As the month of August draws close, we are watching flowers bloom and our gardens bring forth a bounty of food, we begin to prepare for next year.
We are currently selecting areas in Kensiington Market that we can prepare with sheet mulching for the coming season. Additionally, we are working to set up composting systems for a select group of residents and businesses to participate in.
We are renewing our commitment to expanding our footprint of gardens and our network of gardeners and we look forward to working together in the coming weeks and months...
Reseed.ca in Partnership with Yellow Dog Rain Barrels And The Bellevue Café are hosting: Build Your Own Rain Barrel - Workshop
Saturday May 22, 2010 - 3pm The Bellevue Café - 61A Bellevue Ave.
Yellow Dog Rain Barrels will have all of our supplies precut and ready to assemble. They will walk us through the process and also give us instruction on installation and use, and then we will proceed to make our rain-barrels together. At the end of the workshop, each pre-registered participant will have a 55-gallon rain barrel to take home that is ready to use, complete with drainage spout with brass on/off valve, leaf catcher and mosquito inhibitor and over-flow spout.
Only $45 dollars/barrel, including instruction and all parts Priority will be given to Residents of Kensington Market and Ward 20. To register for the workshop please email info@reseed.ca by May 17th. We will be asking for a $15 registration fee that will be deducted from the final cost of the workshop to ensure that those who sign-up will be in attendance.
Spring is here and our seedlings are furiously breaking through the soil and reaching for the sun... In order to better bring this along, while protecting our large collection of seedlings from the elements, we have constructed a coldframe from an old skylight and bricks. The result are a group of thriving plants teeming with life.
This summer season is going to be very exciting. In preparation for the coming months, we have been hard at work preparing several different projects.
Berkeley Rapid Compost Pile
On the corner of Bellevue St. and Nassau St., you can find our first Berkeley Compost Pile. This labour-intensive method of composting creates soil very quickly (18-22 days) and is proving both sucessful and intruiging. This method of rapid compost is highly exothermic and does not produce unpleasant odours; within the first 10 days, our first pile has a rich and earthy aroma of soil. Find the pile and our sign for a full explanation at 61A Bellevue Ave.
We next turn the pile of compost this Tuesday @ 12pm
Reclaiming Space
Having garnered a great deal of positive attention from our neighbours, we have found some new spaces to claim for this year's adventures in growing food. To accompany the growing network of gardenspace that we are working with, we have also gone to great lengths to reclaim some unused residential space in the neighbourhood. Working with the property owner, we now have a 200 sq ft space to produce compost on a regular basis. Having space to produce soil is the first step in creating an economy of waste diversion and soil restoration.
Sheet Mulching
We bgean our first sheet mulching project on Sunday April 10th, when we filled the bottom of a claw foot tub with leaves and sticks, soaked the carbon base with water and then spread a thin layer of some green surplus from a local market vendor. Next up were layers of newspaper, and we proceeded by soaking each layer as we laid them down. We added another green layer and then a foot of leaves also pleasantly moistened. Atop it all, a layer of mushroom compost and then another layer of leaves to slow evaporation.
Using some of the surplus materials in our neighbourhood and diverting waste converge in creating healthy soil. Sheet Mulching is one of many tools in the toolbox of permaculture.
Interested in more? Tuesday April 20 we're going to try it again in a raised bed on Nassau St. Check the events calendar for details if you would like to participate.
So many wonderful things are happening right now. Spring is in the air, for today at least.
We are working to acquire growing lights for this year's seedlings. Craigsliist is key!
The website is taking some shape, regardless of how crazy and glitchy it has been.
Our Facebook group now has 19 members, which is crazy, considering that we have not announced it whatsoever, but rather accidentally let it into 4 people's newsfeeds and it went from there. This makes us all proud, yes but more importantly, really excited.
Please join the Facebook Group and stay in touch.
This year is going to be incredible. We are an organization in our infancy. Please get involved; By working together, we can begin to shape a future with common goals for a better life.
The fact that teenagers in science fairs are producing innovations in technology to decompose plastic, using readily available materials, suggests to me that there has been absolutely no corporate initiative as of yet, to achieve these ends.
So it has become the responsibility of our generation to not only change the minds and habits of both consumer and marketplace, but also to find the means of cleaning up the discarded remains of a 400 year legacy of overconsumption and garbage generation.
