Startup Profile: Sustaining 600 Million Farmers With a Drip

June 25, 2011 | Robert Puro

Drip irrigation is not new technology, but up until now it has been out of reach for the nearly 600 million small-plot farmers in the developing world. It’s adoption in the coming years by small-plot farmers particularly in India, Africa and China where water scarcity issues continue to grow more acute will play an outsize role in sustaining agriculture and food security. To drive this adoption, Driptech, a for-profit Silicon Valley, CA-based social enterprise startup has developed a high quality, yet low-cost drip irrigation system. Read More

Seedstock Digest: Nanotechnology on the Farm, Sustainable Aquaculture in the Midwest, Wireless Climate Monitoring Systems and more!

June 23, 2011 | Robert Puro

It’s Wednesday and that means another addition of the Seedstock Digest to get you through what remains of your hump day or evening. Today’s digest features articles on wireless climate monitoring systems, nanotechnology that reduces the environmental impact of pesticides, a sustainable Yellow Perch farm in Indiana and a unique permaculture operation in Sandy Lake, PA.

Read More

A Shelter for Permaculture

June 17, 2011 | Robert Puro

What began for Darrell Frey as a desire to homestead and learn basic self-reliance skills evolved into a passion for applying environmental science to design ecologically based farms and gardens. Drawing inspiration from the writings of Bill Mollison, the so called ‘father of permaculture,’ and the innovative farming techniques and bioshelter building strategies developed by the New Alchemy Institute in Massachusetts, Frey launched his farming operation, Three Sisters Farm in 1988 on five acres of land in Sandy Lake, PA to promote permaculture. At the center of his operation sits a unique bioshelter that employs permaculture design and utilizes sustainable agriculture methods, technologies and practices. Read More

Fingerling Potatoes, Rainbow Carrots, Romanesco and Persian Mulberries! Oh My!

June 13, 2011 | Jeremy Ogul

From red, white, orange, yellow and purple rainbow carrots to Persian mulberries, some of the most unusual and tasty produce varieties found in Southern California’s famed farmers markets are sustainably grown by Weiser Family Farms. Alex Weiser, President at California-based Wieser Family Farms, said the very success of the farm depends in large part on the sustainable practices that it employs. Read More

Seedstock Digest: Mushrooms, Open Ocean Aquaculture, a Sustainable Dairy and more

June 8, 2011 | Robert Puro

We’re out in the field today interviewing sustainable producers, agvocates and ag startup CEOs, but in case you missed our story about sustainable mushroom growing in recyclable boxes filled with used coffee grounds or the other one about the open ocean sustainable fish farmer, we have provided links and summaries below to get you caught up. Read More