Protecting Garden Pots During Winter

Bring Tender Plants Inside

Bring plants that need a frost-free minimum winter temperature into a mildly heated greenhouse or conservatory, or cool room in your home, before bad weather sets in. Water occasionally.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Simple Steps to Success: Containers for Patios © 2007 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Wrap Up Delicate Pots

Many pots, especially ornamental containers that aren’t designed to stand outside in freezing temperatures, need winter protection. Wrap them up in burlap (possibly double layers), and secure tightly at the top and bottom with strong garden string.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Simple Steps to Success: Containers for Patios © 2007 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Keep Tender Plants Warm

Wrap potted plants that need protection in low temperatures in layers of horticultural fleece before freezing weather strikes. Move the pot to a sheltered spot, such as a shed, away from flaying winds. Remove the fleece when the weather improves.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Simple Steps to Success: Containers for Patios © 2007 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Line Clay Pots

Insert bubble wrap inside clay pots in spring to minimize moisture evaporation, and to help keep the roots snug in winter when the temperatures dive—the roots are just a fraction of an inch away from the icy cold, unlike those deep down in the soil.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Simple Steps to Success: Containers for Patios © 2007 Dorling Kindersley Limited

Plants to Protect

As a general guide, exotic plants from warm climates need winter protection. Some may survive the cold but, because they come from areas with dry winters, they will die in sopping wet soil. In free-draining soil and a sheltered position, though, they may survive. Others need to be wrapped up and brought inside, but the degree of protection varies. Plants needing winter protection: ? trailing abutilon
? Aeonium
? aloe
? Beaucarnea recurvata
? begonia
? bougainvillea
? brugmansia (image 1)
? cactus
? citrus
? echeveria
? fuchsia 'Thalia'
? licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare)
? heliotrope
? winter jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
? lantana (image 2)
? Chinese fan palm
? Musa
? oleander
? geranium (image 3)
? princess flower (Tibouchina)

• Image 1
• Image 2
• Image 3

• Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-DK - Simple Steps to Success: Containers for Patios © 2007 Dorling

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6 Winter Tips for Your Flock

Keep your chickens warm, healthy and productive this winter with these cold-weather guidelines.
When Old Man Winter moves into town, your chickens are counting on you to help guide them through the season. Luckily, chickens are bred to gradually acclimate to the coming cool weather. In fact, most heavy chicken breeds prefer it to the searing heat of summer. Even so, they’ll need a little help in certain areas to get through without a hitch. Here are six tips for successfully overwintering your flock.

1. Fight Frozen Water

Perhaps the most frustrating (and foreseeable) part of overwintering any livestock is the endless battle against frozen water. Unless you have electricity in your coop or barn, I’m sorry to say that all solutions include a bit of heavy lifting.

One option is to use a heated dog bowl or heated waterer base. It’s easy to install and inexpensive, but there is one catch: You must use a double-walled, galvanized-steel water fount in place of the standard plastic.

If running electricity to your coop is not an option, you may be carrying your weight in water to the flock several times a day. In this case, have two or more waterers ready to alternate by thawing indoors. 

“One idea is to fill the waterer with hot water and then drop a chunk of ice (or a good amount of ice cubes) into the water to slowly cool it down over the course of several hours,” recommends Ashley English, chicken keeper and author of the Homemade Living book series.

Whatever method works for you, the important thing is that your chickens have access to fresh water at all times. 

2. Protect Combs and Wattles

In a cold spell with below-freezing temperatures, your chickens' combs and wattles may be susceptible to frostbite. Use petroleum jelly (or olive oil, as a natural alternative) to fight frostbite by applying it to the affected areas. Apply the lubricant when your chickens have gone to roost at night. They may not find it pleasant, but it beats the alternative.

Keep in mind that chicken breeds with large combs and wattles, such as Leghorns and many roosters, are more prone to frostbite. You’ll find that cold-hardy breeds with small combs, such as rose or pea combs, will fare better come winter.

