http://www.dyarrow.org/BiocharAndMycorrhizae.pdf
David Yarrow
dyarrow5@gmail.com
785-260-6272
http://www.dyarrow.org
http://dyarrow.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/dyarrow5
http://www.carbon-negative.us
http://www.nutrient-dense.info
http://www.ancientforests.us
http://www.seaagri.com
http://www.onondagavesica.info
A. Problem: System of industrial agriculture is fatal to consumers, rivers and lakes, genetic diversity, wildlife, community. We must not replace patriotism about our country for greed of large-scale industrial farming.
— Scathing letter from an agvocate
— Obama has not helped organic farmers (Tumblr) (we have been penalized/ small farmers have not been helped/ however, these local and organic farmers are the hope for our future)
— What we know about GMO (Tumblr)
— Leafy green problems , “natural” problems, Raw food raids
— Sustainability (lack of)
B. Organic agriculture was fastest growing sector, why? It’s entrepreneurial spirit, optimism, timely, news.
— What I am thinking is, Farm Economy
— Guest blogger Amanda Garant: A Farmer for Always
— Corn Planting around the corner: A Different Option for Farmers
C. But we must go beyond the USDA certification to save small farming, the wilderness, and our wildlife. We must conquer a mechanistic and reductionist worldview, to understand that our food decision creates our children’s future.
Wendell Berry: ‘Soil is not usually lost in slabs or heaps of magnificent tonnage. It is lost a little at a time over millions of acres by careless acts
of millions of people. It cannot be solved by heroic feats of gigantic technology, but only by millions of small acts and restraints.’
— Response to @TheFarmersLife, High Tech Ag is Not Natural
— The need for “99% Sustainability:” John Jeavons and Ecology Action
— Some goals for the food movement to work with (global perspective, morals..)
— Parks, Ecology, Business
— Elk Migration Routes, and a Permaculture-Ecology Project
— How the Amish React to New Technology
— Government, Scientific, Technology adaptations for development (From the IAASTD)
D. Posit a new system. Method:
— “Anarganic” norms for the twenty-first century
E. And ask them for seeds. Cook and grow your own food.
(Some of my favorite recipes: butternut squash, egg torta, best cornbread)
I just attended the final community feedback meeting for Oberlin’s planning commission to craft a plan for Oberlin in 2025. They have been held by the College, City, Library, different Non-profits, Churches.. etc. This one was held by the WRLC. If you live in Oberlin, I doubt you haven’t been invited to one. Fascinating table and the ability to be heard by city government. Really, the ability to craft our future as an area.
So exciting that we can build and prepare these networks to be ready for whatever happens. We should decide to go on a “green belt” that would be around Oberlin (the School district) and would provide Oberlin’s restaurants and schools with fresh healthy food, and Oberlin’s residents (esp. low-income) with a chance to grow on their own land to start.
If anyone in Oberlin is interested in growing, go with it! Get those seeds in and see if you can help it grow. It was organic gardening that got me started along a path that others can follow to be our future agricultural economy: access, vegetable/community gardening, small animals, farm intern, market gardener … (program at LCCC?)
In Massachusetts, an organization that I recommend ithe New Entry Sustainable Farm Project (http://nesfp.org/). They are amazing and have a class that leads into an intro program where you practice CSA growing on 3/4 acre.
For anyone who’s interested in Energy sustainability, BU has a great grad school program on it, very good and some of the top energy and environment professors in the country there. For energy, try to do something tangible like a utility-scale solar field or reducing how much you/we use. Here, last night I had great luck challenging the city council people that were there on it; they took up the challenge.
I hope that as we move forward we can rise to meet these challenges, as a nation and globally. A shout out to the folks in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts who are now beginning the 2 community discussion meetings on these topics!
-Eddie
440-935-5434
twitter http://twitter.com/eddiemill/
ag mini-blog http://eddiemill.tumblr.com/
Topic: Food price #Foodchat:
Free trade drives agri-culture out of business.
Policy imperative should not only encourage low food price — it should ensure resilience.
Farmers, we can still feed everyone, can’t we? See @Cityfresh.
Industrial food price regimen has no place on my farm.
Export competition cannot keep up. We are one of the only countries that still subsidizes, violating trade laws.
In local foods, we try to make it affordable even for low-income families to eat well.
It’s tough to compete when McDonald’s is subsidized.
We can’t undercut other farmer’s prices and call it moral.
Let’s not do it to our own local farmers and young farmers and organic farmers who want to start out.
Now, we’ve become one of Mexico’s biggest corn exporters. Which puts them out of business unless they’re buying our corn.
Costa Rica didn’t want CAFTA because it would hurt their small producers. Neither did France.
Ron Paul: not that he would be good for America in short term, but it would all make sense.
My work in agriculture has officially invaded inbox, twitter, facebook and everything!
Link to the archives: Agchat and Foodchat Archives
Hey everyone, I think you should check out my younoodle site for what’s going on around Oberlin! Other than my typepad blog or my twitter, it’s pretty much the number 3 place to be on the web.
http://younoodle.com/startups/oberlin_college_sustainability_project/
The Oberlin Commons project
Cool!
For those who are following my international development efforts, it’s also up there.
A Global Organic Mindset 