Monoculture: The Future of Farming?

It’s fair to say that a lot of people who grow their own vegetables take an interest in organic farming and a more sustainable approach to food production. Hand in hand with this – the perception that monocultures are a complete no-no. That’s what makes this article (and accompanying video) by Frederick Kaufman so interesting (to me, anyway).

Written for  America’s Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Kaufman’s article puts an alternative spin on the concept of sustainability by looking at how large-scale monoculture farming (in this case, Frank Muller’s uber-tomato farm which, last year, supplied 60,000 tonnes of tomatoes to Unilever) might actually be part of a green farming solution rather than wholesale contributor to its problems.  The article looks at ways in which high-precision management, a focus on productivity and spot-on book-keeping can be part of a green farming solution.

Counter-intuitive, but plenty of food for thought….

What to sow in September 2 – southern hemisphere

September planting 2 – the southern hemisphere

On this particular front, I can only really speak from my experiences growing vegetables in Cape Town, South Africa. If you’re really worried about cold-hardiness, waiting until late-August/September before sowing your favourite vegetables should see you right. Here are some ideas for the next week or two’s sowing…

What to sow in September 1

Whether it’s Spring or Autumn in your neck of the woods, there’s plenty for you to plant now…

As September approaches, southern hemisphere grow-your-own-ers are looking forward to a summer filled with the sort of produce those of us in the northern hemisphere are eating the last of. Regardless of where you’re living, the good news is that there’s plenty to do on the grow-your-own front in September. Here are some ideas, split between those of us heading into spring and those of us wondering what we can eak out of our gardens in the leaner autumn and winter months. Today, it’s the northern hemisphere…

France: the Grow-Your-Own capital of the planet?

Spot the corn on the cob, aubergine, runner beans, tomatoes...

It’s been a long time since I last posted. That’s got quite a bit to do with me upping sticks and moving to France. I’ve spent the past few months with no access to a garden or any space to grow my own, although I did manage the obligatory radishes along with a few tomato plants, an aubergine and a squash in among the flowers in the small bed at the front of the first house I stayed in. Given that almost all the locals have their own potager positively teeming with everything from tomatoes to artichokes, potatoes, cabbage, courgettes, salad leaves, onions and everything in between, I’ve been gazing longingly over the walls of my new-found neighbours since I got here.

Among the most beautiful sights are the rows of Marmande, a French heirloom variety of tomato

Free courses with the Soil Association this winter

If you live in the UK, count yourself lucky (even if you are under a few feet of snow!) – the Soil Association is offering free courses on a range of gardening/agriculture/organic topics throughout the country between now and March 2010. From crop planning to pig keeping, horticulture and growing vegetables in your community, there’s something for everyone.

Free courses with the Soil Association this winter.

Carrot and butterbean soup

Depending on where you live, soup is either the last thing on your mind right now or you’re craving something hearty and warm by the fire. Either way, if you’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy a successful crop of carrots and are now looking for something to do with them, this recipe for carrot and butterbean (also known as “Lima”) soup is as tasty as it’s wholesome. If you’re thinking of a starter for Christmas dinner, it’s perfect in the festive colour department too.

Landshare.org

Landshare.org is a British initiative that looks to re-think the way we produce and grow food. The community puts people who have land in touch with people who want to produce food and encourages people to get talking and working together. The idea is that people with a bit of spare space can offer it to a would-be grower in exchange for some of their harvest. The British TV station Channel 4 has set up a web site and forum based around the aims of the organisation. If you’re looking for some inspiration and would like to get involved, why not check it out.

www.landshare.org

http://landshare.channel4.com

Food Inc documentary

If this doesn’t get you out into the garden and growing your own, nothing will. Writers Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser are involved in this documentary about everything that’s wrong with the American (and, consequently, global) food system and what we can do to change it.

Grow your own carrots

The taste of a freshly pulled organic carrot simply can’t be beaten by anything you get at the shops – even dyed-in-the-wool organic-skeptics admit that they taste better. For a product that’s widely viewed as something of a poster child for everything that’s good about natural produce (who can resist photos of baskets of them, complete with their fan of green foliage?), it’s interesting to note that carrots are quite possibly one of the most tweaked-with vegetables around. Originating in Afghanistan, selective breeding over centuries has improved everything from the appearance to the texture and, indeed, the colour: carrots of yore were naturally purple – the orange was bred into them by, surprise surprise, the Dutch.

Today, carrots come in all shapes, sizes and colours as diverse as purple, white, yellow and red. If you’re thinking of growing your own, maybe opt for the less common varieties – the regular kind are readily available in the shops and cost very little, so you may as well reward yourself with something a little bit different for all your efforts. Here’s how to grow your own carrots. And yes, if you do eat too many of them your skin really will begin to turn orange… 

Organic Farming can Tackle Climate Change

The UK’s Soil Association has announced that if all British farmland was converted to organic farming, at least 3.2 million tonnes of carbon would be absorbed by the soil each year – the equivalent of pulling almost 1 million cars off the roads.

Research undertaken by the association (available for download here), further suggests that a worldwide switch to organic farming could offset 11% of all global greenhouse gases. Among the other findings: widespread adoption of organic farming methods in the UK would offset 23% of the country’s agricultural emissions through soil carbon sequestration alone – significantly better than the UK government’s current target of 6-11% by 2020.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that 89% of agriculture’s global greenhouse gas mitigation potential is from carbon sequestration. In addition to helping to counter climate change, soil carbon also helps improve soil structure and quality, reducing the impact of climate-related problems such as flooding or drought. One of the main causes of low carbon levels in arable land is intensive, overly specialised farming.