Hi Juan Diego,

To every mother, mentor, and earth-shaker: Your hands plant the seeds of change. This month, we celebrate the wisdom you cultivate—in gardens, kitchens, and hearts.

Exclusive Premieres Just for You

Here's a little preview of what's coming up this month!

Soil Blocks



Ever seen how soil blocks help plants thrive? At Paradise Farms in South Florida, they use this innovative technique to grow strong, healthy seedlings.

The Flower That Tastes Like Cucumber!

Borage might look delicate, but this edible bloom packs a refreshing cucumber‑like flavor that brightens salads, drinks, and desserts.

Tumeric

 Known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric can help reduce joint pain, improve digestion, and even boost your immune system.

Seed-Saving Secrets: How Our Grandmothers Preserved Tomorrow’s Harvest

A Mini-Guide by Neighborhood Farms USA

• Select & Ripen: Choose seeds from your healthiest plants, letting them fully mature on the vine/plant.

• Process & Dry: For wet seeds (tomatoes), ferment then rinse and dry. For dry seeds (beans, flowers), shell and ensure they're completely dry.

• Store Securely: Place thoroughly dried seeds in labeled, airtight containers in a cool, dark, dry location.

Imagine this planet Earth as an apple; now, in the skin of the apple, draw the world map. Take out the skin of the apple, which represents the oceans. Out of that thin layer of skin that is left, understand that only 30-40% can be used for agriculture on the continents. Out of that land that can be used for agriculture, only the top layer of topsoil has the proper fertility to grow crops. The big problem is that we have been losing this topsoil since we discovered agriculture, specifically by tilling the soil. When the soil is tilled or opened with any rudimentary or modern equipment, many microorganisms die, and the nutrients in their body become bioavailable to the crops we grow to feed the “civilized world.” But why is this bad? It sounds great, right?  

There is a catch: as we till the soil every season, it gets loose. When it rains, the water washes away with nutrients and organic matter, ending up in the rivers and oceans. This has been happening for the last 10,000 years. That is why many countries in the Middle East, where agriculture and civilizations started, have been depleted of topsoil, and we are heading in the same direction. Today in the United States, we are tilling millions of acres with big machinery, and guess what, the product that we export the most is not corn or wheat, it is soil. Not because we sell it, but because of tillage and other unsustainable practices, we have lost almost 60 billion metric tons of topsoil since we started growing food 160 years ago. It won't be far before we run out of soil, and this civilization collapses just like the Romans, Mayans, or Sumerians. According to studies, we only have 60 seasons left. 

In this way, the love and heart of this Mother Earth is not only at its core but mostly in her skin, it is that thin layer of fertility and topsoil that nourishes us and keeps us alive. The good news is that we humans are not doomed to self-destroy. On the contrary, there are regenerative farming techniques that can build more soil and fertility every season, leaving a more fertile and abundant world for future generations. With no tilling techniques that boost microbial life in the soil, some farms today are changing the direction of humanity and ever-improving living conditions for humans and all living beings. What is even better about this is that we can reverse global warming with proper agricultural techniques! By building soil with regenerative practices, we can sequester the carbon in the air and put it back into the soil. You heard this right, we can create more fertility and reverse global warming at the same time, the problem is the solution! 

Think about it: the best legacy we can leave future generations is not just money and assets, which are essential, but fertility. So, how can you leave that little piece of land you care for, better for future generations? By building fertility on it! Start with no-tilling practices in your garden beds. Compost all the food scraps you produce and compost all the organic matter from your garden, dry leaves, branches, grass clippings, etc. If you have too much, give it to neighbors and community gardens. There is no better present than a bag of good-quality living compost! Who knows, your children might be one of those farmers who help save the earth, with the inspiration from your backyard. Bill Mollison, one of the most important pioneers of regenerative agriculture, said, “All the world's problems can be solved in a garden.” So go out there, build soil, life, fertility, and care for this earth by creating a dirtier future!.

Visit our Garden Plans section and download the FREE DIY Indoor Herb Garden guide!

“Click to download” - and visit for other guides

P.S. Have questions? Post them in our membership group where our experts are ready to assist. Who knows - you might help other members with the same questions too! Let's grow our knowledge together!

This May, let’s turn sunshine into sustenance, and backyards into legacies. Together, we’re sowing a brighter future—one seed at a time.

Neighborhood Farms USA, Inc.

4500 North State Road 7, Suite 100

Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33319

info@nfusa.org