permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

E. E. Mitchamore Jr wrote:

> 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.

Isn't the quality of what you eat that important to you. Why compromise and eat conventional produce from the chain 
supermarkets, part and parcel of a vertically-integrated agrculture economy?

> Aren't there any Marketing experts that are tired of the Rat Race and 
willing to apply their expertise to this problem?

I have thought about this for twenty years. The answer is to start up a local 
production network and marketing coop.
This umbrella system can serve vendors of all types  from artists to computer 
consultants to woodworkers,
home remodelers to farmers. It can encompass alternative methods of exchange, barter and no$monies. Producer owned and 
operated using the KISS principle it can work to connect customers with producers existing within as small a land area
as desired. That should satisfy your need to buy your groceries locally and don't forget to buy products that are in 
season and varieties that grow well in your area. Use a system like this or lose your money to outside suppliers.
This can be a local system scalable to regional to national. International 
would be nice too.

LL