Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

Have you ever asked yourself this question: Why container gardening is easier to handle than the yard gardening?

Well, here are some benefits listings  to encourage you to start an organic garden in containers if you live in a studio,efficiency,apartment without any access to a front or back yard.

Here in South Florida we are in the 9-10 agricultural zone.Keep this in mind because what defines which plants to grow and which not to is relevant to the zone category which is governed by climatic temperature in general.

I have noticed that the following reasons from my own experience suffice to consider container gardening especially for a new comer to S.Florida or a new gardener  .Here are some observations to take note of Organic  Container Gardening:

1-It is cheaper and SAVES  you money,energy, water conservation,and time.

2-It is SIMPLE and requires no special  expensive big garden tools and accessories.Small inexpensive tools will be enough.

3-It is INSTANT and requires not much efforts or resources to start and maintain. 

4-It is more accessible to the elderly,children and  people  with disabilities.

5-It is more PRONE  to manage,move  during inclement weather or the hurricane season.

6-It is EASY to maintain ,with less weeding for example .

7-It is FUN.You may like to decorate the containers with drawings or painting etc..and place at locations that you find more convenient .

8-It is PRODUCTIVE if you choose to grow fruits,veggies and herbs.

9-It is easy to SALVAGE if you choose to relocate or  otherwisewas obliged get evicted.

10-It is more FLEXIBLE  to locate  either indoors or outdoors.

I am on the move again and my yard is full of herbs and veggies grown in containers.The first thing that comes to mind about growing herbs in S.Florida is where shall I find a place to grow them? Most peolpe now are having their home forclosed and lost to the bailed banks .So , why not grow whatever herbs you like in containers.Containers are not subject to foreclosures and they can be saved by just moving them out with you!

There is a word for the wise:Avoid growing herbs and veggies in PLASTIC CONTAINERS.They are loaded with a chemical called BISHPENOL A.The vegetables and herbs grown in plastic containers get also PLASTICIDES and chemicals used in the plastic containers are usually derivatives from the petrochemical industry.So, when you go to the garden center and buy ORGANIC herbs or plants grown in PLASTIC CONTAINERS be aware of the fact that there are hormone supressors that may influence and compromise  your endocrine system.There is a study about a weed control chemical called ATRAZINE that has been released lately as reported by a blogger at local harvest.org ref the below link:

http://.localharvest.org/blog/28378/entry/atrazine_and_other_endocrine_interruptors

Weeds are another name for HERBS. I grow the foillowing weeds or HERBS in my ORGANIC containers that atre mostly made of brick stones and ceramics.Even the PLASTIC containers can be modified to adjust to the natural way .I usually insulate the root system of my herbs that I grow in plastic containers by surrounding the inner plastic linning of the container with a sheet of natural cork or any ORGANIC material like unbleached natural paper/leaves/cloth..be creative and avoid the plastic contact with the root system.

My experience in growing herbs in containers in Florida especially in the sub-tropical zone 9-10 is : Most herbs love the heat especially :Basil,parsely,mint,rosemary,culantro,aloe vera,lavender,sage and more.This is the best time to plant the seeds for the summer herb container garden.

Herbs are like humans , they come from different geographical and topographical regions.some originate in cold regions  example: dandelion and comfrey.Others originate from sizzling deserts and tropical climates like aloe vera.

When preparing for the HERB CONTAINER garden take this into consideration.Pay attention to where the herbs come from and try to make them happy in their new home that should mimick their original one.Say that you want to grow dandelion for example.Dandelion  favors soil rich in organic matter and wood.Notice that it grows close to tree trunks!So mimick this environment and you will have a successful harvest! ROSE MARY AND ALOE VERA FAVOR  WARM SANDY AND ROCKY SOIL SO PLANT THEM IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT MIMICKS THEIR ORIGINAL HOME!

ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER:Herbs are different than vegetables.So treat them differently.Their soil should be rich in minerals hweras the vegetable soil must be rich in nitrogen and other organic matter.

Hrebs work in the human body as medicine .sO USE THEM SPARINGLY AND LESS !vEGETABLES NOURISH THE BODY AND FRUITS PURGE IT.

HAPPY hERB CONTAINER GARDENING!

More @localharvest.org/farms/M20618

Long time ago ANCIENT man used  NATURAL time tested horticultural prevention methods to combat  garden pests.With the discovery of Oil and after two world wars that left over tons of chemiclas used in warfare , Modern man learned to reap good business from turning over to those leftovers and oil products to invest in a lucrative business called PESTISIDES,FUNGICIDES,HERBICIDES...and the consequences were more people visiting the hospitals and falling ill.I am not talking about those migrant farmers who have given birth to deformed children due to their exposure to the pesticides and company .I am talking about people like myself who developed allergies and sickness due to the chemiclas used to spray my food!So I took the alternative prevention way and now I have experimented with GROWING my own organic pesticides and the results were saving on both the garden center grocery and health bills.You can do it as well if you wish ,it is easy.

