October 06, 2014

Eating for Peace Part 5: Sustainable Local Agriculture



Sustainable Local Agriculture

 In recent years a strong movement has emerged to redefine agriculture from the perspective of its  sustainability (ability to be productively replicated in future generations) and its interconnection with its immediate environment.  The movement has brought focus not only to these connections but to the profitability of small farms, the practicality of individuals growing their own food, and the environmental and economic benefits of obtaining food that has been produced locally.


According to the 1990 U.S. Farm Bill, sustainable agriculture should hold to these basic tenets:

 • satisfy human food and fiber needs and farmers and ranchers profit over the long term
• enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural
  economy depends
• make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and
  integrate natural biological cycles and controls
• sustain the economic viability of farm operations
• enhance the quality of life for farmers, ranchers and society as a whole



Although the farm has long been a place where much thought has been given to stewardship of the earth, it has also been a battleground  of principles where large scale economies often fight for position in front of solid conservation practices.  While food and fiber production has soared due to new technologies, mechanization, increased chemical use, specialization, and government policies that favored maximizing production, there have been significant environmental and social costs.  Prominent among these are topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, decline of family farms, increasing production costs, intensified use of fossil fuel sources, and degradation of economic and social conditions in rural communities. The growing sustainable agriculture movement of the last two decades has focused on methodologies that address these concerns without damaging the economic viability of the farm



According to the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at U. Cal-Davis,    basic operational core practices of the movement should include :

 • Selection of species and varieties that are well suited to the site and to conditions on the farm;
• Diversification of crops (including livestock) and cultural practices to enhance the biological and economic stability of the farm;
• Management of the soil to enhance and protect soil quality;
• Efficient and humane use of inputs; and
• Consideration of farmers' goals and lifestyle choices.

 Examples of specific practices that fit within this framework include but are definitely not limited to): recycling/composting yard  and kitchen waste, polycultural farming, square foot gardening, seed saving/use of heirloom varieties,rainwater management practices (rain barrels, cisterns, rain gardens, etc.),vertical gardening (may I recommend the Tower Garden my friends: akorteshares.towergarden.com), animal husbandry practices (small paddock rotational grazing, backyard chickens, Serengeti rotational grazing, etc.), integrated pest management, and best practices from organic agriculture. The way that crops are sold must also be accounted for in relation to sustainability. 

 Food sold locally saves transportation energy (including consumers) whereas food that is sold at a remote location, involves a different and higher set of energy costs for materials, labor, and transport.





Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  While this can possibly be done with large scale operations, the focus of this topic will address smaller scale, family farm level operations. One of the newest topics in sustainability and one you will hear me discuss often is vertical growing. I run a small  business dedicated to this sustainable technology and would like to use this opportunity to tell you more about it and it's environmental benefits...


So how can you start to support sustainable movements on the local level?

  • Grow your own food 
  • Visit your local farmer's market regularly and get to know the people who feed you
  • Stop asking why organic food is so expensive and start asking why non-GMO food is so cheap
  • Educate yourself and others on sustainable practices
  • Make your voice heard - contact your Senator and Congressperson; let them know this matters
  • Teach your children well: show them the way instead of telling them
  • Practice what you preach
Start with these basic tenants and before you know it you'll MVP of Team Sustainability! Welcome to the team my friends - we are happy to have you join us! Have a happy and healthy day everyone. Peace, Audrey 


JUICE PLUS+ WEBSITE: http://akorteshares.juiceplus.com

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