29.1.07

Harvest in the City

Caracas is following the example of Cuba's local production of food crops, destined for local consumption. Best of all, these crops are organically grown.

What a novel idea.
















Harvest in Caracas.

And we in the West still somehow claim superiority in such matters where 'developing nations' are concerned.

Perhaps we should talk less and learn more?

I for one would be ecstatic if locally grown organic produce were available at lower prices than I find in the supermarkets where my organic spinach apparently needs to be brought from China of all places. (?!WTF!?)


I dream, but alas another Walmart's on the way instead sustainable organic agriculture.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

organic lettuce from china???????????? meantime saskatchewan farmers seldom grow organic unless they can't afford the chemicals (which is becoming more frequent with family farms . the market is hard to find for them because of transportation costs to the centers where organic becomes a paying proposition. crazy old world.

man, big box moving in sucks. let's hope more and more start their roof top gardens, backyard, boulevards, blah blah blah.

oh , aloha! hope all is well at the homestead :)

michael the tubthumper said...

agreed!

Amelopsis said...

crazy, isn't it?

I wish the idea of allotments would've taken hold here; meanwhile even public parks are often less than pleasant (or at least shadows of what they could/should be). A nearby municipality just passed a bylaw making cosmetic pesticide use illegal! It's fantastic news but I wonder (jadedly) how good the enforcement will be.

Justin said...

You want local produce? Well, what grows in your yard?

(If you don't have a yard I bet you have a window.)

Amelopsis said...

Hi Justin,
What's growing? Every available window and outside space is full up.
Chives, parsley, thyme (3 kinds), hyssop, oregano, coriander, bay laurel, basil, dill, catnip, a small token pot of chard.

It's local, I know what's being done to keep it growing, but it's hardly "produce" in the sense of preparing a meal.

Justin said...

I'm just saying that we need to take responsibility. If that means no grass then so be it. As for spinach it grows in almost any climate and almost year round. So what's this about getting it from china?

Amelopsis said...

I agree Justin, and fully agree that every individual must take responsibility for their choices. On that note, my post was misleading...I did not buy the chinese spinach. I live in a region which is rich in agricultural crops and try to buy locally grown organic all the time, unfortunately the organic choices are not always local. The larger context of "WE" needing to take responsibility should not be ignored either. Growers' co-ops should also take responsibility and look to their agricultural practices.
More relevant to this post, Municipal Government should be pressured by citizens to generate local areas, markets, etc. to allow locally grown, organic produce to reach the local community.
As for lawned areas...they're a huge drain on resources for maintenance - one of the highest water and fert. required plants to grow...the sooner we're rid of these manicured blights, the better! Indigenous grasses are much more appropriate, and much less of a resource drain to maintain.