Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] UN warnings, biofuels and

livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Dan Conine <dconine@bertramwireless.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] UN warnings, biofuels and
  • Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 15:24:41 -0600

Ironically, one of the things that government COULD do is related to both previous topics: instead of people buying the survival seed vaults, they should be issued to them as a rule with their tax returns, and if the government would subsidize small butchers and processors, it could support local town economies by allowing people to graze animals and have them cleanly processed for sale more easily (though, allowing direct sales should be less restricted in the first place).
When combined with the option of intensive gardening, it broadens the diversity of local town economies. Most importantly, the key is encouraging people to be involved in their food and the megacorps to be less involved.
The current panic over propane supplies in the Midwest is one of those things we can directly blame on biofuels and monocropping (the majority of propane was burned up trying to dry down corn that was only grown because of the inflated price, and planted too late due to climate instability). The dependency on corn was established when we had a different climate. It isn't going to get more stable, so more fuels will be needed every year.
Everything bad about large-scale farming is accelerated by efficiencies of scale. Everything good about farming is inefficient when measured by a stock market.
I agree completely with your take on the "survival" seed vaults because seed survival comes from the skills, not the seeds themselves. However, I actually bought one for experimental purposes out of curiosity. It is a convenient way to grab a variety package of open-pollinated seeds (if it's done right), even if it is overpriced and deceptive in the marketing practices. Mine's going to be stored for 5 years and then planted to see what grows.
Something similar can be sold at the farmer's market as a "starter kit", rather than an "emergency survival package". I would strongly emphasize to customers the importance of "buy it and plant it" vs. "buy it and bury it". Throw in a few flower varieties for color. It is something especially adaptable to the winter markets, as any storage crop is.
Any real survival kit would be more perishable because it would have chickens and goats in it. ;-)

Dan C.
Belgium, WI







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page