Securing the Future of Bats in the South East

Knole Park, in Sevenoaks, is one of the few remaining Tudor deer parks to have survived the mass development of our countries landscapes over the past 500 years. The park has seen change over the years; in recent history the park lost nearly 70% of its trees in the great storm of October 1987. Vast oaks and chestnuts scatter the landscape, never failing to impress.
Thankfully, there are still lots of impressive mature trees to behold within the park, trees suitable for the installation of bat hibernation roost boxes.
PJC were commissioned to undertake bat surveys on one of the keeper's cottages on site that had been ear marked for renovation. The surveys revealed that the building did in fact contain a summer transitional roost at one end of the roof void. The species PJC ecologists identified to be using the roost included Brown long-eared bats (Plecotus auritis), Common Pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and Natterer's bats (Myotis nattereri).
As part of the extensive mitigation strategy designed by PJC, a hibernation roost bat box was to be installed within the woodland directly adjacent to the cottage. In conjunction with PJC's sister company PJ Chaffin Ltd the day of installation was upon us. With the aid one of PJ Chaffin's experienced tree climbers, Sam Taylor, the sturdy bat box was hoisted high into the tree chosen by PJC ecologist Tom Rothero.
With a bit of jostling and, "no the other left" the hibernation box was firmly secured with a south facing aspect out across the deer park. Sam then descended from the tree via his web of ropes after creating much hysteria from nearby power walkers, "Oh look, a man up a tree!" one woman exclaimed. Another successful step towards bat conservation in the south east had been completed.
The English country house is surrounded by 1000 acres of parkland, inhabited by the local residents and the wild life. The house has been used for a number of films over the years and continues to hold evens and hoards of visitors. The grounds support a heard of Fallow and Japanese Sika deer,800 in number,that roam around the park. The golf club that is situated within the park was founded in 1924 and is still going strong. Golf isn't the only sport in the park there are plenty of others including cross country competitions every year. The park has some stunning walks that are fantastic to experience at different times of the year.

Aeroponics in Outer Space

Aeroponics provides a clean, efficient, and rapid method of food production. Crops can be planted without soil and harvested year-round. In aeroponics, plants roots are suspended in air, periodically sprayed with a nutrient rich water based solution and then allowed to drain. By alternating wet and dry cycles, the roots are kept moist but also exposed to an abundant supply of oxygen leading to much faster growth than traditional gardening methods. Aeroponics systems reduce water and fertilizer usage by over 90% and by avoiding exposure to soil-born diseases eliminate pesticide usage altogether.
These benefits, along with the great reduction in weight that is achieved by eliminating dirt and significantly reducing the amount of water required for plant growth, are reasons this high-tech method of food production has attracted the interest and support of NASA. On of the hurdles to be cleared for long distance space travel and even colonies on the Moon or nearby planets is finding a means for crews to manage self- sustaining supplies of food and oxygen.
Through aeroponics, this goal becomes a realistic possibility and humans and plants can become best friends in deep space. Humans consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Plants return the favor by consuming carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Humans can use edible parts of plants for nourishment, while human waste and inedible plant matter can be converted into the nutrient solution used in aeroponics for plant growth. The plants consume the nutrients and return clean water to the system. So aeroponics is a potential source of food, fresh oxygen, clean drinking water and together with humans can create a closed and self-sustaining ecological system.
While aeroponics has not yet been used in long distance space travel, like many other aspects of NASA's technological research, spin-off designs are now being used in commercial agricultural applications for food production. This technology is used to relieve hunger in parts of the world with limited access to arable land and to enable city dwellers to grow their own supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. Aeroponics has also led to advances in cloning of plants from cuttings. Numerous plants which were previously considered difficult, or impossible, to propagate from cuttings can now be replicated simply from a single stem. This is a boon to green houses attempting to propagate their best specimens. With a basic aeroponics setup, any interested individual can now clone plants. Finally, crops can also be grown in half the time required by traditional agricultural methods and require far less labor to harvest.

