Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

Starting an organic vegetable garden in your own backyard is not a bad idea .

Here in S.Florida the GROWING season has laready started .You are not late to join the early bird gardeners.What you need is to learn the basics .Remember that the soil in S.Florida is SANDY.So your best bet is to prepare your own soil.

Learning the tropical backyard farming is important to start with.

I have classes available at your own backyard as well as mine.You pick the place and time.

We can help .You can learn and do it! One step and one day at a time!

More info, visit: localharvest.org/farms/M20618

Find us at:Natural Awakening PBC edition -S.Florida Leading Hollistic Magz.

The future is set on Legal Immigrants Farmers to replace the Illegal Migrant Farmers.There is an EXODUS of illegal migrant farmers here in the US back home.

The immigration laws set by the STAES like Arizona,Alabama,California,Georgia etc..are encouraging immigrant farmers to migrate back home .Who will be the hands to replace those farmers is the question yet to be answered?

Here is a report by the NYT that sheds a light on the alternatives:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/us/refugees-in-united-states-take-up-farming.html?_r=1&ref=localfood

The case is not just so easy to tackle.Controversy is always the answer.Many alternatives chief among those in the short run will focus on Legal Immigrants and Refugees  skilled farming hands and education .

In the long term, focus should be on EDUCATING our young generation to take Farming Jobs SERIOUSLY!

The future is set on Legal Immigrants Farmers to replace the Illegal Migrant Farmers.There is an EXODUS of illegal migrant farmers here in the US , goung back back home to Mexico and central and south America.

The immigration laws set by the STAES like Arizona,Alabama,California,Georgia etc..are encouraging immigrant farmers to migrate back home .Who will be the hands to replace those farmers is the question yet to be answered?

Here is a report by the NYT that sheds a light on the alternatives:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/us/refugees-in-united-states-take-up-farming.html?_r=1&ref=localfood

The case is not just so easy to tackle.Controversy is always the answer.Many alternatives chief among those in the short run will focus on Legal Immigrants and Refugees  skilled farming hands and education .

In the long term, focus should be on EDUCATING our young generation to take Farming Jobs SERIOUSLY!

As we hear a lot of TALK on CREATING JOBS , we barley mention anything about incentives,stimulus,fringe benefits that are essentially needed to be allocated to Farmin Jobs to attract more Americans to fill in the THE BLANK!!!

Next week there will be new rules to define the status of the Migrant Farmers .Capitol hill legislatures will pass a NEW LAW earmarked as  an "E-VERIFY  Immigration  LAW"to determine and define the status of the MIGRANT FARMERS in US.

Here in Florida where the state is second to California in Agriculture is embracing for a massive exodus of migrant farmers once their status become challenged by the E-VERIFY .Big Agri-Business is sounding the ALARM as per an article today by the local PBPOST:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/e-verify-anxiety-local-growers-fear-u-s-1869630.html?showComments=true

The USA today had another article ,yesterday ,on Urban Farming or CITY FARMING in Chicago and other states.There is now a sudden AWAKENING for growing your own food .I have been crying in the wilderness for the last TWENTY years here about GROWING YOUR OWN and I contributed in establishing SWEVEN community gardens and FASILITATED HUNDREDS of Organic Gardening CLasses not to mention the help I provided to hundreds of home owners to start their own BACKYARD VEGETABLE GARDENS. Guess what? Now the wave is being stolen buy the PROFIT OR THE NON PROFIT  OPPORTUNISTS who $uddenly woke up to the DREAM of "GROWING YOUR OWN"..

Remember the pioneers who started the Organic Gardening and the Nutritional Supplement wave of the seventies and eighties, or the so called "HIPPIES"??? Where are they now? THeir companies and ideas were taken over by the GIANT COMPANIES!(Shall we say pharmaceutical or nuetracitical??)

The same people who wrote the books on CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AGRICULTURE a re now writing the books and rules of the Organic Urban Farming! It is business as usual..unless you step in and hold on to your little gfamily farms or lands that you have converted into Urban Farms ..right next to the city sky scrapers:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/09/chicago-urban-farming-cit_n_956032.html

We nee3d to send messages to the younger generation through ORGANIC GARDENING classes at schools and churches and community gardens.There is a lack of AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION in the US as this kind of work is looked down at as MENIAL and PHYSICALLY HARD!

