Organic Herb Farms A New Trend In Agriculture

Posted on by blogger

Getting into organic farming might seem to be quite a tough task, but it is not so if you start gradually and develop your knowledge and experience step by step. Starting with organic herb farm is easier than any other kind of organic farm. This is because herbs are easier to grow organically than many other crops; besides you dont need much land for them. A few acres of good land are enough to have a profitable organic herb farm. Consider a few things before buying land for your organic herb farm.

Climate

First of all you have to research what kinds of organic herb farms already exist in your area. Talk to the farmers and find out what the climate is like, and which herbs grow best there. Ask for their advice; they are experts; treat them well and they can help your organic herb farm to be a success.

Market

Make your research about the local market for your organic herb produce. How are other organic herb farms doing financially? Is there a large enough market for one more organic herb farm? How do others sell their produce? Do they sell herbal products as well as herbs? What equipment is needed to make those products?

These are the basic questions to you will need answers to. Just as you would with any business, do a thorough market analysis before deciding to start an organic herb farm.

Land

Prior to looking for land, decide a few things first. How much land do you need? Do you want cleared or wooded land? Do you want previously cultivated land? Is there an existing organic herb garden for sale?

You may choose to live on your organic herb farm in this case, you have to make sure there is a livable home on it. Check out the outbuildings to make sure they are adequate for your needs. If you are currently a city dweller, dont forget that you need to find out about water supply, electrical supply and septic.

Since you plan on starting an organic herb farm, try to find land that has not been treated with chemical additives. For this matter try to get the history of the land and get to know everything that has been done to it, at least for the past five to ten years. You will need this history in order to get organic certification for your organic herb farm.

Crop

With an organic herb farm you have a few options regarding the crops. Be aware that monoculture farming sets you up for disaster. It is better to have more than one kind of crop in case one doesnt do well.

You can grow perennial herbs on your organic herb farm, such as lavender, rosemary and thyme. You can harvest and sell the herbs directly to consumers, to food producers or to cosmetic and other industries. You can make herbal products, and sell them, as well. Popular culinary herbs, such as basil and oregano are grown hydroponically these days. You can also grow them in the ground. Culinary herbs proved to be a good cash crop.

The market for native or naturally growing herbs is expanding. You can harvest high value native plants wherever they grow on your land. Many of these herbs grow best in wooded areas, and you can interplant them in your woodlot. Ginseng, goldenseal, cohosh and Echinacea are all examples of native herbs that have commercial value. Most native herbs are used for medicinal purposes.

You dont have to possess a degree in agriculture to start an organic herb farm and become a successful organic farmer. Of course, you will have to learn a lot and put a lot of efforts, but you can start your organic herb farm with a relatively small investment and still achieve great results.

Pro Cooking Tips To Start Using Today

Posted on by blogger

Many people agree that cooking skills are some of the most difficult to master. Read on for some great tips on cooking delicious, gourmet-type dishes that will make you look like a master chef.

Always bake your crusts a little longer than is absolutely necessary. They should be golden caramel in color instead of pale blonde. The color on your pie signifies that the caramelizing process is complete in your crust, yielding a scrumptious dessert.

Whenever you are spicing up your meat, consider starting off with a small portion before you cook the whole piece. It is important not to over-season foods such as hamburger, meatballs and other meat-based dishes. You do not want to cook the whole thing immediately after seasoning it. Just make a small piece and try it. If that piece turns out well, you can continue with the rest. If not, you can make adjustments to the spices.

Always make sure that your flour, sugar and baking additives are stored in airtight containers. By storing foods in airtight containers, you can ensure its freshness and prevent any contamination. These containers can be bought at almost any store and are totally worth it!

When boiling or sauteing veggies, use chicken broth instead of water. Chicken broth adds flavor to vegetables and prevents them from getting stuck to the bottom of the pan. Chicken broth can be found at almost all local grocery stores at a very cheap price.

