Low tech farming in India is far outpacing GMO and pesticide intensive farming. The super yields are from a growing method called System of Rice (or root) Intensification (SRI). This method has also dramatically increased yields of wheat, potatoes, sugar cane, yams, tomatoes, garlic, and many other crops, and is considered one of the most significant developments of the past 50 years for the world’s millions of small-scale farmers and the two billion people who depend on them.
Nobel prize-winning economist Jospeh Stilglitz visited the area in India using this system and was amazed, saying “If any scientist or a company came up with a technology that almost guaranteed a 50% increase in yields at no extra cost Continue reading
As a frugal and lazy gardener, I’m always on the lookout for edible plants that look nice, are easy to care for, and dependably give me food (even if they suffer a bit of neglect in the watering/weeding department). An all-season veggie/herb in our mild Oregon climate that fits all three criteria is a plant family called sorrel.
Looking for a holiday tradition that doesn’t involve drinking to excess, shopping into poverty, or watching TV until your eyes fall out? Here’s all-age, interactive fun involving friends and/or family…and it ends with good times and sweet gifts for all. My friend Sue Warner-Bean – who the tradition belongs to – tells the story in her own words:
I’m thrilled with Bob’s Red Mill. They’re an icon in Oregon with values and customer service that go beyond outstanding. They grind their own grain, supplying grains for authentic shows such as PBS’s Frontier house. They have mill tours so you can see how a working mill does its thing. In fact, they practically act out the part of the Little Red Hen (except they share the work and at the end let you eat the bread). The company is now employee owned – a little gift from Bob when he retired. Bob Moore 
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