Changing landscape for food production - is your back yard ready

The Changing Landscape of Food Production: Is Your Backyard Ready?

In recent years, the landscape of food production has undergone significant transformation. Climate change, urbanization, and a growing awareness of sustainable living have prompted a shift towards more localized and personal food production methods. One of the most accessible and impactful ways individuals can contribute to this movement is by transforming their backyards into productive gardens. But is your backyard ready to become a miniature farm? Let's explore the trends driving this change and how you can prepare your own slice of the outdoors for food production.

The Drive Towards Localized Food Production

Several factors are contributing to the push for more localized food production:

1. Climate Change and Environmental Concerns: As the global climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, traditional farming faces numerous challenges. Droughts, floods, and extreme weather events disrupt crop cycles and reduce yields. Localized food production, such as backyard gardening, offers a buffer against these disruptions, providing a more controlled environment for growing food.

2. Health and Nutrition: There's a growing awareness about the benefits of consuming fresh, organic produce. By growing your own vegetables and fruits, you can ensure that your food is free from harmful pesticides and chemicals. This not only enhances nutritional value but also promotes better health.

3. Food Security: Recent global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the vulnerability of global supply chains. Local food production can increase food security by reducing dependency on distant sources and ensuring a steady supply of fresh produce.

4. Sustainability and Environmental Impact: Transporting food over long distances contributes significantly to carbon emissions. By growing food locally, you can reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable food system.

Preparing Your Backyard for Food Production

If you're inspired to turn your backyard into a productive garden, here are some steps to get started:

1. Assess Your Space: Evaluate the size of your backyard and the amount of sunlight it receives. Most vegetables and fruits need at least six hours of sunlight daily. Identify areas with good drainage and consider using raised beds if your soil quality is poor.

2. Plan Your Garden: Decide what you want to grow based on your climate and personal preferences. Consider starting with easy-to-grow vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs. Companion planting, where certain plants are grown together to enhance growth and deter pests, can also be a useful strategy.

3. Soil Preparation: Good soil is the foundation of a successful garden. Test your soil to determine its pH and nutrient levels. Amend it with compost, organic matter, and other necessary nutrients to create a rich, fertile environment for your plants. Don't worry about the testing this is for profeassionals, you will get there when the time is right.

4. Water Management: Efficient water use is crucial. Install a rainwater harvesting system or use drip irrigation to conserve water. Mulching can help retain soil moisture and reduce the need for frequent watering. This can be a very expensive exercise if badly implemented.

5. Pest and Disease Control: Opt for natural pest control methods to keep your garden organic. Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and bees, can help manage pests. Crop rotation and proper spacing can prevent the spread of diseases.

6. Seasonal Planting: Learn about the planting seasons in your region. Successive planting, where you plant crops in intervals, can ensure a continuous harvest throughout the growing season.

Embracing the Change

The shift towards backyard food production is more than just a trend; it's a response to pressing global challenges and a step towards a more sustainable future. By transforming your backyard into a productive garden, you contribute to food security, promote health, and reduce your environmental impact.

Moreover, #gardening offers numerous personal benefits. It's a rewarding hobby that provides physical exercise, mental relaxation, and the joy of watching your efforts bloom into tangible, edible results.

So, is your backyard ready? With a bit of planning and effort, anyone can turn their outdoor space into a thriving source of fresh, nutritious food. Embrace the changing landscape of food production and start your backyard garden today. Your future self, and the planet, will thank you.

Embracing Sustainability: The Art and Science of Homemade Compost - Humus

In a world increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of waste, the practice of composting stands out as a beacon of sustainability. Homemade compost, in particular, represents a simple yet powerful way to reduce waste, enrich soil, and cultivate a healthier planet. It's a process that bridges the gap between our daily lives and the cycles of nature, turning kitchen scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments. Let's delve into the art and science of homemade composting and explore its myriad benefits.

The Basics of Homemade Compost

At its core, #composting is the decomposition of organic materials into a rich, soil-like substance known as humus. This natural process is facilitated by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and worms, which break down organic matter into its basic components. These components include essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, all vital for plant growth.

Creating homemade compost is a straightforward process that involves layering organic materials, maintaining moisture and aeration, and allowing time for decomposition to occur. The key ingredients for successful composting include:

1. Brown Materials: This category comprises carbon-rich materials such as dried leaves, straws, and newspaper(not glossy). Brown materials provide the necessary structure and carbon for the compost pile.

2. Green Materials: Nitrogen-rich materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, and coffee grounds fall into this category. Green materials supply essential nutrients and moisture to the compost pile.

