Sue Szwed drawing By Roberta Bailey Behind every packet of seed is an individual story and an entire history. The story of the seed ranges from an heirloom passed from generation to generation to the hybrid bred for perfect uniformity and ripening. The history of the seed industry is an interwoven tale of small, local
By Eric Sideman, Ph.D. Director of Technical Services, MOFGA I can understand farmers who tell me they’re tired of hearing about the new USDA Rule and the regulation of organic vegetable production. I have said many times that the new rule is really 99% similar to MOFGA’s old standards, and I still claim that. Then
By Jean Ann Pollard Along with parsnips and the last of the well-mulched carrots, every New Englander with a garden, or a good eye for old cellar holes, can welcome a once-popular, now mostly forgotten, springtime treat: the tubers of the native American sunflower. Knobby and brown on the outside, but crisply ivory-colored inside, the
Sue Szwed drawing By Roberta Bailey I once stated that if I could grow only one plant, it would be sweet basil – aromatic, pungent, mouth-watering basil. No sooner were the words out of my mouth when thoughts of tomatoes, fresh salad greens, cilantro, and garlic immediately challenged my claim, and I conceded that basil
Toki Oshima drawing By Jean Ann Pollard Loaves of bread hot from the oven become wildly appealing on raw spring days. From hearty Sourdough to sweet smelling Italian Panettone or satisfying Russian Rye, the list is tempting. One suspects it has always been so – ever since the discovery that yeasts make dough rise. But
Cornerstone for Regional Development and Nature Conservation By Jean English Hardy Vogtman, Deputy Minister for the Environment for Germany, is optimistic about the future of nature conservation and organic agriculture in his country. In the last election, the Greens increased their votes by 25%, so they have more input now; and three Ministers are Greens.
Toki Oshima drawing By CR Lawn and Eli Kaufman “We are facing the germination of something larger than we can imagine. Things are falling in place in our favor.” – Evaluation by a conference attendee “Seed is the missing link in sustainable agriculture. We need seeds that are truly adapted to the organic culture of
Eric Gallandt, Assistant Professor of Weed Ecology and Management, University of Maine Sustainable Agriculture Program, at the 2002 Rogers Farm Field Day, discussing a recently initiated research project studying invertebrate weed seed predators in contrasting cover crop environments. Photo courtesy of Eric Gallandt. Kristan Doolan says that she, along with her husband George van Vlaanderen,
Stuart Grande (left), a University of Maine Sustainable Agriculture Program graduate, and George van Vlaanderen in the cheese room at Doe’s Leap Farm in Vermont. Kristan Doolan photo. By Tim King Kristan Doolan and George van Vlaanderen, owners of Doe’s Leap organic goat dairy in East Fairfield, Vermont, are trying an experiment. Actually, their whole
Mr. Seishou Oshiro (left), Mrs. Tomiko Oshiro, Allison Wallace (right) in the Oshiros’ okra field in Tamagusku Village, Okinawa, Japan. Photo courtesy of Allison Wallace. By Allison Wallace When I traveled to Japan last spring to begin a five-month Fulbright stint, I knew my grant was for lecturing rather than research, and that the time
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