Roger Doiron, founding director of Kitchen Gardeners International and the man who led the charge for Michelle Obama’s White House kitchen garden, gives an eye-opening and inspiring talk on gardening as a revolutionary act.
Food Sovereignty
Food security is important, but it’s time to start thinking about taking it to the next level. Food sovereignty goes beyond mere access to address the root problems of our current food system. Read about the movement in Haiti in this month’s Orion Magazine article, Peasant Bounty.
Teach a Man to Fish
We all know the old saying: “give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” But what happens when the corporations take that one step too far, fishing the oceans and rivers to near extinction? And what does any of it have to do with gardening?
Two things, actually. The first, is that the big fishing question is just one more component of a much larger food security coin that growing our own food at home can help to address. The second, is the growing movement known as aquaponics.
Aquaponics is basically a hybrid of aquaculture and hydroponics, comprised of fish tanks and garden troughs. The waste from the fish fertilizes the plants. The plants purify the water for the fish. And because it all happens in a closed, water-conserving system, aquaponics is especially interesting for low-rain areas such as our high-desert. I hope to be learning and posting a lot more about aquaponics in the near future, but in the mean time, check out these videos from two companies dedicated to growing aquaponic culture, Friendly Aquaponics in Hawaii and Colorado Aquaponics in Denver.
You can also get a basic overview at the Growing Power website.
Homegrown Revolution
I am a huge fan of the Dervaes family and their work in urban homesteading. This award-winning short film made in 2009 tells their story. Inspirational.
350 Garden Challenge
Across the world people will be planting gardens this weekend to help combat the challenges of our changing climate. Last year Sonoma County, California residents alone planted over 600 food, habitat and community gardens. Visit 350.org and Transition United States to learn more about this and other important climate crisis initiatives.
I will be planting kale, lettuce and sunchokes (in pots since our threat of frost is not yet past). What will you be doing this weekend?
Video: Gnome Management
2011 has finally arrived and with it you can expect to see some changes coming to OneGarden, including more articles, a broader range of topics, and possibly even a new and larger garden to work with. But while all of that is percolating in the background, now is the perfect time to start dreaming toward spring. What do you hope to do with your garden this year? I know I have big plans for mine. Whatever you do, be sure to plan for dealing with pests like these little guys, brought to our attention by Utah State University.
Happy New Year and happy gardening in 2011!
Video: The One Straw Revolution
Destructive, toxic industrial farming techniques not only poison our water and food, they destroy the finely balanced network of organisms in the soil that help keep our land fertile and productive. After a high-pressure career in plant pathology, Masanobu Fukuoka returned to his rice farming roots to figure out how doing less could yield so much more. His book The One Straw Revolution details his work which has greater implications not only for farming but for health, education, and so much more. I’ve written before just how deeply inspiring I found that book, and wanted to share this wonderful video that passed through my inbox this morning.
Ample Harvest
And while we’re on the topic of what to do with all that extra produce, if you find yourself in a giving mood (especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner), check out AmpleHarvest.org. Launched in May 2009, this non-profit connects gardeners with local food pantries in need of fresh produce donations.