Big Bear Hills peat and soil

UN forum focuses on organic access « Inside the United Nations

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:14:20 +0000

Delegates and experts gathered in the German town of Nuremberg during 13-15 February to examine the impact trade standards have on the farming business in the developing world. The theme of this year’s event was a “Spotlight on India.”

With worldwide sales in organic products surpassing $59 billion in 2010, trade buyers were excited to learn about organic products from 83 countries represented at BioFach this year, with some 70 percent of the exhibitors traveling from abroad.

According to Oneco (Organic News Community), it has taken great strides on India’s part to become a player in organic agriculture and marketing – but it’s gaining speed. Many large-scale initiatives are being created, and India expects to reach a volume of exports equaling $1 billion dollars by 2015.

The BioFach 2012 forum attendees looked at issues related to organic agriculture in developing countries, including trade and access barriers.Delegates also discussed the progress made in helping farmers expand their international market reach and overcoming technical roadblocks to organic marketing.

“Quite clearly, BioFach is now much more than a world-leading exhibition,” said Claus Rättich, member of the management board of Nürnberg Messe, site for the event. “BioFach stands for variety of products, countries and concepts…it is not just an important marketplace for certified organic products of the highest quality and a base for positioning companies and brands, but also a significant, innovative, and cosmopolitan event with international offshoots in Japan, USA, Brazil, China, and India.”

In 2002, a partnership between the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) first established a joint effort to promote access to the global organic market.

According to UNCTAD, there are about two million certified organic farmers worldwide, 80 percent of which are in developing countries. These countries account for 73 percent of land certified for organic beekeeping and the collection of plant products grown in the wild.

Such farming relies on healthy soils and active agro-ecological management instead of artificial pesticides and fertilizers, which can be detrimental to the environment, agricultural workers, and consumers.

One of the most pressing challenges for the improvement of organic agriculture is the red-tape in trade standards and regulations. A product that meets one set of organic certification standards may also need to be in compliance of another set of organic standards before it can reach the marketplace.

Key issues discussed included a panel discussion on “How Sustainable is Organic?” This panel asked the questions, “What is sustainability in the organic sector and how can it be measured and communicated?” and “Where is action still required – even in the organic sector?”

“The Council for Sustainable Development has certified organic farming as the gold standard,” said Markus Arbenz, executive director of IFOAM. “But we are not satisfied with this and must become more sustainable. How we in the sector can improve on this is discussed at this year’s edition of the world’s leading exhibition.”

Project activities included outreach to share knowledge about sustainability tools, pilot projects to test tools, and technical assistance to governments and private-sector stakeholders to implement the tools and related recommendations. It also included facilitation of new regional initiatives and analysis of the organic trade system and evaluation of the trade-facilitating tools.

Article Sources: UN forum focuses on organic access « Inside the United Nations

About Types of Soil

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:54:47 +0000

There are a lot of different classifications of soils, but the most common are: sandy, silt, clay, loam and peat. All these types of soil are characterized by the size of the particles that make up them. Sandy soil is composed of very large particles: 0.05-2mm. It cannot carry water efficiently because of the spaces between these particles. Silt soils are characterized by particle size of 0.002 – 0.05mm. Silt soil is much smoother than sandy soil because of its smaller particles. Because it drains much slower than sand it could retain nutrients more efficiently; this makes it ideal to use in gardens. Clay’s particles are less than 0.002mm. It is formed from the gradual weathering of rocks, and is usually found in places that are downstream or below large formations of rocks. Clay is typically used to build pottery. Loam soil is a mixture of sand, silt and clay. The balanced proportion of these different soil types makes it an ideal base of seedlings and plants. Peat is usually found in areas near bogs and other marsh lands where trees are scarce. It is actually used as fuel. It is unfavorable for planting and gardening purposes.

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Take A Look At These Organic Gardening Tips!