1)GARLIC:
I found out that garlic has an aroma that is STINKING so I used it against the pesticides.I now grow garlic on the boundaries of my vegetable garden  in addition I do extract a garlic TEA .I use the green garlic leaves in my salads as well as  to extraxt a tincture to spray my veggie garden with- even when no pests are around,it is very effective in the tropical hot and humid zones of 9-10 of S.Florida in addition to the following:

2)Marigolds: Look for Mexican(Tagetes minuta) and African (Tagetes erecta)marigols , if not available opt for the pot marigiolds(Calendula officinalis).Make sure those marigolds have SCENTS when you buy them.Buy no marigolds that are scent-less!You may brew the flowers as well to produce a tea that is effective as well in spraying against garden pests!

3)Nasturtiums:The flowers and leaves of Nasturtium are edible as well as they are effective to repel pests.You may brew a tea or just mix the extracts with other brews like garlic and marigolds.Experiment.None of those listed are toxic for humans or animals  -if used with moderation and care-but they repel pests!

4)Herbs combo:Dill -Borage-yarrow-pennyroyal-Rose mary-basil: See what is available of the above mentioned and brew.Mix with dissolved ashes and spray .Remember that if you can eat those herbs and flowers and they are safe for your bady , then it is OK to use them to combat pests.Disclaimer:Prior to using all of the above and below mentioned herbs and flowers and plants:Check with your health care professional if in doubt about any side effects or anything allergenic ,toxic or unsafe for  your  use please  discard. .Non harmful organic pesticides are  good for you and for the environment.

5)Neem tree: This tree native to India is now making headlines in combating pests.The leaves as well as the seeds and bark can be used to brew a tea that can be either enjoyed for sipping or spraying .I usually use the STINKING NEEM OIL when spraying my garden.Also , I have Neem trees planted in the garden as well to make trhe environment hostile for  bad pests but friendly for plants and humans.Remember that there are good pests like the LADY BUG...that we need to keep out of harms way!

6)Chrysanthemum(Cinaraefolium or coccineum).May be you recognise the word PYRETHRUM .It is an ingredient that is now widely used by organic pesticide pioneers like OMARI for example.It is best to grow this organic pesticide rather than buy it because there are inert materials added that are not specified in the label and might contain poisons or toxic ingredients in some of the commercial products.So home grown is best to opt for!

Now you may want to know to use which for what pests?

Good thinking.But , I personally do not discriminate against pests or anybody . I have found out that experimenting with mixing aromatherapy oils (such as citronela),soaps(such as Dr Broners castile soap) and herb teas(like the above mentioned) in MODERATE amounts(1 or 2% concentrates for example).The purpose is not to KILL the pests but rather to dicourage and SHOO them!Organic gardeners do not use invasive and harmful ways or words in their food GROWING practice.The meek shall inherit and work the land.So be not MEAN but rather MEAK if you want to inherit the earth and not DESTROY IT or KILL ITS INHABITANTS..including the little pests...shoo them away..that is the do no harm  way!

Have a Safe and happy gardening!

More on our up-coming classes and workshops AND OTHER OERGANIC GARDENING  blog ARTICLES , PLEASE VISIT our web link:

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

Most people like to stipulate, speculate and observe .We learned in school and college to use our brains and be smart. So, the smart way is to THINK and SUPERVISE someone to do the DONKEY work of GARDENING for example! Not any more, with an economy that has stripped most of us from, stocks, savings, homes, cars and jobs. So, SMART“STEREOTYPES and LAWS “are no more applicable, because the one who is now going to do the DONKEY or MENIAL WORK (physical digging, pushing, pulling, weeding...etc) is: YOU KNOW WHO! It is easy to hire someone to help us set up the ORGANIC GARDEN and go! What we have to consider now is: HOW TO MAINTAIN the existing garden?

 It is more practical and economical to do this on our own .What we need is a comprehensive awareness on HOW TO! Here are some suggestions to consider if you have not much time, money, gardening experience and PATIENCE:

 I_- It is IMPORTANT TO KEEP ADDING ORGANIC MATTER!

 A major basis for organic gardening is the use of abundant quantities of organic material applied to the soil. Usually, it is in the form of animal manures, plant manures, cover crops, compost, or mixed organic fertilizer. Benefits of Adding Organic Matter 

1.Improves ability of soil to hold water.

2.Improves ability of soil to hold nutrients.

 3.Improves "buffering" capacity of soil; that is, keeps soil from "over-reacting".

 4.Supports the soil's microbiological activity (or the life of the soil).

 5.Contributes nutrients, both minor and major.

 6.Releases nutrients slowly.

