A Demonstration to Promote Agroforestry

Gloria Flora walks through her forest garden.

In keeping with this year's United Nations designation as "The International Year of Forests", the New York Times reported recently on "the quiet push for agroforestry", highlighting a farm in Helena, MT that operates under a canopy of pine and spruce.  Gloria Flora's forest farm boasts over 300 smaller fruit trees - apple, pear, black walnut, and chestnut to name a few - nestled amongst the larger forest trees, as well as crops like raspberries, grapes, and medicinal plants, and turkeys and chickens.  The idea of producing food near or beneath a forest canopy may sound strange as we have been brought up under the assumption that farms need wide open spaces in order to flourish, but the truth of the matter is that a buffer of trees amongst crops serves many beneficial purposes.

Agroforestry, the science of incorporating trees into traditional agriculture, is not the same as converting farmland to forest.  Agroforestry represents a collaborative attempt on the part of the farmer to harness the ecological services that trees provide and incorporate them into a farm.  The Times writes, "Depending on the species, trees make all sorts of contributions to agriculture, experts say. Trees in a shelter belt reduce wind and water erosion. Some trees serve as fertilizers - they take in nitrogen from the atmosphere, or pump it from deep underground and, when they drop their leaves, make it available upon decomposition.  Trees planted along streams can take up and scrub out polluted farm runoff. They increase species diversity by providing habitat, and some of those species are friendly to farmers - bees and butterflies that help pollinate crops, for example. (One study showed that 66 species of birds benefit from windbreaks on farms.) Trees can keep a field cooler and more moist."

Not to mention that trees in general help to offset the negative impacts of conventional agriculture by absorbing greenhouse gases and cleaning up polluted water. 

This forward-thinking approach to agriculture, however, faces a difficult opposition.  Conventional thinking about trees - that farmers should first remove all surrounding trees before planting and then prevent them from growing as the farm operates - has been ingrained in our collective minds for generations.  The truth - that trees can be used to benefit agriculture if planted with thought and planning - may be a tough one to swallow initially, but it looks like it's starting to catch on.

Read the full article here.

Want to learn more about trees in the landscape?  Register for our 2011 Organic Land Care Annual Gathering on December 6th at UConn, Storrs, CT.  This year's focus is Trees: Landscaping for Future Generations, and will feature Keynote Tom Wessels, as well as a host of other exciting speakers.  Click on the link above to learn more!

Have a great Tuesday!
-Melissa

Create a Slow Food Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving only 3 days away, cooking and celebrating is on everyone's mind, and for those of us who are spearheading the cooking this year, the task may seem a bit overwhelming.  But fear not, holiday kitchen crusaders, for there are resources you can use to make your holiday run smoother and be more eco-friendly.  The folks at Slow Food have developed a guide complete with recipes, information, and helpful tips that will help you have a more delicious, less time consuming, and more sustainable Thanksgiving.  Check out these tips for saving time and money while boosting the nutritional content, flavor, and appearance of your cooking.  And the list of recipes is very comprehensive, taking into account both vegetarian needs and what to do with the leftovers after the big day.  The guide also delves into the history behind the holiday, avoiding the sugar coated story often taught to us through advertising and the school system. 

A couple weeks ago, I posted about the advantages in buying a local, organic, sustainable, or heritage turkey.  Slow Food's guide also has information and resources about sustainable and heritage turkeys, and in my opinion elegantly describes why it's ultimately in your best interest as a consumer to go this route.

Thanksgiving is, as a modern holiday, a time to celebrate the bounty and joy of life with family and friends.  We live in a fast-paced technologically advanced society, but that doesn't need to overwhelm us this holiday season.  Finding the time to relax and enjoy your local harvest is not only good for the economy and the environment, but good for you as well.

