Real Estate (Farm & Ranch Land)

Growing Hemp the New Agricultural Hemp

Farmers will soon be growing hemp legally in Minnesota thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, but challenges remain on how the state will implement industrial hemp as an insurance crop.

The state must submit a plan on how it will regulate hemp growth, which needs to include how the state will keep tabs on where hemp is grown, tested and disposed of to insure farmers aren’t growing point strains of marijuana for recreational use.

There are many different varieties of the cannabis plant. Industrial hemp — refers to the non-psychoactive (less than 1% THC) varieties of Cannabis sativa L. Both hemp and marijuana come from the same cannabis species, however, are genetically distinct and are further distinguished by use, chemical makeup, and cultivation methods.

Hemp can be grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. Its seeds and flowers are used in health foods, organic body care, and other nutraceuticals. The fibers and stalks are used in hemp clothing, construction materials, paper, biofuel, plastic composites, and more. Hemp is found commonly in twine and cord, sisal is from ground Agave leaves (that is why sisal baling twine is becoming expensive, because it is control by a few large farming operations in Bazil).

Sadly, all of the raw hemp materials were imported from other countries. Hemp is an attractive rotation crop for farmers. As it grows, hemp breathes in CO2, detoxifies the soil, and prevents soil erosion.

Hemp requires much less water to grow — and no pesticides — so it is much more environmentally friendly than traditional crops.

Home Improvement

The Welcoming Entry Lights

Done right, exterior entry lights makes the most of what you’ve got, complementing your home’s architecture, increasing security, and helping guests navigate their way to the front landing.

That said, it can be a real challenge to select the perfect fixture. Just stroll down the lighting aisle of any home store, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the countless styles, finishes, bells and whistles—and that’s before you look online.

Start by evaluating your space to determine the type of fixture (or fixtures) that best fits it, whether wall-mount, ceiling-mount, or, in very large entries, a combination of the two. In every case, the overall goal is to cast a wide pool of light that illuminates the entry, banishes dark corners, and casts a warm glow that’s easy on the eyes, making your house the one that says “welcome.”

A porch light is just one piece of your home security solution. You should incorporate it into a smart home automation security system for enhanced safety and control. With a complete system, you can use an app to monitor and control both indoor and outdoor lights, plus security cameras and locks.

You can also build your own system by integrating smart home products with a home automation hub, turning your lights on went you come home or turn the light off and on went you are on vacation giving the illusion that someone is home.

Before electric lights became widespread in the 1890s, gas lighting was the norm. Today, whether for historical accuracy or for the atmospheric glow they impart, these fixtures are popular once again. They come configured two ways: as “gas mantle,” where the gas terminates in a wire- or ceramic-fiber cloth for a steady white light, or as “open flame,” a softer candlelight flicker similar to a 25-watt bulb.

Gardening & Landscape

Safety with Manure in the Garden and Flowerbed

Manure in the garden has been a common culture for thousands of years. Using manure in the garden is an excellent fertilizer and soil conditioner. However, don’t apply fresh manure to the soil in your fruit or vegetable garden. Even aged manure can have E. coli present if you get. Composting manure properly will kill most E. coli. For a manure pile to be composted properly, the following requirements must be met:

  1. It must have a temp of 130 to 140 degrees for a couple of weeks and cured for at least 3 months. So, getting manure from the center of an old pile is OK.
  2. Store bought manure is more costly, easier to get, and is mostly risk free.
  3. Any manure should be incorporated into the soil by digging or roto tilling in the fall.
  4. If you are using manure to top dress, keep it away from touching the plants.
  5. Always wash your produce before using.