Conservation tillage practices, such as no-till and reduced till, are critical for sustainable agriculture, and they are gradually becoming popular with farmers across the Midwest. Monitoring tillage usage can provide insights into soil health, water levels, and nutrient loss, as well as guide management and policy decisions.

A University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research team has developed a dynamic framework that uses satellite imagery and machine learning to detect tillage practices over large areas and long time periods. The team discusses their methodology and findings in a new paper.

“Conservation tillage helps reduce soil erosion, and it affects soil nutrients and moisture retention. Mapping tillage practices across large areas is also important to quantify soil carbon change. But current data are mainly obtained from farmer surveys, which lack timely and detailed spatial information,” said lead author Xiaocui Wu, a research scientist affiliated with the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center.

Other studies have applied remote sensing with hyperspectral or multispectral imagery to monitor tillage practices by estimating crop residue. But these approaches are typically limited to smaller regions, and the images are sensitive to soil and weather variations, which can lead to inaccuracies.

“We found that satellite signals could vary across regions, as they are affected by soil type, moisture levels, and weather variables. The model needs to account for those elements,” Wu said.

To address these challenges, the researchers developed a new framework that combines crop residue indices from remote sensing data with environmental factors and machine learning to create a dynamic model. They used the approach to estimate tillage percentage across the U.S. Midwest from 2000 to 2022.

“It is a novel solution as one of the first studies to have this level of detailed, long-term tillage information. We have filled a major data gap and scientific gap for this work,” said Kaiyu Guan, the principal investigator of the study, the founding director of the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center and ACES Levenick Professor.  “This is especially valuable for policymakers for conservation planning and policy evaluation.”

Overall, the researchers found that conservation tillage increased gradually across the Midwest for both corn and soybean from 2000 to 2022. The maps also revealed clear differences by crop and region: soybean fields generally showed higher no-till adoption, while corn fields relied more on reduced-till practices, and adoption trends varied substantially across the northern and eastern Midwest.

No-till adoption is more common in drier regions such as the Great Plains, where leaving crop residues on the soil surface helps conserve soil moisture. It is also more prevalent in warmer regions, where slower soil warming under residue cover does not strongly constrain planting, the researchers found.

“Understanding how farmers manage soil is essential for evaluating agriculture’s impacts on soil health, water quality, and long-term resilience,” Guan said. “These insights from our study can help agencies and policy makers refine programs and policies for greater effectiveness in the future.”

Tillage is one of the clearest signals of how a farm treats its soil. Intensive plowing can degrade structure, release carbon, and increase erosion. Conservation practices—no-till, cover cropping, minimal disturbance—do the opposite. They build soil, retain water, and support biodiversity. But until now, measuring these practices at scale has been slow, expensive, and often self-reported.

The findings are also important for researchers, who implement tillage practice effects in their modeling of soil, water, nutrients, and environmental impacts.

The post Monitoring farmers’ tillage patterns from space appeared first on Green Prophet.

In the next wave of regenerative agriculture, the farm is no longer a grid of efficiency but a living circle—with the human spirit at its core. Instead of replacing the farmer, AI and robotics now orbit like silent companions, extending our hands rather than erasing them. A rotating robotic arm moves through the plot not as a master, but as an assistant, guided by ecological intelligence and human intuition. This is not automation for profit—it’s a return to sacred design, where technology becomes humble, circular, and in service to the soil, the grower, and the wider web of life.

During Covid, when the world lost its bearings and I feared the global food distribution system would snap like a dry twig, I did the only sensible thing a mother could do: I built a garden. Not a Pinterest garden, but a functional, wartime-style victory garden (download the original here), a mashup of raised Middle Eastern circular plant beds with permaculture herbs spiraling from the center, borrowing wisdom from desert farmers and American agricultural resilience manuals from the 1940s. We planted beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, molokhia (it grows faster than hemp), lettuce, zucchinis, melons and more.

The reward wasn’t just food security — it was witnessing life return. Birds began swooping low to take a peek and eat bugs during the day, chasing the pollinators that came to kiss the flowers. A watermelon I planted was one day the  size of an egg and then ballooned into a full, striped universe almost overnight, as if showing me how quickly life responds when humans step back and design with respect. Life happens!

