http://www.newagrarian.com/2009/01/19/standards-and-stewards/ The New Agrarian includes essays, information, and research about sustainable and small-scale agriculture. Topics include urban agriculture, rural culture, sustainable communities, homesteading, and backyard poultry. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:48:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 http://www.newagrarian.com/2009/01/19/standards-and-stewards/#comment-39 Benjamin Backus Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:17:24 +0000 http://www.newagrarian.com/?p=457#comment-39 I really like this article. So often we try to change things around us through legislation (rule of law) but that does not change the value system of a culture. Perhaps the greatest drawback of what has become of the organic farming being associated with mainstream environmentalism is the disassociation from the value and nature of mankind in union with his environment. Often the environment is favored at the expense of mankind rather than finding equitable solutions. The incessant problems in Africa are microcosms of what is happening globally on a slower interation. We have not addressed the issues with the ecology of Africa (drying lands and the decline of adult human population) rather, we have fed starving people, have encouraged the cash crop model of agriculture, and have failed to understand the source of the problems.To quote Eisenhower, "The first job of problem solving is to identify the elemental reality of the situation . . . [it will] look, sound and feel harsher than anything swirling about and surounding it." There is no easy answer to the problems we have perpetuated. In the short run, we have created dependants (the quick answer). I LOVE your statements on stuardship. As people of integrity, we own our problems, understand our problems, and work hard to leave our sphere of inlfuence in a state that is congruent with our values and beliefs. Many Thanks Benjamin I really like this article. So often we try to change things around us through legislation (rule of law) but that does not change the value system of a culture. Perhaps the greatest drawback of what has become of the organic farming being associated with mainstream environmentalism is the disassociation from the value and nature of mankind in union with his environment. Often the environment is favored at the expense of mankind rather than finding equitable solutions. The incessant problems in Africa are microcosms of what is happening globally on a slower interation. We have not addressed the issues with the ecology of Africa (drying lands and the decline of adult human population) rather, we have fed starving people, have encouraged the cash crop model of agriculture, and have failed to understand the source of the problems.To quote Eisenhower, “The first job of problem solving is to identify the elemental reality of the situation . . . [it will] look, sound and feel harsher than anything swirling about and surounding it.” There is no easy answer to the problems we have perpetuated. In the short run, we have created dependants (the quick answer). I LOVE your statements on stuardship. As people of integrity, we own our problems, understand our problems, and work hard to leave our sphere of inlfuence in a state that is congruent with our values and beliefs.
Many Thanks
Benjamin

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