Posts Tagged ‘agriculture’

Tractors And Their Use In Recent History

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Tractors used for hauling machines or trailers used in the construction industry or agriculture are specifically designed vehicles that are made to deliver high torque or tractive effort at low speeds. Commonly, this term describes the distinctive farm vehicle. This is because they are used to tow agricultural implements and also may be used to supply power to mechanized implements.

This word “tractor” is an agent noun of a Latin word trahere which literally means “to pull”. It was 1901 that the use of term “tractor” as used and it replaced the term that was used until then: traction engine (1859).

The term tractor implies “farm tractor” in Germany, Argentina, Ireland, Britain, Spain, Australia and India. In the US and in Canada, farm tractor also tends to include various other implements that can be attached to the tractor.

Portable engines were the first farm implements that were powered in the early 1800s. These were steam engines that made use of wheels and were used to drive the mechanical farm machines using a flexible belt. Then in about 1850, these were modernized to give the first traction engines and of course they were readily adopted for use in agriculture.

Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

The best-selling book on “popular mycology,” Mycelium Running, would be a useful reference book in every home, especially to anyone involved in farming (or gardening), forest management and environmental cleanup. The second half of the book is an instruction manual on growing delectable mushrooms for food and medicine.

The book is filled to the brim with valuable information on how to improve soils for farming, gardening and forestry; create simple, low-cost biofilters for waste water (mycofiltration); and clean up toxic waste (mycoremediation).

As an example, a method for building a mycofiltration bed to filter waste water is described in exacting detail. Dimensions, depth, layers and recommended materials and mushrooms are listed. This mycofiltration is useful, among other things, for filtering manure enriched farm runoff.

Not only does it solve the problem of farm runoff and E. coli contamination of nearby streams, it can also yield highly palatable food mushrooms, and the bed itself can be dug out every 2-3 years and then used as an excellent fertilizer for the farm.

Greenhouse Design and Construction

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

If you are thinking about buying or building a custom greenhouse there are some simple steps to consider for your greenhouse construction costs.

First, Greenhouse construction is unique to the industry. You should not hire a company that does not have experience in building greenhouses. These greenhouses are costly and you will want them to be constructed by true greenhouse craftsmen. Some of the pitfalls with building a greenhouse lies within the contractor working on the site. There are special clips, bolts, corners, and working with glass or polycarbonate is also a true skill so don’t try to cut corners by hiring a local builder unless they are truly skilled at working with greenhouse construction.

Second, Construction of a greenhouse requires knowledge of the manufacturing of the greenhouse. The manufacturing process is another key to owning and building a greenhouse. From the basic design down to the materials, the owner should know that special attention is given to the joints and clips, openings such as doors and vents and corners and design. These are built by special equipment and and tools that are also unique to a true craftsman. Like most crafts, these have been developed over many years and you will not want any margin for error.

Nutritious Soil and Plant Food from Compost Bin

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

Compost Bin is an excellent substitute for the traditional compost pit. It can transform biodegradable matters and waste materials into organic plant food. This type of receptacle is generally a large vessel especially designed as a storage receptacle for biodegradable matters. Biodegradable matters refer to materials which have the characteristics for decomposition like food, leaves, papers, barks and other organic matters.

The by-product produced out of this bin is an excellent plant food. The primary dietary needs of living beings are supplied by the products of the soil. The produce of the soil are basically the plants which come in peculiar shapes and different sizes according to their species. Compost Bin can produce compost which is another type of organic fertilizer which is very much needed by the plants and soil.

The quality of these edible products depends on the type of soil where they are grown. Plants that grow may or may not bear fruits yet they still offer edible produce. The yields or crops that they grow can be under the soil such as the root crops, or may be grown above the ground with leaves and flowers which are edible.

Planning For A Compost Bin

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

So, you are ready to get started composting and would like to build your own compost bin. Involved in the cost will be the tools that you need to complete the project, along with the materials. If you live in a relative small area then you will need to choose a smaller compost bin plan. Some plans are extremely inexpensive to build while others are more expensive. You should also consider your level of building experience as well.

If you have an entire workshop full of tools that might not be a consideration, but if you live in an apartment and all you have is a hammer then it will be more of a concern. There are advantages to both methods. A quick search online will reveal a variety of different compost bin plans.

Building a compost bin can be a great way to produce something with your own hands and use the completed project as a way to benefit the environment as well as your own garden. There are compost bin plans in a wide array of different sizes, so it is easy to choose a plan that will suit your specific needs. A compost bin plan is a good place to get started.

Hydroponics as a Way to Grow to Plants without Soils

Monday, May 4th, 2009

The term hydroponics was coined in the USA in the early 1930’s. It was coined to describe the scheme of plant growing with the roots of the plant based in mineral-rich waters. From the words hydro and ponos which are Greek for “water” and “to work” respectively, hydroponics literally is defined as ‘working with water’.

