The Earth & Grow team showed up for a beautiful sunny weekend in Fryeburg, Maine. With over 300 vendors and thousands of home & garden enthusiasts, the Fryeburg Fair is an event not to miss! We met some incredible people and through our conversations and demonstrations, opened minds to the basic principle that plants are not in their evolved state... that they're not in connection with the Earth!
Finding out about the world's first safe, easy and effective product designed for grounding her plants, Cathi B. said this about her time spent with us,
"You guys were absolutely the best booth and had the most awesome product at the whole Home, Farm and Garden Show in Fryeburg. Totally awesome! ... My husband and I love what you're doing, and are getting an order together. Thanks, and keep up the really interesting work. Great job!!"
We appreciate the feedback Cathi and appreciate everyone that stopped by to find out more about Earth & Grow. We're excited about reconnecting gardens all over New England and beyond! Big thanks to Karla as well for doing a great job directing the event. Already looking forward to next year!
This past summer, Will Gasner, a student at Brown University,
conducted the first independent university experiment using the Earth
& Grow system. With guidance from Fred Jackson, director of the Plant Environment Center,
he recorded a 145% increase in yield!
Will selected 20 identical pepper plant seedlings and divided
them into 2 equal groups. One group was grown using the Earth & Grow
system and the other group was not. Both groups were grown with the
same soil mix, fertilizer, watering schedule and growing environment.
Throughout the summer, the pepper plants that were plugged in grew more
healthy and strong, appearing to be much more resistant to the hot
temperatures and high humidity conditions in the greenhouse. Check out
the photos below for the best side by sides of the experiment. The pepper plant on the right was grown using the Earth & Grow system.
"Nature heals the heart and soul, and those are things the doctors
cannot help. That's what this garden is all about — healing the parts of
yourself that the doctors can't." -Deborah Burt
Construction of the Dole VA Memorial Peace Garden located in Wichita, Kansas began in July 2012. The idea for this natural refuge of healing came from Laura Nutter, daughter of Donald Kolar who was a patient at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center. Kolar was an avid gardener, so she thought that the best way to honor
him would be to designate a small area on the grounds of the Dole VA
Medical Center with flowers that others might be able to enjoy as well.
According to Nutter, “His potted annuals and raised bed vegetable
gardens were the talk of the neighborhood.” Gardening took Kolar back to
his childhood days of working on his family farm and gave him a
comforting hobby which shortened the long days of summer. “He was always
willing to share his gardening advice with anyone who had an interest
and he was often at my front door with the latest crop of cucumbers and
tomatoes.” exclaimed Nutter.
When Heidi Barrus RN, BSN was asked how the garden fits into the bigger picture, she
responded “It gives back.” She continued, “Our men and women Veterans,
along with their families have sacrificed so much to serve our country
and protect our freedom, and this garden is a way for us to show our
thanks and appreciation. The garden will offer an opportunity for
Veterans, their family members, and employees to dig in the dirt, to
bury their troubles from the day, and to watch their efforts grow
wonderful vegetables and flowers in the raised beds accessible to all.”
All too often, hospitals can appear to be big, cold, scary places- this
is just one way we are working to welcome our Veterans home, to know
that they are appreciated, to engage them, and ultimately to improve the
health and well being of the Veterans that we are honored to serve.