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:54:07 +0000

Organize your gardening so that you can work efficiently. Have your tools ordered out in an orderly way so you do not have to search for them. Before you make a trip to your garden, you should gather all tools and items in advance. Afterwards, be sure to return them to their original storage place. You can use a tool belt for this purpose, or select pants that contain several massive pockets.

Make use of rainwater. Use barrels, buckets or any other appropriate containers to wage water for your garden. You will save costs by lowering your water bill. In most climates, there is an abundance of rainwater. Rainwater is also really beneficial for plants.

To make sure you have strong seedlings, look deeply. After planting tomatoes, for example, you must closely monitor the soil for the first signs of green shoots. Don’t get attached–these hints of green are hiding an underdeveloped root system below the surface of the soil. These starts will stick to the seedlings for quite some time, which prevents the seedlings from growing until the starts are gone.

Although organic gardening is often much harder than using chemicals, the reward is much greater. Even though the chemicals might claim greater results, using organic methods to tame your garden will do less harm to your body, and the environment.

What plants are native to your area? Plan your landscaping with primarily native grasses, flowers, and bushes! Native plants will thrive in your soil type and climate, without the need for inorganic fertilizers or pesticides. Native plants and natural fertilizer work well together. Since the compost is prefabricated from native ingredients, plants react strongly to it.

To eliminate pests naturally, look for plants and flowers that repel harmful insects and animals without harmful your garden. Under certain conditions, organic pesticides can outperform chemical products in effectiveness and safety. Keep in mind, however, that the biological composition of botanical insecticides can cause them to swiftly decay and disappear.

It’s ideal to plant tomatoes in an organic garden on a three-week cycle. This method prevents a unified harvest, and grants separate times to pull the plants throughout the year. This will also prevent the entire harvest from spoiling if there are any problems.

Over-watering your plants is not healthy because too much water might inhibit the roots from getting nutrients out of the soil. Check the weather forecast before watering plants to see if there is rain in the near future. Make your decision about watering dependent on the weather.

As you have seen from the above article, there is quite a bit more to successful organic gardening than a lot of people realize. You need to work hard at it and be patient, and if you can do that then you will see a dazzling organic garden. Use this information and you will be in great shape for bettering yourself in terms of organic gardening knowledge.

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Drought-tolerant small shrubs are worth the hunt – Mywesttexas.com: Life

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:34:36 +0000

It’s wonderful we have so many great choices in drought- andheat-tolerant landscape plants. There are several in the dwarf andsmall mature shrub size category that are valuable in home andcommercial landscapes. These are a little hard to find, but theyare well worth the hunt.

- Turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia) grows about 3 feettall and wide. It is evergreen, fine textured with bright greenleaves and blooms in the fall with small, bright yellow, daisy-likeblooms followed by lots of fine, fuzzy seeds. Plant it in full sunand it will grow at a moderate pace with low water needs onceestablished.

- Pink fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla) grows 3 feet talland wide. It is semi-evergreen with dark green leaves on slenderstems on a rounded shrub. Flowers occur heaviest in the spring andlighter in summer and fall. The flowers are pink and look likethose on mimosa trees. This tough shrub can take heat and reflectedsun. Give regular water until established and then every couple ofweeks in the hot summer months.

- Skeletonleaf goldeneye (Viguiera stenoloba) is anotherexcellent choice for full- or part-shade sites. This evergreenshrub grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. It has bright green, finetextured, evergreen leaves on a rounded shrub. Skeletonleafgoldeneye blooms summer and fall with bright yellow daisy flowers.This plant is extremely tough and grows between Monahans and FortStockton in the rocky road cuts.

- Black dalea (Dalea frutescens) is a semi-evergreen, finetextured shrub that grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 wide. Growblack dalea in full sun, well-drained, unamended soil (unlessdrainage needs to be improved) and it will reward you with atrouble-free existence and a beautiful fall bloom when it iscovered by violet and white flowers. A good cut back in Februarywill keep plants dense and attractive. Once established, plants arevery drought-tolerant.

