Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Liz <liz@allslash.org>]

At 06:45 PM 12/27/2007, you wrote:
>  Not
> everyhting can be measured in a currency, but a currency is sometimes the
> easiest measure people can relate to accross a geographically diverse
> group.

Yes, that's absolutely true. The down-side, of course, is that the 
common denominator often ends up being the only criterion that people 
take into consideration.

> If the
> competitor can get the same work out of $3 gallon of fuel as $25/hour of
> human labor, the need to achieve a lot more out of human labor is tricky.

I think we're arguing apples and oranges. What I hear you saying is 
that right now, vying with non-organic farmers for a share of the 
produce market, you have to get a certain amount of work out of every 
dollar, and that sometimes spending that money on machinery gets you 
more work than spending it on people.

What I think Paul is saying, and certainly what I'm saying, is that 
the underlying concept of farming as an industry, where the bottom 
line is how much product you get out for the amount of money you have 
to put in, IS the problem. But making the transition to where a 
significant percentage of the population raises its own food isn't 
going to happen overnight, and it probably isn't going to happen 
without some chaos and unpleasantness. People who have large amounts 
of acreage in organic production may be a buffer during that 
transition period, because they can produce essential food without 
having to use costly petroleum-based fertilizers and cultivation 
methods. I very much hope so, at least.

> Grow your own fuel on your own farm and produce it on your own farm, the
> ideal local economy.

My neighbor has a couple of draft horses. I am extremely envious. I 
realize that may not be what you meant, but it's what I think of any 
time someone mentions raising their own fuel!

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