Posted on

Community garden helps immigrants heal, and grow their future

Quinton Amundson, Canadian Catholic News

Growing fruit and vegetables at a 30-acre urban farm has provided Kamo Zandinen sustenance for her family and a window into her past.

Preparing the soil, planting seeds, adding water, and fertilizing transfers her mind and soul back to Sinjar, Iraq, to the days when she cultivated vegetables alongside her husband and seven children.

Two or three times a week during spring and summer, she gardens at the Land of Dreams, a long-gestating initiative launched 11 months ago by the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society(CCIS).

“Since we have begun to plant on this land in Canada, I feel physically, mentally and emotionally better than before,” says Zandinen through translator Kheirya Khidir, a settlement counselor for the CCIS.

Profound devastation was inflicted upon Zandinen, her family and the Yazidi people of Sinjar starting on Aug. 3, 2014 when ISIL forces invaded the northern Iraq town in the Nineveh governorate — an area with a long history of being the homeland to Iraq’s minority populations.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://grandinmedia.ca/community-garden-helps-immigrants-heal-and-grow-their-future/

 

Posted on

Protecting Our Pollinators

Hannah Ridings, Daily Sun

Take a look at the butterflies and bees in a garden, and the colorful flowers they feed on for nectar. They all serve a $24 billion purpose.

Pollinator species are responsible for one out of every three bites of food, pollinating 87 of the world’s 124 leading food crops, according to the United Nations.

Pollinators contribute about $24 billion to the U.S. economy, including $15 billion from bees alone, the White House estimated when it launched the Pollinator Partnership Action Plan in 2016.

Conscious of the roles pollinators play in the food we eat and the products we buy, Villagers are helping conserve the tiny species that have enormous environmental and agricultural footprints.

Many have transformed their home landscapes into habitats for butterflies, birds and non-aggressive bee species.

Ann Marie Acacio, a butterfly gardener from The Villages, said the reason she gardens for pollinators is simple: to help the planet.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/local_news/protecting-our-pollinators/article_7903d7ea-a980-11ea-85a2-479580936c10.html

Posted on

Scientific Gardening: A Personal Experiment with Hydroponic Gardening

It’s that time of year again – to get your hands dirty and plant the yummy array of veggies you’ve picked for your garden. Traditionally, we plant our gardens in the ground, but last year my boyfriend and I investigated the topic of hydroponic gardening and were fascinated by the idea! He and I both being handy people plus his science major helped set us up for success with this new endeavor.

Don’t get me wrong, you don’t need to be super handy and/or have a science major to have hydroponic gardening work for you. When doing our research on how to get this project started, we found multiple pre-made kits you can buy online.

There are a couple of things to note if you want to try this project for your garden, which I will explain… roots cannot get direct sunlight indoors, therefore if you have five-gallon buckets laying around that you want to use, be sure the sun cannot penetrate through the plastic. When you hold the bucket up to the sun and can see through the plastic, similar to when you shine a flashlight on your fingertips at night, you need to spray paint them with a of couple coats until the sun can’t get through. Also, when it comes to nutrients and PH levels, be sure to do specific research on what your veggies will want.

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE: https://www.sentinelsource.com/elf/scientific-gardening/article_f43ae68e-a5ba-11ea-8fe6-2f0b2336e337.html

Posted on

Ron Finley’s gardening MasterClass will teach you how to grow food & change your life

MasterClass.com

If you want to learn to grow your own food, there’s no better teacher than Ron Finley. Lucky for you, he now offers a MasterClass on gardening — and shared some tips to take to heart.

While California is one of the nation’s leaders in agricultural output, smog-cloaked and concrete-coated Los Angeles is hardly considered representative of the Golden State’s verdancy. But don’t tell that to South Central L.A. native Ron Finley, who in 2010 embarked on a guerrilla gardening project by growing food on the humble strip of soil sitting adjacent to the sidewalk in front of his house. Despite objection from local authorities, Finley persevered with his groundbreaking initiative, and the legend of the Gangsta Gardener was born.

TAKE AN ONLINE GARDENING CLASS NOW: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ron-finley-teaches-gardening?utm_source=Paid&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_term=Aq-Prospecting&sscid=61k4_2zswy

 

Posted on

Gardening pro talks about growing food in hot climates

Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Nicole Johnsey Burke had lived and gardened in many places where her plants would just shut down in the winter. When she moved to Houston in 2013, she started growing that fall and was stunned at how abundant her harvests of greens were. She pulled from her boxes every day and didn’t buy salad from the grocery store for six months.