- Bush germander (Teucrium fruticans) grows 4 to 6 feet tall andwide in full sun to part shade in poor soils. This evergreen shrubhas medium textured silvery leaves and stems. It blooms withlavender-blue flowers in the summer months. It has very low waterneeds once established and requires pruning in February to keep itdense and attractive. It may need a “wild hair” or two trimmed offduring the growing season if a neater look is desired.

Learn more about dealing with drought at the Water Wise 2012programs 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the PB Home Builder’sHome & Garden Show at Midland County Horseshoe. Speakers andtopics include,

- “Tree Care & Selection” by James Tuttle, ISA certifiedarborist;

- “Conservation in the Home” by Doreen Womack, executivedirector of Keep Midland Beautiful;

- “Stewardship of Water” by Gary Bryant, extension waterresource specialist;

- “Drought Tolerant Plants” by Carl Whit,e Permian Basin mastergardener; and

- “It is Xeriscaping (Not Zero-scaping)” by Nancy Lovett,Permian Basin master gardener.

Take advantage of these educational programs presented by TexasAgriLife Extension Service, Permian Basin Master Gardeners and PBHome Builders Association.

How do guys scare up certified soil theories? This shouldn't… For some reason, this is easy. Teratogenic effects (fetal health risks, miscarriages and birth defects). Many of them have demonstration plots where you can see potential additions and judge their hardiness, appearance and mature size before committing. Nothing like good ol??manure to keep the soil fertile and lush. I am having fun with my soil clay although of course, I've asked folks the question before. Check with your extension office, or local garden center for varieties that grow well in your area, and meet your demands. Second, her Chi needs to be flowing smoothly in all her organs, muscles and channels (including the uterus). On the contrary, these days there is expectation, and it has discovered the mode of a wonderful latest technology - Electronic Locks. Soil the natural way expands whether it is damp and contracts when it's dry and as long as every single in the soil beneath your building expands and contracts uniformly, it is not likely to cause problems. When push comes to shove, I partially disacknowledge this judgment. Do you want to look as if I'm kind? It was almost effort free. You can dig around 3 feet deep to locate stones and remove them. So much for on sale buying. Their job is then to break it down into nutrients for your plants.

Article Sources: Drought-tolerant small shrubs are worth the hunt – Mywesttexas.com: Life

Why is soil so important?

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:14:16 +0000

“Why is Soil so Important?” is an informative book for the beginner vegetable gardener wanting information and tips on how to improve their existing garden soil and for the avid gardener wanting to keep their soil healthy and fertile. Healthy plants, tasty veggies to harvest and a pest & disease free organic garden all start with fertile, rich garden soil.

Often gardeners, especially beginners are unaware of the importance of having healthy garden soil. This book will help you with tips on amending and fertilizing to feed your soil in order to have an abundant harvest.

I also offer vegetable garden plan books to help you get started in planting a garden. One on row gardening layout , another for a square foot garden layout and finally one for raised bed vegetable gardens .

Why did I write this book?I love growing vegetables and feel passionate about teaching others to grow as well. I want to inspire everyone to start growing their own veggies and to have a productive successful harvest. There are many positive reasons for growing your own vegetables: healthier for you and our environment, they taste better, gardening is good exercise and can be fun, and a well designed healthy garden can add value to your home and life. “Why is Soil so Important” will assist you in having a healthy garden and allow you to gain confidence in growing your own food.

What is included in this book?

Chapter 1 – Garden Soil
Chapter 2 – Soil Nutrients
Chapter 3 – Soil Fertilizers
Chapter 4 – Adding Organic Matter
Chapter 5 – Composting

Bonus #1The Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms Chart will help you to understand what your plants are saying to you. Taking time to observe how your plants are growing and what they look like will help you to identify what your soil may need. This chart lists common plant problems, the reason they may be occurring and what nutrients may be lacking in your soil.

