Growing Revolution

Growing Power a Powerful Voice in Agricultural Change

growingrevolution — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:51:53 +0000

Will Allen’s powerful urban farm Growing Power is also featured on the cover in the last edition of Yes Magazine. The cries of concern grow louder with every tomato seedling that is lovingly planted in the ground… In my gardening classes the main concern of students is soil fertility. People are afraid that there soil is not good enough to grow food. Past pesticide abuse haunts many and quality issues. I always insist that the mere act of planting and caring anything restores and improves soil fertility, roots break up compacted soil, living mulch (via plant leaves and shade) provide a great environment for creepy crawlies of all types, as well as watering responsibly.

If interest in the fertility of your own backyard gives cause for concern imagine it on a larger scale. Imagine the amber waves of grain heavily fertilized, ‘protected’ with pesticides, and grown the same way indefinitly because it is good for business. Now, you could be okay with this scenario, many are. But what if it were your backyard? Would you just genetically modify your seeds so that they could resist these problems or would you change your direction and seek out a new way of growing food, one that thought about protection of soil fertility, because that is all you really have? Well guess what folks, that is all that we have…. there is no other planet that is on aisle 4 that has a 2 for the price of 1 deal.

The damage that we cause takes exponentially longer to repair. Time to farm responsibly. And no, Genetically Modified Seed aren’t the solution either… Smaller sustainable farming on a global scale is the direction that holds the most promise for the future. We have a lot to learn in a very short time. Organizations like Growing Power are blazing the trail.

Read the article, see what this ‘green giant’ is up to…

http://www.nytimes. com/2009/ 07/05/magazine/ 05allen-t. html?ref= magazine

Pre-Ethiopia Book List Top 12

growingrevolution — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:57:10 +0000

From my old blog:

Pre-Ethiopia Book List Top 12

July 6, 2008

These are some of my latest book acquisitions. All have some sort of relevance to my mission, but I am sharing this list because no matter where you are or what you are doing this information is critical. I am including only the books that I find to be excellent:

How To Grow More Vegetables, John Jeavons

The best growing practices combined in a clear easy to follow plan. Follows the life cycle of the garden. You could literally start from page one and work as you read and come out with a beautifully functional garden. Emphasis is placed on growing soil, compost plans to improve soil quality, closer plant spacing to create a micro climate, which leads to healthier plants on less land using less resources. BUY THIS BOOK *

California Master Gardener Handbook, UC ANR, Dennis Pittenger

A University of California research based book that is so complete and comprehensive on whatever you could want to know about the workings of the garden. Includes a vegetable profile for everything you could possibly want to eat. It is an academic read, however if you are serious, you want this. For some it might be too much information, that’s okay. But for us garden nerds out there is there ever enough information? I would not recommend to a first timer there are simpler books that can get the job done. The imposed audience is scholarly.

Solar Living Source Book, Real Goods, John Schaeffer

THE go to book for all things necessary to become truly self sufficient. I liken it to the old Sears catalogue’s but for the environmentally obsessed. It will educate you and save you time and research . There are things in this book that make you wanna set out on the new frontier or just make the old frontier much better.

The Plant Propagator’s Bible, Miranda Smith

My favorite topic and quickly becoming my specialized obsession. There is not one thing that isn’t covered. If you are financially challenged (broke) and need to garden on the cheap this is the book for you. Shows you how to start from seed of course but walks you through propagation methods that are mind boggling. A really fun book for garden geeks.

Planting the Future, Rosemary Gladstar

A very comprehensive guide on planting medicinal herbs. If you have ever tried to start from seed you are surely aware that medicinal herb seeds can be small, stubborn, and like to be spoiled. I have had a dickens of a time getting mine going. This book demystifies the art and gives a wonderful account of their benefits and use.

Root Cellaring, Mike and Nancy Bubel

Okay so you have harvested all 30 of your beets, now either you had better get grubbin or find some way to store them. A person can only eat so much borscht… This comprehensive guide gives tips on the best way to store all one hundred of your zucchini. Now you won’t feel so pressured to eat it all at once. And the good news is they take into account that not everyone is in the Midwest and offer ideas for those of us who are city and/or desert dwellers.

Food Storage 101: Where Do I Begin?, Peggy Laton

This lady takes food storage to new heights. A short and sweet manual to help you get prepared for being responsible for your food. Grocery store? As we all know because of the recent string of natural disasters the local Albertson’s or Piggly Wiggly is not always there for you to just run and pick up something. Food security is more than just pretending your banana is a gun, It’s something every individual needs to take responsibility for. Our reliance on convenience needs to be tempered with a bit of reality. Laton asserts that “food in the storage is more valuable than money in the bank”. In a crisis I think we would all agree, let’s just not wait that long.

