99I rapidly began to learn about
soil care and organic practices, and
before I knew it I was reading about
all the harmful effects of mainstream
agriculture and how we produce our
food. The first time I read that mod-
ern agriculture uses 10Kcal of energy
to produce 1kcal of food (unlike more
traditional farming methods where it
is balanced), I knew we had gone se-
riously awry. I became more aware of
the environmental movement and its
links to social justice.
Alongside this growing sense of
responsibility was a sense of pow-
erlessness. No one likes to feel re-
sponsible for harm and powerless to
change it - but this turned around
for me one day when I read in a
magazine that making compost was
a great way to reverse some of these
ills. I could not solve global issues,
but I could make compost. On one
level this sounds ludicrous, on an-
other it contains a vital truth.
For what we do to the soil we do
to ourselves.Nature NATURE FAITH“We are all part of this healthy web
of life maintained by soil. The Latin
word ‘humus’ means soil. The words
human, humility and humus all come
from the same root. When humans
lose contact with soil, they are no
longer humans.”- Satish Kumar
I’m in charge of food growing at
Schumacher College and of its hor-
ticultural learning program. A core
tenet of the College pedagogy is that
learning happens by doing. Our hor-
ticulture is very hands-on and the
bulk of the learning happens outside
in the field. Our aim is to get a useful
harvest while regenerating soil and
helping replenish ecosystems. That
is a complex and exciting task.
One common theme (among
others) of my learning in theology,
mental health, and horticulture is
that we need to stay embodied; using
our hands is key (alongside heart and
head). If we don’t stay in contact, if
we don’t stay embodied, we lose our
common sense that underpins all in-
tellectual endeavours and helps keep
thinking rooted in reality.
I believe the inner change has
to accompany and inform the outer
change and vice versa; to effect any
change we need skills and a sense of
the possible.99I rapidly began to learn about
soil care and organicpractices,and
before I knewit I wasreadingabout
all the harmfuleffectsofmainstream
agriculture andhowweproduceour
food. The firsttimeI readthatmod-
ern agricultureuses10Kcalofenergy
to produce 1kcalof food(unlikemore
traditional farmingmethodswhereit
is balanced),I knewwehadgonese-
riously awry.I becamemoreawareof
the environmentalmovementandits
links to socialjustice.
Alongsidethis growingsenseof
responsibility was a sense of pow-
erlessness. No one likes to feel re-
sponsible for harm and powerless to
change it - but this turned around
for me one day when I read in a
magazine that making compost was
a great way to reverse some of these
ills. I could not solve global issues,
but I could make compost. On one
level this sounds ludicrous, on an-
other it contains a vital truth.
For what we do to the soil we do
to ourselves.
Nature NATUREFAITH“We are all part of this healthy web
of life maintained by soil. The Latin
word ‘humus’ means soil. The words
human, humility and humus all come
from the same root. When humans
lose contact with soil, they are no
longer humans.”- Satish Kumar
I’m in charge of food growing at
Schumacher College and of its hor-
ticultural learning program. A core
tenet of the College pedagogy is that
learning happens by doing. Our hor-
ticulture is very hands-on and the
bulk of the learning happens outside
in the field. Our aim is to get a useful
harvest while regenerating soil and
helping replenish ecosystems. That
is a complex and exciting task.
One common theme (among
others) of my learning in theology,
mental health, and horticulture is
that we need to stay embodied; using
our hands is key (alongside heart and
head). If we don’t stay in contact, if
we don’t stay embodied, we lose our
common sense that underpins all in-
tellectual endeavours and helps keep
thinking rooted in reality.
I believe the inner change has
to accompany and inform the outer
change and vice versa; to effect any
change we need skills and a sense of
the possible.