Now, in a strange and beautiful echo of my inherited Dutch farming ancestry, a Dutch industrial designer, Floris Schoonderbeek, is proposing a new way to farm — in circles, not squares. They call it Circle Farming, an invention that I see it as a technological reverence for something ancient. Farming in circles in the Middle East isn’t new. Look from above and you will see circular crops irrigated in Libyan deserts. 

The Al Khufrah Oasis in southeastern Libya, near the Egyptian border (photo above is from 2004), is one of the country’s largest agricultural developments and a distinct geometric landmark of pivot irrigation is easily spotted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Since only about 2 percent of Libya’s land receives enough rainfall for farming, the project relies entirely on fossil water pumped from a deep underground aquifer. In tandem, the Libyan government launched the Great Man-Made River project to transport these groundwater reserves to the coast to support population growth and industrial expansion.

Today, parts of the system are still functioning, but years of conflict. the death of Gaddafi, and lack of maintenance have reduced its reliability. While water continues to reach some agricultural and urban areas, the original vision of full capacity and expansion has largely stalled.

But the Dutch, famous for stubbornly living and growing on land that is supposed to be emerged are updating the instead of plowing rectangles with tractors, a robotic arm is fixed at the center of a 30-meter circle. It moves slowly, like a clock hand made of steel, pulling familiar agricultural tools behind it — for weeding, watering, even harvesting — except now without carving brutal tire tracks through the earth. The land between circles is left untouched — a commons for insects, wildflowers, birds, even humans to linger. Farming becomes a woven pattern instead of an industrial grid.

Each circular strip holds a different crop, creating a precision-farming mandala that’s both productive and biodiverse. Sensors and AI whisper data back to the farmer — moisture here, pest pressure there — giving advice like an oracle rather than a command chain.

Workers aren’t expected to bend and break their spines in the fields. Instead, they lie belly-down on suspended beds attached to the rotating arm, gliding over the crops with dignity — hovering like dragonflies as they weed, prune, harvest by hand. It turns farming from grunt labor into something closer to communion with the land.

This model is being designed for small peri-urban farms, the exact kind of places that struggle to compete with industrial agriculture but carry the soul of food sovereignty. It’s automation not as replacement, but as companion. A bridge for urban people longing for meaningful work, who might rather float over lettuce than sit under fluorescent lights answering emails for a salary that buys them tasteless tomatoes.

This is the new agricultural aesthetic: not tech versus nature, but tech in service to a more intelligent form of nature-culture. Circular design — which ancient farmers, Bedouins, and mothers like me already knew — is returning, this time with robotics and AI strapped in for the ride. What happens when farming becomes beautiful again? When robots don’t dominate, but make room for birds, wildflowers, kids, rest, and wonder?

Greenhouse farming which allows the farmer to adjust micro-specific conditions to the plant is a market dominated by Dutch and Israeli technology. Will the Dutch own regenerative farming? Given the history of farming and efficiency in both of these countries, it will be technology that will be available to all of humanity.

Read up on the history of Dutch irrigation farming

In Israel: Simcha Blass and the perfection of modern drip irrigation in Israel

::Circle Farming

The post Regenerative circling faming with man, AI, robots and solar power appeared first on Green Prophet.

Not a trend, and not just a community: why Lagoon Valley’s green build may be the blueprint for sustainable living

As the winds of change blow through housing markets and climate conversations alike, more people are asking how—and where—to live in ways that reflect their deepest values. For those seeking community, conservation, and connection, a quiet revolution is taking shape in Northern California. #Vanlife had its day, and global nomadism is lonely. Lagoon Valley might be the natural next step for people looking to live sustainably in a regular-sized green home and community.  

We first reported on Lagoon Valley in 2022 when the idea of a sustainable, conservation community on the edge of Vacaville sounded more like a dream than a blueprint. Readers loved the idea of a local community farm within walking distance, and neighbors sharing similar conservation values, like farm-to-table and community supported agriculture without having to join a cult or commune. Now, after years of planning, the vision has become reality—and the Lagoon Valley model is gaining international attention and we have an exclusive interview with its lead developer and dreamer Curt Johansen. 

85% wild, 100% intentional

The homes—ranging from cottage-style bungalows to age-qualified residences with ADUs—follow rigorous green build principles. They’re designed to meet or exceed California’s already high standards for energy and water efficiency, integrating solar, thermal-pane windows, energy-star appliances, and wastewater-saving systems. 