Nonetheless, hope springs eternal...
The fact that teenagers in science fairs are producing innovations in technology gives great hope to coming generations. The vacuum of corporate initiative to be proactive in managing waste and designing cradle-to-cradle, suggests that we, as individuals have a tremendous opportunity in filling this vacuum, solving the problems that we have inherited.
We’ve all heard the plastic bag horror stories—the billions of bags discarded every year that wind up polluting oceans, killing wildlife and getting dumped in landfills where they take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Researchers have been wracking their brains for years to figure out a solution. But leave it to a Canadian high school student to leave them all in the dust. Daniel Burd, an 11th grader at Waterloo Collegiate Institute, has discovered a way to make plastic bags degrade in as little as three months—a finding that won him first prize at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, a $20,000 scholarship, and a chance to revolutionize a major environmental issue.
Burd’s strategy was simple: Since plastic does eventually degrade, it must be eaten by microorganisms. If those microorganisms, as well as the optimal conditions for their growth, could be identified, we could put them to work eating the plastic much faster than under normal conditions.
With this goal in mind, he ground plastic bags into a powder and concocted a solution of household chemicals, yeast and tap water to encourage microbe growth. Then he added the plastic powder and let the microbes work their magic for three months. Finally, he tested the resulting bacterial culture on plastic bags, exposing one plastic sample to dead bacteria as a control.
Sure enough, the plastic exposed to the live bacteria was 17 percent lighter than the control after six weeks. Once Burd examined the most effective strains of bacteria, he was able to isolate two types—Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas—as the plastic munchers. At 37 degrees and optimal bacterial concentration, the microbes had consumed 43 percent of a plastic sample within six weeks.
Next up, maybe it’s time to put him to work on this whole carbon emissions thing.
from http://vegetablegardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/growing_kale
Kale is a non-heading plant from the the cabbage family, grown for its leafy green leaves.
Scientific Name: Brassica oleracea Acephala
Kale is a non-heading plant from the the cabbage family, grown for its leafy green leaves. Another common name, borecole, may originate from the Dutch word boerenkool, which means farmers cabbage. Historically, kale has been one of the most common green vegetables grown in Europe. Ancient Greek and Roman varieties are the ancestors of modern varieties. Kale is easy to grow and very nutritious.
Kale comes in a variety of colors, sizes and is usually curled at the edges. There is even a dwarf variety. The ornamental plants are frequently used for bedding purposes or for garnishing. Kale likes cooler temperatures and grows best as a spring or as a fall crop. For a spring crop, sow seed in late fall and allow to over winter in the ground covered by a light mulch. Low growing kale is the best variety for over wintering.
Soil: Kale grows well in strong, moist soil that is enriched with organic matter. However, it will grow in nearly all soil types provided that drainage is satisfactory.
Planting Distances: Rows and the plants within the rows should be forty-five to seventy five centimeters (eighteen to thirty inches) apart, depending on variety.
Planting Depth: two and a half centimeters (one inch).
How to Plant: Transplant tall varieties of kale when they are ten to fifteen centimeters (four to six inches) high. The low growing kale does not transplant well therfore it is best to direct sow those varieties. Sow thinly in rows where they are gowing to grow and then thin the seedlings to forty-five to seventy five centimeters (eighteen to thirty inches) apart. Since kale is grown for the leaves, apply organic sources of nitrogen at intervals.
Pests: Kale rarely suffers from pests, but when it does it is subject to the same pests as cabbage: cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, harlequin bugs, root maggots, cut worms, aphids, thrips and flea beetles.
Harvesting: The whole plant can be harvested at once or extend the harvest by picking individual leaves. The plant is cold hardy and will even taste better after frost.
Storage: Refrigerate up to five days.
Use: Eat fresh or cooked.
Decorative Uses: Many varieties of kale, known as flowering kales, are grown for their ornamental rosette leaves in a variety of colors: white, red, pink, purple and blue. The ornamental kales are sometimes called ornamental cabbage. As long as the plants have not been treated with pesticides or chemicals, the ornamentals are edible.
"With these kinds of friends, who needs enemies"...
