land near a busy residential area at Thudiyalur, which was overgrown with thorny bushes and stinking of garbage, is now producing organic vegetables, thanks to a city-based NGO.
Local residents, who used to avoid the place at any cost, now find a stroll through the vegetable garden refreshing.

NGO Helping Hearts had signed a memorandum of understanding with the city corporation to convert the 50-cent land at VKL Nagar into a vegetable garden one-and-a-half-year ago.

READ THE FULL STORY:  https://ift.tt/2C18O2o

Grow Up to 90 Fruits and Vegetables in Your House With This Auto-Watering Indoor Garden

If you’ve always wanted to start your own herb or vegetable garden but don’t have the yard space or the “green thumb” to pull it off, there’s now another option. The OGarden Smart is an indoor gardening system that grows up to 90 plants at one time—20 of which are edible.

Strawberries, celery, kale, bok choy, green beans, cayenne pepper, green onion, and cherry tomatoes are just a few of the fruits and veggies the OGarden can grow. Up to 30 growing cups can be placed in a lower cabinet, where the seeds are allowed to germinate. Once they sprout, the plants can then be transferred to the rotating wheel up above, which holds up to 60 plants at a time. It takes about 30 to 40 days to harvest the produce, depending on the type of plant grown.

The system is self-watering and uses automatic LED lights to provide the right amount of sunlight, no matter what season it is. The only work that’s required is planting the seeds and refilling the water tank once a week.

LEARN MORE: http://mentalfloss.com/article/574691/grow-90-fruits-and-vegetables-your-house-auto-watering-indoor-garden

‘Growing Place’ Sheds Light on History of Growing Food in Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s past is often seen through the lens of industry and big factories, but “Growing Place: A Visual Study of Urban Farming,” now at MSOE’s Grohmann Museum, shows there were more ways to grow a city. Milwaukee was a frontrunner in gardening dating back to the late 1800s, laying the groundwork for the urban farm visionaries of today.

Guest curators Michael Carriere, assistant professor at MSOE’s Humanities, Social Science and Communications Department, and David Schalliol, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at St. Olaf College, gathered a collection of photographs, documents, signs, posters and farm tools to tell Milwaukee’s agricultural story. Items were acquired from UW-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Library, the Milwaukee County Historical Society and individuals.

“Growing Place” was born out of a broader project Carriere had been involved with, which studied placemaking (a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design, and management of public spaces) following the Great Recession, and how cities try to bounce back from severe financial crisis.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://shepherdexpress.com/food/eat-drink/growing-place-sheds-light-on-history-of-growing-food-in-milw/

Urban Roots celebrating 50th anniversary

East Side youth nonprofit Urban Roots will spend 2019 celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The urban agriculture organization will kick off celebrations with an event at Summit Brewing Company, 910 Montreal Circle in St. Paul, on Wednesday, March 6, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

The organization has grown substantially over the past half-century, starting with one small garden and expanding to include not only gardening but conservation and wellness to its programming.

Today, Urban Roots has three main programs for high school students: the Market Garden program, where students grow and sell produce; conservation, which involves students working on a number of natural resources projects on the East Side; and Cook Fresh, a healthy eating and wellness program.

With each program, not only are students getting job experience, they’re also learning leadership skills, self-development and about possible future careers, said Patsy Noble, executive director of the organization.

READ MORE: http://www.lillienews.com/articles/2019/02/25/urban-roots-celebrating-50th-anniversary

This Garden Planner makes urban gardening easy

Gardening can seem like a daunting task. When do you plant? What should you plant in your area? How can you effectively grow produce? When you start asking the questions, it may become too overwhelming to tackle. But don’t walk away from the idea of a balcony overflowing with greenery just yet, because the team at The Green Conspiracy understands your angst.

The template allows the user to list what was planted and then chart the plant growth in order to keep a record of problems, timelines, and harvests. The goal is not only to identify problems early but also to produce a record that will provide information for successful subsequent planting seasons. Another section of the planner actually includes a planting calendar, so you can organize when seeds or plants should go into the ground.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS: https://inhabitat.com/this-garden-planner-makes-urban-gardening-easy/

SF plans to launch an Urban Agriculture Resource Center for community gardeners

As part of its growing support for urban agriculture, the Recreation and Park Department plans to launch a new garden resource center in the southeast part of San Francisco to provide supplies, plant starters, and advice for community gardeners.