 7.Acids arising from the decomposition of the organic matter help to convert insoluble natural additives such as ground rock into plant-usable forms.

 8.Helps vegetables survive stress, as from nematodes.

 9.Helps dispose of organic waste products.

 What Happens to Organic Matter Applied to the Soil or Compost Pile?

 Under suitable conditions, the organic matter is decomposed by micro-organisms such as fungi, algae, bacteria, molds, and earthworms. In the process, insoluble and unavailable (to plants) nutrients, such as nitrogen, are gradually changed into simple usable products.

 For example, nitrogen is converted from the unusable organic forms to a usable inorganic form through the process called nitrification. Thus, nitrification is the breakdown of protein (organic nitrogen) into ammonia and then nitrate. Some of the organic matter becomes part of the soil humus.

 Proper Conditions for Nitrification

 First, materials containing nitrogen must be present. There is a great variation in the amount of nitrogen the different organic materials contain. Then certain soil or compost conditions are necessary:

 1.Proper soil acidity (pH) --should be about 7.0; in acid situation below 5.5 it ceases.

 2.Proper temperature of soil -- above 50°F.

 3.Good aeration -- (does not occur with wet, soggy soil or compost).

 4.Adequate lime for use by micro-organisms and to keep the soil from being acid.

 II-IT IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT TO KEEP ON ADDING: ANIMAL COMPOSTED MANURES (Horse manure is my favorite!)

 Where animal manures are available, they are probably the best source of fertilizer and organic matter for the organic gardener. Use manure which has been aged for at least 30 days, or composted.

 Acceptable manure-like organic fertilizer (artificial manure) may be obtained through the process of composting. Simply put, compost is made by alternating layers of organic materials, such as leaves and kitchen table refuse, with manure, topsoil, lime, organic fertilizer, water, and air, in such a manner that it decomposes, combines, and yields artificial manure.

 What Organic Materials Can Be Used in the Compost Pile? Most anything organic, but most popular materials are natural materials such as straw, leaves, pine straw, grass clippings, shrub clippings, fish scraps, etc.

 Phosphorus -- Rock phosphates are natural deposits of phosphate in combination with calcium. The material as dug from the earth is very hard and yields its phosphorus very slowly. When finely ground and with impurities removed, the powdery material is only slightly soluble in water, but may be beneficial to plants in subsequent seasons following application. The reaction of phosphate rock with acids from decaying organic matter in the garden or compost tend to make the phosphorus available to garden plants. Colloidal phosphate is also available and widely used.

 Or, when applying manure or compost, mix at the rate of 2½ pounds phosphate per 25 pounds manure or compost.

 Broadcast the material over the soil surface and work into the topsoil at least three weeks before planting. Manure or other organic fertilizer should be added at this time.

 Since the materials are so slowly decomposed, side dressings are seldom beneficial.

 Potash -- Potassium is widely distributed in nature, occurring in rocks, soils, tissues of plants and animals, and water of seas and lakes.

 In gardening practice, materials such as wood ashes, tobacco stems, wool suint, seaweed, potash salts, greensand, and ground rock potash are used alone, in combinations with other materials yielding other nutrients, mixed with manure, or in compost piles.

 In general, ground rock potash at 5 pounds per 100 square feet may be broadcast over the soil surface three weeks prior to planting and spaded in. Langbeinite (Sul-Po-Mag) is used at 1 lb/100 sq ft.

 Micro-nutrients -- An advantage for using organic materials as fertilizers is that they contain many of the elements also needed by the plants in addition to N, P, and K (for example, manganese in manure).

 Besides the general amounts of micronutrients found in most organic materials, certain ones are concentrated into such naturally occurring materials as gypsum (calcium and sulfur), marl (calcium), dolomite (Calcium and magnesium), limestone (calcium), basic slag (iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium), and finely ground borosilicate.

 Lime -- Reducing the acidity of the soil is the primary purpose for using lime in the garden. However, liming materials also provide nutrients for plant use. Calcium and magnesium are the two elements most commonly provided by lime. Gypsum is used where more calcium is needed without raising the pH.

 Natural deposits of lime which are an organic gardener might use are limestone, dolomite, shell, and marl. All these forms must be finely ground to provide maximum benefit to the soil and plants. Dolomite is preferred due to its content of both calcium and magnesium. Lime to sweeten the soil should be applied only when the needs have been established by a reliable soil test. Under most Florida soil conditions, applications of 2 to 5 pounds of finely ground dolomite limestone per 100 square feet usually will be sufficient except on very acid soils.

MULCHING.. MULCHING... .....MULCHING IS SOOOO ..IMPRTANT !