Wishing you the best of luck in your pre-holiday preparation,
-Melissa

Urban Roots

Last night, I had the pleasure of watching the documentary Urban Roots at a Community Potluck and Film Screening hosted by The New Haven Bioregional Group and co-sponsored by a number of organizations including CT NOFA. 
The documentary was a wonderful testament to the power of gardens and farms in urban areas.  Detroit is a powerful symbol of our society's assumptions that industry can support an economy, that an economy can grow forever and that a booming economy can replace a well-planned infrastructure and society.  In the documentary, Detroit residents complain that they live in a food desert - where they must travel at least twice the distance to a grocery store with "real" food as they would travel to a convenience store or fast food restaurant.

photo credit: inhabitat.com

Residents started growing food in their yards, and then expanded to abandoned land around the city (there is plenty of it).  They have no real right to the land - but with a city that has lost over half it's population since the middle of the 20th century - there isn't much competition for land.  Some people are putting chickens and bees in abandoned housing, or taking over multiple plots on their block to create urban farms.  The soil is tested and if it is contaminated, farmers must create soil by farming non-edible crops for a couple years and building up the soil with compost collected from near-by restaurants, breweries and homes.  Community gardens give people who are unemployed or under-employed, a job to do in their free time, and access to the food that they would like to harvest. The city government seems to be hesitant about encouraging this guerrilla gardening, since they might want to encourage housing developments (thought this seems unlikely given all of the abandoned, already standing houses), but farmers and gardeners are going ahead filling this food desert with urban farms producing healthy foods for Detroit residents. 

So if one of the most depressed run-down cities in the country can do it . . . why can't we do it in New England cities and suburbs?  Even if you don't live in a food desert - wouldn't it be better to live in the equivalent to a food rainforest? Where there is food growing everywhere, on every block, incredible biodiversity and high access, for anyone, to the food they need to eat to be healthy and happy?

One of the main themes in the movie was of self-determination.  The right to self-determination is a very powerful concept in international human rights law. According to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.  Many people interviewed in the movie, reasoned that one of the best ways of self-determination, was to rely on themselves for food and for neighborhoods and communities to have food independence.  It's pretty empowering - no matter what happens in your life, you can still provide, the only thing you really need to live - food.  

This film clearly gets you thinking - I highly recommend it.

Have a great weekend,
Kristiane

Sustainable Yards Simplified

Native Landscape

The Santa Monica, CA Office of Sustainability and the Environment recently finished installing Garden-Garden, a demonstration landscape that provides a side by side comparison of two landscape strategies, the sustainable approach and the traditional non-native approach.  The project compares two adjacent yards in terms of aesthetic appearance, water usage, yard waste, and maintenance hours, and draws a concise and clear conclusion about which option is easier, cheaper in the long run, and better for the local ecosystem.

 
In this case, the numbers say it all. 

• The native garden cost $16,700 to install compared $12,400 for the traditional garden. Despite its higher initial cost, the native garden’s lower maintenance requirements translate into $2,200 per year in cost savings.
• The native garden uses 77 percent less water, produces 66 percent less waste, and requires 68 percent less labor than the traditional garden. 

Not to mention that the native garden looks beautiful and provides native habitat for indigenous fauna like butterflies and ladybugs.

Traditional "Mow and Blow" Landscape

Santa Monica currently imports over 90% of its water from Northern California and the Colorado River, and as these water sources are more than 400 miles away, their continued use in Santa Monica  can hardly be considered sustainable.  Traditional gardens in the area utilize exotic plants from wetter climates, and employ the use of standard sprinkler irrigation systems that distribute water over all plants regardless of need.  This translates into an incredible water demand that has already put regional ecosystems and communities under increased stress.

Additionally, traditional gardens require frequent applications of fertilizer and pesticides that leech into the city's water supply during rainstorms, causing pollution and aquatic habitat disruption.  When considered on a large scale, this is a huge problem as the average home gardener uses 10 times more toxic chemicals than a farmer.

Overall, the choice is a no-brainer.  Native gardens are an all-around amazing solution to Southern California's water shortages, as well as a sustainable alternative to landscapes steeped in exotics and pesticides.  In my opinion, education is the logical next step, so spread the word about what sustainable landscaping can do for you and your community!  Check out the full report here and tell your friends!