The site would include a fruit tree nursery, orchard space, and space for managed beehives.

Mei Ling Hui, Rec and Park’s program manager of community gardens and urban agriculture, told the Recreation and Parks Commission about the plans for the center Thursday when presenting an annual report on the department’s Urban Agriculture Program.

The center would have demonstration plant beds, a greenhouse to grow plant starts to give away to gardeners and a station for experienced gardeners to give all sorts of gardening advice.

READ THE FULL STORY: http://www.sfexaminer.com/sf-plans-launch-urban-agriculture-resource-center-community-gardeners/

Race on to make urban agriculture viable, durable

In a world faced with the conundrum of mountains of waste and obesity for some and dire shortages and malnutrition for others, the future of food is the main dish on today’s global menu.

A key ingredient is a trend in ever more imaginative forms towards urban agriculture, a multi-faceted recipe already being pored over by some 800 million people globally, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

The trend takes many forms—from collective market gardens in even the most run-down of urban districts to connected vertical farms using indoor farming techniques to meet spiraling food demand in areas largely bereft of arable land.

The FAO wants to see the trend prosper and become durable and sustainably embedded within public policy.

Yves Christol, of French cooperative In Vivo, has identified six models of the genre.

They include a key European variant, electronically managed without recourse to pesticide—or even soil or sunshine.

Read more: https://phys.org/news/2019-02-urban-agriculture-viable-durable.html

An app can help introduce newbies to the garden. But the real rewards are in the dirt.

Some children garden at the knee of their parents or grandparents, and by the time they are young adults and ready to start their own plant adventures, a lot of the horticulture comes naturally.

But such lucky people are thinner on the ground than in previous generations, I suspect, even though there has never been a more urgent time to introduce younger folks to the power of the plant kingdom, given the issues of climate change.

As the naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week, “The connection between the natural world and the urban world … since the Industrial Revolution has been remote and widening.” Attenborough has spent a 60-year career trying to narrow that gap in television programs that began as a form of entertainment and, in recent years, have become a cry for an ailing planet. “The Garden of Eden,” Attenborough says, “is no more.” He speaks with such affable authority that resistance is futile.

READ MORE AT: https://www.seattletimes.com/explore/nwhomes/an-app-can-help-introduce-newbies-to-the-garden-but-the-real-rewards-are-in-the-dirt/

The battle against bugs: it’s time to end chemical warfare

Insects are important wildlife often overlooked in urban habitats. What we do notice are the cockroaches, ants, and mosquitoes in and around our homes. All too often we reach for the insect spray.

But not all insects are pests – a wide variety of them help keep our cities healthy. They pollinate plants, feed other wildlife, recycle our rubbish, and eat other insect pests. Insects are vital to our well-being.

Unfortunately, like many other wild animals, insects are under threat. A recent study warned that 40% of the world’s insect species face the prospect of extinction, amid threats such as climate change, habitat loss, and humanity’s overenthusiastic use of synthetic chemicals.

Australians use large amounts of pesticides to tackle creepy crawlies in their homes and gardens. But our fondness for fly spray has potentially serious impacts on urban ecosystems and public health.

READ MORE AT: https://phys.org/news/2019-02-bugs-chemical-warfare.html

What are soil contaminants—and how did soil get contaminated?

Newswise — Feb. 18, 2019 – Soil is all around us, in cities and rural areas. But some soil becomes contaminated. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) Feb. 15 Soils Matter blog post summarizes common contaminants and the risks they carry.

“The biggest risks for soil contamination are in urban areas, and former industrial sites,” writes Lauren Svejcar, a researcher at Murdoch University. “Common contaminants in urban soils include pesticides, petroleum products, radon, asbestos, lead, chromated copper arsenate, and creosote.”

Svejcar has specific tips for gardeners. “Urban gardens are usually a good idea, but it’s best to know your soil. Many vegetables and herbs can absorb contaminants as they grow. That puts you at risk if you eat them. Also, vegetables and herbs can have dust on them coming from contaminated soil. If not properly washed, you could ingest the contaminants. Some garden beds may also be lined with chemically treated wood. If you did not build your garden beds yourself, it’s best to test your soil because the chemicals can leach into the garden soil.”

READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.newswise.com/articles/what-are-soil-contaminants-and-how-did-soil-get-contaminated

High School Garden Club Helps Students ‘Grow’ Their Skills

LOS ANGELES, CA – Pens and paper are the typical supplies for many high school students, but that is not the case at Arroyo High School in El Monte.

• Students growing their skills in garden club
• Found in part by Eco Urban Gardens
• Helping students learn about agriculture, nutrition

The school is part of a growing program, founded in partnership with a local nonprofit Eco Urban Gardens, meant to help students learn skills in agriculture, environment, and nutrition. Arroyo’s garden club features about 15 students who meet regularly after school to tend to their crops.

“What school wouldn’t have a garden because it honestly promotes healthy living and gives students a place to chill if they’re stressed out,” said senior Oscar Ramos, the president of the club.

READ THE STORY: https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-east/education/2019/02/13/gardening-program-grows-at-arroyo-high-school#

7 Innovative Architectural Ideas With World-Changing Potential

Our ancient relatives, Homo heidelbergensis, were constructing shelters at least 400,000 years ago, and architectural innovation has been a defining feature of societies since then, changing to suit the needs and desires of the builders and occupants as they evolved. From energy-efficient designs to community-based spaces, these seven designs could help shape the future.

As the population ages, society is faced with a challenge: How to help people who require special care. The current way that many buildings are designed—and even the way hospitals are set up—makes it difficult for older people to get around and be independent. This is a big problem, because older people are a huge part of the population. As of 2015, there were nearly 50 million people in the United States over the age of 65. By 2030, the Census projects that 20 percent of Americans will be older than 65. “By 2035, there will be 78.0 million people 65 years and older compared to 76.7 million … under the age of 18,” Jonathan Vespa, a demographer with the U.S. Census Bureau, stated in a 2018 press release.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://mentalfloss.com/article/91686/innovative-architectural-designs

Plants ‘talk to’ each other through their roots

Plants use their roots to “listen in” on their neighbors, according to research that adds to evidence that plants have their own unique forms of communication.

The study found that plants in a crowded environment secrete chemicals into the soil that prompt their neighbors to grow more aggressively, presumably to avoid being left in the shade.

“If we have a problem with our neighbors, we can move flat,” said Velemir Ninkovic, an ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala and lead author. “Plants can’t do that. They’ve accepted that and they use signals to avoid competing situations and to prepare for future competition.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/may/02/plants-talk-to-each-other-through-their-roots?fbclid=IwAR1UZqFg_Du0XYlvKIYqUq0DZyfO7sYMrh8dE_WIE7a4YiDdlXJgzVPGsas

After Years of Planning Santa Clara’s Urban Farm ‘Agrihood’ is Set to Break Ground by 2020

One of Santa Clara’s biggest and most unique affordable housing projects in the pipeline promises to offer a blend of urban living and farm life.

The City Council last week granted final approvals to a housing project on a six-acre plot of land across the street from Westfield Valley Fair mall. The project, known as the “Agrihood,” will to provide 361 new homes, 181 of which will be below market rate. Of these 181 homes, 160 will be set aside for low-income seniors. The project will additionally feature a 1.7-acre urban farm and community retail and open space.

The Agrihood, which is on track to break ground by next year, consists of a partnership among real estate firm The Core Companies, the nonprofit California Native Garden Foundation and the city of Santa Clara. But it came to fruition in no small part because of its biggest champion, local business owner and activist Kirk Vartan.

“We wanted to make a vibrant place,” Vartan said. “Somewhere where people can engage. A place to go for people to unwind, meander, walkable and be human.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.sanjoseinside.com/2019/02/07/after-years-of-planning-santa-claras-urban-farm-agrihood-is-set-to-break-ground-by-2020/

Will The Generation That Wants To Change Agriculture Show Up To Work?

What is interesting about this younger generation, who are stereotypically labeled as harsh critics of our current food production system, is that on the surface most only seem to want to voice their dissatisfaction vicariously. It is easy and safe to go after genetically modified apples and Roundup in your Cheerios via your Facebook and Twitter accounts. What is becoming increasingly apparent is that there is a much, much lower percentage of this next generation that actually wants to “get their hands dirty” when it comes to becoming a part of the solution to the problem that they are essentially creating.

