Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

Before I completely crash out tonight, I had to document this VFG Test Kitchen experience. Fairly often, I throw out a wish or request on some form of social media, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. Every once in a while I get a useful response. This time, I struck gold. Or, more accurately, orange. I’d askedContinue reading “Best. Carrot Cake. Ever”

No doubt there’ll be an appeal of last week’s breathtaking $11 million verdict against a confined feeding operation in Berlin, Missouri. The case, which for years has pitted family farmer against large scale farmer, involved the stench emanating from a farm owned by Smithfield Foods subsidiary Premium Standard Farms. One expert is reported to haveContinue reading “7 Farm Families Win $11 Verdict Against Missouri Factory Farm”

I am just now seeing this video, which I found on Oak Park’s garden resources site. It’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to build a raised veggie garden, featuring Cheney Mansion’s Head Gardener Charlie Ruedebusch: I don’t know why I’ve never thought about using string to create a grid. That’ll be especially good for theContinue reading “How to Make a Raised Bed for Gardening”

Indiana Conservationist Jane Hardisty announced today that there’s precisely $766,948 available in the Hoosier state for a new initiative to encourage conservation on organic farms. The funding from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is part of the national Environmental Quality Incentives Program aimed at offering financial assistance to organic farmers and those making theContinue reading “Hoosier Funding for New Organic Initiative Announced”

Today, I met the “Worm Whisperer” of Oak Park. She’s only been worm composting for a year, but this woman knows how to get the most out of garbage. The Worm Whisperer nickname came from a fellow classmate this morning after our instructor, Theresa, informed us that she can tell when the compost mixture isContinue reading “Lessons From The 'Worm Whisperer'”

One of my resolutions this year is to waste less, including the scraps of food I run through the garbage disposal, throw in the trash or feed to the guinea pig. The best and fastest way I can see accomplishing that goal is to compost. So on Saturday, from 10-Noon, I’ll be in a zeroContinue reading “First Step Toward Zero Waste: Composting”

I’ve long known about the urban farm project by Hantz Farms aimed at reclaiming blighted Detroit blocks and turning them green. But a similar effort is underway in Hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, something I learned about in my latest e-news alert from American Farmland Trust. Villere Urban Farm is based in the city’s Lower NinthContinue reading “Vacant Lots in New Orleans Join Growing Urban Farming Landscape”

I’ve been hearing more and more about a hybrid grape that’s being promoted as producing the “signature wine” of the Midwest: Traminette. Because it’s so well adapted to the Midwest climate, and has been around literally since before I was born, surely I’ve had it in some form and hadn’t realized it. Anyway, I wasn’tContinue reading “What's Indiana's Signature Wine?”

Check out this intriguing design project from a University of Manchester student who envisions a meld of vertical urban farming and broadcasting. The project Urban F@m.i.n. (Urban farming and media interactive networks) was developed by Jack O’Reilly, who rightly asserts, that sustainability can be achieved, but “cannot survive without promotion.” And that promotion needs toContinue reading “Student Envisions Verdical Farm With Interactive Media”

If you’ve ever wondered what that word “organic” means on your milk jugs and meat packages, the USDA has narrowed the definition for you. On Friday, the department announced new rules that say cows producing so-called organic milk and meat must spend at least four months a year grazing on pasture. In the past, theContinue reading “USDA Defines 'Organic' on Milk and Meat Packaging”