Start Gardening With a Vengeance

SUBHEAD: More of us should take up the spade, make some compost, and start gardening as if our lives depended on it.By Ellen LaConte on 30 March 2011 in AlterNet - (http://www.alternet.org/food/150428/garden_as_if_your_life_depended_on_it%2C_because_it_does)Image above: Poster circa 1925 with Uncle Sam advocating "Garden to cut food costs!" From (http://gallery.pictopia.com/natf/photo/8612566/).

Build a Self-Watering Container

SUBHEAD: Construct your own reliable waterer with a few easily scavenged materials and about an hour’s worth of time.By Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen on 21 February 2011 in Mother Earth News -(http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/self-watering-container-ze0z11zhir.aspx)Image above: Illustration of Self Watering Container design. From (http://www.motherearthnews.com/multimedia/

What is Biodynamic Gardening?

SUBHEAD: Every biodynamic farm or garden I visit is invariably a lush, bountiful paradise full of delicious food.By Sami Grover on 28 January 2011 for Treehugger - (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/01/what-is-biodynamic-gardening.php)Image above: Taro growing at Spirit of the Earth biodybamic farm on Kauai. Photo by Juan Wilson. When I asked how vegetarians can avoid animal-based

Ban Monsanto from your yard

SUBHEAD: With a little effort you can ban Monsanto seeds from your backyard garden. But it takes effort.By Colleen Vanderlinden on 22 January 2011 for Treehugger - (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/01/keep-monsanto-out-of-your-garden-this-spring.php)Image above: A row of backyard lettuce. From original article.There are plenty of good reasons to avoid Monsanto: Roundup, genetically-engineered

Let's Talk About Bees

SUBHEAD: Every single person who controls a bit of land has an opportunity—I’d say a responsibility—to become a bee facilitator.By Adrian Ayres Fisheron 18 January 2011 in Ecological Gardening - (http://www.ecologicalgardening.net/2011/01/lets-talk-about-bees.html)Image above: Backyard beekeeper. From (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2383299580036962797XCEHIn).Our bee problem is quite the topic

Start a Vegetable Garden

SUBHEAD: Sixteen reasons to live simply by starting a vegetable garden.By Staff on 7 January 2011 in Before It's News - (http://beforeitsnews.com/story/344/709/16_reasons_to_live_simply_by_starting_a_vegetable_garden.html)Image above: Cooperative gardening. From original article.Gardening is an integral part of simple living and a growing number of Americans are getting down in the dirt.

Agriculture that Stands a Chance

SUBHEAD: Perennial polyculture and not monoculture annuals as the hard limits of post-carbon farming begin.By Dan Allen on 13 December 2010 in Energy Bulletin -(http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2010-12-13/agriculture-stands-chance-perennial-polyculture-hard-limits-post-carbon-farming)Image above: Devastation in the Dust Bowl of 1936 in Dallas, North Dakota on May 13th. From (http://

No Time for Lullabies

SUBHEAD: Daydreams about nonexistent lifeboat ecovillages share a common purpose, as lullabies disguised as solutions.Image above: Architect's rendering of Dubai's 2009 proposed "Food City" self-sustainable ecotopia. From (http://inhabitat.com/a-utopian-vision-for-food-city-dubai).By John Michael Greer on 24 November 2010 in ArchdruidReport - (http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2010/11/

The Sincerest Form of Reverence

SUBHEAD: The key to success is to figure out the way Nature does things, and copy her shamelessly.Image above: Luther Burbank's home. There a bronze sign is inscribed in part; "...Luther Burbank purchased four acres surrounding this site as a place for horticultural experiments... His work led quickly to international fame and thousands of visitors came to see the “Plant Wizard” at work...

Joining the Seed Dance

SUBHEAD: You can’t propagate plants without learning about their seeds, and their life cycle.Image above: A mahua seed sprouts after monsoon in Mumbai. From (http://addithebirde.blogspot.com/2010/06/transformation-monsoon-magic.html).By John Michael Greer on 10 November 2010 for The ArchDruid Report -(http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2010/11/joining-in-dance.html)Recent headlines, it seems

Kauai Seed & Plant Exchange

SUBHEAD: Sixth biannual event o be held on Norvember 13th in Hanapepe. Bring plants - Get plants.Image above: The papyrus growing in the Children's Garden of Prace at the Storybook Theatre in Hanapepe. Kauai. Photo by Juan Wilson.By Linda Pascatore on 31 October 2010 -WHAT: Free Event: 6th Biannual Kauai Community Seed and Plant ExchangeWHERE: United Church of Christ in Hanapepe(on makai side of

Food in Uncertain Times

SUBHEAD: Having food resiliency is as much about learning how to store and use food properly as it is about growing it.Image above: Apple pie judging at the 2009 Pennsylvania State Farm Show. From (http://blog.pennlive.com/life/2010/01/farm_show_includes_baking_cont.html).By Makenna Goodman on 21 October 2010 in AlterNet - (http://www.alternet.org/food/148562/food_in_uncertain_times%