How bad is that problem?  Well according to a 2016 National Science Foundation survey, the percentage of adults who now find GMOs dangerous was at a staggering 79 percent. That is up dramatically from numbers from similar surveys taken in the previous years of 2010 and 2000.  Want more proof? A study last year by the International Food Information Council concluded that six in 10 consumers tagged food sustainability as important to them. The better question may be, do consumers really know what sustainability even means?

For something that is so dangerous and so important you would think there would be more bodies and minds actually flocking to the industry of agriculture to “transform” it more to their liking. Right now, the numbers are showing that not to be the case. In 2016, an industry study by food and agriculture conglomerate Land O’Lakes found that only 3 percent of college graduates and 9 percent of millennials have or would consider a career in agriculture. Such numbers, if true should not just be concerning but instead alarming. If according to recent statistics it takes 15 percent of the American workforce to produce, process and sell our nation’s food and fiber, then Houston we have a problem. A math problem.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.agweb.com/article/will-the-generation-that-wants-to-change-agriculture-show-up-to-work/

On rooftops and in tunnels, city farms lead food revolution

Only the Northern line tube trains rumbling through tunnels overhead provide any clue that Growing Underground is not a standard farm.

The rows of fennel, purple radish and wasabi shoots could be in almost any polytunnel, but these plants are 100 feet below Clapham High Street and show that urban agriculture is, in some cases at least, not a fad.

The underground farm has occupied a section of the second world war air-raid shelters for nearly five years, and Richard Ballard, one of the founders, is planning to expand into the rest of the space later this year.

“The UK is the hardest market for growing salad,” he said. “We’ve got very low prices in the supermarket, so if we can make it work here we can make it work anywhere.”

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/urban-farming-feeding-cities-of-the-future

Urban agriculture gives Paris space to breathe

Green walls, rooftop gardens, and urban farms are aiming to bring nature back into central Paris as the city looks to improve its air quality and create a more sustainable future.  

In the last few decades, manmade surfaces have taken over green space, leading to urban heat islands and more pollution in the air. It’s left Paris, like many other big cities, with higher urban temperatures and a greater risk of flooding as rain can no longer be absorbed into the ground.

To counter these issues, local authorities are increasingly looking to incorporate more greenery into both old and new buildings as well as developing public parks and gardens.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.jllrealviews.com/places/emea/france/urban-agriculture-gives-paris-breathing-space/

A Farm and Restaurant Program that Helps Foster Kids Succeed

By the time Will Nash got to the Hart Community Homes (HCH) in Fullerton, California, he’d temporarily lived—and lost placement—in 19 foster and four group homes. Dealing with intense feelings of abandonment and anger in ways that caused those into whose care he’d been placed to label him “troublesome,” he was bounced from house to house. “You’re told you’re loved,” he says. “Then you get kicked out and you’re like, ‘Wait, I thought you loved me.’”

But at HCH, Nash landed among 11 other similarly hard-to-place boys aged 13 to 18, the older of whom—those eligible to work outside the house—were granted an opportunity rare among foster kids: after-school afternoons and weekends spent on a farm at nearby California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), tending crops alongside college students, faculty, and retired volunteers. It was a welcome new world of hands-on learning, camaraderie, and tentative belonging.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://civileats.com/2019/01/15/a-farm-and-restaurant-program-that-helps-foster-kids-succeed/?fbclid=IwAR3gT2NdZ2C_gZeEInVF0xZOOZYWdXqkKSlOvZ5_gIW1JZ-R4AB_zdLfCUk

How a low-income Louisville neighborhood became a fresh food oasis

In Louisville’s Hazelwood neighborhood, where a third of the residents live in poverty, an urban farm has grown from the site of a former low-income housing complex.

It took two years for community members to remove truckloads of concrete from the 14 acres where the farm now resides. But come spring, the farm will produce crops that the nonprofit Food Literacy Project can use to teach youth leadership skills and engage with residents who want to reconnect with the land.

The farm has become central to a communitywide movement to improve food access within the Hazelwood and Iroquois neighborhoods, located in southern Jefferson County.

