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permaculture

04/16/2018 / By Jessica Dolores

Yummier and juicier: Using natural fertilizers increases fruit yield and size

Do you want your farm or garden-grown fruits to become yummier and juicier? Use organic fertilizer, not chemical-based ones. A field experiment in a south farm in Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture, Manakkadavu, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu in India showed that using acid lime as fertilizer resulted in the highest harvest of fruits per tree. Panchakavya, an […]

04/11/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Edamame farmers are using rye as a cover crop to reduce the use of herbicides

Farmers continue to search for alternatives to herbicides to control weeds due to the increase of herbicide-resistant weeds in most grain and vegetable crops. Fortunately, edamame farmers have found a way to reduce the use of herbicides by using rye as a cover crop, according to a study published in the journal Weed Science. The […]

03/25/2018 / By Tracey Watson

Working with nature to reduce pesticide use: Farmers around the world are rediscovering the increased yields offered by biodiversity

The face of agriculture has changed dramatically over the past century. Instead of working with what nature has provided, encouraging biodiversity and companion planting to ward off pests, farmers have been encouraged to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with disastrous results. Despite being promised greater crop protection and increased yields, the results have been low-yielding […]

03/18/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Natural, inexpensive AND more effective: Phosphate rock confirmed to be an effective fertilizer for acidic soils

In western Kenya, the main economic activity is farming. This has, however, become increasingly difficult an endeavor in recent years due to deplorable soil conditions and pricey traditional fertilizers. Triple superphosphate (TSP), one of the most popular and widely used fertilizers, has to be imported from Moroccan mines, making it far too expensive for west […]

03/12/2018 / By Zoey Sky

Recovering ecosystems: How no-till farming is catching on in small farming communities across the plains

According to an article From Civil Eats, no-till farming can help revive struggling ecosystems. Jimmy Emmons, a seasoned farmer from Oklahoma, talked to other farmers at the 22nd annual No-till on the Plains conference about the no-till farming method and how it can rebuild an ecosystem. In a separate talk, “controversial grazing guru” Allan Savory discussed the large quantity of […]

02/08/2018 / By Earl Garcia

Organic farming found to eliminate plant parasites longer than conventional chemical pesticides

Organic farming practices may help mitigate the proliferation of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN), a study published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment revealed. According to the scientists, a combination of agriculture intensification and poor agronomic practices led to increased incidence of PPN and other soil pathogens in East Africa. This then resulted in reduced crop productivity […]

02/05/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Upcycled: Wastewater from olive mills can be transformed from a pollutant into a biofuel and bio-fertilizer

Researchers have developed an environment-friendly process to convert wastewater from producing olive oils into biofuel and fertilizer, as published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. The study, led by researchers from the Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse and RITTMO Agroenvironment in France and the Water Research and Technologies Centre and the Higher Institute of Sciences and Technology for […]

01/20/2018 / By Russel Davis

Repurposing food supply “waste” has many benefits: Farmers in Turkey are using the husks of hazelnuts as mulch, preserving water and reducing labor

Hazelnut husks showed efficacy as mulching materials in nurseries and gardening applications of ornamental plants, according to a study published in the Journal of International Scientific Publications. The study, carried out by a researcher at the Düzce University in Turkey, took advantage of the large amounts of hazelnut husks produced in the Duzce region in the northwestern part of Turkey during […]

11/25/2017 / By Isabelle Z.

Can we feed the world organically? With some changes to the system, researchers say yes

It’s hard to find fault with consuming organic food, but those who are against it for whatever reason – like synthetic pesticide manufacturers – often claim it is not sustainable and would require too much land to pull off. Now, new research shows just how flawed that particular argument is. Indeed, a worldwide conversion to […]

08/24/2017 / By Isabelle Z.

Scientists think they just invented “multifunctional polyculture” food farms, but it’s been around forever as “food forests” and “permaculture”

University of Illinois researchers have announced that they have discovered a way to design a landscape that can provide people with a range of nutritious foods while earning a profit. Of course, this “news” is hardly surprising to anyone who is familiar with the concepts of food forests or permaculture. Department of Crop Sciences Agroecologist […]

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