text:
When you contact us the receptionist will tell you a little about the service we offer, take some details from you such as name, partners name, address and contact details. If you wish to register you will be asked to pay the £10 registration fee and your name will be placed on our waiting list. When the next available appointment becomes available you will be contacted by our receptionist. Currently there is an average waiting time of 2-4 weeks for daytime appointments and 4-6 weeks for evening appointments. However this can vary depending on your own availability and you could possibly be offered an appointment when you register.
Relationships Scotland Glasgow is an independent non profit making charity and although we receive grants from the Scottish Government and West Dunbartonshire Council we also rely on client contributions to provide our service. Our fees are dependent on income, not earnings, and will be discussed at the initial contact stage.
If you cancel a session within 24 hours of your appointment we will ask for the full fee for that session to be paid. Out with that time there is no cancellation fee.
Yes, whether you are single or have a partner who does not want to attend you are still welcome to attend on your own.
No you do not have to be married or even be in a permanent relationship.
The same service is offered regardless of sexual orientation. Relationship Scotland Glasgow is committed to equal respect for all.
Our counselling service is completely confidential. We will not disclose your name or any information about you to anyone outside Relationships Scotland Glasgow unless someone's personal safety is at risk. All our employees and counsellors are bound by a code of confidentiality.
We do have a complaints procedure. If you wish to make a complaint please contact the manager in the first instance on 0141 248 5249.
Unfortunately we cannot offer any child care. If you are stuggling to attend an appointment due to child care please give us a call to re-arrange your appointment to a more suitable time.
The only occasion we cannot offer our service is if you have a court case pending for domestic abuse. Also, if a client arrives under the influence of drugs or alcohol they will be asked to leave as this could put our staff and counsellors at risk.


text:
March 10, 2018 /
Humanist Ceremony Garden Wedding in Cheshire
Humanist Ceremony Garden Wedding in Cheshire. Sarah & Rob Sarah and Rob are just fab. They are always smiling and laughing. I love them, with a shared obsession of our cats how could I not. Wh...
Humanist Ceremony Garden Wedding in Cheshire.
Sarah & Rob
Sarah and Rob are just fab. They are always smiling and laughing. I love them, with a shared obsession of our cats how could I not.
When Sarah first got in touch she wrote, 'I am terrible at this wedding planning malarkey! You are out of our original budget but damn it I have fallen a little bit in love with your photos so have decided that you shall be one of my wedding caution to the wind splurges!' The wedding was going to be as small they could make it although Sarah and Rob quickly realised they knew more people than they thought. 'It's going to be a pretty standard tipi style thing I think, nothing too formal or stuffy allowed and lots of drinks and silliness 🙂 We haven't really decided what kind of ceremony to have yet. I've never been to one I've liked yet so it will definitely be short and sweet!'
They were married at Sarah's family home in Cheshire on a sun in sun out summers day. Sarah arrived in an epic Ford Mustang, which belonged to a family friend, and they had a lovely humanist ceremony conducted by the amazing Maxine Beech held on the path leading up to the front of the house where the guests sat on benches under the sun and in between rain showers. This was going to be a ceremony Sarah finally liked, they day before she messaged me to say that, 'Maxine is actually blowing my mind with her awesomeness!' They drank from a Quaich, a Scottish cup of friendship, and their wedding rings were passed round their family and friends to bless. Sarah was so excited throughout the ceremony and kept giving her big brilliant smiling laugh and I loved Rob's face when he'd look at her laughing he looked so happy. Their wedding breakfast was in a tipi in a orchard beyond the house, mostly decorated by Sarah's handy craftwork. It was such a fab and chilled out wedding where everyone just had a ball. One of their friends who was kind of acting as MC was given a Kentucky Fired Chicken T shirt for his efforts and one point he and another male guest put it on together and ran across the grass in the orchard and fell in to a bush. Mad!
I loved shooting Sarah and Rob's wedding it was so much fun and I'm really happy to share their wedding highlights with you.
Big 5 catering.
Top that wood fired pizza.
Cake by Sue Kelly at Little Box of Treats, Stockton Heath.
Sarah Meredith hair and make-up.
Tipi Unique supplied tipi and some decor.
Humanist Celebrant – Maxine Beech.
Bride's dress from Bridal Lane Vintage in Bromley cross.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Happy holidays, readers!
We've updated this story (which is still so useful) to make sure it shows you products available to buy in 2018. We hope you enjoy it! For gift guides published this year, be sure to check out:
- 20 Gifts That Will Impress For Less Than $25
- 22 Holiday Gift Ideas For You And Your Boo
- Christmas Gift Ideas For The Travel Lovers In Your Life
We've also included a few survival tips for the holidays below.
Secret Santa gifts, whether for a close friend or a not-so-close co-worker, don't have to be that complicated.
There are essential non-personalized things we can all appreciate: from funky, office decor to a new mug to gifts that give back, finding the perfect Secret Santa present is all about being thoughtful and practical.
If you don't know the person that well, do a bit of research by asking their close friends or checking out their social media feeds to see if there are any hobbies or interests that pop out ... just don't ruin the surprise by telling a lot of people.
And if your budget is a little bigger this year, we also have this Secret Santa gift guide for gifts up to $25.
Below are 30 of our favourite Secret Santa gifts from around the web — hey, at this price, you may just end up picking up something for yourself!
Fresh Herbs In A Bag
Cute Notebook
Funky Socks
Cozy Mug
For Storing
For Saving
Mini Booze
Caesar Mix
Drink Up!
Big-Headed Figurines
Cute And Cozy
Holiday Massage Bar
Desk Plant
Therapeutic Bath
Cocktail Mixes
Colourful Bowl
Tea Ball
A Little Extra Mustard
Travel Cutlery Set
Harry's Shaving Kit
Scratch Map Travel By Luckies Of Londo
Multistripe Tote fFrom Hudson's Bay Company
Starbucks Dot Collection Mug
Journal By Moleskine
Marble Entertaining Coasters By Indigo
American Era Variety 3-Pack from Dutch's
Landscape Halifax Teacup From Drake General Store
David's Tea For The Tree
Soap and Paper Factory Creamy Peppermint Hand Cream
Fireside Vintage Glass Candle By Woodwick
A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens
Secret Santa Gift Set From Lush
For The Organized Man
For The Beat Lover
For The Morning Person
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.


