Simple Points To Remember if You Are Growing Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is some how similar to cactus in terms of their likings to the dry climate. Aloe Vera prefers dry loose and sandy soil. You can increase the looseness of the soil by adding sand or Perlite to the soil. It will also increase the drainage capacity of the soil.

While watering keep in mind that you need to water it thoroughly so that the soil is drenched properly but also make sure that the excess water should not stay
with the soil. Too much water or water logged soil is the most frequent reasons for the death of the plant.

Though it is possible to grow Aloe Vera from seeds we strongly recommend you start with the offshoots. It is much more easier and also the rate of survival is far greater.

Keep your Aloe Vera plant in a place where it will receive enough bright sunlight. Surrounding the soil with white stones around the plant can be a great idea. It would increase the aesthetics as well as save the warmth of sun light.

Aloe Vera plants are generally pest and disease resistant. So in most of the cases you would not have to worry about pest controlling.

There are many offshoots which grows around the plant. It is for the benefit of the plant that you removes those. You can always plant those offshoots in different area and treat that as an individual plant.

Use a sprayer to spray water on the dry leaves once in a week to remove dust. It will also make the leaves green and healthy.

Harvesting:

Generally leaves are harvested from the plant. Larger thicker leaves on the outer side of the plant are the ideal one to get. Use a sharp knife to cut the leaves from the plant. The pulp is very useful for skin.


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ZipGrow Towers are Awesome!

Since Ive started learning about aquaponics, one of the coolest technologies that Ive seen is the ZipGrow towers, made by Bright Agrotech.  Theyre a way to grow vertically, with hydroponics or aquaponics.  The idea looks very simple.  Its one of those, "Why didnt I think of that," kind of ideas.

The ZipGrow tower looks like a square fence post with a 2-inch slit cut down one face long-ways.  A long strip of polymer foam with very large pores is folded in half, and inserted into the post.  The plants roots grow in between the folded foam, and water drips from the top of the post down the foam, watering all the plants roots.  They have some amazing results with these things on their farms in Wisconsin.  Good for these guys!

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Lone Duck Updates

Well, lets share the big news first: Little Duck has hatched! All is well and were thrilled- its amazing how quickly you can fall in love with someone so little! Of course, the practical part of this update is to share that our on-farm hours will remain the same (1-6 p.m. on Tuesdays, and other times are available- just ask!).

In other news, you may have seen this article about different kinds of fish that pose a risk to your (or the environments) health. If you havent, Id encourage you to click on the link- its a good starting point. There are a lot of other articles out there if youre interested in learning more about your piscatorial choices, but the number one thing to keep in mind is that neither farmed or wild-caught fish are inherently better. It all depends on which kind of fish and how theyre caught and managed.

While we may not be able to provide for all your fishy desires, Lone Duck Farm tilapia is sustainably raised, farmed without antibiotics and with strict safety measures. Fresh tilapia is a firm and flaky white fish (its much firmer when fresh than the frozen packages youll find in the grocery stores) and we are more than happy to discuss the details of why you can feel good about this choice!

Contact us today to talk about getting some delicious tilapia for dinner!

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Largest Vertical Farm in the Nation using Aquaponics

I came across this story on reddit.com.  The nations largest vertical greenhouse is located in Chicago, IL, and theyre using aquaponic gardens!  Its pretty awesome that aquaponics is being used on such a large scale.  It really reinforces my goals of making a career out of spreading this amazing process.  The photographs from the farm are stunning.  Seeing such a huge aquaponics system climbing 20-30 feet vertically in an indoor facility is truly inspiring.  The facility is run by FarmedHere, whos name you may have already seen in Whole Foods if you live in Chicago, IL.

"Nearly 100% of supermarket lettuces in the US come from just 2 places, near Salinas, California in the summer, and Yuma, Arizona in the winter.  These lettuces travelled 3000 miles to reach the local grocery store here." - Paul Lightfoot, CEO, BrightFarms

Well, thats not the case in Chicago, anymore.

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Weather got you down You are not alone I am here with you

Michael Jackson aside, this weather has not been conducive to my motivation. Im sure many of you can relate. However, I have to count my blessings as I hear reports of the winter weather my friends and family in the Twin Cities are experiencing (complete university closures in late April?!?). At least our snow isnt sticking around- and Matt and I have the opportunity to refresh ourselves every time we step into our own little oasis (aka: the greenhouse). With our milder temperatures and the extended daylight, we arent needing to heat it during the day at all- in fact, we have to run the occasional fan! Our "peak" temperature this spring hit 120 degrees, which gives our chilly outdoor garden fits of jealousy. We dont tell the overwintered garlic about all the greens and the neon chard- everyones got their limits, you know?

Inside the greenhouse, though, things are different. No frosty resentment here-  and the bright, beautiful Swiss Chard seems to be loving the conditions, whatever they are. (Just in case youre interested, chard makes a great substitution for cooked greens in most recipes- pastas, soups, casseroles- and it is consistently on those super-food lists you can find.) Barbara Kingsolver once said that if she were only allowed to grow one vegetable, this would be it- and Im inclined to agree with her.

In other rafty news, our lettuce count is running a bit low this week (due to increased interest- wow, you guys!), but dont you worry- our rafts are full and our harvest is looking great for next week- and even better for the following week. Weve had to start shading the little basils and arugulas (too much light!), but theyre promising to be delicious! Look for them on our lists in the coming weeks.

So our offerings this week are:

• Swiss Chard! (Want to try it without the pressure of cooking something new at home? Head over Cafe Soeurette and order some Rainbow Chard Fettuccine!)
• Parsley
• Celery
• Watercress (try it on your sandwich, you wont regret it!)
• Limited lettuce

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