article thumbnail

HOMESTEAD TSUNAMI

The Lunatic Farmer

In 2020, seed companies sold out. They don’t watch TV all evening; they can tomatoes and chase fireflies in the meadow. Old ecological farmer geezers like me see these newcomers as the most exciting thing to happen in a long time. That doesn’t seem like much, unless you’re the only family with eggs.

Ruralism 103
article thumbnail

Can Seaweed Save American Shellfish?

Civil Eats

She points out that most of the shellfish she harvests these days have been seeded manually by the town of Southampton and local universities, “almost like a science project,” she says. When it came time for our [oyster seed] orders to come in, the hatchery said, ‘We had a complete crash. That’s not right.” seaweed industry.

Farming 101
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

How Crop Insurance Prevents Some Farmers From Adapting to Climate Change

Civil Eats

He planted wheat and other grains directly into the meadows and relied solely on rainfall for much of his acreage. Irrigated crops receive higher payouts than dryland crops, while farmers often risk their coverage to engage in some of the most ecologically sound practices. It soon proved worth it. I said, ‘No, I did not intercrop.

Crop 116
article thumbnail

Fifty years of nurturing nature

Sustainable Food Trust

The 50 years of farming at Bwlchwernen, according to the interconnected principles of health, ecology and a circular economy, have not only stewarded the farm’s natural biodiversity as a complete and thriving ecosystem, but also created the conditions to increase and improve its biodiversity potential.

Farming 52
article thumbnail

Measuring and valuing: Nature

Sustainable Food Trust

At the same time, productive land as well as field margins and natural areas can be of great value to nature – a traditionally managed hay meadow or unsprayed crop can harbour and support a range of biodiversity and facilitate the movement of species through the landscape. Or is it too little? At what level do we move from good to bad?

Farming 52