3. Provide a Path in the Snow

If the snow is piling up to a few inches or more, shovel out a path for your chickens. Frostbitten toes or feet can be very painful but are easily avoided by protecting chickens from the snow.

“You don't want an intrepid flock mate deciding to brave a wall of snow,” English says. “The snow will win, every time.”

4. Heat the Coop—or Not

Some chicken keepers swear by heating the coop during the harshest of winters. While there is a benefit to using a heater or lamp (supplemental light means more winter eggs), consider the safety risk. Heaters plus dry pine shavings or other bedding can quickly become a fire hazard unless properly or professionally installed. Also consider the possibility of power outages and a subsequent drop in temperature. Chickens cannot adapt to a sudden plunge in mercury, and it could spell disaster for your entire flock in one night.

As an alternative, you can allow your chickens to gradually acclimate to the cooler weather during autumn without heat. In the fall, check your coop’s roof to ensure it won’t leak during heavy snows. Protect your chickens from heavy drafts, but be certain there is adequate ventilation in their enclosure. Accumulated moisture during the cold months can lead to frostbite.

Finally, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of insulation in your coop. Your birds will roost together and create a good amount of heat on their own (the equivalent of 10 watts of heat per chicken). All you have to do is help the heat stay there.

5. Give Feed a Boost

Consider supplementing your flock’s diet with cracked corn or scratch.

“The fattiness of the scratch will allow the birds to pack on an extra layer of body fat, which aids them in better combating colder weather,” English says.

That said, scratch and corn are treats and do not contain the complete nutrition your flock needs.

“Continue them on their regular feed, tossing a few handfuls of scratch during evening rounds,” she says.

6. Collect Eggs Often

If you’re one of those poor souls, like me, who makes multiple trips to the chicken coop to change out water, remember to collect eggs each time you go. Because chicken eggs are nearly 75-percent water, they’ll freeze and crack quickly once exposed to the cold air.

Use your judgment when it comes to your flock and your particular setup—what will work for some may not work for others. As always, check your flock daily and look for signs of illness. And once everyone is tucked in, curl up with a hot cup o’ something and enjoy the season. 

About the Author: Kristina Mercedes Urquhart writes from the mountains of western North Carolina, where she lives with her menagerie of animals, including a mixed flock of chickens. She contributes to several Bowtie publications, and you can find her regular column, “Fowl Language” in each issue of Chickens magazine.

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Herbs for the winter windowsill

Now that the growing season is over, do you still find yourself ready to dash out to the garden for some chives, basil or a sprig of thyme, only to lament their loss to the cold weather? Why not start a small collection of culinary herbs indoors, where their flavor and fragrance will delight you through the upcoming winter months?

Growing herbs indoors is not difficult, as long as their few cultural requirements are met. The two most important factors for the successful growth of herbs indoors are light and moisture. The majority of popular culinary herbs require at least six hours of direct sun each day. A southerly-facing window is best, although a southwest or western exposure will do. Another alternative is to grow them under artificial light. A fluorescent fixture with one cool white bulb and one warm white bulb kept on for at least 12 hours a day will suffice. Specially-formulated, full-spectrum lights have come down in price and would actually be a better choice. Plants placed on window sills should be given a quarter turn daily, so they won’t lean to the light. If it gets really cold at night, move tender plants such as basil away from the windowsill.

Proper watering often makes the difference between life and death for herb plants. In general, the majority of herbs like to be kept on the dry side, but as many potential herb growers have found out the hard way, allowing the potting mixture to totally dry out will be the demise of their plants. Likewise, excessively wet soils promote root-rotting diseases. All pots should have drainage holes. Water when the soil about a half inch below the surface feels dry to the touch and continue watering until the excess water begins to run out the bottom drainage hole. Then let the pot drain thoroughly before putting it back on its saucer.

I have had excellent results growing herbs with a mix of a quarter each potting soil, clean, coarse sand, peat moss, and either vermiculite or perlite. I add about one tablespoon of ground limestone for each gallon of potting mix and one-quarter cup of Osmocote Plus Trace Elements, as I get lazy about fertilizing. If you prefer, plants can be fertilized once a month with a half-strength liquid fertilizer. Fish emulsion or liquid kelp works good for organic growers. Clay pots are favored, as they are more porous than plastic ones.

