Help Fund an Urban Garden, Get Some Free Undies

Ok, you don't usually hear gardening and underwear in the same sentence, except for maybe that time your friend said 'you wouldn't believe what happened last night'... anyway, PACT, a company that helps fund social projects by selling organic cotton basics, has recently launched their spring line for 2013 and has teamed up with Whole Kids Foundation and Indiegogo to help support their latest cause, helping fund and start 100 urban gardens for schools across America.

Through the crowdsourcing platform, Indiegogo, you can make donations until Feb. 28 to fund your local garden, another garden anywhere in the country, or both. Whole Kids Foundation, a Whole Foods Market^® foundation, will provide additional support for each garden, like online garden planning tools and organic seeds to help build or expand each urban garden. 

Urban gardening is the practice of growing, harvesting, and distributing food within city communities and is becoming increasingly more necessary in this day and age. Having gardens in urban areas encourages children and adults alike to choose healthier foods than the more processed foods and snacks found in your local grocery aisle.

The goal for spring 2013 is to establish 100 urban gardens that offer access to healthy food and at the same time empowering adults and children in those communities to actively experience the process of growing food from seed to plate.

For more information, or just to get some trendy new underwear (which also help fund future 'PACTivist' causes) visit PACT



~ James
Garden Media Group

Simple pleasures of a local farmer's market

On my recent vacation to Florida, I asked my sister, a Floridian for decades, if there was a farmer's market nearby. I admit, I had the bug to get out and discover wonderful local produce, products and crafts.

"Sure", she droned. "Down the road about a mile, there's a great market called Brown's that has organic milk, raw honey and lots of stuff you like." She knows me well.

My sister and her family are Gulf Coast dwellers, planted comfortably in a nice suburban community of middle class houses that circle a man-made pond. Every morning storks and prehistoric sounding birds  wander aimlessly on the streets, asserting the right of first refusal to leave Dodge.

It came as a surprise that they are minutes away from commercial farms that grow much of our tomatoes, produce and fruit. And they have cattle ranches with cowboys. Really. In Florida.

When we arrived at Brown's Farmers Market, my sister, niece and I were drawn by the smells of fresh picked produce mounded on the wooden tables, organic milk from cows peering at us behind the fence line, and a fish monger of sorts: a friendly, talkative chap who agreeably discussed the pros and cons of fish farming vs deep water catches.

But my eyes were fixated on the shelves that lay ahead, with amber and caramel colored jars gleaming  under the streaming sunlight. Nirvana. Local honey. And homemade jam minimally processed of course, with cloth and ribboned caps, lined up in neat rows like homespun art that beckoned... choose me!

 

I live in the Philadelphia region, where we brag about the famous Reading Terminal Market.

Whereas Brown's has an open-aired roadside rustic appeal, Philadelphia's Market is an expansive melange of ethnic and traditional foods, cuisine, crafts and more. It's a cultural delight, a hodgepodge of sounds, smells, and tastes that satisfy any craving.  

Hey, Adam Richman, host of Best Sandwich in America, recently named DiNic's roast pork sandwich, the best sandwich in the country!

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Reading Terminal Market, but give me the country road stands and farmer's markets any day. There I can linger over produce, chat with the farmer, and be lured in by the hypnotic dance of the honeybees skipping from flower to flower in the wide open fields.

For those who are curious where you might find a great Farmer's Market near you, check out: Local Harvest. Great organic food awaits.

Now, if I can only get used to those strange sounding crane-like birds in the morning...
Let us know your favorite market and why! Best ever market is ????

~Lynne
Garden Media Group
photo credit: GMG, Brown's Farmer's Market
Photo credit: Reading Terminal Market: Philadelphia.about.com & Wikipedia Commons

Organic Sector Still Growing

 According to Annie White of Inside Grower, the market continues to grow for organic food!

And that comes as good news for organic farmers and producers as the consumer-driven U.S. organic market surpasses $31 billion!

“With 94% of organic operations nationwide planning to maintain or increase employment in 2012, the organic sector will continue to fuel jobs, rural economies and consumer choice,” said Christine Bushway, executive director of Organic Trade Association (OTA.)

Annie provides a few findings from the 2012 Organic Industry Survey from the OTA:

• Organic sales of all products had a 9.5% ($2.5 billion) increase in 2011, while conventionally produced products (both food and non-food items) had a 4.7% increase.
• Organic food sales now represent 4.2% of all U.S. food sales, up from 4% in 2010.
• The fruit and vegetable category accounted for nearly 50% of those new dollars in 2011
• The organic food and beverage sector had sales of $29.22 billion in 2011, a 9.4% increase over 2010
• There are 17,600 certified organic farms, ranches and businesses in the U.S.
• Seventy-eight percent of U.S. families report they buy organic.
• More than half of parents surveyed report they have a high level of trust for certified USDA organic products.

Bushway adds, “Consumers are increasingly engaged and discerning when they shop, making decisions based on their values and awareness about health and environmental concerns. For them, it matters whether foods are genetically engineered, or produced using practices that are good for their families. Price is still an issue, but with the wide availability of private label products and many venues for organic products, they have many choices for where to shop and a variety of products from which to choose.”

And I agree, with the increase of Whole Foods stores and farmers markets, organic food no longer sits on the peripheral of the supermarkets.  It's here to stay.

 

 Katie @KatieGMG
http://www.gardenmediagroup.com

Conscious Consumers

Finally, a new Whole Foods just opened in Glen Mills, PA. And, to no ones surprise, opening day was a zoo!

Whole Foods says: "Our store provides a truly unique grocery store experience. We care about product knowledge, we care about quality standards, and we care about the Glen Mills community." 

Consumers tend to be willing to pay more for organics, which is why Whole Foods stores are popping up in suburban towns across America. 