Bonus #2Fertilizing Tea recipes. Making fertilizer teas is a simple, organic, and inexpensive way to keep your veggie plants happy and your soil more fertile. We provide some easy to follow recipes for you to try.

For your convenience and ease both of these bonus resources are included in the book.

Why is Soil so Important?Tips on amending and fertilizing…for just $14.95

This book is filled with easy to follow tips to help you in having a successful and productive vegetable garden.

You can access your “Why is Soil so Important?” book for only $14.95 about the cost of a few vegetables from the grocery store. Let me assist you in having your own healthy vegetable garden and save money on your grocery bill!

I believe you will be very satisfied with the quality of information and helpful tips in this book.

Buy now – Choose ebook or Printed Book:

Downloadable ebook (PDF files) – $14.95 Immediately after this purchase, you can download your ebook and start planning and organizing your vegetable garden with my simple to follow information and helpful tips.

This ebook is in an Adobe PDF file format. If your computer does not have the Adobe Reader software, your can easily install it for free.

The ebook version comes with a no-question asked guarantee. If you are not satisfied just email me within 8 weeks of your date of purchase and I will issue you a 100% refund immediately.

Your ebook purchase is 100% safe and secure.
Printed, Spiral-Bound Book – $18.95 + shipping

If you prefer to purchase a printed book please pay now

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The Many Wonderful Benefits Of Organic Gardening

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:14:22 +0000

Make sure that your garden is diverse. Increasing your plant variety will draw further variety in the wildlife around. Your organic garden should closely mimic a natural setting so plant different varieties of plants that can coexist in your location. If you do this, you can create a naturally relaxing atmosphere, and have satisfaction from helping the environment yourself.

If you want a sustainable garden, leave part of it undisturbed as a home for the wildlife in the area. You will then find that the wildlife that can help you create a garden that can flourish become present; from birds to insects, they’ll be around your garden and help your produce grow better.

Think about what types of products you can use on your garden. Always look into natural solutions before turning to chemicals. A great example is to use compost. Organic methods keep the soil clean, which in turn keeps the drinking water non-toxic.

Use six parts water with one part milk to spray the leaves of your garden plants regularly. This can help to prevent powdery mildew, which can ruin your plants. You can hold the solution in the refrigerator for a maximum of three weeks. You can also use this every day until you get the mildew under control.

Take the leaves you’ve raked from your yard as a simple organic compost that can be mixed with your soil. The leaves decompose, which means they become a nutrient rich, healthy compost that is also organic. This won’t cost you a penny, and will benefit your garden in many ways.

Keep the temperature in your home between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, if you are keeping or growing any kind of plant in your house. Plants need to be in an environment that is neither too warm nor too cool for them to grow. If you aren’t wanting your house to be this warm in the winter, you can use a heat lamp on the plants.

Get your children interested in helping with your organic garden. Growing a garden offers a unique learning experience, and you and your child can grow closer while growing healthy food for your family.

Asprin will actually help your plants out by killing diseases. Dissolve one aspirin and a half for 2 gallons of water. The simple practice of spraying them with the mix will help them fight off diseases. Spray them once about every three weeks.

Mix onion, garlic, and chives to water, and spray your plants to get rid of pests. Mix some garlic and onions with water for a natural pest deterrent.

Make use of rainwater. It’s a great way to supply water to your organic garden. Trap the rainwater in barrels, buckets or any other receptacles. This will save you a lot of money in water bills. Rainwater is free and abundant. You will learn rainwater is something that is very good for plants.

Before planting your favorite perennials, you must first prepare the ground. Simply use a spade or small shovel to get under the grass or turf and flip it over. Then, using wood chips, cover the area to a depth of three or four inches. Give this area at least a few weeks, then you can dig into the area and plant the new perennials.

