First appeared February, 19, 2021

What is the best mulch for your garden? Compost? Nope. Composted tree trimmings? Nope. Fresh arborist chips? Yes! Jim Downer of the Garden Professors gives us a run down of why chips from the tree service are the best material to put in your garden. That Back to Eden stuff just might be on to something...

First appeared February, 18, 2021

We have all left a banana on the counter for too long right? In 2012, materials scientist James Rogers received a $100k grant to figure out a way to reduce food spoilage. That same year, he launched Apeel Sciences, where he developed an edible, FDA-approved solution that works to extend the shelf life of produce around the world. The treatment is made up of lipids and glycerolipids (yeah I don't know what those words mean either), plant-based compounds that are found in peels, seeds and pulp. It acts as an invisible barrier, or an extra peel, as Rogers puts it, to double or triple the time it takes for produce to go bad.

First appeared February, 17, 2021

Synthetic fertilizer has become increasing unpopular with the rise of the organic and sustainable agriculture movements. But is it all bad? Kathy Voth talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and their affect on soil microbes.

First appeared February, 16, 2021

The preeminent event for those interested in the connections between soil, plant, human, environmental and cultural health will be an every Thursday (Feb-Sept) event online this year. I haven't physically gone to the conference, but have listened to sessions posted online and they never disappoint. Perfect for anyone looking to pick the brains of real-live food growing experts who actually grow nutrient-dense food.

First appeared February, 15, 2021

"Our friends thought we were crazy, Dad made fun, we bottomed out financially and I thought I was gonna die. But there was hope…" Justin Rhodes gives us a never-before seen view of his origin story as a homesteader and content creator. With raw story and breath-taking cinematography, episode one of his new project will be available publicly for just 2 more days.

First appeared February, 12, 2021

How can you succeed in a world of information abundance? David Perell introduces us to the Paradox of Abundance and how an unfamiliar financial theory applies nearly perfectly to our health and our digestion of today's news cycle. The paradox? As the internet and social media have brought unprecedented access to information, most people will fail to find and consume nutrient-dense information, while a small fraction will become uber-healthy gainers of knowledge. There are at least 10 quotable gems in this article, and I'll share just one -- "On the Internet, your rate of learning is limited not by access to information, but by your ability to ignore distractions. The people you follow online is a leading indicator of your success, your health, and your happiness."

First appeared February, 11, 2021

I find that gardening is the among the best therapies to shake off the winter blues and stress. When you can't garden because of the cold you read about gardening! In this article straight from the filmmakers, you can learn how to apply the Back to Eden Gardening principles to grow food indoors for better results. Prepare ahead of time and organize your planting schedule!

First appeared February, 10, 2021

Many gardeners tend small herb gardens on their window sills, but far fewer take the next step to grow their own spices. Spice-grower and author Tasha Greer wants gardeners to know that while it takes a bit more technique to grow spices, it’s still something anyone can do. Greer wants to walk gardeners through the steps with her new book, Grow Your Own Spices, which she put together with collaborators, Lindsey Feldpausch and Greta Moore.

First appeared February, 09, 2021

New chicken keepers usually start with baby chicks in the spring. The excitement of the chicks growing into adults, then that first egg in late summer or early fall is undeniable. And the eggs keep coming all through that first winter, right into the following spring and summer. But that next fall, all of sudden egg production drops and the hens stop laying eggs. What's up with that?

First appeared February, 08, 2021

A few special ingredients make this Annual Conference remarkable, in spite of it not being an in-person gathering: A diverse array of presentations, workshops and discussions are on deck, bringing together farmer experts, educators and innovators who are sure to spark ideas and new practices. Session topics include quality of life on the farm, meat processing in Minnesota, economics of silvopasture, making hay, off-season side hustles, and feature speakers like Beth Dooley, MN Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen, Alan Guebert, and more.

First appeared February, 05, 2021

According to a report from Reuters, Muyuan Foods, a Chinese pork concern, has started operations at a new hog farm that blows others out of the water in terms of size: it will eventually produce 2.1 million hogs per year. It’s roughly ten times larger than most of the bigger facilities in the US. Yikes!

First appeared February, 04, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) has developed a groundbreaking treatment for barber’s pole worm (Haemonchus contortus), the number one health issue in the sheep industry. In live-animal trials, the new treatment reduced fecal egg counts by 90% and overall parasite burdens by 72%. Perhaps most importantly, the treatment impacted female parasites the most, reducing their populations by 96%. Such a large reduction in females means an equally large reduction in the number of eggs produced, leading to reduced infections overall. While extremely successful with sheep, it did not translate to goats. Guess where they found the treatment? The soil!

First appeared February, 03, 2021

If you do any searching for gardening (or even think about the color green), you’re likely bombarded with adds on social media and search engines about all stuff gardening. One of the recent trends is microgreen production. There’s all kinds of fancy little systems and gizmos that will help you grow microgreens for a price. But what are microgreens? Are they the same thing as sprouts? And do they have the same food safety issues as sprouts? Let’s discuss, shall we?

First appeared February, 02, 2021

While seed sellers are already starting to get busy this year, time is still on your side. If you plan ahead, you can get the seeds you want and start your garden as soon as the winter frost subsides. Not exactly sure where to begin? Here’s our guide to buying seeds for the upcoming growing season.

First appeared February, 01, 2021

Vegetable seed sellers experienced skyrocketing demand last spring as concerns over potential food shortages drove some of the demand; gardening also helped pass the time during quarantine—leading seed companies to post virtual “out of stock” stickers on some popular seed varieties. As seed starting season begins again, sellers say demand hasn’t slowed down.

First appeared January, 29, 2021

I’d love to use chickens to till and fertilize my Raised Garden Beds, but will my Chicken Tractor work or will I need to make modifications? Spoiler alert. It worked, but let’s have a deeper look at how I easily set up five chickens to do the work of my Raised beds.

First appeared January, 28, 2021

I'm sharing this spicy oven fries recipe with you – originally published in February 2020 for my Cooking Community members. Since then, I've made this recipe approximately 1 billion times. It seemed almost selfish to hold it back any longer.

First appeared January, 27, 2021

Diana Rodgers writes: In my quest to make a case for “more better meat," I’ve been criticized at times for being an elitist. People have told me that eating grass-fed beef is simply too expensive and inaccessible. So, I decided to do some investigation and compare the price per ounce of grass-fed beef to other processed foods, meat alternatives, and selected “health” foods. When you calculate the cost per ounce, grass-fed beef is really not any more expensive than many foods people consider “common” like candy bars and cookies.

First appeared January, 26, 2021

The presence of persistent herbicides like Aminopyralid should be a concern for anyone using hay or manure in their compost, garden, or farm. Persistent herbicides can do damage to broadleaf plants in very small quantities for very long periods of time. If you are sourcing hay or manure, do you own due-diligence prior on the hay, manure, or compost in question before bringing it onto your property?

First appeared January, 25, 2021

There are the classic resolutions that everyone’s heard before: drinking less, eating better, exercising more and prioritizing finances. But if you were one of the many new gardeners who started growing vegetables during the pandemic, maybe you’ll include some changes to make your gardening a little more eco-friendly this year. For your inspiration, look no further than regenerative gardeners and farmers, who live by principles such as soil health, carbon sequestration and responsible water management that nurture the land while they grow their food. We spoke to professionals in regenerative farming, gardening and landscape design to see what growing goals they have this year. May it inspire you to do the same.

First appeared January, 22, 2021

Mark McOmber shares the results of gardening with the Back to Eden method after 10 years. You may remember Mark from the original film creating a Back to Eden garden in Pennsylvania.

