No-till Garden Workshop

Organic Tomatoes = Higher Antioxidants

"ScienceDaily (July 3, 2012) — A study conducted at the University of Barcelona shows that organic tomatoes contain higher levels of phenolic compounds than conventional tomatoes. Phenolic compounds are organic molecules found in many vegetables with proven human health benefits. The UB's Natural Antioxidant Group, headed by lecturer Rosa M. Lamuela, had previously demonstrated that organic tomato juice and ketchup contain higher polyphenol content than juice and ketchup made from conventionally grown tomatoes."

Click here for full article.

A reminder... it's all about the soil. The soil feeds plants, we don't.

Here's a great chart of what to eat seasonally. CLICK HERE to go to the chart and more information.

I love this video. Alice says it better that I ever could.



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Start with the soil

Architects and engineers designing buildings start with the foundation. So should you in your garden. Almost everything starts there. There is a whole web of life going on in your soil that can be fostered and assisted using natural products and techniques.

Watch this video and prepare to be amazed:

With remineralizing the soil, and compost, he was able to grow food with amazing yield and quality naturally. He used volcanic rock dust.  Some sell and use glacial rock dust. I am conducting an experiment in my garden with different types of rock dust - results to be published here later.

A couple of other ways are growing green cover crops in the winter, especially nitrogen fixing plants like legumes.  Or grow a crop with the intention of tilling it under in the spring - it's called green manure.

You could try the no-till method.  This is a method of gardening or farming where tilling is kept to a minimum or not at all. The thinking behind this is to keep the soil from becoming a dust bowl again - tilled over and over until it is no longer arable.

You can read about soil biology here. You'll be a wiser gardener/farmer for it.

The Role of Cover Crops

This should get you revved up for this fall's cover crop. Understand why it's so important and how it yields better with lower costs. No brainer, right?