But Lagoon Valley goes beyond checklists and LEED points for green builds. It’s an experiment in sustainability and conservation communities as a lived experience. A walkable town center, an upcoming organic farm-to-table hub, and clustered neighborhoods that reduce land disturbance are just some of the features aimed at helping residents reconnect with the land and each other. And it’s a place which considers all ages and all kinds of people from families with babies and toddlers to teens and seniors. 

A shift in values, not just real estate

From Europe to the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been tracking the rise of conservation communities—places where long-term ecological thinking drives planning, not short-term gains. Lagoon Valley adds a uniquely Californian flavor to this trend, blending progressive design with deep ecological awareness. It’s not just a real estate offering, it’s a cultural reset.

Conservation has too often been outsourced or compartmentalized. Lagoon Valley developers are saying, what if it’s central? What if your home, your walk, your food, your school, your view—what if all of that is part of the regenerative whole?

Be inspired by our in-depth interview with Curt Johansen, where we dig deeper into the lessons Lagoon Valley offers for the future of green build communities. We’ll explore how developers, planners, and residents alike can reclaim stewardship—and why this model may hold the key to a more sustainable, meaningful way of life.

Curt Johansen is the Development Director of Lagoon Valley, Northern California’s first conservation community. A longtime advocate of sustainable development, Johansen brings decades of experience designing and managing environmentally responsible, mixed-use communities across California. 

He is a founding partner of UrbanSmart Growth and has led major projects such as Bay Street in Emeryville and the redevelopment of American Canyon in Napa County. His work is rooted in the principles of Reconciliation Ecology—integrating human communities within natural ecosystems—and emphasizes long-term stewardship, biodiversity, and affordable housing. Johansen is known for championing patient capital and regenerative land-use models that prioritize people, place, and planet.

Green Prophet: You’ve said Lagoon Valley turns traditional development ‘on its head.’ What does true land stewardship look like when people are no longer separate from nature, but part of the ecosystem?

A: True land stewardship in Lagoon Valley means recognizing that humans are an integral part of the ecosystem, not separate from it. Instead of dominating or circumventing nature, we actively work to integrate our community within wildlife habitat corridors. Inspired by the principles of “Reconciliation Ecology,” Lagoon Valley minimizes its impact on the environment while allowing residents to learn from and coexist with diverse species of native plants and animals. 

Lagoon Valley becomes a living laboratory where residents reconnect with nature through activities like hiking, birdwatching, and biodiverse agriculture — revitalizing our innate “biophilia,” or love of nature. This not only preserves biodiversity but also enhances residential quality of life, making Lagoon Valley a pioneering model for community-driven, harmonious coexistence with nature.

How did your team ensure that the cultural and ecological memory of the land guided development, not just the economic bottom line?

A: Significant time and financial resources were employed to understand culturally historical conditions, including the avoidance and mounding above obsidian flakes along with careful reconstruction of Native American stream locations. Also, extensive plant and wildlife habitat areas were restored to the master plan, in lieu of far more invasive prior development approvals, to remain as open spaces.

With 85% of the land preserved as open space, how do you measure success—not just in terms of real estate sales, but in community well-being and biodiversity?

A: Recognition by State biologists regarding the success of our new Wetland Preserve has been a strong measure of biodiversity flourishing. Our residents are consistently attracted to the community’s conservation/open space commitments, ranking community open space as the most prominent amenity of the community, and they are engaged with actively getting involved in conversations around ecological literacy.

How can Lagoon Valley become a replicable model for other developers, especially those working in climate-vulnerable regions where affordability and conservation often clash?

A: The potential for success with any attempt at a medium-to-large scale, live-work-play conservation community requires a willingness to cooperate with development innovation on the part of the municipal jurisdiction involved with oversight approvals. On the equity development side, the model is replicable when one has patient capital providers that understand the long-term value return from conservation communities. I have been blessed with two amazing partners who understand and support my work.

Community-Supported Agriculture and education programs are part of the plan. How do you see food, farming, and learning as tools for rebuilding human-nature relationships?

