Agriculture means more than Subsistence farming... With agriculture, young people can explore career options in Permaculture design, Bio dynamic farming, Communication technologies, Forecasting, Marketing, Logistics, Quality assurance, Urban agriculture projects, Food Preparation, Environmental Sciences, Advanced technologies and more. Farmers, businesses, policy makers, and educators need to promote agriculture as an intellectually stimulating and economically sustainable career and make jobs in the agriculture and food system for young people in Sub-Saharan Africa. By Farmer Kiama Robert , Nairobi, Kenya
African Gardening For Life
Square Foot Gardening 101
Square Foot Gardening (SFG): Growing More in Less Space
Want to grow beans and/or peas, you will need a trellis? As these plants grow up/vertical.
Trellis for Square Foot Gardening
How to put a trellis on a Square Foot Garden
***Special Article***
Gardening for Life By Wayne & Connie Burleson Ways to triple your food garden production Square Foot Gardening GO WILD! Ideas to Work Less and Grow More Long Box Gardens
2. Why Grow Your Own Food? The E.A.R.T.H provides the answer E= To capture free sunlight ENERGY A= To help ALLEVIATE world hunger problems and help improve your family’s nutrition – save lives R= To make use of you own local RESOURCES T= To save TIME, money and less TRANSPORTATION H= To grow your own HEALTH This method is based upon:Healthy soils produce - healthy plants - produce healthy people All done with very little money, & with work less to grow more
3. Class Outline You can do it!• Introduction Class introduce themselves• WHY SMALL GARDENS WORK?• Prove it!• Ownership, purpose• Soils/compost (the foundation to success)• Garden designs, location, layout, construction, shade trees, drainage• Starting seeds, transplanting, controlling light, temperature, water• Planting and plant spacing• Garden care: watering ideas, weed and pest control, shade hoop houses• Which vegetable to plant
***Recommended Read***
Whether you live on a small suburban lot or have a many acres in the country, this inspiring collection will empower you to increase your self-sufficiently and embrace a more independent lifestyle. A variety of authors share their specialized knowledge and provide practical instructions for basic country skills like preserving vegetables, developing water systems, keeping farm animals, and renovating barns. From sharpening an axe to baking your own bread, you’ll be amazed at the many ways learning traditional skills can enrich your life.
***Recommended book***
A comprehensive, no-nonsense guide to kitchen gardening on any scale.
"Filled with rich illustrations and photographs, this book will appeal to a wide range of gardeners, making this a useful book for all types of public libraries."
--American Reference Books Annual 2012
"Gianfrancesco's easy-to-understand-and-follow guide provides clearly delineated, step-by-step, fully detailed and remarkably informative instructions for growing an exciting spectrum of edible plants."
--Booklist
How to Grow Food is a complete, illustrated guide to the hundreds of plants that are easy to grow in the home garden. The author emphasizes gardening techniques that can be applied to any size of garden, from a window box to a small side yard plot to the biggest backyard.
This practical book features a comprehensive directory of more than 125 crop plants, from traditional choices to more unusual varieties, to suit all growing conditions in all regions using simple organic and biodynamic gardening methods. Gardeners can choose from roots and tubers; leafy crops; seed and fruit crops; grains; peppers and chilies; stem and flower crops; tree fruits; soft, bush and cane fruits; tender fruits; nuts; herbs; and edible flowers.
How to Grow Food features thorough instructions and a month-by-month calendar of tasks, plus:
Types of gardens and choosing the best site
Designing, preparing and planting a productive garden
Maximizing the use of space, such as vertical planting and fruit cages
Harvesting, storing and preserving
Training and pruning plants for maximum yield
Tools, pests, weeds and growing from seed
Helpful dos and don'ts
Plant ratings related to variety, value, maintenance and season
The author's special selection of star plants.
Three types of soil
Different types of soil
How to test soil Ph levels?
Do it yourself soil testing?
What is Mulch?
