The Sylvia Center的动态

"There’s something deeply rewarding about going out to the garden and selecting a fresh, rich, colorful pepper right off the plant and immediately taking it to the kitchen for use. But long before you can make this vision a reality, you have to actually grow your pepper plants and bring the fruits to maturity." My latest post for Martha Stewart .com discusses some plants you shouldn't grow near your pepper plants. https://lnkd.in/ez-hQpNv

More and more farm shops and cafes are thinking about adding a kitchen garden or PYO option to their site. If this is you, read on to hear from others who've already got stuck in. Padstow Kitchen Garden Roots & Seeds Cafe Bistro and Canalside Farm all share their advice, including what works, what doesn't, and why plotting in a pumpkin patch (if you have space) could be a great investment for your business. #farming #farmshop #kitchengarden #gardening #farmretail #specialityfoodmagazine

I keep thinking this is the year, however with the cost of lettuce at the grocery store maybe this IS the year. How to keep your garden bursting with life but not leave you broke. Here’s how. ? The post How to Grow a Better Garden for Less appeared first on Discover & Learn.

New Post: How to Grow Carrots the Right Way? Step by step - https://lnkd.in/d8u7gEtd to Growing Carrots Growing carrots can be a highly rewarding endeavor for gardeners of all skill levels. Carrots are not only a staple in many culinary dishes but also rich in nutrients, making them a healthy addition to any home garden. Their versatility, combined with the satisfaction of cultivating your own produce, makes carrot farming a highly enriching activity. In this blog post, we will delve into the essential tips and techniques that will help you cultivate carrots successfully. Whether you are a novice or an experienced gardener, the insights provided will cover all the crucial aspects of carrot […]

Ok, I think this counts as “work” in the sense that I run a company dedicated to supporting regenerative agriculture. To the great surprise of my former self at almost any age, I have become a maniacal gardener. Here’s me (see pic) getting ready to assemble homegrown flower arrangements for the house ahead of guests arriving. Yes, I also do arrangements and am available for events of 24 or fewer guests… So, a few weeks ago I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Steve Wood from Australia’s leading gardening podcast, All the Dirt. (Listen at the link below if you want to hear us talk dirt). Here’s what’s nuts. If you know me at all in the last five years, you’ll agree that you don’t have to be talking to me for more than two minutes before I find a way to work in my views on “the industrial food complex” or start yapping about Dirty Clean Food … it’s who I am. #regenwarriors So. Miranda Stamps and I have been buying seedlings from Steve at the Margaret River Farmers’ Market for THREE years. And, much to the chagrin of my children - and everyone who’s ever stood behind me in line - my average talk time while shopping at the market is twelve minutes per checkout. (Forgive me, those who listen patiently to me every weekend while I yap). Considering the above, we are talking about a multi standard deviation probability event that Steve and I have not figured out that we are both are #regenag die hard fans and I run Dirty Clean Food. Every neighbor knows it. Every checkout professional at Mitre 10 knows It. And this revelation only happened because I emailed him an advance order from my work account when I arrived too late for tomatoes. It could have gone on forever, but Steve noticed and asked what I did at Dirty Clean Food. (He likes Dirty Clean Food - of course he does because he likes planet earth and food that tastes good). I say all this, because THIS is how much I am apparently into gardening. Somehow, of all the thousands of topics of chitchat, only talking about gardening could stop me from talking about Dirty Clean Food. It’s unspeakable. All versions of my former self are shattered at who I’ve become. I want to talk about pruning tomato plants these days more than I want to talk about The University of Alabama football (gridiron) I admit it, I love gardening. And if you listen to this podcast, you’ll hear total validation from an expert that I have done at least a halfway decent job on our backyard. A compliment I’ll cherish for a decade! Thank you, Steve! So listen to the soothing sounds of Australia’s leading gardening podcaster and subscribe. Don’t do it for me. Do it for the dirt. https://lnkd.in/ghzA_FP9

