GROWING A GREENER WORLD

Not sure how many of you are watching GROWING A GREENER WORLD it is suppose to air weekly on Public TV. However some are not carrying it or are behind in the episode they are showing is weeks behind the latest. So here is a link to the current episode and from there you can view all episode including last years.

Episode 213: Young Farmers « Growing A Greener World
www.growingagreenerworld.com
‎// With the average age of farmers in our country around 55 to 60, there is a serious question of who will be growing our food in the future as our aging farmers retire or pass on.

Thanks for this post....had no idea there was such a program, but I would love to see it...hope CT Public TV is showing it.....

ROBINDOG: If CT Public TV is not showing you can watch all episodes from the link.

OK Northeast Gardeners you are slipping. 33 views and only one reply. Whats up ?

Thanks for the update, John....

I think we got lazy!!!! I don't know what's been going on. esp since we have been stuck inside with all this rain

Yeah, lots of farms selling because the kids don't want to take over

Glad the kids & grandkids have taken over our friend's farm......

A week is passing by and the next episode will be posting soon. Growing a Greener World is also going international. Will post when the next episode comes on line.

There is a wealth of information at http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/ and you can set up to be notified as new episodes are available.

Have a Wonderful evening,
John

Thanks, John.

Wet and rainy morning, good time to watch another episode.
http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode214/

Sounds like a good one......I have no speakers on my computer, can only watch on TV....

We do need younger farmers. It is very difficult to make it. My cousin really struggles to keep a dairy herd going. He doesn't even have them on his property anymore cuz the barn fell in. Because of the drought then the excessive rain this summer he wasn't able to cut any hay. He hates to sell some of his stock, but sometimes has no choice.

Epsoide 216, don't know what happened to 215.

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode216/

Here's some more from young farmers

http://voices.rodale.com/meet-gen-o-the-future-of-organic-food/2011/10/18/

HI coleup: Glad to see that others are interested. New Hampshire does have a good interest by young farmers and gardeners. However it is difficult for them because of lack of interest by the older generations. I was at a Master Gardeners Conference today and there was not very many young people there.

Episode217

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode217/

JWLW

When I was little I wanted to be "adopted" into a farm family so I could live on a farm! Now that I am "old" I have the same desire!

Still working on the "why" any farmers ( young or old) would want to adopt me ...and beyond the wanting/full capacity to do it myself. So, my biggest plus is willingness to particiate and an eclectic assortment of skills and lots of life stories.

Not able to view thiese programs but happy to see they exist. Is there discussion of inter- or multi-generational growing concerns?

Most, if not all of the farms and farmers/growers I have known have continued in some form because of "family". Best way to extend a family other than birth is to "adopt"

Judy

Judy, friends of mine own a farm in NH.....I love going up to visit, but could never live on a dairy farm...one day, a few of the cows got loose & were running straight for me.....their grandkids were yelling at me to stop them....have you seen how fast a Holstein can move? And how huge they are? No thanks. My son lives on a blueberry farm....that's pretty tame....

coleup: You might want to check out the Maryland Master Gardener Program, call the Home and Garden Information Center at (410) 531-5556 or the county UME offices with active programs. Here is a link to their home page http://hgic.umd.edu/.

This message was edited Oct 24, 2011 4:31 PM

John, thanks for the suggestion on the Master Gardener program...I checked it out many years ago so will look at it again to see what's new. There is a MG booth at our Farmers Market.

Lol Robindog! Yes, I do know how fast a Holstein can run! I grew up in the country, but not on a farm. We only had a two acre semi wooded lot in a small subdivision of abot 75 families, 6 miles to the nearest town. Surrounded by mostly fields and farms raising corn and soy beans in rotation with most farms keeping some cows and selling the excess milk to a local dairy. The farmer who owned the woods across from our house used to let his cows (Holsteins always named either Elmer, Elsie or Bossie} pasture there with their calves each summer. We were never restricted from going in the woods when the cows were out and don't recall any run ins. I got good at "mooing" and one cow in particular would come up to me if I called and I'd give her a big bunch of sweet clover that grew just outside of the fence. Faced with your same scenario, I suppose I would have wildly waved my arms and yelled and stood my ground...Isn't it great how those GC think we can work miracles in situations like that!

Judy

That's a cute story, Judy....I probably would approach a cow if it was tame....there is a farm next to my son's blueberry farm, they raise cattle.....a few months ago the bull got out, & chased the blueberry pickers into the barn!

Its snowing at our house. Whats it doing at your house?

FIRST SNOW 2009

Yes, looks just like my yard!

Looks so crisp and pure! However, I'm glad it's there and not down here. :)

Wait until tomorrow, Jan....snow is forecast from DC on up to Bangor.

I really wasn't paying attention to our forecast. Will be interesting. My guess is - we won't have anything. We'll see. Hope no one has any problems.