How to make Mulch?
How to make mulch from leaves?
How to mulch a garden bed?
14. How to Make Good Compost Ingredients needed: Why compost? Compost is decomposed organic matter that has turned into black colored humus that is called “black gold.” Compost makes excellent organic plant food. Millions of micro-organisms digest (eat) the dry grass and green grass causing the pile to heat up. Compost does not feed the plants directly. Instead it feeds the soil microbes which in turn release insoluble minerals for the plants to feed upon (fertilizers). This amazing process makes your garden a sustainable food factory - if you keep adding compost to your soils. Repeat all layers until 1 Meter high Add small amount of wood ash Add water to dry layers Vegetable waste ------ Thin layer old manure - Thin layer top soil----- Green grass 30 cm --- Dry grass 30 cm---- Bottom layer maze for air ->
15. Step #2 Garden Construction; Garden location; Raised beds 2.64 Meters 1.32 Meters
How to grow food in Winter?
Three ways.
How to grow food in the snow?
23. Why Add Mulch to Your Gardens Don’t let your soils see daylight Mr Brite One smart farmerCool shaded soils = 22 deg C (72 deg F) = holds water, Adds soil nutrients and slows weed germination Hot bare soils - 55 deg C (130 deg F) = evaporates water fast, Cooks and kills valuable microorganisms, no added soil nutrients and weeds can germinate
How To Make Compost
Planning Irrigation of Your Garden
The Incredible Self Watering Pop Bottle Garden Grow System! You Got To See This!
Want to heal yourself and family naturally? Then try Gullah Hoodoo Medicine by Faith Mitchell
Faith Mitchell earned her Doctorate in Medical Anthropology in 1980 from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the President and CEO at Grantmakers In Health. Formerly, Mitchell was a senior staff member of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, the Senior Coordinator for Population in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration in the US State Department, and a program officer at the Hewlett and San Francisco foundations.
Buy the book now
If you want to purchase gardening equipment, high quality, and have shipped to you for free, then go to www.gardeninggiftsformother.com Any order over $35.00 gets shipped free via Amazon. This can reach you almost anywhere in the world. So if you want to set up a community garden and need to know what you need to get going then check our quick list. This list is designed to help you get started quick with the right tools for the jobs. Tools, like irrigation systems, hoses, shovels, picks, wheel barrows, seeds, mosquito repellants, paint to prevent wood root, how to plant what next to what, etc.
How to Grow Food The Quick and Easy Way
Container Gardening for those with small space like Apartments
Still Updating!
Follow the link for more info:
15 Edible plants you can grow in doors.
Three Sisters Method for Pots
***Good Video***
Follow the link.
Companion Planting Three Sisters Method
Companion planting has become more popular in recent years because it helps to maximize available garden space and provides a sustainable environment for better crop production.
The truth is companion planting methods have been around for a very long time. In fact, the Native Americans might be some of the earliest known gardeners to use companion planting.
They used a planting technique called “The Three Sisters Method“.
Companion planting with the Three Sisters Method is a wise way of using available garden space and maximize yields.
What Is the Three Sisters Method?
The Three Sisters Method uses three different vegetables – corn, pole beans and squash.
Each vegetable is interplanted together so they benefit one another while growing and producing fruit.
The corn stalk provides a climbing support for the pole beans to grow up, the pole beans provide nitrogen in the soil for the corn, and the squash creates a living mulch to block out weeds and to conserve soil moisture for the pole beans and corn.
They are known as the “sisters”. A trio that works in complete harmony.
How to Plant a Three Sister Garden
For best results using the Three Sisters Garden, you will need an area that receives full sun and large enough to create a mound of soil that is about four square feet.
Mound up the soil about one foot high and two feet wide.
Flatten the top of the mound to create a level planting surface. You can also use a raised bed for the Three Sisters method if you have poor soil or drainage.
If you plan to create more than one make sure they are at least four to six feet apart.