 Mulch is any material, usually organic, which is placed on the soil surface around the plants. Organic materials most commonly used for mulching are leaves, grass clippings, pine straw, sawdust, and wood shavings. Synthetic materials, mostly plastic sheeting,ARE A NO NO NO NO in ORGANIC GARDENING! ! Among the benefits of a mulch are (a) conserves soil moisture, (b) conserves nutrients, (c) reduces soil erosion, (d) reduces crop loss due to nematodes, (e) reduces weed growth, (f) provides barrier between fruit and soil, thus reducing soil rot on fruit, and (g) moderates the soil temperature.

 Apply mulch before or after seeding or transplanting. Roll back the mulch with a rake in order to wet the soil beneath when irrigating, for best results.

At the end of the garden season, the mulch (except plastic) may be removed and composted, or cut into the garden soil. Most mulch is woody and should have manure or other rich organic fertilizer applied with it when cutting into the soil.

 WEED CONTROL or PREVENTION:What to subtract from the existing soil!

 The primary purpose of cultivation is to AVOID weeds. Weeds are easy to eliminate when they are small and young. Shallow cultivation and hoeing are advised in order to reduce damage to the root system. A garden mulch, such as pine straw, leaves, or other material, will help to keep weeds from growing if the mulch is thick enough to exclude light. Another way is to use a HOE in S. Florida to sweep out the weeds!

 INSECT AND DISEASE CONTROL: In organic gardening the term usually used is PREVENTION rather than CONTROL through the use of the chemical pesticides and sons! So, the secret for disease control lies in the GOOD ORGANIC HOME MADE SOIL.

Find out more details about home made soil in my by previous  article on PEAK SOIL!

Happy gardening!

WHAT DOES REALLY MATTER:THE ECONOMICS OF GARDENING or GARDENING ERGONOMICS?

Gardening is a therapy as per the programs and degrees now available in colleges as :HORTICULTURAL THERAPY.Could it be a CHALLENGING PAIN IN THE BACK AS WELL?It all depends how we use our body to carry on the gardening functional movements.

As a certified Massage Therapist and a Master Gardener , I studied  the anatomy and physiology of both plants and the human body.I have learned how to work my muscles in a way that will not spoil my passion for gardening.

Now I want to share my story with you gardeners and farmers who learned about everything except HOW TO USE YOUR BODY ERGONOMICALLY!

Repetetive motion of the wrist and knee and shoulder and back.Watch out for the OUCHES and ACHES when you abuse your body.There are ERGONOMIC Garden tools in the market , but I am not trying to SELL YOU anything .Beware those sales people who come to you wearing different masks in the name of ORGANIC GARDENING.We all need to make a living but the best way is the DIRECT HONEST WAY where we use no gimmicks or games to make the buck.There are so many so called false prophets so beware !Here are some suggestions to be ERGONOMICALLY fit:

1-Use Ergonomic tools.Look them up at the web and make sure that you buy the least .Check out weights,angles,materials.Try them before you buy them and feel them for their safety ,flexibility and comfort!Remember that the tools must rotate not your wrist .So they must be strong ,safe and reliable not to break or cause you injury.

2-Check out with your health care provider if you are clear to stear free in the garden or the farm and that you have no conditions that might impair your gardening and put you in HARMS WAY!.

3-Get a good GRIP on your tools.Use your wrist ERGONOMICALLY :The wrist is vulnerable, once we abuse it  we might end up straing a muscle,twisting or injuring a tendon by applying  inappropriate  muscle or body movement .

4-Learn more about your body anatomy and physiology.Take responsibility.:The hand for example employs FLEXERS and EXTENSORS that host the nerves and hand muscles  which have been vulnerable for CARPAL TUNNEL and TENNIS ELBOW  syndrome/injuries from employing repetetive hand motions either in Gardening or in Tennis exercises.

5-Study ERGONOMICS :The word originates from the GREEK language.Prefix -ERGO:WORK MOVEMENT,and Suffix- nomix:Study.The study of work movement!Voila! 

6-Ask the experts and the EXPERIENCED:Gardeners or farmers who studied horticulture and anatomy and physiology are to be trusted to advise you.There are self proclaimed teachers who ONLY know how to SELL and EMPLOY their mouth and the muscle of their tongue to twist your dollar out of your pocket for lessons and books they sell without even having a garden or a farm.Check out that they do HANDS ON CLASSES first and do not be distracted by the presenatble paper work or fashion.I will follow the farmer or gardner in rags who has experience in the feld ,knows what he/she  is doing and saying rather that the well dressed ,well versed one just fakes it!You know them by their FRUIT(garden)!If they dioo not have one.You know what to do!

7-Place your body in harmoney with the gravity of the universe and the earth.When pushing,pulling,digging etc..use your  body weight.

8-Keep on learning and applying what you learn in the garden or the farm .Be patient.Be flexible.Be safe!Wear on the garden safety gear:hat,gloves,sun-glasses and DRINK SPRING WATER!

9_Stretch your muscles after a garden work or take a yoga class.

10-Rest your body often.

