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Many people believe that peak oil, climate change, and economic
disruption will lead to serious problems with the food supply and
consequent famine. While we don't entirely dismiss this, we do take
issue
with food supply assumptions based on the current big-agriculture
model. We have the past example of 'Victory Gardens' and similar
hardship
responses to demonstrate how people can find ways to grow some food
just about anywhere. And John Jeavons' Biointensive gardening (preceded
by Alan Chadwick's work) has resulted in approaches that can produce a
person's entire year's supply of food on 4000 square feet. So while we
don't dismiss the seriousness of distruptions to our food supply, if
you have seeds, some dirt, water, and a little know-how, all is not
lost. Also, if you save seeds,
you can easily have a large enough supply of lettuce, broccoli, and
other seeds to produce sprouts and (space and light permitting) an
indoor winter greens 'garden' in a few planter boxes. Overview The gardening methods covered here are solely organic. Limited research suggests that organic food is in fact more nutritious, with higher levels of basic nutrients and better-quality protein, but the sustainability of organic growing in general, and in the face of fertilizer price spikes or shortage is equally important. A common theme in both Biointensive and Biodynamic gardening is "closed system". That is, ideally you have livestock, cover crops, composting, and water management, and replenish your soil without any need to purchase organic fertilizers, mulches, or manure. In reality, especially if you have a small property, this might be impossible, But anyone can compost kitchen waste, and most people can recycle significant leaf and grass material, use soil-building cover crops, and capture rainwater. Doing whatever you can to "close your system" increases your self sufficiency and saves money. Approaches Biointensive Jeavons' approach produces the most food in the smallest available space, using highly enriched beds and complentary, tight planting. However, the trademark double-dug beds -- while most of the work is the initial bed creation -- are a labor-intensive (some might say back-breaking) ordeal. And other methods also can produce lots of high-quality food. That said, if your soil is unconditioned, Jeavon's methods will quickly work it into shape. More detail on Jeavon's methods and work can be found on the Jeavons page. For a quick intro, see The Man Who Would Feed the World. But every gardener should have a copy of his main work How to Grow More Vegetables..., shown in the Amazon scrolling display above. This book covers every aspect of Biointensive growing. Also, check out his The Sustainable Vegetable Garden. If you like what Jeavons is doing, support his good work by buying from his Web 'store', Bountiful Gardens, which has tools, books, cover crops, and many open-pollinated seeds, including rare ancient strains. Biodynamic Biodynamic gardening originated with the work of mystic Rudolf Steiner, and combines sound organic principles of composting and soil-building with a few astrological and animistic practices that some might find off-putting. That said, there's significant evidence around the world that biodynamic gardening/faming works well, and builds soil that is extremely alive and fertile. More detail on biodynamics will be found on the biodynamics page. For an instructive look at biodynamics in India, as practiced by New Zealand expert Peter Proctor, see the DVD How To Save The World, above. Other resources include the book Gardening for Life (a comprehensive intro to Biodynamic growing, also above), and the biodynamics page of the Sustainable Agriculture site here. No-Till Functionally similar to Biointensive, but potentially simpler, and not as dedicated to maximum production per footage. A new bed, especially if the soil is hard, will have to be double-dug or otherwise broken up and fed before the no-till approach of ongoing top-mulching can be applied. A quick overview is available here. For much more detail, see Organic Gardening the Natural No-Dig Way, Weedless Gardening, and Lasagna Gardening (all above). Also, more detail is available on the No-Till page. Winter and Forest Gardening Some vegetables do quite well in winter, for example kale -- particularly Winterbor and White Russian varieties, which can survive at zero degrees Fahrenheit (or colder, with row cover or other shelter strategies). Eliot Coleman's Four Season Harvest (see sidebar) has a wealth of information about cold-hardy vegetables, row cover, greenhouses, and more. Forest gardening is another consideration. Besides the obvious (and long term) planting of nut trees, it is worth considering berry bushes that tolerate partial sun, as well as heat-averse vegetables like lettuce. Other Resources The Gardenweb forums discuss all of the approaches mentioned here, and others, and collect the experience and best practices of gardeners worldwide. While a spading fork (see sidebar) is useful for many soil-turning tasks, anyone doing significant double-digging might want to look into a broadfork. They are more expensive, and harder to find, but provide the leverage to turn soil quickly. Note that broadforks suitable for clay and other hard soils are heavier and sturdier than the Lee Valley item linked in this paragraph. |