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Author Archives: Jessica Vernabe
19-Year-Old Combines Farming and Tech Experience, Develops iPhone App for Organic Farmers
/ May 16, 2012 6:24 pm
Alex Schimp started learning programming at age 11. Now, at age 19, he has developed an iPhone and iPod Touch application that will help certified organic farmers keep their crop records organized with simple clicks and taps of their fingers. Schimp launched his Seed to Harvest iPhone and iPod Touch app in March. The app—available as a limited free version Continue reading
From Paper Mill Residuals to Seaweed Byproducts, Tilth Expert Provides Sustainable Solutions to Invigorate Soil
/ May 9, 2012 6:42 pm
Organic waste is too precious to go unused—take it from a soil scientist. Andrew Carpenter, founder of Belfast, Maine-based consulting company Northern Tilth, makes a living helping others set up organic waste recycling plans for the purpose of improving soil fertility. Carpenter helps his clients make use of all kinds of organic matter-based byproducts, such as paper mill residuals, seaweed Continue reading
Aquaponics Co. Hopes to Increase Food Security and Achieve Profit Via International Strategy
/ April 30, 2012 5:59 pm
With world population expected to exceed 9 billion people by 2050, there are concerns about whether there will be enough fresh food to feed them all. Some say aquaponics is the solution. The method combines aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponics (growing vegetables in water and nutrients, without soil) to produce pesticide-free food while using substantially less water compared to conventional Continue reading
Sustainable Farm Collaborative Leverages Regional Brand Identity, Extends Farmers’ Reach via Robust CSA
/ April 16, 2012 7:41 pm
When Capay Valley Farm Shop customers open up their CSA boxes full of fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, nuts and other edible goodies, they get to appreciate the hard work of dozens of organic and sustainable farms from, you guessed it, the Capay Valley. The Capay Valley, located in Northern California in the coastal range between Sacramento and the San Francisco Continue reading
Vermont Cow Power Program Makes Most Out of Manure, Benefits Farmers and Environment
/ April 12, 2012 8:41 pm
Some might underestimate the power behind a cow—or let’s just say the power that comes from a cow’s behind. But that’s not the case with electric utility Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS), which uses its Cow Power program to make the most out of cow manure while simultaneously lowering the manure’s negative impacts on the environment and benefiting farmers’ bottom Continue reading
Penn State’s Ag Program Prepares Students to Tackle Tough Issues Associated with Sustainable Agriculture
/ April 5, 2012 3:31 pm
Pennsylvania State University has its roots in agricultural education, a focus that still remains strong today. The university’s College of Agricultural Sciences offers majors that address today’s issues of sustainability while also working to inform local farming communities about environmental issues, such as those related to the Chesapeake Bay.
Nutrient Recovery Co. Prevents Phosphorus From Entering Waterways, Recycles it as Fertilizer
/ April 2, 2012 6:10 pm
Phosphorus is an important building block for all living things—but too much of the mineral can be harmful when it reaches waterways and becomes a pollutant. Phosphorus is also one of the three core nutrients along with Nitrogen and Potassium required for plant growth. It is also irreplaceable. As the US Geological Survey notes in its 2011 Mineral Commodity Summary on Phosphorus: “There are no Continue reading
Posted in phosphorus, phosphorus recovery
Sustainable Agriculture, Recurrent Theme Ingrained in Cornell Ag Education, Research and Extension
/ March 13, 2012 6:48 pm
Cornell University was once called the “The first American university” because of its accessibility to students regardless of race, social circumstances, gender or religion, university officials say. “That was quite a departure from other institutions at that time,” said Michael Hoffmann, director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station and associate dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Continue reading
SoCal Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurs Discuss Business Models, Challenges & Opportunities
/ March 9, 2012 5:56 am
The world’s population is growing rapidly, and that calls for new ways of thinking about how to produce enough food while also conserving the earth’s natural resources. As a result, agricultural entrepreneurs today are striving to combine the best of traditional farming methods with new technologies in order to create food that is healthy, flavorful and locally grown. And if Continue reading
Posted in Aquaponics, Food Security, greenhouse production, hydroponics, local food systems, organic farming, Seedstock Event, Sustainable Ag News and Information, sustainable agriculture event, sustainable agriculture investment, sustainable agriculture news, Urban Agriculture, urban agriculture policy, Urban Farming, young farmers