Basil, summer savory and parsley can be started from seed if you prefer. The first two herbs germinate quite readily, but parsley seeds are rather stubborn, requiring about three weeks before sprouting. Regular sweet basil tends to become a rather leggy houseplant. Instead, opt for the compact, globe-shaped bush basil. Unlike most herbs, basil wants a warm location.

Oregano is a member of the mint family and can even be grown in hanging baskets. It prefers to be kept at about 60 degrees F and growth will slow drastically if temperatures fall below 50 degrees F. Avoid overwatering oregano and note that it is prone to root rots.

Rosemary is an exceptional complement to meat dishes, potatoes and breads. Although it does prefer to be kept on the dry side, if the soil dries out completely – even for a short period of time – your plant will die. Both white and blue flowering varieties are available. Rosemary can also be trained as a standard or wreath.

More than 400 thyme varieties are recognized. The ones I found most suited to indoor culture are varieties of Thymus vulgaris. Lemon-scented and caraway thyme also make good houseplants.

Bay is a slow grower, preferring an almost neutral soil. Harvest the older leaves as needed and always be on the lookout for scale insects.

By Dawn Pettinelli - UConn Home & Garden Education CenterPerk up your menu by adding a few herb plants to your home. If you have questions about growing herbs or other gardening quandaries, call, toll-free, 877-486-6271, visit www.ladybug.uconn.edu, or contact your local Cooperative Extension Center

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Sustainable agriculture and fertilizer practices in Pakistan

 

Mohammad Ali Khaskheli

Agriculture Officer Sanghar

Agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan’s economy. It has a total area of 79.61 million hectare, and the total area used for crop production is only 22 million ha. Of which about 18 million ha (80 percent) are irrigated. Pakistan agriculture accounts for 24 percent of the growth domestic product (GDP), employs 48 percent of the labour force and contributes about 60 percent to export earnings.

Pakistan is a developing country with the world's sixth-largest population. The current population of Pakistan is about 160 million, which is growing at the rate of almost two percent annually. The major population of the country (67 percent) lives in rural areas and depends mainly on agriculture, and about 32 percent of the population lives below the poverty level. GDP growth continues to depend on crop performance.

The total food production in Pakistan is about 25 million tones in 2002/03 as compared to 10 million tones in 1970/71. However it is interesting to state that the consumption of fertilizer per hectare in Pakistan (133 kg approx.) is higher than the world average (94.1 kg/ha) but yield productions are substantially lower. This indicates to a big gap between the supply and demand of agricultural products, which is widening day by day due to the increasing population of the country.

Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable productivity in our agricultural ecosystems is therefore an important objective. Sustainable agriculture depends on a whole-system approach whose overall goal is the continuing health of the land and people. Therefore it concentrates on long term solutions to problems instead of short term treatment of symptoms.

There are several important constraints to sustainable agriculture and causing low productivity. They include soil degradation (soil salinity, alkalinity, erosion and soil fertility depletion), depletion of water resources, mismanagement of irrigation systems, the distribution of the land holdings and poor farming practices.

The use of farm inputs, particularly of fertilizers, is inadequate and inefficient. Farm energy use is low. The availability of quality seed is limited. Agricultural research is lagging behind the new challenges. Agricultural extension services are not tuned to modern technology.

The flow of information from research to farmers is inadequate. Coordination between policy, research, extension and farmers could be improved. Disbursement of agricultural credit amounts to over Rs.50 billion per annum, but is less than the requirements and is not reaching small farmers.

An inadequate marketing infrastructure results in high marketing costs and losses. The fertilizer recommendations are too general. Soil testing laboratories are not adequately equipped in terms of manpower and equipment. As a result, the majority of the farmers become resource-poor and can not get benefit and therefore, our crop yields are one of the lowest in the world.