Wishing you all the best,
-Melissa

The Organic Land Care Program's Annual Gathering is for Everyone

In the aftermath of Winter Storm Albert, the piles of dead trees and tree limbs are accumulating along town roads.  While Albert was a pretty unusual storm, it highlighted the importance of healthy, strong trees that are located in residential areas.  Old trees aren't a liability if they are cared for properly - and I know the trees in my yard are an ecological staple, providing shade for shade gardens, cooling my house in the summer, habitat for my favorite birds and very entertaining squirrels, leaves that I use to mulch our gardens, kindling for my fireplace, and some less personal (but still vital) benefits like oxygen, erosion control, and flood control (woodland has been found to be 60 times more effective at absorbing water than grazed land and lawns). 

Given all of these ecological services, trees are a central part of organic landscaping, and they are being celebrated as such in the 2011 NOFA Organic Land Care Annual Gathering.  Early bird registration has been extended until November 22 and arborists, landscapers, naturalists and all kinds of tree-enthusiasts are welcome to attend.

The line up:

Keynote: Tom Wessels

"Foundational Principles of Sustainability"

For 3.5 billion years life has not only sustained itself, but has thrived on this planet.  To create sustainable systems we don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we only need to embrace the foundational scientific principles that govern sustainability in all living systems. This presentation covers three of these foundational principles: the law of limits to growth, the second law of thermodynamics and its relationship to entropy, and the law of self-organization. Examples of how these laws work in the natural world will be used to show how they can be applied to human systems like a community or an economy.

Tom Wessels is an ecologist and founding director of the master’s degree program in Conservation Biology at Antioch University New England. He is the current chair of The Center for Whole Communities that fosters inclusive communities that are strongly rooted in place and where all people have access to and a healthy relationship with land. He is former chair of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation that fosters environmental leadership through graduate fellowships and organizational grants. He served as an ecological consultant to the Rain Forest Alliance’s SmartWood Green Certification Program. Tom has conducted landscape level workshops throughout the United States for over 30 years. His books include: Reading the Forested Landscape, The Granite Landscape, Untamed Vermont, The Myth of Progress, and Forest Forensics: A Field Guide to Reading the Forested Landscape.

"Tree protection and Defense for Long-Term Landscapes"
Kevin Smith, Ph.D. leads a research team at the Northern Research Station of the USDA Forest Service working to determine the role of disease and environmental stress on forest health and productivity as well as the role of forest fungi to maintain forest fertility and biodiversity. Kevin has published more than 90 articles in scientific journals, trade magazines, and book chapters. Kevin is an honorary lifetime member of the New Hampshire Arborist Association and in 2010 received the Award for Excellence in Education from the Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.

"Pioneering the Organic Tree Care Trend When Nobody was Listening" 

Peter Wild is the founder and CEO of Arborjet Inc., a manufacturer of tree injection systems and medicaments.  Wild is also the president and owner of Boston Tree Preservation, an organic-based, proactive tree-care business founded in 1977. Wild developed Soil Solutions, the first completely organic lawn-care program in the Boston area.

Todd Harrington is a true pioneer in organic lawn care having made it his business since 1987. Todd has proven that organic lawn, tree, and shrub care works and operates a profitable business near Hartford, Connecticut called “Harrington’s Organic Land Care.” He is an international consultant and national organic speaker and trainer who has written numerous published papers — of which some have been employed as the basis for legislation.

"Designing with Trees: Grouping, Natives and Sustainable Choices"
Diane Devore is a registered Landscape Architect and principal of Devore Associates, a landscape architectural firm located in Fairfield, Connecticut. Ms. Devore received her undergraduate degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Delaware Valley College and her graduate degree in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University. Devore Associates, now a mid-sized firm with projects throughout the Northeast, was selected as the award recipient for residential design by the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects eight times.


"Tree Whispering and Cooperative BioBalance- Paradigm Shifting to Restore Balance in Nature" 
Dr. Jim Conroy or the Tree Whisperer®, earned his doctorate in Plant Pathology from Purdue University and spent 25 years as an executive in top ag-chem companies. Now, he is an authority on Nature-based communication and a global expert who holistically heals stressed trees, plants, and ecosystems with his own bioenergy-healing approach. As creator of Tree Whispering®–a holistic, hands-on, earth-friendly, no-product, and sustainable solution–he shows people how to restore tree and plant health by healing internal functionality.