Organic gardening is a hobby incorporating nature, hard work and patience. This hobby allows you to use the land and grow delicious food. But, if you are ready to dedicate yourself and stick to the advice in this piece, you are sure to be a successful organic gardener.

Filed under: Organic Gardening

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Growing Delicious Tomatoes: Diseases and Fungi Prevention

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:54:28 +0000

Article by Mike Mazzaro

Regardless of your level of experience in growing tomatoes, diseases and other problems associated with gardening are bound to challenge you at some point in your career. Although tomatoes are one of the easiest crops for beginning gardeners to grow successfully, there are still numerous maladies out there that may attack your tomato garden. Not to worry though, most problems you may encounter are preventable with good garden hygiene and maintenance. If your plants do contract a disease or fungus, the sooner you detect the problem, the better the plants’ chances for survival.

Some of the most effective ways of dealing with tomato garden diseases starts with prevention. Before you even begin planting, a little research is in order. Talk to some experienced gardeners in your local area and find out about the more prevalent diseases that occur in the region. Once you’ve identified the most common problems, you can find a tomato variety that has been specifically bred to be resistant to that malady. For example, if fusarium wilt and nematodes are a problem in your area, consider a tomato that has the designation “VFN” after the variety name. This code designates a natural resistance to that particular fungus. If there is a “T” tagged on to the name, the tomato plant is also less prone to be affected by tobacco mosaic virus.

Ask any gardener about their favorite tasting tomato, and they’re sure to tell you about some type of heirloom variety. Unfortunately, heirlooms have not been bred for disease resistance, just flavor, so they tend to be more susceptible to tomato diseases and pests. If you have your heart set on growing heirlooms, you must practice preventative medicine to keep your plants healthy. Consider staking or caging your tomato plants so that they are kept off the ground and air can more freely circulate between them. Excessive moisture on the leaves will promote fungal infections. Make sure your soil is healthy and packed with nutritious organic “humus,” which will keep your plants nourished. A good covering of mulch over the soil will keep the underlying soil moist without having to water excessively.

Another technique that is very effective against tomato plant diseases is the practice of crop rotation. If a specific crop, say tomatoes, is grown year after year in the same spot, a phenomenon known as monoculture takes place. This occurs when that specific crop depletes the soil of its “favorite” nutrients season after season. At some point, the soil will be unable to support the harvesting of that crop. By rotating different veggies around your garden, you are taking steps to avoid monoculture, and your plants will grow much healthier. Another side benefit of crop rotation is that it helps prevent common tomato diseases from getting a good foot-hold in your soil. By not planting tomatoes in the same spot over and over again, you are preventing tomato-attacking fungi from making a permanent home in your garden.

Growing healthy, delicious tomatoes need not be a worrisome chore. They are generally pretty easy and forgiving to cultivate, assuming the gardener takes some preventative steps to ward off some of the more common tomatoes’ diseases. Remember to practice good watering techniques, keep your soil moist, but not over saturated, and choose a good disease-resistant tomato variety. These tips, combined with disciplined crop rotation will ensure many seasons of delicious tomato harvests.

Article Sources: Growing Delicious Tomatoes: Diseases and Fungi Prevention

Bay Area investment group connects socially responsible lenders, local farmers

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:14:18 +0000

It was 2010, and Catherine Sutton, having lost faith in the viability of the stock market, pulled out her money from investments that she suspected weren’t as socially responsible as brokers were making them out to be. She wanted to put her money in something local, sustainable and, she added, “100 percent ethical.”

That’s how she ended up becoming one of nine investors in the Soul Food Farm in Vacaville, which provides range-free poultry and eggs to markets around Northern California and Bay Area restaurants, including Chez Panisse and Oakland’s Camino. The farm owners, Alexis and Eric Koefoed, repay her monthly with interest — and eggs — and Sutton knows how her money is being used.

But Sutton, who keeps four chickens of her own at her Albany home, wouldn’t have known Soul Food Farm was looking for a loan if it hadn’t been for an organization called Slow Money. The nonprofit group connects socially responsible lenders with local food enterprises and farms that support soil fertility and their economy.

