Touch the Soil News #2058 (photo – Soil Blocker – Courtesy of Johnny’s Selected Seeds https://www.johnnyseeds.com/search/?q=soil+blockers&search-button=&lang=en_US) Nursery plants are known for their plastic containers, which are a cost for the grower and a waste for the consumer. Enter the world of Soil Blocking, a process that firms up the soil, so no external plastic forms…
Author: Organic Mechanic
Monetizing Productivity as a Group
Get Ready for Farmers Markets
We can always use new ideas from others, especially when it comes to increasing sales. Farmer’s Markets have become a staple for urban settings. It helps to just walk through a Farmer’s Market and see what everyone is doing or not doing. It also helps to talk to market managers about your ideas. The cost…
The Decline in Acres Farmed –What to Do?
The Growing Science of Roots
The Growing Focus of Biologicals in Farming
Touch the Soil News #2053 (photo – Vegetables – Courtesy of USDA) Farm Journal’s AgWeb portal brings the story of using biologicals in mainstream farming. When 600 farmers were asked if they used biologicals in farming, more than 61 percent said no. Among those who did us biologicals satisfaction rates were as high as 80…
The Global Food Price Index – Where Are We Today
Touch the Soil News #2052 (photo – Vegetables – Courtesy of USDA) The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a division of the United Nations. The FAO tracks the international prices of five food commodity groups each month and ascribes a number starting with 100 which is the base for the 2014-2016 time frame. The…
Food for Special Events In a City With Food Insecurity – What Would You Do?
Touch the Soil News #2051 (photo – Jakarta – CCA 3.0 Unported, Romli mohamad) The People’s Network News brings and interesting story about food and people living in the city of Jakarta, Indonesia. Jakarta is at the heart of a metro area of almost 35 million people. They are embracing the Ramadan special time. The…
Saving Grocery Stores
Touch the Soil News #2050 (photo – Vegetables – Courtesy of USDA) The demand for the services of a grocery store is through the volume dollars that show up to buy. However, that demand must not only satisfy the costs of keeping the doors open, but a return on investment established in corporate headquarters hundreds…
The Demand for Land and Water is Growing
The island of Oahu, home to Hawaii’s largest city Honolulu, hosts a population of over 1 million. This relatively small island is mostly mountains with very little land to grow a garden. While there are efforts at expanding community garden plots, there are over 600 people on wait lists. The People’s Network news portal brings…