Santa Fe's Land, Farms and Families:
Steps Toward Environmental and Economic Renewal
Santa Fe could readily establish environmental oases on open land,
use water wisely, and provide both good jobs and fresh, clean food
for its families and households, says local writer Steven McFadden.
The co-author of the book "Farms of Tomorrow Revisited" which has
helped spark nearly 1,000 community farms across America, McFadden
will explore these themes on Thursday evening, Jan. 30 at Longevity
Cafe, 112 W. San Francisco St., Santa Fe. The talk is free.
The Santa Fe journalist - author of six other non-fiction books -
says the foundation of America's future is being laid right now, and
Santa Fe has a golden opportunity. He wants to share the concept of
community supported agriculture (CSA) with the citizens of Santa Fe,
so they can begin to actively consider how community farms could
bring multiple benefits to the land and the people.
"No matter what kind of civilization lies ahead of us," McFadden
says, "it will be built upon farms. No culture, no technology, no
larger spiritual advancement of humanity can occur without healthy,
thriving farms as a sound base. Yet via industrialization, chemical
fertilizers and pesticides, genetic experimentation, and economic
pressures our foundation is rapidly mutating into something ugly and
unsustainable."
"Government will not face these problems," McFadden said. "It's up to
the citizens. With economic uncertainty and war looming, now is the
time to reflect carefully on the kind of agricultural foundation we
are establishing for ourselves, our children and our children's
children."
With co-author Trauger Groh, McFadden explored the possibilities for
agricultural and social renewal in a 1990 book entitled Farms of
Tomorrow. At that time there were about 60 community-supported farms
(CSAs) in America. While the US lost more than 300,000 general farms
through the 1990s, CSAs grew. There are now over 1,000 CSA farms in
America, involving over 100,000 households. Noting the steady growth
of CSA farms, McFadden and Groh returned to the subject eight years
later to write Farms of Tomorrow Revisited (1998).
The free talk at Longevity Cafe will start at 7 PM., on Wednesday,
February 6, 2003. For information see the schedule page at
http://www.chiron-communications.com, or at http://www.LongevityCafe.
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Farms of Tomorrow Revisited is published by the Biodynamic Farming
and Gardening Assoc. (1-888-516-7797), and distributed by Chelsea
Green, Inc. (1-800-639-4099).
Steven McFadden
Chiron Communications
7 Avenida Vista Grande #195, Santa Fe, NM 87508
505-248-8444
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.chiron-communications.com
