A Hard Times Guide to Successful Vegetable Gardening  
Part  8 – Growing Herbs
Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Herbs are plants used whole or in part for flavor, but many of these same herbs are also used for fragrance, health, ornament, and many other uses. Herbs can be used to make teas; perk up cooked foods such as meats, vegetables, sauces, and soups; or to add flavor to vinegars, butters, dips, or mustards.

A Hard Times Guide to Successful Vegetable Gardening  
Part  7 – Early Blight on Tomatoes
Monday, July 28, 2008

A common problem in many home gardens is a plant disease called Early Blight of tomato, caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. It is also common on potatoes. This disease can cause a major loss by infecting the fruits and indirect losses by reducing plant vigor.

A Hard Times Guide to Successful Vegetable Gardening
Parts 1- 6

The soaring cost of many basic food items, coupled with a general downturn in the economy, is enough to make the idea of growing your own food look appealing. For some, it can become a real necessity. Besides, homegrown vegetables often simply taste better.

At the same time, there are simple lessons to be learned before you can become a successful gardener. They are not complicated, for the most part, but can be mastered with a little care and attention. These lessons are the focus of this six-part series in which Extension Specialist Paul Lopes leads readers through the fine points of soil pH, growing tomatoes, raised beds, going organic, problem soils, and conserving water.

For more information, and copies of this entire series, contact:

Paul Lopes, Extension Specialist
University of Massachusetts
P.O. Box 569, East Wareham, MA 02538
508-295-2212 x24
lopes@umext.umass.edu

Massachusetts’ first immigrant farmers reach out to its most recent
Gift of Tractor is a Lifelong Dream for Immigrant Farmers
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Immigrant farmers from Southeast Asia will get a big boost in their cultivation of 70 acres of land in Lancaster this weekend when they receive a brand new 50 horsepower Kubota tractor – a gift of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture and Heifer International.