First appeared January, 21, 2021

"A four article series by Darrell Emmick. He’ll give you a really strong understanding of what’s going on in your pasture with your plants and animals based on the latest information and research. You’ll find out how plants influence animals and animals influence plants, how animals remember where to go to find the best stuff to eat, and how you can help them be as efficient at possible at finding good food. Finally, you’ll learn how animals choose what to eat."

First appeared January, 20, 2021

What you see in your feeds isn’t up to you. What’s at stake is no longer just missing a birthday. It’s your sanity—and world peace.

First appeared January, 19, 2021

Wood chips, compost, chicken manure. What does Paul Gautschi add to his garden and his orchard? This article clears up any confusion that is out there directly from the Back to Eden Film makers.

First appeared January, 18, 2021

From onpasture.com, "It’s the story of a young scientist, Hugh Hammond Bennett, who recognized 80 years ago that the United States was at risk of losing it’s most important resource – its soil. He made it his mission to change the trajectory of agriculture at a time of great crisis and to provide farmers and ranchers with the information and tools they needed to be sustainable."

First appeared January, 13, 2021

The Garden Professors give us an idea of what to look and plan for in 2021 for our gardens given the lessons learned during the 2020 pandemic gardening season.

First appeared January, 11, 2021

"...mink have been shown to be one of the animals most susceptible to Covid-19, partly because they are farmed in big numbers in close proximity with one another." When will officialdom ever connect the dots to factory farming and disease? Have we not established that link well enough to stop all factory farming?

First appeared January, 11, 2021

Join Food Animal Concerns Trust and guest presenter Felicia Bell from NCAT/ATTRA to discuss why continuous grazing is not sufficient, how to find and create markets for your products, and the importance of establishing a business entity and keeping it separate from one's homestead. Participants will learn how these management decisions not only affect their farm but also their community and the earth's sustainability for years to come.

First appeared December, 22, 2020

So you bought everything online this year, and not every gift was a slam dunk or fit just right. Where do all of those Amazon returns end up?

First appeared December, 22, 2020

It's like deep-frying an egg, sort of. I tried this and although I still plan to scramble, poach, baste, and soft-boil eggs in the future, I do plan on adding Spanish Fried to the rotation.

First appeared December, 14, 2020

There’s no denying that an annual trip out to the farm to pick the perfect tree makes for a memorable family outing, especially during a pandemic. But if you’re up for a challenge and have some patience, you could start a new tradition by growing your own.

First appeared December, 11, 2020

No law was ever broken. A clever man, with a mathematical curiosity, spotted a hole and stepped through it.

First appeared December, 08, 2020

Dr. Lisa Lunn of the University of Alaska – Fairbanks points out all the little cues that tell you an animal needs help. While she uses a cow to demonstrate, this information works well for all ruminants.

First appeared December, 04, 2020

Stefan doles out his gift ideas that'll be amazing gifts for anyone on your list who aspires to orcharding and transplanting.

First appeared December, 04, 2020

Justin Rhodes delivers with a 45 minute compilation video bringing you inspiration and know how for quitting your job to start farming.

First appeared December, 03, 2020

Mike answers a listener question, “How can I make my small laying hen flock more profitable?” With feedback from the community, insights from The Fighting Farmer, and personal experience, we dive deep into ways to prosper from your small flock of laying hens.

First appeared December, 01, 2020

"The Environmental Protection Agency this week released a draft of its findings on how glyphosate affects endangered or otherwise at-risk animals, plants, and their habitats. Those findings are not great, if you’re a fan of glyphosate."

First appeared December, 01, 2020

Keeping chickens has been on and off illegal in International Falls for the past 40 years. So, after years of back and forth — including a unanimous City Council vote in April to reject a proposal that would allow residents to keep chickens — the council decided to put the question to voters.

First appeared November, 24, 2020

We’re told that if we care about our health—or our planet—eliminating red meat from our diets is crucial. That beef is bad for us and cattle farming is horrible for the environment. But science says otherwise. For a limited time, you can watch this new documentary all about how growing meat the right way can heal us and our planet. Headed up by dietician Diana Rodgers and recommended by Joel Salatin!