Have a happy and SAFE Gardening!

LOcalharvest.org/farms/M20618

After Peak OIl what we need to pay attention to is :PEAK SOIL.LINCOLN once predicted that soil is the next ENDANGERED SPECIES.With development destroying most of the historical ,commercial and recent farms in S.Florida what is left to consider are the BACK and FRONT YARDS!

Here in S.Florida the land was once known for SWAMPS and THE RIVER OF GRASS was the KING.NOW it is no more than DEVELOPMENTS and what is left is:SAND  SAND EVERY WHERE !

Why there are no laws to protect the farms  fertile top soil from being destroyed by development ?Why there are no laws to protect the drinking water from contamination like what is happening now at the ACREAGE?There are so many cries for helping the ENVIRONMENT.Last cry was after  the recent SNOW blizzards that closed down Northern states for unprecdented times and days.Crops are being damaged as the COLD fronts move to Florida as well.SOIL SOIL SOIL is NOW the  CRY for saving the EARTH after we cried GLOBAL WARMING for decades and no one was home in COPENHAGEN to DO SOMEHING about it .

Now we need to look closer at our backyards soil or shall we say instead :SAND!

Creating your own ORGANIC SOIL may be the answer to combat the S.Florida nematodes that inhabit what is left over in the soil.

Wonder why the plants die?It is not your brown thumb to blame.It is the SOIL!

The soil is the home of both friendly and non friendly organisms, just like our colon is the home of the intestinal FLORA , both the friendly and non-friendly  ones.The answer we usually use to combat dis-ease both to plants and humans is :Antibiotic for the latter and Round UP or PESTICIDES for the former.BOTH will kill them all:the good and bad guys!Organic soil hosts worms and beneficial bacteria that turn the soil into HUMUS.That is the rich organic matter neccessary to grow our crops which was present long time in ancient history of the earth!.We know that the TOP SOIL HAS BEEN DEPLETED.What we need to learn now is :HOW TO RE-MINERALIZE and RECREATE the soil.It takes MOTHE$R EASRTH 500 years to produce few inches of fertile top soil.We take for granted that we can grow as much as we want using fertilizers ,pesticides and soil chemical amendments .That is not valid any more.Organic farming is now the way of DOING HORTICULURE.Permaculture,sustainability,community gardens are just a few of  alternative approaches  that we might consider.Ecological farming,enhancement of bio-diversity in the soil,elimination of toxic cancer producing synthetic fertilizers and pesticides,fungicides,herbicides etc...

Organic farming in the city will be practiced by URBAN FARMERS who now have lost their jobs and are on the verge of losing their homes.Those backyards may be the new GOLD RUSH. LOCALLY and Organiccally grown produce has been now the talk of the town at GREEN markets near you.So what we need to KNOW in ORDER to be ABLE to GROW the ORGANIC WAY? First start by the SOIL.Whatever you feed the plants  makes the difference.You are what your soil is .Know your soil and the bset way is to GROW YOUR OWN.Here is HOW:

1-A key element to remeber.Steer clear from contaminated SLUDGE(heavy metals,pharmaceuticals,fertilizers,pcb etc..)

2-Use home composting to start with.Compost should be the basic.Recycle kitchen veggie and fruit  scrapps(no -meat products).

3-Ammend with Organic fertilizers :Bone meal,blood meal,bird feathers..

4-Enrich soil with sea weed,lime grounds,phosphate grounds.A good source for minerals5-Add brown manure(mulch,yard leaves ,saw dust etc.)A source for carbon.

5-Fortify with composted manure(range chicken,goat,horse),grain meal,coffee grounds.A good source of nitrogen.

6-To eliminate odor add borax,baking soda..

7-Top with local  solarized soil

8-Expose to the four elements:Air( aerial nitrogen) -Water(rain rich with hydrogen peroxide))-fire(sun)-Earth(worms)

9-Mix and mix.

10-Use it in your garden -mix with local solarized soil.

Trace minerals people.Paty attention to them.Our bodies were created from dirt and will turn into dust once we expire.So check it out.What kind of DIRT(SOIL) you want to eat from.You are what you eat or is it, what is eating you!

Happy gardening.

Localharvest.org/farms/M20618.Read our blog.

EVERY VALENTINE DAY SEASON WE FALL INTO THE SAME TRAP.CHEMICAL TOXINS SPRAYED ON THE VALENTINE ROSES.BEWARE THE IMPORTED ROSES FROM MEXICO AND ECUADOR AND OTHER SOUTH/CENTRAL  AMERICA SOURCES.THEY ARE LOADED WITH PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES AND FUNGICIDES.THERE ARE SO MANY ARTICLES WRiTTEN ABOUT THE SUBJECT.I DID A BLOG article ON THE SAME SUBJECT LAST YEAR SAME TIME.IT IS GOOD TO BE REMINDED TO BE SAFE RATHER THAN SORRY!

