permaculture

["E. E. Mitchamore Jr" <emitch@att.net>]

A comment, not about good Permaculture practices, but about locally produced 
Ag products.  The problem I perceive is the same as with mass-produced 
products: Transportation and Distribution.  I cannot justify driving 20 miles 
each way early Saturday morning for a bag of fresh vegetables, no matter how 
good they are.  In order for local produce to really work, it has to become 
more accessible.  In Austin there are good stores (Whole Foods started here), 
and good Farmer's Markets, but they still require a long drive and/or use up 
a precious Saturday.  Aren't there any Marketing experts that are tired of 
the Rat Race and willing to apply their expertise to this problem?

E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
www.hillcountrynatives.biz
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lawrence F. London, Jr. 
  To: permaculture 
  Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2006 10:27 PM
  Subject: Re: [permaculture] deer fencing - What Constitutes Good 
Permaculture Practice?


  Rain Tenaqiya wrote:

  > First of all, Home Depot is an evil box store that drains money out of 
the local community- not a very good permaculture practice to shop there.

  There was a front page article in a local newspaper entitled "Boxed Out, 
local retailers feeling thr crunch from big box 
  outlets". IOW, there went the last locally-owned hardware store in our town 
or there went the last farm supply store in 
  the county.

  A new topic....

  On the other hand, as an independent small market farmer (6 acres, 4 under 
cultivation) and small manufacturer of hand 
  garden tools (using 50% recycled steel: used saw blades and ag implements) 
I can say that there has never before been as 
  much opportunity to make a good living doing what I do as there is now. 
This is partly due to a new trend toward 
  purchasing "locally grown" and "sustainably grown" agricultural products, 
especially produce and especially by 
  restaurants. More sustainable growers using natural methods means greater 
demand for good hand tools. Business is good 
  now and I expect it to get better. I am in the land of big boxes and 
rapidly increasing population, decreasing farmland 
  and increasing numbers of small farmers selling locally, many at an 
increasing number of farmers markets.

  Are there any other market farmers or gardeners in this list?

  Now then, if we're going to talk about what constitutes GOOD PERMACULTURE 
PRACTICE, maybe we could each contribute 
  suggestions as to its meaning. For starters I would like to see respect for 
and preservation of world agricultural and, 
  of late, permaculture traeaures. Traditional, indigenous beliefs, 
knowledgebases, methods, skills and practices that 
  relate to agriculture. That includes everything from seed and plant 
preservation (including forests and prairies) to 
  toolmaking, soil preparation and food preparation and preservation.