Small Farmers Are Getting Rich Off Specialty Crops

Small scale farming will change your life.
I'm here to tell you about some of the newest and best crops, animals and agricultural businesses out there today. Many of these commodities have such high demand you will sell your crops before they are even harvested.
With revenues around 100k per acre it is silly not to look into this information. As an Ag consultant I am exposing these new crops that no one has ever heard of.
One example someone called me up curious about growing something on an idle patch of ground that was incapable of growing anything. I suggested she grow a type of ornamental tumble weed and now she is selling the seeds for a substantial income.
It's all about turning that boring plot of land into something useful and productive. Just how productive you want it to be is limited only buy your desire for success. Many clients have been able to go to full time hobby farmer status except they are anything but hobby farmers they now are successful business owners.
While in college for Ag business, I became preoccupied with finding the new crop that would change the world and make me a boatload of money in the process. Actually, preoccupied is an understatement. I was more like obsessed, infatuated, fixated on finding that new crop that would change the world forever.
My obsession has taken me all over the world and into some of the most pristine rainforests and into some of the most hostile deserts. Did I find that secret crop that had the power to change the world? You better believe I did. Was it developed? Yep, and now it's a multi-billion-dollar industry.
That's right-I said multi-billion. Ever heard of Acai? While talk show hosts made this little berry an instant success, others were cashing in on it. Turns out I had a pretty good hunch. That was 10 years ago, and now it's old news. Yet, I knew there were better, more profitable things out there.
The next billion-dollar crop is waiting to be exploited. And I have it in my book. Truth be told, it's not just one crop. I have many different types of plants, animals, and unique agricultural ventures waiting to be planted, grown, developed, and harvested. Why many? One size does not fit all.
Does this mean you will become the next billionaire? Probably not. However, some of my secret niches will generate over $100,000 in an area as small as your back yard.
Here is a letter a client sent to our publication office.
My wife and I purchased a small house with about 30 acres of irrigated ground. We planned on the corn crops to take care of the mortgage however it just wasn't working out like I had thought it would. Instead of making our mortgage this little patch of land was costing us money. With a large fertilizer and chemical bill it simply was costing us more to operate than the income we were bringing in. I knew there had to be a better way. It wasn't until my wife lost her job that I really needed to supplement some income. We went from buying the farm to nearly losing the farm in less than 3 years time.
It wasn't until I got the call from the bank that I decided it was time to sink or swim.
We searched and searched the internet for something that would save the farm. However it wasn't until I found a website called forty acre fortune that the wheels got spinning. There were so many great ideas for small scale farming I didn't sleep for a week, thinking of which one would be best for all of us and because my beautiful wife would be doing most of the work I wanted something easy for her to manage and not incredibly physically demanding.
After purchasing some information from the Ag consultant who wrote the book, I called him to discuss my next move. He was very knowledgeable of new crops that I have never heard of, and was more than willing to help out. Jon was very adamant about matching the right crop for our lifestyle and now that we are in production I'm so glad because now our family has time for vacations and most weekends are spent off the farm, we have never been happier.
After working with him for a while we decided to settle on a type of berry that helps fight cancer. It has been a big learning curve but we came out on top with average profits of 40 thousand per acre this little hobby farm is now a very lucrative business. I'm so glad I found this information it has literally changed my life.

