Kumquat Fruit

The kumquat plant is native to South Asia region and it has been cultivated in Southern Asia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan. The scientific name of kumquat is Citrus margarita and belongs to Rutaceae. It is in oval shaped. It assembles like an orange but smaller size. It has a sweet taste as the skin is eaten. They are evergreen shrubs; it has 2 to 5 meters in height. The leaves are in dark glossy green while the flowers are in white colour. The tree with dense branches and it can produce dense quantities of fruits annually.

The fruit ripen usually in late winter. The oval shape of this type kumquat is also called Nagami kumquat requires 25°C to 38°C; however it can withstand frost down to about −10 °C without injury. Although it has ability to growth in low temperature, but it will grow well and much better in warm climate so that it would produce dense, large and sweeter fruits. The planting propagation of kumquat is usually growth by using vegetative methods instead of using seeds.

Kumquat fruit has a lot of benefits to our health. This is because kumquat contains high nutrition value which it has antioxidants that good in our health. For instance, it has Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E which against from various diseases like cancer, diabetes and ageing. Kumquat contains good antioxidants that will remove free radicals and toxic from our body. Therefore, it can against from diabetes and reduces cholesterol in the blood. It then helps to increase the blood flow and lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. This is due to the fruit has adequate amount of potassium to increase the fluid level. Furthermore, the antioxidants which consisted inside the fruit can neutralize and the free radicals that would damage DNA cells and change the normal cells into cancer cells, and protect structure of DNA from free radicals which will lead to cancer. The eating of the fruit will also slow down the ageing process because it protects the skin damage from free radicals.

Reference from http://wiki-fitness.com/kumquat-health-benefits/

Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR)

            PGPR is a non-pathogenic soil-borne microorganism which can help to promote plant growth. It is defined as soil bacteria that colonize the roots of plants, and then inoculate onto the seed and that will help to promote plant growth. Farmers realize that when the soil is mixed with legume cost, it can help to improve the rate of growth and yield of non-legume crops from their experience (Bashan, 1998). First bacteria that used were Rhizobium sp. and register for plant inoculation. This patent was known as Nitragin. It has been used in agriculture past hundred years. Now, it was very common and has been practiced a lot in agriculture field.

Meanwhile, PGPR is bringing a lot of advantages in agriculture field. There are many reports which showed that PGPR can help to produce phytohormones, atmospheric nitrogen, and increase availability of certain plant essential elements in soil. In addition, PGPR can help to suppress the plant pathogen. For example, Agrobacterium radiobacter strain K84 is used to suppress crown gall disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and has been produced commercially (Lopez et al, 1990).

References: 

Bashan, Y. 1998. Inoculants of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria for Use in Agriculture. Biotechnology Advance. 16(4): 729-770.
Lopez, M.M., Salcedo, C.I., Marti, R. & Vicedo, B. 1990. Inhibitory Effect of Agrobacterium radiobacter Strains K84 and K1026 Against Plant Pathogenic Erwinia, Pseudomonas, and Xanthomonas. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizocbacteria Progress and Prospects. 77-80.

           Copy from:

Ooi, Y.S. 2014. Isolation and Characterization of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Its Effect on Quality of Turfgrass, Degree Thesis, University Putra Malaysia.

It is considering one of the bio-fertilizer but its effect is slower than chemical fertilizer. PGPR that used in farm will be uploaded later on~~ =)

  
Angelia

Weed

What is weed???

Weed has a lot of explanations and meanings. For me on farming, weed is a plant that grow on the farm and compete with our crop for nutrients, water and space. When a carrot plant is growing on corn field, the carrot plant is also considering a weed that grow on corn field. This is because planting corn is our target in this area, if other types of crop grows at there consider interrupt the growth of our corn.

Advantages of Weed

1) Legume can help to fix nitrogen in soil sometimes with helping of Rhizobium bacteria. Rhizobium is a
    plant growth-regulating rhizobacteria that able help to fix nitrogen in soil.

2)Control the soil erosion.

3)Act as trap plant by attracting some insect pest - biological control of insect pest.

4)As a food for livestock like cows and sheep.

5)Medical value.

Disadvantages of Weed

1)Interrupt the growth of crop by competing the nutrients, space and water.

2)As a host for pests and pathogens

3)Reduce soil fertility

4)Reduce quality and quantity of crops

5)Affect the uniformity and appearance of turf in golf course

Weed Controls

Our vegetable farm is an organic farm. Herbicides are not allowed to be used to control or kill the weeds. We only can control it manually, machinery and others that environmental friendly ways.

a)Manual

We are removing the weeds by using hands or with help of tools like spade or hoe.

Weeding together with ah ma~!

b)Mulching

Use coconut coir or dry paddy straw cover the surface of ground. It can help to reduce the weeds, conserve the nutrient and water moisture in soil and improve the soil structure. When it is decaying, it will become organic matter and help to increase nutrients in soil.

c)Mowing

Mowing can help to reduce the growth of weeds by using mower. In our farm, we are using nylon string lawn mower to mow the weeds or grass.

Weeds that commonly found in our farms will be post next time. Stay tuned~! ; )

Angelia

Flies on Fire....;....Fireflies!!

Fireflies or their cooler name "Lightning Bugs" are actually a type of beetle (so no they are not actually flies) in the order of Coleoptera. They get their name because they produce bio luminescent light from their abdomens which can be from 510 to 670 nano-meters in wavelength, this means they can produce yellow, green and pale red lights.

       Photo by Terry Priest 

Here are 10 cool facts about fireflies:

1) They are the worlds most efficient light producers

2) They communicate with light

3) Each species has their own flash pattern

4) Firefly larvae feed on snails

5) Fireflies can glow all throughout their life cycle 

6) Some can be poisonous

7) They are not flies or bugs, they are beetles

8) Some fireflies eat each other

9) They live for only about 2 months

10) There are over 2000 species of fireflies!

However, in recent years, scientists have noticed a decline in the population of fireflies, they are disappearing!! This has been attributed to human invasion of the fireflies natural habitat with things like:

1) Too much light at night

2) Use of pesticides

3) Deforestation

4) Rivers drying up

It would be such a shame if these beautiful creatures of the night were to turn off their lights for good, so at Toucheng Farm we try to create a healthy environment for them to thrive in. During the firefly season from around March to May you can see healthy population of fireflies in the farm. This is because of our well maintained environment. We have large forest, several streams and we do not turn on many lights at night.

Photos of Fireflies in Toucheng Farm

Bamboo

Bamboo, despite looking like a tree is actually a type of grass in the Poaceae family, sub family Bambusoideae. 90% of the worlds bamboo is in Asia and they also have a huge cultural impact on Asian cultural as many structures and tools were and still are made from bamboo. There are many examples of this at the farm:

     Bamboo Umbrella Basket

Bamboo container

 Bamboo wind chimes

 Bamboo wind blower

 Bamboo Shade

Bamboo Ceiling

Bamboo is stronger than steel and is hollow which makes it very useful for building and making tools.

Aside from tools baby bamboo shoots can also be eaten. There are many benefits in eating bamboo:
1) Low in calories
2) High in fibre
3) High in potassium (640 milligrams per serving)
4) Good source for phytochemicals (fights cancer, bacteria and viruses, anti-inflammatory)

Bamboo forest at Toucheng Leisure Farm