permaculture

[mpludwig@students.wisc.edu]

RE Not just farming etc. etc....
Wow, Aprial and Dan Et. Al., quite a lot of  writing on all this farm
stuff, I thought this was a great place for me to jump in.
Hi, I'm Mark, I have a bad farm habbit and I don't want to quit now or any
time soon.  I think if farms are good for nothing else they keep the well
armed masses in this country from having food riots and destroying the
world.  Ive been having quite the dialoge with Dan from Elfin on just this
topic and must say we have a number of disagreements.
I think sustainable farms are possibe and desireable.  I think mineral flow
is a very manageable issue and could be controled quite well by retaining
such things as animal bones after slaughtrer.  There is also plenty of
technology for powdering rocks which will also keep us going for a long
while if we do it right.  The major limiting element in our farm systems
today is nitrogen, which is easily delt with by planting more legumes and
improving our soil's  biology and overall mineral ballance.
    I also think hesitating get into farming is bad advice in this day and
age.  IF you really want to be a farmer, a dangerous and overworked
profession, there are oppprotunities available.  The average age of
american farmer is in the 50's, and the pool of young people who are
willing to do it is small.    Asking the neighbors in a rural comunity that
still has family farms will almost certianlly yeild job or volunteer
oppritunities on farms.   If you want to do it yourself, just try not to
get spread to thin.  Ask your county agent to visit with you BEFORE you try
anything, hey know lots of folks and may be able to provide opprotunities
with the very best of them.   Dan's right about plenty of other opinions,
big time.  Sorry if this advise D/N apply to you.
I'm interested in discussing farm scale permaculture, and I love to spout
off my opinions on farm issues.  I'm in school right now for a beginning
grass based dairy program and am very sold on the idea of maximizing
pasture usage and agroforestry to regenerate family farms.  This is
permaculture, it's just a little bigger and has more cows.



Mark Ludwig
mpludwig@students.wisc.edu