The definition of hydroponics has gradually become broadened to distinguish all forms of gardening without the usual soil as in traditional farming. Let us take a look at the importance of hydroponics in the history of mankind.

Hydroponic gardens in history are evidently a big part of early societies. One of the biggest evidence of the use of hydroponics is with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

In addition, the Aztec Indians has even pioneered a scheme of producing plant crops on rafts in shallow lakes. You can even witness some of these floating gardens near Mexico City.

In 1930, as the term hydroponics became popular, Gericke produced the first commercial hydroponic unit in America. During the Second World War the American forces in the Pacific produced vegetables hydroponically to survive.

Hydroponics Gardening: More Accessible Now with NFT System

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

Hydroponics was coined in the USA in 1930’s to name the scheme plant growing with the roots based in mineral-rich waters. As a matter of information, the Aztec Indians had a similar scheme of producing crops on rafts in lakes with shallow levels of water; these are seen in their floating gardens in Mexico City.

Formal research on the nutritional requirements of plants and the hydroponics system of growing plants started since 1699 through today. Developments went on and the use of hydroponics commercially opened worldwide.

Hydroponics has come a long way since the Aztec Indians. Since water care and land care is today mandated in numerous countries to promote sustainability, well maintained hydroponics gardening systems will provide yields of high quality crops through the environmentally friendly way of farming.

Hydroponics is already an established and fast growing part of modern commercial agriculture. Hydroponics is in fact a developing field where you can see a large range for experimenting with plants. Hydroponics gardening will also supply you with fresh fruit and vegetables all year round. Even the banana trees are being grown hydroponically now for better and reliable yield.

Try your First Hydroponics System

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Hydroponic gardens are present with the early societies of man. Evident with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Indians of Aztecs, there had been several systems of producing plant crops without soils.

Hydroponics has come a long way since the Aztecs and the Babylonians. It has become an important method of producing crops in various countries in the modern times. Especially where water is scarce and land is unusable for growing plants, hydroponics farming has been extremely important.

With vigilance over water care and land care today and with regulation in some developed nations, quality-controlled hydroponic crops can sustain the farming of high quality produce and at the same time being environment friendly.

With this popularity, hydroponics is no longer a subject of mysterious form of growing plants in a laboratory. It is a well established way of agriculture where anybody enthusiastic with the rules of hydroponic culture and has inclination to planting and caring for a home garden can successfully operate a highly productive and rewarding home-based hydroponics unit.

Hydroponic gardening will definitely modify your lifestyle for good. It will be providing you with fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers all year round.

History of Hydroponics Gardening

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

History reveals that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is a big evidence of a hydroponic garden. Moreover, the Aztec Indians in the now Mexico had a system of growing crops on rafts. These rafts are in shallow lakes that you can still see in floating gardens near Mexico City. Therefore, history shows the great significance of hydroponic system of growing plants even in ancient times.

Developments with hydroponics did not however take place in Europe until 1699 when Woodward discovered it. He found out that he can grow plants in a solution of water to which soil had been added.

On the other hand, Liebig, a German scientist, originated using nutrient solutions to study the nutritional requirements of plants in the 1850’s. It was then followed by Sachs in 1860. Knop also did some studies of nutrient elements in water solutions in 1861. They grew plants in nutrients-rich solutions with mineral salts. This does away with the soil as a main requirement for growing crops.

Many researches on the nutritional requirements of plants extended through even until the 1870’s. By 1925, practical applications of hydroponics were being introduced for the vast development in the greenhouse industry.

The Soil-less Hydroponics System of Gardening has Benefits

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Hydroponics gardening will improve your lifestyle by offering you with fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers all throughout the year. One of the famous systems is the NFT system development by Dr Alan Cooper with covered plastic channels. In this system, the plants are growing through holes in the covers and their roots are suspended in the nutrient solution.

One of the major benefits of a hydroponics system is that it can greatly shorten the necessary amount of time required to produce healthy crops. Whether a vegetable, flower, shrub or even trees, it can be produced without having to cultivate, weed and mulch the garden. Other important maintenance like watering and fertilizing can be taken care of by the automated system.

With the soil-less gardening, the quality of the soil will no longer be a problem with growing your crops. Hydroponics gardens can also be based in any place, irrespective of the soil or climate.

You will eventually notice that vegetables and fruit grown with the hydroponics system have a superb flavor and texture compared to the conventionally-grown counterparts. Because the crops will not be deficient in nutrients you will notice that they develop quicker and are healthier because they have more resistance to plant diseases than crops raised in the soil.