Brandy Humes now enjoys a lush garden full of tomatoes, watermelon, peppers and raspberries, but it took replacing all the soil on her property to make her feel comfortable about growing food. Photo by Richard Lautens, Toronto Star.

Lead poisoning in children can cause neurological damage

By Theresa Boyle
Toronto Star
September 3, 2010

Excerpt:

“My neighbourhood has a long history of contamination,” Armstrong says of the south Junction Triangle, once a highly industrialized area. “We have a 2½-year-old and a 6-year-old and we don’t want them eating anything that is questionable.”

It is for residents like Armstrong that the city is developing a soil-contaminant protocol. To be released next year, the protocol will help urban gardeners determine if their soil is contaminant-free. If it’s not, the protocol will explain how they can still grow edible fruits and vegetable on their property. This might involve doing raised-bed gardening or having their soil remediated.

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US First Lady Michelle Obama harvests vegetables from her garden June 4, 2010 at the White House. The First Lady recruited chefs from across to join her anti-obesity campaign and help schools serve healthier, tastier meals. Mrs. Obama is calling on the chefs to partner with individual schools and work with teachers and parents to help educate kids about food and nutrition. She said healthy meals at schools are more important than ever because many children get most of their calories at school. AFP Photo by Paul J. Richards.

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Urban Farm – Fall 2010 – Voume 2 – Number 3

Contents:

Sustainable Communities
Is cohousing a fancy name for a hippie commune? Not at all. Read about the cooperation and sustainability moves that make these modern communities work.
by Jenise Aminoff

Bee Flys Into a Bar
Top bar beekeeping is taking flight as a low-maintenance, small-space beekeeping method.
by Cherie Langlois

Mix It Up
Seasonal crop rotation will make your garden grow right round, baby, right round, no matter the size of your garden plot.
by Jessica Walliser

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