It’s one of a growing number of such alternative fundraising models surfacing in response to the “locavore” demand for food grown locally and sustainably, as well as public scorn at traditional finance models in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis.

“People want to know what their money is doing out there in the world,” Slow Money founding member Marco Vangelisti said. Slow Money, he said, “is as far away from high-flying finance as possible.”

Soul Food Farm used the $40,000 loan received in 2010 for feed, coops and new chicks. Now they have up to 2,500 heritage-breed hens that roam 55 acres, pecking at bugs and blades of grass. They also hired extra help so Alexis Koefoed could kick-start a culinary herb offshoot. “Having all your eggs in one basket doesn’t work for a small farm, no pun intended,” Eric Koefoed said.

The eggs and meat will travel no further than San Francisco. But just down the road from the farm, the freeway is busy with semi-trucks hauling federally subsidized industrial-farmed produce and other commodities across thousands of miles from farm to fork.

That’s exactly the scenario activists like Theo Ferguson, a Slow Money founding member from Berkeley, wants to stop. “Every single penny, nickel and dime you put on the table, you are driving the nature of your economy,” Ferguson said.

The goal is to have 1 million people invest 1 percent of their income. So far, Slow Money has facilitated 30 investments totaling $11 million since about late 2009.

The minimum investment varies from small amounts made through loans to the farmer or entrepreneur to $1,000 to buy into a Slow Money-aligned investment fund to the $5,000 minimum set by the Northern California chapter.

Each of the 12 Slow Money chapters that have sprung up nationwide since about 2009 operate slightly differently.

The Northern California branch organizes showcases in which entrepreneurs vetted by members present their ideas to potential lenders, Vangelisti said. The group also is forming an investment club and a grant-making arm.

Other ideas to help food enterprises get past the barriers of traditional investing are popping up, from urban rooftop gardens to an Oakland collective that raises chickens. Community Supported Agriculture networks — called CSAs — have become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food and, increasingly, meat directly from a farmer, as have the thousands of farmers markets around the country. People feel more connection to the growers and the local food network they’re helping to rebuild, a key motive behind the movement. There are also groups such as FarmsReach, Lending Circles and Investors’ Circle.

“The system is a bad system, and Slow Money and others are attempting to address it,” said Al Courchesne,a farmer of 40 years who owns the Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood that sells organic fruit and olive oil at the San Francisco Ferry Building. His farm has the track record that allowed him to work with a local community bank.

In contrast, banks won’t even consider a small, young company such as the Capay Valley Farm Shop, which has received funds from Slow Money investors. In contrast, banks won’t even consider a small, young company such as the Capay Valley Farm Shop, which has received funds from Slow Money investors. The shop distributes produce from 30 small family farms in Yolo County to the East Bay farmers markets, Silicon Valley businesses such as Adobe and NetApp, Chevron employees in Concord and to hospitals. Capay’s mission attracted Peter Ruddock from Palo Alto, who decided to buy a share in the enterprise that received $82,000 in 2011 from Slow Money investors.

Capay plans to use the money to open a retail shop and depot so the farms can sell their products directly to townspeople and expand to new markets, including Oakland.

Slow Money, however, is not for everyone.

It takes people who are looking for a commitment based on their values, not on financial returns, said Brahm Ahmadi, founder of People’s Grocery, who has been trying to raise money for a community store that sells conventional and organic local food in West Oakland.

Slow Money is also a slow-moving concept that could be called patient money, in part because it is new and in part because local chapters depend on the energy of volunteers who have no budget.

“It’s an inefficient marketplace at this point,” said Anthony Chang, who helped introduce Slow Money lenders to Soul Food Farm and Baia Nicchia tomato farm in Sunol. He is also director of lending for California FarmLink, one of very few nonprofits to make loans to encourage traditional farms.