In the Classroom and on Local Farms, UW-Madison Molds Future of Sustainable Agriculture
/ March 7, 2012 8:39 pm
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is busy when it comes to helping mold the future of sustainable agriculture. Officials at the university’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences say thinking about how farming can be done in a more environmentally and socially sustainable is just part of the natural flow of what the college does. “Nobody talks about crop or animal Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture Research, Biofuel, conservation, cover crop, farmer training, grazing, local food systems, Research, Sustainable Ag News and Information, sustainable agriculture courses, sustainable agriculture education, Sustainable Agriculture Information, sustainable agriculture initiative, sustainable agriculture news, sustainable agriculture practices, Sustainable Agriculture University Profiles, sustainable dairy, university sustainable agriculture
Iowa State, Nation’s First Land-grant University Makes Strides in Sustainable Agriculture
/ February 29, 2012 8:01 pm
The following story marks the start of a new article series in which Seedstock will profile land-grant universities across the United States with a specific focus on the role that sustainable agriculture plays in their curriculums, research projects, student initiatives and more. ______________________________ In the world of agricultural education, Iowa State University has historical bragging rights. The university calls itself the Continue reading
Five Acre Solar Panel Array, Water Conservation Help Hydroponic Tomato Operation Generate Sustainable Return
/ February 24, 2012 6:02 pm
The owner of Houweling’s Tomatoes has more than plump, red, juicy fruit on its mind—the hydroponics greenhouse tomato grower is also thinking about the planet. Casey Houweling is the owner of the Delta, British Columbia-based company, which derives from a business his father started in 1956. While the company is headquartered in Canada, much of the sustainable magic happens at Continue reading
Online Urban Farming Course Crosses Continents, Seeks to Boost Number of Farmers Producing Food Locally
/ February 21, 2012 7:03 pm
A three-quarter acre parcel of land in the city can be transformed into a successful urban farming business when combined with the right training. Or at least that’s the opinion of startup company GroAction, which offers an online class on the topic. About 470 people from around the world are now testing this theory. They are doing so through the Continue reading
In Creating Fleet of Sustainable, Urban Farmers, Milwaukee-based Growing Power Seeks to End World Hunger
/ February 13, 2012 7:45 pm
Will Allen, CEO and founder of Growing Power, Inc., has a straightforward goal – to end world hunger. “It’s a lofty goal, but that’s how things should be,” said Allen, a sharecropper’s son who was a professional basketball player when he rediscovered his love for agriculture. “The only way to end world hunger is the local food system that we Continue reading
Posted in agricultural entrepreneurship, anaerobic digestion, Aquaponics, Imagination, local food systems, non-profit sustainable agriculture, sustainable agriculture education, sustainable agriculture initiative, sustainable agriculture methods, sustainable agriculture visionairies, Urban Agriculture, urban agriculture policy, Urban Farming, vertical farming
In Partnership with NYC High School, Cornell U. Builds and Enhances Sustainable Agriculture Technology
/ February 8, 2012 7:45 pm
Students at culinary arts-focused Food and Finance High School in New York City learn more than just how to cook up a good fish fillet—they also learn how to grow the fish along with other foods using real-time, applied science and Cornell University technologies. The high school is home to the Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CUCE), New York City Hydroponics, Continue reading
Posted in agricultural entrepreneurship, Agriculture Research, aquaculture, Aquaponics, cooperative extension, hydroponics, recirculating farms, Research, sustainable agriculture education, sustainable agriculture initiative, sustainable aquaculture, university sustainable agriculture, Urban Agriculture, young farmers
Wisconsin’s Future Farm Packs Sustainable Punch with Cow Powered Aquaponics Operation
/ February 1, 2012 7:12 pm
The owners of aquaponics-focused Future Farm Food and Fuel, LLC know how to maximize their resources. The company’s operations take place out of a 27,000-square-foot greenhouse in Baldwin, Wisc., which houses fish tanks and growing bays that contain herbs and vegetables. Tubes run back and forth between the tanks and growing bays, recirculating water, otherwise known as effluent.
Posted in agricultural entrepreneurship, agriculture startup, algae, anaerobic digestion, aquaculture, Aquaponics, Farm Profiles, greenhouse production, hydroponics, Imagination, local and regional distribution, manure digester, recirculating farms, renewable energy, Startup Profiles, Sustainable Ag Startup, sustainable agriculture methods, sustainable agriculture practices, sustainable dairy
