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Shallow roots: can UK vertical farms keep growing as foreign rivals shrivel? The wall of edible greenery rises 10 metres high, all the way to the roof of a vast building in Lydney near Gloucester. This vast matrix of glowing shelves is one of Britain’s latest vertical farms, growing plants indoors in a tightly controlled environment all year round. With the jump in energy prices and other costs, a string of similar ventures have gone out of business in recent years, but the technology is still hailed by some as the future of food. Operated by Jones Food Company (JFC), Lydney has moved firmly past the pilot phase to become a significant supermarket supplier. It supplies 30% of the UK’s cut basil, and can produce 550 tonnes of fresh greens a year. #verticalfarming #UK #future

  I recently had someone ask me after a Royal Family Farming tour, “Well what can I do? I live in the city in an apartment, but I want to be apart of this movement.”   So here are, in my opinion, some things that EVERYONE can do starting today.     What would you add to the list?   Learn More About Your Food and Where It Came From -  Next time you buy a steak, ask if they know what farm it came from. How far was that farm from where you’re sitting? - Who makes your favorite foods?  How far did it travel to get to you? Reduce Your Food Waste - Look at the packaging as well. Compost Your Food Waste - Get a compost bin or start a small worm farm in your garden. - Have a friend with backyard chickens? They’d love to take your food scraps off your hands for you. Buy Local When Possible - Support your local Farmer’s Market Start a Garden - Grow your own food in a backyard garden or if in a city, start a community, rooftop or windowsill garden Be willing to pay more for quality that you can trust - Buying local may cost more but you’re supporting a movement – and getting a better product Eat in Season - Learn about the seasons of the products you buy.  It’ll be fresher and is more sustainable and affordable to produce and deliver to you. Share it with others - Take your kids to a farm.  Educate them on where their food comes from.

NKCDC is partnering with Bennett Compost to address food waste in Kensington! Through several pilot composting programs, we’re determining the best strategies to reduce barriers and make composting more accessible for residents in Kensington. As the largest single stream of material in landfills, food waste accounts for 63 million tons of waste in the United States annually. Composting is one solution to this massive problem. Currently, Bennett Compost picks up from 6,000 households and businesses every week in Philadelphia, keeping over 100 tons of material out of landfills every month. Yet Bennett Compost’s fee-for-service models have not shown success in Kensington. To expand access, new approaches are needed. Free composting services through this partnership will build on existing NKCDC programs in urban gardening, nutrition education, and resident services to determine their ability to reduce waste and increase accessibility to composting for residents. By building on existing programs and partnerships that improve health outcomes, increase access to healthy food, and promote urban land and food sovereignty, this partnership aims to strengthen a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable local food system in Kensington.

Millions have celebrated Valentine’s Day with beautiful roses – many coming from commercial flower farms dotting the shorelines of Lake Naivasha in Kenya. It's a freshwater Lake hunted down by tourists gasping at the lumbering hippos and majestic African eagles, which provides water to local communities and major businesses. It’s also an important site designated by the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of international significance, and the wider catchment is an significant sourcing area for food sold in the UK, which is why WRAP - working with WWF-UK WWF-Kenya, several UK retailers and fresh veg & flower companies - puts Lake Naivasha up the priority list for collective action projects.   These projects will help them meet ambitious commitments to source at least half of all fresh food and drink from sustainably managed water catchments, under the Courtauld 2030 Water Roadmap. That's key – companies supporting collective action at the water catchment level. Water resources must be approached in that systemic way – water is only ever as good as the worst user or abuser.   The project has four objectives to build more sustainable water management, bringing together Kenya’s Water Resources Authority, WWF-Kenya and the local community under the Lake Naivasha Basin Umbrella Water Resource Users Association Enock Ole Kiminta together with the flower farms’ association-Lake Naivasha Growers’ Group.   Data is king – enabling people to track the quality and quantity of water and so direct interventions. Enter citizen science. Communities have been trained as first line scientists to test the water and report results. This data, combined with that from government monitoring sites and flower farms testing their wastewater, helps the Government’s Water Resource Authority direct attention to the key pressure points.   We also focus on abstraction (ensuring people are only taking what is fair, and encouraging measures like planting trees and rainwater harvesting to increase supply) and dealing with wastewater. Do get in touch to find out more and help us cherish the world’s freshwater lakes and rivers at the heart of our food system. https://lnkd.in/ed9himgm

