their calorie food needs on a basis that also feeds the soil
adequately. When people say that they are growing their
own food, they tend to refer to 5% to 10% if their diet
(the vegetables that they can produce during the growing
season). Calorie and sustainable soil fertility mini-
farming and gardening is the next step, which needs to
be catalyzed by each of us. Ecology Action publications
One Circle, the Sustainable Vegetable Garden and the
Self-Teaching Mini-Series Booklets, 14, 15, 25, 26, 28,
34, 35, and 36 deal with growing a complete diet. Once
this additional 90% of calorie-growing area has been
established in the garden and your soil and skill are
improved, initially it may take an average of about 15
minutes or less each day per bed to maintain.
There has been a great shift in human consciousness
since Ecology Action set up its rst research garden mini-
farm over 40 years ago. This shift occurred because
individuals around the world began to realize that
although they might not be able to change the world,
they could change the way they do things in their own
lives. Raising food sustainably in a gentle and conscious
manner makes a di:erence. Once you become skilled,
have built up the fertility of your soil, use simple
e+cient tools such as U -bars and scythes with grain
cradles, and, if you choose the most e:ective crops—you
may be able to grow your food in as little as 2 hours a
day.
In fact, anthropologists tell us that 10,000 years ago, a
culture in northern Iran raised one person’s calories with
brent
(Brent)
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