WHY NOT TRYING TO GROW YOUR OWN OR JUST OPT FOR A NON-TOXIC PRESENT LOCALLY PRODUCED IN USA.YOU STIMULTAE THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND YOU KEEP A LOVED ONE AWAY FROM BECOMING SICK FROM SMELLING A ROSE LOADED WITH CHEMICALS.THINK ABOUT IT.

I AM FASCILITATING AN ORGANIC GARDENING WORKSHOP ON THE EVE OF VALENTINES DAY AND I WANT TO RAISE THE AWARENESS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND URBAN FARMING.SHOW YOUR LOVE TO MOTHER EARTH BY CHOOSING THE ORGANIC WAY OF LIFE!

GO GREEN.GROW A VEGETABLE GARDEN AND BEAUTIFY IT WITH VALENTINE RED ROSES ORGANICALLY GROWN RIGHT IN YOUR HOME!SAVE MORE BY GROWING MORE !HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY VALENTINE.

Alternative Community Farmer

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 .

As an Urban Farmer who lives in Florida , I have closely been in touch with Haitians who by nature are farmers and keepers of the land.Their country has witnessed a davastating  earthquake 7 Reichter magnitude and there are plenty of room for receiving aid and help.President Obama has given priority in sending quick releif and we as farmers need to join the releif effort even by sending leftovers from our crops or clothes canned food and bottled water in case money was short to send.It could have happened to us here in Florida.Haiti is not that far anyway.This is the moment where we humans find it relevant to do THE RIGHT THING to our neighbours in Haiti.What we do to others will tell the world who we are.

Last time I reported from the LWRC was when the landscape grounds as well as the skills of the garden work force were being enriched by Brickmans , one of the top landscaping corporations  nationwide .It was October 16,2009.

Today is January 13,2010 . I bring along my enthusiasm and passion to the center to report another day .The temperature of the ARCTIC CHILL is receding back to the normal tropical zone.I rode my bicycle to catch up the line of job aplicants who start flooding the center around 7 AM  for local work .Most of the workers who use the center are specialized in landscaping .I count more than 50 unemployed  linning up for the monthy bus pass .A service the center provides to help out the unemployed secure a price reduced MONTHLY bus pass at $ 5, from the TRI-COUNTY PALM TRAM.

On the other part of the hall at LWRC there are around 30 students who are enrolled in a program to learn the ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

The center also provides breakfast and lunch meals for free to the incumbants who find at the center a great venue for using their IT center for job search  and other educational means.

The calender for January is rich with activities  and programs such as:

Tutorials.English for the workplace course.AA presentation.Art workshop.Cake decorating class.ID cards assistance program.Cake decorating class.

As an Urban Organic Farmer who uses the center , I find it helpful to extend a helping hand in reporting about its great contribution to the community.I also have offered my vision and volunteer services to start an educational ORGANIC GARDENING WORKSHOP at any time in the future when it is convenient to the center.Here in Lake Worth  there are great opportunities for employing the experienced migrant farmers if we create a right setting that combines bringing in the potential home owners who need to start an ORGANIC VEGGIE GARDEN in their backyards ,along with the Landscaping employers who like to expand their scope of work into ORGANIC GARDENING.

I have discussed my  vision and ideas with Mr.Don Wilson, the CEO of the Mentoring Center earlier and I am still confident that one day such a workshop will find its way into being at the center.

In tiimes so dire economically , we need to explore and create more opportunities for our community just by offering to volunteer our services even if we can not find financial remunerations at first.Creating work at the community level means utilizing  resources both human and financial to make a positive impact on our community.There are people who talk about it in meetings, or whatever ,to bolster their PR image and there are people who JUST DO IT to do the right thing and make a difference in peoples lives.The people at LWRC do make a difference and they need our help one day at a time.Thank you DON WILSON and team of volunteers at the LWRC.

Tony Dagher BA,CFMG @

localharvest.org/farms/M20618

Last Sunday I went to the Flea Market covering myself with a blanket.My friend who accompanied me had a SKI mask to protect against the chilling ARCTIC wind .The premises looked empty as half of the vendors were out and customers who are usually crowding the market were no where to be found.Today Tuesday ,will be the 11th day where we Floridians experience a cold streak that has been oscillating at a below 45 degrees Fahrenhite .Last time in memory ,some  local centurians recall ,a similar drop was back in 1956!

