| |
MOVIE REVIEW FOR ...
A Farm for the Future
Documentary by Rebecca Hosking; Released: 2008
The premise of this 48-minute movie, which was originally presented on BBC's Natural World series, is that oil will soon peak, and that this will have enormous implications for agriculture. Exploring this linkage is not new among peak oil films, but A Farm For the Future moves quickly past the framing
of the problem to spend most of its time exploring how the fuel/farming/food issue can be solved.
The film presents the connection between oil and food in a way that leaves little doubt that today's farms, even organic ones and small ones, are utterly dependent on oil and, to a lesser extent, other fossil fuels. There's a wonderful explanation using a simple deli sandwich of just how fuel-dependent our food is. But this is not a scare-us-to-death disaster film—it shows that "post-oil farming" can be done.
There will be several keys to success in this transition, and first among them is to begin seeing nature as a force to be enlisted, not a horrendous pest army that must be dealt with chemically. Various permaculture techniques, including fully pastured cows and "food forests," shun chemicals and instead use the power of biodiversity to increase yields and reduce labor and fuel use.
Many peak oil films of recent years alternate between video clip art and talking-head interview shots, with little original footage beyond the interview segments. No matter how well the editing-room technicians do their magic, the approach has resulted in a certain sameness to the look of most peak oil films. Not so here. A Farm For the Future has done the hard work of using mostly its own footage. The many shots that show the relationship between nature and sustainable farming give the film a very likeable, cinematic look, making it feel as much like a David Attenborough special as a farming-and-energy documentary.
A Farm For the Future correctly points out that industrial agriculture is a necrotic system—the soil is dead, and without constant inputs of chemical fertilizers, crops would not grow successfully. As part of a move to sustainable farming techniques, soil can be reconditioned and nutrient cycles can be reestablished to once again create a living system with naturally fertility.
But that won't happen by accident or inertia—we must start strongly encouraging this transition. We highly recommend this impressive little film as a good starting point.
Watch the film at this page: sustainable farming video
FREE AUDIO CLIPS
Grinning Planet also has audio . . .
 |
 |
|
You Bet Your Garden
How to Make Compost WITHOUT Fall Leaves —
28 Apr 2013 —
In the question of the week, Mike McGrath discusses creative solutions if you have a dearth of fall leaves but still want to make good compost. Other topics include... using high tunnels and greenhouses to get a jump on the gardening season; using goats to get rid of invasives; why you must rotate your tomato plots; homemade electric-shock devices for squirrels and deer; whether banana and citrus peels can be used in your non-tropical compost pile.
Go to page |
Download/Listen
49:58
You Bet Your Garden
Square Foot Gardening Primer —
13 Apr 2013 —
Mike McGrath's topics include... the importance of regionally appropriate seeds; the proper way to trim outdoor flowers; clever ways of dealing (gently) with house-damaging carpenter bees. Special guest Mel Bartholemew discusses Square Foot Gardening, a method of highly concentrated planting in small spaces. The question of the week is about trees—do they really ever need mulch, and can a tree survive severed roots?
Go to page |
Download/Listen
52:58
Radio EcoShock
Wardeh Harmon on Food Dehydration —
17 Apr 2013—
It's shocking that so many city folk say they are not interested in cooking or growing and preserving food. Don't they eat? Don't they read the headlines about toxic factory agriculture and fast-food restaurants? Maybe the just need to hear how its done. Wardee Harmon talks about different dehydration techniques that can be used to preserve a wide variety of food crops.
Go to page |
Download/Listen
23:05
MORE
Get more audio clips on sustainable agriculture and gardening (and many more topics) in Grinning Planet's biweekly
downloadable audio news feed.
|
| |
 |
 |
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
Hey, we don't pick the Google ads! – GP
|
| |
| CLICKS ON OUR ADS AND PURCHASES VIA OUR AMAZON LINKS HELP SUPPORT THIS FREE SITE... THANKS! |
|
|
|
|