stdClass Object ( [nid] => 247691 [vid] => 249488 [type] => task_discussion [status] => 1 [created] => 1256346280 [changed] => 1256346280 [comment] => 0 [promote] => 1 [sticky] => 0 [revision_timestamp] => 1256346280 [title] => school garden [body] => GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK USA: TX, MS, FL, CA, AR; Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, Côté d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India, Uzbekistan Minifarms@gmail.com Workshops in organic, 0-tillage, permanent-bed gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching worldwide in English & Español School Gardens Gardens/mini-farms can provide food for the school lunch program and/or to sell to help support the school. These are based on the internet, US & international agriculture magazines, experiences teaching agriculture in many countries, research and farmer experiences in those countries and a demonstration garden. They are ecologically sustainable, environmentally responsible and economically viable. There is unlimited, documented proof. , These can double the yield and reduce labor by half, compared to traditional methods. There are 90,000,000 no-till hectares worldwide. Fukaoka Farm, Japan, has been no-till [rice, small grains, vegetables] for 70 years. Dripping Springs Gardens, AR, has been no-till [vegetables, flowers] for 8 years. At the time of my visit: An Indian farmer has been no-till [vegetables] for 5 years; a Malawi farmer has been no-till [vegetables] on permanent beds for 25 years; a Honduras farmer has been no-till [vegetables & fruit] on permanent beds on the contour (73° slope] for 8 years. Ruth Stout [USA] had a no-till garden for 30 years and 7,000 people visited her garden. Free dvd on request. 1. Restore the soil to its natural health. Contamination: inorganic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc 2. Maintain the healthy soil [produces healthy plants which have few diseases, pests and weeds. Healthy soil produces healthy crops to have healthy students] 3. Feed the soil; not the plants 4. Maintain plant diversity [with crops and/or green manure/cover crops] 5. Increase the soil’s organic matter every year. 6. Little or no external inputs. [It is not necessary to buy anything, from anybody, for the garden. 7. Plant all land every year [no fallow land] 8. Leave crop residue on top of soil [no burning]] 9. 0-tillage - no digging, no cultivating. [No hard physical work is necessary so children can easily garden] 10. Permanent beds [for crops] 11. Permanent paths [for walking] 12. Hand tools 13. Organic fertilizers 14. Organic disease control. 15. Organic herbicides. 16. Organic pesticides. 17. Biological pest control. 18. Protect soil organisms [worms, micros] 19. Soil always covered 20. Use green manures/cover crops. 21. Feed the soil through the mulch. 22. Organic matter [Free? Take to farm when economically feasible. Use as mulch; compost surplus] 23. Compost [For surplus organic matter and/or special use. No vermicomposting as worms will be in the beds] 24. Bucket drip irrigation: [imported bucket drip kits [US$12] or using local tubing made by gardeners. [$3] 25. Seed [Open-pollinated] 26. Crop rotation. 27. Intercropping 28. Imitate nature. Most gardeners fight nature. ¡Nature always wins! Ken Hargesheimer minifarms@aol.com Tue, Dec 30, 2008 Dear Ken, Thank you for all the DVD’s you sent me. Thank you for all the info. I am applying it in my own vegetable patch. It is working. Got half a pocket of potatoes off a square metre. So would imagine about 10 pounds per square yard. This off previously dead low, carbon soil. Sure next crop will be better. Got yams coming up on same spot already. Want to plant herbs and spices. I will send photos. Your advise is so simple. People do not believe me when I tell them. I am so excited about growing things now. This coming from a commercial plum farmer. May you be blessed this holy season a thousand times more than you blessed me with you help.Jeremy Karsen, middagkrans@mwebbiz.co.za Websites: dirtdoctor.com, newfarm.org [English, Japanese]; invisiblegardener.com, rodaleinstitute.org, cityfarmer.org , echonet.org [English, Español], ruaf.org [[English, Español, French, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese]; leisa.info [Bahasa Indonesia, English, French, Portuguese, Español]; tearfund.org/tilz [English, French, Portuguese, Español]; cipotato.org/urbanharvest [English, Español]; hdra.org.uk; kidsregen.org; gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/index.php Children gardening: ecoliteracy.org/programs/wellness_policy.html; slowfoodusa.org/education/index.html; Curriculum: Farm to Table-nehbc.org/education.html; slowfoodusa.org; sustainabletable.org/schools, earthboundfarm.com/Kids/index.aspx; kidsregen.org; kidsgardening.com; gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/index.php; Setting up and Running a School Garden. A manual for teachers, parents and communities; Setting Up School Gardens www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218e/0218e00.htm; edennet.org [gardens for life]; ----------------------------------------------------------- I am delighted to announce that the DVDs that Ken sent to me have arrived, I looked at the farming methods there in and I am optimistic that this will help the community, which I believe everybody MUST embrace. I will update you on the current situation of the garden, we have actually done it the wrong way and I guess we shall to start a fresh again, now that the whole procedure is well understood. Thank you Ken and all the Serere neighbors. Moses ------------------------------- We have already started several gardens in Jinkfuin community and the people working on them have benefitted from the DVDS we received from Ken. We watched the DVDs and got so many lessons and there women and men already running gardens, good ones! Kimilili ----------------------------------------------------- Project room: Kyomya, Uganda We have been working on improving farming techniques for almost a year. Unfortunately, the farmers are planting small plots of land that only feed their family. There is no other choice but to try new techniques to improve the output of their plot. Ken Hargesheimer suggested the "no till" farming techniques as well as the "drip system". Both have proven effective at increasing production by at least 5 fold. The time is now for Kyomya to become a model agricultural village. [nabuur.com] [teaser] => GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK USA: TX, MS, FL, CA, AR; Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, Côté d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India, Uzbekistan Minifarms@gmail.com Workshops in organic, 0-tillage, permanent-bed gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching worldwide in English & Español School Gardens Gardens/mini-farms can provide food for the school lunch program and/or to sell to help support the school. 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