I was reading about the sudden rise in Orange Juice stocks ..Most damages to the citrus crop will not be apparent to calculate instantly , but there is evidence of heavy damages in the western parts of the state where temperatures reached down below 30 degrees Fahrenhite in some areas.Certain crops are totalled like green beans(suffered a lot of damages as it is sensitive to cold temperatures),others took a lesser bite  like corn(whole sale prices jumped from around $12 a 50 ear crate last week to $18 on Monday),.In brief damages are substantial and veggies prices will see a hike nationwide as a consequence.Florida supplies during the winter about 75% of produce to the nation.There are scattered organic  urban farmers,CSA and local growers and small nurseries like herb farms that are also affected but do not receive compensations for failed crops during to inclement weather.The main stream media usually sounds the LOUD alarm so that the cry for the big AGRI BUSINESS reaches Washington  to affect compensations to the big industry !

Incentives and compensations are  allocated to the CONVENTIONAL BIG AGRI BUSINESS as usual in such  situations .As the ORGANIC small farmers movement is in the increase nation wide , we need to reach out for equal treatments to farmers altogether big and small .In times where challenges hit the farmers unity and support are of the essence.The media as usual will analyse the situation from a monetary point of view , wheras in fact the HUMANITARIAN factor is bypassed.A change of climate now is impacting a change in our farming practices.The Southern Tropical zones of 10-11 are now being confused with the Nothern Arctic2-3.Will there be a reversal change in temperatures  and therefore of switching crops between the North and South.We need farmers in office to bring the message closer so proper action will follow .George Washington and Jefferson our early farmers presidents now more than ever their memories should stirr a REAL CHANGE in our attitude to URBAN ORGANIC FARMING!The future is for small urban farmers as the BIG BUSINESS will move to other countries like Mexico and China to afford the labor factor after we send the migrant farmers home.Those who will  stay attached to the land will be those MEAK who will inherit and farm it.

Children and the disabled share one thing in common:Difficulty to EFFICIENTLY  utilize body functional movement in gardening chores.Whether it was the tiny hands , weak and still developing muscles and bone structure of children or the physical disability of the adult .The outcome is the same .DIFFICULTY in pushing,lifting,pulling,bending movement.To adress this we need to adjust the garden to fit into the world of both of children and disabled adults.

A)-HAVE A SAFE GROUND LOCATION :

There are many ways to garden for  children and the disabled.Here are some samples of  tips to choose from:

1-Container Gardening or planting box

2-Raised beds , trellises and vertical gardening accessible with special routes for wheel chairs.

3-Hanging baskets sitting on tables and accessible for wheel chairs.

4-Small pots and containers for seeding and seedlings transplant.

5-planting in bags of top soil placed on elevated ground.

B)-APPLY Gardening ERGONOMICS:

ERGON-OMICS is a GREEK word.The prefix refers to" work injuries "and the suffix to the "study of"!

1-ERGONOMIC TOOLS.There are tools in the market that are labeled as ERGONOMIC , take advantage and buy some.

One must pay attention though and double check the tools by trying them first and feeling them!They must be light and bent at certain angles to fit the grab of the tiny wrists of kids and the vulnerability of the disabled.Some tools are labled ergonomic for the purpose of influencing the PURCHASE DECISION more or less.An experienced  certified horticulturist/gardener or farmer should be consulted prior to making the purchase.

2-Follow ERGONOMIC BODY functional movement:Being a certified massage therapist and a certified master gardener, I speak from my personal experience and education .I studied both the anatomy and physiology of the human BODY  in addition to  Plant botany and gardening as well.I beleive that the positioning of the human body is of the essence.Functional movement of the muscles and body postures are of utmost importance to study and apply what is SAFE while in the farm or the garden to avoid injuries .An ounce of prevention is worth more than a ton of medication .A wise advice can bring you a prize!

Most Horticultural educational proograms, I know of, do not include gardening ergonomics in their curriculum.So, it is best to do your own home work or hire someone who has the know how and the HANDS ON GROUND experience to teach you.I stray away from opportunists and self proclaimed organic gardeners who do not have the appropriate LOCAL EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE! Always consult with your health practitioner before engaging in any kind of gardening or physical work .A gardener must not be a substitute to your DOCTOR.A lot of  gardeners I know of suffer back pain from injuries in the garden or other accidents due to IGNORANCE and wrong body movements or tools utilization.

Your human body is the vehicle that moves you around ,take care of your body first.Be safe.Wear safety garden gear.Drink a lot of water.

Have a Happy and SAFE gardening.

There is a child care  close to where I live.Sherry who runs the small day care has a physical disability but loves to garden.I visited her yesterday with some seedlings donations and started a small vegetable garden at her backyard.NO CHARGE!A HAPPY NEW YEAR GIFT!I wanted to start the  year by doing something different to my NEIGHBORHOOD that makes a difference in peoples lives.Children and the disabled skip our attention in our daily marathon to make the buck.We are addicted to so many foods,beverages,malls,relationships,commodities,gadgets and you name it : THINGS .We are busy doing things or talking about ourselves and forget about who are our neighbours or at least :"WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OTHERS"? as Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. once wondered!

