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The many moods of buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum I keep a stock of buckwheat seeds at the ready all summer long. I use it as a summer cover crop in vacant areas, and squeeze small plantings of it here and there to attract pollinatrs and beneficial insects. It has a lot of value to me as a multi-functioned, easy to grow annual. It grows quickly, even in poor soils, is somewhat drought tolerant, and decomposes quickly when incorporated as a cover crop. Its delicate roots do require friable soil though; it won't establish itself well in a hardpan.   As a...

Last year was the first year we dealt with Sand Chafer, or White Grub in our potato crop.  The damage to potato crops from this pest can be devastating.  White grubs, the larval stage of the Sand Chafer beetle lifecycle, feed on potatoes just as their about to be harvested in August and September.   Signs and symptoms: Adults are the only above-ground part of this insects life cycle: White grubs are large and easy to spot if they're in your potato patch.  They are sort of horrendous-looking things: Their damage is large bites, which create craters in the potatoes.  They...

Permaculture in Giving Ground Seed’s Mission: Permaculture is a system of design that provides all the needs for humanity in a way that benefits the environment. Permaculture is a way of thinking, designing, and organizing that revolves around three main tenets- Care for Earth, Care for People, and Fair Share. As a set of ecologically inspired ethics, permaculture has the potential for wide-scale application in almost any setting- from sustainable farm planning to organizational change in a business or community setting. Permaculture draws its wisdom from many sources, including both traditional ecological knowledge and folkways and scientific understanding of how...

Imagine, right outside your door, a lovely little perennial herb garden for you, your family, and your neighbors to enjoy.  Low-maintenance Once established, many herbs grow and spread easily and don't require much in the way of water and fertility.  They also tend to grow densely and out-compete weeds more easily than annual plantings. Tea For many medicinal herbs, the only way to easily access them is by growing them yourself.  Unavailable at the grocery store, and completely unavailable fresh, you simply can't replace herbs grown right outside your door.  Many medicinal teas are best made from fresh leaves. Pollinators...