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food production

09/16/2018 / By Zoey Sky

Reduce the amount of labor needed in your homestead by turning to “multipurpose” livestock

Raising livestock on your homestead gives you access to a greener and more natural food source. What most people don’t realize, however, is that keeping “multi-purpose” livestock can help you manage your homestead as well. With some hard work, these animals can help with the plowing and mowing, making your workload lighter. When you integrate […]

09/08/2018 / By Ellaine Castillo

Comparing organic vs. conventional farming on plant yield and nutritional content

Researchers have found that the treatment of soil for organic farming increases its biochemical quality and makes it more sustainable in the long run. In this study, published in the Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, organic and conventional means of farming were compared based on onion yield, biochemical quality, soil organic carbon (SOC), and microbial […]

06/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

How shifting to organic farming could help rural America rebound from economic disaster

The practice of organic farming is becoming increasingly popular. This industry may very well be the rope that pulls the rural regions of the U.S. out of an economic quagmire, an article in Civil Eats stated. Organic agriculture is currently worth $47 billion and shows no sign of petering out any time soon. Certified organic […]

04/18/2018 / By Isabelle Z.

Canadian farmer converts his 40,000-acre farm to all-organic

Consumers have been voting with their wallets in recent years, shying away from toxin-laced conventional produce and shelling out for organic varieties instead. Some observers might have initially dismissed this as a trend that would eventually fade, but it’s clear that a desire for good health and environmental friendliness is not going out of fashion […]

04/05/2018 / By David Williams

New Jersey indoor farm can grow plants all year long while using 95 percent less water than outdoor farms, with no pesticides at all

There’s something special about a new farm in Kearny, New Jersey. Headed by a former techie turned farmer, Bowery Farming is uniquely poised to serve as the blueprint for future farms with a focus on sustainability and reliability. More specifically, by applying clever new methods, the CEO and founder of Bowery Farming, Irving Fain, has created […]

04/01/2018 / By David Williams

Soil management through crop rotation and organic amendments found to support sustainable vegetable production, eliminate need for conventional fertilizers

Nowadays, the use of conventional types of fertilizers is a common practice, as it is seen by most people as necessary to achieve success in growing food crops. However, a study published in Agronomy Journal shows that it is possible to avoid using them altogether. The researchers wanted to find out whether or not it was possible to achieve […]

03/25/2018 / By Tracey Watson

Working with nature to reduce pesticide use: Farmers around the world are rediscovering the increased yields offered by biodiversity

The face of agriculture has changed dramatically over the past century. Instead of working with what nature has provided, encouraging biodiversity and companion planting to ward off pests, farmers have been encouraged to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with disastrous results. Despite being promised greater crop protection and increased yields, the results have been low-yielding […]

03/06/2018 / By Jessica Dolores

Vertical gardens reduce air pollution and improve energy efficiency in buildings

Imagine hurrying on your way to work, huffing and puffing as you stride towards your office building, and inhaling all the pollutants from vehicle emissions, industrial waste, and other sources of pollution. Imagine taking your little son/daughter, or nephew, out for a walk on your rest day, and wanting to cover his/her nose because of […]

02/13/2018 / By David Williams

More proof biodiversity reduces the need for chemicals: Leaving strips of wildflowers across fields of crops reduces pesticide use

It’s a well-established fact that pesticides can have many adverse effects not just to humans but to the very crops that they are supposed to protect as well. And as far as current efforts to reduce pesticide use go, one of the known ways to do so involves planting wildflowers right around the perimeter of […]

02/05/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Upcycled: Wastewater from olive mills can be transformed from a pollutant into a biofuel and bio-fertilizer

Researchers have developed an environment-friendly process to convert wastewater from producing olive oils into biofuel and fertilizer, as published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. The study, led by researchers from the Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse and RITTMO Agroenvironment in France and the Water Research and Technologies Centre and the Higher Institute of Sciences and Technology for […]

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