These are interesting times indeed, and if you are going along thinking everything will stay pretty much the same then you're simply not looking! Human experience shows that having connections with others in your community makes the difference between basic survival and living a good life.. Trouble is, our ability to do this has gone pretty rusty over the last couple of generations.
Here are some simple but very useful tips on how to get those connections happening.... Don't leave it any longer to get started. And as always, stock up on food and essentials, learn to grow your own and don't expect anyone else to look after you if and when the s*$# hits the fan. This is about interdependence, not dependence.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Is There a Downside to Being a Locavore ie. Eating Only Local Produce?
By guest blogger, Robert Bradford
There's good reasons to go Locavore and strive to eat only locally grown food.
For a start, most agribusiness foods are polluted with petrochemical fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. Compared to large agribusinesses, some small local growers, with their greater attention to detail, may produce food that is less contaminated or totally organic and so better for you.
Also, transport of non local foods require:
1) extra fuel that our country(s) can no longer afford,
2) picking food stuffs green, and maybe even,
3) GMO and/or,
4) irradiation to increase shelf life.
Since most big farmers follow the "NPK" mentality, and farm the soil unsustainably, the food they produce is most likely almost void of minerals. I had a soil test from my master gardener training days but it tested for very few minerals and is therefore useless.
The only reason I can think of not to become a 100% locavore is that most unamended soils in any locality are deficient in the same minerals. Minerals are more than important, they are VITAL to plant, animal and human life. Just ask my Vet or my Doctor.
What is the answer, kelp, sea salt, supplements?
[MEG: I MAKE UP A SUPPLEMENT FROM INGREDIENTS READILY AVAILABLE FROM HEALTH FOOD SHOPS THAT HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN IT. WE GIVE IT TO OUR PETS AND OUR FAMILY. ]
There's good reasons to go Locavore and strive to eat only locally grown food.
For a start, most agribusiness foods are polluted with petrochemical fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. Compared to large agribusinesses, some small local growers, with their greater attention to detail, may produce food that is less contaminated or totally organic and so better for you.
Also, transport of non local foods require:
1) extra fuel that our country(s) can no longer afford,
2) picking food stuffs green, and maybe even,
3) GMO and/or,
4) irradiation to increase shelf life.
Since most big farmers follow the "NPK" mentality, and farm the soil unsustainably, the food they produce is most likely almost void of minerals. I had a soil test from my master gardener training days but it tested for very few minerals and is therefore useless.
The only reason I can think of not to become a 100% locavore is that most unamended soils in any locality are deficient in the same minerals. Minerals are more than important, they are VITAL to plant, animal and human life. Just ask my Vet or my Doctor.
What is the answer, kelp, sea salt, supplements?
[MEG: I MAKE UP A SUPPLEMENT FROM INGREDIENTS READILY AVAILABLE FROM HEALTH FOOD SHOPS THAT HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN IT. WE GIVE IT TO OUR PETS AND OUR FAMILY. ]
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