3. Water: Adequate moisture is crucial for microbial activity and decomposition. The compost pile should be as damp as a wrung-out sponge.

4. Air: Oxygen is essential for aerobic decomposition, which is why turning or aerating the compost pile regularly is necessary to maintain airflow. this can be done once a week.

Benefits of Homemade Compost

 1. Waste Reduction:

Homemade composting diverts organic waste from landfills, where it would otherwise release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting kitchen scraps and yard waste, individuals can significantly reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to waste reduction efforts.

 2. Soil Enrichment:

Compost acts as a natural soil conditioner, improving soil structure, moisture retention, and nutrient levels. It enhances soil fertility, leading to healthier plants with increased resistance to pests and diseases. Additionally, compost helps remediate contaminated soils and promotes biodiversity by providing a habitat for beneficial microorganisms.

 3. Cost Savings:

Producing homemade compost eliminates the need for store-bought fertilizers and soil amendments, saving money in the long run. By utilizing materials readily available in the kitchen and garden, composting becomes a cost-effective way to enhance soil health and promote sustainable gardening practices.

 4. Climate Mitigation:

Composting sequesters carbon in the soil, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. Healthy soils enriched with compost are more resilient to extreme weather events, erosion, and droughts, thereby contributing to climate adaptation efforts.

Tips for Successful Composting

1. Balance Green and Brown Materials: Aim for a ratio of roughly 2 parts brown materials to 1 part green materials to maintain proper decomposition and avoid unpleasant odors.

2. Aerate the Pile: Turn or aerate the compost pile regularly to ensure adequate oxygen levels for aerobic decomposition. This also helps prevent the pile from becoming compacted and anaerobic, which can lead to foul odors.

3. Monitor Moisture Levels: Keep the compost pile moist but not waterlogged. If the pile is too dry, add water; if it's too wet, incorporate additional brown materials to improve airflow and absorption.

4. Patience is Key: Composting is a natural process that takes time. Depending on environmental conditions and the composition of the materials, it may take several weeks to several months for compost to mature. Be patient and trust in the trans-formative power of nature.

In addition you can add the following component to your compost:

• Ash
• Cola
• Salt(not too much) and
• Sugar

Homemade composting embodies the principles of sustainability, resourcefulness, and stewardship of the environment. By harnessing the natural processes of decomposition, individuals can turn kitchen and yard waste into a valuable resource for soil health and plant growth. Whether you're an avid gardener, an Eco-conscious homeowner, or simply someone looking to reduce waste, embracing homemade composting offers a tangible way to make a positive impact on the planet. Start composting today and join the growing movement towards a greener, more sustainable future.

Heat waves and cold waves

 Whenever is hot it is extremely hot and whenever is cold it is extremely cold. The way weather patterns goes we are in for something big that we can't control. We need to check and change our behaviour in order to see if we are the biggest contributors in this unbearable weather conditions.

Since our life revolves around money, food turn to be expensive because they are not grown the natural way. They have to be protected against the environment. What can you do in order to normalise the situation? On my side am trying to educate everyone I know to plant  fruits trees in their yards and to have vegetable gardens, by so doing I believe we will be able to normalise the current growing situation.

In the event that all our agricultural crops are grown in the format like the picture above we will then enter a catastrophic delima which can't be solved. Most of the animals will be phased out and their work in the ecosystem will cease, what then...?

We need to be part of nature by contributing to the way nature intended. The below picture is an ideal one which need to be promoted.

We are happy to have you so far. Let us keep our planet greener.

Trees are very important in our lives

There is a need to plant trees almost everyday. Trees are very important in our lives. Do you know that paper is from trees? How will life be without papers? Where will our books come from if there are no #trees.

Some important facts about trees:

• Trees increases #property values.
• Trees heals.
• Trees provide food.
• Trees provide shelter for natural habitat.
• Trees prevent soil erosion.
• Trees reduce water pollution.
• Trees clean the air.
• Trees provide oxygen
• Trees create economical opportunities.
• Trees reduce violence.

Above facts taken from https://www.treepeople.org/resources/tree-benefits

By planting one tree you make a huge impact in the universe and I know the universe will respond favorable. Go out and plant trees.

You are invited to follow and share our blog.

Since this is the month of #love,we know that you will be planting strawberries. Or do you have a tree by the name of #valentine? We would be happy to see your picture or comments about your trees. Good luck and be blessed.

In 2 years time we will be eating from this trees. Hang around to share with us. 2020 harvesting time in our orchards.