text:
Sometimes being in a firefighter family means rescheduling the holidays! Enjoy this letter from Santa to arrange an alternative delivery date for presents and the perfect way to explain what happens when Firefighters need to work on the 25th.
Christmas is always a fun time to get together and enjoy the season. But what happens when some of your family members can't make it on December 25th? 😱😱😱
This has certainly been a problem that families have gotten create with but there are some great alternatives and solutions for holidays as a fire family.
So here's something for all the kids!
This Printable Santa Letter lets you choose an alternative date for easy explanation. Did I mention it's FREE? Yeah- we want to give you the solutions you need to make this Fire Family Lifestyle less crazy 👍
I mean- it's SO CUTE! and you can use it year after year! Even when the kids are older- it's still something that you can do to let them know that your Firefighter will need some Extra time on the 25th!
Not feeling the Santa Letter?
Generic works just as well. 😉


text:
Sign In
View Entries
Sign In
Contest has ended.
Central Time
Promote Joey
Leave a Comment
Cat Dad's First Name
Downers Grove
Cat's Story or Bio
This is a lousy picture, but it shows Tony working hard on a custom litter box for our latest kitty, Joey. Tony loves Joey, depite his poor potty skills. Joey is a wild guy who waits patiently for Tony to turn on the faucet or chase him with a toy. Tony has loved cats since he was a boy, but wasn't allowed to have one. He has been a proud cat daddy for twenty years now!
Copyright © 2020 SJM Fundraising, LLC.
Powered By


text:
Design Inspiration no. 4: downtown Fort Worth.
Brick structures, brick lanes, brick mural, brick…brick…brink…
I love the different hues of brick that swath downtown: copper, clay, worn out brown; and how the trees flank sidewalks and alleys that have been converted to al fresco dining. It's a district that begs to be explored on foot, to feel the unevenness of brick against the soles of your shoes, to meander under out-stretched branches and gaze at towers that bleed right into the blue white sky.
All images ©2012 Sriprae P. McDonald


text:
$410,504: 1 Beds, 1 Baths
Email Save Notes
The Details
1 Bed | 1 Bath | 861 Sq Ft | 1973 Year Built | Sold
1/2 mile to Metro! // A+ condition throughout! // Huge balcony with spectacular view of Washington Monument, Capitol Dome, and more! // Extraordinary renovations to Kitchen and Bath // Brazilian koa wood floors // New windows and sliding doors installed last year! // up to 3 garage spaces [$225/year for 1st car, +$375/year for 2nd car, +675/year for 3rd] // Condo fee includes ALL utilities // Many restaurants, shops, and night spots nearby, and many more opening soon in Ballston Quarter! // Harris Teeter next door, new Target coming just blocks away // Offers due by 2:00PM Tuesday 3/26
Sold Price
Close Date
Listed by Dick Nathan, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.