A: Over many years I have observed closely the effect Community Supported Agriculture has on neighborhoods that support their CSA. One important effect is resident bonding around farm-to-table, healthier family eating habits. When kids (and adults of all ages) experience the careful and hard work it takes to produce healthy vegetables and fruits, they also notice a big difference in quality between organic food locally grown from what they buy from the industrial ag system that ships food products an average of 1,300 miles each day and loses to spoil almost one-third of its output. 

I had the great pleasure of meeting Wendell Berry to glean what insight I could from his inimitable wisdom regarding proper farming, and it was transformative. He helped me understand that true knowledge of place is intrinsically tethered to a true knowledge of local agriculture, and that for farmers who bring to the local market products from quality soil, without pesticides or herbicides, without pollution, grown and harvested with labor paid a living wage, it is worth the small extra cost to residents because of the long-term benefits to their health and the “social community glue” CSAs provide.

In your view, what role do residents play in shaping and sustaining this vision? How do you cultivate a sense of responsibility beyond just living in a ‘green’ neighborhood?

A: Fostering sustainable behaviors in green communities still requires altering existing behaviors, and that comes from instilling a problem-solving, communally-activated approach to prompting healthier behaviors. When resident leaders are trained to present win-win outcomes for their neighbors, it can be inspiring to see how positive outcomes can be recognized and emulated. Creating opportunities for environmental volunteerism in activities that appeal to neighbors helps residents to get to know the open spaces surrounding them more intimately, which in turn invests them in taking greater care of these sacred places.

What advice would you offer to cities or developers who want to transition from extractive models of building toward regenerative, community-centered development?

A: If I had the power to do so, I would require every land developer and every public servant with influence in land planning to visit existing conservation communities and see the difference over time between how home values appreciate instead of depreciate and how residents are generally happier in their neighborhoods. So many of us suffer in varying degrees from the idea of Nature Deficit Disorder. Physically visiting and interacting with residents living in sustainable communities is paradigm-shifting.

We often hear concerns that sustainable communities might sacrifice resale value or long-term investment. What are you seeing—or expecting—when it comes to property value in a place like Lagoon Valley, where ecological integrity is part of the design?

A: Home resale values in successful conservation communities typically outpace the overall market. A good example close to Lagoon Valley is Village Homes in Davis, CA, which has been around for almost 50 years and continues to thrive both ecologically and financially for its residents who are passionate about preserving the many sustainable features embedded in their community’s planning. Other notable conservation communities that have thrived in many ways, including the appreciation of home values, include Prairie Crossing just north of Chicago and Serenbe, just south of Atlanta, to name a few. Sustainability in communities is increasingly seen as long-term enhancement of property values, whereas depreciation is still the norm in many markets where the negative long-term social impacts of conventional, unsustainable development increase over time.

Do you have a childhood memory of being in nature/wishing you were in nature that informs the work you do today? 

A: Until the age of 9, I was a city kid living in New York with lots of concrete in my neighborhood and not much nature. But I was fortunate to have relatives who owned a small family farm on Long Island, when one could take the train for a visit. I still recall vividly my first taste of an organically grown, vine-ripened tomato, many of which my Italian grandmother would use to make spaghetti sauce for the family. It was magnificent and I’ve never forgotten that revelation.

Thank you Curt! 

As cities face the twin pressures of climate instability and housing crises, Lagoon Valley reminds us that sustainability doesn’t mean sacrifice: it means design with intention. It’s a reminder that large-scale development, community and ecological integrity don’t have to be at odds. With 1,300 acres of preserved open space, a thriving local food vision, and a blueprint guided by civic participation, responsibility, and care, this new housing development project shows that living in harmony with nature isn’t just possible—it’s desirable.

To learn more about Lagoon Valley, visit their website: https://lagoon-valley.com/

The post Rewilding the Suburb: Lagoon Valley’s Profound Plan for Conservation Community in California–– An Interview with Developer Curt Johansen appeared first on Green Prophet.

Microplastics are now in our food, baby placentas, and in the brains of teens who use plastic aligners. They are blowing in the wind getting to our lungs, they are in the fish and plants and food we eat and the impact is just being noticed and understood in areas like cancer and dementia.

Microplastics are bits of plastic smaller than 5mm, and while we follow people like Boylan Slat and the Great Ocean Cleanup, the amount of plastics rolling around on farmland isn’t that well studied. These particles can disrupt soil structure, alter microbial communities that help transport soil nutrients to the plants, and even protect them. The plastic can be eaten by wheat and corn and beans, entering the food chain.

Conventional detection methods, such as sample taken and looking under a microscope to count the bits is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often ineffective at identifying small particles, making them impractical for large-scale monitoring.

But science to the rescue. Researchers at Clemson University and the USDA Agricultural Research Service have developed a new kind of space age glasses for seeing plastics in farms from above. The glasses “see” using what they call a hyperspectral imaging technique.

The scientists study tested two types of short-wave infrared sensors on soil samples spiked with microplastics and evaluated their performance using advanced machine learning models. This system stood out for its ability to detect both polyethylene and polyamide particles – even at extremely low levels of 0.01-0.1% – offering a fast, accurate, and field-adaptable method for identifying soil microplastic contamination.

Why is this important? Many farmlands rely on mulch that is full of plastic. Think about the organic recycling programs that accept adult and baby diapers in the compost. This goes back to farming fields. Think about irrigation pipes and plastic sheets put on strawberry fields. Knowing what’s in the ground can help science and policy makers figure out how to stop negative effects.

“This study marks a significant advance in our ability to track microplastic contamination in terrestrial ecosystems,” said Dr. Bosoon Park, “The ability to screen soils quickly and non-destructively holds great promise for agricultural sustainability and environmental protection.”

The post These glasses see microplastics on the farm appeared first on Green Prophet.

Want to learn about organic agriculture and how it’s done in the Middle East? Maybe you’re interested in making cheese from goat’s milk? Or perhaps letting come what may — being the assistant to an eccentric Kibbutznik’s experiment or mindless work on the production line.

A number of Israeli kibbutzes are now privatized, leaving no opportunities for foreign volunteers to come and work. Despite the fact that fewer jobs are on offer, managers at the Kibbutz Program Center in Israel, the national center that coordinates volunteer experiences in Israel, are seeing a surge of volunteers from all over the world this year. There is even a waiting list.

And today it’s not just for the globetrotting hippy: “It’s a great experience for young people, who come to Israel for over half a year,” says Rina Keren, manager of volunteers at the center.

“Of course there are students in the field of agriculture who come; there are also the ones who are specifically looking for the real organic farms too,” she says. Like at Kibbutz Lotan, the only true organic kibbutz in Israel: “But most of the people are not coming for something special – just a unique way to visit and get to know Israel,” says Keren.

With an abundance of kibbutz volunteers from all over the world — the United States, Europe (England and Germany especially), South Africa and Korea, the kibbutz volunteer experience is also an enjoyable international one, Keren points out. Today about 30 kibbutzes in Israel are accepting volunteers and this past year some 500 people submitted applications.

Kibbutz tracks of Bob Dylan and Seinfeld

Bob Dylan did it. So did Jerry Seinfeld who was only 17 when he came to the kibbutz. He told the Associated Press: “I would be in the fields, and nobody wanted my autograph and nobody wanted to take their picture with me,” he said, joking. “They just let me hack away at those banana leaves, and no, I didn’t meet the prime minister even once.”

Like Seinfeld once did, in exchange for several hours work a day, volunteers get free lodging, meals and some pocket money amounting to about $100 a month. But anyone who has ever lived or volunteered on a kibbutz will know, there is really no need for money. The kibbutz is truly a communal space, where services such as laundry and entertainment come as part of the package.

In recent years the kibbutz volunteer experience is seeing a revival, because it’s an authentic way for Jews and non-Jews to experience the Holy Land. It’s also a good way to get to know Israelis firsthand and to learn Hebrew.

The first kibbutzim in Israel were founded decades before Israel became a state. Groups of new immigrants came to settle Israel with an ideal that they would develop and work the land in a communal style.

Kibbutz Lotan is a good starting home

“It’s a great idea that helped make the kibbutz and Israel itself a home away from home,” says Rebecca Fiala who volunteered at Kibbutz Lotan in the south. In a local newspaper she said, “I felt as if I could finally break through the tourist route and meet the people, as well as know that I always have a place to stay.”

Finding a great kibbutz is often a matter of luck. And while the volunteers have come and gone over the years (there are those who do stay and marry Israelis), to further enhance the experience, some kibbutzim organize special trips to further enrich their volunteers’ time in Israel.

Most volunteers, at the end of their trip will usually agree, that the six short months at a kibbutz leaves them wanting more.