Aronia Berry Juice Health Benefits

Pucker up and prepare to experience the benefits of the tart Aronia Berry. The term "super food" gets used a lot, but when it comes to these berries and their juice health benefits, the term is well-deserved. These berries are a genuine miracle of nature. Aronia is a low-maintenance and nearly a pest-free crop. It is easy to grow the aronia plant organically because it does not need to be protected against pathogens, pest, and diseases, as a result the fruit does not contain traces of pesticides.
They are 3 times healthier than blueberries. The unique taste of the berry is one of life's unique experiences. Their high antioxidant levels, and high tannin levels make these berries tart. The berries are often made into juice mixed with other juice or made into jelly or other products. Another juice or sweetener is often added to reduce the tart taste
THIS JUICE IS AN ANTIOXIDANT LEADER
First the berry juice is a leading source of antioxidants. Antioxidants as you probably know are composed of a variety of compounds this includes vitamins, enzymes, bio-flavonoids, and peroxidases. Antioxidants break down the free radical molecule neutralizing it. Free radicals formed in your body essentially damage the cells leading to a host of negative effects, including making you age faster and rendering you less able to fight off diseases.
Drinking this juice supplies your body with free radical eliminating compounds that helps get rid of many of them. This helps you slow the process of aging and fend off disease. This claim it is backed up by solid science.
ESSENTIAL ACIDS OFFER DIFFERENT ARONIA BERRY JUICE HEALTH BENEFITS
Constituents within the berry include tannic acid, folic acid, quinic acid, phenolic acids, catechins, ascorbic acid,known as vitamin Cas well as Vitamins B6, B12, and E, minerals, resveratrol, hesperidin and rutin.
The primary organic acids in the berries are: tartaric, natural polyphenolic compounds, antioxidants, malic, and citric. This produces a low pH of 3.3-3.8 inside berries. This in turn hinders bacterial invasion and facilitates transport and storage of aronia berries.
Aronia berry juice is high in tannic acid, or tannins, which is well-known to be an anti-inflammatory agent. The tannins in the berry is what gives aronia berries their astringent taste that most people find objectionable. Aronia berry juice is reported to ease intestinal inflammation, and also inflammation of the joints, or even the skin.
Inflammation causes blood levels of certain proteins to be elevated. Inflammation causes the disruption of normal brain molecules. Inflammatory proteins are thought to possibly be connected to the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Let's talk about cancer one of the most dreaded diseases. It is well-known that anyone can get cancer, and so it only makes sense to take any precautions you can to eat and drink as much as practical of the healthy foods which do the most to give you the greatest chance of preventing the start of cancer. The juice fends off cancer in a variety of ways.
It also helps prevent cancer of the stomach and colon because it contains pectin, which is a soluble form of fiber. Aronia berry has a substantial amount of pectin. Pectin is a substance that is needed to thicken jams. It can be added to other fruits that are low in pectin when making jams. Pectin bonds to cholesterol in the stomach and intestine slowing glucose absorption by trapping carbohydrates. The consumption of pectin has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
EYE PROTECTION AND ARONIA BERRIES
Amazingly, aronia juice offers some protection for the agonizing condition of macular degeneration of the eyes. This is something for which there is no cure, and which causes blindness. A study found that those who drink high amounts of fruit juices, especially antioxidant rich juices like aronia berry and blueberry juice, have far less chance of developing macular generation as they grow older.
ARONIA BERRIES AS A MEMORY AGENT
Another one of thehealth benefits of the juice is memory improvement. Aronia berries and blueberries have been shown to not only increase brain function, but specifically memory. This is creating excitement among the scientific community because it suggests high aronia berry or blueberry/juice diets can play a role in preventing or staving off Alzheimer's disease. Dark purple berries are reported to promote health and anti-aging. The dark purple pigmentation with their high level of antioxidants called anthocyanins and have been reported to promote mental focus, protect the heart and vision, and prevent free-radical damage or oxidative stress.
GROW YOUR OWN
Why not think about adding a few aronia plants? If you want to become more self-sufficient you might want to think about planting some low maintenance Aronia shrubs. Purchase your Aronia berry plants from a reputable farm and nursery. The berries are produced on easy to grow shrubs that have low maintenance and add beauty to your landscape. Nero aronia plants grow about 3 to 4 feet tall and can make a nice hedge as well as being a source of fruit. A few plants could produce all the berries you need for the year. You can freeze those you do not use during the harvest time and have them throughout the year. You could also make juice and freeze it for use later.
SUMMARY
In my view, aronia is one of the best investments in your health. For less than the price of a cup of coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, McCafé at McDonald's or Starbucks you can have an anti-inflammatory, anti-heart disease, anti-cancer, anti-Alzheimer's, anti-diabetes, eye protection, and memory enhancing aronia berry drink that's delicious and healthful. Make some juice from your own home-grown plants and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer for daily use.

The Milky Bar Kids - In The Beginning

Sometimes a combination of youthful enthusiasm and a degree of bravado can carry the day. Other situations demand a large dose of determination that no one should witness the woeful lack of knowledge and experience that actually exists.
Such was the prevailing mindset we held most ferociously to on our first day of milking cows. The poor 'girls' had been milked by a sheep farmer for many weeks whilst the owner searched for a share-farmer. So...what's wrong with a sheep farmer milking cows, you may ask?
Well-ll-ll, for starters, this reluctant milker would round up the cows twice a day with the help of his trusty working dogs, and his equally trusty old utility. Hard to tell which 'moved' the cows faster - the incessant yapping at their heels, or the combined roar of the vehicle's motor and beeping of its horn, whilst simultaneously belching out great clouds of smoke. Certainly, the combination successfully achieved the goal of getting the herd into the dairy in the shortest time known to Man...or beast. Personally, we found ourselves unimpressed by the quantity of milk spread over the paddock by the great swinging udders of the 'sprinters'.
We maybe knew zilch about milking cows (except what this sheep farmer taught us) - but it didn't take an Einstein to figure this was all wrong. Where did two 'city slickers' (in a previous life) learn such patience and skill with handling these large creatures so successfully for the next 10 years on this property, and a further 4 years elsewhere? I can only think that deep love and respect for all animals, coupled with a burning desire to be in total charge of our destiny, were the keys to our success.
On this first day, it was all ahead of us, having graciously refused all offers of help with the confident air of two 'old hands' at this milking 'gig'. It's so funny in retrospect - we're amongst the most honest people you'll ever meet - and yet, on this subject, we blatantly lied and deceived everyone around us, so none should see our quivering interiors. The trusty sheep farmer had actually done us a massive favour, we told ourselves confidently. Nothing we could do could upset them more than he had...could it?
Well-ll-ll, once we had bungled through our first milking; our first full day; our first week - the girls began to respond to our TLC - slowly but surely. They led us far along the steep learning curve of patience and understanding with animals that had begun on the other side of Australia with raising kangaroos, and to this day (40 years later) is still our instinctive way to handle all our creatures - great and small.
It's really not hard when you start with a strong foundation of love and understanding. Did I really say that? Rubbish! Lying again! It's the hardest job in the world, gaining an animal's trust - especially one who has lost trust in humans. We each have several scars on both body and soul to prove it.