If you are preparing pumpkins for a meal, position the pumpkin so it is sitting upright, then cut it into two equal halves. Put each half with the cut side facing down on their own baking sheet. Sprinkle a little water on to your baking sheets, then you can bake your pumpkins for an hour in a 350 degree oven.

In recipes that call for milk or water, try substituting more flavorful liquids. If the recipe calls for water, switch it up by using a broth, juice, or cooking liquids. Other dairy products such as buttermilk or sour cream can be used in place of milk. A good method for increasing your nutritional intake is by increasing the amount of liquids you drink throughout the day.

For better seasoning results, use smaller applications of seasoning at frequent intervals throughout the cooking process instead of dumping it all in at once. As such, you are getting the best flavor, and not wasting any of the seasoning.

If you are using garlic in the cooking, ensure it’s the freshest you can buy. In general, garlic tastes sweeter when it is fresher. You will want to look for the following characteristics; firm skin, and no bruises or shriveling.

If serving salad, keep the dressing on the side, rather than pouring it on the salad. Amount and type of dressing are personal tastes, so let your guests dress their own salad. Get different kinds of dressings to leave them more choices.

Even with no prior skill, cooking techniques can be improved with just a few simple tips and ideas. With this new found culinary knowledge, what are you waiting for? Cook something! You will be cooking dishes everyone will enjoy.

Tracie William is a house wife, cooking is her passion and she loves to try new recipes.. her latest blog is aboutHow To Make Cake Pops

Culinary Management – International Program Teaches Global Approach To Dining Out

Posted on by blogger

Think about the last time you went out to eat. Chances are you opted for something out of the ordinary, something a little more exotic. That’s not surprising considering that many diners are looking for international culinary experiences. Centennial College’s International Culinary Management program option brings a global perspective to traditional culinary management by teaching students culinary techniques, sanitation practices and management strategies.

The offering takes two years to complete and during the time students are in the program, they are based at Progress Campus. This location is home to cutting edge culinary and baking labs, which enhance learning by allowing for hands-on application of theory. Additionally, as students through exposure to the unique relationship between cuisine culture, and religion become comfortable with managing diversity in the workplace, they have the opportunity to complete a field placement.

Here is a closer look at some of the courses that put students on the pathway that allows them to achieve success by addressing the need for cooks and chefs with a diversified portfolio of international cuisines (as identified by Ontario Job Futures).

Cuisine and Culture (Theory): Students learn how food shapes societies and cultural practices by covering the actual preparation, consumption, and food customs from different parts of the world. As a hands-on component, students complete a research project on a specific cuisine and culture.

Principles of Food, Beverage & Labour Cost Controls: The role of the restaurant or food and beverage outlet manager is to manage operations, the expectations of customers and the employees. This course teaches students management practices such as: predetermining food, beverage and labour costs; application of the control process to the primary phases of restaurant operations (purchasing, receiving, storing, issuing and production); and menu analysis and engineering. It also explores the factors affecting labour cost, performance standards, monitoring performance and taking corrective action.

Restaurant Practicum: Kitchen/Dining Room: Students apply skills they have learned in an operating kitchen and restaurant. To ensure they are gaining an all-around experience, students rotate to different sections of the kitchen, which also allows for understanding of the brigade system.

Sustainable Food System Practices: With society increasingly becoming aware of green practices, students learn everything from composting, recycling and energy-conservation programs to sourcing locally grown, organic ingredients.

Cuisines of Europe/Mediterranean and Middle Eastern/South Asia/ the Americas/ South-East Asia: These five courses are offered throughout the program and teach students about the actual preparation, consumption, and customs of food from each area of the world. In a lab setting, they are also introduced to methods of cooking applications, tools, utensils, common ingredients, seasonings, flavour builders and combinations.

After completing each Culinary Management course, students will have developed specialty well suited to the cruise ship industry and the all-inclusive resorts, both of which offer many types of diverse cuisines as part of the dining experience.