For more green volunteering opportunities in Israel see:
WWOOF: Organic Farm opportunities in Israel
Study Abroad at Kibbutz Lotan
Adam and Eve: An Eco-Farm Paradise in Modiin

The post The Kibbutz Movement from Israel Revival appeared first on Green Prophet.

If you are starting to research getting a new mattress, you have probably run across the growing niche of organic mattresses. Reading the labels on them or about them on the internet can be confusing if you do not know what the words mean. Here is a quick guide to seven terms you may encounter.

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

The first government-set standard is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). These mattresses must contain 95% certified organic products. There are stringent standards that companies must follow for the other 5%, including not using chemical flame retardants and polyurethane.

Some manufacturers use wool in their mattresses as it is a natural chemical flame retardant. Others use organic cotton to cover a steel innerspring. Some companies use food-grade polyethylene to create the outer cover for their mattresses.

Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)

The second government set standard is the Global Organic Latex Standard. Manufacturers must make mattresses bearing this label from 95% certified organic latex. The government also sets strict limits on what other products they can use in these mattresses. They must use eco-friendly, sustainable manufacturing processes. Workers must harvest the latest at an organic rubber plantation that does not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Inspectors check the entire process, including seeing that the company disposes of any waste from the manufacturing process in a way that does not harm the environment.

Oeko-Tex Standard 100

The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 does not ensure that the materials used to construct the mattress are organic. Mattress manufacturers can only add this label to mattresses that meet stringent regarding the amount of harmful chemicals that the mattress can give off. These chemicals often include formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds.

CertiPUR-US

Testing for the CertiPUR-US is done by the nonprofit Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, Inc. The nonprofit certifies that manufacturers have made these mattresses without ozone depleters, specific flame retardants, formaldehyde, heavy metals, and particular phthalates. Memory foam mattresses like these sold with this label must also meet strict standards for low volatile organic compound emissions.

This test performed by independent OEKO-TEX® partner institutes ensures there are no harmful chemicals in any mattress part. They update the stringent test annually by incorporating any new scientific evidence into it. Numerous locations perform the tests globally.

Greenguard

Mattress manufacturers can apply to UL Inc to have this label attached to their products as a symbol that the finished mattress puts off very low levels of volatile organic compounds. You may also see a Greenguard Gold label. These mattresses can put off even fewer volatile organic compounds.

To keep using the Greenguard or Greenguard Gold labels, at least one of each type of mattress must undergo annual testing to prove that it does not contain any of more than 10,000 individual volatile organic compounds. Air Quality Inc. developed the test, which workers at UL Inc. perform.

Organic Content Standard 100

Manufacturers use 100% organic cotton in mattresses tagged with Organic Content Standard 100 label. They may still have nonorganic flame retardants, volatile organic compounds, colorants and dyes in them. This verification can come from several independent organizations.

This certification is different from Global Organic Textile Standard because it sets standards for environmental issues during the manufacturing process, particularly how the manufacturer disposes of water during the process. Manufacturers must also prove that they are using international Labor Organization societal norms in their factories.

Now that you understand what the different terms mean, you will be able to pick out the mattress best meeting your needs. If you are worried about your family’s health and the world, you will want to look for these words on mattress labels. After all, you want to select a comfortable mattress that is healthy for you and your loved ones because you will be spending eight hours per night on it. Choosing the right mattress can make all the difference in your life because you will wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

The post Understanding Organic Mattress Labels appeared first on Green Prophet.

I am an addict. They say it’s good for me if I eat the 90% cacao, fair trade and organic. Chocolate is universally adored. But few know that farming for cacao is complicated business, mostly done by small-scale low-income farmers in Latin America, specifically Ecuador. New evidence suggests that eating too much chocolate might be dangerous because it grows in soils with high amounts of cadmium, which can build up in the body and cause cancer (see ceramic coated cooking pans).

The good news is that there are scientists working to help the farmers lower cadmium from their cacao trees. David Argüello from Belgium along with a team from Ecuador have found ways to reduce cadmium in chocolate trees, using lime. They report about it in the science Journal of Environmental Quality. 

Argüello says: “The cadmium issue threatens the livelihood of farmers because their products may not be suitable for trade and some buyers would prefer not to buy polluted cacao beans. We have to understand how cacao plants takes up the element.”