The climate changes are drawing new borders for the future farm:CIties and Suburbs!Rural America has failed continuasouly sine the secon WWW because the land was taken away from the Family Farmer and instead the BIG AGRI FERTILIZER BUSINESS took over.Now it is time to REVERSE na d GO BACK to BASICS!

There are so many speculations and tradings going on as people watch TV and read thenews of the Debt Default Conferences Battles .

I have a friend who depends on social security for a living so he is now starting to grow his own food .He never bothered to do so before untill the latest news started to emerge about the Great Default.

I beleive in sustainability as an answer to our many social and ecconomic problems that used to be tackled with either  borrowing ,defaulting and or denying either or both as an issue.

Comfort zone created by the culture of Hi-TECH from TV to Cellular and counting...gadget wise!

Virtual reality and Actual reality is not same.Sanity and Insanity are not the same.Being Crazy is not Normal.So we are running away from our Problems and shooting instead the messenger .Remeber problem shooting?

So why now the Social Security becomes the focal point after so many decades of debt  .Shall we raise the debt ceiling or rather seal and stop the debt?

One dollar printed costs us forty cents as a debt to the Federal Reserve  which is printing the dollar and making 4o cents for every one dollar printed and borrowed by the government? I am not sure how the math goes , are you?

Farmers do not collect social security , do they?So growing their own food is the only security!

Here are some social security  food for thought :

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43912701/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/

There is a growing demand to start a backyard organic garden in an ecconomy that is driving us all down financially.People come to me and ask me to help them but they themselves are not ready to cope with the idea of a productive garden that needs resources to happen. The basic requirements to be ready can be summarized in the following.

A) Structural awareness and preparedness:

 0-Make a plan a) and b)for the garden process .Consult a local professional horticulturist prior to mobilizing for the garden project.Choose the most affordable and workqable plan first.

1-LOCATION:Make your mind which location you want the garden be set up at.Always consider sunny space that is not accessible to pets or animals .Check out the topography and avoid slopes.Choose areas that are not in proximity to trees , poor drainage and traffic .

2-Budget: Structure a budget before you start building a structure .Consult with your partners and accountant prior to summoning a professional gardner to help you set up.

3-Design:Determine what shape and size and kind of garden suits you best: a)Single family,extended family etc. b).Rectangular ,circular shape etc.. c)Large,medium or small size.. d)What type of garden :Raised bed,trenches etc..

4)Materials:What type of wood,seeds,seedlings,mulch,soil,plants,irrigation system etc..

B) Functional awareness and preparedness:

1-Determine who is going to be in charge of setting up,growing,maintaing ,harvesting your organic garden.

2-Be prepared to have the necessary garden tools , equipent,shed etc.. on hand prior to starting the garden.

3-allocate time to work,maintain,manage etc.. the garden.

4-Make sure that the human resources allocated to set up ,build,maintain ,harvest ,water etc.. are available and able physically to function as per planned ahead.

5-Set a timetable to start and finish the garden process.Allocate phases for construction,beautification,completion,improvement etc..

 6-Establish a log book, organizational and follow up procedures to implement what is planned.

C)Execute and proceed accordingly in building the garden. There are always challengs and obstacles .Meet them with a positive attitude and mind set to resolve and find solutions.

Treat your human resources with dignity and respect.Do not trick,abuse or take advantage especially of the people who come to offer you help.Be generous ,patient,cheerful and supportive.

The spirit of community is not that much practiced in the cities where people live their lives behind closed and gated communities.Indulge in building relations with the people who come to help you by sharing what you have in exchange for their sharing what services,skills and work they offer.

If you are not comfortable with strangers stepping into your sacred space and property :Take time to train your heart ,mind and spirit ahead of time prior to summoning those strangers to help you start your backyard garden .How can you do that?

Your turn to come up with a way that suits your personality and communication skills.Accepting others as they are is not a bad idea to start with.Good luck.