In the center of the mound, plant the corn in a circle with the seeds spaced about six to seven inches apart. Water the seeds well after planting and continue to water each day until the seeds have sprouted in a couple weeks.
A Few Weeks After Planting the Three Sisters GardenOnce the corn has reached a height of ten to twelve inches sow the pole bean seeds in a circle six inches outside of the corn stalks.
The pole beans should sprout in seven to fourteen days. Remember to keep the mound well watered during this time.
A week after the pole beans have sprouted it is time to sow the squash seeds. Sow six squash seeds in a circle that is about twelve to fifteen inches away from the pole beans. Keep the entire mound watered well and the squash should pop up in about a week.
Make sure to train the pole beans to begin climbing up the corn stalks. You may need to begin wrapping the pole bean vines around the corn stalks to get them going in the right direction.
In just a few weeks the squash leaves will begin spreading out, shading the area and keeping the soil cool and moist.
Companion Planting with the Three Sisters Method
Using the Three Sisters method for growing corn, pole beans and squash is a really fun, space-saving way to incorporate companion planting in your vegetable garden.
Basic Garden Tools List
Want to know what gardening tools are and what ones you may need to do the job?
Example:
Garden Spade:
This tool is a must have for digging soil, making holes or shifting soil from one place to another. Border spade and digging spade are primarily two types of garden spades used by most gardeners. People with weak arms or back looking forward to dig large amount of soil can opt for a border spade.
Hoe:
This tool is helpful in cutting weeds just below the soil’s surface in vegetable plots. It helps in killing weeds and slowing down perennial weeds. If you intend to preserve your plantation and its produce, then you should positively get this gardening tool.
Hand Pruners or Secateurs:
This tool is ideally used for pruning stems up to 19mm thick. Anvil and bypass are two major types of secateurs. Most people go for bypass as they are capable of getting into tight spaces with ease. Thanks to their amazing cutting action, they prevent various plant diseases.
Watering can:
Applying targeted water to seedlings and young plants becomes an easy affair with watering cans. Their gentle spray doesn’t harm the plants.
Wheelbarrow:
They can come in handy for taking composts or tools from one place to another in garden. You can also use them for transporting debris to the compost pit.
Hand shears:
You can get a pair of good quality shears to trim hedges or overhanging grass at the edges of lawn.
Have a large group project and you need lots of the same tools and would like to buy wholesale? Buy wholesale direct from China all types gardening tools, cheap, affordable quality.
The Importance of Water/Oshun
Worldwide, the application of water and its managed use has been an essential factor in raising productivity of agriculture and ensuring predictability in outputs. Water is essential to bring forth the potential of the land and to enable improved varieties of both plants and animals to make full use of other yield-enhancing production factors. By raising productivity, sustainable water management (especially when combined with adequate soil husbandry) helps to ensure better production both for direct consumption and for commercial disposal, so enhancing the generation of necessary economic surpluses for uplifting rural economies.
Since the 1960s, global food production has at least kept pace with world population growth, providing more food per capita at generally declining prices, but at a cost to water resources. At the close of the 20th century, agriculture used a global average of 70% of all water withdrawals, and FAO estimates that global abstractions for irrigation will grow by some 14% by 2030.While this is a much slower rate than experienced in the 1990's, water scarcity stress is projected to grow locally and, in some cases, regionally, constraining local food production.
Improved agricultural water use in irrigated and rainfed agriculture will play a key-role in coping with the expected water scarcity stress. Improving water use or water productivity is often understood in terms of obtaining as much crop as possible per volume of water - "more crop for the drop". Money-wise farmers may prefer to target a maximum income per unit of water - "more dollars for the drop", while community leaders and policy makers may aim for maximum employment and income generated through the agricultural sector - "more jobs for the drop". Thus in a broad sense, increasing productivity in agriculture can result in more benefit for every unit of water withdrawn from natural water sources. However, the resulting shifts in agricultural water use require responses by governments to ensure the productive and sustainable use of the land and water resources upon which agriculture depends.
