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Madison Fields, a 400 Acre Farm That Unites People with Disabilities Together


“Madison Fields, a project of Madison House Autism Foundation, is a 400-acre property in Dickerson, MD that will provide housing, employment, and recreational opportunities to adults with disabilities, wounded warriors, and the community-at-large.”

The farm includes several structures like a riding stable, chicken coop, housing for tenants, a historic farmhouse and more. Children and adults with autism or other intellectual or developmental disabilities all enjoy the farm life at Madison Fields.

To learn more about Madison Fields, visit: “MadisonHouseAutism.org“

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Chef’s Produce Travels Just 60 Feet from the Building’s Roof to His Kitchen


“Chef John Mooney believes so strongly in local food that for his latest restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village, most of his produce travels just 60 feet from the building’s roof to his kitchen.

He’s able to grow nearly two-thirds the vegetables for his restaurant- Bell, Book & Candle- because he doesn’t rely on soil. Instead, Mooney and his partner Mick O’Sullivan installed 60 vertical tower hydroponic systems.”

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Meet The Composters on Bikes!

Let Us Compost is a curbside composting service for homes, businesses and events. They started in 2012 with one truck and this year they began picking up by bike. They currently pick up from over 170 homes and businesses. Customers are given a bucket, kitchen pail and biodegradable bags when they sign up and simply place their food waste into the kitchen pail then dump the pail into the bucket when its full. The pail is put on the curb just like a garbage can and it is picked up weekly. Let Us Compost empties it into the trailer, gives the bucket a little refresher spray, and leaves more biodegradable bags made from plants.

The food waste is then brought to their plot at the local community garden where they have made 325,000 pounds of compost already. It then comes full circle as its sold back to their customers to be used in their gardens. Plus they give some away for free to the community gardens in town.
Half of all food is wasted in the USA, most of which goes to a landfill to rot and emit methane which contributes greatly to climate change. Let Us Compost is part of the solution to both food waste and climate change.

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Why the Last Harvest of the White House Kitchen Garden Is Just the Beginning

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“It was a scene that’s become familiar since the announcement in 2009 of her commitment to healthy eating and reducing childhood obesity: Michelle Obama was down in the dirt on Thursday afternoon with nearly two dozen students from Washington, D.C., schools, picking the White House Kitchen Garden’s final crop of fruits and vegetables before winter sets in—a harvest that is also her last as first lady.”

Thanks to the National Park Service, regardless of who wins the next presidential election, the garden will continue to grow because of a $2.5 million dollar privately funded project.

Read the entire article at: “TakePart.com“

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Paris Allows Anyone to Plant an Urban Garden

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Paris has passed a new law stating that ANYONE is allowed to plant and grow food in urban areas within city limits.  After applying for a permit, gardeners will be able to grow wherever they want! Flower boxes, rooftops, under trees, on walls or even on fences.  Gardeners can choose from flowers, vegetables or fruit.  The mayor’s goal was to create more green areas and living walls by the year 2020 and more space dedicated to urban agriculture.

To read the entire article, visit: “InHabitat.com“

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Backyard Aeroponics: Self-Sustaining Farm In Wisconsin

“They knew they had to maximize greenhouse space so they decided to grow vertical and to grow differently. They experimented with hydroponics and finally settled on aeroponics. “So aeroponics is similar to hydroponics using water rather than soil, but it’s mist,” explains Benjamin. “It’s a mist that comes on inside the growing chamber, and it comes on every 3 minutes for 10 seconds, it’s a really high oxygen water that’s hitting that root. The method was actually developed and is being used by NASA because it uses so much less water and the speed of growth is much faster.”

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Urban Self-Reliance: Homestead in Oakland’s Small Rented Lot

“Sheila Cassani began farming her rental home while a college student. She started with a small vegetable patch, but it soon spread to keeping chickens and bees and planting produce on nearly every available patch of the small yard not dedicated to the poultry.

Cassani and her partner Matthew wake up at the crack of dawn to let the chickens go free-range, but she says the garden isn’t a lot of work once you’ve put in the initial investment. Since they’re renting they’ve trying to keep their investments low. They focused on reusing found materials, such as old fence to make raised beds, bamboo that grows on the property for trellises and chicken fencing (even indoors, their furniture was mostly found, including a pallet wood sofa).

They’ve dubbed their East Oakland (California) homestead the “Kansas Street Farm” and they try to keep things as closed loop as possible by catching rainwater, composting, using the chickens to prepare the veggie beds and fermenting leftover produce.”

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5 REASONS WHY COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

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“There is a growing trend of people seeking to connect with nature and create more sustainable local food systems. A diverse variety of urban spaces are appearing across the globe. Inner city vacant plots and verges, community gardens and roof top gardens have appeared throughout urban and suburban environments. Unused spaces are being converted into productive habitats which also help with community building. Part of the urban agricultural revolution is the development and spread of community gardens which are popping up in cities, on university campuses and schools as well as at corporate offices and industrial estates.”

