An in Depth look into Beekeeping with the Warre Hive (Top Bar)

Warre - Beekeeping For All

Organic Monoculture; Sustainable?

While the production numbers are impressive and the growth in organic crops is a huge positive, look at some of the production numbers.  87% of the apples, 81% of the cherries and 78% of the pears are coming from one state.  One state that is in the corner of the country.  Meaning about 87% of the apples are being shipped from one place.  This can demonstrate how a rise in oil prices can propagate higher food prices even if the crops are being produced without large petrochemical inputs like conventional agriculture.  Moving 200K tons of apples may be fine at $100 a barrel oil, but is it sustainable at $150 or even $200?

This shows that the sustainability of organic may end once the crops leave the farm, and the system of truck farming and massive economies of scale may only work to drive down food prices as long as oil prices stay stable and low.   Growing in less than optimal climates may be the future of agriculture to off set higher fuel costs if we go into another oil shock.  

Seeds of Life

Home Gardening by the Numbers

The Problems of Society are Problems within the Human Mind.

Nick Titar speaks on permaculture and changing the way we think.

Suburban Homestead

It should say how much land you need to live off of with a typical American diet.

Compared with what some urban homesteaders are able to get away with this seem like more than enough land.  Mind you, the chart looks more like mimicking conventional agriculture and crops than what could be optimized in ones own climate zone.  An aquaponic operation would cut down on the square footage dramatically and increase the protein production as well.  Rabbits en lieu of chickens for protein and adding bees for honey and pollination would cut inputs (feed) and boost production with the bonus of extra calories from honey.

Protecting National Security

Here is a WW II poster from the National Archive encouraging food storage for the war effort.  Today we have record enrollment on food stamps yet not a widespread government campaign for backyard food production.

The Cost of Lawns

Some interesting perspective on the cost of planting lawns at the detriment of producing food.

GMO Factsheet

Fullsize

You can look at this from many angles.  Are there health concerns?  Are there environmental concerns?  Are we comfortable with the idea of being able to patent food?

Urban Honey from Hong Kong