Listen now | Which animal consumes more energy producing food than it does eating that food? None, except industrialised humans. Jason Bradford is a biologist and farmer working on how to transform food systems to make them more rural, sustainable, and to provide a net-positive energy consumption. He explains the failings of our current food production, encourages everyone to learn to farm as soon as possible, and reveals why veganism isn't the answer.
Beautiful episode. Bradford is also one of the guys behind the podcast "Crazy Town" which is occasionally extremely funny and tragic at the same time.
Food is hard. We know how to make moderate amounts of electricity from wind and water using simple technology, but food is not easy. We have an enormous knowledge advantage to medieval peasants and access to many more species, but we also have a total population of 10x.
I recommend the book "Farmers of Forty Centuries", by FH King. He is unfortunately not available for interviews, since he died more than a century ago. He explored how Asian cultures have been able to grow a lot of food on a little land without degrading it, for millennia. We can learn a lot from those experiences.
The most beautiful utopian vision for the future, imho, is the work by David Holmgren, see RetroSuburbia.com
It is difficult to imagine how such a transition will take place in great scale but it will certainly not be possible without media such as Planet: Critical connecting people with dirt under the fingernails like Jason. Great episode
Another interesting talk, thanks Rachel. Future food production is something we all need to get our heads round. You might want to talk to Chris Smaje who wrote a book about a 'Small Farm Future'. https://smallfarmfuture.org.uk/?page_id=1637 .
Someone else who has very strong views about this, especially in relation to the tension between small scale farming and industrial agriculture, is the remarkable Vandana Shiva. There is a battle ongoing between the people who farm the land, particularly in Africa and India, and companies like Bayer who want to tie them into industrial agriculture via government influence.
You could ask Shaun Chamberlin - www.darkoptimism.org - Shaun is the editor of the works of David Fleming and also runs online courses on Fleming's ideas through Sterling College in Vermont. Vandana Shiva has spoken during two courses I've participated in. Shaun himself would also be a fantastic guest.
One reason I originally subscribed to this podcast was that there was a feature of transcripts being available. Now that apparently is no longer an option, even for older episodes which had transcripts when they first appeared. I just don't have the time to re-listen to this entire episode for something I know Jason said. It's pretty annoying.
Hi Rachel,
Beautiful episode. Bradford is also one of the guys behind the podcast "Crazy Town" which is occasionally extremely funny and tragic at the same time.
Food is hard. We know how to make moderate amounts of electricity from wind and water using simple technology, but food is not easy. We have an enormous knowledge advantage to medieval peasants and access to many more species, but we also have a total population of 10x.
I recommend the book "Farmers of Forty Centuries", by FH King. He is unfortunately not available for interviews, since he died more than a century ago. He explored how Asian cultures have been able to grow a lot of food on a little land without degrading it, for millennia. We can learn a lot from those experiences.
The most beautiful utopian vision for the future, imho, is the work by David Holmgren, see RetroSuburbia.com
Peace,
Goran
Thank you, Goran!
It is difficult to imagine how such a transition will take place in great scale but it will certainly not be possible without media such as Planet: Critical connecting people with dirt under the fingernails like Jason. Great episode
Thank you, Nick!!
Another interesting talk, thanks Rachel. Future food production is something we all need to get our heads round. You might want to talk to Chris Smaje who wrote a book about a 'Small Farm Future'. https://smallfarmfuture.org.uk/?page_id=1637 .
Another great suggestion. Thanks, Tim!
Someone else who has very strong views about this, especially in relation to the tension between small scale farming and industrial agriculture, is the remarkable Vandana Shiva. There is a battle ongoing between the people who farm the land, particularly in Africa and India, and companies like Bayer who want to tie them into industrial agriculture via government influence.
Any chance you could you introduce us?
I wish! These are people I admire from afar unfortunately.
I'll do my best to get them on.
You could ask Shaun Chamberlin - www.darkoptimism.org - Shaun is the editor of the works of David Fleming and also runs online courses on Fleming's ideas through Sterling College in Vermont. Vandana Shiva has spoken during two courses I've participated in. Shaun himself would also be a fantastic guest.
One reason I originally subscribed to this podcast was that there was a feature of transcripts being available. Now that apparently is no longer an option, even for older episodes which had transcripts when they first appeared. I just don't have the time to re-listen to this entire episode for something I know Jason said. It's pretty annoying.
never mind, i found a transcript on the YouTube video. Sorry about that.