Can Foodborne Illnesses Be Prevented with Homegrown Food?

Can Foodborne Illnesses Be Prevented with Homegrown Food?

In early June 2025, the CDC announced a major recall involving more than 20 million eggs linked to a multi-state salmonella outbreak. At least 79 people across 7 states have fallen ill, and over 20 have been hospitalized. The eggs in question were sold under multiple brand names and traced to specific facilities with plant codes P-6562 and CA-5330, with best-by dates ranging from March 4 to June 19, 2025.

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6 Ways to Give Your New Agribusiness Venture a Strong Start

6 Ways to Give Your New Agribusiness Venture a Strong Start

The agribusiness sector has become an increasingly attractive space for entrepreneurs seeking both financial return and long-term impact. With growing demand for food security, sustainable farming methods, and locally sourced products, agribusiness presents opportunities not just in traditional crop or livestock production, but also in areas like agri-processing, logistics, and agri-tech. Many entrepreneurs see it as a meaningful way to participate in essential supply chains while tapping into rising consumer awareness around food quality and environmental responsibility.

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Want Healthier Soil? Plant Cover Crops with Your Veggies

Want Healthier Soil? Plant Cover Crops with Your Veggies

Soil health is one of the most important ingredients for creating a thriving garden. If the soil in your garden is unhealthy, of poor quality, or lacking in nutrients, your plants will suffer and become prone to diseases and pest infestations. Taking time to test, prep, and nourish your soil by giving it what it needs is the best way to create an optimal environment for your plants.

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Top 7 Mistakes New Gardeners Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Top 7 Mistakes New Gardeners Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Starting a food garden is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your health, your wallet, and the planet. But if you’re new to gardening, it’s easy to get tripped up by common mistakes—many of which can cost you time, money, and enthusiasm. There’s a lot of conflicting information on the internet, and some downright wrong advice (like using eggshells to deter slugs), so knowing what works and what will sabotage your gardening efforts is important for creating a healthy garden that you can enjoy for years.

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DIY Organic Fertilizers: A Comprehensive Guide to Homemade Garden Nutrients

DIY Organic Fertilizers: A Comprehensive Guide to Homemade Garden Nutrients

If you're looking for a safer, more sustainable way to nourish your garden, homemade organic fertilizers might be just what you need. By using everyday organic materials you already have — like food scraps and yard waste — you can create nutrient-rich blends that support healthy soil, strong root systems, and vibrant plant growth. This comprehensive guide walks you through some easy DIY methods for making your own garden fertilizers, helping you reduce waste, save money, and grow a thriving garden without relying on synthetic chemicals.

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Summer Lawn Care Tips to Beat the Massachusetts Heat

Summer Lawn Care Tips to Beat the Massachusetts Heat

Summertime in Massachusetts can be beautiful—sunny skies, backyard BBQs, and warm evenings on the porch. But while you’re enjoying all that, your lawn might be struggling under the intense heat. The hot, dry days of summer, combined with occasional drought conditions and increased foot traffic from outdoor activities, can put a lot of stress on your grass. Without the right care, you may start to see signs of trouble: brown patches, thinning areas, or even sections of turf that dry out and die completely.

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How to Control Aphids in the Garden Naturally

How to Control Aphids in the Garden Naturally

You stroll through your garden one morning to find that your healthy, thriving plants are covered in tiny green, black, or white specks. They’re aphids! But where did they come from and how did they take over your plants so quickly? More importantly, how can you get rid of them — and keep them from coming back? Aphids are some of the most common and frustrating insect pests that gardeners face. Although they’re frequent garden foes, they’re not invincible. With a few consistent strategies, you’ll be able to manage the damage they do. A few aphids on your plants today can easily turn into dozens in less than a week, and soon your plants may turn yellow and die.

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Best Natural Garden Sprays: Neem Oil and Baking Soda Explained

Best Natural Garden Sprays: Neem Oil and Baking Soda Explained

If you’re a gardener, you’ve dealt with garden pests before. This is especially true if you have an edible garden. Too many gardeners aim to eliminate pests completely, but this is neither realistic nor good for your local ecosystem. Yet this doesn’t mean that you have to sit back and do nothing when herbivore pests invade your garden and seek to destroy all your hard work. In fact, there are lots of things you can do to minimize the damage from insect pests without reaching for synthetic fungicides or pesticides.

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Mid-Spring Planting: Easy Veggies, Fruits & Flowers for Beginners

Mid-Spring Planting: Easy Veggies, Fruits & Flowers for Beginners

If you’ve ever turned to magazines, gardening shows, or even your local nursery’s stock to try and plan your spring garden, you’ll know it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information – some of it conflicting – you can find out there. This is especially true if you’re new to gardening. As the days become warmer and longer, more people start shopping for plants and gardening supplies. It really is a perfect time to start planning a food and/or aesthetic garden, even if the weather hasn’t quite warmed up enough for you to transplant everything into beds outdoors.

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How Big Food Monopolies Threaten Food Security and Public Health

How Big Food Monopolies Threaten Food Security and Public Health

In the fall of 2024, over 12 million pounds of meat were recalled because of a potential contamination with listeria, a bacteria that can cause stillbirth as well as serious illness in people over 65 and those with compromised immune systems. In the United States, we’ve gotten used to these kinds of recalls, but we rarely link the prevalence of food-borne illnesses to the monopolies enjoyed by a select number of food companies. Did you know that just four companies --Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef--control 85% of the beef market, and four --Pilgrim's Pride, Tyson (again), Perdue, and Sanderson Farms -- control 60% of the poultry market in the US?

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The Science of Healthy Soil: What Your Spring Garden Needs to Thrive

The Science of Healthy Soil: What Your Spring Garden Needs to Thrive

If you’ve ever planted a spring garden only to find that it didn’t do as well as it had the year before, chances are high that your soil is the problem. Even if you faithfully add compost to your garden beds and use no-till methods, you may still find that your garden suffers from lackluster growth, or that your vegetables are prone to diseases and pest infestations.

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DIY vs. Pre-Made Garden Beds: Which One Is Best for Your Garden?

DIY vs. Pre-Made Garden Beds: Which One Is Best for Your Garden?

Raised garden beds are a fantastic way to boost your gardening game, helping you improve soil quality and drainage and ease the strain on your back. But before you start planting fresh veggies and colorful flowers, you've got a big question to answer:

Should you build your own raised bed or buy one pre-made?

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Gardening for Beginners: 15 Simple Tips to Start Your Food Garden with Confidence

Gardening for Beginners: 15 Simple Tips to Start Your Food Garden with Confidence

Have you been thinking about starting your very first food garden? You’re in good company. More people are starting to grow at least some of their own food. There are many reasons for it, but among them is a growing realization that gardening has physical and mental health benefits, and a desire to have access to fresh, organic food without having to spend a lot for it. Growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs is one of the most satisfying ways to eat healthier, save money, and enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and moderate exercise while you’re at it.

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