Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2006. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-62). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Master of Science / Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Candice A. Shoemaker / Low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and low physical activity (PA) levels are linked to increased risk of chronic diseases such as overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases. American Indians/Alaska Natives (NA) seem to be even more susceptible to these chronic diseases when compared to the general United States (U.S.) population, though little research has been conducted on smaller NA tribes. Gardening has been shown to increase vegetable consumption and be a means of PA. The purpose of this study was to see if gardeners of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe (PBPN) in Kansas were more likely to have positive health indicators than non-gardeners. The objective was to discover if PBPN gardeners were more likely than non-gardeners to eat the daily recommended amount of fruit (2 servings) (Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 2015a), eat the daily recommended amount of vegetables (3 servings) (Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 2015b), meet the weekly recommended amount of PA (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009), perceive their health to be good, and determine if PBPN gardeners meet the weekly recommended amount of PA through gardening activities. Surveys were utilized to gather gardening and health information for PBPN tribal members. Data was coded and descriptive and contingent statistical analyses were performed. Gardeners were more likely than non-gardeners to eat the daily recommended amount of vegetables, the daily amount of both FV, and meet all FV and PA recommendations. Most gardeners met PA recommendations through gardening activities. Gardeners were not more likely than non-gardeners to eat the daily recommended amount of fruit, meet the recommended amount of PA, or to perceive their health as good. Encouraging gardening seems promising as a means of encouraging healthy lifestyles.

Thesis (MTech (Horticulture))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012. / The effects of various water quantities were assessed on Cucumber (Cucumis sativa L.) grown hydroponically in the greenhouse. The objectives of the study were to evaluate influence of water quantities on: i) photosynthesis and chlorophyll content of Cucumis sativa L.; ii) the nutrient uptake in Cucumis sativa L. iii) flavonoid and anthocyanin metabolism in Cucumis sativa L. and iv) growth and yield in Cucumis sativa L. The treatments included 8 various water regimes (21/h, 41/h, 61/h, 81/h, 101/h, 121/h, 141/h and 161/h. The plants received water five times a day, making it 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 litres per day. Results showed that generally the Photosynthetic rate (A), intercellular CO2 concentration (Cj) and stomata conductance (gs) and the transpiration rate of the cucumber plants were significantly increased by increasing water quantities compared with lower water quantities. Additionally, there were significant improvements in leaf colour in weeks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Overall, the foliage colour was improved as water supply was increased. The greener leaves were documented in treatments supplied with higher water doses. Additionally, the chlorophyll content of cucumber plants was increased significantly with varying water quantities. The highest chlorophyll contents were found in plants treated with 161/h.

5 p. / Growers of organic produce in the Southwestern United States face many challenges, including variation in water and temperature, and exposure to insects and disease. As a result, smallholder organic farmers are increasingly relying on soil additives such as compost tea that improve product quality, use less water, deter pests, and reduce reliance on chemical additives (Diver, 2002). But what exactly is compost tea? Do the benefits of using compost tea outweigh any concerns? For example, can it contain pathogens, and if so, do applicators have to worry about coming into contact with pathogens? This publication provides facts about making compost tea, and reviews both the benefits and potential disadvantages to help smallholder farmers to make educated decisions regarding the use of compost tea.

This study used cross-sectional survey data to estimate farmers` perceptions of, and commonly cultivated ILVs, factors that influence the participation of smallholder famers in the production of Indigenous Leafy Vegetables and its contribution to household food security]. With regard to farmers` perceptions of ILVs, descriptive results reveal that a majority of the people from the study area share positive perceptions with respect to ILVs. Regression estimates for determinants of participation indicate that the production of ILVs is primarily conditioned by shared perceptions and institutional factors rather than the socio-economic attributes of farmers. Public policies that address the institutional framework (extension, credit, market and social networks) in favour of ILVs are more likely to promote production. Also, more research on the documentation and benefits of ILVs, supported by investments targeting educational campaigns towards promoting positive attitudes and dispelling fears and myths surrounding ILVs, will further promote production. With reference to the contribution of ILVs to food security, descriptive results indicate that participation in the production of ILVs leads to a higher HDDS and a lower HFIAS. Regression estimates further revealed that participation positively contributes to a higher HDDS and a lower HFIAS, suggesting that households who participate in the production of ILVs are more likely to be food secure than non-participants. Therefore, participation in the production of ILVs has significant potential to address household food security.

Overpopulation and over-exploitation of resources continues to strain the process of development for many countries in the tropics. In Latin America deforestation and the subsequent marginalization of these lands has put pressure on the agricultural research community to develop appropriate land-use systems for these areas. Agroforestry is one class of such systems that are presently receiving much attention. The tropical mixed garden, in particular, is one such system that has attracted attention from researchers in various countries. The present study has focused upon the traditional mixed garden system, as found in Costa Rica, with the objective of determining its potential for increased contribution to small farming systems. Development of the data base for this assessment included a survey of 225 farms distributed throughout Costa Rica, year-long case studies of six farms, divided between two contrasting ecological zones, and a simple simulation model of a mixed garden agroforestry system. The mixed garden is clearly an important component of small farming systems in Costa Rica. Though half of the gardens studied were only between 0.01 to 0.20 hectares in size, half were greater, and a few encompassed a hectare or more of land. As a percent of total farm size, mixed gardens were most important in the Tropical Dry Forest and Tropical Moist Forest life zones. Mixed gardens are more common in economically depressed areas and less so in areas where farmers are well off. The ranking of various factors representing ecological complexity of mixed gardens is what one would expect if difference in garden complexity were determined solely by between-zone differences in the environment, thus supporting hypothesis 1. On the other hand, multivariate analysis of species presence/absence data for mixed gardens suggest that the hypothesis (Hypothesis 2) that Holdridge's system of ecological classification is an adequate means of stratifying the variation in species composition in mixed gardens is false. The findings also support the hypothesis (Hypothesis 3) that the mixed garden has a higher energy benefit-cost ratio than commercial cropping systems. The commercial cropping systems on the farms studied consumed between 9 to 10,000 times the amount of cultural energy as did the mixed gardens. Mixed gardens on small farms have the potential to contribute much more to the cash economy of the farm household than they generally do at present. The observations reported here concerning labour patterns and management practices, together with the economic analysis, support the hypothesis (Hypothesis 4) that the output of the mixed garden can be improved. The economic and labour use analysis presented here also supports the hypothesis (Hypothesis 5) that "the mixed garden exists as a supplementary enterprise whose primary function is to absorb excess farm labour." With due regard for the limitations of a simulation of the type used in this thesis, I find support for the contention that the traditional mixed garden in Costa Rica can be developed into an ecologically conservative yet commercially viable cropping system. In particular, the incorporation of high-value timber species shows the potential to significantly improve the long-term economy of the farm. Integrating animal production, as Wagner (1957) had advocated earlier, also can enhance garden productivity. / Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies / Graduate