As agrobusiness moves further and further away from recognition of the causal nature of evolution, we as a species play Russian roulette. It is hard to conceive of a more profound reason to begin recapitalizing urban land, and push cities to become more self-sustaining. At the end of the day, growing large quantites of low-quality food at a high density is not a desirable alternative to growing high-quality food on a greater ammount of land at a lower density.
From Alexandra Frean US Business Correspondent
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Monsanto, the world’s biggest seed maker, is pinning its hopes on a string of “game-changing” products as its long-time moneyspinner, Roundup weed killer, comes under sustained attack from cheaper generic versions.
Hugh Grant, the US company’s Scottish chairman and chief executive, said this week that the new products should help Monsanto to fulfil its promise to double 2007’s gross profit to $7.5 billion (£4.7 billion) by 2012, as it shifts its focus away from herbicides to its more profitable biotech seeds business.
The two biggest new products, which have just been launched, are Roundup Ready 2 Yield soya beans — a second-generation version of Monsanto’s herbicide-tolerant soya beans, which the company expects to be planted on between 8 million and 10 million acres this year. The other is SmartStax, a line of herbicide-tolerant and pest-resistant corn, which is expected to be planted on more than 4 million acres.
The two are part of a pipeline of 11 products offering farmers better yields and weed and pest control, as well as nutritional benefits. Others include SDA Omega-3 soya beans, aimed at the consumer nutrition market, and Vistive Gold, which can produce reduced-fat soya bean oil.
Products such as these should “give farmers a compelling choice to upgrade to next-generation technologies”, Mr Grant said.
Robb Fraley, chief technology officer, believes Monsanto is “on the verge of a technology explosion”. He said: “This year you will see the first of those game-changing products delivering on the farm.” Pro-jects in the early phases of development will fuel the next wave of technological breakthroughs, he added.
The challenge facing Monsanto was made clear this week by the company’s results for the first quarter of its financial year, which showed an 89 per cent drop in gross profit from Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides, as prices were driven down by growing generic competition, particularly from China.
For the year to November 30, Monsanto reported a loss of $19 million, or three cents per share, compared with a profit of $556 million, or $1 per share, a year ago. Analysts had been looking for a breakeven quarter.
Revenue fell 36 per cent to $1.7 billion. The company reaffirmed its previous forecast for earnings of $3.10 to $3.30 per share for 2010.
The world has moved on since Monsanto’s first genetically modified (GM) products in the 1990s were labelled by some, mostly in Europe, as “Frankenstein foods” threatening ecological catastrophe.
Changing diets in the developing world, the effects of climate change and the need to feed a growing world population from a finite supply of farmland have pushed food security up the political and public agenda.
In the UK, the Government is pushing for a more open attitude towards GM and Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is launching a “food strategy”. Although much of Europe still bans the planting of GM crops, it permits the importation of foods made from them.
In the US, 90 per cent of the soya bean crop and 80 per cent of the corn crop and cotton crop are grown with seeds containing Monsanto’s technology. Other countries are also growing its biotech crops, including India (20 million acres of cotton), Brazil (35 million acres of soya beans) and Argentina (43 million acres of soya beans).
Chris Shaw, an analyst at Ticonderoga Securities, the broker, believes that Monsanto’s short-term prospects are mixed and has issued a sell notice on the shares.
“I have worries about the coming planting season in North America. I think there may be some resistance to the new products, based on pricing,” he said. Mr Shaw said that Monsanto’s Ready 2 Yield soya beans and SmartStax corn were selling at a $20 and $23 premium per acre to their predecessor products.
However, in the long term, Mr Shaw believes that prospects for the company are strong, even though Monsanto is facing increased competition from companies such as Dow Chemicals, Syngenta and BASF. Mr Shaw said: “Their R&D pipeline is robust. And if there is a global food shortage, GM crops are one way to produce more food on less land.”
Many people want to start a garden for the first time, but don't know where to begin. Why not start with a community garden? A group of gardeners lighten the work load and share knowledge with each other. If there is no community garden in the area, then start one.
Why Start a Community Garden?
To produce high-quality, nutritious food - Agricultural soils worldwide are depleted. These depleted soils produce food which is lacking in essential nutrients and taste. Garden-grown food is higher in nutrients and full of flavor.
To create rich, biologically active soils - No till gardening creates rich organic soils in which beneficial microbes, fungi, and insects thrive. These soils are able to produce incredibly high yields in small amounts of space.
