destroying economic vitality, and robbing us of our dignity by breeding dependency and reducing us to the subservient role of consumer. We need to cultivate a different set of relationships: Relationships with Plants and Animals This is where our food comes from, plants and animals (with microbial assistance). We cannot continue to distance ourselves from the sources of our food, relegating it to highly specialized, mostly faraway, mass production monocultures, cut off from our lives. Historically, by necessity, we related to the plants and animals we ate. We knew them, relied upon them, and through their pursuit and cultivation, we were intimately connected to our environment. We need to become reconnected to the sources of our sustenance. Get to know the plants around you. Grow some herbs or vegetables. Glean and use unharvested fruit. Plant a tree, or care for one, or many. Forage weeds from your yard. If you enjoy eggs, milk, or meat, consider exploring the path of raising chickens or livestock on a small scale. Find a way to observe and participate in slaughtering and butchering. Respect, honor, and appreciate the life that goes into our food. We have coevolved with these other beings, and our fates are intertwined. Relationships with Farmers and Producers Buy local food! Support local agriculture! Get to know farmers, and buy directly from them. Agricultural revitalization is real economic stimulus and real economic security. Beyond the raw products of agriculture, most people enjoy foods and beverages that have been processed, whether it’s cheese, salami,or tempeh. Many of these processes involve fermentation. Support “value-added” small-scale local processing and production. It means fresher food, local jobs, decentralization, and greater resilience in the face of change. Local production includes not only commercial manufacturers but small informal production shared through alternative economies such as gift exchange, barter, voluntary donations, herdshares, community supported models, or illicit underground sales. Find a niche you can fill in the reemergent web of food creators. Relationships with Ancestors
destroying economic vitality, and robbing us of our dignity by breeding dependency and reducing us to the subservient role of consumer. We need to cultivate a different set of relationships: Relationships with Plants and Animals This is where our food comes from, plants and animals (with microbial assistance). We cannot continue to distance ourselves from the sources of our food, relegating it to highly specialized, mostly faraway, mass production monocultures, cut off from our lives. Historically, by necessity, we related to the plants and animals we ate. We knew them, relied upon them, and through their pursuit and cultivation, we were intimately connected to our environment. We need to become reconnected to the sources of our sustenance. Get to know the plants around you. Grow some herbs or vegetables. Glean and use unharvested fruit. Plant a tree, or care for one, or many. Forage weeds from your yard. If you enjoy eggs, milk, or meat, consider exploring the path of raising chickens or livestock on a small scale. Find a way to observe and participate in slaughtering and butchering. Respect, honor, and appreciate the life that goes into our food. We have coevolved with these other beings, and our fates are intertwined. Relationships with Farmers and Producers Buy local food! Support local agriculture! Get to know farmers, and buy directly from them. Agricultural revitalization is real economic stimulus and real economic security. Beyond the raw products of agriculture, most people enjoy foods and beverages that have been processed, whether it’s cheese, salami,or tempeh. Many of these “value-added” processes involve fermentation. Support small-scale local processing and production. It means fresher food, local jobs, decentralization, and greater resilience in the face of change. Local production includes not only commercial manufacturers but small informal production shared through alternative economies such as gift exchange, barter, voluntary donations, herdshares, community supported models, or illicit underground sales. Find a niche you can fill in the reemergent web of food creators. Relationships with Ancestors
Our-Collective-Genome.docx