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  • From: sunnfarm AT netscape.net
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org (Market Farming)
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] burlap
  • Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 14:25:45 -0500

I was never aware of any contaminant, if you are only dealing with a few bags
just run them through the laundry and wash out whatever might be in the
burlap. I swiched to using plastic cabbage bags for corn they don't wet well
like burlap, but I use them just as a cheap way to ship corn...Bob.

>Bob:  Thanks.  Are you concerned about the burlap being "contaminated" by
>formedehyde (sp?), or other stuff used in making  the burlap?
>

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>From thlady_saint AT hotmail.com Thu Mar 27 16:32:09 2003
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From: "Judy Lynn" <thlady_saint AT hotmail.com>
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Subject: Re: [Market-farming] floppy cucumbers
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 13:32:08 -0800
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<P><BR>Cucumbers, I pick them early morning from the vine and by the
afternoon they are soft and floppy, I have tried cooling them and keepng them
in water.. does anyone have any solutions?&nbsp; Thank you!</P>
<P>&nbsp; Judy</P></DIV>
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Subject: [Market-farming] A different kind of Green Revolution in Cuba
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A friend sent this to me today - since we discuss food systems =
frequently, I thought
that people might enjoy this article, and take a few ideas from this =
article
about what can happen in agriculture. It is inspiring me, as I just =
have
started planting my onion seeds indoors, and have the whole season of =
work
ahead of me.

A different kind of Green Revolution in Cuba
By Hal Hamilton

I recently returned from a research trip that challenged all =
conventional
assumptions about progress and feeding the world.

Usually conversations about agricultural productivity begin with the =
Green
Revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. During those years farmers of rice, =
wheat
and a few other globally traded crops increased their yields with new =
seeds
and chemicals. Green Revolution promoters now trumpet genetic =
engineering as
a new stage of global progress. These same promoters frequently disdain
organic and sustainable methods as "low yield" and incapable of feeding =
a
growing population.

High-tech chemical-intensive methods characterized Cuba's agriculture =
until
1990. I walked around a Cuban dairy farm with the manager who described =
his
past practice of applying three-times more nitrogen to his pasture =
fields
than the amount Iowa farmers apply to their corn fields. But transition =
came
to Cuba in the form of disaster. Their agriculture was forced to shift =
when
Soviet block countries collapsed and the US embargo was tightened. Food
supplies plummeted and the average caloric intake of Cubans dropped =
below
minimum standards.

Without fertilizer and pesticides, Cubans turned to organic methods. =
Without
machinery parts, Cubans turned to oxen. Without transport, Cubans =
started
growing food just about everywhere: in vacant lots, school playgrounds,
patios and back yards.

I had read, as you may have, articles about Cuban farming that read
something like, "Gee whiz, isn't it fascinating that Cuba has gone =
organic!"
I'm not much of a gee-whiz person. I'm pretty skeptical of success =
stories
because they usually have some sort of hidden subsidy behind them, and =
they
usually fall apart after a while.

I had also read about political repression of dissidents and the lack of
decent jobs. Driving into Havana from the airport one can't miss the
smoke-belching cars and the bleakness of deteriorating buildings and
crumbling concrete.

But then the magic starts to show. I'm going to pretty much stick to the
food system in this article, but first I have to at least mention a few
other observations: the stunningly beautiful old part of Havana, puppet
shows in the street, outdoor galleries of paintings, and pervasive music
mixed with dance from cultural traditions that run far deeper than my =
own
Anglo-Saxon roots.

Extraordinary contrasts

Cuba is a small island containing extraordinary contrasts: political
authoritarianism and community vitality, very poor people with a
middle-class culture, few jobs for educated professionals along with one =
of
the very best health care and education systems in Latin America. =
Doctors
earn less than street-sweepers, but the Cuban infant mortality rate is =
lower
than that of the United States.

Cuba's agriculture is also full of contrasts. A senior professor at the
Agrarian University of Havana described how, when he received his =
agronomy
degree, Fidel Castro personally gave each graduate a copy of Rachel =
Carson's
Silent Spring, a seminal work for the environmental movement. This was =
in
1963, just as Cuba was beginning to wholeheartedly adopt the =
high-chemical,
intensely mechanized Green Revolution.

This first green revolution lasted as long as its chemical and =
mechanical
inputs were available. Now Cuba's scientists and farmers are pioneering =
an
ecological green revolution, one with far fewer synthetic or fossil fuel
inputs, and far more inputs of human ingenuity. During the initial =
period of
"withdrawal," yields of most food crops were low, but now yields have
surpassed the highest previous averages.

This transition of Cuban agriculture is characterized by not only =
different
methods but also different ownership patterns. Most state farms have =
been
broken up into individual and cooperative farms, and a large portion of =
the
daily Cuban diet is grown close to home, on small farms and gardens
dispersed through and around the cities.

Dealing with distribution

Food markets and distribution outlets are confusing to sort out. The =
Cuban
government still buys a lot of food and guarantees every person a basic =
diet
at very low, subsidized prices, including the guarantee, for example, of =
a
liter of milk per day to every child, even during the very worst years =
of
economic transition. All vegetable farms of significant scale supply
schools, daycare centers, and hospitals with low-priced produce.

In addition to these regulated channels, however, many food items are =
also
available on a free market, making food ever more abundant, and =
returning to
farmers among the very highest incomes in Cuba.

Once food production spontaneously evolved toward decentralized, market
oriented, organic production, the government began coordinating and
supporting further progress. Virtually all university research in
agriculture is oriented to helping solve practical questions. Small
manufacturing plants dispersed around the island turn out biological =
pest
control supplies and small-scale agricultural tools. Every square mile =
in
Cuba has someone charged with scouting for pests and diseases.

Although North Americans are much richer in material goods than Cubans,
there is a lot we can learn from them. We may not like some of the =
behaviors
of their leaders. I don't. But we can be really proud of these neighbors =
of
ours who have tackled problems of hunger and sustainability with
extraordinary success.

Green revolution promoters who are more concerned with feeding people =
than
peddling technologies should go get some insights from one of the most
fascinating farming experiments in the world.

http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/agNotebook.class?FNC=3DCorresponde=
nts__
Anb_list_html___818




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<DIV>
<DIV>A friend sent this to me today - since we discuss food systems =
frequently,=20
I thought<BR>that people might enjoy this article, and take a few ideas =
from=20
this article<BR>about what can happen in agriculture.&nbsp; It is =
inspiring me,=20
as I just have<BR>started planting my onion seeds indoors, and have the =
whole=20
season of work<BR>ahead of me.<BR><BR>A different kind of Green =
Revolution in=20
Cuba<BR>By Hal Hamilton<BR><BR>I recently returned from a research trip =
that=20
challenged all conventional<BR>assumptions about progress and feeding =
the=20
world.<BR><BR>Usually conversations about agricultural productivity =
begin with=20
the Green<BR>Revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. During those years =
farmers of=20
rice, wheat<BR>and a few other globally traded crops increased their =
yields with=20
new seeds<BR>and chemicals. Green Revolution promoters now trumpet =
genetic=20
engineering as<BR>a new stage of global progress. These same promoters=20
frequently disdain<BR>organic and sustainable methods as "low yield" and =

incapable of feeding a<BR>growing population.<BR><BR>High-tech=20
chemical-intensive methods characterized Cuba's agriculture =
until<BR>1990. I=20
walked around a Cuban dairy farm with the manager who described =
his<BR>past=20
practice of applying three-times more nitrogen to his pasture =
fields<BR>than the=20
amount Iowa farmers apply to their corn fields. But transition =
came<BR>to Cuba=20
in the form of disaster. Their agriculture was forced to shift =
when<BR>Soviet=20
block countries collapsed and the US embargo was tightened. =
Food<BR>supplies=20
plummeted and the average caloric intake of Cubans dropped =
below<BR>minimum=20
standards.<BR><BR>Without fertilizer and pesticides, Cubans turned to =
organic=20
methods. Without<BR>machinery parts, Cubans turned to oxen. Without =
transport,=20
Cubans started<BR>growing food just about everywhere: in vacant lots, =
school=20
playgrounds,<BR>patios and back yards.<BR><BR>I had read, as you may =
have,=20
articles about Cuban farming that read<BR>something like, "Gee whiz, =
isn't it=20
fascinating that Cuba has gone organic!"<BR>I'm not much of a gee-whiz =
person.=20
I'm pretty skeptical of success stories<BR>because they usually have =
some sort=20
of hidden subsidy behind them, and they<BR>usually fall apart after a=20
while.<BR><BR>I had also read about political repression of dissidents =
and the=20
lack of<BR>decent jobs. Driving into Havana from the airport one can't =
miss=20
the<BR>smoke-belching cars and the bleakness of deteriorating buildings=20
and<BR>crumbling concrete.<BR><BR>But then the magic starts to show. I'm =
going=20
to pretty much stick to the<BR>food system in this article, but first I =
have to=20
at least mention a few<BR>other observations: the stunningly beautiful =
old part=20
of Havana, puppet<BR>shows in the street, outdoor galleries of =
paintings, and=20
pervasive music<BR>mixed with dance from cultural traditions that run =
far deeper=20
than my own<BR>Anglo-Saxon roots.<BR><BR>Extraordinary =
contrasts<BR><BR>Cuba is=20
a small island containing extraordinary contrasts: =
political<BR>authoritarianism=20
and community vitality, very poor people with a<BR>middle-class culture, =
few=20
jobs for educated professionals along with one of<BR>the very best =
health care=20
and education systems in Latin America. Doctors<BR>earn less than=20
street-sweepers, but the Cuban infant mortality rate is lower<BR>than =
that of=20
the United States.<BR><BR>Cuba's agriculture is also full of contrasts. =
A senior=20
professor at the<BR>Agrarian University of Havana described how, when he =

received his agronomy<BR>degree, Fidel Castro personally gave each =
graduate a=20
copy of Rachel Carson's<BR>Silent Spring, a seminal work for the =
environmental=20
movement. This was in<BR>1963, just as Cuba was beginning to =
wholeheartedly=20
adopt the high-chemical,<BR>intensely mechanized Green =
Revolution.<BR><BR>This=20
first green revolution lasted as long as its chemical and =
mechanical<BR>inputs=20
were available. Now Cuba's scientists and farmers are pioneering=20
an<BR>ecological green revolution, one with far fewer synthetic or =
fossil=20
fuel<BR>inputs, and far more inputs of human ingenuity. During the =
initial=20
period of<BR>"withdrawal," yields of most food crops were low, but now =
yields=20
have<BR>surpassed the highest previous averages.<BR><BR>This transition =
of Cuban=20
agriculture is characterized by not only different<BR>methods but also =
different=20
ownership patterns. Most state farms have been<BR>broken up into =
individual and=20
cooperative farms, and a large portion of the<BR>daily Cuban diet is =
grown close=20
to home, on small farms and gardens<BR>dispersed through and around the=20
cities.<BR><BR>Dealing with distribution<BR><BR>Food markets and =
distribution=20
outlets are confusing to sort out. The Cuban<BR>government still buys a =
lot of=20
food and guarantees every person a basic diet<BR>at very low, subsidized =
prices,=20
including the guarantee, for example, of a<BR>liter of milk per day to =
every=20
child, even during the very worst years of<BR>economic transition. All =
vegetable=20
farms of significant scale supply<BR>schools, daycare centers, and =
hospitals=20
with low-priced produce.<BR><BR>In addition to these regulated channels, =

however, many food items are also<BR>available on a free market, making =
food=20
ever more abundant, and returning to<BR>farmers among the very highest =
incomes=20
in Cuba.<BR><BR>Once food production spontaneously evolved toward =
decentralized,=20
market<BR>oriented, organic production, the government began =
coordinating=20
and<BR>supporting further progress. Virtually all university research=20
in<BR>agriculture is oriented to helping solve practical questions.=20
Small<BR>manufacturing plants dispersed around the island turn out =
biological=20
pest<BR>control supplies and small-scale agricultural tools. Every =
square mile=20
in<BR>Cuba has someone charged with scouting for pests and=20
diseases.<BR><BR>Although North Americans are much richer in material =
goods than=20
Cubans,<BR>there is a lot we can learn from them. We may not like some =
of the=20
behaviors<BR>of their leaders. I don't. But we can be really proud of =
these=20
neighbors of<BR>ours who have tackled problems of hunger and =
sustainability=20
with<BR>extraordinary success.<BR><BR>Green revolution promoters who are =
more=20
concerned with feeding people than<BR>peddling technologies should go =
get some=20
insights from one of the most<BR>fascinating farming experiments in the=20
world.<BR><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/agNotebook.class?FNC=3DCor=
respondents">http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/agNotebook.class?FNC=3D=
Correspondents</A>__<BR>Anb_list_html___818<BR><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></BODY=
></HTML>

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