3 Reasons to Join the WWOOF Organic Farming Program Right Now

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3 Reasons to Join the WWOOF Organic Farming Program Right Now

Experience is one of the best parts of life. Get out there and do what you are meant to do. If you have any curiosity about organic farming, or want to know what it takes to start and successfully run a farm, World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) will give you that experience and allow you to chase your dreams.

The WWOOF program has helped so many people discover their future career path, a sustainable lifestyle, and the world. The program has helped so many people and could help out you too! Why should you join the WWOOF Program right now? Three reasons stand out above all others: to learn the importance of growing food and being sustainable, to take the opportunity to travel, and to make connections with like-minded people.

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What you should know about companion planting

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What you should know about companion planting

(thumbnail image: Unsplash/ Markus Spiske)

Experienced food gardeners know that their plants like to be surrounded by friendly companions. Companion planting, also called interplanting or intercropping, means growing one kind of plant next to others that help it thrive. Using this technique in your food garden can help you grow more in less space, and is a method especially favored by small-scale organic growers. There are many benefits to companion planting, and most experienced gardeners who use this technique anecdotally report

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How to make organic pest control sprays for your garden

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How to make organic pest control sprays for your garden

One of the more frustrating aspects of food gardening is having to share your crops with herbivore insects. When insects become a problem in the garden, most growers reach for insecticide-pesticides. Insecticide-pesticides are either synthetic, using human-made substances derived from chemical compounds, or organic, using human-made substances derived from plants with little or no chemical altering involved.

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How Is the Hemp Industry Changing Agriculture?

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How Is the Hemp Industry Changing Agriculture?

The world has experienced a lot of change in recent years, and many countries allowing the sale and use of hemp are one of them. The demand for hemp has dramatically increased since the U.S legalized this herb in 2018. The Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group Vote Hemp reports that in 2018, American farmers grew 78,176 acres of hemp which represented an increase of 68,406 acres since 2016. Vote Hemp also estimated that from 2018-2019, the amount of hemp planted by American farmers increased by 455%.

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How Sustainable Is Hemp Fabric?

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How Sustainable Is Hemp Fabric?

Guest post by Jeffery Thompson

When you think of sustainable fabric, do you think of hemp? Maybe you should, as it demands fewer natural resources to grow, is durable, and is more resilient than cotton. We have been using hemp for hundreds of years to produce strong fabric in large quantities. During the ‘Age of Discovery,’ the explorers used hemp canvas for the sails of ships. These same sails had led men to new territories. We were openly using hemp then without prejudice. However, in 1970, the Controlled Substance Act arrived and penalized the cultivation and sales of hemp because it belonged to the family of cannabis, a Schedule 1 controlled substance.

But now, the situation is changing. Hemp has a chance to win its glory back from cotton because more and more states are legalizing and decriminalizing the cultivation of cannabis. When it comes to fabrics, it’s still true that cotton is the king, as it is a widely used raw material. However, many people are second-guessing its efficacy as fabric due to its environmental impacts. On the other hand, hemp is attracting the same environmentalists by being a sustainable fabric.

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10 Ways Hemp Can Help Create a More Environmentally-Friendly Society

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10 Ways Hemp Can Help Create a More Environmentally-Friendly Society

Guest post by Jaspreet Singh

Hemp can serve humanity as a potent tool to protect the environment. Termed a marvel crop, hemp has innate properties to create products that can cohabit with the environment. When the earth is facing grave challenges regarding its ecosystem, hemp can go a long way to help sustain it. While numerous medicinal, industrial, and commercial advantages of hemp have long been common knowledge, the environmental benefits of this plant are now becoming clear as well. If you are exploring options for sustainable growing processes, hemp may be the solution you need.

Here are 10 environmental benefits of using hemp plants:

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Anatomy of an Agrihood: 5 Popular Features (Infographic)

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Anatomy of an Agrihood: 5 Popular Features (Infographic)

guest post by Karlyn McKell

Farm-to-table living is easier than ever in the new mixed-use developments popping up across the U.S. known as agrihoods! There are at least 200 agrihoods in the U.S. today spanning 28 states, and many more are currently under construction.

So what is an agrihood, exactly? These planned housing developments are built around a working farm. The idea is that residents can get back to the basics by living in a sustainable community that grows food, embraces the outdoors, and promotes communal living.

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10 Tips for starting your food garden

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10 Tips for starting your food garden

Interest in gardening has taken off since COVID-19 has forced most of us to stay at home for long stretches of time. While many people in the US have taken this time to start a food garden and to learn about how to be more self-sufficient, others have found that gardening relieves their boredom and provides other mental and physical health benefits.

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Home Sweet Homestead: 4 Things You Need When You Start Homesteading

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Home Sweet Homestead: 4 Things You Need When You Start Homesteading

Guest post by Anita Ginsburg

For many of us, city life has become a drag. We long for our own land where we can be our own masters self-sufficient, supplying ourselves and our families with everything we need.

In many ways, homesteading is the American Dream. If you have considered adopting a self-sufficient lifestyle recently, read on to get an idea of where to start.

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Is CBD Organic and Eco-Friendly?

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Is CBD Organic and Eco-Friendly?

guest post by Crystal Willson

(photos from Pixabay)

Climate change due to global warming is becoming a concern around the world. Due to this, the health of our planet is depleting. Statistics suggest that one of the “biggest sources of global emissions is agriculture.” This also includes the production of cannabis.

One of the most popular varieties of cannabis is hemp, which contains a high amount of a compound called cannabinoids (CBD). It is famous for its medicinal properties. Due to this, the production of hemp has increased over the years.

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Why Growing a Food Garden Is More Important Than Ever

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Why Growing a Food Garden Is More Important Than Ever

The industrial food system, sometimes referred to as industrial agriculture, or “big ag,” refers to the current system of commercial food production, which relies heavily on synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This system developed during World War II, when militaries relied on chemical weapons to fuel their war machines. After the war, the leftover chemicals began to be used in agricultural applications, enabling farmers to go from self-sufficiency to major commercial growth in a relatively short span of time. However, the technologies that enabled farming to go big also brought changes that are currently threatening the livelihood and health of farming families, their workers, the environment, and each one of us.

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What makes hemp such a sustainable crop?

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What makes hemp such a sustainable crop?

Unique characteristics of hemp

Since the early 1700s, hemp has built a strong name for itself as a sustainable crop and textile resource. Yet a lot of people are confused about this industrial plant and its relationship to marijuana. Because of this confusion, negative stereotypes are commonly associated with the hemp plant, striking fear in the public.

But there's a clear distinction between the two. It's imperative to note the benefits the hemp plant brings. And it starts by taking a close look at the structure of the seed and the stalk of the plant.

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