The Milky Bar Kids - A Memorable First

Our Dairy was a Herring-bone style with cows standing alongside each other in a staggered fashion - 6 each side of a waist-deep pit where we worked with swing-across sets of milking cups. A strong steel bar across their bottoms and a thick concrete ledge behind their back feet stopped them from joining us down there...mostly.
This old dairy had been the first herring-bone style in the area - a breakthrough in its day - but this one already had 'whiskers on it' - as we would discover. There was a long feed trough with a walk space in front to enable hand-bucketing their ration of crushed grain into it. In the interest of speed and ease of handling, I had carefully lined up the spot where each cow's head would be, and deposited 6 bucketfuls in each trough. Sounded good to me.
On this first day, hubby and I both went on foot to bring the cows in. Their size was just a tad 'over the top' for this ex-secretary, and a little 'Dutch courage' needed bolstering. Lesson No. l - when cows have been herded in by a sheep farmer and his dogs - and are then treated to quiet but firm encouragement by humans 'on foot', they do NOT respond with gratitude and appreciation.
NO...the drippy dames all had to stop everything they were doing 'stare at us wide-eyed'; 'poop'; turn around and start following us (from a fast-diminishing distance...did I mention, cows are SO curious); 'poop' some more; finally start to move together - in the wrong direction; and just for good luck, 'poop' again.
On this day, it required one human in front, for them to follow - and one human at the back to encourage the forward impetus. I cannot tell you how much we have chuckled at the memory. We seriously had no idea! But at last they were in the concrete holding yard with the gate firmly chained behind them. With a press of a button, the milking machine sprung into action and it was 'all systems go'.
Except...the first cow let into the dairy stopped at the first pile of feed in the long trough and started eating. And everyone else started piling up behind her, pushing and shoving like a mob scene at the opening of a department store sale. Soon, there were cows in the engine room - and the milk room around the huge (and extremely valuable) refrigerated milk vat. A couple went down the steps into 'our' pit; two were wedged tight between the tail rail and the trough; and another tried to jump over the feed trough, and succeeded in straddling it instead.
Before this event, we were apprehensive, but quite sure bravado would beat anything we would face. Huh! Now our stomachs and our nervous systems most closely resembled the stuff that jellyfish are made of, as we tried to restore order to the incredible chaos that overwhelmed us. I remember we had to let them all out again into the dirt yard next to the concrete - and clean down the dairy (you can guess why!). Next, remove the offending feed from the troughs. Aha! You feed them after they have walked in and shuffled and arranged themselves (and 'pooped' again - where does it all come from?).
Believe me, its no job for the faint-hearted - all these 'poppy' eyes in huge heads, all staring at you. Some want to sniff and taste you with tongues as long as a snake (well, nearly), whilst others roll their eyes, lay back their ears and toss their heads all about. It's hard to decide which is worse. There was just one more happening before this lengthy day was done, but that's another story - coming soon - honestly!
It had taken us almost 4 hours from 'whoa to go' to milk 26 cows. We were quite proud to find we cut that back to 2-1/2 hours at the next one - the p.m. milking. On that day, we would not have believed the 'norm' we achieved much later - 65 cows in 2 hours!

