Farming and CSA

“Farming is not just a business like any other profit making business, but a precondition of all human life on earth”, therefore “the problems of agriculture and the environment belong not just to a small minority of active farmers; they are the problems of all humanity.”

Groh and McFadden (1997). Farms of Tomorrow Revisited. Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association.

The same authors describe Community Supported Agriculture as follows:
"A CSA is a community-based organization of growers and consumers. The consumer households live independently, but agree to provide direct, up-front support for the local growers who produce their food. The growers agree to do their best to provide a sufficient quantity and quality of food to meet the needs and expectations of the consumers. In this way the farms and families form a network of mutual support. Within this general framework there is wide latitude for variation, depending on the resources and desires of the participants."

And they say, about CSA farms:
"If not growing all the answers, these farms can at least be said to be cultivating the right questions."

Besides quality food production and environmental care, sustainable farms can provide a learning ground for key human understandings for a meaningful life:

1. Living according to natural rhythms (the seasons and daily rhythms of the sun);
2. A modest lifestyle, adapted to what nature and locally adapted farming systems can give;
3. A readiness to do what is necessary without complaint (fighting the love of ease);
4. A deep understanding of the fact that you harvest what you plant;
5. Appreciation of the fact that it is nature that produces what we need to sustain ourselves, not the farmer. He only shapes the conditions that favour the growth of the plants and animals we need;
6. Understand that productivity of the land was shaped by the generations living before one, and that the way one works with the farm today will benefit or harm future generation;
7. Find out that nature produces best out of a big diversity of plants and animals: diversity fosters productivity;
8. Animals are needed to keep the fertility of the soil;
9. Hundreds of technical skills can be learnt on a farm, related to conduct farmwork properly, but also social skills can be acquired by having to work cooperatively.

Truly economic motivation should not be confused with profit motivation." They are totally different cathegories." Growing strawberries for a far away market consumes more energy than it delivers to the final consumer; hence it is uneconomic, however, a profit can be made.

Tag der Deutschen Einheit

Today is the German national holiday - the day of the unity of East and West Germany in 1989. Quite a historic moment for Europe. It seems rather medieval to have had something like the Berlin wall just some decades ago. Unfortunately similarly dark age things are ongoing...

I can suggest the book "Krieg ohne Grenzen. Die neue Kolonisierung der Welt" from Maria Mies about the most awful ongoing military strategical plans, mainly in Europe.

Cycling

If you ever wonder what I'm singing while cycling...Here's the very silly soultion:

"Neulich bin ich mit hundertzwanzig
Auf meinem Fahrrad 'rumgefahr'n
Und wie immer konnt' ich nur hoffen
Die Polizei haelt mich nicht an
Denn dann muesst' ich Strafe zahlen
Und man fuehrt mich zum Verhoer
Und mein armes kleines Fahrrad
Staend alleine vor der Tuer

Oh wie liebe ich mein Fahrrad
Warum das weiss ich nicht genau
Meinem Fahrrad werd' ich treu sein
Im Gegensatz zu meiner Frau
Niemals werd' ich es verlassen
Niemals werd' ich von ihm geh'n
Denn wir fliegen wie auf Wolken
Weil wir uns so gut versteh'n

Jeder Popel faehrt 'nen Opel
Jeder Affe faehrt 'nen Ford
Jeder Bloedmann faehrt 'nen Porsche
Jeder Doedel Audi-sport
(...) Nur Geniesser fahren Fahrrad
Und sind immer schneller da"

...
Die Prinzen

Sevilla Guzman

Artigos de Eduardo Sevilla Guzman on-line, em Espanhol:
http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/extaut?codigo=332744

Sevilla Guzman trabalha em agroecologia como processo de transformação social na Universidade de Córdoba, no Instituto de Estudos Campesinos.

Economic sphere

"The ideal of fraternity in the economic sphere."
This Steiner proposal is just amazing...and what a far, far way to go...

Why I landed in Essex

Yes, it was an article about the SAFE World project of Jules Pretty and Rachel Hine I read in the German Greenpeace magazine...
And now here is the tranlation into Portuguese!
About how sustainable agriculture can improve the livelihoods of poor people, mainly in developing countries. Be inspired!

Livrito que compila os resultados de um estudo sobre como a agricultura sustentável pode assegurar alimentação suficiente e melhorar as condições de vida dos mais pobres. Inspira-te!
http://www.greenpeace.org.br/transgenicos/pdf/receitas_contra_a_fome.pdf

L'association Terre de Liens

"La terre, ce bien fragile et précieux qui permet de produire tout ce dont l’homme a besoin pour s’alimenter, est actuellement de plus en plus convoitée, exploitée, sujette à des spéculations de tout ordre. Pourrait-on un jour penser que la terre serait en grande partie utilisée pour le travail de l’homme ? Elle serait confiée, en conséquence à ceux dont le destin est de la cultiver, en la respectant, pour produire des aliments qui maintiennent les consommateurs et l’environnement en bonne santé.
Actuellement, il est de plus en plus difficile d’acquérir le foncier, à moins de s’endetter à vie. L’agriculture actuelle est malade du manque d’hommes qui s’en occupent. Devenir paysan, dans cette période où la rentabilité est reine, est insupportable. Chaque citoyen ou consommateur doit se sentir concerné et peut soutenir des projets qui vont dans ce sens."

http://www.terredeliens.org/

Becoming a peasant nowadays is financially impossible for most of us...what an irony of the detsiny...