Keeping the Harvest, Nancy Chioffi and Gretchen Mead

How to keep the stuff that doesn’t keep. Comprehensive book on canning, jams and jellies, freezing, drying, curing, and cold storage. The other books tell you how too store (macro), this one teaches you how to prepare the food to store (micro). Includes plans on building a dehydrator…cool!

Build it With Bales, MacDonald and Myhrman

Another topic I love is alternative building methods. I have had this book for 10 years now and the reason it is on the list is because in all of those years I have not found another book that is as instructional as this one. I have others and they have pretty pictures and neat stories but when the rubber hits the road and you want to build, instructions will be more helpful than pretty pictures. I do like pretty pictures though…

How To Build Your Own Greenhouse, Marshall

Right now my greenhouse is an upside down aquarium. I don’t have room for a real one but the aquarium does the trick at the moment. So when it is time to get serious about it, you will want to buy this book. The directions are easy to read and the plans (yes, there are plans, booyah!!) are thorough and include foundations. I was really impressed, the cover didn’t sell the contents, and since I ordered it on-line I didn’t have much to go on. A pleasant surprise.

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply Catalogue, www.groworganic.com

This catalogue is to gardening what Solar Living is to, well, living. Everything you could need for the mini-farm is in here. And the best part is I think you can get the catalogue for free. Almost all of the seeds are open pollinated, if not they tell you, and there are a lot of heirlooms and biodynamic seeds available.

Bountiful Gardens Catalog, bountifulgardens.org

You can get How To Grow More Vegetables here and all the tools you need to do just that. The seeds are all open pollinated. The tools are simple . The product choices are top quality and limited to what you actually do need. A great catalog for googly-eyed shoppers that need to be roped in to the basics. (that would be me) For a complete and formal review of the listed books check out Amazon.com with the exception of the last 2 seed catalogues.

WARNING: I am a visual learner and most of these books are geared toward the visual learning experience. If you are not a visual learner these books may not do it for you. If you have any books you think I should look into I would love to hear your recommendations.

tune in, dandelioness

Backyard Farming in the City

growingrevolution — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:41:46 +0000

From my old blog:

Backyard Farming in the City

July 3, 2008

A growing number of city dwellers are growing their own food. In ground, raised beds, and containers heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, and such have found their way to the city. Is this only a simple solution to our “economic slowdown” aaahhhcooresession! or is it because we are becoming more environmentally conscious? Whatever the reason, lets keep it up…we are all a part of (cliche alert) the circle of life. Be lessening our use of disposables (incomes included) we have the opportunity to learn about our lives again. The values of our great-grandparents may again be in vogue. They were conservationists, if something broke they fixed it, if the socks got holes they were mended, if the dress was ripped it became a quilt, the food they ate they grew it, the abundance was shared with a neighbor. The good old days. We have only in recent times become wasteful. It’s not too late, we are still hardwired as conservationists. Maybe a recession is what we need to reawaken that spirit. Its really easy to grow food, its like having a pet that eventually will feed you. You provide a nice environment and it will flourish, you don’t and they will be sickly. Water, soil, and seed is really all you need. There is very little skill involved. Many are intimidated by the idea but everyone started somewhere. The worst that can happen is that your plant will die, but you will learn from that and it maybe the next one won’t. I have been an avid gardener now for 8 years and I still kill stuff. I think the most satisfying first crop is tomatoes, those little grape ones are just phenominal, they grow quick, fruit quick, and abundantly. Tomatoes will tolerate a little abuse, and can easily be grown in a container if you don’t have yard space. Yesterday I was in whole foods and heirloom tomatoes were a whopping $5.99 a pound……that is crazy. And they will never be as good as the ones you grow. Give it a shot, grow a tomato. Let me know how you fair. Ask if you need advice. Plant Peace Dandelioness

Food Security

growingrevolution — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:23:14 +0000

From my old blog:

Food Security June 11, 2008

Today on every news program the lead story was food security, and or safety. Paranoia, hype or truth? I guess the thing is, what is the source, and is it credible. On some programs it was limited to America’s salmonella infested tomatoes, and can we trust our food supply. I think the question needs a broader perspective to be answered. Our current undoing is due to our lemming inspired willingness to lose a connection with our earth, when was the last time you picked up a handful of soil? there is more to life than the b.s. we are so easily overly consumed with. myself included…

I don’t want this to turn into doomsday dairies, but the worldwide food situation is on the brink of crisis, and in many places beyond the brink. If it is not Korea and their abject repulsion of America’s beef, then its ‘pick a country, any developing country’ and you are certain to feel the tension building. While staple grains become scarce (thanks ethanol!) and climatic contractions (thanks insatiable energy abuse) are intensified, our Ameri-centric news coverage of food security was dominated by what fast food restaurant has stopped selling tomatoes. Mind you, I do love tomatoes…

We need a different approach to food, and there is a huge grass roots movement in this direction, I am just asking that while we have the opportunity to scrutinize the tomatoes, lets analyze the big picture.