SEE THE REST OF THE ARTICLE: https://www.courier-journal.com

We Need to Prioritize Urban Farming in City Planning

Last November, I stood on the stage of the Meeting of the Minds Summit in Sacramento, sandwiched between a panel led by energetic Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and his vision for economic prosperity, and a talk on the future of autonomous delivery vehicles. My talk? To encourage city planners, developers and urban architects to bring agriculture back to cities and urban spaces, and what this addition can do for the future of their communities’ resiliency, job creation, healthy citizens and carbon footprint.

Stay with me here. I know, agriculture is not “the new wave.” It’s not even close. I mean, we’re talking something that started about 10,000 years ago when eight of the Neolithic founder crops, like emmer wheat, hulled barley, lentils, and chickpeas, were first cultivated. Fast forward to the late 1800s in the Sacramento Valley, when Yolo County was the largest producer of wheat in the entire United States.

READ THE ARTICLE AT: https://www.comstocksmag.com/article/we-need-prioritize-urban-farming-city-planning

14 Year Old Donates EVERYTHING He Grows To Families In Need

Help Ian WIN a $10,000 grant for Katie’s Krops!
(SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST)

“The Giving Garden was created when Ian learned there were children at his school going to bed hungry. Wanting to make a difference for his classmates, Ian decided to take action. He raised funds and solicited volunteers to construct a raised bed garden and small fruit orchard at his elementary school to provide free access to fresh produce for anyone in need in his community. Ian began to realize that many students didn’t have the knowledge to prepare the produce they were receiving from the gardens. He began offering cooking demonstrations and provided sample recipes to help teach the students that healthy food can taste good. He didn’t stop there. Ian has continued to install gardens in local schools and communities in the Austin area. In the spring of 2016, his sister, Addison, joined the fight against hunger by developing the Frutas Frescas Orchard Program. The siblings have partnered with each other to help fight hunger in their community. In 2016, Ian became part of the Katie’s Krops garden program. He was able to build a garden in his own backyard and donates 100% of the produce to local hunger relief organizations or to families in need. In 2016, Ian grew and donate 869 lbs of organic produce. He reached his goal of growing and donating 1,000 lbs of organic produce in his backyard Katie’s Krops garden in 2017 and will exceed his donation totals in 2018.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT IAN AND HIS GARDENS: https://iansgivinggarden.weebly.com/about-us.html

Help Ian WIN a $10,000 grant for Katie’s Krops!

1. CLICK – Ian McKenna’s name at the “Vote Say Thanks, Austin” link 
2. TEXT – MCKENNA to (512) 456-9244
3. MESSAGE – MCKENNA to our Facebook fan page at facebook.com/recognizegood
4. TWEET – MCKENNA to @RecognizeGood with the hashtag #saythanksaustin
5. EMAIL – MCKENNA (in the subject line) to saythanks@recognizegood.org
6. WRITE IN – your name, then sign and date where indicated on Say Thanks forms (also downloadable) – I can pick up write in votes locally or if you’re out of town, you can scan or take a picture and email them to saythanks@recognizegood.org with MCKENNA in the subject line. 

Why Raleigh needs a stronger commitment to urban agriculture

The City of Raleigh supports urban agriculture rhetorically in its Strategic Plan. The city has made ad hoc interventions, like providing resources for rain harvesting at Raleigh City Farm and the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle farm.

Yet this leaves Raleigh behind other cities, like Atlanta, that implement systematic programs supporting the wide array of urban agriculture. Without a comprehensive plan, programs like land for community gardens, setting up organic matter drop-offs for composting, hiring master gardeners to provide expert knowledge, and more do not have the municipal support they need.

This is the case, even though the city’s Environmental Advisory Board has unanimously adopted an Urban Agriculture Program recommendation. That recommendation includes important steps, such as surveying vacant and public land, building a farm incubator system, and hiring a full-time city employee to administer urban agriculture programs. Implementing the recommendations will bring stability and growth to urban agriculture, which will entail beneficial impacts on communities, such as food security, food literacy, biodiversity, and income.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article220040400.html

The city needs more gardens — urban gardening in Berlin [VIDEO]

What was once a gloomy parking lot is now a green oasis in the middle of the German capital, Berlin. The “Prinzessinnengarten” (princesses’ garden) has become one of the best-known urban gardening projects in Europe. Neighborhood city gardening is on trend and in the last few years, pretty plots have been sprouting like mushrooms from the earth.