text:
Delia Smith is showcasing a new recipe for a rhubarb and stem ginger brûlée during the middle of Coronation Street on ITV at 8.40, the most expensive advertising slot on television.
The Waitrose commercial, which runs for the full duration of the ad break, will also be show on Channel 4, during the Country House Rescue programme later in the evening.
Waitrose, after always previously eschewing celebrities in its advertising, has hired both Smith and Heston Blumenthal, the chef and owner of The Fat Duck, as part of a campaign that is understood to cost about £20 million in total. The company is desperate that the so-called Delia effect will see it continue to win back rich shoppers, who had left the supermarket during the recession.
It is expecting sales to be boosted by £1 million from tonight's advert alone. It features Blumenthal visiting a pig farm in Norfolk and then cooking a joint of pork with the help of meat thermometer. Waitrose has stripped its supplier of all of its stock and expects to sell "thousands" of the thermometer.
Smith is then seen cooking a simple rhubarb brûlée. It does not feature eggs, which feature in a traditional crème brûlée; rather Greek yogurt and double cream are mixed together and layered on top of the baked fruit, which has been sweetened and flavoured with stem ginger. The dish is then covered in demerara sugar before being place under a hot grill to create a crunchy topping.
The advert ends with Blumenthal wandering into shot, tasting Smith's dish and nodding approvingly.
Waitrose Commercial Director, Richard Hodgson: "Our branches are filling their shelves today with rhubarb and joints of pork, to make sure they can meet demand caused by the anticipated 'Delia and Heston effect'. And – behind the scenes – we've been working for months with our suppliers to gear up for the ad's debut tonight."
The company has stocked up on 18 times more double cream, 40 times more stem ginger, 70 times more ground ginger and, 16 times more Greek yogurt than normal.
The 'Delia Effect' is so powerful that the term entered the Collins English Dictionary in 2001.
She caused a national cranberry shortage in 1995 and transformed the fortunes of a struggling Lancashire firm when she described their omelette pan as a "little gem", prompting sales to leap from 200 a year to 90,000 in four months.


text:
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Celebrates 30 Years in Seattle
SEATTLE, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray(Piper Jaffray) today celebrates 30 years of serving clients in the state ofWashington. Piper Jaffray, founded in 1895, established its presence inJuly 1972 with the opening of its Seattle office, which now has more than100 employees. Piper Jaffray has more than 230 employees in its 13 Washingtonstate offices.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020717/SFW095 )
To commemorate the anniversary and thank the greater Seattle community forthe long-standing history of partnership, the firm has made a $20,000 donationto the local Make-a-Wish Foundation.
"We are thrilled to celebrate 30 years of service in Seattle with thisdonation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation," said Andrew Duff, chief executiveofficer at Piper Jaffray. "This contribution truly symbolizes our strongcommitment to serving and contributing to the communities in which we live andwork. We have enjoyed our three-decade partnership with the Seattle communityand look forward to continued success."
"Piper Jaffray is honored to be able to sponsor a child's wish throughthis wonderful organization," said Tim Chervenak, regional director andSeattle branch manager at Piper Jaffray. "We were touched to watch ourSeattle-area employees voluntarily match their personal funds with thecorporate donation to demonstrate their commitment to serving this community."
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-basedU.S. Bancorp, provides a full range of investment products and services tobusinesses, institutions and individuals. The company's investment bankingbusiness has grown exponentially in the last several years by focusing on theneeds of growth companies in the health care, technology, financialinstitutions, consumer and industrial growth sectors. U.S. Bancorp PiperJaffray has a national reputation for its expertise in fundamental researchand equity and debt financing. U.S. Bancorp offers a comprehensive range offinancial solutions through U.S. Bank, U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, U.S.Bancorp Libra Investments and U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray. Securities productsand services offered through U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, Inc., member SIPC andNYSE, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp.
NOTE: Nondeposit investment products are not insured by the FDIC, are notdeposits or other obligations of or guaranteed by U.S. Bank NationalAssociation or its affiliates, and involve investment risks, includingpossible loss of the principal amount invested. Securities products andservices are offered through U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc., member SIPC andNYSE, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp.
MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here