Imagine you're a gardener preparing for the harvest season. The soil represents your potential, and the seeds you plant symbolize your learning and knowledge. If you plant a variety of seeds—learning from different subjects, experiences, and challenges—you're diversifying your garden. Some seeds take longer to sprout, just as some lessons take time to understand fully. But these seeds begin to grow with consistent effort (watering, sunlight, care). When harvest season comes, the gardener who has invested time in learning (planting and nurturing) will have a rich, diverse crop to rely on. This is similar to being well-prepared with knowledge and skills for any opportunity that comes your way. Even if some plants don't bear fruit, the gardener still has others to rely on—just as diverse learning gives you various tools and insights to succeed. In contrast, a gardener who didn't prepare well, who didn't plant enough seeds or care for them properly, may find their garden barren, missing out on the abundance they could have had. Similarly, without learning and preparation, opportunities for success might slip away because the foundation wasn't there to seize them. So, learning is like planting seeds in the garden of your future. The more you plant and care for them, the more prepared you are to reap the rewards when the time is right.

FEEDBACK SYSTEMS Plants give us feedback about how well they’re growing in certain areas. If they’re happy, they thrive. If they’re less than happy, they often struggle. As a gardener, I like to trial plants in different locations or under different conditions in my garden. Maybe I add a little bit of limestone to the growing hole to see how a species will perform in our pH 4.2 soil. That was really helpful to better understand the native Streptanthus maculatus (clasping jewelflower) needs more calcareous conditions to grow. Without limestone in the planting hole, plants barely got above a foot tall. With a dash of limestone, plants got over 3 feet tall and were towers of flowers. As an educator getting feedback about the systems I've created to equip gardeners with the skills they need to grow is also helpful. I love getting emails about what people learn from my newsletter, podcast, and online learning. I was so touched to recently receive this positive feedback from Jackie who took my first Botanic Bootcamp class Success with Seed Sowing. "Lots of great information in clear, concise form. I did Master Gardener training and honestly, you did a much better job communicating the information. I got a lot out of this session. I winter sow a lot of native seeds, but my approach thus far has been a bit haphazard. You have encouraged me to be a bit more methodical about it, but also to just try more experimental sowing to see which method is more successful. Also, I tried starting some vegetable seeds inside last year and it didn't go fantastically. I am now willing to try again. I truly appreciate your enthusiasm." If you’re interested in learning more about sowing seed, here’s where you can access it. https://lnkd.in/g7wedz5Q ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? Every weekend, I send out a newsletter to 1000+ gardeners where I share skills to help them grow. Cultivate your skills by subscribing at?https://lnkd.in/gSXJA6mn.

Greetings, green-thumbed companions ??, botany buffs ??, and ale aficionados ??! Get ready, for today, we're diving deep into a realm where gardening and beer collide: the niche, but blossoming arena of Micro Brewers ??! ??Picture this: Homegrown herbs, fruits, and grains, carefully nurtured in our backyards, skillfully transformed into a unique, handcrafted libation. Imagine watering your precious plants, only to reap a frosty beverage. Doesn’t that sound like a gardener's paradise? ?But What Exactly ARE Micro Brewers? ? They're wild innovators, daring to experiment beyond hops and barley! ? They're green-thumbed adventurers, introducing us to a plethora of unexpected flavors. ? And, most importantly, they're small, independent, experimental breweries, finding the perfect fusion between horticulture and craft beer. Ah, the metamorphosis from humble seeds to delightful suds! ?????? Here’s to heartening news! ??The craft beer industry is experiencing explosive growth! Fanatic beer lovers and curious consumers are increasingly exploring small-scale breweries for their unique, flavor-rich profiles and eco-friendly production methods. And no wonder – brewing beer right from the garden offers unparalleled freshness, sustainability, and variety. Isn't it amazing! Yet, the life of a microbrewer isn't just bubbles and foam... ? It reflects an immense passion for creating unique, from-scratch beverages. ?? ? It demonstrates a dedication to sustainability, minimizing water & resource use. ?? ? It embodies a spirit of innovation, testing the limits of conventional brewing. ?? And the benefits? They're even more exciting! ? The experimentation brings forth a cornucopia of flavors: basil-infused ales, lavender lagers, or even zesty chili stouts - the possibilities are endless. ?? ? Homebrewing promotes local economies – every bottle helps nourish a microbrewery and by extension, the community. ?? ? And, isn't it simply delightful to taste the love, care, and creativity poured into every bottle by these brewers? ?? Inventive, fun, and somewhat rebellious, Micro Brewers boldly bring the garden to the glass, showing us a whole new way to enjoy what Mother Nature has gifted us. So, let’s raise a glass

