permaculture

[Food Forests <foodforests@mac.com>]

Lawrence F. London wrote:

> I was planning to write a wandering tale about a pipe dream of an idea for 
> peaceful coexistence between Jews and Arabs 
so enamored of such prospects. (snip)
> Just for starters.

The good news, larry, is that "for starters" what you mentioned already 
exists. the main missing ingredient is simply more POSITIVE collaboration 
from those who care to see the dream become even more real. i'm not sure more 
blaming and complaining will help much, as that market is oversupplied 
already. incremental understanding may not be as dramatic as news clip 
conflict, but that's the beauty path, and i'd rather enjoy than deploy, grow 
rather than throw.

there's open invitations to spend time in many west bank israeli and 
palestinian communities for anyone respectful of the hosts and appreciative 
of their traditional hospitality. if not ready for that live-time adventure, 
there's plenty of online reading about many many multicultural eco-peace 
activities which have continued through the years there, such as sulha and 
bustan. 

after actually living, working, and growing permaculture in the region for 
almost 3 years amongst local cultural hyperdiversity, speaking some arabic 
and hebrew, i barely scratched the surface of the deeper stories that are 
accessible for those called to learn there rather than pontificate from here. 

and i found little correlation between ethnic/political backgrounds and the 
likelihood of positive practice with others. the exceptions were at the sweet 
month long 2006 Golan Heights rainbow gathering encampment or the 2004 and 
2005 sulha. there, everybody was positive, though the 3am drumming sessions 
outside my tent when i was hoping to sleep still challenged my peaceful 
nature. but i was encamped there for two weeks, and knew that those kids had 
to pack their party into just a short weekend... so compassion becomes the 
sweet fruit of personal difficulty.

oh, and my pipe dream included bringing an actual pipe, a traditional native 
american peace pipe from south dakota used with hopi tobacco grown in 
jerusalem. it was well received and remains there in use. 
a-ho.

-FFs

[who you callin' a ho?]




Lawrence F. London wrote:
>some of the west bank settlers are hardly any better and are
using some of my taxes for sustenance

how about a fair deal for the Palestinians (I mean the real ones
who have real lives, do real work (i.e. farming, grow olives and 
pomegranites),
feed and educate their families and live nonviolently like most of the 
world...

I was planning to write a wandering tale about a pipe dream of an idea for 
peaceful coexistence between Jews and Arabs 
so enamored of such prospects. I got the idea reading about Corfu in an old 
Gourmet magazine with mention of olive 
trees. I knew a Palestinian here in NC who told me about their olive harvest 
and first pressing of oil. Looking at a 
pitcher of this delicacy one would see what resembled thick cream or 
clabbered milk, almost spreadable with tableware.
This led to ideas/visions of Jew/Arab market farms, regional gourmet 
restaurants using local produce taken to the max,
with international visibility, tourism, ecotourism, and... "a good time was 
had by all..."

Just for starters.

LL