text:
CONTRACTS are due to be awarded shortly for the construction of a light rail line in Tunis, linking the central station with the southwestern suburb of El Mourouj.
Expected to be completed next year, the line is the first of two 7 km extensions to the city's five-line light rail network opened in 1985-95. Société du Métro Léger de Tunis decided in mid-April to order 30 low-floor LRVs to boost the capacity of its present 134-car fleet, and shortlisted Alstom, Siemens and AnsaldoBreda for the final round of tenders.
According to SMLT Planning Director Salah Belaid, the existing network has reached its capacity limits, following an increase in annual ridership from 19 million in 1986 to 115 million in 2002. Daily traffic now stands at 440000 passengers/day, requiring 2 min headways and crush-loading conditions of 6 passengers/m2 on the busiest sections. Although much of the light rail network runs on segregated tracks, growing road congestion is causing increasing problems at junctions and on the street-running sections in the city centre.
Belaid revealed last month that the city had started to draw up a master plan for transport development in 2006-16. This envisages the construction of a 70 km four-line metro to relieve the busiest sections of the light rail network, which would gain a second cross-city trunk and further suburban lines adding a total of 35 km to the present 32 km. He says SMLT is also looking at the use of tram-train technology for the metro, allowing future integration with the present light rail routes, the TGM suburban line and SNTF heavy rail alignments.


text:
There are lots of videos of academics discussing specific research questions and parts of the research process, ranging from 1 minute to approx 15 minutes. A strength of the resource is that presenters share their own experiences and insights and top tips for doing research. To the side of the video, there's a transcript of everything that the academics say. This can be really useful for note taking and you can download a PDF of the transcript to read offline.
Here is a list of some videos for starting your research.


text:
The Eiffel Tower
in Seine river reflecting
a night in Paris
The Eiffel Tower
in Seine river reflecting
a night in Paris
May 16, 2019 in art, Computer Haiga, Haiga, Haiku, Illustration
Tagged Haiga, Haiku, Illustration
Sunset colors
Shines on ocean
Like mirror.
Kad cvrčak podesi tanke strune violine
Zasvira muzika na grani svilenog duda
Znamo da su stigli dani ljetne topline
Opet doljeće u vrt bijeli galeb sa juga.
Grlice zvuci jutrom razbude tišinu
Zanjiše se blago žuti djul uz livade
A kiše talas na tren ublazi sparinu
Dok se u morskoj vodi kupači hlade.
Julska panorama u jarkim bojama ljeta
Zablista zelena rijeka od bambus grana
Uz obalu pored oleandra do kasno se šeta
Pozdravljaju latice hibiskusa rascvjetana.
Na plaži traži se kut u sjeni tropske palme
Nebom preljeta čaplja gipka kao balerina
Zove svježina stoljetne visoke borove šume
Trag nestaje u dugim gustim rižinim poljima.
Posted in art, Art series, Canvas Board, Decorative Art, Folk art, Gallery Wrap Canvas, Lake Painting, Lavender flower, Mix Media, Modern Art, Naive Art, Oil on Canvas, Seashore Painting, Suisai sketch, Water color painting
Tagged Acrylic on Canvas, Decorative Art, Lake Painting, Oil on Canvas, Seashore Painting, Water color painting
Posted in Acrylic on canvas, Acrylic on paper, art, Art series, Canvas Board, Decorative Art, Floral, Folk art, Gallery Wrap Canvas, Illustration, Modern Art, Pattern, Tulips, Unique
Tagged Acrylic on Canvas, Acrylics, Canvas Board, Modern Home Decor, Original Paintings of flowers, Paintings, Shikishi Boards, Tulips
Posted in art, Children, Illustration, Shikishi Board, Water color painting
Tagged Cherry blossom, Shikishi Boards, Sketch, Water color painting
Posted in Acrylic on paper, art, design, exhibition, Fabric, Print
Tagged Prints
Autumn blows softly fallen leaves
On the gray streets of the city.
Shines under the sun
Cherry tree painted in gold by autumn brush.
All the warm colors autumn that has
Nature now assumes.
Posted in 3D Art, art, Digital Art, Folk art, Illustration, Poetry, Print
Posted in 3D Art, art, Digital Art, Folk art, Illustration
Tagged Illustration, Olive
Posted in 3D Art, art, Digital Art, Folk art, Illustration
Posted in art, Digital Art, exhibition, Illustration
Tagged art
Posted in art, design, Illustration
Tagged Graphic, Illustration, Rose