Cercidiphyllum japonicum. What a tree. What a big tree; this is a little out of scale for most modern gardens, but wouldn't it be great to see this tree more in public planting? The spring colour, which is naturally green or red on specific trees, would surely be a nice addition to parks, while in summer the trees would simply be pleasant green trees to look at or sit under. In the autumn more people could enjoy that rich aroma of burnt sugar as they pass by with their 'pumpkin spice' lattes. In a world where the majority live separately from the plant world we enthusiasts must push harder than ever before to make connections between plants and people. We can inform as much as we ever (and must try to continue to do so wherever possible), but giving a sensory experience is only going to be a good thing. In retail there's a principle that says that if you can get the customer to touch the item then you've probably sold it. Physical touch takes a customer from a detached and theoretical experience and makes it more real for them. I use similar in my work with clients. If I can get clients to touch, smell, taste (where appropriate!), listen to (in the case of plants that make noise when wind passes through) and look closely at a plant it breaks down the barrier; the plants becomes more than just a thing in the garden. Physical connections are important. Of course we can't go around asking people to experience each plant, but if we can encourage a few people to become disciples for the plant world then it can't be a bad thing to do. So next time you're with someone and they sniff a rose, ask them to describe the scent. See what they say; thinking about the perfume makes what could be a casual connection all the more powerful. #gardening #plants #professionalhorticulture

[Heads-up] My South-African friend, Barrie Enslin, Founder of and Managing Director at Pro Optima Audit Services, invited me to join him on a project writing a book for internal audit practitioners, thereby building on the 2022 GARDENER article: Lenz, R. and Jeppesen K.K. (2022), The Future of Internal Auditing: Gardener of Governance, EDPACS, 66:5, 1-21 https://lnkd.in/e6t3WFAy That original English version of the article is with c 28,000 reads by far the most read article at EDPACS (part of Taylor & Francis Group) of all time. There are (will be) 25+ translations https://lnkd.in/ePQFsNX5 https://lnkd.in/eAkt5Cbb Thank you, dear Barrie, for the invite and the opportunity. More forthcoming later in the year if all goes well. You might wish to follow CRC Press. Barrie and I met first at the ECIIA 2019 conference in Luxemburg. We‘ve kept in touch since then. Barrie has also been over to Frankfurt three times. As aforementioned, the forthcoming book Lenz-Enslin 2024, will build on the 2022 GARDENER article. This article is based on my 2021 presentation when the IIA Nordics was celebrating its 70th anniversary. Back then, I was invited by the IIA Denmark (via Professor Kim Klarskov Jeppesen) to provide a keynote, speaking about The Future of Internal Auditing. What would you say about The Future of Internal Auditing? I spoke about megatrends, my 5Ps, and I suggested the GARDENER metaphor as mantra for the effective internal auditor https://lnkd.in/eAqpt-hj Since then, I co-authored three more articles. I am grateful to Professor Dr. Florian Hoos, John Chesshire, and Dr. David J. O'Regan for the joint production: Lenz, R. and O’Regan, D. J. (2024), The Global Internal Audit Standards – Old Wine in New Bottles? EDPACS, 69:3, 1-28 https://lnkd.in/etsVejpg Lenz, R. and Chesshire, J. (2023), Rethinking Internal Audit: Governance Needs Gardening, EDPACS, 68:3, 7-15 https://lnkd.in/gMi9x8if Lenz, R. and Hoos, F. (2023), The Future Role of the Internal Audit Function: Assure. Build. Consult. EDPACS, 67:3, 39-52 https://lnkd.in/esCWGUwE Many thanks to Dan Swanson for publishing. Kudos to Alexander Ruehle (CEO at zapliance) and David Hill (CEO at SWAP Internal Audit Services) for co-funding ((( OPEN ACCESS ))). Thank you, IIA Nordics, for the invite and the opportunity: IIA Denmark IIA Finland IIA Iceland IIA Norge IIA Sweden, The Institute of Internal Auditors