Traditionally in science, researchers would look at studies of other crops to see what works to prevent cadmium uptake. Something commonly added to the soil to help with this issue is lime, or calcium carbonate, a compound derived from limestone which is cheap and widespread and easy to obtain. This changes the cadmium chemically so that it’s not as likely to be absorbed by the crops, Argüello explains. 

However, most crops like corn or sunflowers are replanted each year. This allows the lime to be mixed deep into the soil between crop seasons which is good. Cacao plants for chocolate, on the other hand, are trees that live for many years. It’s not possible to put lime into much of the soil without disturbing the roots of cacao. Farmers can only apply lime to the surface. 

“This crop is very different than other conventional plants. The information available for its management is scarce and outdated. Many farmers get the advice that adding lime will solve the issue. But we wanted to investigate this,” Argüello explains. 

The research team used an experiment where they planted cacao seedlings in pots in a greenhouse. This allowed them to add lime to the topsoil and subsoil and then test the cacao leaves for cadmium levels. 

The solution needs to be deep rooted

Their findings show that adding lime to both layers decreased cadmium in the cacao leaves, which was not surprising. They also found that liming only the top layer also decreased cadmium. However, they discovered that when only the top layer is limed, more cadmium is taken up from roots in the bottom layer. This means that researchers and farmers cannot ignore high cadmium levels deep in soils.

“Other nutrients, such as zinc, are chemically similar to cadmium,” Argüello says. “We hypothesize that the reduction of the availability of those nutrients in the top layer due to liming causes the roots in the bottom layer to compensate. During that process, zinc uptake increases but some undesired cadmium is also taken up as a mistake.”

The researchers say their findings have helped scientists understand how cacao plants behave and can possibly chart a path to finding an effective reduction strategy. Argüello hopes their work can help small cacao farmers sell their products. I hope they can find a way to create systems that lead to regenerative agricultural approaches (see the film Kiss the Ground with Woody Harrelson). Maybe there is a biosystem that can be created that can reduce the cadmium more naturally than just dumping lime on the problem.  

“I am from Ecuador and cacao is the most traditional export commodity for my country,” says Argüello. “Every time I travel and find a bar of chocolate produced in Ecuador, I feel happy and proud. I like to think that my work will help small cacao farmers sell their products and help my country to continue to be recognized worldwide.”

Looking for a guide to sustainable chocolate? We have to start somewhere, so you can start here.

The post Getting cadmium out of my chocolate through the roots appeared first on Green Prophet.

A 1,200-year-old farming and fishing site known as the “Horta” (garden) of Valencia has been recognized on the register of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Irrigated by the Turia river – thanks to a complex, gravity irrigation network designed in the 8^th century and spreading over a dozen of municipalities around the city of Valencia – the site is home to Spain’s largest lake (Albufera).

“The Horta of Valencia is invaluable. Half of the crops grown here are at risk of disappearing in the region. It provides for both farmers and fishers. Its citrus fruits have a Geographical Indication (GI) label due to their high quality and variety. The site is also home to a wide range of birds, fish and plants, many classified as rare, endemic or endangered,” said FAO’s Yoshihide Endo who coordinates the GIAHS programme.

The abundance of the Horta

The Horta is made up of 6,000 small agricultural holdings (up to one hectare each), and thousands of farmland plots. About 80 percent of the area is used to grow fruits and some 50 vegetable crops.

Around 4,000 hectares are used to grow vegetables, especially onions, artichokes, pumpkins and lettuce. Oranges, mandarins and tiger nuts are significant in the northern part of the site whilst 2,000 hectares of centuries-old local rice varieties are cultivated in the southern area, which extends into the Albufera Natural Park.

California builds first farm-to-table new home community

The 2,800-hectare park is home to Spain’s largest lake and one of the most important wetland areas on the Iberian Peninsula. It brings food and other benefits to both fishers and rice farmers.

With ample access to water and fertile soils, farmers are able to harvest up to three times per year.

Crop diversification, with a number of local varieties and the division of the land into small plots have been key to making the site resilient.

Farmers use sustainable agricultural techniques that preserve water and soil resources. The irrigation systems built by the Islamic communities who set up the first Andalusian ditches and hydraulic spaces have been carefully conserved over centuries and are functional to this day.

