organics Archives - A Way To Garden

soil-supporting advice from the real organic project

margaret — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:42:30 +0000

ORGANIC FARMING and gardening have always been based on the principle of feed the soil, not the plant. I recently got some expert advice for doing that, and also learned more about why our diligent soil consciousness matters so much, with the co-directors of the nonprofit Real Organic Project, a farmer-led organization advocating for food produced in concert with healthy soils and pastures. Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon are co-directors of the Real Organic Project, a farmer-led movement since 2018 that created an add-on label to USDA Organic to differentiate organic food that is soil-grown, not hydroponic, and animal products that are pasture-raised. Dave runs Long Wind Farm in Vermont; Linley farms vegetables at Adobe House Farm in Southwest Colorado. The Real Organic Project is holding an all-day conference featuring organic farming leaders on Saturday, Sept. 28th at Churchtown Dairy in Hudson, N.Y. Read along as you listen to the Sept. 9, 2024 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts here). soil-supporting tactics, from the real organic project Margaret Roach: I’m praying for rain. How […]

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neonic dangers, with the american bird conservancy’s hardy kern

margaret — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 17:42:02 +0000

I SUSPECT every gardener has for years now over and again heard the warnings about the most widely used pesticides in the United States, neonicotinoids—or neonics for short. In 2013, the American Bird Conservancy issued a report warning of their impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and especially the ripple effect their use was having on birds. The Conservancy has issued an updated report with a telling headline, “Neonicotinoid Insecticides failing to come to grips with a predictable environmental disaster.” So where are we now with limiting the use of these pesticides and what can we as citizens and gardeners do to help in the effort? Today’s guest is Hardy Kern, the American Bird Conservancy’s Director of Government Relations, Birds and Pesticides Campaign. Hardy, who has a background in zoology, is a longtime advocate in behalf of the environment and especially toxic forces that impact birds. He’s also a passionate home gardener who emphasizes native plants and habitat-style planting, and he shared his top tactics for wildlife-friendly gardening, too. (Photo of indigo bunting on sunflower, above, by Jordan E. Rutter.) Read along as you listen to the June 10, 2024 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player […]

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less work, healthier soil: no-dig gardening, with charles dowding

margaret — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 15:17:07 +0000

PROMISES OF LESS WORK with more garden productivity often raise my suspicions as perhaps sounding too good to be true, except when the subject is no-dig gardening. The no-dig method of caring for our vegetable beds, which Charles Dowding has popularized, is not just good for maximizing output while minimizing labor, but also of great benefit to the soil and the greater environment. I learned more about how to get started from Charles. Charles Dowding is often called the guru of no-dig gardening, which he practices today in his organic market garden in Somerset, in South West England. He began experimenting with no-dig in 1982 and, over the years since, in his many books and in person and online teaching, including his massive YouTube channel, Charles has brought countless people into the no-dig fold. His most recent book is “No Dig: Nurture Your Soil to Grow Better Vegetables With Low Effort,” about making and managing a vegetable garden without tilling. Plus: Enter to win a copy of “No Dig” (affiliate link) by commenting in the box near the bottom of the page. Read along as you listen to the January 30, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using […]

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