Tony Dagher BA,CFMG,CFMT

Florida Master Gardener

The sun is cooking the lawn grass and the water sprinkler is hiking the water bill.Here in S.Florida there are plenty of heat and but not much to eat from the lawn grass garden.Introducing the Lazyman gardening :

There are plenty of fruit berries and vines and more of the incredible edible wild crafted food growing in the backyards or the wild that is waiting for a harvest ...But it is like crying in the wilderness.No one is hearing me(Reason:Lot of people who live in Florida are seniors...I am one tooo, who can not afford anymore to buy hearing aids devices thanks to the deep recession or its new NICKNAME:  Abreviation DDT or Abridged full name:Double Dip......precion Trouble!)

Lazy gardners like to hire someone to do the donkey work of hard digging and weeding.But now with an economic crunch that is breaking  our backs already without even trying to dig in the garden .Also, it is harder to find someone like a cheap migrant farmer to do the donkey work either, after the infamous Arizona Law took effect and scared away almost half of the illegal immigrants .

So , here comes an genious idea to harvest without even doing any farming or gardening WORK.Call it  the lazyman gardening way(Get Something for Nothing !).Just by going to the wilderness (Developers did not leave much though)in S.Florida and start picking some the most nutritious harvests like:Saw Palmetto,Sea Grapes,wild grapes,Calalo(wild spinach) and Sarase.Just to mention a few.But , hold on: Do not attempt to do it on your own and end up picking some poisonous berries, instead.Always have some one knowledgable with you .I recommend a Florida Master Gardener( I am one of them), or an Urban Organic Community /Backyard Farmer ( I am one of them too!)....Hey:By the way ,I am  open  for being  hired!Got papers , a shovel and  Hell yeh..I am ready to travel-if you only send me  a prepaid two way open ticket!

There are more ways to farm the lazymans  way...Stay tuned if you are one of them.Speaking of the devil  makes me obliged to stop here as the lazy gardners do not like to work their eyes reading ..either...

So here is a suggestion:Buy my upcoming book(Not available  in ACTUAL print yet !But available at a VIRTUAL BOOKSTORE near you -open to the public only during grave yard shift hours )titled:HOW TO GARDEN THE  CRAZY/LAZYMAN'S WAY .

Read it before you go to bed.Put it under your pillow and go to sleep.You will be doing much of night time gardening  and harvesting all what you like in your dream..offcourse....See...no hard gardening work done!

I call it Virtual Gardening!May be some one will steel my idea or even beleive it.I got to go now....Caution:Do not buy my virtual book nor do what  the lazyman virtual gardener tellsl you!

Otherwise you will end up being invited to  a "dinner for schmucks".

Happy Actual Gardening!

Depression and recession farming is not a joke.The time has come for small farmers to get their rights established and farms and work protected .

I want to share with you a story of a farmer back from the Great Depression period as narrated in the famous and hard to find book:THE GREAT DEPRESSION, by David Shannon.Try to find it and get some precious lessons narrated by an eye witness .. :THE FARMER IN THE DEPRESSION...A story of a farmer named Ole Swanson printed in the New York Times in September 25,1932 ...If you have access for the archives go ahead and check it out .Of not here is a glimpse summary from what I concluded reading it...It tells the tale of the farmers back then and how thety struggled.

That farmer renter of 35 years  bought the farm of his deceased father and got entangled in the mortagage and insurance process that we all know .When times went bad and he could not stand up for his financial commitments to the BANKS AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.HE LOST THE FARM.hE BECAME A RENTER AGAIN .

BACK TO OUR TIME AND THE STORY THAT SURFACED TWO WEEKS AGO FROM THE FIRING OF MS SHERRODS A WORKER FOR THE USDA ...MORE DETAILS IN MY PREVIOUS ARTICLE WITH A VIDEO CLIP..FARMERS ARE STILL LOSING THEIR LAND AND THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN DOES NOT MATTER EITHER.AS MS SHERRODS PUT IT:IT IS BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE AND THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE" SO TO SPEAK.

 Back to our days.

Heard the latest news about Wheat prices and the draught and fires in Russia ?

Who stands for the small farmer is the question that was and will ever be?

It used to be that farmers are the last ones to know who is buying their produce.Not any more.

The NYT has just reported in an articler how the case is being reversed and how restaurant owners and chefs are now flocking to local farmers to order their produce via a hand shake not over the phone or fax.

