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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] WAPF Conference in November: Harvey to present all-day track

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: Harvey Ussery <boxwood@nelsoncable.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] WAPF Conference in November: Harvey to present all-day track
  • Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:34:30 -0400

(Quoting Paul)

You said "create integrated patterns in which the various elements (soil building, dealing with competitor insects, poultry and other livestock, manure management, season extension and winter growing, etc.) come together in the same projects, supporting and enabling each other in synergistic ways that mimic natural ecologies."

Couldn't agree more, Harvey. We have to combine best practices wherever we
are, whatever we're doing. Any less is too unrewarding.

What we're talking about, really, is a new sense of what constitutes "efficiency." We've been sold on the giant air-conditioned tractor in which a single man can do the work of hundreds as the model of efficiency. The only way to make that model fly, however, is ignoring all the inefficiencies of undercutting natural (and human) ecologies. Increasingly, we have to recognize the economists dismissing what they call "externalities" as stark, staring *nuts*! "Externalities" are defined as such only because we can ignore them temporarily when generating this quarter's profits. But the truth is that it's in the "externalities" that we actually *live*. Undercut them with a reckless and irresponsible economic system and eventually we all go not-so-merrily down the tubes.


Can't possibly go to VA of course, but would if I could. Will there be
transcripts or videos of any of it, esp your Integrated Homestead
presentation?

They usually get the presentations on electronic media, yes. I'll try to remember to post a link after the conference.


We have a friend at our local growers market finding it hard
to make ends meet buying feed for his chickens no matter how many dozen
eggs he sells.

A huge problem, one not easily solved even if trying to put into place some of the ideas I advocate for producing more of our flocks' nutrition on the homestead. But your friends might find some of those ideas useful. The section on feeding is one of the biggest on the site, and starts at
http://themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding.html

~Harvey

--
Harvey in northern Va
www.themodernhomestead.us

Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our
deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner
sense of justice than we do. ~Wendell Berry





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