It took 200 scientists from 20 countries and $75 million dollars, over 13 years to sequence the genome of bread wheat. The wheat genome was complicated to sequence since genetically it is three species in one. This means that there are three pairs of every chromosome, totaling 16 billion genetic letters or nucleotides. Scientists have...
A recent article published by the NY Times, “How More Carbon Dioxide Can Make Food Less Nutritious” explores how rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere affect the nutritional content of cash crops. Dr. Ziska of the USDA co-authored the study looking into quality rather than quantity of our food supply. He and his colleagues...
The humble blueberry is a delicious and nutrition addition to almost anything and is native to NJ. NJ’s crop of blueberries is the fifth largest in the nation with most of the production taking place in the Pineland region, where sandy, acidic soils prevail. Among commercially produced varieties of blueberries, several heirloom descendants are still...
An article recently shared by Cornucopia Institute describes ways in which consumers can improve gut health through diet and also steps farmers can take on the field to protect biodiversity. The human gut microbiome lives and is influenced by the food we eat. Eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals from healthy, fresh, diverse,...
For any successful farming business, accurate records must be kept. There’s an app for that! VeggieTables can help organize your organic certification recordkeeping, making it easier to pass yearly inspection. It works offline and follows the crop from ordering seed to making a sale. Developed by Jess Isbrecht of Green Duchess Farm in Hillsborough, the...
Agricultural justice ensures the health and safety of farm workers and their families. As farm workers are typically immigrants, it is harder for them to speak up against injustice for fear of deportation. Sustainable agriculture must ensure standards of living for both humans and animals. One easy way consumers can support businesses that adhere to...
The Earth cannot accommodate our need and greed for food. We must change our diet before it’s too late, writes Guardian columnist George Monbiot Source: Mass starvation is humanity’s fate if we keep flogging the land to death | George Monbiot | Opinion | The Guardian
CULTIVATING ‘ANANDA’: JOY OF FARMING AND HEALTHY LIVING Here is a link to a wonderful summary of true sustainability in agriculture, from friends in Bangladesh. Ubing.org Post – This is a must read! “To realize the principle of biodiversity-based ecological farming, Nayakrishi farmers follow ten simple rules following the ten fingers of two hands. Fingers...
A new study published by the University of Illinois, delves deep into the relationships between agricultural fields and migratory avian species. Graduate research assistant Cassandra Wilcoxen monitored birds in corn and soybean fields with and without cover crops. She tracked species and counted individual birds in study sites. Fields with cover crops provided an important...
On October 18, NOFA-NJ held another workshop in a series on small-scale berry production. All of the niche berry classes we have held this year have been fully-subscribed with waiting lists, indicating strong interest in the cultivation and sale of such varieties as gooseberry, elderberry and aronia berry (pictured). Attendees have a range of reasons...