Declining land productivity with reduced crop yields has been also a major problem facing our farmers. The major factors contributing to the reduced land productivity is soil impoverishment caused by continuous cropping without addition of adequate mineral fertilizers and manures. Moreover, negative soil nutrient balances (nutrient removal exceeding nutrient application) during our cropping history have resulted in general deterioration of fertility levels. Sustained, high yield agricultural production can be assured once these negative balances are addressed. Crop fertilization is the main tool available.

Fertilizer has played a key role in helping farmers achieve their high level of production. Fertilizers provide essential plant nutrients which are indispensable for producing sufficient and healthy food for the world’s expanding population. Plant nutrients are therefore a vital component of any system of sustainable agriculture. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and in recent years, zinc, boron and sulfur are the nutrients of most concern in the grain-production regions. Unfortunately our soils are deficient in Nitrogen (100 %), Phosphorus (90%), Zinc (70%) and Boron (55%). Potassium (K) is generally adequate but its deficiency is emerging rapidly. Deficiencies and responses to other nutrients such as iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), and other micronutrients are reported for specific crops and areas. When the soil cannot supply the level of nutrient required for adequate growth, supplemental fertilizer applications become necessary.

Prior to the introduction of fertilizes in Pakistan in the early1950s, the use of fertilizers have increased significantly. Total consumption of nutrients in Pakistan has increased from 5 kg/ha in 1966-67 to 133 kg/ha in 2001-2002. However, it is still much lower when compared with other countries of the world and highly unbalanced to produce enough and quality food to meet the country demand. The crop yields in countries using higher fertilizer rates (e.g. Korea, Japan China, Egypt etc) are two to three times more than Pakistan.

One of the factors responsible for stagnating yields and decreasing fertilizer use efficiency is the current unbalanced fertilizer use. Nutrient balances for many cropping systems are negative. The nitrogen and phosphorus are the most limiting nutrients to crop production but their sufficient use by majority of the smallholder farmers become limiting due to their high costs. Indeed a substantial number of farmers do not use fertilizers and the ones who use fertilizers apply below the recommended rates.

In Pakistan various types of fertilizers are used, some are locally manufactured and others are imported. In our country, most of the fertilizer is used on irrigated wheat, cotton, sugarcane and rice crops. On these crops the nitrogen application rate is close to 75-80 percent of the recommendations, compared with about 20-40 percent, depending on the crop, in the case of phosphate. Hardly 1-2 percent of farmers apply potash; that is usually applied to fruit, vegetable, and sugarcane crops only. Micronutrient deficiencies are common but less than five percent of the farmers apply micronutrient fertilizers.

There are several problems which are impeding the balance and efficient use of fertilizers. These are commonly non-availability of specific fertilizers at right time, ever-increasing prices, improper application methods and time, lack of knowledge among farmers about the need for balanced fertilizer applications, adulteration and inadequate grant of soft loans especially for the small farmers, costituting 75 per cent of our farming community.

The increase of fertilizer use efficiency is also related to ensuring the fertilizer quality. At present, apart from some macro fertilizers produced industrially, there are several mixed macro and micronutrient fertilizers, foliar fertilizers, plant growth stimulants which are not controlled by the government. They are circulated with of fertilizer arbitration organizations, therefore the farmers are always suffering from losses once having bought the adulterated or low-quality fertilizers, and the legitimate fertilizer producers and traders suffer from losses and risks.

Balanced fertilization

Balanced fertilization is one of the most important tools to achieve maximum crop yield. Balanced fertilization can be defined as the rational use of fertilizers and manures for optimum supply of all essential nutrients for maximum crop yield which simultaneously ensures efficiency of fertilizer use promotes synergistic interactions and keeps antagonistic interactions out of the crop production system. Fertilizers are not cheap and therefore, it is essential that they should be efficiently and effectively used to produce maximum increase in crop yields so that farmers receive the best possible outputs from their expenses.