So what is a community garden? It’s typically a piece of land who come together to garden as a group. They can either be owned by individuals, not-for-profit organizations, local cities, etc.  Community gardens are a great way to connect with your neighbors and bridge the gap between consumers and agriculture.

To read “5 Reasons Why Community Gardens are Good For Your Neighborhood”, click here.

 

 

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Turning Derelict Buildings into an Urban Farm in Detroit

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25 percent of the population fled Detroit between 2000 and 2010. Large amounts of the downtown retail area are vacant as well. Meanwhile, urban homesteaders are flocking to the area in search of great deals on housing and neighborhoods with a “hipster” type vibe.

“Former landscaper and University of Michigan social psychology student Tyson Gersh, now 26, headed to Detroit in 2011, hoping to establish an urban farming initiative to address the city’s very real food insecurities. At a tax auction, he and a fellow Michigan alum paid $5,025 for a six-unit apartment complex in the city’s blighted North End, to act as the center of operations as they converted a nearby, 1.5-acre plot of land into an urban farm. While Gersh originally envisioned a straightforward urban ag initiative centered on growing food and distributing it to the community, he quickly realized that any meaningful project would have to take Detroit’s unique situation into account.”

To read the entire article visit: “Munchies.Vice.com“

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Native Foods Making a Comeback & Vegetables are Being Saved from Extinction

“Rare strains of corn, beans, squash and other native crops might have been lost forever if not for the protection efforts of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe tribes and the Jijak Foundation in Hopkins, Michigan. Thanks to the salvation efforts of these tribes and a seed-lending library, native foods are making a comeback and being used in traditional ceremonies.” via –Great Big Story

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Join the Monthly Seed Club! Get Seeds & Garden Supplies Delivered to Your Door-step.

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Last Chance! Must join before October 4th if you’d like to receive a shipment this Month. Shipments go out October 5th. Get seeds & garden supplies delivered to you at just the right time of the year. Fully customized based on your grow zone – garden specs – sunlight – and more.

Join now: https://urbanorganicgardener.cratejoy.com

This is the easiest way to grow an organic garden all-year-round with totally raw un-treated GMO-FREE seeds. We will guide you and your family on your way to living a healthier and more self-sufficient lifestyle. Join UOG today and let’s grow something together.

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Growing your own food in America is now a criminal act?

veggie-garden-banJust a few weeks ago in Florida, a judge made a ruling that growing vegetables in your front yard is illegal. It took place in the upscale village of Miami Shores, and now allows action to be taken against residents who want to grow food in their yards. “Seems, in at least one part of America, that growing your own food is now a crime.”

“Given the high degree of deference that must be given to a democratically elected governmental body… Miami Shores’ ban on vegetable gardens outside of the backyard passes constitutional scrutiny,” wrote Judge Monica Gordo. The town insisted it has the right to regulate the look of the community.

To read the entire article, visit: “GreenProphet.com“

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NASA-INSPIRED INDOOR GARDENS MAY MAKE AT-HOME FARMING EASIER AND HEALTHIER

Farming once required a lot of space, but that’s not the case anymore. Homegrown produce is becoming more and more available to city dwellers across the world.

“A company called Click & Grow wants to make farming at home as easy as pressing a button. After successfully launching the personal Smart Herb Garden last year, it has now announced a new line of fully-automated, NASA-inspired “Wall Farms,” which the firm says can grow fresh produce in a matter of weeks with minimal effort.

Their first goal was to make the indoor farms as low maintenance as possible. No sunlight? Not a problem! Each shelf in the system has grow lights installed and an irrigation line conserves up to 95% more water than traditional farming methods.

To read the entire article, visit: “DigitalTrends.com“

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Down on the Farm in Downtown Manhattan

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Lower Manhattan is being transformed into an “Old MacDonald” type area where eager children will learn about animals and agriculture alike.

“What we’re doing is transforming the seaport into an imaginative farm,” said Susanne Brose, who developed the event with Sandra Velez. Two years ago, Ms. Brose established FreshKids, a company that produces children’s snacks without genetically altered or artificial ingredients. Ms. Brose’s business, the Howard Hughes Corporation and the Generation Fresh Foundation, a nonprofit she helped found, will present the festival, which will offer opportunities to investigate livestock, planting, harvesting, cooking and composting.

The idea is to give children the experience and fun that comes along with farming and connecting with where their food comes from.

To read the entire article, visit: “NTTimes.com“

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Join the NEW Monthly Seed Club, Today!

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Calling all Urban Organic Gardener’s! Did you know that right now is the perfect time to start planning your Fall/Winter urban gardens?

Join the Urban Organic Gardener’s UOG Monthly Garden & Seed Club – Sign up now at: https://urbanorganicgardener.cratejoy.com

October’s shipment will feature some of the most popular varieties to grow in colder weather.

Our garden experts will build a custom curated collection of seeds & garden supplies designed around YOU – your grow zone – your garden space/location – and your preferences.

To receive a shipment for the month of October, you must join before October 4th at 11:59pm PST. Sign up now at: https://urbanorganicgardener.cratejoy.com