WATCH THE VIDEO/STORY: https://www.dw.com/en/the-city-needs-more-gardens-urban-gardening-in-berlin/av-46264250

DIY Fungi – Interview: William Padilla-Brown

Not long into our conversation at his lab based in Lemoyne, I decide that William Padilla-Brown, of Elizabethtown, is one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met. At 24, Padilla-Brown is the founder of his own mushroom cultivation company, MycoSymbiotics. He’s traveled the world, attending schools here in central Pennsylvania, in Taipei, London and elsewhere. He dropped out, got a GED and a permaculture certification. He designed his own model for a DIY college-level curriculum. He learned all he could about growing mushrooms from experts and online videos and started his own business, which he has slowly grown in the past few years. He wrote “Cordyceps Cultivation Handbook Vol. 1” — one of the first books written in English detailing the process of growing cordyceps, a type of fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine. He organizes mushroom festivals and foraging expeditions. He lectures about sustainable, low-tech, DIY gardening and growing methods with the aim of making it so anyone, anywhere can grow their own food.

READ THE STORY: https://lancasteronline.com/sunday/interview-william-padilla-brown-on-diy-fungi/article_b1bc0f70-1fee-11e9-b44b-db2654101d38.html

Urban farmers seek stability

Growing Lots is a working farm tucked into an increasingly dense urban landscape.

It used to occupy three sites in South Minneapolis where co-owners by Taya Schulte and Seamus Fitzgerald grew vegetables, operated a community-supported agriculture program, or CSA, and sold produce to local chefs. In 2018 those three sites were reduced to two.

Growing Lots lost access to the third site after their Longfellow landlords decided to sell. Schulte and Fitzgerald had been leasing the property for a few years, but for the landowners, the process of renting out to urban farmers with a labor-intensive business and slim profit margins got too complicated. Add that to neighborhood development pressure and the outcome became almost inevitable.

Fitzgerald certainly wasn’t surprised.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.southwestjournal.com/news/green-digest/2019/01/urban-farmers-seek-stability/

Now, Rent a Farm and Harvest Your own Veggies. Real-Life Farmville is Here

Most people living in apartments are deprived of the luxury of owning a terrace or garden farm, where they can grow vegetables. Yet, many living in big cities dream of spending their time on a farm after retirement and eat the produce of their own farm. Now, to live that dream you won’t have to leave behind your city life nor live at a farm. Bangalore-based Farmizen — a farming Airbnb of sorts — is connecting urbanites to farmers who help you rent a mini-farm and grow your organic veggies.

What’s more, you get to see the harvest not only through pictures and videos but you can also visit your farm over the weekend. It was the question: whether the organic veggies we buy from the market are truly organic or not that got co-founders — Shameek Chakravarty, Gitanjali Rajamani and Sudaakeran Balasubramanian — thinking. In 2017, they founded Farmizen, an app-based service to rent a mini-farm and grow chemical-free vegetables. This concept not only helps the urban buyers but also provides regular income to farmers. After Bangalore, the startup has now expanded to Hyderabad and Surat. In the next phase of growth, it plans to enter Chennai, Pune, and Mumbai. The third phase of growth would take it to Delhi and other cities.

READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/326404

What is a Normal Period? Better Understanding Your Cycle

Our periods can tell us a lot about our health, so as women, it is important to know what a normal period is like.  In fact some people consider them a vital sign and I completely agree with that idea.  If your cycles are abnormal, then you could be experiencing symptoms that indicate imbalanced hormones, or something else going on in your body.  I find that lots of women don’t know what their periods should be like.  We tend to accept intense period cramps and moodiness as”normal.”  But that couldn’t be further from the truth.  It isn’t our fault that we don’t know what to expect from our periods; this is often not something that we are taught.  Today I am going to teach you this important lesson and answer the question: what is a normal period?

Length of Your Cycle

Day 1 of your cycle is the first day that you see blood, and the last day of your cycle is the day before your next period starts.  This count equals the length of your cycle.  A normal cycle should last between 21-35 days (28 days being average).  Ideally your cycle length would be fairly consistent (within a few days) versus skipping around a lot cycle to cycle.  If one month your cycle is 21 days and the next month it is 35 days, then it might be worth doing some investigating to find out why the large variation (especially if it stays consistently irregular).

If your cycle is longer than 35 days it may be due to stress, illness, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), undereating, thyroid issues, or moving into menopause.