Balanced fertilization does not mean a certain definite proportion of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash or other nutrients to be added in the form of fertilizer, but it has to take into account the availability of nutrients already present in the soil, crop requirement and other factors. It should take into account the crop removal of nutrients, the economics of fertilizers and profitability, farmers’ ability to invest, agro-techniques, soil moisture regime, weed control, plant protection, seed rate, sowing time, soil salinity, alkalinity, physical environment, microbiological condition of the soil, cropping sequence, etc. It is not a state but a dynamic concept.

Balance fertilization is invariably the practice, which enable the farmers to approach practically realizable yield potentials in a cost effective and sustainable manner. Balanced fertilization enhances crop yield, crop quality and farm income; corrects soil nutrient deficiencies, and maintains soil fertility. Several field trials on balance fertilization have proved the yield improvement by 50-100 per cent.

According to a (NFDC; 1999) report, balanced use of fertilizers increased the yields of wheat by 77%, sugarcane 100%, rice 25-100% and cotton by 400%. To reap the benefits of balanced use of fertilizers, our farmers must implement the five key practices (a) apply only those nutrients that will result in economic yield increases (b) apply appropriate nutrient rates (c) apply appropriate sources of fertilizer nutrients (d) apply nutrients at appropriate timing (e) apply using the most effective and practical application techniques.

A balanced fertilization strategy is the only way to ensure a sustainable agriculture that can provide the world population with high quality food while minimizing the impact on the environment. All available knowledge about the crop and the environment where it will be grown must be combined to set up the right combination of nutrients to be applied at each step of the fertilization program.

Suggestions

Among the programs of Ministry of Agriculture, the program of agricultural extension on fertilizers is considered a central one aiming at increasing fertilizer use efficiency, crop yield and agricultural product quality, stabilizing and enhancing the soil fertility.

But unfortunately, due to different reasons, due attention was not paid to this program. However, the following suggestions would be fruitful in promoting the balance use and proper management of fertilizers and increasing crop yields and soil fertility.

• Setting up a united network of agricultural extension on fertilizers with the participation of research institutes, agricultural universities, scientific associations and non-governmental organizations, fertilizer producing and trading companies.

• Surveying the current status of fertilizer use of farmers in all key agricultural areas in the whole country. The surveyed data will be processed to find out the advantages and shortcoming in fertilizer use for some main crops.

• Surveying the current status and capacity of fertilizer supply and service of governmental organizations, collective and private organizations, evaluating the supply capacity and requirement of each fertilizer kind at localities according to short- term and medium -term plants.

• Setting up the network of stable and long-term field experiment on some soil types for some crops in all agro-ecological zones in the whole country in order to exactly assess the nutrient supplying capacity of soils, factors limiting the fertilizer use efficiency (soils, climate and weather, management level, intellectual standard of the people...), direct and residual efficiency of main fertilizer to serve as a basis for establishing the formulae of reasonable fertilization.

• Setting up a network of field experiments to assess the environmental impacts of fertilizers, especially the impacts of fertilizers on soil fertility and agricultural product quality, besides, through this research system identifying the relationship between fertilizers and IPM.

• Organizing the training courses to provide the local extension workers with new knowledge and update new knowledge for them.

• Organizing the training for farmers on the role of each nutrient, symptoms of nutrient shortage and method of reasonable and efficient fertilizer through the farmer’s field schools using the most simple and effective methods.

• Organizing the information and propaganda on fertilizer use guides as well as introduction of new fertilizer through mass-media.

• Printing the fertilizer use guides. In the short term, apart from specific information, a new issue of agricultural extension on fertilizers can be carried out at the periodical of Pakistan Soil Science Society or the periodical of Department of Agriculture extension.

• Working out the regulations on fertilizer quality control aiming at preparing the fertilizer legislation.

• Carrying out the activities of cooperation on agricultural extension on fertilizers with in-country and foreign organizations as well as testing the efficiency of new fertilizers manufactured by in-country as well as foreign companies.

• Establishing the technical support fund to help the enthusiastic farmers having difficulties to form the key farmer class at the grassroots units.

• Developing the long-term human resource development program to improve qualifications of researchers and extension workers to PhD level and also provide for short-term trainings to equip them with knowledge and skills in important areas. Besides, career structure and incentive framework may be introduced to reward quality research and extension work.

Expected Outputs/Benefits

• The farmers provided with basis knowledge of fertilizer: Kind, composition, properties, method of storage, fertilizer use guide (not only for agricultural crops but also for forest trees).

• Agricultural output increase due to increase in crop yield.

• Agricultural product value increase due to increase in quality.

• Fertilizer cost for a product unit reduced, hard foreign currencies economized due to reasonable fertilizer use.

• Balanced fertilization reduces the incidence of plant diseases, such as red-leaf stem blight in cotton as found in various provinces of China. Natural improvements in the plant's ability to resist disease infections result in less need for insecticides and fungicides, which lowers production costs for farmers and reduces chances for negative environmental impact.

• Environmental pollution protected due to decrease in gaseous nitrogen looses as well as nitrate loss by leaching.

• Soil fertility stabilized and enhanced.

In summary all embracing efforts should be made to educate farmers to practice balanced use of fertilizers. Of late, some fertilizer companies and associations have come forward to educate the villagers, publication of literature in regional languages related to balanced use of fertilizers for higher crop yields in a sustainable way. The actual time has come; the farmers, researchers and other related communities should come forward and act in this respect.

The chemical fertilizers are very expensive therefore, should be used judiciously and use manures along with chemical fertilizers for improving the crop yield and soil productivity in a sustainable way. Many more activities are being planned to promote the balanced use of fertilizers. And it is hoped that all these efforts would lead to desired awareness and as a result balanced fertilizer use would become a reality in near future.

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Russia completely suspends use of Monsanto's GM corn

 What does Russia know about genetically modified corn that we don't? Well, maybe not much, but the difference is Moscow is at least prepared to act on the information it has.

According to recent reports, the Russian consumer-rights watchdog agency, Rospotrebnadzor, said recently it made the decision to suspend importation and use of genetically engineered corn made by Monsanto Co., after release of a study alleging that the crop causes cancer.

Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement that Russia's Institute of Nutrition has been asked to gauge the validity of the study's results, while the European Commission's Directorate General for Health & Consumers has also been contacted, in order to lay out the European Union's position on the issue.

The study was conducted by the University of Caen in France and published earlier this month. Researchers alleged that rats that were fed over a two-year period with the U.S. crop-biotech company's GMO corn, called NK603 and marketed under the brand name "Roundup Ready," "developed more tumors and other severe diseases than a test group fed with regular corn," Fox Business reported.

French government to decide whether it will also ban GMO corn importation

The study also proffered that rats fed with the modified corn and then exposed to the St. Louis-based Monsanto's Roundup weed killer tended to suffer more pathologies that did the test group.

The corn variety is genetically engineered to stave off glyphosate, a weed killer that Monsanto offers under the Roundup brand, the report said.

As expected, a number of scientists and nutritionists discounted the study, greeting it with skepticism. For example, the Science Media Centre, a London-based independent organization that gathers reactions to published research, posted a number of comments by several experts that were critical of the research. Most said the sample size was too small while the data was incomplete, among other concerns.

The study prompted the French government to order its food-safety agency to quickly review its results. Officials said they planned to seek an immediate ban on EU imports of the crop if the findings of the study were deemed to be legitimate and conclusive.

Again, as expected, Monsanto repeated earlier claims that nothing in the French study warranted any sort of ban of the company's biotech-engineered seed.

In particular, the company bashed the study in a statement released shortly after the research published its findings, saying they did "not meet minimum acceptable standards for this type of scientific research," adding that "the findings are not supported by the data presented, and the conclusions are not relevant for the purpose of safety assessment."

Call for GMO labeling in the U.S. by congressman

Fox Business went on to report that an unnamed spokesman from Monsanto downplayed the effect of the Russian ban, pointing out that Moscow imports little American-grown corn anyway.

"Russia is a net exporter of grain, so the actual impact of their temporary suspension, if any, is likely to be small," the spokesman said.

