permaculture

[Tripp Tibbetts <slowfoodguy@yahoo.com>]

When I signed onto this list a couple months ago, I was asked to sign an 
agreement stating that I would be respectful of all opinions shared on the 
list.  I hope I've always abided by that courtesy.
 
But since I'm one of the FNGs here, I'm going to stick my neck out into 
danger (what the hell) and comment on the correspondence coming from 
Kathleen.  I cringe every time I see your moniker come across the 
permaculture wire.  I wonder who you are going to open new orifices for this 
time.  Do you have personal beef with Evan, or Robyn?  Could you address 
those issues offline?  Or do the rules of courtesy just not apply to you?  
Last I saw you were basing your demeanor on a drug habit ("depends on whether 
I've had my coffee or not"), and expecting everything to be cool since you 
are...well...I don't know why you have special privileges.  Are you some sort 
of permaculture legacy?  A made woman?  One of the untouchables?
 
Because the queasiness I feel in my stomach just confronting you about this 
shouldn't be a part of my experience on this forum.  That alone tells me I'm 
right to ask.
 
So what's the deal, lady?
 
Tripp out.



The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow.
-Chinese proverb
 

--- On Tue, 12/1/09, Lawrence F. London, Jr. <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net> 
wrote:


From: Lawrence F. London, Jr. <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Fwd: Permaculture TV - The Real Dirt On Farmer 
John
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 9:43 PM


Robyn Francis wrote:
> On 1/12/09 2:43 PM, "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
> 
>>> I haven't seen this movie, but I've read the reviews. I was unaware that
>>> he'd inherited a great farm and nearly crashed it. That is inexcuseable.
>> Of course it is and that's why we are in such a fix now with loss of
>> farmland and farms and soil and environmental quality.
> 
> Hey guys, why don't you see the movie before commenting...

The only thing available (for free) is the trailer. Why isn't the whole 
movie free if he is trying to get the good word out, about the nice 
things touched on in the trailer? CSA's are very important as are 
farmers markets, and the right to work and make a living including being 
self employed.

> The story of Farmer John is a success story for Community Supported
> Agriculture and organics. The family farm went bust due to a lot of factors
> and he leant from it, started again and turned things around on a smaller
> parcel growing organic veg.

The trailer said that he "had to sell of most of the family land to pay 
off debts". What kind of debts and why, after inheriting a world class 
farm was he in debt at all? Why, after going into debt and selling off 
that land to get out from under didn't he just create an intentional 
community or a land cooperative giving potential community members and 
other farmers the opportunity to buy into his farm. I don't know who he 
sold the land too but what if it was for  realestate ventures or some 
chemical and gmo farmer? What a loss.

It just seems that same old thing, irresponsibly goes into debt and 
sells off the family farm to clear out the red ink then comes up 
smelling like a rose with a small market operation, exonerating himself
of mismanagement. He probably sold the land at the wrong time for 
muchless than its worth and its worth, big acreage of 10' deep black 
prairie soil in Illinois in an intense farming region with lots of truck 
farming and orcharding. Doesn't seem like he is setting much of an 
example except by promoting natural agriculture and csa's.

Its a shame to see a big farm with prime prairie soil get sold off at 
all for any reason.

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Subject: Re: [permaculture] Fwd: Permaculture TV - The Real Dirt On Farmer
 John
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Tripp Tibbetts wrote:
> So what's the deal, lady?

I'm afraid you've asked for it Tripp :-)

Anyway its my fault for daring to criticize famous farmer
for sins of omission, letting that valuable farmland slip from his
grasp. FJ is from my era and I can appreciate where he is coming from.
I hate to think that the public views his farming venture as
characteristic of the American natural, sustainable, biointensive,
regenerative agriculture movement, begun in the 1950's and catching hold
in the 60's and 70's. His is a good example of running a small market
farming operation with a CSA but the public needs to know that there is
a greater need, that of greater amounts of acreage and more farms put in
natural farming ventures and diversified ventures, i.e. farm
cooperatives, leased land to small farmers, communities, etc. with and
accompanying education, production, marketing and distribution network.

Kathleens ideas for agriculture education reform are interesting.

Of, by and for the farmers.

dirtfarmer out ...: