One thing that seems to get a little lost in some of the discussion on localvore diets is how important local food is to community. I heard about a university study (don’t ask me for a source - I can’t remember where I read this) that found people at farmers markets have ten times as many conversations than they do in grocery stores. Not to mention more of your money stays in the community and goes to local farmers and provides local jobs.

Rob:

You need to start buying your seeds from a better seed company! There’s lots of small ethical seed companies out there that encourage you to save seeds. I’m working for one the winter: http://www.stellarseeds.com/.

This is from their catalog: “Stellar Seeds are part of a rich public inheritance. You can save all the seeds we grow. No patents. No Royalties.” They even sell a seed saving manual.

I’m not sure if its right for me to be talking up a company I work for on here, but there’s actually a lot of small ethical seed companies out there. Here’s a good list of ethical seed companies from one of my favorite websites: http://www.doomers.us/forum2/index.php/topic,61743.0.html

Even if the company says you can’t save their seeds, I’d personally do it anyway (provided the seeds are open source and not hybrids) - I don’t think its right that companies can own life.

And a google search should give you plenty of info on saving seeds. You could also find out if you have a local seedy saturday or seed bank - these can be excellent resources.

I really think we need more people saving seeds at a grassroots level. Seed saving in the hands of many people really helps protect genetic diversity and heirloom varieties - essential insurance against the threats of peak oil and climate change. It also takes power and wealth away from big agribusiness.

- and I agree entirely…if we don’t find another way
to conduct economies without the obsession with “growth”
then we get nowhere fast….
(it always reminded me of cancer cells…the similarity would
be hysterically funny, if it wasn’t so damned serious)

Specifically, I have raised bed veggie gardens in 4×20 (80 sq ft) plots. How much charcoal, in pounds, should I add to each plot? It may seem silly, but if this is going to catch on, a lot of pioneers are going to have to crow about it.

I live in a small town where the smoke of charcoal creation would not be welcome. I’ll need to buy it or persuade a rural buddy to let me make it on his land. So, “how much do I need” is crucial for me to try it.
Thanks!

Yours truly,

Alex

Don’t farmers just sound - healthy?
Don’tcha just wish they were all politicians too?
(in their spare time)

Food is a gawdawful personal thing - to leave up to
the snarled twists of a sorry fate (otherwise known
as globaloney)
We can do without imported kewpie dolls, but unless
we learn how to hibernate, we’ll always be vulnerable
to the cultivated calorie.

hey! That was a waste of good apple peel !

cheers,
jp