Could One of These Viral Farming Hacks Work on Your Land?
Whether you’re a gardener or small-scale farmer, you’ve probably been hit with advertisements, YouTube videos, and word-of-mouth stories about the next best thing to make growing plants easier. Your first instinct may be to dismiss or try out all these farming hacks, but before you sweep them all under the same rug, take a note […]
Get Healthy Soil by Nurturing the Rhizosphere: 5 Pro Tips
On paper, people often say that plants need just a few things to grow well: light, water, and nutrients often top the list. But when you dive into the complexities that exist in living ecosystems, you realize that growing healthy plants involves more than just following a simple equation. One key way to improve soil […]
11 Flowers You Should Plant Along Your Vegetable Garden
Recent studies suggest planting strips of wildflowers alongside crops boosts pollination and promotes higher yields. But these aren’t the only benefits. Adding wildflowers to your farm stabilizes the ground and preserves top soil. Wildflower strips sequester carbon, too. Taller shrubs act as a hedge, keeping destructive wildlife within their bounds, rather than in your grain […]
Repurposing Urban Spaces for Farming: 7 Creative Ideas
While many people think of rural landscapes as agricultural hubs, more and more people are realizing the benefits of growing food, flowers, and fiber in urban spaces. Urban cores and peri-urban spaces are closer to large population centers and bustling markets, lessening the need to produce your product in one place, then drive it elsewhere […]
This Gardener Gets Tomato Harvests Year-Round With This Unique Growing Strategy
full_link When you think of picking ripe vine tomatoes from the vine, long, hot summer days may come to mind. But what if you could grow tomatoes year-round? One gardener has figured out how to push the boundaries of tomato growing and harvest fresh fruits throughout the year. Jacques doesn’t use a heated greenhouse or […]
This Apprenticeship Helps Spanish Speakers Get Grazing
Note: Due to political concerns around immigration, some apprentices spoke with Modern Farmer on condition of anonymity. Diego (not his real name) was no stranger to cows when he first came to the United States. He’d grown up on his family’s farm in Veracruz, Mexico, helping to tend the dairy herd and other animals. But […]
How Native Water Protectors Champion Water Quality
Leanna Goose grew up ricing manoomin (wild rice) as a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. “Wild rice is culturally significant to Aniishinabe people here in Minnesota. It’s our connection to the land, water and our ancestors…I had a friend say that Aniishinabeg people, if we were to lose this plant, we […]
How to Care for Your Garden in Unpredictable Weather
Tulips sprouting a month early after a warm spell. Drought-resilient plants soaked after weeks of rain. Cherry blossom buds freezing after a cold snap. It’s tough to be a gardener these days. Fueled by climate change, the weather is more unpredictable than normal. “A resilient garden is one that’s ready to adapt and recover, […]
In Hawai‘i, American Farmers Believe They Do Cacao Better
On the rainy side of Hawai‘i Island, Daeus Bencomo steps through fresh mud in his cowboy boots, rows of leafy cacao trees on either side of him. He grips a bright orange pod and slices it neatly at the stem before bending a knee to cut the fruit open. Daeus Bencomo. Photography by Megan Ulu-Lani […]
Spotlight On an Urban Farm Helping Refugees and Immigrants Build Community
In a green oasis, set amid the freeways and malls of San Diego’s Mission Valley, a garden grows. Produce grown here fills subscription CSA boxes, as well as plates at the project’s cafe a few miles west. But MAKE Projects isn’t just a farm or cafe. It’s a community-supported agriculture program that furthers a larger […]