To create space for heirloom varieties of seeds to be produced, cultivated, and saved -Mass produced, hybrid varieties of fruits and vegetables are usually sterile. That is, if they contain seed, the seed is not viable. Locally adapted varieties of fruits and vegetables are important for the long term sustainability of agriculture world wide.
To increase community interaction - In a world in which people are becoming more isolated, community gardens are a great way to bring people together for a common purpose. And let's face it, gardening is not as volatile as politics.
To teach us where food comes from - Many of us don't know where our food comes from, how it grows, and what is necessary to produce it. Reclaiming knowledge of food and how to produce it is a benefit to us all.
To reduce the amount of money spent on groceries - The better tasting, and more nutritious fruits and vegetables are those that are organically grown. Organic in the grocery store is almost always more expensive. Organic gardening is no more expensive than non-organic gardening. Growing food in a community garden can reduce grocery bills.
To create opportunities to create income - Community gardens that really get going can create extra income for participants from the sale of crops, compost, and other garden amendments.
To reduce heat from urban asphalt - In urban areas, roads and parking lots create heat islands. Community gardens create islands of cooler green space.
To create green space - Cities invest in parks and planted medians to increase green space. Green space breaks up the urban landscape, creating peaceful, human scale space.
To improve quality of life - The combination of producing high-quality food, improving soil, reducing grocery bills, working together, and creating economic opportunities for a neighborhood improve the quality of life for all who live there.
In a survey by garden company W. Atlee Burpee on the perceived benefits of gardening, an overwhelming majority reported gardening to be good for managing stress, staying fit and making healthy food choices.
And in apparent agreement with first lady Michelle Obama, 79 percent of the respondents said America's obesity problem could be lessened over time if more people took up vegetable gardening.
In other results, more than three times as many respondents felt vegetable gardening was more beneficial to the environment than driving a hybrid. And almost 94 percent said children who vegetable garden are more likely to eat vegetables.
Here are details from the survey:
95 percent of respondents said that having a vegetable garden makes it easier for them to make healthy food choices. Among the reasons: easy access to fresh foods, more affordable than store-bought, better flavor than store-bought.
60 percent said they believe some people make unhealthy food choices to cope with stress.
And 97 percent said they would rather spend 30 minutes a week vegetable gardening than standing in line at a supermarket or ordering takeout.
Michelle Obama’s organic garden has gotten the lion’s share of publicity, but last spring, the White House tapped Charlie Brandts to construct a beehive on the South Lawn. Brandts populated the First Bees with a multi-culti blend of “Maryland mixed-breed bees, with Russian and Caucasian genetics,” according to the City Bees blog. (We don’t know anything about bee breeds but we like how diplomatic and inclusive hosting multiple bee families sounds.)
The first honey harvest took place in June. In September, Mrs. Obama included the White House honey along with a porcelain tea set and a honey vase as her gift to dignitaries at the Pittsburgh Summit. In December, pastry chef Bill Yosses constructed the traditional White House gingerbread house with honey instead of refined sugar.
The prominence of the White House bees lends some glitz to the growing urban beekeeping movement, although there has been some grumbling that for most D.C. dwellers, urban beehives are in violation of local laws.
Chances are that if you read or watch anything (besides McCommercials) regarding the state of our food system in the United States, it will mention the staggering amount of processed crap we manufacture and the integrity of our diets versus the price -- both financially and physically. Michael Pollan, professor and author of The Omivore's Dilemma, who recently appeared in the documentary Food, Inc., has championed the movement to drastically reduce the amount of "food products" that are consumed by our society.
Pollan appeared on The Daily Show last night to tout his latest tome, Food Rules, which is full of advice on how we can begin to create more healthy lifestyles by reforming what we shove in our pieholes:
#11: Avoid food you see advertised on television.
But don't avoid television when Pollan's appearing. His arguments have always been well-researched and convincing, but they've taken on a new significance with the pending health-care legislation.
Pollan believes that once health insurance companies are required to insure regardless of pre-existing conditions, it will effect change in our diets. "Suddenly the health insurers will have an interest in your health, which they don't have now," he told Jon Stewart.
Completely ass-backwards? Absolutely. But Pollan has a point.
