The Future of Food is Frightening!

I just watched the documentary "Future of Food" for the third time and like each time I had seen it before, I thought to myself: I need to see this monthly for the rest of my life. Please watch it if you have never seen it (as well as the special features, which star a lovely old lady who teaches us how to save seed from many types of vegetables and also offers some other great gardening tips).

The documentary reminds me why I need to continue working in the things I believe in: anti-corporate ownership of natural resources, sustainable agriculture and communities, and to have enthusiasm when raising awareness about the secret injustices being done to the 'small' people of this world. The 'small' people I'm talking specifically about now are the farmers and people who have fed the world since humans existed. In the US, over the last hundred years, that percentage of actual people working the land (understanding the land) has diminished to a mere 2%!

Machinery, chemical fertilizers and genetically engineered crops basically grow themselves (with lots of health, environmental and security problems attached), while Americans move into cities, consume and despose of the entire globe's natural resources...without even noticing much. The worst part is that the machinery, chemical fertilizers and genetically engineered crops that we ALL feed on, EVERY DAY, are made by companies (which moved from producing war chemicals to agricultural chemicals in less than 10 years in the 1940/50s)that have merged into a dirty, bloody coagulate of only a few names (Monsanto, DuPont, Cargill, ConAgra, Syngenta)-and this domination or pursuit for ownership of the entire worlds food system has been done in the name of US consumers! Aren't you bothered by that?!

Wars have been fought over land and natural resource ownership for hundreds of years, but the most bothersome thing to me is that its done in the name of fighting terror, or for freedom (which these days, only means only the freedom to participate in commercialism that benefits the already rich). In the case of Latin America, the complete destruction of indigenous communities and thereby sustainable farming systems was done to 'combat communism.' It's not a coincidence that we only fight terror in areas where the worlds highest reserves of oil are-our entire lifestyle depends on it!


I’m absolutely sickened by the state of the world and the ignorance and greed that has tainted the human race, stemming from capitalism. The Future of Food begins with a history of the patents on crops and plants (otherwise known as THE GLOBAL COMMONS—these are not things to be OWNED by companies-the land should belong for those who care for it, like children or any other life-source). But, since the 1970s, the US has allowed companies to put a PATENT on seeds.

The documentary then covers a few of the 100 cases (out of 9,000 cases brought onto farmers in the US alone by Monsanto Seed Company for having traces of Monsanto's patented soybean) where the farmers actually fought the powerful multinational monopolistic dominators of our FOOD SYSTEM. And lost. The cases were brought on by Monsanto saying that farmers had stolen their genetically engineered plants and planted them (but we all know, or at least we should, that plant seeds are dispersed by wind, by bird, bees, butterflies and now, trucks, freights and airplanes). These farmers didn’t even WANT the Monsanto Round-up ready resistant crops on their land! And Monsanto took it to the Supreme Court and won.

Others tied to the triangle of power (Searle, Monsanto and the US Government): Clarence Thomas, Donald Rumsfeld, John Ashcroft (biggest receiver of campaign money from Monsanto), and a ton of other recognizable evils. Another wierd government-patent-seed/food supply oddity: the "terminator gene," owned and patented by the US GOVERNMENT is a specific gene infused into plants so that the plant will not produce seed or that the seed it does produce will not reproduce itself, meaning that once a farmer uses this seed (which undoubtedly also contains favorable traits like drought-resistance, etc), he has to continue buying year after year after year. Rather than saving seed from plant and planting the strongest or best tasting crops' seed, as has been done for tens of thousands of years. Now, I may come from a long line of conspiracy theorists, but this information sheds a little light on the fact that the Iraqi National Seed Bank was one of the first buildings to be bombed in March, 2003. Now, Monsanto supplies the largest of Iraqi farmers with their wheat seeds (which much be purchased year after year, cutting into their already very small profits). Sickening, but this I believe. If you'd like more information on the seed bank and Monsanto seeds being delivered to Iraq, please read the book "Against the Grain" as well as the UN and US government documents it cites for supplying that information.

This is something I cannot stop talking about. Its the reason why I feel better about myself today, my conscience slightly more tranquil these past few months. Living outside of the US, you begin to realize how much people can really produce on their own, how much we can reuse, how much contact you have with the things you consume: you nearly always know the farmer or at least you know the seller knows the farmer. Until recently, genetically engineered crops weren’t a part of the national quilt of diverse agriculture in Guatemala.

This also happens to be the reason I can’t wait to return. Here is a brand new administration, falling into old patterns (The Sec. Of Agriculture is pro-GMO and pro-market expansion of crops, dairy and livestock) and I want to be a force in setting straight the “collective madness” humanity has become. Me AND my little eco-warrior prince, Oliver…whenever he may arrive (he's already two days late, btw)!

The Rough Draft of Our Three Month Plan!

