EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

On an earlier blog, I made a case for local vegetable gardens as an important step toward food security after a disaster. They resemble WWII ‘victory gardens’, since food was rationed during the war.  Productive soil is the key to localizing food security. A 5m x 5m plot is more easily accessible than a large plot, especially in urban areas. Composting is the answer to maintaining soil productivity, and would also reduce waste transported to landfills, etc. I once heard a small farmer and a composting advocate say, “I grow the soil. The soil grows the food.”  

True composting has many of the characteristics of organic farming, allowing biology rather than synthetic chemicals to grow plants. One may or may not decide to become “certified” organic.  Regardless, the resulting boost in crop production dismisses the GMO debate, whose goal is increased crop yields. Sustainable composting achieves the same goal – and builds the soil, rather than mines the nutrients.

As mentioned in the last blog, I live in the city of Victoria, BC, Canada in a downtown location.  I know firsthand the challenges in high density, high-rise residential areas of townhouses, condos, and apartments.  A start to grow-your-own could be balcony gardening — the 20 foot diet!  This would truly be local access to some of our food, no matter where we live.

I believe that small, biologically-driven vegetable gardens and fruit trees make moot all three debates that presently rage in food security circles:  Local vs. non-local; organic vs. inorganic; and GMO vs. non-GMO. An extraordinary amount of energy is spent debating both sides of each, and there are pros and cons to each.  But because I am an emergency preparer, you sense where my sentiment lies.

We should not forget livestock’s role, if space allows. Poultry come to mind, and possibly other productive small animals such as rabbits. Goats, sheep, cows, etc. raise food security to another level, widen the local food basket, and contribute to the productivity of the garden (i.e. manure).  A few egg-laying chickens is a start.

All of the above directly contradicts the approach of large, corporate farming enterprises that presently stock our grocers. I did my graduate work in the San Joaquin Valley of California, testing large agricultural equipment in massive farms that presently feed North America. It’s very impressive to see a square mile of tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, onions….you name it. However, we must not forget that the San Andreas fault dissects  this region of California. If a major disaster that shakes our infrastructure hits (pardon the pun!), these crops will literally rot in the field.  With an interruption in the delivery chain, grocery shelves will be bare within a few days.

Turning this enormous and well-funded agro-economic ship around will take time. We can only do it one community, one family, one consumer at a time. Otherwise, it will take a shock such as a disaster, that empties our food basket. Let’s hope it doesn’t turn neighbor against neighbor. Society as we know it would forever change.   I encourage you to move your household toward increased food security, sustainable production, healthy eating — and preparedness for a disaster. There is still time.

Thanks for reading.

Monty