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  • From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] The cost of steel
  • Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 16:32:15 -0400

On Tue, 25 May 2004 12:51:49 -0600, you wrote:

>Agree 142% on most, Pat. China? I wonder, if we really compared records on
>human rights, how could we buy anything made in the USA?

This is sad, isn't it?

>So I don't know where we go from there. To me the most urgent need is to
>promote local food, grow local, buy local. Do an end run around the
>corporate middlemen that squeeze producers and consumers. Do it yourself,
>network with the local community, get as much local independence from
>outside market forces as we can -- and survive. Substitute local or
>regionally grown fruits and nuts for imports, and so forth. Can't get
>avocados without shipping from California? Oranges from Florida? So what.

>Many fruits and berries grow fine in cooler areas, and they make great
>substitutes for citrus in many uses.

Yep. I'm planting fruit as fast I can. So far, we have
planted rhubarb (harvested some - it was planted last year -
Hurray!), raspberries (black and red), blackberries,
blueberries, and gooseberries.

I'd like to have more blueberries, hardy kiwis, and give
beach plums a try, jostaberries, red currants, maybe other
uncommon fruit too. And definitely strawberries (next
year). And maybe grapes. (I'll run out of room eventually
- we only have about 1/2 acre in all, and a veggie garden,
and we'll have a hoophouse this summer - and I need room for
two fairly large dogs to run and play.)

We haven't room for fruit trees unless I espalier them. Our
garage wall faces south, and our land only extends about
four feet beyond the garage wall. I think this would work
well for espaliered fruit trees. Otherwise, I'm thinking to
plant blueberry bushes there. We have already planted
blueberry bushes (as 'landscaping' plants) in flower beds in
the front of the house.

>Certain greens have more vitamin C than citrus. Potatoes don't grow in our
>area? Fine, switch to Jerusalem Artichokes that grow lots of places, great
>with inulin for diabetics, and nuttier flavor than potatoes. For most all
>agricultural products that we can't
>produce locally, we can produce good local substitutes. This may be the Next
>Big Thing in market farming and home grown. I'd really like to explore this.
>
BTW, here's a great article on hardy kiwis:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/index.php?page=article&id=2133

Pat
--
"Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of
supply and demand. It is the privilege of human beings to
live under the laws of justice and mercy." - Wendell Berry





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