“Scientists have genetically engineered crops in addition to Bt crops to be herbicide-resistant. The most conspicuous example of this technology is something you may have heard of, Roundup Ready crops. Roundup is a relatively safe, highly effective, broad-spectrum herbicide made by Monsanto (who’s patent expired in 2000) that kills weeds but does not kill the…
There are lots of great events coming up this month! Biofuel Oasis is offering a goat class on October 30th, taught by Kitty from Havenscourt Homestead.If you’ve been thinking about getting goats I strongly urge you to take this class. The Institute of Urban Homesteading has a lot of classes this month. The available class topics includes Hand…
Have you ever watched a movie and had an overwhelming desire to throw something at the screen? I recently had that experience. It wasn’t the first time but I think it was the strongest. The urge to throw a heavy object wasn’t due to the movie being bad, it was because the subject matter made…
We got some great questions to go over today! The first is from the Metropolitan Homestead:I’d like to ask how you got started with milking goats and how much daily work they really need. Our girls Daisy (front) and Bella (back) We had been thinking for quite awhile about getting goats but at first we…
Mr. James McWilliams recently decided to write an op-ed for the Atlantic that made me simply shake my head. There really was no other reaction to it because it was some of his worst writing to date. And that’s saying a lot for Mr. McWilliams. His argument? That animals were better off being killed in…
The Eat Real Festival is quickly approaching. September 24th and 25th they’ll be taking over Jack London Square in Oakland. If you’ve got some time to spare you should definitely come down and check it out. I’ll be there judging honey (did I mention they have all sorts of food competitions included charcuterie, honey, preserves…
We’re going to now be going out and meeting the farmers that produce our food. I want to try and feature a farmer once a month that raises and grows our food in a way that sustainable and that we feel are doing what’s truly right. This first one is extra special to us. ————————————————————–…
I’m so excited to share another Whole Foods film on urban farming. This time it’s our good friends at Itty Bitty Farm in the City. Also, tonight on Facebook Heidi and I are answering any of your urban farming questions. Just post your question on the ‘Discussions’ tab (under the profile photo) on Whole Foods’ Facebook page and…
It’s a changin’ around here. Stuff is getting pulled out and replaced with our fall crops. The dry beans are gone. The lettuce, kale, tomatillos, garlic and turnips are all out, making an entire bed available for planting. The soil has been prepared and I have put in Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi,…
We moved into our place in late December, 2008. In January we raced to get in vegetable beds. I used one of those home soil test kits to determine what we needed to do to the soil. According to the tests our soils were slightly acidic but completely deficient in all macro-nutrients. Ok, I’ll buy…
Dog Island Farm is a small urban farm in the San Francisco Bay Area.