I do want to note that a teenager that just started her period may have a longer cycle in the beginning lasting up to 45 days but this should improve with time.  If it doesn’t then it could be a symptom.

How Long Should it Last

Your period bleeding should last 2-7 days.  The flow is often its strongest for 3-5 days and you may experience a couple of light days as your period finishes up.  If you see brown (almost dried up looking) blood initially this is often blood that was “leftover” from your previous cycle and could indicate low progesterone.  The first day that you see fresh blood is day 1 of your cycle. Any spotting that happens before or after your cycle usually still counts as bleeding days.

Periods lasting longer than 7 days could be a sign of PCOS or be due to perimenopause.  Spotting in between cycles is often a sign of low progesterone.

Blood Clots

If your periods are heavy, then your anticoagulants may not have enough time to keep up with your blood flow, which can cause large blood clots.  The most problematic clots are ones that are larger than a dime and happen frequently.  If you have the occasional small clot it may be normal.

Period Pain

Pain and cramping are symptoms that are by far accepted as being “normal”, but that isn’t necessarily the case.  A little cramping can be normal.  Light cramps or pain that last 1-2 days, but don’t knock you out for the day is ok.  It is the super painful cramps that are throbbing and last for days that can be a symptom of something out of whack.  It might be so bad that you are doubled over in pain or need to take the day off work to stay in bed.

This type of pain can be caused by imbalanced hormones or, in worse cases, things like endometriosis.

Heavy Periods

From a medical perspective, you normally want to lose about 50 mL of fluid during your period.  That usually equals about three tablespoons of fluid over the length of your period.  One regular pad or tampon holds about one teaspoon of fluid and you shouldn’t need to change that pad or tampon more than once every two hours.

If your period is super light, then it could be a sign that you didn’t ovulate.  A heavy period can be caused by many different things like copper IUD, no ovulation, endometriosis, perimenopause, thyroid issues, or estrogen dominance.

Color

When your period starts, it should be a nice bright red color, similar to cranberry juice.  If it gets dark and almost purple in color then it could be a sign of estrogen dominance.  If it gets light pink then it could be a sign of low estrogen.  If your blood is brown, that is old blood that has been oxidized and it didn’t make it out of your uterus during the last cycle, which can be a sign of low progesterone.

Your period is something that should be paid attention to every month because it can tell you a lot and give you clues about your health. Don’t feel bad if you have abnormal periods because this is something that most doctors don’t even know and this topic isn’t talked about with enough.  Use the clues your body is giving you as helpful hints to investigate and dig deeper to find the root cause and get things back on track.  One thing I don’t recommend to “fix” an irregular period is birth control.

Hormones are a complicated system with many moving parts so one of the best things you can do is to work closely with a practitioner that will do proper functional testing like DUTCH from Precision Analytical and help you get to the root cause.

ARE YOU READY TO GET TESTED AND TURN YOUR HEALTH AROUND?  CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO REQUEST A FREE 30 MINUTE DISCOVERY CALL…

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As a Holistic Dietitian and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, I help clients get proper testing, assist in the process of reading those results using clinical correlation (treating the patient and not just the test results), and give them the proper tools (diet, supplements, and lifestyle) to start the healing process.

The post What is a Normal Period? Better Understanding Your Cycle appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

How some home truths can help save the planet

The garden is one of the keys to solving the two greatest problems facing humankind, namely rapid species extinction and the effects of our changing climate.

Gardens, plants, and the ecosystems in which they thrive will act as carbon sinks and filter the air that we breathe. It has never been more important that we realize this and that we protect our garden spaces, and by this, I don’t just mean our few square meters outside the back door. No, I also mean the wild public spaces. They are ours and they are helping us all to survive. We need to think about how, in our own gardens and in public spaces, by welcoming in nature, we can play an extremely important role in saving the planet.

Most of us don’t want to damage the natural world, the great outdoors, even though we sometimes unwittingly do. Thus, we need to educate ourselves as to what all of us can do with our gardens.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/outdoorsandgarden/how-some-home-truths-can-help-save-the-planet-898556.html

‘We’re black sheep’: the people who are fascinated by soil in cities

A recent gathering of scientists on the upper west side of Manhattan enthused about a crucial element in the formation of the surrounding city. The substance talked about in revered tones? Soil.

