Weekly Reading 6

Topic 1

I never realized pesticides stayed around for so long, almost like plastic.
I did not know pesticides were developed during WWII.
I did not know some pestricieds can kill enzymes. I find this very interesting, as we are just starting to learn about enzymes in Biology.

Next time we are in the garden, i will think about the pros and cons of pesticides.

Are there any naturally occuring pesticides, as opposed to synthetic?


Topic 2

I do not agree fully with this article. DDT seems like a quick fix or a short-term solution.
I think this is an issue where everyone needs to tread lightly. DDT is both helpful and dangerous.
I agree that DDT should be used, but its use needs to be monitered carefully.

Nex time we am in the garden, I will think about the organic food movement.

Where does DDT come from originally?


Topic 3

I never realised organic food brings so many differant elements to it.
Organic food is has a very large marketing side to it.
I wonder if it costs money to certify your farm as organic.

Next time I am in the supermarket, I will think more thoughtfully about the food I am eating.

Who and when first invented the concept "organic?"

Weekly Reading #5

Topic 1

I was unable to watch the video, it wouldn't play on my computer for some reason :(.


Topic 2

Wow! I never thought of looking at organic food from a business perspective.
I was always under the impression organic food was pesticide free.
Though I found this article very interesting, I also sounded very biased to me. Are they saying a McDonalds hamburger patty is on par with a $15 certified organic gourmet grain-fed free-range prime cut hamburger patty from Whole Foods?

Next time I am in the garden, I will think about the enefits of home-grown food.

Are the Canadian organic standars similar?


Topic 3

Though I believe that pasturized milk is the way to go, raw milk should still be siold, as long as it has a proper warning label.
Maybe the thing to do, is just to limit the sale of raw milk in super markets, but allow farmers to sell it.
I think the law restricting the transport over state lines is reasonable, though it sounds quite silly.

Next time we are in the garden, I will think about the repercussions of food restrictions.

Is raw goat milk legal?

Ta da! Weekly Reading Number 3

Topic 1

I did not know composting works because of bacteria.
I also did not realize how easy it is to compost your organic waste
I expected a good compost bin to have an abundance of worms, looks like this is not the case.


Next time we are in the garden, I will look for and identify some of the decomposing matter in our garden.

Are ther any environmental disadvantages to composting?




Topic 2


I have never heard of Bokashi before, I sounds like something I would like to try.
The fact there is no odor and you can do it in small bucket is very advantageous.
I never would have guessed the Bokashi mix was made of wheat bran, molasses, and liquid microbial inoculum.


Next time we are in the garden, I will keep the differant composting methods in mind, and watch for and decomposing taking place in the garden.


What is liquid microbial inoculum?


Topic 3

I never realised leaves could be beneficial to a garden, I always though it was best to just rake them up!
It almost seems the leaves become more of a paste when they leave the wire cage.
Seems like leafNext time we are in the garden, I will think about how we can incorporate leaf mold into our own garden.

Why are certain trees bad for leaf mold?
 

Topic 4
Wow! I never realized there were so many differant kinds of composting!
This has definetly given me a better appreciation of decomposing organisms.
Theres a compost hotline?!


Next time we are in the garden, I will see if I can find any worms.


How many differant kinds of worms are there?


Topic 5Thats really cool how their garden produces food for their cafeteria.
I think its really awesome how projects like this are getting alot of media attention.
I didn't know you can grow figs in BC!

Next time we are in the garden, I will think of ways we can expand our own garden.

What is persimmon?
GENERAL QUESTION: Can you combine differant types of composting in the same environment?

Weekly Reading Number Two Once Again!

Topic 1

                Part 1  

Spinich can be grown almost year round.

Strawberries can be grown in the winter.

How abundant the leafy vegatables are (lettuce, spinach, etc)

                Part 2   

Next time we are in the garden, I will think of devices we can use to cover our crops in the winter.

                Part 3  

Are there any crops that thrive in cold weather? Why do plants need heat? Or is it just that there is not much sunlight during the winter?

Topic 2

                Part 1  

I did not know there is 3 types of garlic, I always thought there was just one.

How a whole plot of soil can have a disease, almost like a functioning body.

