Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Laurie Ann Powell <laurie@powellclan.com>]

Eva asked: "Why not pay them more?"

I'm not sure what you are asking here. Me, personally? Or us, as a society?

I try to buy as much as I can from the locals, introduce others to their 
farms, and ask them about other services they offer.  Whether I could 
pay $3 for a tomato, I don't know. That would tend to push me toward 
working harder to grow my own - as it is now, my efforts at gardening 
are amusing but not terribly productive.

A major paradigm shift has to happen, Paul - people have to realize that 
being healthy is cheaper than being sick.  People may spend only 10% on 
food, but they are spending way, way more on their health.

Hand lotions, special shampoos, prescribed and over the counter drugs, 
doctors and ER visits all must be mentally added to the consumer's "food 
cost" column, as well as what you pointed out - the impact in other areas.

I'm down to using hand made soap and expensive deodorant as my only 
"beauty aids"... And have trouble not showing my amazement at all the 
alcohol and fragrance laden products people are slathering on themselves. 

Probably gambling, video games,  and mall shopping should also be added 
to the "cost of food column" as people spend, trying to acquire the 
"sense of well being" they do not have from their food.

Laurie Ann