Plan B

I often joke that if the world officially goes to hell in a hand basket, I moving to Kauai buying a donkey, a goat, and a duck and growing mangoes and avocados. 

This sounds like something of a drastic idea, and I will forgive you if you take this declaration with somewhat of a grain of salt. However, despite the fact that it is mostly said "tongue in cheek" there is some truth to it. 

The other day I was chatting to a chum over an adult beverage, and in one of those slightly tipsy "let's discuss life, universe and the nature of existence" conversations, we - and don't ask me to explain how we reached this point- began talking about the Mayan Calendar and the supposed apocalyptic prophesy the calendar foretells. Now, despite the lateness of the hour, full moon and wine this was actually a pretty level-headed conversation. Both of us came to the mutual consensus that we don’t buy into the doomsday aspect, but that there is a shift coming, and a big one and that, and call me a dirty hippy but I think that shift is going to see a lot more folks ruminating over similar ideas of my own. In other words, I honestly feel like (to quote one of my favourite artists) “The times, they are ‘a changin’ ”.

I was merrily wandering around my beloved local farmer’s and I noticed how many demographics were equally happily strolling like myself. Young, Old, Black, White and Hippies and Yuppies skipping hand in hand…ok I used some artistic licence there, but I think you catch my drift. The point is people were communing the way they always have in regards to food production/purchase and consumption.  Food is not just something I ingest but an axis upon which an entire community revolves. It is simply not good enough to nip over to Krongles or Pubbly Wiggly for whatever high fructose laced, preservative laden semi food product you can lay your hands on. Instead it feels to me that folks are beginning to make more informed conscious efforts regarding the WWWHW (who, what, why, how and when) of what comes to their plates in the evening.

We have reached a tipping point. A system that constantly feeds without ever replenishing resources will inevitably collapse upon itself, sucking dry the very fabric of that which itself depends. Perhaps Agent Smith was right:
“You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.” 

We are tremendously viral in our attitude toward the earth and it’s natural resources. Current methods of agricultural practices implemented by Agribusiness or what I like to refer to as Big Agriculture, rape our landscape, leaching the soil of vital micro-nutrients and minerals. Traditional farming practices involve careful selection of seeds and the constant rotation of crop and animals to ensure that the soil and earth are replenished. This type of practice does not occur in what I can only refer to as a bastardisation of a millennial old practice that was doing just fine and dandy until modernity decided to stick its nose in. The saying is, if it aint broke don’t fix it. It wasn’t and we tried to and we messed it up beyond belief!

Something has to change.

But how? Certainly it would be something of an exercise in futility to expect corporate agriculture so suddenly have a change of heart and start farming sustainably or give animals the dignity they deserve, after all they give their lives for us. It has to come from the bottom up! It has to come from us, the consumer. It isn’t impossible; it is happening all around me, I can feel it. There is something moving is the masses, there are a growing number of people who are no longer satisfied with taking food production at face value.

Ignorance is bliss? No, ignorance is the evil and corroding thread. Ignorance, or more precisely wilful ignorance, maintains the status quo and allows companies like Monsanto to continue on with their atrocities behind closed doors (see later blog on Monsanto, or watch the movie The world according to Monsanto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH4OwBYDQe8).  Yet, with more and more people seeking out the truth they are turning to more sustainable agriculture, seeking out ethically produced animal products from local farmers markets, and starting their own urban gardens. These aren’t just dirty hippies like me, wearing Birkenstocks and weaving bracelets out of hemp and their own self loathing, but every Tom, Dick and Sally. Teachers, Lawyers  and professionals are all participating in a strong movement toward a better future for ourselves and our progeny, and these are the folks who I want to be around when the proverbial shit hits the fan.

I think I am right, I feel like I am right. I hope that I am right… but if not I am gonna need some help harvesting my mangoes if anyone is interested?

Good eatin' y'all, love THE EPICUREAN.