Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Liz <liz@allslash.org>]

At 03:56 AM 10/14/2007, you wrote:
> At 11:43 PM -0400 10/12/07, Liz wrote:
> ....
> >But this isn't anything new. My English grandparents emigrated to
> >Canada in 1902 as part of the Barr Colony in western Canada. Most of
> >the emigres had no idea what it meant to work the land--they were
> >enticed by offers of free land and an easy life on the Canadian
> >prairie where soil was rich and anything would grow. Many of them
> >brought fine furniture and wardrobes of expensive clothing with them,
> >even grand pianos.....
>
> Reminds me of scenes I've seen in movies, such as writer Isak Dinesen
> immigrating to Africa in the movie Out of Africa.

There was a tradition of "going out to India" with all one's 
household possessions that carried over to other emigres. It's the 
same sort of naive mindset that some of the back-to-the-land folk 
had, that their lives would continue more or less as usual, just in 
more pleasant surroundings. I'd like to think that the people doing 
it now are better informed and perhaps less idealistic, but that 
remains to be seen.

Liz in SW VA
http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com