Farming TED Talk

[Thailandnotes]

In 2009, Barber received a James Beard award for America's Outstanding Chef, and was named one of the world's most influential people in TIME Magazine's annual "TIME 100" list.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/11/152457...sustainability

[globaleconomicollaps]

Re: Farming TED Talk

In 2009, Barber received a James Beard award for America's Outstanding Chef, and was named one of the world's most influential people in TIME Magazine's annual "TIME 100" list.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/11/152457...sustainability

Is he really promoting extensive agriculture over intensive? For generations the model for organic farming has been intensive agriculture as practiced by Fukuoka. This model of a labor intensive and extremely high productivity micro-farm of one or two acres is promoted heavily in the organic farming community.

Typical extensive farming is cattle ranching where the cattle are expected to graze on naturally occurring grass and are given no other feed. This is the norm in most of the western US. Ecologists tend to frown on this type of farming.

This is a video promoting permaculture in France.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy_x5rXq19g
Note the super high labor required. They go out at night and pick the snails off the plants.

[Thailandnotes]

Re: Farming TED Talk

Is he really promoting extensive agriculture over intensive? For generations the model for organic farming has been intensive agriculture as practiced by Fukuoka. This model of a labor intensive and extremely high productivity micro-farm of one or two acres is promoted heavily in the organic farming community.

Typical extensive farming is cattle ranching where the cattle are expected to graze on naturally occurring grass and are given no other feed. This is the norm in most of the western US. Ecologists tend to frown on this type of farming.

This is a video promoting permaculture in France.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy_x5rXq19g
Note the super high labor required. They go out at night and pick the snails off the plants.

I don't think "extensive" free range cattle ranching has much to do with what he is describing in Spain.

Permaculture is obviously high labor and a lifestyle choice. (It's interesting to watch it expanding in conservative Missouri and Arkansas.)

Pollan does a good job describing the intersection of "intensive" and "extensive."

Barber is growing more radical.