Just a few thoughts to toss about:

mono cropping
corn based diet (corn country is facing severe flooding that is putting an even greater strain on supply)(Pray for our farmers)(Google Independent Lens King Corn)
potash market prices (an ingredient in many store bought fertilizers)(now priced higher than gold)

Developing countries are facing famine, we are a global economy now, when someone coughs we can all catch a cold.

Be Active.

God Bless,

DanDeLioness

Arabian Coffee Plants Growing in Albertsons?

growingrevolution — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:21:38 +0000

From My old Blog

Arabian Coffee Plants Growing in Albertsons?

June 19, 2008

The other day I was in the grocery store and I of course always check out the plants and cut flowers:( when I stumbled upon an Arabian coffee plant. I was like neato! but it came packaged in a coffee mug, how chic!?! I wasn’t about to pay 8 bucks for a coffee mug and one plant. I could buy the seeds for less. But because of my journey I am a bit reluctant to plant more than what we need for sustenance and ornamentation. (mind you my kitchen looks like a miniature jungle with all of seedlings I’ve sown the past few weeks) The point is that I am trying to keep it manageable for my husband and offspring.

I don’t drink coffee regularly, but I do want experience growing native Ethiopian plants. This is pretty darn close. I think any program has to take into account its usefulness to the people it serves. Of course it is important to introduce diversity but not at the exclusion of tradition. My goal is to introduce our best mini farming methods and fuse them with the experience, traditions, and best practices of Ethiopia’s farmers. My mission is not an attempt to go and say your wrong do it this way. But as partners lets work towards increasing the success and productivity of the small farms with agricultural practices that rebuild the soil, conserve resources, and feed the people.

95% of Ethiopia’s population have and maintain a small to mid-sized farm
The primary method of irrigation is rainfall
Rural water development methods need to be explored

I hope to determine on this visit what the direct needs of the farmers are and seek out solutions based on rediscovered and sustainable technologies. Main criteria is that it needs to be easily self managed.

There is no one right way. I know I will learn much more than I will ever be able to teach. Long live life long learning!

…back to Albertsons, so I didn’t buy it. Then I had to go in and pick up something from a different one and low and behold someone else dropped a mug and broke it… the coffee plant was now without a coffee mug and I bought it for $2.50. yippie! Ya just don’t find plants like that lurking around, ya know. Oh and the leaves look like they have been heavily waxed, they are gleaming, blinding, and just way too much… but I am sure after a few years of loving neglect they will dull down to a healthy glow. When will they learn….lol

now get off the computer and grow something,

smiles…dandelioness

The Bees and the Balance

growingrevolution — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:19:42 +0000

From my old blog

The Bees and the Balance

June 23, 2008

This weekend during a heat wave that rendered me completely useless, I stumbled upon an episode of Nature Silence of the Bees (KCET) about Colony Collapse Disorder and it’s suspected causes. Recently a few of the kids in my neighborhood threw rocks at a hive and I was pretty mad, trying to explain and educate these kids made me look like ‘that mom’ and probably once again embarrassed my kids….so of course I made them watch the program too… along with one other captive. A few parts were pretty heavy but they got the message loud and clear. My kids understand to a certain extent, I have several plants whose flowers did not get pollinated and they have no fruit, but nothing beats perspective.

There was a segment in which they showed a village in China whose overuse of unregulated pesticides killed all of their bee population…the bees have not come back. They still grow pears but they pollinate by hand using chicken feathers and dried pollen that they hand collect. Complete terrifying insanity!!! You can’t send a man to do a bee’s job. They are the link to food variety and flowering plant life which is the majority of the things we should eat, fruits and nuts. Grains are wind pollinated for the most part but talk about a drab carb diet.

Its not just the bees. They are not the first warning that we need to change our food system. One of the theory’s mentioned as a possible cause was mono-cropping. The idea was that the bees were being malnourished by only feeding on one type of flower. Imagine if we only ate potatoes, everyday, all day, for a month. We would be pretty weak and sick, it doesn’t take long to become malnourished. So just another possible theory. There are many more. Check out the program if you get a chance the full episode is available at :

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/by-title/introduction-2/38/

“Life hangs delicately in the balance” ~ 70’s era nature show narrator cliché

I like it because it is so true and can be applied to every aspect of our existence on this earth. Balance in the garden is natural and right.

seek balance :: find happiness