Worms, Worms, Worms

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode218/

Winter is off to a good start. This is the second snow storm

JWLW

Saw my first episode yesterday..#203. They are being broadcast here on public tv at 1:30 every afternoon M-F so I should get to Worms next week!

Have a cute story about worms, too. 30+ yrs ago I was one of those "Raising Earthworms For Fun and Profit" Back then it was the worms and not their poop that was profitable. I wrote on another thread

this is almost the anniversary of my backyard venture into "Raising Earthworms For Fun and Profit" "Wiggles Wigglers". My starter setup came from a company in Tenn and consisted of them installing 4 4x8 by 12" beds in my backyard. Each bed had heating cables and was filled with peat moss, sprinkled lightly with chicken laying mash. Ten pounds of red wiggler worms were introduced to each bed after it was wetted down by the installers . Then they placed a sheet of exterior plywood over each, plugged in the heating cables and gave me the 25# bag of mash and said I'd be good for the winter. It was late October. I handed them a check and went inside to study the guide to growing and marketing they left with me.

Next day I was out bright and early with friends. By the time I returned early afternoon, the weather had changed to chilly and misty drizzle. I noticed a few worms at the end of my driveway where I parked, and a few more when I reached my sidewalk, then a lot more as I came to my back door. I decided to check my 'farm' and sure enough, there were worms crawling out of all the beds! I checked the heat. OK Moisture and pH levels (included in kit) all OK.

It being a Sunday, all I could do was leave a HELP me message on the company help line. I got a bucket and thought I would just return the escapees to the beds. After returning 5 buckets full, I realized that they were crawling out faster than I could collect them! The Great Worm Exodus! By the next morning there was nary a worm to be found in any of the beds, indeed nary to be found in my yard! The company offered to express ship replacement worms but I had already put a stop payment on my check and they didn't pursue it.

What is it they say about most businesses failing in the first year?

Judy

Snows all gone except for some shady areas. Whats next ? Tomorrow will try to get some photos of the damaged trees and shrubs. Have not heard much from northeast gardeners that where in the harder hit areas like NJ, CT, VT, and so on.

Have a great evening,
John

Here it is Episode 219

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode219/

Opps I used the same photo as last time and cannot correct it

This message was edited Nov 6, 2011 10:53 PM

Judy, that was a very funny story! John, my town was hit very hard....I lost 2 complete trees....both crabapples....and branches & the tops of over a dozen trees in my yard.....we are still cleaning up the brush, & will be for another few days.

Gardening for the Hungry: Easy ways to Share the Bounty

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode220/

Check out the Coyotes

http://wild.enature.com/blog/coyotes-the-new-kids-on-the-block1/?utm_source=eNature+Master+List&utm_campaign=ec63bbcd81-On_The_Wild_Side_November_201111_15_2011&utm_medium=email

Have a great evening, John

Dairy farming is 24/7/365! Having worked on a dairy farm I know where I'm coming from. Not only do I know how fast a holstein can run I also know how hard they can hit you. One spring in IL during the thawing of the winter snow I was trying to herd a cow back into the barn from wence she came in order for the vet to see her. The ground was still frozen and the mixture of cow poop/urine and snow was like a thin, watery brown cement. The cow decided she didn't want to go where I directed -- turned on me, knocked me down into that soup and proceeded at top speed for the nearest exit!! I imagine how i must have looked but I was extremely upset, cussing, etc. Had to start all over again and finally succeeded. That experience pretty much convinced me I didn't want to be a farmer. There's always something that has to be done, and if you're sick or injured someone else has to do it so you better hope you have some good neighbors. The farm I was working on had taken over a neighbor's herd while the neighbor was recovering from a heart attack. We were milking over 100 head twice a day. My boss and a hired hand to help with the milking and I was basically the field boy, feeding, herding, cleaning milking equipment at minimum wage. I was covering for my stepdad who had been ill. Another step dad of mine (my mother did get around) owned a rice farm in AR, but I was older and in the service and he had a son who also owned a rice farm and I did hear many stories about crop failures due to weather and/or disease. So it's not an easy, glorified life.

My friends own a dairy farm & milk processing plant in NH....it amazes me how much they have to do....the original owner, who passed 7 years ago, grew up with my DH...his sons & grandsons run the farm now...their daughter is a vet, and the youngest grandson is also studying at Cornell to be a vet.....the farm is always a whirlwind of activity.

Growing a Greener World TV
Of Forests and Men: A must-watch video if you care about trees and what's happening to our forests. Thanks @Robin Haglund for bringing this to our attn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HSaAlPRN-c&feature=youtu.be

Have a great evening,
John

GROWING LIVING WALLS

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode221/

Back to School – Learning to Be an Organic Farmer

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode222/

Episode's 223 and 224 Only two more to complete this season.

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode223/

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode224/


HELLEBORUS GOLD COLLECTION "Jacob" http://www.jwlwgardens.com/?p=4673



This message was edited Dec 18, 2011 9:39 AM

Episode 225

http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode225/