When she told friends and neighbors of her lettuce successes, they looked at her like she was crazy. Nothing grows here in Houston, they said, it’s too hot, it’s too humid, and the soil is terrible.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/food/article/What-a-gardening-pro-learned-about-growing-food-15310783.php#photo-19486815

Posted on

The Easiest Gardening Trick Ever: Vegetables You Can Regrow in Nothing but Water

Mehriban Aliyeva/Getty Images

These days, it seems like everyone is jumping into the victory garden trend, enjoying the benefits of a soothing activity in the fresh air while reaping fresh and tasty produce to eat. But even those who don’t have a yard, or just don’t want to get dirt under their nails, can still enjoy the miracle of growing something that’s destined for the dinner table—without even ordering vegetable seeds.

That’s because you can start an indoor garden from your kitchen leftovers. No soil required!

We talked to master gardener Linda Tyson, owner of garden design and maintenance company South Suburban Garden Girl, and Kevin Espiritu, author and the founder of Epic Gardening, to get their tips on growing vegetables without getting down and dirty.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/regrow-vegetables-in-water/

Posted on

Gardens Have Pulled America Out of Some of Its Darkest Times. We Need Another Revival.

As the pandemic smolders and the economy plunges into an abyss, Americans have reverted to the venerable World War II–era tradition of organized disaster gardening. According to headline writers, that is.

“Food Supply Anxiety Brings Back Victory Gardens,” declared the New York Times in late March. “Just like World War II, many are relying on their garden’s bounty to get them through this uncertain time,” echoed Good Housekeeping in early May. The multinational lawn-chemical giant Scotts Miracle-Gro wants to leverage this sentiment. “Plant your #VictoryGarden today,” a recent ad urges watchers over scenes of sun-dappled suburbanites pulling produce from loamy backyard plots.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.motherjones.com/food/2020/05/gardens-have-pulled-america-out-of-some-of-its-darkest-times-we-need-another-revival/

Posted on

Urban Gardening: The Rooftop Gardens of Cairo

In recent years, there have been several initiatives and campaigns, promoting urban gardening on rooftops and elsewhere, to encourage more eco-friendly solutions across the country. Fortunately, there has been a positive response from both Egyptian residents and the government in following and implementing such initiatives.

Founded by brothers, Sherif and Tarek Hosny due to their interest in plants and nature, Schaduf is a social enterprise that initially started off by offering microloans in the form of rooftop gardens for low-income Egyptians, and later expanded to creating more green spaces on rooftops of the entire country.

Today, Schaduf is a leader in designing and implementing green walls and roof gardens, as well as vertical and roof landscaping.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.greenroofs.com/2020/05/28/urban-gardening-the-rooftop-gardens-of-cairo/

Posted on

Urban farm in the Bronx helps nourish neighbors

 

LONGWOOD, the Bronx — It’s planting season at Black Joy Farm along East 163rd Street and Simpson Street in the Longwood neighborhood of the Bronx.

With precautions and social distancing in place, volunteers and staff have been preparing planters and spreading the soil. The growth and the harvest this year will have a special significance.

Tanya Denise Fields established the urban farm six years ago in the former vacant lot, which is owned by the city.

“Our mission is a place that cultivates radical joy for community residents and folks of color,” said Fields.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.pix11.com/news/coronavirus/urban-farm-in-the-bronx-helps-nourish-neighbors

Posted on

Growing Mainstream: How Gardeners are Becoming the New Influencers

When Timothy Hammond decided to document his gardening adventures on Instagram, he thought he might attract a few like-minded people who shared his passion for growing food.

Over the past two years, the urban gardener has gradually established a loyal fan base that’s exceeded his expectations for what he considered a hobby account.

But it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that he saw engagement increase at an overwhelming pace.  Hammond has gained more than 10,000 new followers in just the last six weeks, as more people have started thinking about growing their own food.

“People are being forced to take a step back and look at their food system,” he says.

READ THE WHOLE STORY: https://modernfarmer.com/2020/05/growing-mainstream-how-gardeners-are-becoming-the-new-influencers/

Posted on

It’s hot to be green: How urban gardening is taking over

The city and the countryside haven’t always seen eye to eye. In fact, the world’s greatest cities define themselves as everything rural areas can’t – vibrant, dynamic, bursting with energy and forward-thinking. But now, millions of urbanites are reconsidering. Greening the city has become an obsession for planners and apartment dwellers alike. But what does it mean for your life? Let’s take a look.

How cities are launching a green revolution

The last year or two have seen an acceleration in the greening of cities, with authorities, companies and individuals all making their mark.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2020/05/25/its-hot-to-be-green-how-urban-gardening-is-taking-over/

Posted on

From floating islands to abandoned lots: urban gardening in Mexico

Urban gardening is nothing new in Mexico. Lack of space and a growing population led to the invention of chinampas, artificial islands in the lake waters of ancient Mexico City. Today, some of the islands still exist as productive farmland.

The modern concept of reclaiming urban space for agriculture has become popular in Mexico for many of the same reasons as other parts of the world – concerns about the environment, food quality and food availability. It started in the United States, with the victory gardens of World War II, but by the 1980s had spread worldwide.

Mexican urban agricultural organizations are also involved in issues related to genetically modified food, organic farming, food labeling and community building. More recently, Mexico has seen an upsurge of interest in gardening because of Covid-19.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/urban-gardening-in-mexico/

Posted on

This Newark Couple is Transforming a Vacant Lot into a Community Garden

Photo: Bilal and Breonna Walker

NEWARK, NJ — For the past 15 years, Lot 50 on Grafton Avenue in the city’s North Ward has been a wasteland of syringes and garbage, bringing down the community’s morale.

Those days are coming to an end, according to Bilal and Breonna Walker, two educators who are transforming the lot into a community project unlike any other in Newark. Dubbed Jannah on Grafton, what was once a blight on the neighborhood will soon be a community garden providing access to healthy food options, urban gardening advocacy and sustainable education efforts for North Newark residents.

The project came about due to divine inspiration, according to the couple, who are practicing Muslims.

“There’s a saying that loosely goes, ‘If you plant a seed, and it grows and an animal or human benefits or eats from it, then you get that reward.’ That’s something I’ve been reflecting on for a very long time, and I’ve always thought about how I’d like to leave my mark on the world,” Bilal said.

The lot’s vibrant graffiti would always catch the couple’s eye, and so through the city’s Adopt a Lot program, the Walkers began their endeavor to bring grassroots sustainability to an underserved population. Through Jannah on Grafton, they’re setting a goal to provide 20 families locally grown produce and cushion their monthly food income.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/springfield/sections/other-nj-news/articles/this-newark-couple-is-transforming-a-vacant-lot-into-a-community-garden-4

Posted on

Andover farmer works to feed many at urban garden

In Costello Park, the lonely farmer works his fields under the sun.

Thomas Paulsen, of Andover, holds the rototiller’s wide handlebars and plows the dark earth at the urban farm, the largest in a network of community gardens operated by Groundwork Lawrence.

Paulsen then rakes the beds, mounding rows for vegetable seedlings that will become food for Lawrence soup kitchens, pantries and farmers markets.

Ambulance and police sirens wail and cars rumble past, but the farmer hardly hears them. His attention is on readying fields.

In a typical year, schools, children and adults on professional service days would already have volunteered hundreds of hours readying this garden for the growing season.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.andovertownsman.com/news/local_news/andover-farmer-works-to-feed-many-at-urban-garden/article_e868683c-4d73-52b0-8103-f78c3f3eb075.html

Posted on

What is Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and How Can You Use It In The Garden as a Pest/Insect Repellent?

 

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, soft sedimentary rock that is crumbled into a fine white powder. Wondering how you can use DE in your garden? Well, as a natural method of pest control!

DE works at killing insects because the microscopic particles are very sharp and as an insect crawls over it, it gets cut. DE also can stick to the insect causing it to dry out.

Diatomaceous Earth is completely NON-TOXIC! Because it harms insects physically, and not chemically, it is very safe for you and your garden. Just remember to wear a mask, to avoid breathing in the dust particles.

It is very effective against slugs, beetles, worms, fleas, mites, spiders and MORE! Have you tried DE in your garden?

Learn more about ORGANIC PEST CONTROL: https://www.seedsnow.com/blogs/news/natural-pest-control

Posted on

The indoor farm revolution – NASA INSPIRED

NOTE FOR 2020 READERS: This is the eleventh in a series of open letters to the next century, now just 80 years away. The series asks: What will the world look like at the other end of our kids’ lives?

Dear 22nd Century,

For all the pain, grief and economic hardship the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has sown, a handful of green shoots seem to have taken root in its blighted soil.

