The Weird Divide

Hey Folks, 

Sorry, but there will not be a show today.  I went into work this morning and was laid off.  I am part of that fantastic unemployment statistic now.  Yah for me!  Anyway, I’ll get the show back in the next day or two, but I have to do all that fun stuff you have to do when this kind of thing happens.  Have a great day!

Sup3D(David)

I posted the last of my indoor garden videos to Youtube a couple days ago.  It is the last because all the plants got moved outdoors for the summer.  Mostly this was due to the an ongoing battle with fungus gnats.  I could never get them to completely go away.  Oh well, I’ll try again in the fall.

The giant tomato plants snapped, fell over, and died. I have peppers that I’ve eaten and more on the way. I now have radishes, lettuce, eggplant, and other flowers in process of growing. The lettuce and radishes are about to be pulled up and I’ll try radishes again in that pot. Next video I do out there will have greater detail about the individual plants.

So, check out the video:

The Future of Food is a film by Deborah Koons Garcia.  It chronicals the decline in our food crops biodiversity as a side effect of the industrialization of agriculture.   I highly recommend you watch this. 

Here is a synopsis provided by their website:

There is a revolution happening in the farm fields and on the dinner tables of America — a revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat. THE FUTURE OF FOOD offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade. From the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives a voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. The health implications, government policies and push towards globalization are all part of the reason why many people are alarmed by the introduction of genetically altered crops into our food supply.

This film is an absolute gem for information on genetically modified(GM) foods, the patenting of seeds, the loss of agricultural liberty, and the loss of our seed biodiversity.  I’m not going to go into huge detail now on my feelings about this topic, but let me be clear:  He who controls the food controls all.  There is no freedom without the ability to provide the most basic essentials for yourself.  If you do not have any food storage or the ability to grow your own food for at least a small amount of time, then you can never be truly free to stand up if and when the time comes. 

Pay particular attention to the story of the farmer who lost his right to grow his seeds because of the patenting of seed crop.  His canola had been “infected” by Monsanto’s GM seed.  He lost in court.  He lost his crop and his ability to farm in the manner of his fathers. 

Because of this film and other education I’ve received on this subject, I have been led to support and buy my seed form such organizations as Seed Savers Exchange.  From their site:

Seed Savers Exchangeis a non-profit, member supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations. Our loyal SSE members have distributed an estimated 1 million samples of rare garden seeds since our founding nearly 35 years ago. Those seeds now are widely used by seed companies, small farmers supplying local and regional markets, chefs and home gardeners and cooks, alike.

The key to solving the future of food problem is a move to self supporting agricultural systems based on the principle of food localization.  When you combine this problem with the coming shortage of fresh water and peak oil in the next 20 years, local food is the only solution along with sustainable gardens based on rain catch irrigation techniques and local markets.  Enjoy the show . . . then DO something about it.

The Future of Food

Shot on location in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, THE FUTURE OF FOOD examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world’s food system. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today.