Chang is still optimistic, however. “The impact is limited, but the potential is significant.”

Article Sources: Bay Area investment group connects socially responsible lenders, local farmers

Home and garden event calendar for Feb. 12

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:54:07 +0000

Calendar of events relating to homes and gardens.

The Garden is for Lovers: Valentine’s display of blooming tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and orchids steams up the conservatory daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Feb. 29 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. Included in garden admission of $7-$11. (804) 262-9887.

MAC Events Home Show and Maymont Flower & Garden Show: Marketplace packed with vendors of home and garden products, full-size display gardens, speakers, seminars and more, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. today at Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 N. Third St. $6-$10. (800) 332-3976.

Lewis Ginter Programs: Increase your gardening know-how with programs at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave.:

Begins Tuesday: Garden Installation and Maintenance, step-by-step instruction by Beth Burrell, 9-11 a.m. Tuesdays through March 6. $95-$135.

Saturday: Starting Seed Indoors, 9-11 a.m., $25-$36.

Begins Saturday: Beekeeping for Beginners, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays through March 10, with optional field trip TBA. $15-$26.

Feb. 21-March 20: Wedding Floral Design, basics for centerpieces, altar arrangements and everything in between, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, $225-$236.

Feb. 23: Worms, The Ultimate Disposal, benefits and uses of worm bins for composting, 6-8 p.m., $35-$46 (take home a completed bin, including worms).

Feb. 23, March 1: Planning and Designing a Kitchen Garden, 6-8:30 p.m. on two Thursdays, $50-$61.

Feb. 25: “The Dirt on Soil,” creating fertile soil for sustainable vegetable gardens, 9-11 a.m., $20-$31.

Registration required for all classes. To register or for course information, visit lewisginter.org or call (804) 262-9887, ext. 322.

29th annual Landscape Seminar: Piedmont Landscape Association presents all-day session Thursday with four speakers on garden design, landscaping and plant uses, opening with registration at 7:45 a.m., through 4:30 p.m. at Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Charlottesville. $75. For schedule and information, see piedmontlandscape.org.

64th Antiques Forum: Colonial Williamsburg brings together curators, conservators, collectors and other experts for ” ‘Freshest Advices:’ Recent Discoveries in American Decorative Arts,” Feb. 19-23 in Colonial Williamsburg. Also offered, optional one-day bus tours Feb. 18-19 and optional workshops Feb. 24. Costs vary; registration required. ColonialWilliamsburg.org/conted or (800) 603-0948.

How to Grow Food From Seeds: Learn basic vegetable gardening techniques in a seminar sponsored by Chesterfield Historical Society’s Heirloom Seed Exchange, 1 p.m. Feb. 28 or 10 a.m. March 3 at Castlewood, 10201 Iron Bridge Road. $25 (includes planting of seeds participants take home). 768-0616.