Finally there is activity at the school (and in my mind and heart) again! Today, my new partner (Mandy) and I went to the school and re-evaluated an action plan, which was totally necessary. After nearly 2 months of hassle (the school has been closed and the key constantly hidden in different people's homes) the plants on the school site are only half-producing. There has been a lack of sunlight and water, AND maybe a little too little love and care :)

Today, we're finally printing the informational brochures to distribute to all of the teachers (which are also a call for ideas on how to get the students and teachers interested and involved). I'm printing the bare minimum (still working on limited funds), mainly just to give to the acting director and a few more for promising teachers.

Tomorrow the plan is to borrow a wheelbarrow and bring large rocks to build clear boundaries around the plants so the kids don't step on all of them. And if time allows, we'll also bring treated soil to fill in the small beds. For the rest of January, we'll simply be bringing healthy soil to the lot and making sure the students get a feel for the garden project and us. I feel right now, its best to introduce these things slowly and answer questions when they come up and ask them, rather than forcing the information down their throats right away. Everyone is interested in what the silly gringas are doing anyway!

Also before February rolls around, I would like to host the teachers in the school in an informal site for coffee or a beer or whatever and see what kind of interest they have already. Have they ever experienced similar projects, are they resistent to the idea of working with outsiders, etc. If the teachers aren't interested, they will surely let the project fall fallow immediately upon my departure. Or jeopardize/dismiss it. Also, I want them to know that I am willing to search for funding for their ideas as well.

In February, we'll begin to transplant the seeds and already growing plants to the site and watch them grow! I remember biology classes in junior high school and think that this will be an exciting time, fostering student's protection for the plants. We can also begin to talk about pests, reasons for pests (in this area, its because there is little biodiversity), and how to naturally deter them. The Tzutujil have many, many plants that have pest-control characteristics. During the month of February, I would also like to get to know some of the local organic farmers that live closeby as well as begin to collect compost and raw materials from local restaurants and hotels.

In March, hopefully good relations and discussions have sprouted up around the garden project by this time. Perhaps we can dedicate an hour to garden talk where we discuss current food issues, local and globally. Food crisis because of reliance on oil, the pros and cons of genetically modified foods, food in historical and cultural contexts, other aspects of industrialized foods (excessive waste, unfair treatment to communities around irrigation systems, loss of land, loss of biodiversity, etc).

This month will be the beginning of scheduled maintenance, where a gardener really gets settled into caring for her plants. Some of the plants may be nearing maturity and we can talk about harvesting fruits, vegetables and herbs as well as taking seed from the plants and replanting (hopefully the students want to start home gardens-even if its only possible in containers).

By the time April rolls around, I'm sure lots of new prospects will have taken route. We can also think about including tourists in this project, to improve relations between locals and foreigners. Tourism isn't going anywhere around here and it certainly needs to have a vested interest in the local people because the community is changing and developing to more fit the wants of the wealthier tourist population (usually is not sustainable development!)

So, for the next three months, these are the goals and I will continue to post updates and pictures (promise they will be more interesting--the kids are cute!). After the three months, we'll evaluate progress and build new plans! Looking forward to any questions, ideas or comments from readers, as always!

Thanks for reading!

Environmental Education through Gardening

Hi all! It's been awhile since I wrote and, well..not much has happened! I am in my 37th week of pregnancy so I have slowed down quite a bit and am thankful for my friend, Mandy Wieser, who has come to help assist in the school garden project while I attempt to gracefully enter motherhood (alone)!

The new year has ushered in lots more information and upcoming events regarding sustainable agriculture which I'd like to discuss here. Firstly, I want to point out who Obama has chosen as his Secretary of Agriculture of the US, Tom Vilsack.

Vilsack has been a supporter of ethanol and domestic sources of fuel-even at the expense of driving food prices up, market-driven dairy production, genetically modified foods (of course he is, he's from IOWA, a state which has many beneficiaries of GMOs) and is not very progressive when it comes to real change in agribusiness functions. I plan to post more later on how we can push for more reform, as I think agriculture/food and fuel issues should be at the top of the new president's to do list!

The next thing I wanted to say is the next couple weeks at our school project. The students are returning on January 15th and I'm not exactly sure how to incorporate the garden into the class curriculum. I know WHY gardens are important in primary school: a hands on approach to ecology and the importance of conservation, learning how to grow one's own food and fodder to reduce oil consumption for transportation, re-emphasize indigenous farming practices that are more sustainable and use less chemical inputs, biodiversity protecting the watershed that so many thousands rely on here, strengthen local economy and reduce reliance on imported foods...These things are easy to understand the importance of for an adult...but a 9 year old? I have no experience teaching kids (to tell you the truth, I don't like kids very much--despite being 3 weeks away from having my very own!) and am really searching for some good ways to make the garden project fun--if anyone has any resources, ideas or experience, please let me know!