In a fairer world, soil would be receiving reverence from people well beyond the fourth annual NYC Urban Soils Symposium, given that the slender outer layer of the planet supports the life that treads, grows and flies above it. As it is, though, it is up to soil aficionados to extol the urban importance of this crumbly manna.

“Soil is a neglected resource; it can solve a lot of the environmental problems we have,” says Richard Shaw, a US Department of Agriculture soil scientist who grew up in urban New Jersey but was drawn to the outdoors and found himself fascinated by soils.

For the past decade Shaw has been involved in the New York soil survey, plodding around the city’s parks and community gardens taking soil samples. This has usually involved digging a 4ft-deep pit, a process that has attracted police attention. “They’d ask what we are doing and then they’d spend half a day talking to us once we told them,” he says. “Others will say ‘sorry to hear that’, like it’s the worst job in the world.”

READ THE FULL STORY AT: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jan/16/dirty-secret-can-urban-soil-help-solve-our-environmental-problems

7 Trends That Will Define Gardening in 2019

Americans are gardening in record numbers but what are they most interested in this year?

Here are highlights of the seven top 2019 trends in gardening:

• The Slow Garden Movement: The same trends that millennials are driving across consumer brands — transparency, sustainability, hand-crafted, experiential, and authenticity — are showing up in gardens and garden centers nationwide.
• Architecture Rules: Garden designers will use plants with plenty of intriguing, often formal, shapes, forms, textures, and branching habits within otherwise naturalistic gardens, resulting in a delightful yin-yang effect.
• Desperately Seeking Season: With seasonal changes that are less distinct and predictable marked by longer summers and shorter winters, gardens that dramatically, graphically evolve over the seasons are becoming even more prized.
• Do it For Me!: Consumer research has identified a growing segment of “Do It for Me” homeowners who want the beauty and seasonal rhythm of a landscaped space, but may not have the time to make this happen.
• Working Overtime: With home lots getting smaller and less time for gardening, consumers are snapping up one-and-done plants that do double or even triple duty in the landscape.
• One-Stop Garden Shop: Seeking more than the free wifi and caffeine buzz offered at your local coffee shop, consumers are flocking to garden centers for a newer, fresher experience.
• Into the Woods: Cool, mossy, and damp, small space woodland gardens bring a welcome sense of organic zen and a respite from digital overload, especially in dense urban areas where they can help to mitigate the effects of pollution.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT: https://www.greenhousegrower.com/management/7-trends-that-will-define-gardening-in-2019/

A Phoenix Urban Garden Provides At-Risk Individuals a Path Forward

Incarcerated a total of eight times over 15 years, Darren Chapman sat in a maximum-security prison cell at age 25 and thought of happier times.

“I remember[ed] watching my grandfather trade collard greens and carrots with others and interacting with his community,” he says. “My dream as a little boy was to do the same; I wanted to work with others in the same community [of South Phoenix] where I grew up.”

After Chapman’s final release in 2005, he followed the example his grandfather had set and established TigerMountain Foundation (TMF), an organization that focuses on working the land and producing sustainable foods for the local economy, while also creating a sense of community.

“Community doesn’t happen unless people share something in common,” Chapman says. He felt that a community garden had the potential to bring people together around a singular goal and create “a classroom without walls and a place where people could feel proactive hope.”

READ THE FULL STORY HERE: https://civileats.com/2019/01/17/a-phoenix-urban-garden-provides-at-risk-individuals-a-path-forward/

A LOOK INSIDE RINO’S ROOFTOP URBAN FARM

If you’ve recently walked down Lawrence Street in RiNo,  you have probably have been stopped in your tracks by the sight of a rooftop garden. At the very least, you’ve probably wondered what was going on above Uchi. This beautiful greenhouse space is home to Altius Farms. As one of the largest vertical aeroponic rooftop gardens in the country, Altius currently grows varieties of lettuce, herbs and edible flowers galore.

Part of the new S*Park condo community, Altius landed at the RiNo location where the land historically has been farmed since the 1930s. The greenhouse itself offers 8,000 square feet to run operations, and the community garden outside will double the growing space once the spring comes. S*Park and Altius are planning to team up for great farm-to-table events and community dinners come warmer temperatures.

READ THE FULL STORY AT: https://303magazine.com/2019/01/altius-rino-rooftop-farm/