Seeing vegetables in the field is beleiving .The need now is growing to find out WHERE the PRODUCE is coming from not HOW and WHAT the MENUs are!   Restaurants are now connecting DIRECT to local to the local farmer not the food chain distributor or the grocery store that are importing their produce from Mexico or God knows where!

Catering for LOOKS and TASTE!????UH UH UUUUH!EYWEEEEEH!I do not think so!

Check out today's NYT article (qouted below for quick reference):Qoute NYT:"

"Now, Chefs Court Farmers for the Best Ingredients

I was reading an article by the POST of today May 25th about how "Florida growers warn of danger to food supply " in case there is a crackdown on undocumented workers.I refer you to the whole article to check it out and form your own opinion!I already formed mine!

John Lantigua of the Palm Beach Post writes on May 25th on the above title:

I qoute Mr Lantigua:"

Mike Carlton, labor relations director for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, is sometimes criticized for his position on U.S. immigration law.

The group, which represents most of Florida's large growers, supports the legalization of undocumented farm laborers.

"What don't you understand about the word illegal?" critics ask him about the immigrants.

"What don't you understand about the word eating?" is the retort that occurs to Carlton, although he holds his tongue.

Amid a tide of anti-immigrant sentiment, the usually conservative agricultural sector finds itself an unlikely champion of the undocumented worker.

Supporters of changes in immigration law say people who believe all undocumented workers should be expelled from the country don't comprehend how that would affect the availability and security of the U.S. food supply.

"We would be looking at an increase in the cost of food," Carlton said. "And we would almost certainly end up going offshore for much of our food supply, which would also mean having to worry about food safety."

Carlton and other proponents of legalizing farmworkers support a bill before Congress called AgJobs, which could forge a path to documented, permanent residency for those laborers.

Opponents say it amounts to amnesty for entering the country illegally. They also say it doesn't do anything to increase border security.

Craig Regelbrugge, co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform in Washington, believes opponents don't recognize the main security question associated with farm labor. "There would be shortages. Prices would go up" if the U.S. expelled farmworkers, he said. "But we would also make ourselves reliant for our food on other countries."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says at least half of the people who pick U.S. crops are undocumented. Others in the industry say it is closer to 70 percent.

With U.S. production crippled, Brazil would enthusiastically supply citrus and Mexico would gladly sell vegetables, Regelbrugge said. But relations could sour between the U.S. and those countries and leave the nation at the mercy of foreign governments, he said.

Importing fresh milk would be difficult from the outset, said Ray Hodge, director of governmental affairs for Southeast Milk in Marion County, which markets milk produced by more than 100 Florida dairies.

"We supply all the milk to Publix," Hodge said. "If all those workers were kicked out, in about a week there would be a crisis. … Foreign-born workers are the agricultural workforce in this country. Nobody else wants to do it."

The AgJobs bill would give temporary legal residence to about 1 million undocumented farm laborers and roughly the same number of spouses and minor children. Because Florida has the nation's second­-largest agricultural economy, after California, the measure could have a particularly strong impact here.

Applicants would have to prove they had worked a certain number of hours in farm labor during the past two years. They would have to pay $500 in fines for entering the country illegally and settle outstanding tax bills. Felons or those with serious misdemeanor convictions would be excluded.

If they continued to work in agriculture a certain number of hours every year for the next three to five years, they and their immediate families could apply for permanent residence.

Critics complain that there are many unemployed Americans who would take the jobs. Carlton's response: "We have found that not to be true. Even with 10 percent unemployment, agriculture cannot attract native-born Americans."

The work is often hot, back­breaking, isolated, seasonal and transient. Carlton said some farmers have offered up to $15 an hour to U.S. citizens to work as harvesters, much more than foreign workers make, but with little success.

Even though Americans may not want those jobs, the bill has positive employment implications for U.S. citizens, he said: "It's a jobs bill for American workers, because for every person working in the fields, there are two to three jobs upstream that depend on that person." He cites equipment suppliers, truckers, grocery clerks, restaurant workers." Unqoute.

I beleive that we can create our own workforce from people who have entered the US legally and chose to work in the farm in case the born Americans do not want to work as the article above points and qoutes one official.I beleive that there are so many Americans who are homeless and would need some training on the farms and would fit in the farm work force.