Children need our LOVING attention more than the China  TOXIC toys we buy for them to keep them busy and feed their ego with commodities and candies.How about starting a small veggie garden for your little ones in your backyard to teach him or her the basic CREATIVE art of COLORFUL and BOUNTIFUL PRODUCTIVE ORGANIC GARDENING?

There is an outcry of MUCHO illegal immigrants of MIGRANT FARMERS in our backyard and we need to fix this by sending them back home.Good.What about the replacements ?Who is going to pick up the tomatoes and do the DIRT JOB in the field?We are leaving to our children a huge inheritence of  DISORDERS(ADHD). TRILLIONS in DEFICIT and DEBT , MILLIONS of UNEMPLOYED,LACK of HEALTH INSURANCE to the poor and unemployed, to mention the least .How about reversing our  acts or the LACK of it.Starting a veggie garden at a KINDERGARDEN is not a bad idea.I worked once with the 4-H program and the 4-H co-ordinator once brought the little people to the community garden and guess what? They love to touch and play with the soil and plant tiny seeds with their tiny fingers.

ASTHMA,ADHD and other health disorders are now being traced to lack of outdoor FRESH AIR  activities to our children(THEIR BRAINS ARE STARVED FOR OXYGEN) .Wonder why children fail science and math tests and disdain them?Their hands are being tied into the INDOORS CLOSED WORLD of keyboards and TV /computer virtual video games.Instead ,we need to employ their hands in the garden and teach them the art of growing food.The time is ripe NOW with double digit unemployment to start creating ORGANIC  VEGGIE GARDENS and FARMING JOBS in our communities and SCHOOLS .

Hello,anybody home?Are you looking for help to start a veggie garden at your school?Home?Take note of the Organic VEGGIE garden at the White House..There is a positive message from the garden to you!Start Growing your own organic food at home!

Once upon a time I was approached by a director of a Day Care center to be hired to start a veggie garden.I was impressed by the LOOKS and IMAGES that the director portrayed to me about her school but in the end guess what? She hired a lady who arranged for a free donation from a UN program that is 100% fertilizer based soil in plastic containers .Imagine those tiny kids fingers being immersed in chemical fertilizer base soil?It was the BOTTOM LINE which mattered for that school and NOT the PRINCIPLE of SUSTAINABILITY  which they were preaching.LOOKS always FOOL YOU.IMAGE IS NOT EVERYTHING contrary to what the media tries to brain wash us with.There are a lot of OPPORTUNISTS out there who do not walk their talk.Be MORAL VALUE inclined when it comes to selecting what is GOOD for our CHILDREN rather than following the MONEY VALUE !The BOTTOM LINE in such situations could bring our children DOWN TO THE BOTTOM !

Most people think that community gardens are supported by government  and local city halls.Not so as I know of.Carver Park Community garden in Delray Beach ceased to exist last summer.Now it is the site of land fills !Chief Sitting Bull Organic Community Garden in Lake Worth was erased back in 2007 !Miami community Garden also disappeared as well ! Others more evaporated in such hard ecconomic times where soup kitchens and churches are crying for food produce donations to feed the growing numbers of the  unemployed  ,the homeless and  some senior citizens !

Across US Small urban farmers who choose to use Community Gardens are encountering obstacles and MUCHO bumps and discouragements from both public and private entities .For example, I qoute an article by Elizabet Licata* in the last issue of HORTICULTURE magazine Dec/Jan 2010 issue page 104, "..more than 400 community gardens in Manhattan,New York , have been the subject of public battles since 1999.Sacramento,California, lost its Community Garden to condo developers in 2009.The recent Academy Award -nominated documentary THE GARDEN tells the Saga of the famous community garden in SOUTRH -CENTRAL Los Angelos that was plowed under in 2006." Unqoute.

I was lucky to have my work  at one of the swallowed and destroyed community garden documented by a local Newspaper back in 2008.I lost everything without being even notified to remove tools or salvage some of the rare medicinal trees like the AYUERVEDIC NEEM TREE ,Papaya trees etc.. I was donating Organic Veggies to a local soap kitchen since 2001.Not any more.

In times  so dire where we URBAN FARMERS struggle with Climate Change,Economic DEEP_RECESSION and double digit unemployment (in Florida!) add to this lack of support or Stimulus help to support local SUSTAINABLE ORGANIC HORTICULTURE -We pray for a change of heart and mind by those who are in AUTHORITY and  CARE FOR local food production and sustainable green living to do THE RIGHT THING!

Note: Check out more articles  by Elizabeth Licata at her blog:gardenrant.com

We are witnessing the fallouts of climate change here in Florida as never before during the last decade.temperatures have reached the low twenties coupled with a double digit unemployment rate.

Farmers are rushing to insulate their crops to protect against the frost and inclement COLD weather that is not a common thing here in the TROPICAL SOUTH FLORIDA to say the least!