The fight between homeowners and farmers over stinky farms is driving new science and techniques aimed at taming the most eye-watering emanations.

The Mexican sour gherkin is technically not a cucumber. The genus Cucumis contains lots of familiar crops, included gourds, but only one species, Cucumis sativus, is considered a cucumber proper. The Mexican sour gherkin belongs to another genus entirely, Melothria. So it’s not a real cucumber but an honorary one.

The speed of your broadband can make the difference between winning and losing at a cattle auction.

Many urban farmers are increasingly turning to “value-added” crops, refining their raw harvest – by, for instance, shelling the peas, canning the tomatoes, smoking the cheese or combining several crops into a granola.