I beleive that there are already urban farmers who are going out of business because there is no support for their efforts in marketing and growing  locally grown produce.

I beleive that there are opportunities for many legal immigrants who have lost their jobs to apply for farm work  jobs if they are given the incentives ,training and benefits that born Americans ask for.

Why not apply the law equally on all.Those who entered the US legally and paid taxes and obeyed the laws should be given a chance to apply for farm jobs that presently are being to illegals who are treated close to slavery conditions and who are afraid to report abuse by their employers who care only about profits and put them in dire conditions that endanger their lives (exposure to chemicals and pesticides).

The law of the land is made for all .So let us respect it and move forward.The Big Agri business have had its time to reign our farm lands and employ illegals.Now is the time to shift gears and set the stage for  legal and smaller organic farmers ,even at the educational school level , through spreading the awareness of small scale organic farming.

The French were the pioneers in intensive gardening during the WW-I and WW-II.To be honest to history we might summon the Chinese ,Greek,Babylonian and Mayans ancient biointensive farming methods 4000 years ago.Whether you want to call it French fries or freedom fries it  is up to you, but we are interested in results.If you live in S.Florida you must know that sand is the rule of the land.So , when the growing season pops up and the hurricane season goes down..You better be prepared to work your front/backyard no matter how small the space to grow your own organic fruits and veggies in an ecconomy that is stripping us all of our jobs,homes,cars and not to say more

What you need to start with is a class from a local urban  farmer who lives near by.Check out the localharvest.org to find one by you your zip area.

Next, you need to understand that organic gardening does not compromise .So get educated by reading a book or ask questions.Urban farming in S.Florida is a challenge.Start with a plan for the location of your future garden that is exposed to ample sun light.Then start to dig and double dig not to look out for weapons of mass destruction but in case to extract any debris that are toxic like pcb,plastic,petroleum products etc..The land here was filled to raise the level of the home structures for avoiding flooding.You have heard about the land fills in the Acreage lately and you might have an idea what did they contain !

Here are some suggestions to follow:

1-Prepare your own organic soil and compost.

2-Mimmick the natural flow of growing that is let the plants grow close to each others without the extra empty spaces allocated to a path for example.

3-Plant heirloum locally obtained organic seeds and avoid Genetically engineered ones.

4_Use raised bed in flood prone area and trench dug beds in high grounds.Dig and double dig always .

5-Make use of vertical gardening and introduce trellis wherever needed.

7-Be sustainable.Avoid loss of nutrients and humus and keep adding nutrients every growing season through organic composted manure and organic fertilisers and ammendments like blood and bone meal.

8-Follow the phases of the moon in your planting and harvesting.Educate yourself by reading the Farmers Almanac which has a lot of tips to guide you.

9-Be conservative in using water for irrigation.I find that growing intensive wise in containers saves you a lot .Plus you do not have to worry about being fined for watering and breaking the current draught watering rules.Use mulch to keep the texture of the soil moist and avoid burning the roots during the zesty summer .

10-Use Xeroscaping as a rule of thumb.Meaning , plant the right plant in the right place.Do not plant a water loving plant next to a draught tolerant plant.

It is good to always join a network of local urban farmers to exchange ideas and seeds.Urban and community farming is becoming more popular in Florida as more big agri business exit the farms .The future is for the ones who can live off the land and keep the land a living place for the living.

Happy urban farming.

We can help you get started .Join our  on going classes on organic gardening.Visit our web link at:

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M20618

It was back in 2008 when a local newspaper published a two page report on my urban farming practice at a local communirty garden that is now history.This is a narrative for the daring urban farmer who wants to explore more on the subject of Urban Farming in the TROPICS.There are tons of information available in books and in the web.I find it more practical to learn as I PRACTICE HANDS ON approach.Gardening and farming after all is the only science that dates back into ancient times before books were written or records kept.

