Bobsy Blog 2020 No. 24
“Soil, Soil everywhere and not a bit to spare...”
“Soil, soil everywhere and not many a soul aware...”
“Soil, soil everywhere eroding and depleting without a care...”
So went the Rhyme of the Ancient Farmer back in 2020...
The above of course is a made-up poem based on Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I say it tongue in cheek, but I am not exaggerating much. The reality of the health of our topsoil globally is alarming to say the least. We are losing topsoil, which is the top layer of soil in which our food is grown and can range from 10 inches up to 60 inches, at an unprecedented rate. This is largely due to soil erosion and depletion from bad farming practices spearheaded by industrial mono agriculture, overgrazing from livestock on lands that have been cleared of ancient forests, and a general lack of awareness and misguided economic policies. Yet, the soil is not an infinite resource and must be consciously and carefully managed as if our lives depended on it. Topsoil contains trillions of bacteria & organisms that support life on Earth and without this healthy soil we cannot grow healthy food. Yet somehow, we are unwittingly managing to destroy its essence in the process of growing our food.
EVERY YEAR WE LOSE 3.5 TONNES OF TOPSOIL FOR EVERY PERSON LIVING ON THIS PLANET*.
Just imagine that staggering number for a moment and you will know how badly we have been managing our food supply since the 1970s... and this is in a world where almost 1 Billion brothers and sisters go to bed hungry every night. Thankfully enough people are now waking up to this madness and the ancient wisdom of the Soul of our Soil coupled with advanced science, technology, permaculture, and organic farming is reversing the tide of madness and leading us towards a food system that can feed 10 Billion people without harming the hand that feeds it. This is now possible and just needs the Paradigm shift to further take hold.
The emerging Paradigm has a wholistic view of looking at our soil with a Soul and not just dead innate brown matter used for growing food. And this makes all the difference in the world.
*Insightful documentaries in honor of the Soil recommended by Bobsy:
1. Kiss the Ground -- kissthegroundmovie.com
2. The Need To Grow -- grow.foodrevolution.org
Until soon
Bobsy Gaia
Founder of MANA!
