[Organic
Gardening] [Eco-Farming] [Food
Sources]
[Gardening for Wildlife]
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"If you choose to eat mass-produced fast food, you are supporting a
network of supply and demand that is destroying local communities and
traditional ways of life all over the world -- a system that replaces
self-sufficiency with dependence. And you are supporting a method of agriculture
that is ecologically unsound, that depletes the soil and leaves harmful chemical
residues in our food and in our air and water. But if you eat fresh,
locally-grown organic food in season, then you are contributing to the health
and stability of local agriculture and local communities. And to put frosting on
the cake, you're also giving yourself pleasure -- the pleasure of amazingly
delicious food…"
From the Web site of The
Land Connection
How did we get into this fix? Paradigm Paralysis explains why we're stuck in this reckless mode. What do we do? The other links on this page address that issue:
Organic Gardening
Eco-Farming
Food Sources
Gardening for Wildlife
If we are to eat healthy food, we must encourage those who produce healthy food. Industrial agriculture is bringing us unhealthy food, destroying our soil, polluting our waterways, and impoverishing our farmers. Fortunately there are alternatives. Growing some of your own food organically is one choice more of us should make.
Of course growing all our own food is pretty difficult, so seeking out food grown in a healthy, humane and sustainable fashion come next. It helps to know something about Sustainable Agriculture in evaluating the sources of your food, and how we arrived at this sorry state of affairs.
Now that you know a bit about how food ought to be grown, where to you find good food? Food Sources and it's links provide some suggestions.
No organic garden is complete without without native plants and shrubs that provide a welcoming place for the wild creatures that help to maintain a balanced and healthy environment in your gardens. The native bees pollinate your fruits and vegetables, native flowers attract beneficial insects who help to keep pests under control, and the birds and butterflies that visit your gardens help to create a peaceful and inviting sanctuary that rivals any nearby park.
With the help of others I have put together a page of resources to help you plan and develop your Wildlife Garden. Click on Native Plants for lots of sources of inspiration.
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Paradigm
Paralysis
The Worst Disease in the U.S.
December
2002, Acres U.S.A.
by Philip
Wheeler
For some background on the problems that commercial agriculture has brought us this is an article well worth reading. Here is an excerpt:
" “Paradigm Paralysis” is the inability to look outside the current
model we are using for a paradigm or otherwise being unable to make changes or
adopt a new model. The causes of paradigm paralysis include: fear; peer
pressure; lack of energy, knowledge, or resources; and a myriad of others. The
fears can include: fear of change; fear of ridicule; fear of failure; or, again,
a variety of fears or concerns....
"So, why are paradigms worth reading about in an agricultural
publication? Because two of the most important paradigms in our lives —
agriculture and health/medicine — were created with war, money, power and
politics in mind, rather than with a true scientific basis and the general
welfare as bases. The power of paradigms are so great and paradigm paralysis so
prevalent that the United States has gone from a country with huge reserves of
high-organic-matter, mineral-rich soils to being named the country with the
worst soil degradation, and from a country with reasonably healthy people to one
that now has some of the worst rates for degenerative diseases, diabetes and
obesity in the world. The two are related — eight out of 10 of our list of
killer diseases are related to the condition of our soil, air and water, as well
as our lifestyles, which includes our diets."
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Other information about Raw Milk
Other information on Healthy Foods
Stop fooling yourselves.
If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you will have to
become a fool so you can become wise by God's standards. For the
wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures
say,
"God catches those who think they are wise
in their own cleverness."
And again,
"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that
they are worthless."
1 Corinthians 3: 18-20