02-06-2014, 02:33 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Permie
quote:Here in Southwest Florida where I currently live, the situation is the same. I practice Permaculture and have a 2.5 acre Food Forest with over 400 food producing trees and countless support species.
Originally posted by Richard Ha
Permie. Keep in mind that we are located in the humid sub tropics. And, there is no winter to kill off the bugs and reset the clock. Insects,weeds and diseases love it here.
Want to know how many pesticides I sprayed last year?
Zero.
It CAN be done, we just have to change our methodologies. It sounds like the voters have cast a vote for change in Hawaii (which is part of the reason I am moving there).
Richard, I don't know who you are, but based upon your posts, I can reasonably conclude that you are an accomplished farmer who is politically active, a community leader, and a sincere person. If I was in your position with your background, I'm sure I would be very frustrated as well. You've had great success providing food in a way you feel is just and suddenly a law is passed that you don't agree with that brings that future into question. Actually, I think I would be more than frustrated!
Hawaii is leading a change whether some want it or not. There is a huge movement afoot and it is attracting more and more people like me. People who are against pesticides and against most (or all) GMO. This movement is only going to get stronger. However, movements like this shouldn't leave people like you in a worse-off position. If these ideologies are correct in their practice and are going to lead to better health and food security, then they should also work with current farmers, even those who disagree with the movement. Because, especially in a place like Hawaii, we're all in this together.
My question to you Richard is, would you be open to permaculturists helping you make a transition if you are unable to defeat this new law? I have no problem with you fighting the law, that's democracy. But would you be interested in starting a test plot while you fight the law just in case you aren't able to succeed in reversing the decision? Because maybe, just maybe, you can adopt these new ways and your goals continue to be met or possibly exceeded. And then everyone wins, which should always be our goal.
The goal of a permaculture design team would simply be to maximize your design to minimize your inputs and labors. With some of those inputs being pesticides and herbicides.
This is a great posting, I have been growing pesticide and herbicide free for twenty years. It is absolutely possible and is actually easier if you don't grow one big monoculture that uses up the soil nutrients and atracts huge quantities of pests. Sounds like Richard Ha and some others posting here just need a little help, maybe some education about beneficials living in the soil or something more like an internship for them on one of the many organic farms that we have here. Man and his science doesn't know a thing about nature, when he thinks he does stuff like crappy GMO food is created. The box that stuff is packaged in is better for you.