The Milky Bar Kids - Dog + Dairy = Disaster

Due to previous bad experiences with dogs, we thought it kindest to our new 'girls' (or dairy herd) to keep our dogs tied up on our first official milking day. On foot ourselves, we gently but firmly brought them in - no noisy, smelly vehicle or relentless barkers and heel-nippers for us, as we proceeded to lead them - like over-large lambs to the slaughter, coming to meet their Milkers. And we were confident at this, our second milking, there would be no repeat of the morning's bedlam and mayhem following our exceptional and memorable 'false start'.
Now we were seasoned troopers, and as this second, more educated approach began to near its end, we were almost ready to heave a sigh of relief and congratulate each other loudly on achieving a new world record of 1-1/2 hours only. Well-ll-ll...you know how you shouldn't 'count your chickens before they're hatched'? Hmm-m, well you shouldn't start whipping up a milkshake before you've milked the cow, either.
Disaster loomed, and struck, from a totally unexpected quarter. Our youngest dog wiggled herself loose from her collar and chain, and came to see what Mum and Dad were doing. Gypsy understood she should make a wide detour around these gargantuan beasts, but unfortunately, this took her out onto the dirt road our dairy was close to (for ease of milk pickup).
What she didn't understand was what a road and traffic was, compared to the extra long driveway in to the farmhouse where she had been born and bred, not to mention the care all users had taken to ensure the safety of Mum Candy, and her 8 baby puppies. Admittedly, there was not much traffic on this road, but what there was went fast, and swerved for nothing smaller than a milk-tanker.
And so a truck hit her and sent her helplessly rolling over and over countless times. She was just barely able to painfully and groggily make her way towards us as we came flying out of the dairy, alerted by the truck's horn and the sickening thud.
My husband lifted her into a corner of the milk-room of the dairy and gently placed her on a hastily improvised 'bed' of hessian feed sacks. Then we faced Catch 22...truly, all of that and more. Couldn't leave the cows whilst they were milking, in order to get to the house and summon the Vet. And even if we could, a Vet from where? We didn't even know that yet.
Necessity therefore made the choice for us - just to keep ducking in and out to our darling in the milk-room as often as possible between rows of cows, and finish as quickly as possible. At first Gypsy was semi-comatose, but breathing evenly, though her pulse was rapid (mine was even more so!).
By the time we had finally finished completely, our beloved pet was fully conscious, licking our hands gratefully, profusely and lovingly. She took a little water, but still needed carrying home. Nothing, thankfully was broken and it seemed shock and soreness, and some tearing of the pads on her feet, were responsible for her inability to walk for some hours after her accident.
Apart from bruises and scrapes, Gypsy had survived - and never, for the rest of her long life of 17 years, would she come near enough to a car to suffer possible damage...except to jump on the back of our utility, of course.

Organic Farming and Gardening: The Next Big Thing?

Every day we seem to hear horror stories about some major oil spill, a new threat to the ozone, overpowering greenhouse gases, children dying from drinking contaminated water, and many other tragedies. One of the common statements we hear from the "experts" is the depletion of our natural resources. The oil is going to dry-up and water will be scarce in the future. Among those ardent activists in the Go Green movement who are recycling and finding alternate sources of electricity, stands the organic farming industry.
So what is it?
Organic farming, and, to a lesser extent, organic gardening, is a system of growing crops that keeps pollution from a bare minimum, to non-existent. For one thing, chemicals like pesticides and herbicides are not used. Fruits and vegetables are cleaned manually, and other methods to keep the insect population at bay are employed. Crop rotation is perhaps the most beneficial. Whereas most farms growing multiple crops replant the same ones in the same areas, organic farmers and gardeners rotate each season. This ensures the rich nutrients are retained, and pests cannot make a permanent home.
Alongside the benefit of pollution reduction, is the benefit to the consumer: with an absence of pesticides and herbicides, and only organic fertilizer, consumers are less at risk for potentially dangerous diseases and ill-health. Pesticides can cause sickness, and is especially harmful for small children, whose immune systems are not yet strong enough to fight-off harmful toxins.
Organic farming and gardening also reduces the strain on our biological resources. Animals who eat food with pesticides are just as likely to develop the same kinds of illnesses as small children, and many migrate from their home population due to a lack of resources.
With traditional farming, the emphasis leans much more to "how much, how fast". Some make a trade of balancing the importance of natural resources and how many shortcuts can be made to get that extra dollar on the pound. Remember, I said some, not all. Organic farming was born of the necessity to limit our seemingly endless capacity for destruction. The process from seed to growth to consumer may not be as quick as traditional farming, but the result is of a much greater nutritional value, and there is obviously a lack of health-risks that come from eating pesticides.
All in all, from the research I've compiled I can only say that to go organic is the only way to go for those concerned with a healthier world environment for our children and our children's children.

