Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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 December 4, 2008: Hard times make hard people….or do they?
Welcome to the Rodale Institute web update newsletter.

http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/20081204/newsletter

Hello: At a recent meeting of poultry producers, conservancy managers, 
retailers, urban farmers, would-be farmers, food co-op representatives, 
cheesemakers, CSA operators and their advocates from southeast Pennsylvania, 
I heard myself saying: “When the things fall apart that you used to depend 
on, some people get guns. Others get friends.”

I believe we—the people in that meeting room and the people reading this 
newsletter—
have an incredible opportunity to do something new and maybe even historic in 
the year ahead. The depth of our economic downturn is yet to be known. The 
pain is inequitably distributed but widespread, but there is also tremendous 
difference in how people respond to unwanted change: loss of income, homes 
and health insurance, as well as the diminished ability to buy the food their 
families need or to support the causes that are dear to them.



Food people—farmers, retailers, processors, chefs, hospitality kitchens, 
feeding programs, school food directors and all others choosing to care—who 
can somehow rise above just coping to do what they do in new ways with new 
partners can be the heroes of the Great Recession of 2009. Those who do it 
organically and sustainably will be the super-heroes of this time as they 
forge the links of the new agricultural-food “values chains” that achieve 
greater health of land, producers, laborers, eaters and communities while 
increasing access for all.

Overcoming fear and suspicion—which tend to increase as economics sour—is 
just part of this struggle for building something new even as the old system 
crumbles around its staunch defenders. I’ve found the sustainable agriculture 
community populated mostly by committed enthusiasts who are ready to share 
ideas, help one another, extend favor and encourage newcomers. Maybe the last 
25 years were just the training period for today, when so many farmer and 
consumer families need new ways to work, to eat and to connect.

Let’s try to be:

    As inclusive, non-judgmental and welcoming as Preston Green and Sarah 
Holm were in their invitation to consider organic farming futures that they 
presented to crowded rooms of vocational agriculture students at this fall’s 
National FFA convention. Read more >>

    As ready to engage our adversaries to reach a greater good than we could 
without them as Jeff Moyer was in the first meeting to seek a comprehensive 
approach to sustainability standard in agriculture. Read more >>

    As passionately patient in detailing the agronomics of successful 
organics as Dave Wilson is his ode to the potato. Read more >>

    As honest about our failures as Bill Clinton was as he and others call 
for drastic changes to treat sustainably raised food as an essential good for 
all communities, not as a commodity. Read more >>

    As thorough as the Institute’s Tim LaSalle and Paul Hepperly in 
documenting the ways an Organic Green Revolution can improve the 
sustainability of world food production to nourish people and restore soil. 
Read more >>

Good food, well grown and creatively shared, will make new friends for those 
who are ready to change agriculture with a new set of organic solutions to 
food security, global warming, health and famine prevention.

This could be our year.

Greg Bowman and the
Rodale Institute editorial team