Article Sources: Home and garden event calendar for Feb. 12

California welcomes organic trade pact – The Packer

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:34:27 +0000

The new free trade agreement on organic products between the U.S. and the European Union got a thumbs up from, among others, California congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel.Farr’s office hailed it as a breakthrough for Central Coast growers, who have 48,548 acres in organic production spread across three counties. Its news release even described the European Union as a “top export destination” for the area.That’s an overstatement, at least in Monterey County where I live. In 2010, the last year for which numbers are available, less than 1% of its fruit and vegetable exports — conventional and organic — went to the European Union. Singapore, for example, got more. The big destinations were Canada, 55%; Taiwan, 11%; and Mexico, 7%.But maybe the congressman was being “Farr-sighted” and looking to the future. There’s every reason to think the pact will make Europe a more attractive destination for California organic growers. The U.S. and EU each agreed to honor the other’s organic certification, easing the flow of commodities, starting June 1.“(It) reduces paperwork and costs for organic farms and processors that used to have to get an additional certification to sell organic products to the EU, and it will mean more organic choices for consumers,” Brise Tencer, director of policy and programs for California Certified Organic Farmers, said in the release.Organic produce has been on the rise in Monterey County, no matter what happens internationally. Production of organic strawberries, spring mix, lettuce, spinach, broccoli and the rest were up $5 million year over year in the last tally, to $168.9 million. Acreage was 19,495, up from 17,581. Organic accounts for about 5% of all land in vegetable and fruit production here.Elsewhere in the state, the agreement may come as cold comfort to some organic almond growers who unsuccessfully fought the pasteurization requirement on their commodity, a hurdle European imports have not had to clear.Methyl iodide ValentineA Feb. 14 vote of Monterey County’s board of supervisors underscored the long-running dilemma over fumigant use by California strawberry growers.The board voted 4-1 to urge Gov. Jerry Brown to reconsider the state’s approval of methyl iodide as an acceptable replacement for methyl bromide. The Environmental Protection Agency has labeled methyl iodide exposure a health risk. Farmworkers shared their concerns with the board.Growers would have preferred to wait on an Alameda County judge’s ruling in a lawsuit over the fumigant.It has been a no-win situation.The Watsonville-based California Strawberry Commission no doubt would like to get off the treadmill of replacing one fumigant with another. Ideas kicked around have included steaming soil or mixing it with mustard seed meal.Resolution, though, is still somewhere down the ‘s your take? Leave a comment and tell us your opinion.

Mike Hornick, Staff Writer The new free trade agreement on organic products between the U.S. and the European Union got a thumbs up from, among others, California congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel.

Farr’s office hailed it as a breakthrough for Central Coast growers, who have 48,548 acres in organic production spread across three counties.

Its news release even described the European Union as a “top export destination” for the area.

That’s an overstatement, at least in Monterey County where I live.

In 2010, the last year for which numbers are available, less than 1% of its fruit and vegetable exports — conventional and organic — went to the European Union. Singapore, for example, got more. The big destinations were Canada, 55%; Taiwan, 11%; and Mexico, 7%.

But maybe the congressman was being “Farr-sighted” and looking to the future.

There’s every reason to think the pact will make Europe a more attractive destination for California organic growers. The U.S. and EU each agreed to honor the other’s organic certification, easing the flow of commodities, starting June 1.

“(It) reduces paperwork and costs for organic farms and processors that used to have to get an additional certification to sell organic products to the EU, and it will mean more organic choices for consumers,” Brise Tencer, director of policy and programs for California Certified Organic Farmers, said in the release.

Organic produce has been on the rise in Monterey County, no matter what happens internationally.

Production of organic strawberries, spring mix, lettuce, spinach, broccoli and the rest were up $5 million year over year in the last tally, to $168.9 million. Acreage was 19,495, up from 17,581.

Organic accounts for about 5% of all land in vegetable and fruit production here.

Elsewhere in the state, the agreement may come as cold comfort to some organic almond growers who unsuccessfully fought the pasteurization requirement on their commodity, a hurdle European imports have not had to clear.

Methyl iodide Valentine

A Feb. 14 vote of Monterey County’s board of supervisors underscored the long-running dilemma over fumigant use by California strawberry growers.

The board voted 4-1 to urge Gov. Jerry Brown to reconsider the state’s approval of methyl iodide as an acceptable replacement for methyl bromide.

The Environmental Protection Agency has labeled methyl iodide exposure a health risk.

Farmworkers shared their concerns with the board.

Growers would have preferred to wait on an Alameda County judge’s ruling in a lawsuit over the fumigant.

It has been a no-win situation.

The Watsonville-based California Strawberry Commission no doubt would like to get off the treadmill of replacing one fumigant with another.

Ideas kicked around have included steaming soil or mixing it with mustard seed meal.

Resolution, though, is still somewhere down the road.

What’s your take? Leave a comment and tell us your opinion.

Article Sources: California welcomes organic trade pact – The Packer