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Illegal Grow Operation Busted in Los Angeles Suburb

1/3/2018

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(San Bernadino, CA, Dec 13, 2017 Source: KTLA.com) A marijuana growing operation spanning three facilities that were not properly permitted was discovered in San Bernardino. The Pacific Palisades woman who owns the properties was taken into custody, and 40,000 plants were seized, police said.

Eight men were also taken into custody, officers said, though it was unclear how they were related to the operation.

KTLA reported that last November, voters in the Los Angeles suburb repealed its ban on marijuana sales and replaced it with a permitting system. Marijuana businesses must register their business information and plan, pay a fee, complete a background check and disclose information about the facility's layout and design — and have it all approved by the city of San Bernadino.

In California there are three agencies which oversee the licensing of cannabis-related businesses: the Bureau of Cannabis Control for distributors, retailers and labs; the CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing Program for cultivators; and the Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch for cannabis products such as edibles.

How will the legalization of marijuana and the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries affect the illegal drug trade? What will be the impact on the mortgage (foreclosure) industry? And homeowners associations?

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Can Food Still Be Organic If It's Grown Without Soil?

12/28/2017

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'Dirt first' farmers have been fighting with supporters of soil-less agriculture over the ‘organics’ label. Climate and sustainability are central to the debate. (Georgina Gusten insideclimatenews.org Nov 2017) ​https://t.co/OROPuNYjdH

Why is climate central to the the "organic" label debate? Apples & oranges! Promoting dirt farming to sequester carbon is like promoting freeways to prevent erosion. Absurd. 

Farming (tilling) land is not necessary to sequester carbon. Plants, on their own, can only sequester so much carbon. And then they rot (or burn) and return carbon to the atmosphere.

By contrast, healthy soil (microbes and wee beasties metabolizing organic material beneath the surface) can sequester a huge volume of carbon underground compared to the volume of live plants on the surface.

But an even better solution -- better than a healthy soil biome -- is biochar. Adding biochar to soil not only sequesters carbon but can dramatically enhance the soil microbiome at the same time.

Forget about "dirt farming." Let's talk about improving soil around the world -- wetlands, forests, pastures, and parks -- to support more vegetation, more wildlife habitat, and tall old-growth forest.
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Mega-Greenhouse: Metrolina Greenhouses, Huntersville, NC

12/28/2017

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Metrolina Greenhouses is the largest single-site heated greenhouse in the United States at 162 acres under roof. That's over one-fourth of a square mile (that is like "a half-mile by a half-mile" or 160 football fields side-by-side).

They do not sell direct to the public, so you may not have heard about their operation. If there are any doubts about the future of large indoor growing operations, take a look at the "mega greenhouse operations" already in existence.


Got ferns? Photo by Mondo Cardona 2016
Photo credit: Mondo Cardona ("Got ferns ??" posted to Google Maps May 2016)
According to their website, Metrolina Greenhouses employs 725 people year round, and an additional 600 people in the spring and fall peak seasons. That's a lot of jobs! But even more impressive is their employee productivity, which is boosted by automation. Metrolina Greenhouses claims to be one of the most automated greenhouses in the United States.

The photo above shows racks-and-racks of plants and rows-and-rows of ferns hanging from the high ceiling of the greenhouse. Even with 160+ acres of greenhouse space, they make use of the vertical space.

How do production levels of this sort of "mega greenhouse" compare with "traditional" outdoor farms of equivalent size? (Where is the data?)
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The Floral Reef Project

12/27/2017

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The Floral Reef Project supports the protection of habitat for bees, butterflies, and other key pollinators.

Green walls and outdoor vertical gardens represent a tremendous opportunity to increase greenscape while controlling water usage and drainage.  

Photo: East Los Angeles Library (Los Angeles, CA) Greenscreen.com 

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UrbanVine - free guides to urban farming for beginners

12/27/2017

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Urbanvine.co was created in June of 2016 to help urban dwellers learn how to start urban farming without any previous experience. Check it out this great resource: http://www.urbanvine.co
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December 27th, 2017

12/27/2017

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City Fresh Farming believes in pesticide free, sustainable, smart farming using vertical hydroponic farming techniques in temperature controlled environments with state of the art harvest monitoring. Their enclosed climate controlled farming environments give them the ability to grow leafy green produce and fresh market herbs 365 days a year. See the website for current info. 

908 W Foothill Blvd
Unit A
Monrovia, CA 91016 

www.cityfreshfarming.com

Source: LocalHarvest, updated Dec 2016
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Close-up: Beylik Family Farms

12/27/2017

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For over three decades, four generations of the Beylik family have grown produce on their farm near Fillmore. They sell their hydroponically grown tomatoes, cucumbers, and an assortment of other vegetables at certified farmers' markets from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. See the website for current info. #closeup

890 Oaks Ave

Fillmore, CA 93015
http://www.beylikfarms.com

(Source: LocalHarvest May 2016)
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LocalHarvest makes it easy to find good food

12/27/2017

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LocalHarvest connects people looking for good food with the farmers who produce it.

Buying local is about enjoying real food, grown yourself or purchased from people you trust. It's about developing strong local economies and producing food on a human scale. It's about eating seasonally, practicing the art of cooking, and sitting down to enjoy meals together. It requires ample local and regional producers, processors, and distributors. Local Harvest considers the goal of the local food movement to be creating thriving community-based food systems that will make high quality local food available to everyone.

To that end, LocalHarvest promotes Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and makes millions of introductions a year. Read what LocalHarvest members say about them.

Find farms, CSAs, and farmers markets near you. Here is a link to LocalHarvest event listings, CSAs, members, and other farming resources near Simi Valley, California.

#CSA #organization #directory #localfood
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Billionaires make it rain on Plenty, the indoor farming startup

12/27/2017

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​SoftBank Vision Fund, the huge tech-investment vehicle helmed by Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, has led a $200 million investment into indoor farming startup Plenty. Joining Son on his trip out to back the (indoor) farm movement are notable tech billionaires Eric Schmidt and Jeff Bezos through their investment firms Innovation Endeavors and Bezos Expeditions. The round will be used to support the global rollout of Plenty’s vertical indoor farms, which can produce crops at yields 530 times greater than that of a typical field. #news
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    Robert Marston

    I'm a gardening enthusiast and a would-be farmer living in the suburbs north of Los Angeles, California, Ventura County, with my wife and son. I would like to meet vertical farming enthusiasts and bloggers around the world, particularly in Southern California. 
    http://www.upfarmer.com 
    http://twitter.com/Up_Farmer
    http://instagram.com/up_farmer
    https://twitter.com/floralreeforg

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