Paul wrote:
> I think it's time we all stop reacting with knee-jerk reactions
> and actually learn what the real impacts of our choices are.
. . .
> What we, as a part of nature, must do, is learn to find the
> Middle Way. We cannot use nature without knowing the facts, but
> we cannot live without using nature at all.
>
> There are times when commercial synthetic fertilizers are more
> ecologically sound than shipping seaweed extract half-way around
> the planet or shipping rock dust with low levels of fertility.
> There are times when an herbicide will have less impact than
> repeated cultivation. There is a good argument that nuclear
> plants could be built that have a lower impact than coal and oil
> fired plants. We cannot afford to let mistakes of the past and
> rumors and speculation scare us into rejecting a possible solution
> without looking at the facts.
Good points, Paul, but you seem to be showing two "extremes" and saying
"neither is right we need a middle path". What you seem to be missing is
that there is still a lot of ground _near_ either extreme that is still not
preferable. As Cyndi said, nuclear or coal is not the choice we should be
looking at. Nor is not touching Nature or making electricity illegal. Why
no look at which of the things we use really make our lives better? Or
should we use this much energy or that much? When the amounts required are
decrease enough, other alternatives become "practical". Since you have
made the choice to move to Ledgewood Farm, I assume that you understand
what I am saying about living better with less. I wouldn't be at all
surprised if we we all on the same wave length, so perhaps Jeff had it
right. Maybe we should be exchanging farm notes.
By the way, I have been prunning and planning next year's expanded graden
areas. It's time to plant out many of the plants I have been propegating
for the last few years why we built. I've also been walking around
checking drainage and looking for places and ways to "make the water walk",
so it will soak in and not run off. We've had a dry winter so far (our
rainy season), we're at about 50% of normal for this time of year, and were
already half way through the season. We've been getting some rain lately,
and the frogs are happy about that.
Paul, do you dry any of our persimmons? We have been enjoying some
delicious dried persimmons (from friends). I highly recommned it as a way
to have them all year.
Eric:
