permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

On Thu, Oct 13, 2016 at 8:58 PM, Steve Hart <stevenlawrencehart@gmail.com>
wrote:

> LL
>
> A brief answer to your comments on this subject. I have been involved
> through my entire career journey trying to work on the inside in this
> industry. As an Architect, Landscape Architect and Urban Designer on a very
> wide range of projects for all layers of society in many countries,
> including research and academia. It is hard work, without much success.
> After being confused over this and discussing such with others more learned
> in this than myself and realising wider observations and realisations,
> including much discussion with Teddy Goldsmith I am now convinced there is
> a carefully managed strategic plan for the organisations that we abhore to
> manipulate every entity across the world, infiltrate all our work and
> manipulate it to their own ends.
>


> You may right this off as you freely have
> done in the past.
>

Never did anything of the sort. What is going on in your head?
OT did you ever buy that bar you were talking about? :-)


> But, you asked for my response. This organisation that I
> have highlighted in this debate is a classic example. Ordinarily to the
> unwashed one would assume it would be automatic to invite Permaculture
> specialists to offer inputs. Sorry they do not want such. They do not want
> our solutions. Their agendas are very different to ours.
>
> Perhaps the "Next Big Step" programme we are evolving will offer some
> insight into this reality to give us and our future our own strategies for
> intervention and infiltration. Or perhaps we look at quite different
> strategies and create our own models and pathways. But, it still remains ,
>

That is encouraging. Stabilizing the public perception of what permaculture
really is and how it is taught
using Mollison's 72 hour PDC or preferably a 72 hour advanced PDC could
form the baseis for a proactive permaculture movement that moves into the
future bringing along many enthusiastic people. I see great potential here.
Build communities and make them independent and sovereign as far as
possible, sustainable and hosting unique local economies that retain income
generated by entities within.
Look at the Mondragon concept and that of worker owned corporations..


> we must become more aware of what our real challenges are and dare i say it
> who our enemies really are and what their agendas and programmes are. Steve
> Hart
>

My input in another forum will give you a clear picture of my sentiments
about the relationship between ordinary working, community-minded folks and
multinational corporate juggernauts.
<>
Listening to Here and Now talk show on public radio now. They just
interviewed a large scale cotton farmer about the flooding and how he has
been affected. He was almost in tears. He has an enormous investment in
land and equipment. The floods have caused widespread, crippling damage to
his crops. No telliing how much financial loss he will suffer. Asked if he
would quit farming, he said no, this is my life and I will keep on farming.
He has gone through hurricanes and associated flooding but he says this is
just rain and is worse than anything he has been through ever before.
During the interview he made the comment that "we don't have a voice in
Washington anymore".
The doors of the USDA and the FDA have been ripped off the hinges and
replaced with one of those fancy revolving models.
I read somewhere that big ag/mulinational agribusiness/chemical-
pesticide-gmo-biotech-automated-robotics-prescription multinational
corporate agriculture, specifically Monsanto, Bayer and their accomplices
in environmental, economic and social destruction won't rest until they
have rid the world of independent, traditional, small-medium-large farming
and peasant farmers. I was born in N.C., grew up here, had ancestors who
farmed in Eastern and Piedmont NC and always thought that our local food
supply would in great part come from producers within one hundred miles of
us.
In the sixties and seventies I cultivated a vision for American
agriculture. It revolved around a network of independent farms using
chemical methods but moving toward natural throughout our country. The
image of big sky and endless acres of fertile permanent farmland came to
mind.
Maybe this will come to pass eventually.
<>
 Do you think this will come to pass with either Donald Trump or Hillary
Clinton in the White House?
Well, I know you would prefer Stein and I would prefer Bernie
but..............
Considering what is at stake for big agribusiness do you actually think it
matters who gets elected?
I hear the fix is in regardless of the outcome. In other words, to answer
your quesion honestly,
neither one or it doesn't matter. Cynicism at its best. I will vote
Democratic because they actually offer some hope, maybe a lot, The
potential is there and there is a groundswell of interest in local food
systems and permaculture. Trump offers no hope. Just think about those
alt-rights backing him and what they are about if you don't believe me.
I think the period just before Butz, followed by Espey and the same path to
the present with the Monsanto executive put the system in place. The
people's voice will not be heard, nor was Bernie's. Example: what kind of
forces had to be in place to allow widespread pesticide use to the point
that we almost have no honeybees and no honey on the shelves for less than
$20 per quart, and get away with it, public outcry ignored completely. Yes
there are planty of alternative pollinator conservation programs underway
and renewal of apiaries but look at what has been lost.
I have always admired and respected the work of all divisions of the USDA.
They still do excellent work as do the land grant universities,.
Nevertheless, a huge percentage of government activities has been devoted
to helping gmo/pesticide/robotic/synthetic NPK agribusiness with much less
than previously allocated destined for traditional natural local farmers.

Traditional, local, natural (OK, "organic") food production has been left
to fend for itself. Adequately financed farms can become successful
whereas medium income or low income EXPERT gardeners and farmers who know
what natural agriculture is all about are left wandering in a fog trying to
gain their fair share of market opportunities and deal with the overburden
of paperwork and regulations.- they would say find and get to know your
local farmer and you will realize the quality of the food you purchase from
him; that it was safe and natural would be an assumed fact.

There are volumes to be said.about all this.
<>


-- 
Lawrence F. London, Jr.
lfljvenaura@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared