Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>]

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On 2/20/2003 at 5:33 AM Tradingpost <tradingpost@gilanet.com> wrote:

>
>Good for you, wish you every success. But seeing what you wrote, I have
>another point to offer.
>
>It may not be necessary to educate or persuade a lot of people on the
>deeper philosophy of it all. Simple, harsh necessity may force some
>segments of society to relearn and relocate, and we can help with that.
>Half the country is groaning under the burden now. I think of the
>homeless, the families trying to make ends meet with two and three jobs,
>kids in fast food, older women in entry level jobs without health
>insurance, retirees living on dog food so they can buy prescriptions, the
>lack of affordable housing where the jobs are, and all the marginalized
>ethnics on the fringes of society with nowhere to go but down. People who
>can't handle the red tape of resumes, interviews, mortgages, credit, tax
>loopholes--the list is endless. The underground economy.
>
>Nothing against the Rainbow Family ideals, but the back to the land trend
>of the sixties failed with too many trust fund kids wanting to live in a
>cool dome and smoke dope, while most of us had to raise families and put
>food on the table.  I finally had a chance to quiz Steven Gaskin when we
>were in Taos, who made The Farm work because people worked at making a
>largely self sufficient community. Not individuals or families isolated in
>bunkers, none of that, but community. Creating and demonstrating practical
>ways out of the rat race is one way. Of course not everybody can get out
>of the city, get rid of the mortgage, pull kids out of school, cut up the
>credit cards, or grow decent tomatoes. But there's much people can do
>where they are, and much more others can do if they can get out of the
>concrete jungle and get a life. They just need something to go TO.
>
>paul tradingpost@gilanet.com
>
>Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.
>--Henry David Thoreau
>
>That is well said, replied Candide, but we must cultivate our garden.
>--Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet] Candide
>
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>
>On 2/19/2003 at 10:44 PM MerFaeriel@aol.com wrote:
>
>>In a message dated 2/18/03 9:24:59 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>>tradingpost@gilanet.com writes:
>>
>>
>>> We're trying to become a hub for support of local production for local
>>> consumption, local networking for community needs,  natural health
>care,
>>> growing, and building, community self-sufficiency (as opposed to
>>isolated,
>>> self-contained individual or family).
>>>     Now this is a very different thing from protest politics and
>beating
>>> your head against the door to change the system. Every step that people
>>> take to disengage from the System weakens it a little more, cutting up
>>the
>>> credit cards, take this job and shove it, and all that.  Why? Because
>>the
>>> System needs foot soliders, warm bodies to carry out orders, income to
>>tax,
>>> bombmakers, bankers, fast food, and prison guards. We don't have to
>take
>>>
>>
>>Exactly, Paul!  We're all expected to be good and obedient worker bees,
>>keeping the hive humming, while some big, unseen master makes off with
>>the honey!  I Love the idea of self-sufficient communities of independent
>>individuals, each with diversified skills, talents and goods or services
>to
>>barter - all coming together to make it work outside of government and
>>the whole economic System paradigm!  Simply opting to *withdraw*
>>our energy from that control grid -- this is how the new Earth will
>>reinvent herself! :)   New villages -- yes, you know, I Love the idea of
>>new *villages*!! ;^D
>>
>>>Someone defined "inactivism" as withdrawing from a system you don't
>>>believe in. So simple people can't seem to grasp it. It's also the most
>>>forgotten part of Gandhi's "constructive programme".
>>
>>I agree -- it's positively revolutionary!  At least, in the eyes of the
>>old
>>world
>>establishment!  The freedom of it...it's blissful, really, this dream!
>>The
>>thing is, people have been sold this bill of goods, and they've become
>>so identified with it, they can't see any other way.  We are taught from
>>childhood to spend and possess -- therefore our sense of security is
>>bound up with that.  Our lives flit from one consumption-driven room
>>or activity to the next -- so our need to be preoccupied and entertained
>>is fed by consumerism......and we are so addicted to it, because that
>>is what keeps us from having to think about spiritual realities and our
>>precarious position on this little planet set in a very vast universe!
>>So, we're beholden and enslaved to global capitalism and the big
>>and little governments that cater to it.  Time to get Free! ;)
>>
>>Thanks for your thoughts, Paul -- I'll be continuing to explore your
>>site as my own plans firm up!        Cheers,  Anni :º)
>>
>>
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