At Reel Life, we’re not just growing gardens—we’re growing solutions to food scarcity. Did you know that about 63% of South Africa’s households are food insecure, of which 17% are critically under-nourished, the National Food and Nutrition Security Survey (NFNSS) has determined. "In individual terms, it means about 20 million of the country’s recorded citizens, not including people illegally residing in South Africa, don’t have food to eat," says FreightNews (https://lnkd.in/ddHnbHyt). With Reel Gardening's biodegradable seed tape, each seed is embedded at the optimal depth and spacing, making planting efficient, foolproof and water efficient. This innovation doesn’t just make gardening easier; it also saves up to 80% of the water compared to traditional methods—an essential benefit in regions where water scarcity is a challenge. 🌱 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation emphasises that "investing in sustainable agriculture is one of the most powerful ways to reduce hunger." By starting gardens from seeds, we ensure long-term resilience, reduce costs, and create healthier, self-sustaining communities. Let’s explore how integrating sustainable agriculture into your CSI strategy can create lasting impact. #SustainableInnovation #CSR #WaterConservation #FoodSecurity #ReelLife #CommunityImpact #ReelGardening

We're talkin' about eco-friendly options here! What are they, and why should you care? 🤔 Safe lawn treatments are products and methods used to maintain lawns without causing harm to the environment, soil quality, or plant health. Why should you care: 🌳 Soil isn’t just dirt; it’s a living ecosystem full of organisms that help plants grow. 🔬 With conventional lawn treatments, you're adding substances to the soil that don't belong there. 🌎 Organic fertilizers release nutrients at a pace that plants can easily absorb, reducing the risk of nutrient overload and environmental harm. ❌ Treated the right way, you’ll see fewer problems with pests and diseases, as healthy soil fosters a resilient plant community. These products help keep your lawn looking lush and healthy, all while ensuring the earth beneath stays rich and life-giving for years to come. Read our blog to learn more! #mowtivator #turftitanbrands #lawncare #lawnlover #sustainablelawncare #ecofriendly #maythebestlawnwin #mowtivation

Why Red Wiggler Worms Are the Heroes of Your Compost and Worm Farm! 🌟🌱 If you’re into composting or thinking about starting a worm farm, let us introduce you to the amazing red wiggler worms! 🐛🌿 Red wigglers are the rockstars of the composting world for several reasons: 1. Efficient Decomposers: These little worms are incredible at breaking down organic material quickly. They turn kitchen scraps, garden waste, and other biodegradable materials into nutrient-rich compost, helping to reduce waste and create valuable soil amendments. 2. Nutrient-Rich Castings: The compost (or worm castings) they produce is packed with nutrients that plants love. It’s often referred to as “black gold” because it significantly boosts plant health and growth. 3. Compact and Manageable: Unlike traditional composting that requires a lot of space, red wiggler worm farms can be set up indoors or outdoors in relatively small areas. Perfect for urban gardeners! 4. Improving Soil Structure: Worm castings improve soil aeration and water retention, making your garden soil healthier and more productive. 5. Eco-Friendly: By composting with red wigglers, you reduce landfill waste and methane emissions, contributing positively to the environment. Getting started with red wigglers is easy and rewarding. They thrive in moderate temperatures and require minimal maintenance. Just feed them regularly with organic waste, and they’ll do the rest! Ready to transform your composting game and grow the healthiest plants? Give red wigglers a try! 🌱 Feel free to share your worm composting tips and experiences in the comments! 🌿👩🌾 #Composting #WormFarm #RedWigglers #OrganicGardening #EcoFriendly #SustainableLiving

Canada’s greenhouse sector is a hotbed for growth. Greenhouses specializing in fruits and vegetables in Canada have increased in farm gate value for the 11th consecutive year, up 9.2% to $2.5 billion in 2023 – doubling in size from a decade ago.

Canada’s greenhouse sector is a hotbed for growth. Greenhouses specializing in fruits and vegetables in Canada have increased in farm gate value for the 11th consecutive year, up 9.2% to $2.5 billion in 2023 – doubling in size from a decade ago.

Canada’s greenhouse sector is a hotbed for growth. Greenhouses specializing in fruits and vegetables in Canada have increased in farm gate value for the 11th consecutive year, up 9.2% to $2.5 billion in 2023 – doubling in size from a decade ago.