1. Ensure water supply for a secure and economically viable agriculture
Agricultural water use is consumptive and irrigated agriculture will by necessity claim large quantities of water to produce food. However, water-saving technologies are available and can significantly reduce waste. Desalinized and waste water are recognised as non conventional water sources. Solutions for sustainable allocation of water among users have to be secured.
2. Build new approaches in agricultural water management
Huge investments have been made to develop existing irrigation systems. However operation/maintenance and rehabilitation are under-funded in the public and private sectors. Reforming efforts include the institutional changes with the transfer of operation and maintenance responsibilities to water users' associations, and new cost-recovery approaches.
3. Build pro-poor and affordable agricultural water management
Low cost and small scale options in water harvesting, irrigation and drainage are necessary for small rural communities, who may have to rely only on manual and animal power (e.g. treadle pumps).
4. Mitigation of environmental and health impacts of new and existing systems
Poor irrigation and drainage have led to water loss and also to the spread of water borne diseases, waterlogging and salinization of nearly 10% of the world's irrigation land, thereby reducing productivity. Improved design and management of irrigation and drainage systems is a priority.
Importance of Water in Afrika
By
Published on Dec 12, 2015
Elphas Were - Founder of KEYNET (Kenya Economic Youth Network) talks about the importance of water provision.
We caught up with him, on the sidelines of the first African Young Water Professionals’ and Fourth Biennial Young Water Professionals’ conference, in Pretoria, South Africa, November 2015 where he was presenting a paper
Article by Elphas Were :
Afrikan Youth: Resource or Disaster? http://www.povo.co.zw/features/afrikan-youth-resource-or-disaster
Kids in Africa- Importance of Water
Water Conservation Interview w/ Phil Yates in WBC Children's Peace Garden
Water Gardening 101
Small Water Gardens - How To Build
Best Plants for a Water Garden
How to build a Rain Garden
A rain garden is a garden which takes advantage of rainfall and stormwater runoff in its design and plant selection. Usually, it is a small garden which is designed to withstand the extremes of moisture and concentrations of nutrients, particularly Nitrogen and Phosphorus, that are found in stormwater runoff.
Very good template shows what to do
How To Create A Rain Garden In Your Yard with Senga Landscape Architect
Dew Collection/Rain collectors
Amazing techological advancement
Dew Collecting Greenhouses
Purpose: Cure drought stricken land and grow food in harsh drought affected environment
Rain Shower in a Tropical Greenhouse
Amazing!
Poor Man's Dew Collector
How to collect dew for drinking water
Rain Water Collection Systems
This series of videos show how to set up and build a system to capture rain water.
This Old House Rain Water System
This is a heavy duty system more for community garden growers
30,000 Gallons collecting system
15,000 Gallon Collecting System
600 Gallon Simple Rain Water Collection System & First Flush - Part 1
600 Gallon Simple Rain Water Collection System - Pump - Part 2
Low cost Rain Collection system
5 Dollar RAIN BARRELS 55 gallons to 1000 gallons - RAIN WATER COLLECTION & STORAGE
9 Best Rain Barrels
Rainwater Harvesting Basics (1) Brad Lancaster
Japanese Water Gardens
Drilling Water Wells
Educational video showing step by step, the processes of well drilling, well construction and equipment installation needed to provide a safe home water supply.
How a Water well is drilled
This quote gives a U.S estimate but may be much cheaper in Africa or other nations
Water well drilling costs per foot vary by casing diameter. A 6 inch casing diameter is the current standard for domestic wells in Canada.
The cost per foot varies from as low as $36 per foot to $55 for standard 6″ casing. Sometimes there are extra charges for the annular seal, pitless adapter, stainless steel screen, pump test, well development ( to increase yield and to “clean up the zone” by: airlifting, jetting, surging, surge block, etc.), and the drive shoe. If there is a productive water well drilled and not a dry hole you will need to have a trench dug for the waterline and power. If you find a low production zone when drilling you may also need install a cistern which costs upwards of $2000 and have the well keep it full.