• 78% of U.S. families are buying some kind of organic food
• 4 in 10 families say they are buying more organic products than they were a year ago
• 3 in 10 families say they are new entrants to the organic marketplace.
• 48% of parents said their strongest motivator for buying organic was their belief that organic products “are healthier for me and my children."

Other motivators included concern over the effects of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics on children, and the desire to avoid highly processed or artificial ingredients.

OTA's 2011 Organic Industry Survey found the U.S. organic industry grew at a rate of nearly 8% in 2010.

SO, what do you think?  Do you shop organic? Does the added cost turn you away or is it a valuable investment for you?

"Some more stats on organic food from Organic Trade Association’s 2011 Organic Industry Survey:

• U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $26.7 billion in 2010. Sales in 2010 represented 7.7% growth over 2009 sales. Experiencing the highest growth in sales during 2010 were organic fruits and vegetables, up 11.8% over 2009
• Organic food and beverage sales represented approximately 4% of overall food and beverage sales in 2010. Leading were organic fruits and vegetables, now representing over 11% of all U.S. fruit and vegetable sales.
  
• Organic non-food sales grew 9.7% in 2010, to reach $1.97 billion.
  
• Total U.S. organic sales, including food and non-food products, were $28.682 billion in 2010, up 9.7% from 2009.
  

The report is available for purchase HERE. 

‏ @KatieGMG

Garden Media Group

Psst! Here are a few cool secrets from pros for a lush lawn and landscape

At last. Spring's at the peak of her glory. But if you're gazing at your neighbor's lush green lawn and blooming plants and feel a bit "green" with envy as you stare at your own spotty, sad-looking turf and twiggy plants, there's hope.

We found great tips from lawn and garden pros that promise greener, healthier and abundant plants and turf and we're passing them along. Let us know how they work for you!

1. Test your soil. Dr. Tom Samples, Ph.D. - turfgrass extension specialist at the University of TN Institute of Agriculture recommends you get a soil tester and learn your soil's pH level and then adjust accordingly. He says, "a pH of 6.5 is considered ideal for turfgrass."

2. Pull out the weeds. Rather than treating with harmful chemicals, pull easy to spot weeds with a claw tool cultivator. Before you start, soak the soil to ensure you get out all the stubborn roots and runners.

3. Lose the spots. If your lawn is blotchy with ugly brown spots where your dog does his/her business or even from using winter de-icers, try SpotGone! from NatraTurf. Just sprinkle the all natural, organic, OMRI-listed pellets onto the spots and your grass will grow in green and uniformly without re-seeding! And it's safe for kids and pets!

4. Go au natural with gypsum. For your lawn and landscape plants, trees, flowerbeds and veggie garden, use a natural soil amendment like gypsum.

Gypsum-treated soils retain moisture over a longer period of time and decrease evaporation on top of the soil. You'll water less and it's an excellent source of calcium - a necessary plant nutrient -and removes harmful salts from your soil.

Samples says that "calcium improves cell strength and "gypsum supplies additional calcium and sulphur to lawns and plants without changing the pH level and is essential for plant growth." Good to know.

We also spoke with a number of golf course superintendents and nursery owners for their "secrets." Those who prefer using all-natural, high quality pelletized gypsum products suggest HydroSave for gorgeous greens and beautiful bedding plants. Plus, it's organic and OMRI-listed.

Gypsum helps reduce "soil crusting" and loosens soil, making it more porous and a better home for earthworms, nature's aerators.

One of the experts, Curt Berte, owner of Spring Valley Golf Course in Livermore, Iowa uses HydroSave in their fairways and found that " we cut our water usage by 40%." He also said they tilled it in flowerbeds "and had amazing results!" Now it's available for gardeners as HydroSave Residential. Impressive.

We also asked Jon Mathews, owner of Shades of Texas Nursery, who deals with hot, dry conditions and frequent drought, what he uses. Again, he prefers gypsum and HydroSave in particular and said, "We saw incredible results in our plants- bigger, better and more abundant, Texas style." Excellent.

The pros claim the pay-off is your grass and plants will develop stronger more vigorous roots for a thicker, greener lawn, more robust flowers and even tastier vegetables! If you want to learn more about keeping your lawn and landscape green and healthy, check out http://www.natraturf.com/.

5. "Just a little off the top." Here's an easy tip but important: Try to keep your grass at two to three inches high and keep your mower blades sharpened for less damage to your grass. Check out the new energy efficient mowers on the market-- or try the "push" mowers if you have a small yard - (better for you and the environment!)

Enjoy the longer days and renewal of spring, plant something new and please let us know if these suggestions work for you!

-Lynne
GMG

I'll keep the Jack - without the spots

As many of you know, I'm a real dog lover. One of the reasons we bought this office was to be able to bring not just my dogs - but anyone in the office who wants to bring their dogs - to work.

But those yellow, burned-looking spots on our lawns where Jack does his “business” are a natural side-effect of dog ownership. This spring, I've discovered new SpotGone! from NatraTurf. It's going to turn those ugly patches caused by Jack into lush, green grass again.

It's OMRI-listed, 100% organic product and is easy to use. All I did was sprinkle the pellets on pet the spots caused by Jack and in those high-traffic areas and where de-icers did some damage.

I'll be looking forward to the grass growing back and staying "naturally" green and healthy.

This new product is "spot on"!

Suzi, Garden Media Group

The Organic Mechanic on Garden World Report!

Mark Highland, President of The Organic Mechanics Soil Company is a guest on Shirley Bovshow's Garden World Report this week! Mark is live from Longwood Gardens showing off the amazing indoor gardens & Chrysanthemum festival! Enjoy!

Watch live streaming video from gardenworldreport at livestream.com