Green beetle infestation on the artichokes

Meet Cassida rubiginosa…aka, thistle defoliating beetle, green tortise beetle, eucalyptis beetle
After a little creative internet keyword and image searching…the mystery of the artichoke beetles is solved.
Unfortunately, as these links show, some farms have released them as biological thistle control for their fields. Not good news for artichoke growers!
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/thistlecontrol.html
http://www.ewrs.org/BCWG/aims_and_objectives.htm
Just talked with a woman who bought [...]

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Garden of Eden meets the Sacred Grove

This article from Mother Earth News does a great job detailing an actual permaculture project. The following passage from the article offers a great explanation of permaculture as a sort of a reigned-in wildness where the existing trees and land determine the parameters we may operate within:
To me, forest gardening is exciting not only [...]

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Soil Bacteria Work In Similar Way To Antidepressants

Medical News Today
Soil Bacteria Work In Similar Way To Antidepressants
02 Apr 2007
UK scientists suggest that a type of friendly bacteria found in soil may affect the brain in a similar way to antidepressants.
Their findings are published in the early online edition of the journal Neuroscience.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/66840.php

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Year of the potato

Food prices are soaring worldwide, driven by fierce competition for reduced international supplies of wheat, maize and rice, and other agricultural commodities. As concern grows over the risk of food shortages and instability in dozens of low-income countries, global attention is turning to an age-old crop that could help ease the strain of food price [...]

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Growing wild rice

Wild rice used to be raised throughout the US by native peoples. Now that the price of wheat, corn and domestic rice is going steadily up…perhaps it’s time to consider some alternatives in our home and community gardens.
Personally, I think potatoes and wild rice is the way to go. Here’s some info on [...]

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Dr. Doo, Prince of Poo…

Dan Corum:
Dr. Doo could write theses on feces
Paula Bock
Dan Corum – a.k.a. Dr. Doo, Prince of Poo, Master of Microbes, the GM of BM, Worm Whisperer, Duke of Dung, No.1 of No. 2, Pharaoh of Feces, Shaka of Caca, Turd World Leader and Emperor of Excreta – shares fecal facts about Zoo Doo at [...]

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Google: Got elk poop?

Very funny!
If you Google, “got elk poop,” my blog comes up: www.Google.com
What a gas!

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Got elk poop?

Here is a table showing the nutrient contents for a number of different types of manure.
Currently I have been having amazing results with fresh elk poop from the herd that hangs out at the land trust. Read on:
Data sheet #3. – Manure nutrient content for various livestock types (AAFRD 1995a): http://landwise.ca/Nutrient/Exercise%201.htm

Manure [...]

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Elk droppings in the news

One free drop deserves another – Alberta golf club has rule on elk droppings
A local rule at Banff Springs Golf Club in Alberta reads as follows: “Any ball coming to rest in damage caused by elk [i.e., droppings] is entitled to one club-length relief no closer to the hole. Any shot striking an elk may [...]

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Cucumbers love sunflowers…

Whether you believe in it or not, companion planting is here to stay. Although I’m sure that there are many more combinations of plant allies to be found, here is a resource to help you get started: http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html
Personally, I have been utilizing companion planting methods since the 1970’s and have found that I [...]

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