Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Dan Conine <dconine@bertramwireless.com>]

Thanks, Paul. You saved me a lot of time on a busy day.

A couple of points before I forget: "Carbon Footprint" is a narrowly 
defined term, which typically only concerns the use of fossil fuels. 
Many of the farmers I have talked to are working toward electric or 
biodiesel vehicles that will run from products of the local farm. The 
economics of localization have little to do with carbon, and a lot to do 
with behaviors of communities and people. Seek local sources of food and 
energy, and you eliminate half of the problems of small towns and 
dependence on external entities for jobs.

Second: Farmer Fleming is suffering from the same disease that cripples 
communities. That disease is called "The Myth of Progress", which says 
that everyone must constantly strive to produce more and more from fewer 
people. Roundup is a symptom, not the problem. His conversion to no-till 
farming is based on an agribusiness model, rather than his own farm's 
needs. One can go no-till and have animals eat the weeds, or convert to 
trees or bushes that grow fruit and don't need tillage.

Dan Conine
Belgium, WI