Snuka. James.

Palu/ Anthropology 101

Farming is good for the benefit of all people. Farming provides nurture of health. Traditional and Advanced farming that is done properly can benefit all peoples in a society. How farming contributes to our society Societies are benefited from farming in so many ways. Providing produce such as: healthy fruits and vegetables, meats, and jobs. These factors help a community to function. Farming benefits The benefit of farming helps us to have provisions that are brought up by ourselves. That having us being more self-reliant. How it will continue to help us in the future

Facts on farming such as: How much is produced What we produce the most Advances in farming

Community Farming Benefits

Community farming offers many benefits to farmers who want to practice sustainable agriculture and to communities who want fresh, healthy, locally-produced food.

Healthy Local Economies

Community farms are locally owned and operated, and democratically controlled. Local farms keep money circulating in their communities rather than exporting it to absentee owners or shareholders, and the benefits are passed on to local restaurants, farmers markets, retailers, and consumers.

Environmental Solutions

Agriculture and farming practices can both harm and protect environmental systems and processes. Groups that farm cooperatively feel a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility to the land, but farmers do face barriers when they choose to farm sustainably. By basing their agricultural activities on sustainable practices, community farms balance environmental sustainability with retention and protection of valuable and threatened farmland.

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Local Food Security

Rural communities import much of their food. In the context of a global food crisis, establishing local suppliers of diverse food products increases food security in small rural communities. Communities that invest in community farms help secure farmland and build local food systems for ongoing food production.

Market Stability

When a community invests in a farm, its long term viability and security as a food production (and social) system are supported. Farmers benefit from market and price stability when communities support their farmers through community shared agriculture programs, farmers markets, and local distribution networks.

Social Capital and Community Amenities

Community farms build 'social capital' by involving a diverse group of individuals farmers, community members, and organizations with different skills and knowledge. This social capital, or wealth, helps create community amenities beyond food production, including environmental and agricultural education, recreational opportunities, and nature conservation areas.

Last Modified: April 12, 2011

Benefits of Proper Nutrition

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The CropRx fertility management program provides you with a comprehensive fertility management plan based on the needs of your specific field. Utilizing the Taralan MultiFactor System along with 30+ years of agronomic experience, a CropRx representative will work with you to develop a plan of action to improve the fertility balance across your entire field.

Site specific fertility management helps reduce over application of fertilizer while providing the proper amount of nutrients that your entire crop needs to achieve its yield potential. Site specific management does not mean grid sampling, although that can be a part of it. Our philosophy is to break the field down into smaller management units based on the characteristics of the field. While opinions on the methods and merits of site-specific farming practices still vary widely, the system has proven highly effective across a broad spectrum of soils, climates, and crops for over thirty years

A healthy plant will utilize all nutrients more efficiently, be less susceptible to stress, and take full advantage of good weather. Some of the benefits of proper plant nutrition are

Increased yields and yield consistency Lower production cost per Bu/ton Improved crop quality Improved soil and crop management principles Agronomically sound application of inputs Enhanced land value by increasing fertility and yield potential Improved relative feed value of forage crops Reduced yield loss during crop stress years, i.e. drought Nutrition is only one part of the picture but it is something you can control. The Benefits of Homegrown Foods Farming Forward Sept./30/2011 Page 3

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{sidebar id=3} Flowers, shrubs and trees are pleasant to the eye, but it is a strong belief of mine that any extra space you have in your garden should be used to grow edibles. The benefits of homegrown food are endless, from the health care of our families to the health care of our planet; Its important to consider the rewards of sustainable living. Next month, October is National Organic Month. Id like to talk now about how easy it is to implement this in our lives; as well as the health benefits of eating fresh nutritious foods.

What to Buy / Plant

Planted since the beginning of time, pomegranate trees are thought to symbolize eternal life. This small, 6-15 ft., tree is just as easy to plant as any other tree, but eating the fruit or drinking the juice is said to protect the body from heart disease, alzheimer's, and cancer while maintaining prostate health, as well as healthy cholesterol levels. There are many plants and trees that are easy to grow, and have important health benefits. Do a little research to find ones that suit you. For instance: bay trees, Laurus nobilis, the evergreen tree that produces bay leaves, helps aid digestion. Lemons detoxify the liver and protect the lungs. Dont forget about trees that produce nuts, high in omega-3 and helpful against wrinkles and the signs of aging. Zingiber officinalis or edible ginger, grows just as easy as the many other gingers we grow, but eating or drinking this yummy stuff proves to have anti-inflammatory properties; the same thats found in aspirin.

Its important to remember that the pigments in plants that cause yams to be orange, broccoli to be green and blueberries to be blue, help our bodies with disease prevention, anti-aging, deterrence of muscular degeneration, as well as a boost in brain power; so eat a rainbow everyday. Recipes are numerous for how to enjoy these gifts that were put here for us.

Prune/ Propagate

Its very inexpensive to start vegetables and herbs from seeds. These can be sown directly into the ground or started in containers. Once a seed is hydrated with water, it cannot be allowed to dry out, nor should the soil be overly wet. Water carefully until the plant emerges; then reduce water as needed to prevent stem rot. Also, unless planted in the ground, slowly introduce the plant to full sun conditions. Propagate from cuttings and do divisions too. Some herbs, such as specialty mints and

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French tarragon, are best started by cuttings; If you have herbs that grow in clumps, divide them and propagate extra, a welcome gift for friends and neighbors.

Herbs

Herbs pack a punch, ounce for ounce, the health benefits are much greater in herbs than for any other fruit or vegetable. For example, oreganos antioxidant capability is forty-two times greater then that of an apple. Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin C and folic acid. Rosemary improves memory. Sage is said to help with arthritis, asthma, and diabetes. Hot peppers help sinus problems and burn fat. Plants from the Allium family, such as Garlic, onions, leeks, and chives are touted to be one of the groups that are called superfoods which offer the most in health benefits. Be cultural; explore other ethnic foods that typically use more spices then the American diet.

Fertilizer / Pests

Of course you wouldnt want to use chemicals on your edibles. It bears repeating that there are plenty of natural products, such as Fish emulsion to fertilize, neem both a fungicide and insecticide, thuricide to deter worms, all natural pyrethrum insecticide, and diatomaceous earth a mineral based pesticide. All will reduce pest problems and maintain healthy, vigorous plants.

For Fun

Visit Lichgate, 1401 High Rd Tallahassee. This historical home is privately owned and maintained by the Laura Jepson Institute as a community green space. Open free to the public. It has a magnificent old oak tree, considered to be one of the oldest in the state of Florida, an enchanted fairy-tale cottage, and an educational garden, showing how easily you can bring about a garden in your own backyard.

Photo Gallery

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Bay Tree

Lemon Tree

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Pecans

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Pomegranate Tree

Edible Ginger

Yams

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This article is intended to encourage natural health by eating right and exercising. Consult your Doctor if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition.

References: Kilham, C.S. (1991), The Whole Foods Bible Perricone, N., M.D. (1991). The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps

This article originally published on September 4, 2007.

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