Agriculture: Know the Past and the Future

Agriculture has been the most integral means of livelihood since the beginning of time. This involves not only the cultivation of plants and vegetation but also animal farming. Crops has been and still is the man's main food source. Its vast history can be traced back to thousand of years ago, surpassing various eras and numerous climate changes.
Primeval Origins and Middle Ages
Agriculture has long been depicted in ancient cave drawings and has appeared in countless manuscripts. The earliest of civilizations started near rivers because of the water it supplies and the nutrients it supplies the land. Egypt and India were believed to possess the most fertile of lands fit for sowing, no wonder it was named the Cradle of Civilization. By the 7000 BC, agriculture reached Egypt. This paved waves for ancient Sumerians to developed agricultural techniques such as irrigation and land cultivation in order to increase production. Even the Greeks have a figure for it, Demeter, as the great Olympian Goddess of grain and bread. It portrays man's source of sustenance. Such she is one of the most revered of all gods. Around the 1500s, colonists started their voyage and participated in the global exchange of crops such as potato, cocoa bean and tobacco. Spices from the New World were brought back to the Old. Soon this barter system improved to fabric, pottery and even jewelry.
Different Production Practices
Today, almost the same concept of agricultural techniques are being practiced with the slight difference of more advanced machinery and scientific processes. Pest control is one of the most practiced because of the abundance of destructive insects and diseases that affect the crops. Pesticides are one of the fastest ways of pest control yet are discouraged because of the chemicals that can cause fatal effects to humans when ingested. Plowing the soil is also both a form of pest control and nutrient enhancer. It prepares the land for planting. Other nutrient management techniques include the use of fertilizers and compost, crop rotation and proper irrigation.
Organic vs Inorganic
The demand for organic food has greatly increased over the years. People are more conscious about what they eat and in turn become more aware of how their food is grown. Organic foods are foods that are grown and maintained without any chemical pesticides or genetic modification. In grocery stores, Organic produce are usually labeled "All Natural" or "100% Organic". The demand for agriculture will no doubt increase still as the years progress. Until humans find another source of sustenance free of any agricultural content, this will forever stand as our means of living.

A Few Facts About Organic Farming

Organic farming has taken a giant hold on the farming industry in the last 20+ years. It has grown from what many thought was a fad, to--forgive the pun--much greener pastures.
So what is the hype behind organic farming? For one, there is a lack of both pesticides and herbicides. In the past, consumers didn't have much of a choice in the way their fruits and veggies were produced, and let's face it, negative results occurred. Pesticides and herbicides are not only threatening to the environment, they are directly affecting our children. Any product out in the market that is chemically enhanced is always subject to criticism, and the basic statistics show that, although this may not be as immediately profitable, it is the way to go in matters of living a healthy lifestyle.
The differences between this method and traditional farming are many. Aside from the pesticide/herbicide issue, there are a great many other reasons to consider supporting your local organic farmer (or gardener!)...
First among these, in my personal opinion, is water. Yep, water. No fruit or vegetable can grow to optimal heath without a pure water content. Farming in this method insists on having either a creek, stream or other water source to feed their crops. The most beneficial of which are heading in a decline (meaning to a lower land level, gravitationally). This will ensure that the deposits and run-off from your crops will not affect your local watering hole, so to speak.
Another is energy. Farming organically employs everything from solar power and wind energy, to a reduction in the use of inefficient energy sources overall. The estimate is that organic farmers use 25% less energy to produce crops for consumption than traditional farming methods. This means a reduction on greenhouse gases, negative effects on the ozone and a general spike in healthy eating habits. Many are turned-off from buying certain fruits and vegetable based merely on the concern of pesticide-inducement.
The research is there if you want it, but overall, traditional methods of farming are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Farmers should take the opportunity to learn and educate themselves about organic farming. It is eco-friendly, eliminates pollution, and is more oriented towards a healthy society. Although it may take up to three seasons to compete with traditional farming, after that basic hump, you are not only providing a healthy resource for yourselves and your family, you are also helping others to be involved in the organic-slash-green industry.

Methods to Grow Plants Without Soil

Ponos is the god of labor in Greek mythology and the basis for the Greek word ponics which means hard work. In modern English, ponics is combined with the Greek and Latin words for air and water to describe different methods of soil less agriculture. Photosynthesis in plants requires access to minerals, especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These nutrients are found naturally in the soil but the soil itself is not required for plant growth. So the common thread in all soil less gardening techniques is the existence of an alternative means via air and water of delivering those minerals directly to the roots of the plants.
Hydro is the Greek word for water and hydroponics literally means "working water." It is the name for the process of growing plants in beds of sand, gravel, or similar supporting material that is flooded with nutrient rich water based solutions. Hydroponics is the oldest of the soil less cultivation methods and goes back 1000s of years to the early Egyptians, Aztecs and Chinese. Of the three soil less gardening methods described in this article, hydroponics is the simplest to implement but also the least efficient. Regardless it enables easy indoor gardening and will typically produce crops on about 20% of the land and use about 10% of the water as traditional agriculture.
Aero is the Greek word for air and aeroponics is the gardening technique for growing plants without anchoring them in soil or a nutrient drenched hydroponic media. In aeroponics, the plants' roots are suspended in air in a chamber and intermittently spayed or misted with nutrient-laden water. The goal is to hold the humidity of the chamber at or close to 100% which exposes the roots to abundant oxygen, CO2 and the necessary nutrients. Aeroponics is a relatively new high tech method of gardening dating back to the end of the 20th century. It is well suited to indoor gardening and can produce crop yields that exceed hydroponics by as much as 40%. It is also more complicated and less forgiving than hydroponics. The wet/dry spray cycles must be consistently timed and crops can be severely damaged or completely lost due to even short electrical power outages or equipment failures.
Aqua is the Latin word for water and aquaponics is the modern practice of growing fish and plants in a closed water system utilizing the natural synergistic relationship between these two species. Aquaponics combines hydroponics with aquaculture to create a sustainable food producing process that yields organic fruits and vegetables plus healthy fish populations for either consumption or as ornamental pets.
Aquaculture or fish farming is the growing of aquatic species, such as fish, crayfish and prawns in a controlled environment. A key to the ability to grow healthy fish in an aquaculture system is to maintain the water quality through the removal of adverse elements produced from fish waste products. As previously stated, hydroponics is growing plants in a solution of water and nutrients. Hydroponic farmers must maintain the level of nutrients in the water as they are consumed by the plants adding labor and expense to the processes.
Aquaponics utilizes a symbiotic relationship between the two species to provide nutrients for the plants while at the same time sustaining clean water for the fish As they eat and grow fish produce waste that introduce ammonia into the water which is toxic to most aquatic animals. Through a natural multi-step process known as the Nitrogen Cycle, ammonia from fish waste products are transformed by bacteria into nitrates that are a source of the nutrients that are needed by plants. The plants feed on these nutrients and filter and clean the water for the fish. By combining these two older systems, aquaponics is the ideal answer to a fish framers problem of disposing nutrient rich water and a hydroponic growers need for nutrient rich water.