Here is where one want to start:Finding a good source for seeds.I find it helpful to check out the following seed sources from the web:

http://gurneys.com

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/altseed.html

http://www.omri.org

Also the following could be of extra help to research:

enzaen.nl,fedcoseeds.com,harrisseeds.com,heinzseed.com,heightmowingseeds.com,jlhudsonseeds.net,johnnyseeds.com,mountainvalleygrowers.com,groworganic.com,seedstrust.com,seedway.com

The best way is to locate LOCAL ORGANIC FARMERS who harvest seeds and do exchange.I personally harvest my own as much as I

 can.It is better to grow from locally harvest seeds that have their DNA map is crafted and evolved by the local climate .

You do not have to SPEAK FRENCH to qualify for FRENCH FARMING.

Simply ,you can start gardening in a SMALL space and still harvest MORE,the intensive way! 

The Name French farming came from WW-II as the FRENCH started growing crops in their backyards to fill in the gap after farmers were enlisted and drafted.There was a shortage in produce and THE FRENCH Re-invented the BACKYARD FARMING by growing intensive in small spaces.They used composted manure and organic ammendments .They used rainbarrels and old farming methods that did not depend on machines.

They used to sell their products at the Village Market .There was NO CHARGE for their stands.The government wanted to help so they came and traded and bartered in the begining when money was rare to find.

They worked during the DEPRESSION times and all had bread at the table and no one was homeless or starved in the streets.They had this COMMUNITY FEELING ,so they helped each others in the backyard gardening PROCESS.

That was a COMMUNITY  way of life that we need to draw lessons from ,in retrospect or contrast to our own way of life that is governed by :STACKING MONEY or  STOCKS  !

What we need in our times a spirit of FRENCH FARMING.I go to the green market or farmers market and find NO LOCAL FARMWERS.I was one who tried by all means to have a stand and was pushed aside and denied a stand because the peopkle who run some of those markets which I tried in my area are MERCHANT MINDED.

They bring in the grocery stores who bring in the conventional produce from Mexico and other states SHIPPED and falsley claimed to be FRESH.

I sent letters to commissioners and asked for help for subsidies and support for small farmers to display their produce for FREE in a VILLAGE like markets.They call them "Thursday Markets" in France and Europe.Farmers are required to pay $ 100-150  per stand per month at the Green Markets.They barely make money selling radishes or parsley for .99 cents ...or plants in small 6" containers for $1.50 cents!

The mainstream media rushes to paint green and Organic most of those produce that are imported and sprayed with all kinds of fertilizers and pesiticides.This is the REALITY which the main stream media never publishes because they are fed by the Agr-Business advertizing money!

Bloggers now are flourishing because they are being published and edited by REAL FARMERS who are denied the VISIBILITY either in the mainstream media or the green market.

The new administration did well by starting an ORGANIC vegetabkle garden at the White House.The new administration deserves our applaud for initiating a baby step towards RECOGNIZING the IMPORTANCE of HOME GROWN FRUITS and VEGETABLES.They need our votes in the coming elections and we need their  ATTENTION NOW to send us STIMULUS MONEY.

They need to send it  NOT to the City and County officials or Commissioners for SOME of them are either in Jail or being  investigated for CORRUPTION.I say SOME and not ALL!SEEING IS BELEIVING:Come and inspect those Community gardens that were ERAZED,NEGLECTED  or DENIED budget money.

Come and inspect those farms that are being swallowed or  washed away by developers.Come and see for yourself how the small family/urban farmers live in dire need for help  !We are the weakest chain- link  in the FOOD CHAIN!A healthy nation needs a local  farmer more than an engineer or astraunout.So , show Carera the money!

They need to send direct STIMULUS HELP  to those small  family/urban farmers that have been DENIED THE RIGHT TO EXIST OR SELL OR PROSPER through a chain saw of laws that are CONTRIBUTING to  NULLIFYING their VERY EXISTENCE.There are new elections coming up in 2010.So let us farmers send our letters of concern about the new laws being drafted to silence and shut down family and small farmers.Let us make the call now while HR 2749 is still being contemplated at the Senate floor.We small farmers need to come in UNISON and why not form a UNION...A small Farmers/Urban farmers union to make our voice heard in a culture of lobbiests and special interest groups.This is Democracy in action when we practice our constitutional rights of speach and what have you.

We need to get inspired by the FRENCH FARMING just like we did when this nation fought for its INDEPENDENCE from OCCUPATION.

