Planning A 2.5 Million Acre Bamboo Farm – Is Bamboo for You?

Touch the Soil News #1967 (Photo – Bamboo Forest – CCA SA 2.0 Generic, solution_63  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en) In an attempt to restore damaged lands in Africa, one company it looking to plant 1 million hectares (2.5 million) acres into bamboo trees for carbon credits and then for bamboo products.  This amount of land would be equivalent…

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Farmers Growing Their Own Food – City Folk Wanting To Grow Their Own Food

Touch the Soil News #1966 (Photo – Waterloo Community Garden – Courtesy of Waterloo District) The Waterloo region in Ontario Canada is home to almost 600,000 people and is surrounded by rural areas.  Nearby, farmers have created a 10 acre gardening area and rented the land to about 15 groups and individuals for growing food.…

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Home Food Gardening First – Market Gardening Second

Touch the Soil News #1964 (Photo – Farmers Market – CCA SA 4.0 International, Michael Rihani) Not everyone has land with access to adequate water, but many folks do.  Estimates are that roughly 64 percent of Americans live in their own homes.  Some multi-family complexes or duplexes do have some land and water.  Said in…

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Food Tremor in the United Kingdom – Grow Your Own Grows in Importance

Touch the Soil News #1962 (Photo – UK Allotment Garden – CCA SA 2.0 Generic, Johnathan Wilkins) Earlier this year, news stations in Europe were abuzz over the shortages of fresh fruits and vegetables in supermarket in the United Kingdom.  From weather issues to energy issues at greenhouses growing vegetables, supplies are short and prices…

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May Food Price Index – Global Price Averages Continue to Decline

Touch the Soil News #1960 (Photo –  FAO Headquarters in Rome – (CCA SA 3.0 Unported, Scopritore) The Food and Agriculture Organization, a division of the United Nations, keeps track of global food prices by following five major food categories.  Those categories include meat, dairy, cereals (grains), vegetable oils and sugar.  The Food Price Index…

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