This master's thesis examines the delineation of a community garden centre including technical and applied theory, which is then incorporated into a functional model. The theoretical part focuses on the creation of community garden centre and the characterization of accompanying aspects from sociology, public spaces, environmental education, legislation and other topics. The second part of this thesis examines applied theory, focusing on the conversion of theoretical knowledge into a functional model of community garden centre. The model is created within a unified strategy and according to public demand. The informatical basis for deciding outputs includes local analysis, SWOT analysis and demand analysis.

La propuesta describe los aspectos necesarios para desarrollar un negocio sobre el autocultivo a partir de la venta de huertos verticales para hogares en el Perú, en la ciudad de Lima. El proyecto busca fomentar el consumo saludable de insumos naturales a partir de la propia elaboración, buscando comodidad y reducción de costos para los hogares que deseen hacer uso de este producto. Se llega al público objetivo a través de campañas de marketing enfocadas en el uso de redes sociales reflejadas en el incremento de ventas a partir del segundo y tercer año. Asimismo, se realizará con énfasis en rede sociales como Instagram y Facebook las cuales engloban desde jóvenes hasta amas de casas, lo cual permite cubrir eficazmente el público objetivo, los cuales son los hogares limeños. Respecto al pronóstico de ventas, según cifras de Euromonitor, se espera que la industria de jardinería y consumo orgánico incremente a partir del 2020 por un periodo mayor a 10 años. Esto permite que la empresa apueste por ventas a gran escala y con una tasa de crecimiento atractiva. Finalmente, el valor actual neto de la empresa asciende a aproximadamente S/ 841 221, lo cual significa que la empresa es rentable. Asimismo, enfocándose en los indicadores para el accionista o tasa COK ascenderá a 10.38% siendo el WACC igual porque la empresa no cuenta con un endeudamiento financiero. Gracias al análisis de flujo de caja elaborado, se puede observar que la empresa genera ganancias desde el primer año. / This proposal describes the necessary aspects to carry out a business on self-cultivation from the sale of vertical gardens for homes in Lima, Peru. The project seeks to promote the healthy consumption of natural inputs from the preparation itself, seeking comfort and reducing costs for households that wish to use this product. The target audience will be reached through marketing campaigns focused purely on the use of social networks, all online. These are reflected in the increase in sales from the second and third year. Likewise, it will be carried out with an emphasis on social networks such as Instagram and Facebook, which range from young people to housewives, which allows effective coverage of the target audience, which are Lima households. Regarding the company's sales forecast, according to Euromonitor, the gardening and organic consumption industry is expected to increase from 2020 for a period of more than 10 years. This allows the company from its inception to bet on a large-scale sale with an attractive growth rate, which will be reflected in sales. Finally, the net present value of the company amounts to approximately S / 841 221, which means that the company is profitable. Likewise, the COK will rise to 10.38%, the WACC being the same because the company does not have financial indebtedness. Finally, due to the elaborated cash flow analysis, it can be seen that the company generates profits from the first year. / Trabajo de investigación

Activities involving natural environments have positive psychological impacts on participants. Both outdoor recreation and gardening have been shown to reduce feelings of depression. However, the effects of these activities on the depression levels of individuals with disabilities have not yet been studied. In order to better understand the relationship between these activities and depression among individuals with disabilities, two separate studies were conducted. The first study seeks to better understand the relationship between outdoor recreation participation and depression among Montana residents with disabilities using publicly available Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. It hypothesizes that depression would be negatively correlated with outdoor recreation participation and that individuals participating more frequently in outdoor recreation activities would have lower overall depression index scores. This study compares three outdoor recreation predictors (dichotomized participation, participation index score, and participation frequencies) to two depression dependents (dichotomized current major depression and raw depression index score). Results reveal that there is a negative relationship between outdoor recreation participation and depression, outdoor recreation participants had lower overall depression scores than non-participants, and lower depression scores were related to more frequent outdoor recreation participation. Respondents participating in outdoor recreation at least four times a week had the lowest mean depression score. The second study, also using BRFSS data, sought to identify the relationship between gardening and depression among Utah residents with disabilities. This study hypothesized that participation in gardening activities would be negatively correlated to depression. In order to test this hypothesis, this study compared the mean depression scores of five different gardening categories: non-gardeners, past gardeners, non-current gardeners, lifetime gardeners, and current gardeners. It likewise compared gardening status with depression scores to identify a linear relationship. Results reveal that there is a negative linear relationship between gardening and depression. Current gardeners and lifetime gardeners had significantly lower overall depression scores than non-gardeners.

No description available.