You will also need a water pump installed that is appropriately sized for the depth of well and gallons per minute. Most well drillers also have a minimum charge, usually around 100ft minimum which at $45 per foot would be $4500. Drilling a water well is a long term investment and most people are reluctant to drill without knowing if they will find water, and if so at what depth.
If you would like to find aquifer depth and yield (gpm), and make an informed decision of where to drill your water well give us a call at 250-788-9118
We have regular runs throughout BC and AB call us to see when we are coming through your area. Seismic Waterfinder will travel to almost anywhere, please give as much lead time as possible so we can come at the date that is most suitable for you. If you need a high production water well for irrigation, or a domestic water well for your acreage, we can help you.
Want to drill the well yourself, you and your team?
DIY Water Well Drilling (Off-The-Grid Water Supply)
Off Grid Water: How To Find A Spring Or Seep
CHEAP and EASY, Emergency Well Pump Requires No Electricity
Our 100% Off Grid Gravity Water System
How to make Water wheels
Note: Mosquitoes usually come with slow moving water but a water wheel can speed up the flow of a created stream.
Water Wheel Farming
Talking of Irrigation!
Water Wheel Science Project
Try build it yourself to understand the concept
Water Wheel building for large community groups with finacing
Purifying water
Here is a secret little way to purify water using a simple food grade plastic water bottle. This method is approved by the WHO (world health organization) and is in use in many countries around the world. Uses sunlight and UV rays to pasteurize the water and remove water borne parasites and viruses
Below are the links where I purchased some of the items in this video.
The uv light system I purchased from freshwater systems.com, I had a horrible experience with the company and staff. Do your research before purchasing, A attorney was needed in order to resolve my issue. Freshwatersystems.com did not want to replace the uv light that was delivered BROKEN!
2 pin battery quick connect -https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/183-7346297-0339751?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00 .
Doulton Rio 2000 whole house water filter with 6 Ceramic Sterasyl Filters - https://www.amazon.com/Rio-2000-Ceramic-Sterasyl-Filters/dp/B000VDTJ7G?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00
3/4 Inch Rusco Spin Down Separator Sand / Sediment Water Filter 20 GPM - https://www.amazon.com/Rusco-Separator-Sediment-Water-Filter/dp/B00B8XDA46?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00
Rusco FS 3/4-1000 3/4" 1000 mesh screen. - https://www.amazon.com/Rusco-4-500-500-mesh-screen/dp/B0014C5D3W?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00
This is a demonstration of the clean water science lab I recently purchased. It teaches you the basics of water filtration and purification. There are multiple experiments in the box. For today I am trying out the water filter.
This is the same principal used by the large water treatment plants in the city.
You can use this idea to make your own clean water filter for your off grid home.
11 REASONS WHY EARTHSHIPS ARE THE FUTURE
First Earthbag House at Manimutharu, TamilNadu, India
The $500 House - Build A House Dirt Cheap? (Part 1 of 4)
The $500 House - Build A House Dirt Cheap? (Part 2 of 4)
Earthship : Strange and Alternate Homes - Episode 2 Eloy, AZ
Earthships are the 21st century’s 100% sustainable homes that offer comforts like no other green building style you have ever seen! They are the modern way of living cheap and in harmony with nature. Here are 11 reasons why Earthships are so amazing:
1. GROW YOUR OWN FOOD!
The Earthship is equipped with 2 greenhouses that can grow crops through the whole year! That means that no matter what the climate is, you can eat vegetables and fruits for free by growing them in your own house. If you need meat or eggs, you can also build a chicken coop into your Earthship. A fish pond is also a great option for the seafood lovers!
2. CHEAP ENERGY!
You can use renewable sources like solar panels and wind turbines to provide all the power your home needs. That is, of course, if you’re not the senseless consumer modern society taught you to be.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
3. SUSTAINABLE WATER SYSTEM.
Whenever it rains, the roof of the Earthship collects the water in a cistern, which then distributes it to sinks and showers. The used ‘gray water’ from the sinks and showers is then pumped into the greenhouse to water the plants. At this point water is cleaned by the plants and it’s ready for use again– that’s why it’s pumped back to the bathrooms for the toilets. After that the water from the toilet is pumped to the outdoor garden to give nutrients to non-edible plants.
4. A SECURE SHELTER FOR ANY WEATHER.
Earthships are adapted to any kind of climate– no matter if it’s freezing cold or hot like hell, Earthships sustain a constant temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). The secret is in the structure of the building– tires filled with dirt or ‘thermal mass’. Through this method, solar power is being absorbed and can also be released depending on the interior’s temperature. In order for the sun to heat up the thermal mass, the large front windows of the greenhouse should be facing south.
5. NO BILLS = FREEDOM.
Having all those basic necessities for free brings us to the next huge advantage– you’ve freed yourself from the modern form of slavery! You no longer need to work in order to survive– no more wasted valuable time! You can fully concentrate on the things you love doing and on improving yourself and the world around you. The only responsibility you’ll have will be to take care of your greenhouse and Earthship, which is totally worth it! Imagine the world we’d live in if everyone had that much free time to do the things they truly love to do instead of working jobs they don’t even like!
6. BUILD YOUR OWN ONE!
This can be done surprisingly fast even by an amateur builder! A fine example of that is a married couple, who built their own 3-story Earthship by themselves in 3 months. They both had no experience in construction and managed to build their green home using only printed schematics. No workers were hired nor were the costs for equipment high. If a couple in their forties can do it– anyone can, too.
Read: The first completely sustainable island is in Scotland
7. CHEAP
Earthships are pretty cheap compared to universal houses. They vary from 7,000 to 70,000, depending on whether you want an average or a huge one. The price fits buyers from all social classes.
8. SUSTAINABLE AND TRENDY.
Most people picture a primitive home that lacks the comforts the 21st century has to offer, when they hear sustainable or Eco-homes. Take a look at these pictures and you decide if Earthships have anything to do with primitive or old-fashioned:
9.MADE OF BYPRODUCTS OF MODERN SOCIETY
The basic parts of the Earthship are recycled byproducts– that’s the reason why they are so cheap. As I mentioned above, tires filled with dirt make up the structure of the Earthship. Used tires are pretty easy to acquire and there are places where they’ll actually pay you to take them away! Another example are the walls– they are concreted plastic and glass bottles. I’m sure you can find these and a lot of the other materials needed pretty easily in every urban environment.
10. OPEN-MINDED.
Earthships succeed in one thing for sure– encouraging people to think differently. They inspire us to build our human society in harmony with nature and not against it. What if we apply the sustainable model not only in our homes but in the world around us? What else can we make cheaper, more sustainable and Eco-friendly ?
Read: Sapiosexuality: Why Some of Us are Attracted Purely by Intelligence (backed by science, of course)
11. THE EARTHSHIPS CREW
The supporters and activists of the Earthships carry the same values as the Earthship itself. There are widely spread movements around the world that build sustainable homes in different countries. If you don’t want to live alone or build one by yourself, you can always contact such organizations and be a part of spreading the change!
Low Cost Greenhouses for Community Gardens
This Greenhouse could feed an entire community or provide a stable business for a family or group.
This Greenhouse was invented in Kenya, made entirely of natural material that is found in the local area. It only costs $600.00 to build. It lasts for 10 years! The space is huge. You will need a crew of 20 or so. Saws, ladders and gardening tools. Greenhouse sheets and mosquito net covering.
For small investors and small workforce.
This is the most affordable greenhouse you could ever build -- total cost even with everything store bought is about $225 for a 12X40 greenhouse.
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