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We think a lot about the top parts of our plants. Like the iceberg, we notice and think about the visible part, while the rest remains safely out of sight and out of mind. Roots anchor the plant into soil, secrete compounds into the soil to protect the plant from […]

Roots: The anchor of life

Wild strawberries are much smaller than their store-bought cousins, but 20 times as flavourful.
Did you know that the strawberry is a member of the rose family? This relationship explains why the strawberry smells so divinely sweet and intoxicating. Because of it’s heart shape and red colour, the strawberry features in many pieces of literature to stand for love and passion, but also for […]

Wild Strawberries: A rose by another name

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It is thought that the ancient peoples of our world once thought of basil as an elixir of love . Although this is a picturesque thought, I’ve not found a single reliable historical source on the topic. Regardless, every time I mix basil leaves with cucumbers in a tall glass […]

Basil: Exilir of Love and Charm?

The first pump sends water into a nutrient mixing tank, which then floods the medium and plants. The water then flows back into the nutrient mixing tank, and then back into the reservior to be replenished.
Ebb and flow systems are simple and cheap ways to get started growing hydroponic plants indoors. This form of hydroponics set up is recognized for its simplicity, trustworthiness of operation, and low initial investment cost. The Setup Pots are filled with an inert medium which does not have role as soil or […]

Ebb and Flow Hydroponically

A-frame hydroponics setup described on Off Grid World
Let’s face it, the world isn’t perfect. In a perfect world, we could have whatever food we wanted straight from the farm to our table. We would know what processes go into the growing of the food, and we’d know exactly what we were eating. And we could make sure […]

From Farm-to-Table When the Climate Isn’t on Your Side

Measuring light by visual sensitivity can be a great way to get started. Read more at Sustainability Workshop.
We all love our gardens, and we love to work in it. But no one likes being a slave to it. One of the quickest way to ensure you’ll be a slave to your plants is by planting them in an area that is not what they need to flourish. Water […]

The Role of Light in Sustainability

From willow to Aspirin. Image and summary found on Nature's Poisons.
Headaches and minor aches and pain are part of life. They are likely to occur more often under stress, but we know this and prepare with our handy bottle of Aspirin. Humankind has been dealing with this problem as far back as our records go. Ever wonder how they dealt […]

Using Willow to Ease Pain

Last year we talked about winterising, overwintering pots, and even made a wintering checklist. But what if you want to keep plants in the winter to eat, yet live in a city with very little in the way of space? Urban Farmer offers up some great tips, such as planting […]

Winter Gardening or Winter Planning?

Hops in a yard by "Sherry AK", found on Tomatoville.com
Writer’s note: I want to be honest with this one right off the bat. This is something I have never tried, nor plan on trying in the near future. My fiancé, who homebrews, can’t wait till we get out of an apartment so we can try hops in the suburban […]

Urban Hops for the Homebrewer

Zelienople Harmony Country Fall Festival
Admittedly, I’m sad this year. This is the first fall in a good long while I haven’t had a fall harvest; and it was all because I moved. Alas, now I understand the appeal of an agrarian culture and what must have drove our ancestors to stay put. There is […]

Fall Harvest on My Mind

Large areas of lettuce in a garden inspired by French potager gardens by Seed to Feed Me.
Do you like salad? You’re a fool. Not because bacon is better (although, of course, it is) but because salad vegetables are nutrition-lite, resource-guzzling, pseudo-healthy food crimes that enable the overconsumption of blue cheese dressing. — Emma Sturgess, The Guardian, Do you like salad? You’re a fool. Harsh words for […]

Salad is worse for the environment than you know

Basics of a balanced pond with permaculture in mind.
Unless you are lucky enough to have a pond or lake on your property, one of the only ways you are going to get a full natural ecosystem is to make your own garden pond. This isn’t as tricky it seems, and frankly, starting from scratch has a lot of […]

Dreaming of permaculture and landscaping with water