Living the Good Life

"So what's your gain, what's your advantage? (with living a life within the system) 

Well, for two or three weeks you get to go to Maine or Vermont on vacation.  Then it's back to the slave pen, back to the whip, back to the tyranny of doing that which in itself is really not worth my doing" Scott Nearing

https://goodlife.org/

In this episode of In Search of Soil by Diego Footer, one of the pioneers in developing probiotic technology, Dr. Matthew Wood, sheds some light on what efficient microbes (EM) are, what they do to the soil, and how our soils can benefit from adding them.  Purchace https://www.scdprobiotics.com/

30 Seconds about Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) https://www.naturallygrown.org/

Farming icon Eliot Coleman talks about deep organic, deep science, and the history of organic farming and its struggle to stave off the chemical farming industry.

Eliot Coleman is an author, market gardener, and educator. His work on the USDA study in the late 1970's, "Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming" helped lead to the formation of the National Organic Program, setting the very standards that are being ignored by corporate interests today.  https://www.fourseasonfarm.com/

Symphony of the Soil is a 104-minute documentary feature film that explores the complexity and mystery of soil. Filmed on four continents and sharing the voices of some of the world’s mostesteemed soil scientists, farmers and activists, the film portrays soil as a protagonist of our planetary story.

Inspired by the works of Masanobu Fukuoka, author of the seminal environmental book The One Straw Revolution, the film weaves together meditative landscapes, an eclectic original soundtrack, and inspiring stories from some of the world’s foremost figures in the natural farming movement. Together they give modern-day relevance to age-old ideas about food, environmentalism, and happiness.

The most well-known practitioner and philosopher of natural farming, Masanobu Fukuoka began his agricultural career as a plant scientist and agricultural disease and insect researcher. In the 1930s however, he came to a realization that his work was taking himself and others in his profession further away from truly knowing nature. 

Over the past 10 years, Kiss the Ground, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit, has become a leading voice in raising awareness for regeneration through storytelling, education, and advocacy. We believe regenerative agriculture is a viable solution to combat the climate, water, and health crisis. Tens of millions of consumers have already been influenced by the film and the work of Kiss the Ground. 

The Biggest Little Farm chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. Through dogged perseverance and embracing the opportunity provided by nature's conflicts, the Chesters unlock and uncover a biodiverse design for living that exists far beyond their farm, its seasons, and our wildest imagination.

The result in summer 2016, of using mulches to transform 3/4 acre (0.3ha), from weeds and grass to intensively cropped vegetables for market on 1/4 acre, using organic methods, no synthetic chemicals. Plus I show you the fruit trees, flowers, compost heaps, undercover spaces and dig/no dig trials. 

In South West England, 51N temperate oceanic climate, "zone 8" but summers are 5 or 6.

https://charlesdowding.co.uk/

Yes, a balanced Soil Food Web really can suppress weeds! Plants typically called “weeds'' grow quickly, immediately produce seeds, then die after a very short life cycle.  These weeds need nitrates to thrive. With a balanced Soil Food Web in place, nitrates are not readily available, so these types of weeds are suppressed.

Most other plants need some nitrates, but they require a lot more of another form of nitrogen called ammonium.