VEG GEEK

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Wednesday, 17th August, 2022

The Day’s hand-picked ideas, tips to better grow Vegs, and meet people you should know.

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1

Changing farming practices is the law

"When settlers plowed the North American prairie, they uncovered some of the most fertile soil in the world. But tilling those deep-rooted grasslands released massive amounts of underground carbon into the atmosphere. More greenhouse gases wafted into the skies when wetlands were drained and forests cleared for fields. Land conversion continues today, and synthetic fertilizer, diesel-hungry farm machinery, and methane-belching livestock add to the climate effects; all told, farming generates 10% of climate-affecting emissions from the United States each year. Now, Congress would like to turn back the clock and return some of that carbon to the soil" — Today is historic: the Inflation Reduction Act put in law the need to support a change to farming practices to help reduce impact on the planet, including no-till agriculture and cover crops. But don’t wait for your government: you can improve your soils to help you produce more Vegs now using those gardening practices.

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2

The Sun grows Vegs

"GOING MICRO-GREEN I’m a pro gardener – You can grow healthy produce in your own kitchen in 5 DAYS using one unbelievably easy hack" — The Sun clearly aren’t gardeners but it’s great they help put the spotlight on the problem: we should be growing more of our own Vegs at home, and avoid food miles and you will know what goes in and on your Vegs… You can do that simply at home - and without the risks inherent with the method described in the Sun! - and have a reliable source of nutrients-packed Vegs all year around.

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3

Summer camp: Greenhouse lettuce production

"Standard lettuce harvest weights are 5 to 6 ounces per head, with an average 30-day crop cycle from transplant to harvest" — lettuce is one of the easiest crops to grow with low effort, fast turnaround and with a little planning grows all year around and harvest just enough for your consumption. Whether you grow lettuce in soil beds, hydroponics or aquaponics - learn how to optimise growing the simple lettuce!

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4

People you should know

Meet Liz & Mr J: "We use traditional and natural methods to grow healthy, nutritent rich food. We grow biointensively to gain maximum yields from the space that we have" Byther Farm — From a lovely family in West Wales, UK - learn along (check her book Grounded too) as they progress their journey to self-sufficiency, growing Vegs, herbs, to living a more sustainable life.

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5

Never a dill moment

and never bored of Perennial Vegs: "Perennial vegetables are a gardener’s dream come true. Once they’re established, they require little to no maintenance and continue to produce food for years on end. While there are many perennial vegetables to choose from, these three are the must-haves for any garden. Whether you’re starting from scratch or expanding your current garden, make sure to add these veggies to your planting list!" — Try Rhubarb, Radicchio, Asparagus - but research more and see what other perennials you could plant.


The Dirty Dozen: "Each year, the Washington D.C. nonprofit, Environmental Working Group, publishes their ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean Fifteen’ lists using data supplied by the FDA. Highlights (or downlights…) For two years in a row, strawberries and leafy greens rank as the ‘dirtiest’: One sample of kale, collard and mustard greens had 21 different pesticides. 90% of strawberries, apples, cherries, and spinach contained residue of two or more pesticides — Now if that’s not enough to push you grow more of your Vegs yourself, I don’t know what will! (and Avocados, sweet corn, and pineapple were cleanest)


+ It’s not a mirage:  "Camp SEKEM Wahat is a social innovation project that integrates ecological, economic, cultural, and community life to restore arid land in the Bahariya oasis of the Egyptian Western Desert." — If we can return desert land to a productive ecosystem, surely we can improve your garden? Watch this webinar to learn from expert Dr. Elainee Ingham and how her holistic and scientific method of rapidly restoring the soil biome which can be used to accelerate the regeneration process on any soil, be it in an agricultural setting or an Ecosystem Restoration project, or in your garden.

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6

Bottom of the compost pile

WEF agrees with Gardeners: "Biochar: The gardener’s friend that could help slow global warming" — Even the World Economic Forum agrees with us gardeners (although the science on this topic isn’t fully understood yet) : Biochar can help tackle climate change by traping carbon that would otherwise emits in the atmosphere and could be one of the many methods to slow down climate change. In your garden, it’s a part of our toolkit to improve our soils: it will help promote growth of your Vegs with better access to oxygen and nutrients, improve drainage of water through soil and help restore degraded soils.


+ Ditch the vegetable garden and redesign your food garden as a forest! "Food forests are a traditional but seriously cool practice of growing your own self-reliant mini forests that produce tons of food. Until recently, biologists saw ancient pockets of food forests that exist within tropical rainforests as accidental. But, increasing evidence shows these forest gardens as a result of deliberate cultivation by Indigenous Peoples. These forest gardens are filled with a variety of food, layered, interconnected, and self-sustaining. In my home province of British Columbia, evidence shows there were food forests planted more than 150 years ago! — Get all the tips you need to convert your garden to a food forest!

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Keep Growing-

Anthony - Veg Geek