Further, the company said any impact on its sales of corn seed to farmers will also be similarly limited, most likely because the Russian government doesn't allow farmers to plant transgenic crops.

The Health Ranger, Mike Adams, wrote this week that U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, has called for a national GMO labeling law here in the U.S.

"The FDA has received over a million comments from citizens demanding labeling of GMOs. Ninety percent of Americans agree," Kucinich has said. "So, why no labeling? I'll give you one reason: The influence and the corruption of the political process by Monsanto. Monsanto has been a prime mover in GMO technology, a multi-million dollar GMO lobby here and a major political contributor."

Sources:

http://www.foxbusiness.com

http://www.naturalnews.com/037328_Russia_GMO_Monsanto.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/037290_Zyklon_B_GMO_food_weapons.html

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037370_Russia_GM_corn_Monsanto.html#ixzz2F8a3mFnP

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Russia's small-scale organic agriculture model may hold the key to feeding the world

Imagine living in a country where having the freedom to cultivate your own land, tax-free and without government interference, is not only common but also encouraged for the purpose of promoting individual sovereignty and strong, healthy communities. Now imagine that in this same country, nearly all of your neighbors also cultivate their own land as part of a vast network of decentralized, self-sustaining, independent "eco-villages" that produce more than enough food to feed the entire country.

You might be thinking this sounds like some kind of utopian interpretation of historical America, but the country actually being described here is modern-day Russia. It turns out that Russia's current agricultural model is one that thrives as a result of the millions of small-scale, family-owned and -operated, organically-cultivated farms that together produce the vast majority of the food consumed throughout the country.

Do Russians have more food freedom, independence than Americans?

A far cry from the unsustainable, chemical-dependent, industrialized agriculture system that dominates the American landscape today, Russia's agricultural system, which is not technically a system at all, is run by the people and for the people. Thanks to government policies there that actually encourage autonomous family farming, rather than cater to the greed of chemical and biotechnology companies like they do here in the states, the vast majority of Russians are able and willing to grow their own food on privately-owned family plots known as "dachas."

According to The Bovine, Russia's Private Garden Plot Act, which was signed into law back in 2003, entitles every Russian citizen to a private plot of land, free of charge, ranging in size from 2.2 acres to 6.8 acres. Each plot can be used for growing food, or for simply vacationing or relaxing, and the government has agreed not to tax this land. And the result of this effort has been phenomenal, as Russian families collectively grow practically all the food they need.

"Essentially, what Russian gardeners do is demonstrate that gardeners can feed the world -- and you do not need any GMOs, industrial farms, or any other technological gimmicks to guarantee everybody's got enough food to eat," writes Leonid Sharashkin, editor of the English version of the The Ringing Cedars series, a book collection that explains the history behind this effort to reconnect people with the earth and nature. (http://www.ringingcedars.com/)

Most food in Russia comes from backyard gardens

Back in 1999, it was estimated that 35 million small family plots throughout Russia, operated by 105 million people, or 71 percent of the Russian population, were producing about 50 percent of the nation's milk supply, 60 percent of its meat supply, 87 percent of its berry and fruit supply, 77 percent of its vegetable supply, and an astounding 92 percent of its potato supply. The average Russian citizen, in other words, is fully empowered under this model to grow his own food, and meet the needs of his family and local community.

"Bear in mind that Russia only has 110 days of growing season per year -- so in the U.S., for example, gardeners' output could be substantially greater. Today; however, the area taken up by lawns in the U.S. is two times greater than that of Russia's gardens -- and it produces nothing but a multi-billion-dollar lawn care industry."

The backyard gardening model is so effective throughout Russia that total output represents more than 50 percent of the nation's entire agricultural output. Based on 2004 figures, the collective value of all the backyard produce grown in Russia is $14 billion, or 2.3 percent of Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) -- and this number only continues to increase as more and more Russians join the eco-village movement.

Sources for this article include:

http://thebovine.wordpress.com

http://www.proliberty.com/observer/20080211.htm

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037366_russia_home_gardens_food_production.html#ixzz2F8ZGZxHy

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