Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["David Inglis" <mhcsa@verizon.net>]

> Correction: that's Dec.5. Brits put the day before the month, 05/12/07.
> 
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
> 

That's right,
And so do +/- 100 other countries so I am not sure it is fair to blame the
'Brits'. 
A number of others use the decimal or 'International' format.
The only counties that use the mm/dd/yyyy format used in the US are: Canada
[in part], The Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Phillippines. I
wonder if they share the US's politics on climate change too? 

No matter how the day is written "it will not be a day too soon". The most
compelling argument for Agricultural sequestration I see is the one pointed
out by Yeomans in Priority One, Lovins in 'Natural Capitalism, Steve Groff
and many others, which is that high carbon soil storage is good for not only
the atmosphere and Earth but also the bottom line.
 As you point out, when energy prices rise, fertilizer, which is the biggest
energy input into the food system, will no longer be available to compensate
for declining Organic Matter levels in 'conventional' Ag. The soil miners
will have to rapidly adapt or go out of business. Even rapidly rising food
prices will not be sufficient. As you also point out, in my view correctly,
high prices will only spur Locavore direct relationships which will lead to
a world of hurt in the food supply network as we currently know it.
Personally I expect the Government to intervene in energy access for Ag. as
a 'national security' [aka staying in power] issue because cheap food [
+mindless media and poor education] is the main way they keep the population
docile. It works with livestock too; just feed 'em till they waddle. The
only kind of chicken I have ever been able to outrun is a fully fed free
range modern breed broiler. Not really worth the effort.
Personally I would rather see a lean and awake population but I am not
holding my breath; just going to keep growing food for people that like it
just like I have for 30 years. 

Happy Solstice everyone. From here on out it all gets lighter.
'farmer Dave'.