Provident Organic Farm

In Defense of Soil

The three pillars upon which the American Empire was built are low transportation costs, an abundant and cheap labor force and the perception of unlimited natural resources. The same is true for Industrial Agriculture. Bye, bye!

All three of the above are disappearing quickly or already gone, either by design or reckless misuse. The time has come to re-design our food system. One disadvantage we face is that we must dismantle an unsustainable system as we build a sustainable one. The slack provided by our remaining oil supply allows us a few decades to make the transition without severe disruptions to the food supply or negative economic impact upon our farmers. This transition is not on a list of options, it is an imperative if we expect to feed a growing global population.

Human history is littered with examples of societies in crash mode working contrary to their own best interests as documented in Jared Diamond’s book titled Collapse. Let us be hopeful that we do not follow their example.

Growing food is a biological process not an industrial process. The principles of industrial production cannot be applied to food growing with long term success. Since the advent of industrial agriculture we have lost topsoil to erosion at a rate 40 times faster than its replenishment rate. We can replace oil with alternative energy sources, and must do so soon, but there is no replacement for soil.

Whether global climate change is caused by human activity or part of a cycle is a moot argument. The simple fact is that we are experiencing extreme weather conditions globally and must address this as a very serious threat to our future. These extremes will negatively impact the fragile monocultures of industrial agriculture due to their fundamental dependence on the stable conditions which no longer exist. As Wes Jackson says, “We must weatherproof our soils”. Incremental petrochemical inputs, necessitated by topsoil loss, the use of genetically modified crops and new and improved pesticides will not do the trick! They can only be considered a temporary “fix” for a system that requires a fundamental overhaul at its roots.

Scientific inquiry and technological advances have their place in agriculture but should not be seen as a panacea for our problems. We began our agricultural experiments some 10,000 years ago, a miniscule amount of time in comparison to Mother Nature’s experimentation. It is a grand illusion and arrogant to assume that human cleverness will ever trump Nature’s wisdom. Creating a sustainable food system will only be accomplished by protecting, rebuilding and stabilizing our soils. Farmers dedicated to understanding the biological process of growing food and honoring Nature’s wisdom will lead the way.

Don't forget your reusable bags : )

Jay Martin
Provident Organic Farm
20980 Nanticoke Road
P.O. Box 62
Bivalve, Maryland 21814

410-873-2942
info@providentorganicfarm.com
www.providentorganicfarm.com