Basia Alexander, The Chief Listener, is a catalyst for positive change and a leader in the new field of Conscious Co-Creativity. As an expert Nature communicator, Basia leads workshops and produces innovative curriculum.  Both Dr. Conroy and Basia are on faculty at Omega Institute and are co-founders of the Institute for Cooperative BioBalance.

"Assess Internal Decay in Trees Nondestructively Using Tomography"

 Dr. Marra has expertise in mycology, fungal genetics, population biology, evolution, and molecular biology.  While his research program's focus on forest pathology, he studies a range of plant pathogens from the perspectives of population biology, ecology, and mating system evolution.   He has been a key participant in efforts to prevent the accidental introduction of the Sudden Oak Death pathogen, from western states.  He was instrumental in designing and running the department’s Molecular Plant Diagnostics Laboratory.
 
"Emerald Ash Borer Update"

Dr. Claire Rutledge's research specialty is wood-boring insects.  She specializes in understanding the mechanisms by which these insects locate their host trees and what determines the range of acceptable hosts.  Her research has focused on understanding the interactions between plants, their herbivores and the natural enemies which attack the herbivores.


We hope to see you there!
Best,
Kristiane

Local Farms Make $5 Billion in Revenue

A new article from NPR's food blog, The Salt, sheds light on the truth behind the profitability of local food.  According to the news giant, "It's easy to think of local food as a diversion for people with plenty of time and money — something that could never be a major source of food in a globalized world. But the number $5 billion might change that perception."  According to a new analysis by the US Department of Agriculture, farmers are selling $4.8 billion a year in fruits and vegetables, mainly to restaurants and supermarket chains.  This is the first time the USDA has included sales to those markets in their analysis, and it shows that there is a lot of room to increase demand further.  In fact, the USDA's study didn't include two key markets, schools and prisons, that have become increasingly popular among local food growers, and that have the potential to greatly increase their overall revenue. 

Ultimately, the number 5 billion is small potatoes (about 2 percent) compared to the much larger sale of commodity crops like soybeans and corn, but the numbers show that local food is a growing industry that has the demand to not only remain sustainable but also become increasingly popular over time.  You can read NPR's full article here.

The best thing any of us can do when shopping for food is to buy local.  Purchasing locally produced crops is great for your health, supports your local economy, and helps make our local economies less dependent on large commodity crops.  Do yourself and your community a favor and buy local, or even start your own garden for the freshest food possible.

Have a great Tuesday!
-Melissa

A Great Recipe from Mindy Kannon, Prepared by One of Our Members

Nutritionist Mindy Kannon offers a variety of great recipes on her website. The following recipe was given to me by a CT NOFA member who made it for our Annual Meeting potluck lunch, but was unable to attend the event because of the snow.





Sweet Potato, Walnut and Green Bean Salad on Baby Arugula
Serves 8. Active time 35 minutes, plus 20 minutes for roasting potatoes.

Tangy Yogurt Dressing:
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tsp dijon mustard
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
8 cup of baby arugula
sea salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
2 Lbs of sweet potatoes
1 tbsp rosemary
2 cloves garlic
2 cups trimmed and halved green beans
1 cup coarsely-chopped walnuts
¼ cup fresh parsley

Mix the dressing ingredients in the blender until smooth. Set aside.
Scrub sweet potatoes with a vegetable brush. With skins on, dice into ½" cubes.
Toss with olive oil, rosemary and fresh garlic. Put potatoes on a cooking sheet or pizza stone. Place in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Periodically check the potatoes and flip with a spatula. Remove when golden brown. Cool.
Steam green beans until tender. Immediately rinse under cold water to stop cooking so they remain crisp. Let dry.
In a bowl, toss potatoes, beans, walnuts, and parsley with dressing.
Arrange over baby arugula. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

This delicious and easy salad supplies you with an incredible array of nutrients. Walnuts are high in anti-oxidants and are the richest source of omega-3s. Arugula is a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium and vitamin K. Parsley contributes iron, potassium and vitamin C.

Our Annual Meeting was a great event! If you missed it because of the weather, or for any other reason, or if you made it and want to attend more of our events, check out the CT NOFA website, or the Organic Land Care website to learn more about upcoming events, including our OLC Annual Gathering, OLC Accreditation Course, and CT NOFA Winter Conference.

Have a great week!
-Melissa