Differant kinds of garlic respond to differant weather conditions.

                             

                Part 2  

Next time we are in the garden, I will pay close attention to the kind of garlic we are growing.

                Part 3  

How does one measure the pH of their soil?

                            

Topic 3

                Part 1  

It definetly surprised me how complicated and intricate dirt and soil are.

Soil regeneration takes over 200 years!

The part of the article about over-farming was very interesting.

                Part 2    

Next time we are in the garden, I will take a closer look at our dirt/soil.


                Part 3    

I don't think I really have any questions, that was very informative.

Topic 4

                Part 1  

I am curious as to wether the wheat board helps smaller farms. It seems like having the wheat board would level the playing field in terms of marketing budgets.

I found what Jack Wilkinson had to say at the end of the article was very interesting, and I agree whole-heartedly.

I think the government should poll the wheat farm industry in a referendum, and proceed accordingly based on results.

                Part 2   

Next time we are in the garden, I will think about how science and technology can be used to increase our garden's potential.

                Part 3  

Did other agricultural industries peviosly have the same kind of governing body? If so, how did they adjust when it was dissolved?

Weekly Reading Numba One REVISITED

Wow that was cool.

Topic 1

                Part 1  -Bees are calm around white, but black aggravates them. Interesting.

                            -Bees are attracted by CO2. I would almost think they would be attracted to be 

                             oxygen, as plants release oxygen.

                            -Bees have a preference for different types of weather.

                Part 2   Next time at the hive, I will watch for the effect that smoke has on bees.

                Part 3  Does red have an effect on bees? Seeing as red aggravates bulls. Was the bee's                                             

                            colour preference an evolutionary trait?

Topic 2

                Part 1  -I find it really interesting that the larvae is sealed in the cell after it is fully grown. Not 

                             something I would expect to happen.

                            -How a bee's life span varies depending on the season. Five weeks to five months, 

                              that is a crazy difference.

                            -The fact that younger bees guard the hive entrance. Wouldn't you want older, 

                              stronger, and more experienced bees as your guards?

                Part 2  Next time we are at the hive, I will look for larvae and the sealed honeycomb cells.

                Part 3  Can the bees basically fly from birth? Or are their orientation flights similar to those of 

                            birds, flying is difficult for them at first?

Topic 3

                Part 1  -I was very surprised at how intricate some of the hive designs are.

                            -How the different components can be interchanged was interesting.

                            -The cover design which allows the bees to escape through the sides of the cover 
                              was very interesting, I didn't expect something like that.

                Part 2   Next time we are at the hive, I will better analyze the different aspects of our 

                             Langstroth hive.

                Part 3  How long has the Langstroth hive been around for?

Topic 4

                Part 1  -I thought it was really interesting how Top Bar hives promote more natural 
                             movement from bees.

                            -I researched another video of Top Bat honey harvesting, and I thought it was 
                             AMAZING how the honeycombs are built independent of any existing structure.

                            -It would be interesting to do a study of which yields more honey, Langstroth or Top 
                              Bar.

                Part 2   Next time we are at the hive, I will watch for the different pros and cons of 
                             Langstroth hives that were mentioned in the article.

                Part 3  What came about first, Top Bar or Langstroth?

Topic 5
                Part 1   -How the bee actually adjusts for the time of day and angle of the sun.
                             -How bees have their own measuring system.
                             -How the bee only takes enough fuel for the specific journey.


                Part 2    Next time we are around the hive, I will definitely look for the wiggle dance!


                Part 3    Does the bee eat the honey as he flies?

Weekly Reading II

Three most interesting elements:

-How resiliant and versatile spinach is, as it can be grown almost year round.
-The fact that beets are a winter crop really surprised me.
-The differant ways of crop protection.

Next time we are gardening, I will look for how we will build our crop protection apparatuses for winter!

Question: Can you grow any fruits (other than strawberries) in the winter?

Weekly Reading Numba One

Wow that was cool.

Three most interesting elements:

-How the bee actually adjusts for the time of day and angle of the sun.
-How bees have their own measuring system.
-How the bee only takes enough fuel for the specific journey.

Next time we are around the hive, I will definetly look for the wiggle dance!

Question: Does the bee eat the honey as he flies?