- By R Jennings
While urban farming is not a new concept, it is making a modern comeback. The benefits of urban farming well surpass the nutrition aspect, though of course, that is a major part of it.
It can take time for dogs and cats who have never met to acclimate to each other, but many dogs and cats can coexist peacefully and happily together, and great friendships can develop between them. Here are some guidelines to follow to make this possible in your...
Human speech is complex, communicating not only words but also tone, as well as information about the speaker such as their gender and identity. To what extent can a dog pick up on these different cues? In our study, we’ve found that your dog may understand more than he lets on.
When foraging, as with gardening, it is important to know what is available where one lives. The best way to forage is to simply get outside, slow down and walk around, listening and looking. This is really the only way to get to know an area, but when driving anywhere, we will...
- By Pam Dawling
Growers wishing to produce crops over as long a season as possible use various methods to extend the survival of frost-tender crops beyond the first fall frosts, keep semi-hardy crops alive through the winter, and boost winter production of hardy crops...
We have to empty out our hiding places and commit to no more hiding. Think of the closet that you open just a crack, shove your possession in, and close as quickly as possible. Think of the junk drawer. Think of your garage or your attic...
Have you ever tried to grow your favorite summer vegetable or garden herb and something went wrong? Maybe it was poor planting, a disease, or a pesky insect. Maybe you need to troubleshoot problems or want definitive answers to questions like when to plant for your area or exactly when to fertilize.
For years, many of us have kept an eye out for organic and pesticide free vendors at our local farmers markets. Thanks to a new movement hitting the American food scene, we may soon be looking for another important environmental marker: open source seeds. At least, that is the goal of...
My dogs had the ability to know what I needed before I did. And, they catered to me on a very spiritual almost human-like plane. It was all I knew. I thought that was how life truly worked...
A group of the National Zoo's Asian Small-Clawed Otters recently performed a genre (and species) shattering song: a discordant, eight-pawed keyboard jam that will guarantee a loyal fan base at the Smithsonian, if not a Carnegie Hall spotlight.
There’s something appealing about seeding a yard or garden with the plants that belong there. And in the era of drought and climate change, it’s more effective, too.
So often I hear people mutter, “If only my dog could talk. Then I would know what it really wants. I would know what to do!” All the while I am thinking — they are communicating with you. They are communicating with you more than you communicate with yourself. That is the problem.
Plants reacting to climate change have two strategies to deal with increasing warmth: they escape the heat either by moving towards the poles, or by flowering sooner.
Once we decided to really make foraging a part of our life rather than just some summer-day hobby, like picking trail nibbles when on a hike, we became keenly aware of how little we really knew. We realized that there will always be more to learn about local plants and...
Biodynamic farming offers us a way to both cherish the Earth and attend to the process of growing foods and raising animals properly. According to activist and CSA owner and educator Allan Balliett, biodynamic farming is “a spiritual approach to growing.” Biodynamic farmers “try to take into account all of the forces that affect plant growth and their nutritional value.”
We love our animals, and when they're sick, we want to take extra special care of them. The good news is that you don't have to be a veterinarian to heal a pet. You have the power to influence your pet's healing...
The major lack in most home-garden compost is nitrogen. This deficiency almost always happens because the decomposition process doesn't go far enough. So when this pseudo-compost is mixed into soil, it does not release an abundance of plant nutrients...
- By Barry Dennis
Everything we bring into our lives, we will eventually have to get rid of. As our awareness grows, we see that everything we surround ourselves with and spend our energy on has a direct effect on our soul. Everything. So unless you really need something or you are very clear its presence supports your soul’s expression...
Before Scout entered Celia’s life, she rarely went outside and now she was walking around in her neighborhood for hours a day. Celia found herself interacting more frequently with other people...
- By Sharon Astyk
For those of us attempting to grow a large portion of our calories ourselves, tomatoes and lettuce are not sufficient. So I've compiled a list of plants, both annual and perennial, that I think are an important addition to many home gardens...
Since over half of humanity now lives in our cities, it is important that food-growing facilities be established where the people are. Imagine how much fuel could be saved if we actually grew our food in our city centers...
Conflict in a garden is all too easy to generate. I remember planting a couple of Bauhinia galpinii shrubs in a garden bed near one of our car ports. When, after five years, it proved difficult to find the entrance to the car port...
I know a fair bit about a lot in the garden, most of it practical, but my great fascination is with the metaphysical aspect, that forever-unfolding energy of life expressing in the garden. For me, a garden is a place to connect with Nature, life, and living...