With the torrent of changes that are happening it can be easy for one to become pessimistic. I urge you not to, for that is when it is truly too late. There is still plenty that we can do to create a fire break against these scorched earth policies. The first is simply to be informed and involved.
We are in a time when it is no longer safe to be ignorant of politics. I don’t mean having an in depth knowledge of the inner workings of the federal government and their ABC agencies. No, what I am referencing is local, from village and township councils, up to the state level. That’s where we can still fight this battle and win. Take the examples I laid out in a previous article, Scorched Earth: An Attack on Animal Agriculture, those initiatives have been put on state ballots for the people to decide. This is why it is imperative that we be informed on the people and issues that will have a direct affect on our lives, and the lives of our children. The other strategy we need to employ, is simply to act.
This is a call to action for every backyard gardener, hobby farmer, and homesteader no matter your size or skill level. Keep doing what you’re doing, and if you can, begin to expand and network with your community. Begin to secure the food system for where you are at. Most states allow direct sales of whole and even minimally processed foods without the need for commercial facilities or inspection.
Live in the suburbs or the city? There are many alternatives to soil growing, my favorite being aquaponics. A closed loop system that uses fish farming waste to feed and grow produce. Quail and rabbit are both great protein sources that can easily be grown in an urban setting. A few months back I did a cost breakdown for raising our rabbits, The Cost of Raising Rabbits.
This is also a call to action for anyone who simply reads this and doesn’t garden or homestead, we need you to take action as well. Have a neighbor who gardens? Perhaps offer a space of your yard for them to expand in exchange for some produce, or gather a few gardeners in your community and discuss the possibility of a co-op. Here in Wisconsin, agriculture is a huge part of our economy. To help farmers get their product out to consumers after the shutdowns of last year, some folks got together and created a farm direct website. A person can search based on product or zip code to find what they’re looking for, perhaps you could set something similar up.
Henry Kissinger once said, “Control oil and you control nations, control food and you control people.” Bill Mollison has the right idea, “Permaculture challenges what we’re doing and thinking, and to that extent it’s sedition.”
Gaia's Sanctorum 