Is there a new kind of CONTROL sugar coated by laws that try to steal the LIVELIHOOD of Familyand small farmers?We are being forced to eat food grown on sludge or HUMAN SHIT.We are being forced(read the news of  New York health workers protesting the MANDATORY VACCINE)to get( PIGS!) SWINE FLU  vaccinations!.We are kept in the dark by a mainstream media that keeps feeding us food for thought news about EARTHQUAKES-MURDER-WARS .We are brain washed by Hollywood movies that promote violence-blood letting , FEAR and ANIMATION FICTION .Where is the TRUTH?Where are the FACTS being hidden from us?When will be the right time for us to wake up to the facts that our basic human rights to grow our own food are under seige?

Call it AMERICAN FARMING and start digging your own backyard and get inspired by the French who helped this nation win its INDEPENDENCE .The least we can say: They gave us the Statue of Liberty...the rest is left for us to make right our own STATUTES especially the ones that govern our LIVELIHOOD as FARMERS:WE THE PEOPLE  ARE THE KEEPERS OF THE LAND and GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS OUR FARMER FOUNDING FATHER AND PRESIDENT!So, Help us GOD!

You do not have to SPEAK FRENCH to qualify for FRENCH FARMING.

Simply ,you can start gardening in a SMALL space and still harvest MORE,the intensive way! VOILA!!!

The French started this intensive way of gardening after the first and second world wars to grow herbs,vegetables and flowers in the small spaces adjacent to their houses.A tribute to the lost loved ones in the wars!The intensive methods of farming -which they used out of necessity- were considered unattainable by the scientific mechanized way of mass production that utilizes vast acres of land in the AGRI-BUSINESS.

Simply they used intensive spacing for vegetables and companion herbs and utilized the FOURTH DIMENSION in their DIVERSIFIED plasnting.

Fourth dimension refers to TIME.There are crops that require more time to mature and others lesser time.By planting both one acheives more harvesting using this succession way.For example,large plants like peppers ,eggplants,tomatoes will occupy larger space comparatively and require a LONG time to mature.Planting next to them Fast maturing crops like radishes,lettuce,spinach will do the trick!

Also, they used high yielding crops like mustard ,chard,french sorrel and imployed a prolific method by cutting those greens back to 2 inches or less several times during the growing season.

Here in the South Florida hot zone ,the vegetables that are compatible to grow now, include:

Beans,cabbage,beets,celery,COLLARDS,CORN,EGGPLANTS,CHERRY TOMATOES,PEPPERS,RADISHES,SPINACH/Ca-la-loo),ONIONs,cucumbers.

The Insect repelling herbs are also popular here in the South .They are used as companions to the vegetables to help the fight against the bad bugs!Here are some samples:Marigold,chives,garlic,mint,sage,basil,thyme,oregano(Greek and Cuban),rose mary,aloe vera,parsley and LAVENDER.

If it happens that you visit France, and you are a fan of the herbs ,like I am, take the train to AIX EN PROVENCE the CAPITAL of HERBS  of FRANCE! I did the "TOUR DES HERBS "while I was in AIX EN PROVENCE...ENCROYABLE !MANIFIQUE !

You will be flooded with so many kinds of LAVENDER ...THE FRENCH use it in their EVERYTHING:cosmetics,food ,bedrooms,cupboards , ebven in their intimate clothing(CYLOTE~:)etc....

To finish up,here are some tips to start with: Use vertical farming by utilizing a double dig method if your area if  not prone for flooding .If it is , then use the riased beds method.BON CHANCE et BON APPETITE!!SALUTE!

PS:If the French could do it and start a vegetable garden with HIGH yields in a small space,sure you can too!Forget about what they teach you in the  books.Best lessons are learned in REAL TIME FROM REAL PEOPLE- NOT PAPER PEOPLE!IT does not take a rocket scientist to grow a garden...even though some gardens were tested positive for rocket fuel in their lettuce!!!!

As more and more people lose their homes and jobs in this faltering economy, we notice a new  paradigm growing from this socio-economic -cultural DILEMMA!

Urban farmers are sprouting and transforming our community and backyards as well. Edible gardens  are now everywhere replacing the lawns and neglected lands . But , the never ending challenge remains here  in Florida: What to grow and not to grow in the BLAZING SUMMER of the HURRICANE land.

Most of the new commers to South Florida fall into the JUDGE-MENTAL trap of :"Nothing Grows in the Blazing heat and Humidity  of theS. Florida Summer"....WRONG!

Education pays big difference to clear the ambiguities and provide solutions to the new gardening challenges that are rampant here.

What grows and what does not is the is most frequently  asked question in the summer garden?BUT The most hidden question remains untackled :Which are the most HEAT,HUMIDITY,and DRAUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS?GO NATIVE is the ANSWER!

There are many questions that we need to answer  to adress the challenges in creating an Organic Edible Garden in the HOT ZONE 8-9-10 .It is as easy as 1- 2 -3 only if we treat Gardening as  a PROCESS , we need to take it one day and one   step at a time .WE need to go through the learning curve and we need to LEARN patience ,tolerance and endurance instead of"I WANT IT NOW"!Let us start with the right  PLANTS  to GROW and HARVEST during the summer  here in S. Florida:

I-EDIBLE  ORGANIC PLANTS:

A)Vegetables(that DO GROW in the summer): Pepper,okra,cucumber,Caribean spinach or calaloo,Beans(ex: lima,pinto,string,pole ),eggplant,cherry /wild tomato,corn. Gourds like pumpkins and zuchini . Tubers like sweat ptotato ,yuca ,casava and calabasa).

AA)Veggetables (that DO NOT grow in the summer):

Beats,broccoli,cabbage,cauliflower,celery,kohlrabi,lettuce,onions.garlic,mustard,heirloum tomato,carrot,endive,escargot,California spinach,

B) Herbs(Most warm loving plants do grow!):Basil,bay,chives,coriander,dill,fennel,mint,rosemary,parsely,sage,thyme,ginger,NEEM TREE.CUBAN and GREEK OREGANO and much more. Florida  warm climaste is a welcome environment to most herbs .Use shade to counter excessice hot locations.Use mist to cool the temp down!

C) Fruits(Most sub-Tropical zone  trees do GROW): Coconut,banana,plantain,papaya,pineapple,litchee,mango,fig,grape,pomgrenate,watermelon.

D) Flowers: Marygold,sunflower.

E) Succulents and cacti:Aloe vera,prickly pear.

THE GOOD TO KNOW/GROW  TEN TIPS GARDEN COMMANDMENTS:

1)-Thou Shall Diversify:Diversity makes a big difference even in the garden.Example: grow cucumbers next to sunflower to allow the use of a natural trellis (sunflower) for the vine(cucumber).Xeroscaping -or the right place for the right plant- is as important.For example: Cucumber like hills and raised ground.

2)Thou Shall Use Companion Herbs with veggie plants to prevent and ward off pests.Example: Use Cuban Oregano or basil or..your favorite herb as  companion to tomato or okra or any other vegetable-to discourage bugs from attacking your plants..

3)-Thou Shall Solarize the soil prior to planting to sterilize it and wipe out nematodes.

4)Thou Shall Utilize raised beds in flooding areas ,and trenches in high areas.

5)Thou Shall MULCH.MULCH.MULCH:That will help in reducing the heat effect on the plant ,trap the moisture in the soil for longer periods and contribute in water conservation and reducing the irrigation bill!

5) Thou Shall Create  your own ORGANIC SOIL using COMPOST,Manure,Organic ammendments like lime and other minerals enhancers etc.. .

6)Thou ShallNOT ABUSE THE land by using PESTICIDES .Instead use Alternative green prevention methods to combat pests and harmful bugs like:Neem oil,Castor oil,Tea tree oil,Castile soap,cayenne pepper,etc.

7) Thou Shall Use Organic Soil enrichments as an alternative to Chemical Fertilizers.Example:Bone and Blood meal from non-bovine source.Sea weeds.Epsom salt.

8)Thou Shall Make  use of mulch,shade, and ground covers to combat weeds and  reduce heat effects.

9)Thou Shall Use garden safety gear for personal body protection while in the garden.

10) Thou Shall not abuse your body while in the farm/garden.Instead:HYDRATE , and make use of ERGONOMICS .

Happy Summer Gardening

Tony /Alternative Comminty Farmer  @

www localharvest.org/farms/M20618