The water management system is unique as farmers are part of Water Users’ Associations (WUA) and refer to their own rules and regulations to solve any issues. There is also a Water Court (Tribunal de las Aguas) – the oldest institution of justice in Spain to solve disputes over water use. 

With its dunes, beaches, forest, lake and rice fields, the site is home to birds, fish, and over 800 species of plants, many classified as rare, endemic or endangered both in Europe and Spain.

The other GIAHS sites in Spain are: the salt producing Valle Salado of Añana, olive groves in Sénia, Tarragona, and raisins production in Axarquía, Málaga.

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“I used to import this kind of mushroom from Israel, selling three boxes every day,” vendor Hani Ismail told Xinhua, adding, “Now I sell 10 boxes because my customers prefer the locally grown variety.”

The idea to grow white mushrooms in Jericho grew from a casual chat between Samir Khreisheh and three of his friends while dining in the town.  One asked the chef where his mushrooms came from, pressing why the fleshy fungus couldn’t be locally grown. The four foodies got passionate, studying mushrooms and the best conditions for farming them. They visited mushroom farms in other countries and researched best techniques to grow them.

“White mushrooms are very sensitive and shy. They need a special environment, humidity, oxygen, carbon dioxide, special heat and certain kinds of gases. It was difficult in the beginning to make ensure the right environment, this is why we had to deeply study every detail,” said Khreisheh.

They constructed three purpose-built rooms to offer the necessary growing environment and imported fungal spores from Holland; they named their start-up Amoro. The farm currently produces three tons of organic white mushrooms every month, with plans to increase production to six tons per month by summer, selling mainly to restaurants and shops in the West Bank and Gaza. A 12 kilogram box of the organic beauties sells for about $13 USD.

“Inside each room, we use the horizontal planting on shelves provided with special irrigation system and a fully-electronically controlled atmospheric system,” said Khreisheh, adding that “we have 10 workers who check the soil into the rooms and mix the fungal spores.”

There are another 15 female workers who work only on picking up the mature mushrooms. He said “with respect to men, we chose women to pick up the mushrooms because their hands are softer than men’s.” Employee Samah Abu Zeitoon is also a part time university student, she said, “I would certainly need money for education and for living, but also like the idea because it is my first time working in such an interesting farm.”

West Bank restaurants and grocery stores typically import their mushrooms from Israeli markets, specifying specific sizes for special types of recipes; however, Khreisheh aims to corner the market, “We just began production a few weeks ago, and we are sure that soon our products of mushrooms will compete [with imports].”

Samir Samara, director general in the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, told Xinhua that his ministry encourages Amoro farm to achieve self-sufficiency, adding, “Once this farm is able to provide the local marker with the needed amounts of mushrooms, then I believe that our priority will be, to facilitate the export of such interesting kind of business that will certainly bring more benefits to the Palestinian economy.”

Image of fresh mushrooms from Shutterstock

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Steve Areen hatched the hobbit-like home idea in 2011 while visiting a friend who was building dome homes for his Thailand retreat.  And what a friend!

Hajjar Gibran also offered Areen a small plot of land on his organic mango farm, and with an assist from Gibran and his son-in-law, six weeks later Areen was living in the finished building.

He took a few more weeks to install doors, window screens, and surrounding landscape – including a small pond.

Labor costs are low in Thailand, and the materials – cinder block, clay brick, and stone pavers for flooring and as decorative “tile” –  were locally sourced.  Plumbing is rudimentary, and the electrical system is basic. The building shell came in under $6,000; accessories and furniture bumped it up another 50%.

According to the Daily Mail, he’s been bitten by the dome-home-bug and is looking for more property back in the USA to build another.

“As much as I love my dome home, I probably would not have built it if was a long process. The low cost and time-efficiency of using blocks is what enticed me into building.  Because suitable compressed earth blocks were not available at the time, cement blocks and clay bricks were used,” said Areen.

Back in Thailand, Gibran is experimenting with more sustainable techniques. He recently built a compressed earth brick press and is planning to build a dome-home with cellular concrete, which offers better insulation. Hajjar conducts workshops in dome building at his retreat, The Gibran Center – link here.

His website bio implies a connection with the Lebanese poet and philosopher Khalil Gibran – it’s a read as interesting as this mango-colored house.

All images from Steve Areen

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