big Corporations

[Guest guest]

Laura --

 

> It's depressing, because small organic (local) farms mean much

> more than just food.

> They have to do with viable economy, sustainable, earth-friendly

> farming practices, keeping

> our water supply safe, and preserving the valuable topsoil...and

> better treatment of animals, even when the mindset is not strictly

> vegetarian...Mass-produced and " big-industry " practices are nearly

> always bad for both humans and animals. But with the " buyouts " so

> pervasive, what can a person do when other options are so limited?

> This is frustrating!

 

I really share your concern over this issue. Increasingly the world's

food sources are becoming the property of a handful of international

mega-agribiz corporations. More and more of the seed used to grow

that food is becoming concentrated in the hands of a few of some of

the same companies.

 

The best thing you can do is -- keep educating yourself. Thank

goodness we have access to all kinds of information via the Internet,

and groups like this one are invaluable for sharing food-related

news. As the entire planet faces loss of healthy soil, clean water,

cheap sources of energy, coupled with climate change and exploding

populations, the pressure to 'solve' the food issue by planting more

and more genetically engineered food will only increase.

 

If you can't grow any food yourself, look for a community garden, a

school, a church group that is encouraging self-reliance. Look for

food-buying groups and co-ops. Look at the Mother Earth News website

for links to self-reliance groups in your area. There must be some

people in your area who share your values and who might want to join

with you to start a small food buying group, a community garden. Or a

small farm that would like to get started as a CSA (community

supported agriculture) provider.

 

We're all in this together!

 

~ irene in rural western WA

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

It's not just food. It is also herbs. Many people are

most perturbed with the medical/pharmaceutical

corporations that search out herbs in remote locations

and attempt to patent them. They've attempted

to do this with various plants from the Amazon.

Admittedly this may have its good side relative to

standardization but they attempt to gain control

over its distribution and legality in the natural

herbal community.

 

http://listi.jpberlin.de/pipermail/info-mail/2005-July/000350.html

 

Gary

 

 

 

 

________________________________

" irene " <irene

 

Monday, December 1, 2008 9:46:59 AM

Re: big Corporations

 

Laura --

 

> It's depressing, because small organic (local) farms mean much

> more than just food.

> They have to do with viable economy, sustainable, earth-friendly

> farming practices, keeping

> our water supply safe, and preserving the valuable topsoil...and

> better treatment of animals, even when the mindset is not strictly

> vegetarian...Mass-produced and " big-industry " practices are nearly

> always bad for both humans and animals. But with the " buyouts " so

> pervasive, what can a person do when other options are so limited?

> This is frustrating!

 

I really share your concern over this issue. Increasingly the world's

food sources are becoming the property of a handful of international

mega-agribiz corporations. More and more of the seed used to grow

that food is becoming concentrated in the hands of a few of some of

the same companies.

 

The best thing you can do is -- keep educating yourself. Thank

goodness we have access to all kinds of information via the Internet,

and groups like this one are invaluable for sharing food-related

news. As the entire planet faces loss of healthy soil, clean water,

cheap sources of energy, coupled with climate change and exploding

populations, the pressure to 'solve' the food issue by planting more

and more genetically engineered food will only increase.

 

If you can't grow any food yourself, look for a community garden, a

school, a church group that is encouraging self-reliance. Look for

food-buying groups and co-ops. Look at the Mother Earth News website

for links to self-reliance groups in your area. There must be some

people in your area who share your values and who might want to join

with you to start a small food buying group, a community garden. Or a

small farm that would like to get started as a CSA (community

supported agriculture) provider.

 

We're all in this together!

 

~ irene in rural western WA

 

 

[Guest guest]

re: " Big corporations... "

 

Chef,

 

    I'm sorry about my soapbox rantings--your post had a lot of wisdom and

reason in it

and in view of what you wrote, I can humbly climb down from my " high horse " and

think

about, as you said, learning more and maybe finding other ways to deal with

knotty

issues. 

 

    I guess frustration is behind a lot of ranting and raving, both mine and

other

peoples'.  There arises from time to time that sense that the " big boys "

have all the

control and if the government is on " their " side, what can the " little person "

do abou it?

 

     Also, as you said, the home garden idea is good, but not applicable to

everyone in

every location.  I have yearned for my " own " garden many times (and in many

places

where my family has lived)  Sometimes we've been able to have one and sometimes

not.

Having to live in places where " doing things " and planting in " the yard " has

sometimes

been restricted (we don't own the place where we live), I've looked a few times

at other

people's gardening with envy and especially the ones who lean toward organic

practices.

 

     Thank you for adding your perspective and a view that is balanced to this

issue.  I appreciate that and commend you for your broader world view.  When it

APPEARS that

the only way " farming " is done in the part of the midwest where I live is that

" factory "

corporate " big industry " kind of farming, it's easy for one to throw up the

hands and to

think that that's all there is out there, and that " There's more of 'them' than

there are of

'us'! "   Of course, there ARE those who don't to that mindset--one just

needs

to look around a bit more--and they are out there.

 

      I particularly like your closing remark: " There is more than one answer to

these

questions. "   Yes, and thank you for reminding us and me of that--I always prefer

to think,

even if it seems overly optimistic to some people, that there really IS more

than one

" answer " , one " method " one " solution " to an issue or a problem.  There is more

than one

appoach, one pathway, one system...it's always good to learn more and to find

alternatives.

 

     Thank you again for your comments.  I stand corrected--or at least, I have

stepped back

to try a wider perspective!

 

Peace and blessings!

--Laura B., in ol' downstate Illinois

 

 

 

 

 

5a. Big corporations

    Posted by: " B.J. Lee " bj-lee bj_lee

    Wed Dec 3, 2008 7:12 am ((PST))

 

I am not going to start up on how disturbing it is to have a person in this

group 'Soap box' about Corporate farms.

 

I don't like it, but, then you have to vent.

 

My stance is that education is the key to solving all the problems in this

world of ours.

 

The idea of home gardens makes sense in Illinois, (Where I got my education

and did my apprentice for Chef).

 

I have been from coast to coast and border to border, then half way around

the world.

 

Simply put, Home gardens will not feed the world. I am in the Desert

Southwest now, and having a home garden is expensive with time and money,

not to mention the water.We tend to lose our world view when confronted with

greed.

 

Yeah, there is a lot of improvement to be made.Awareness will help, but,

Awareness will not feed the world.

 

I am a Baha'I, we believe in Independent Investigation of all things. One of

things that we embrace is a world view and

 

We tend to think that human kind will gravitate toward Vegetarian and vegan

Menus.

 

We also think that the key to solving the problems this ol' earth has is by

education.

 

WE, You and I, need to make efforts to educate the Virtues of working the

earth, we can do this, not by standing on a soap box and screaming, rather,

by hard work and example.

 

 

 

I also have a comment about HEMP,

 

There is a book, (I wish I could find my copy) called, 'The Emperor wears no

cloths, " it is about the way that 4 greedy men shut down Hemp production in

this county. A newspaper man, (Paper) an oil man (fuel) a petro-chemical man

(Drugs) and a senator.

 

 

 

Take care,,,

 

Chef

 

There is more than one answer to these questions.