Aronia Planting Guide - Part I - Soil PH, Soil Needs, Weed Control, and Watering

Aronia Plants Are Nature's Super Healthy Creation
Aronia is a true Native American plant that is widely grown in Europe for fruit production. A native plant, developing in the North America ecosystem, Aronia bushes have adapted to grow in growing zones 3 to 7. It is a perennial, deciduous, self pollinating, self-supporting shrub.
There are many advantages to growing an aronia plant on your property. It is a very ornamental and resilient plant. It is adapted to the natural ecosystem; it is better able to withstand invasions from insects and diseases as well as the natural variations in the climate than non native plants. Native aronia plants require little care once established on your property. The flowers are self pollinating (apomictic), thus only one plant is needed to produce fruit. Full of antioxidants, Aronia produces one of the healthiest berries on the planet. The Viking and Nero varieties are heavy fruit producers and can be a major source of income for a small farm.
Basics
Sun
- Aronia does best in full sun but will also grow in shade
Soil pH
Aronia plants do best in a slightly acidic soil with an optimum pH range of 6.1 to 6.5. They however will grow in acidic, neutral, or alkaline soil with a pH range from 5.3 to 7.8. Some report the optimum pH range is 6 to 7. A pH of 7 is neutral and higher is alkaline and lower is acidic. Blueberries in comparison require a well-drained soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.2.
Soil needs and weed control
- Have a soil sample from your field analyzed by your county agent if there is any doubt about your soil conditions and amend soil as needed. Aronia will grow in many types of soil, Sandy, clay, loamy.
A well prepared soil before starting the plantation is a basic requirement and will have an impact on fruit production and the beginning of fruiting. For poor soil adding organic material such as manure is recommended before planting aronia plants.
The planting area must first be cleared from weeds. This will make the cultivation of the young plants easier in the first years because young aronia plants are sensitive to weeding to a high degree. Another alternative is to use landscaping cloth or layers of newspaper to control weed growth during the first 3 or 4 years of plant development. Consider using permeable landscape cloth to control weeds if too much labor is required to control weeds otherwise. Weeds are one of the major factors in reducing farm productivity. At blueberry Croft farm and nursery landscaping cloth is used to help control the weed problem. The landscaping cloth or news papers need to be covered with mulch to a depth of about 2 to 4 inches. Landscaping cloth prevents the growth of most weeds (although some grasses will grow through them) and they will allow normal water and oxygen exchange. Use a coarse-textured mulch material to cover the landscape fabric. At 4 to 5 years of age, aronia will have developed a good root system and several additional new canes because of its suckering nature making it strong enough to choke weeds out and you then only need to mow in the rows between the plants. It has a tap-root which helps it be somewhat drought tolerant once it is established.
Watering
When practical, especially when precipitation levels are low or availability of water is limited, you should use water-efficient drip irrigation or soaker hoses. Water plants once or twice a week to keep soil moist, not wet if there is not enough rain. Be ready to water during extended periods of hot sunny, windy, dry spells. To help roots develop allow soil to dry moderately several inches deep before irrigating.
The soil needs to be kept moist, particularly during the very first two years after the plant is planted. Use a thick mulch of leaves or other compost following planting to assist retaining moisture and suppress weeds. Aronia will take about 5 years to attain full productivity but should start producing some berries the third year.
- Keep them watered especially while the plants are first getting established. Newly planted aronia must have adequate soil moisture until their roots are established.
Lack of water for plants producing fruit is one of the most significant factors in reduced fruit yield and berry size. Aronia plants can tolerate over saturation more effectively than other plants.

Why Control Deer? Deer Management

Deer share their environment with many other animals, including man who uses the countryside to produce food crops, for grazing. Humans also build roads and railways through the deer's environment, providing transport to towns and cities. Deer damage crops and grass from livestock fields costing farmers huge amounts in loss of crops and extra feed needed to keep livestock. Due to development deer have had to adapt to the areas left to them and to utilise areas such as gardens and crop fields, as the natural countryside gets developed. Deer also devastate new tree plantations by eating the tops of the sapling trees, deer even eat the bark from trees when they have overtaken their food source! If the deer numbers where not managed in such situations they could end up killing the woodlands they live in! Deer are also known carriers of TB.
The urban fox is well known, having featured in many television programmes, but what is less well known is that the Muntjac, our smallest deer, is almost as common in some urban areas.
In order to ensure the welfare of deer, protecting them from starvation due to overgrazing and from road traffic accidents, it is important that they are managed. It is equally important to protect other creatures sharing their habitat from the results of overgrazing, as well as to prevent the deer from causing unacceptable damage to crops and trees. Usually the management of deer means that they have to be 'culled' and it is important that the cull be carried out efficiently and humanely by people who understand exactly what they are doing. A series of certificated courses are provided by the British Deer Society for those concerned and educational material showing why management is important to the welfare and conservation of deer in the absence of a natural predator is also available.
Road traffic incidents involving deer are common where deer are present in large numbers, especially where their habitat is crossed by roads. In 2007 a survey showed that there over 70,000 incidents involving deer across the country.
There are six deer species living wild in Britain. Two species are native, Red and Roe deer. Fallow deer were introduced by the Romans, although a species known as the 'Clacton Fallow' recorded during the Ice Age. Sika, Muntjac and Chinese Water deer were all introduced around the 19th to 20th centuries, Some of the park deer escaped and now live wild.
Fallow and Red deer are the most common species to be kept in parks and are also farmed for their meat. Sika deer are also often seen in deer parks, but in smaller numbers than Fallow or Red deer.
Muntjac and Chinese Water deer are more secretive and hard to see in a deer park, therefore they are less common in deer parks. Roe bucks are commonly considered too dangerous to keep in parks, therefore Roe Deer are rarely seen in parks unless in a secure enclosure.

Aquaponics: How to Deal With Common Problems

How to deal with problems in aquaponics? With the internet, aquaponic farmers from all over the world are now able to share their knowledge and experiences with one another as well as to the newbie who need some guidance and advice. It's a good thing that, in this day and age, when you encounter a problem all you have to do is go to the computer. This article lists down the common problems an aquaponic farmer has to deal with.
Leaves are turning brown or wilting - the browning or wilting of leaves most likely means that there is a high level of mineral in the water. Make sure that you haven't added any chemicals to the fish tank, if you have, discontinue the use of that specific chemical. Plants are sensitive to chemicals so consult first with an expert before adding anything.
This could also mean nutrient deficiency. Try adding more fish feed to the fish tank. This will allow more nutrients to reach the grow beds.
Leaves are wilting and dying - when your crops are dying, it is time to consider the type of water flow you are using on your system. Especially if it is now a continuous water flow, chances are your plants aren't getting enough oxygen so try switching to once hourly or the ebb-and-flood method.
You can also check the pH level of the water in your tank. You will have to match it to the pH level that the plants are used to.
Look out for pests and bugs. These creatures may sometimes not be visible so pay close attention because they might be the ones causing your plants' health.
If none of these methods are working, you can either try growing another kind of plant and see if you are doing something wrong with the system or you can consult an expert or an aquaponic farmer who has a lot of experience.
Fish are at the surface gasping for air - when fish are at the surface of the water, this means that they are searching for oxygen to breath. Your aeration system is not able to supply them with the amount of oxygen that they need so you will have to add more aeration system. When this happens, keep a close eye on the fish that are almost dead and remove them immediately. Leaving dead fish inside the tank could risk the health of all the other fish.
Fish are swimming on their side - this isn't normal to most fish species, this could mean that they are unhealthy so try changing their feed. They might not be getting enough nutrients from the one that you are currently feeding them.
The water in the holding tank is really dirty -when this happens, you must take action immediately or else your fish will suffer from pollution. Clean the water as soon as you can. The most common cause of dirty water is giving too much fish feed, make sure you only give what the fish can consume. You may also check whether your filter is still working well and add an extra filter at least until the water is clean enough.