First appeared November, 24, 2020

Joel reminisces fondly of his parents' contrarian ways that helped him and his farm become what they are today. When others dug wells we dug ponds. When others grazed their woodlots we fenced ours out so the trees would be healthier. When others bought chemical fertilizers we bought a chipper and began composting.

First appeared November, 24, 2020

Turkey, ham, and even a bit of venison or elk would pass muster on most modern Thanksgiving tables. But a century ago, many diners would have been just as happy to see some raccoon sitting next to the gravy boat

First appeared November, 17, 2020

Adam Baker was in the work, buy, debt cycle that was feeding discontent when he asked his wife as they brought their first child home from the hospital "What does freedom mean to you?" The answer changed his family from seeking things to seeking experiences resulting in selling everything that wouldn't fit into 2 backpacks, and traveling to Australia to leave the job he hated, which bought things he didn't need, to impress people he didn't like. What would your life look like without the encumbrances of debt?

First appeared November, 16, 2020

Joel walks us through his fascination with separating hydrogen and oxygen atoms from water though wind power. Salatin states "I'm waiting for the day when we have windmills on our farm ponds creating hydrogen to run our tractors. That would usher in a new age of resiliency and opportunity, for sure."

First appeared November, 16, 2020

If you are a Back to Eden Gardener, you have probably witnessed how wood chip piles begin to steam and feel warm to the touch as they decompose after only a matter of days! But did you know that the center of these wood chip piles reach temperatures capable of heating water and air up to 140°F? We aren't talking about burning wood chips as a fuel for fires. We are talking about harnessing the natural heat generated from the composting process of wood chip piles.

First appeared November, 16, 2020

Score one for the ever-growing backyard chicken movement. At least 20 municipalities have changed local laws to allow backyard chicken coops since the pandemic started.

First appeared November, 12, 2020

Apparently this is frowned upon by the National Park Service. Watch out for wolves though if you pull this off!

First appeared November, 12, 2020

Due to restrictions on larger gatherings around the Thanksgiving holiday, customers are looking for smaller birds, but farmers are accustomed to growing the biggest ones possible.

First appeared November, 05, 2020

Greg Judy obviously hasn't been a software engineer, which is clearly the lowest stress job...okay, I can't even finish that sentence it is so wrong. As someone who has been both an engineer and a grazier, I can say that Greg is right about this one with 100% certainty.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

Despite what your mother says, playing in the dirt just might be the best thing for you.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

Justin Rhodes and Joel Salatin team together to showcase decades of Joel's genius farm designs to introduce Joel's latest book.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

Umm, this is delicious.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

Just for fun, even if it might be a goat.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

The garden professors give us a look into the world of fungus and its action in the soil during the Fall season.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

As the world stops today in hushed anticipation of the U.S. election outcomes, it occurred to me this morning that the earthworms I carefully brushed off the pieces of firewood at the bottom of the woodpile have no clue about this momentous occasion and go right on about their activities as though it's the least thing in the world to worry about.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

Scientists recreated Martian soil to see if anything will grow in It, because science. A la the martian, we have an inner yearning to know if we can garden on the Red Planet, because we have obviously figured it out on Earth....right.

First appeared November, 04, 2020

It seems like the grain can make you go crazy, and not just if you are gluten intolerant. Yikes!

First appeared November, 04, 2020

In March, I found 30 or so tomato cages in my farm's previous owner's old garden. I sold them all on Craigslist and all but one of the eight folks who bought them was gardening for the first time. Little did they know that their new hobby could blossom into something huge!

First appeared November, 03, 2020

Have questions about Back to Eden gardening after trying it? This simple method can get complicated if you don't stick to the basics and if you have some issues. Learn about how to calculate your wood chip need, and get answers about everything from if you can use walnut wood chips (yes!) and if you will still have weeds (also, yes, sadly).