Create natural balance and resilience on your farm.
Biodiversity strengthens your soil foundation by reducing pest pressure and creating new income streams. Strategies like flowering borders, intercropping, and edge habitat management can reduce pesticide use by 20–50% and even qualify you for conservation payments.
Learn how to work with nature to boost pollination, increase yields, and build long-term ecological and financial stability.
As the world’s population grows, so does its demand for animal proteins which puts a great deal of pressure on natural populations. Agriculture has helped to reduce such pressures on land animals [albeit causing other problems in the process]. Aquaculture is the aquatic version of agriculture in that fresh and saltwater organisms are farmed. Farming…
In nearly all healthy ecosystems, there is an intricate network of living organisms that coexist and provide balance to the environment. Modern approaches to agriculture counter this balance and embrace monoculture production. Within monoculture systems, there is only one type of crop which opens the crop to a number of problems, like pest infestations or…
It is commonly argued that industrial agriculture is a necessary evil in the world. Proponents contend that industrial agriculture’s efficiency and ability to produce huge quantities of products using less space are pivotal to feeding hungry nations throughout the world. Others believe that industrial agriculture has freed poor, rural citizens from their ‘backward country ways’…
Plant structure and appearance varies throughout a plant’s lifecycle. It is natural for leaves to brown and fall and it is not uncommon for fruits and flowers to vary in size and shape. However, there is a range of factors that can lead to more intensive damage and irregularities. These factors are known as plant…
All healthy ecosystems contain a complex system of microbes, insects, plants, and animals that interact to maintain balance and contribute to the well-being of a given space. Companion planting is a targeted effort to exploit the benefits of the relationships between specific plants to improve production vitality. More simply, companion planting is a specific type…
The expansion of urban agriculture is arguably necessary to feed the world’s population, especially as the global migration towards urban centers continues. However, there is a range of hindrances preventing its full utilization, all of which are not necessarily exclusive to urban production systems – especially problems associated with a lack of foresight. Populations within…
Although there are range of motivations for choosing to intercrop in a farming system, strong production and output are undoubtedly main priorities. Accordingly, a means to measure the efficacy is necessary. This allows a farmer to objectively evaluate the outcome of their cropping plan and adjust their practices, e.g. spacing and cultivar use, accordingly. The…
There are four main intercropping patterns: row intercropping, mixed intercropping, strip intercropping and relay intercropping. In row intercropping, two or more crops are planted simultaneously in separate rows. How and if the plants compete for resources is dependent on the numbers of rows, the spacing and the types of cultivars, although some competition for light…
Genuine organic agriculture is rooted in four main principles: ecology: both ecological systems and cycles should be supported health: the well-being of both flora and fauna should be sustained fairness: providing common and just environment and life opportunities care: the management of natural resources that is both precautionary and responsible for the benefit of current and future generations, as…
There is no doubt about it – we like a shiny apple. It just looks so much more appealing than the odd, misshapen apple that has already been sampled by the local fauna. After all, we humans are visual creatures and the appearance of our food is what peaks our initial interest. Besides looking great,…