Attending Top Culinary Schools Requires Some Cooking Knowledge

Posted on by blogger

Boiling water without burning it may seem like a simple process but in reality there are some individuals who simply do not know their way around the kitchen. They cannot tell you the difference between saut and broil. Culinary students who are interested in the top culinary schools must have some background in the kitchen if they hope to become an executive chef one day.

They have to know the basics if they want that ‘A’ on their souffle. It can be a demanding career and one that is tough on the body, mind and ego but for those who have the determination the pay off is extraordinary.

Top culinary schools are not everywhere. There are many located throughout the United States that offer a comprehensive cooking degree upon completion, yet there are some that do not and so you must go online. The only online school that may be applicable, should you want to run the front end of a restaurant, is The University of Phoenix with their Hospitality and Business Management program. However, this program will only teach you how to run the front of a restaurant, as it will not include any instruction in the culinary arts. Many cooking colleges offer a special type of arts program that is world renowned. At the California School of Culinary Arts Pasadena, you can partake in the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts program, about which most people are most familiar.

It is a great curriculum that offers three distinct programs, which you can either take separately or all together. They offer the culinary arts program, a baking program and a program that focuses on Hospitality and Restaurant Management.

If you are not thinking about obtaining a certificate or degree and simply want to further your skills and knowledge in the kitchen, then you may want to think about specialized classes in one area of culinary delight. You could take a Thai cooking school class or even an Italian cooking school class to teach you how to make those wonderful dishes you order at restaurants.

Choosing from among the top culinary schools can be difficult for students. Not everyone is cut out to be a chef. Some people never aspire to learn how to make the dishes served in five star restaurants. But for those who persevere and learn the tricks of the trade it can be a rewarding career filled with excitement and advancement. It is a dream of a lifetime for those individuals.

Enrich your knowledge further about top culinary schools from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our cooking school blog where a free gift awaits you.

Your Own Indoor Herb Kitchen Garden

Posted on by blogger

It’s so easy to set up an indoor herb kitchen garden because so many culinary herbs are well suited to growing both indoors and in recycled containers. Your ability to grow veggies in your organic kitchen garden starts with only a few simple recycled materials and the simple will to feed your family only the finest organic foods grown fresh in your designed kitchen garden.

Here are six easy to grow herbs without even trying; chives, thyme, mints, French tarragon, sweet marjoram and sage. As well, also think seriously about growing your own parsley, rosemary, nasturtiums and basil. So which ones do you plant and how do you grow them? It really depends firstly on which ones you would like to grow, how much you use of one or the other and then your budget, and of course the amount of well lit space you have.

The high tech “A-Garden” type with its own lights and gadgetry is great and really works well (you know the one it’s advertised on TV everywhere), but it’s not cheap and not very big. Whereas, at the other end of the budget is a set of recycled pots and containers with seedlings and your sunny windowsill, planter box or sunroom.

Something in-between these two extremes are the compartmentalised pots like the “strawberry pot”, which is also great. Also in the middle are the grow veggies kit forms where you just add water and place in a sunny position and look after for a period of a few weeks. These are also absolutely great for those limited to space for your kitchen garden.

I personally do not recommend planting different herbs in the one single pot as the competition for growing space problems far outweighs the advantages of individual containers. If you do use the compartmentalised pots then try to mix the same general types of herbs together for the re-growth habits, height and moisture requirements.

The important thing is light, whether natural or artificial. Adequate light is essential to growing good herbs and veggies. If you don’t have enough natural light then you’ll need to supplement it with artificial light.

Why not consider making your own tiered shelving with its own lighting? I’ve seen it done and its particularly good in climates where it’s dark for much of the year but indoors is continually nice and warm; or even consider using a skylight or solar tube, another inexpensive method of free natural lighting.

If you have a well-lit patio or sunroom where you grow dwarf fruit trees in containers (citrus, stone-fruits or pomegranates etc) then you can plant perennial herbs in the same pots with them such as rosemary, mints etc.