Build Soil- Food Freedom Principle #1

Food Freedom Principle #1-Build Soil

“I would rather be tied to the soil as a serf ... than be king of all these dead and destroyed.” --- Homer, Odyssey

In a search for meaningful quotes to illustrate the connection soil has to all life, this 3000 year old phrase jumped out for it's relevance to our now. The industries of those with most apparent power, kill and destroy the resources which support life. The kings of the dead and barren are,

 Agribusiness-With its focus on consolidation, specialization and petrochemicals, leaves soil thin and barren, mountains of antibiotic laden manure leaching into water, and sun choked rivers as algae blooms on the food of nitrogen pollution.

Pharmacudical-Creating "a pill for everything" mentality leaves us weak and vulnerable as our immune system forgets how to fight. Our own guts are dead and lifeless as antibiotics assault our digestive assistance- leaving us nutrient deprived, subject to the diseases of inflammation. The pills leach into soil and water creating a world of superbugs.

Defense (offence)- Not only the sourcing of materials but the destruction the final products wreak

Many others belong here. The entire economy facililates further destruction- my computer for example (talk about cognitive dissonance). But I say apparant power because even these kings must eat,(unless factories now create Execuborgs, and Presidroids.

But serfs tied to the land exist and they, like the lorax did for trees, speak for the soil. They know soil can only grow food within it's limits and that it too, must eat. They know within one inch of living soil holds a microscopic universe, such is it's complexity.

But farther up the industrial soil chain we find hubris destroys humus believing MAN has conquered soil- extracted its secrets and reduced it to the components  Nitrogen, Potassium. and Phosphorous. Weak and vulnerable crops depending on fertilizer like an illicit drug, guarded from superbugs by an herbicide army, prove this,a disastrously arrogant conclusion. 

But we can reclaim even the tiniest space to bring soil back- creating cache's preparing for Peak Soil. Even in the city- scraps can go into an under counter vermicompost bin. And even for one without a desire to grow things- their collected compost can feed community gardens. Or they might learn how easy it is to grow window herbs, striking dollars off the monthly food budget.

Why is this #1 in my five principles to food freedom? Because soil is the start! If the idea of growing food links only to dead soil and manufactured fertilizer- you remain chained- dependent on money and the future of oil. Real food freedom  breaks those bonds. Fallen leaves, cut, grass, and food scraps feed food and food feeds soil. And as that food chain returns to the home, we edge away from the unstable and vulnerable food system.  We take back money and a sense of our personal power to meet our own basic needs.