August 2015: GMO News, Herb Cutting Tips & Beehive Tours!
We’re happy to announce the completion of our newest farm on the Qualcomm campus!
This location has about 10,000 sq ft of organic, plantable space featuring 40 raised beds, 47 fruit trees, and a rooftop herb garden.
Corporate campus gardens promote employee health by growing fresh produce for cafeterias, reducing carbon emissions by eliminating transportation, and creating a space that can be both productive (built-in WiFi hotspots!) and peaceful.
Lately we’ve been picking: zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, herbs, peppers, grapes, and eggplant.
Keep an eye on your zucchini, lest they end up like the one in the photo!
If a zucchini evades capture and grows to mammoth proportions, our dear reader Heidi suggests grating some zucchini with pinch of cinnamon into your pancake mix. Zucchini pancakes sound delicious!.
On July 15th, the California Water Commission passed a new ordinance drastically altering the future of landscaping. Beginning December 1st, any new landscape installations over 500 sq ft will be limited to about 25% turf, according to the Los Angeles Times. Current property owners with more than 2,500 square feet of outdoor space considering a redesign will also be subject to new, severe restrictions. Read our article on the subject here.
We have a few suggestions on how to properly take herb cuttings. A good cut means a happy herb!
First, it’s important to snip in the morning- the herbs’ oils are most potent at this time of day. Cut your selection just above a new set of growing leaves. See our diagram!If you are picking merely leaves, select newer leaves found higher up on the plant.
Herbs like to be mildly “cut back” so feel free to snip some herbs for your dinner throughout the summer!
The House of Representatives has passed the H.R. 1599, nicknamed the “Deny Americans the Right to Know Act” (DARK Act). It’s currently under debate in the Senate, and if passed, will go on to the President to sign or veto. The bill, found here, essentially would block any laws requiring GMO ingredient labels and would undo current GMO-labeling legislation in states such as VT, ME, and CT. Regardless of the uncertain environmental and health impacts of GMOs and the recent research on GMOs, the fact is that most Americans prefer to know the nature of their food.
You can find your state senator and their contact information via OpenCongress. Let your Congressperson know how you feel about the issue before they decide whether or not to keep Americans in the dark.
GIRL NEXT DOOR HONEY
Beehive Tour August 9th, 2015, 2pm
Interested in the secret life of bees? Local beekeeper Hilary Keaney will tour you through a hive, a bee’s life, how bees fit into our ecosystem. “Bee suits will be provided, all you need to bring is your sense of fun and adventure!” says the beekeeper. Tickets for August 9th’s tour and future tours can be found on Keaney’s website.
A fresh summery California Farm and Garden harvest! 