Green being the operative word, because many of these developments could be a net positive for the planet. In lockdown, many of us are seeing what our cities look like without smog. Office workers are experiencing office life without the office; just last week, Twitter announced that most of its employees could work from home forever, while much of Manhattan is reportedly freaking out about what could happen to commercial real estate. Thousands of companies just discovered they can still function, and maybe even function better, when they don’t chain employees to desks or force them to make a soul-crushing, carbon-spewing commute 10 times a week.

READ THIS FULL ARTICLE: https://mashable.com/feature/indoor-garden-farming-grow-your-own-food/

Posted on

Gardening boosts your mood as much as some types of exercise, study finds

In recent weeks, public health experts have warned that the coronavirus pandemic could have a devastating effect on mental health. In the United States, rates of anxiety and depression are rising. Dread and confusion pervade everyday life.

From a mental health standpoint, strict lockdown rules mean that many of the activities we derive joy and purpose from — socializing with friends, exercise, attending church — are difficult or downright impossible to do. But a new study published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning finds that there’s one surprisingly mood-boosting activity we can do even if we’re locked up alone at home: tending a small garden.

The study shows that gardening boosts people’s moods by as much as some common types of exercise, like cycling and walking. That boost is available whether it is done alone or with others, on a city balcony or in a suburban lawn, and it seems to be particularly strong for women and low-income people. And while all types of gardening were shown to be beneficial to mental health, people who grow their own food seem to take particular joy in tending to their plants.

READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/15/gardening-boosts-your-mood-much-some-types-exercise-study-finds/

Posted on

Whatever You Do, Don’t Put Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

There’s nothing like eating veggies you grew in your own garden. But gardening is a big investment: there’s the daily watering, the careful pest control, and the delicate process of keeping the soil chemistry just right. The internet is full of ways you can make gardening easier and cheaper, but some methods are too good to be true. No matter what the gardening blogs tell you, leave the spent coffee grounds alone. They’re bad news for your garden.

We get it: It feels good to do something with your morning coffee waste besides throwing it in the garbage. The gardeners who write about it aren’t wrong when they say it’s full of soil-friendly nutrients like nitrogen, which is essential for plant growth. Generally, adding organic material to the soil is good for your garden, since bacteria will feed on it and break it down into more nutrients the plants can use.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.discovery.com/science/Coffee-Grounds-in-Your-Garden

Posted on

With restaurants closed, urban farm finds a niche in food delivery


When restaurants closed their dining rooms because of the coronavirus outbreak, Good Life Growing was left with a glut of vegetables.

It also had bills that couldn’t be paid if the produce was left to rot in the fields. Restaurants represented 90% of sales for the urban farming enterprise, which grows vegetables outdoors in St. Louis and East St. Louis and in an indoor facility on the north riverfront.

“We had to do something different or it was a countdown until we ran out of money and started laying people off,” co-founder James Forbes said.

The idea that would save Good Life’s 13 full-time jobs came to Forbes when he ordered some personal groceries delivered to his home. Why couldn’t Old North Provisions, a neighborhood store he opened last year on North 14th Street, become a hub to deliver fresh, locally grown food to people throughout the St. Louis area?

READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/david-nicklaus/nicklaus-with-restaurants-closed-urban-farm-finds-a-niche-in-food-delivery/article_6066a41f-dc4a-5eac-968e-63bcc42b9a49.html

Posted on

Urban Resilience: Learnings from COVID-19

Natural disasters, economic crises and viral outbreaks have greatly impacted our cities in the past. Today, we witness this effect with the COVID-19 viral outbreak. It has heavily impacted food, accommodation, livelihoods, public transport, economy, and other public amenities available to cities globally.

While we struggle with the containment, it is important to reflect on how we can develop sustainable, resilient and liveable cities in the face of such shocks. We at UNICITY have identified 3 elements of resilience our cities need to strengthen: public spaces, urban agriculture and quality of life. So, we here share a few informative best practices.

Urban public spaces that adjust to new needs

Today, 20% of the world’s population is under lockdown. As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, once vibrant public spaces are now deserted. Our social interactions have essentially migrated to the digital space. Yet, we know this is anything but good for our mental health. As per the WHO, physical inactivity, poor walkability and lack of access to recreational areas account for 3.3% of global deaths. So how do we sustain a lockdown, which promises to be longer than we have anticipated?

CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE: https://www.resilience.org/stories/2020-05-12/urban-resilience-learnings-from-covid-19/