text:
13 May 19-13 is unlucky, so # of the Day was double 26.
COP: 26 morrocan night club jacks, 26 SSH, 13 plank jacks, 13 shoulder touches.
Main Event: divided group into two. One Clockwise around pond; one group CCW around pond. 20 minutes as many laps as possible. Losing team 26 burpees. Six wood benches per lap. Completed bench exercises in following order: decline PU, air squats, leg ups, dips.
Numbers, pledge, COT, conquer the world


text:
U.S. stocks rallied Monday but gave back some early gains as small-caps and technology shares led the way amid the resumption of trade talks with China. The dollar fell to its lowest level since October and Treasury yields ticked higher with traders assessing the seemingly dovish remarks from Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell on Friday.
All major U.S. equity benchmarks ended higher. The S&P 500 Index added 0.7% after rising as much as 1.4% earlier in the session on strength in retailers, automakers and clothing companies. Amazon.com Inc. jumped 3.4%, pushing its market cap to $796.8 billion. It surpassed Microsoft Corp. as the world's largest public company after the software firm only edged higher by 0.1% for a value of $788.9 billion on Monday.
Both Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are now notably larger than Apple Inc., which had held the position for years. The iPhone maker now has a market cap of about $702 billion, down from a record $1.1 trillion in early October. The company has been pressured by weaker-than-expected iPhone demand in China. Last week, it cut its sales outlook, sending the stock to its lowest level since April 2017.
The biggest jump among major gauges came from the small-capitalization Russell 2000 Index, which picked up 1.8%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq benchmarks rose more than 1% with telecommunications services and semiconductor shares pacing gains, giving the Nasdaq 100 Index its first back-to-back 1% gains since November.
"What you really, really want to see, are things like the Russell 2000 outperforming — and it is massively right now," said Michael Antonelli, equity sales trader at Robert W. Baird. "You want to see the risky, risky stuff bouncing hard."
Despite the enthusiasm, investors remain in a quandary after the wild end to 2018 in which the S&P 500 lost more than 9% in a month. Powell's soothing comments on Friday and China's moves to shore up its economy lifted sentiment somewhat, sending the S&P 500 up 1.9% last week, but risks remain. And U.S. lawmakers are still unable to reach agreement on a budget, leaving the federal government shut down for a third week.
"We have a respectable probability that Friday's rally and the last week-and-a-half's rally has more legs behind it," said David Sowerby, managing director and portfolio manager at the investment firm Ancora, which manages $6.9 billion. "It's Fed policy right now, that's first and foremost the most important gauge impacting the market today. Trade issues, number two. A very distant number three is the government shutdown."
Fresh trade talks between the U.S. and China helped sap demand for the greenback, while Treasuries slipped after a substantial retreat on Friday. The pound slid against the euro as U.K. lawmakers sought to avoid a no-deal Brexit. The common currency remained solidly up even as data showed German factory orders fell more than expected in November.
Elsewhere, emerging-market shares jumped, and the Indonesian rupiah led gains in major developing-nation currencies. Oil rose to the highest in three weeks, and gold climbed after China reported increased holdings.
Here are some events investors may focus on this week:
- A U.S. delegation is in Beijing for trade talks with Chinese officials, the first face-to-face encounter since Trump and Xi agreed to a temporary truce on Dec. 1.
- Wednesday sees the release of minutes from the Fed's Dec. 18-19 policy meeting. Powell will speak to the Economic Club of Washington D.C. on Thursday.
- U.K. Parliament resumes a debate on the Brexit withdrawal bill, with Prime Minister Theresa May seeking to avoid defeat in a vote set for the week of Jan. 14.
These are the main moves in markets:
- The S&P 500 rose 0.7% to 2,548.71, while the Russell 2000 climbed 1.8% and Nasdaq 100 gained 1%.
- The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.4%.
- The MSCI All-Country World Index increased 0.9%.
- The MSCI Emerging Market Index advanced 1.3%.
- The euro gained 0.7% to $1.1475, the most in more than a week.
- The Japanese yen slipped 0.2% to 108.72 per dollar.
- The British pound increased 0.4% to $1.2768, the strongest in a month.
- The MSCI Emerging Markets Currency Index advanced 0.3% to the highest since July.
- The yield on 10-year Treasuries gained two basis points to 2.6924%.
- Germany's 10-year yield rose one basis point to 0.221%.
- Britain's 10-year yield fell two basis points to 1.254 %.
Gold rose 0.2% to $1,288.94 an ounce.
Source: Bloomberg


text:
Lawn & Garden
Edamames, Glycine max (L.), are vegetable soybeans consumed at the green stage. In 2013, it was estimated that the United States consumed between 25,000 and 30,000 tons of edamame. Demand is expected to increase as consumers look for healthier, lower cost sources of protein to add to their diet. Isoflavones contained in edamame have been implicated in the reduction of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The increasing popularity of edamame as a healthy snack food has led to increased interest in edamame production from home gardeners across the Southeast. The recommendations and information herein were based on field research conducted in central Alabama.
Edamame, pronounced eh-dah-MAH-may, is the Japanese word for vegetable soybean. Edamame is traditionally boiled in salted water for 7 to 10 minutes and served in the pod. Only the seed itself is eaten, which is typically popped from the pod directly into a person's mouth as a snack food similar to boiled peanuts in Alabama. Edamame is also served shelled in some Asian stir-fry dishes. Although edamame soybeans are the same genus and species as grain-type soybeans, they are typically larger in size and have a more appealing, sweet flavor. In recent years, there has been an increased demand and broader acceptance of edamame in the United States.
Edamame, like commodity-type soybeans, are sensitive to day length. This means that edamame plants will only flower and produce beans when days reach a critical length. Edamame varieties are separated into maturity groups based on this. For most areas of Alabama, maturity groups V to VII are most common. When planted in spring, these varieties will mature in early fall. Because many of the available edamame varieties were developed in Asia, they are placed in the earlier maturing groups: II to IV. Although these earlier maturing types generally produce lower yields in Alabama, the larger size of their beans and superior taste offset the lower yield for many growers. The varieties listed in table 1 have produced well in Alabama and are readily available.
Table 1. Varieties Recommended for Use in Home Gardens
|Maturity Group
|Description of Variety
|Madori Giant
|III to early IV
|Large beans; high yield
|Very large beans; early maturing; high yield
|Gardensoy 51
|Small beans; late maturing; high yield
|Late maturing; high yield; very tall plants
|Chiba Green
|III to early IV
|Large beans; good yield
|Small beans; late maturing; high yield
Edamame should be planted after the danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature is at least 65 degrees F. Like all soybeans, edamame prefers full sun, well-drained soils, and adequate nutrients. A soil test should be done before seeding to determine if lime should be added and if other nutrients are present in sufficient quantities. Nitrogen applications are generally not recommended when growing a legume crop such as soybeans. Legume plants are capable of fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere as the result of a symbiotic relationship with specific soil bacteria. At this time, N-fixing rhizobia inoculum is not needed unless the edamame is being planted in an area with no history of a previous legume crop.
Seeding rates for edamame are much lower than that of the grain-type soybean. Planting rates of 50,000 to 70,000 seed per acre have shown optimal results. That is approximately 70 to 100 seed per 20-foot row with a 3-foot row spacing. Germination can be low with some edamame varieties. This information typically can be found from the seed supplier or can be found on the seed package itself. When germination percentages are below 85 percent, the higher seeding rate is recommended to ensure a good stand. Seed should be planted no more than 11⁄2 inches deep; any deeper will likely result in reduced emergence.
Irrigation should be applied at a rate of 1 to 11⁄2 inches weekly throughout the growing season. Supplying adequate soil moisture at germination and as seed pods mature is critical to establishment of an acceptable stand as well as high-quality beans. The need for irrigation, however, will vary based on weather conditions, temperature, and humidity. As important as proper irrigation is to producing a crop, excessive irrigation can damage edamame plants. Excessive water will favor disease and reduce the plants' ability to take up nutrients.
Weed Management
Gardeners have several options when it comes to weed management. Mechanical cultivation, such as hoeing, can be performed when edamame plants are small and the weeds have not yet matured. In a garden setting, weeds can be managed by applying a thick layer of mulch to the base of each plant. Hand weeding can also be effective on a small scale. Often the thick canopy formed by the edamame plant will suppress weed development.
Insect Management
Edamame is an attractive host to many insect pests. This list includes several foliage- and stem-feeding caterpillars and beetle species. A few of the more serious pests are soybean loopers, fall armyworms, and kudzu bugs. Soybean loopers and fall armyworms are two caterpillar pests that can cause serious defoliation to edamame plants. Foliar feeding insects such as caterpillars are generally easy to detect as a result of the damage they cause. Beetles, on the other hand, may hide underneath leaves and stems to avoid detection. Kudzu bugs are a new pest to Alabama and, in sufficient numbers, can cause significant damage to edamame crops. Kudzu bugs cause damage by inserting their piercing mouthparts into the plant and extracting nutrients. Although edamame has many pests, hand picking and the use of labeled insecticides are often enough to achieve control.
Disease Management
Bacterial pustule (Xanthomonas axonopodis) can be a problem in Asian edamame varieties. Most commodity-type soybean varieties are genetically resistant to this disease and therefore it is not an issue. Other than avoiding excessive moisture throughout the season, little can be done to prevent or treat bacterial pustule. Although the disease symptoms may be present, yield reductions may not be significant.
Root-knot and cyst nematodes cause severe reduction in edamame yield when present. Few options are available for nematode control in the home garden. Long rotations away from the affected area to reduce nematode populations may be the most effective solution.
Edamame is harvested green just after pods are filled. This is referred to as the R 6 stage of development. Hand harvesting edamame is an option when done on a small scale for home gardens and farmers markets. The process itself is simple, yet time consuming. Edamame is harvested much like green beans. One notable difference between edamame and green beans is that all the pods on an edamame plant will mature at the same time. This makes harvesting a once-over operation. In our research, harvesting a 20-foot row took five people 45 minutes and yielded about 18 pounds of green pods. Cutting the edamame at ground level and tying the plants into small bundles is common in Asia and could be an option for market growers.
It is important to allow the edamame pods to cool soon after harvesting. Harvesting in the early morning hours can help with this process. Fresh, unshelled edamame can be stored in a refrigerator for up to a week without any reduction in taste or quality. For longer storage, edamame can be frozen. To retain freshness in frozen edamame, a few steps need to be taken. First, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the edamame to the boiling water and allow it to remain for 3 minutes. It is not necessary for the water to return to a boil to start timing; begin timing as soon as they enter the water. Remove the edamame and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, the edamame can be placed on a towel to allow it to dry. This step is not required, but it will prevent the pods from sticking together. At this point, the edamame can be placed in a zip-top freezer bag and frozen for up to 1 year.
Edamame is most commonly served boiled in the pod. Preparation of edamame is both quick and easy. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. The amount of salt needed will depend on the volume of water used as well as taste preference. Next, add the edamame to the pot. Allow the edamame to boil for about 7 to 10 minutes. This time is roughly the same for both fresh picked and frozen pods. Remove from water, drain, and serve.
Edamame is a nutritious and delicious snack that can be easily produced in most home gardens in Alabama. It is high in protein and fiber, and has been shown to reduce cholesterol, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Next spring consider giving edamame a place in your garden.


text:
Here are some action shots of our day so far. :)
After breakfast, we raised flags and said the Pledge of Allegiance and the 4-H Pledge.
Today's Spirit Day was Tacky Tourists, so campers who participated helped their packs earn bear claws.
Outdoor Living Skills participants went on a hike.
Campfire cooking students learned to chop vegetables.
Low ropes class offered team challenges on the ground.
It was a beautiful day for canoeing on Lake Culpeper.
Baking class participants made butterscotch and chocolate chip cookies.
Enjoying the sunshine in Low Ropes.
Making checkerboards in Duct Tape class.
Stormy preparing a mock-up dreamcatcher for tomorrow's class.
Very creative tic tac toe boards in Arts & Crafts class.
Playing Tetrus using playdough controllers in Create, Innovate, & Solve.
The room smelled so good in Day Spa as they crafted their own lotions and scents with Applejacks' and Trisha's help!
Wacky Science class using magnets to test for iron in corn flakes and Total cereals.
Part two of the cereal experiment when soaked in water. Conclusion: the cereal containing 100% of the recommended daily allowance of iron did in fact show more movement when wanded with a magnet.
Step one of batik painted shirts in T-shirt Art class: applying the glue.
Back to Wacky Science as they denatured milk proteins.
Participants were surprised at how stretchy the "milk" became with a little vinegar and heat.
But it was also stinky! :)
Some chose to make duct tape art or tissue paper flowers during Rec.
And then there were several fast-paced games of the 4-H camp favorite -- gau gau.