Farm of the future
Discussion
I just watched this on iplayer, really makes you think about what we are going to do in the future
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hs8zp/Natu...
Go on take a look
.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hs8zp/Natu...
Go on take a look
.
. I watched this program first time round and its just been repeated, still its one hell of an eye-opener.
I'm not some Eco-nutter but I did grow up on a farm in the '70s and '80s and can see the changes today. Where the girl in Shropshire says the soil is having its 'skin' ripped off by ploughing is so true, you can see it every Spring. Tons of fertiliser are chucked into lower pastures while just half a mile away the woods and hillsides that are not managed seem to grow like heck. Modern worked land is a dying medium for growth, almost like a huge hydroponic kit.
Its not all doom and gloom but we do need a change (excuse the pun) at grassroots level to how we see the future of food production. A change in your diet is on it's way, whether you like it or not.
I'm not some Eco-nutter but I did grow up on a farm in the '70s and '80s and can see the changes today. Where the girl in Shropshire says the soil is having its 'skin' ripped off by ploughing is so true, you can see it every Spring. Tons of fertiliser are chucked into lower pastures while just half a mile away the woods and hillsides that are not managed seem to grow like heck. Modern worked land is a dying medium for growth, almost like a huge hydroponic kit.
Its not all doom and gloom but we do need a change (excuse the pun) at grassroots level to how we see the future of food production. A change in your diet is on it's way, whether you like it or not.
Fishtigua said:
Its not all doom and gloom but we do need a change (excuse the pun) at grassroots level to how we see the future of food production. A change in your diet is on it's way, whether you like it or not.
Not necessarily...although probably.We are going to have to learn to curb population growth, is the truth. This has been the case for some time but no government wants to grasp the nettle.
We used to have lovely wars and crap medecine to keep our numbers down. With the advent of peace and excellent medecine we are simply living too long and having too many babies.
The "Licence to breed" will eventually become necessary. If we don't deal with this ourselves in a humane way? Then we will eventually fight over territory for the production of food.
elster said:
Is there any chance someone could put up what the program is.
As I don't have a good enough internet connection to watch films.
Thank you.
The program is about how modern farming is so dependant on oil to function, as all the chemicals, fertilizers and tractors need oil. And with a decline in oil production this will only get worse and there needs to be a solution that doesnt involve more oil. As I don't have a good enough internet connection to watch films.
Thank you.
It shows an alternative method which is to let nature do the work, which means you dont have to do much with it just let it grow and harvest it, its using the idea that woodlands and forests take care of themselves without the need for chemicals and intensive farming.
Instead of growing cereals and plowing the land which damages the field, you have a acre or so of trees and bushes which bare fruit and nuts etc, this means you can grow stuff to eat without using chemicals and hard labour, working with nature instead of against it, is much easier and is the way forward.
It was also interesting as they had cows grazing on a field that was more resistant to the cows walking on it during the winter because of the farmer that previously ran the farm spent a long time picking a mixture of grass that would be stronger and more interwoven and they cows wouldnt damage it so there was no need to bring them inside during the winter, which meant they didnt have to spend lots of energy making hay and bringing it to the cows which meant the farm ran itself without to much work.
CarMad426 said:
The program is about how modern farming is so dependant on oil to function, as all the chemicals, fertilizers and tractors need oil. And with a decline in oil production this will only get worse and there needs to be a solution that doesnt involve more oil.
It shows an alternative method which is to let nature do the work, which means you dont have to do much with it just let it grow and harvest it, its using the idea that woodlands and forests take care of themselves without the need for chemicals and intensive farming.
Instead of growing cereals and plowing the land which damages the field, you have a acre or so of trees and bushes which bare fruit and nuts etc, this means you can grow stuff to eat without using chemicals and hard labour, working with nature instead of against it, is much easier and is the way forward.
All great stuff, but you're forgetting there are 60,000,000 people in the UK (plus a few more we don't know about), not the tiny population of yesteryear. Basic problem is - too many people.It shows an alternative method which is to let nature do the work, which means you dont have to do much with it just let it grow and harvest it, its using the idea that woodlands and forests take care of themselves without the need for chemicals and intensive farming.
Instead of growing cereals and plowing the land which damages the field, you have a acre or so of trees and bushes which bare fruit and nuts etc, this means you can grow stuff to eat without using chemicals and hard labour, working with nature instead of against it, is much easier and is the way forward.
Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 3rd March 16:55
Simpo Two said:
CarMad426 said:
The program is about how modern farming is so dependant on oil to function, as all the chemicals, fertilizers and tractors need oil. And with a decline in oil production this will only get worse and there needs to be a solution that doesnt involve more oil.
It shows an alternative method which is to let nature do the work, which means you dont have to do much with it just let it grow and harvest it, its using the idea that woodlands and forests take care of themselves without the need for chemicals and intensive farming.
Instead of growing cereals and plowing the land which damages the field, you have a acre or so of trees and bushes which bare fruit and nuts etc, this means you can grow stuff to eat without using chemicals and hard labour, working with nature instead of against it, is much easier and is the way forward.
All great stuff, but you're forgetting there are 60,000,000 people in the UK (plus a few more we don't know about), not the tiny population of yesteryear. Basic problem is - too many people.It shows an alternative method which is to let nature do the work, which means you dont have to do much with it just let it grow and harvest it, its using the idea that woodlands and forests take care of themselves without the need for chemicals and intensive farming.
Instead of growing cereals and plowing the land which damages the field, you have a acre or so of trees and bushes which bare fruit and nuts etc, this means you can grow stuff to eat without using chemicals and hard labour, working with nature instead of against it, is much easier and is the way forward.
Hunter gatherer societies needed vast ranges to support tiny populations. Agriculture changed all that. Suddenly a few fields could feed a family year round. Intensive agriculture takes this even further. But eventually we'll have to clear more and more forest...AND STILL WE KEEP HAVING BABIES!
Save the planet. Keep your dick in your trousers!
Yes there are alot of people to feed, but if each person tried to grow some food for themselves it would be a less of a problem.
Also the problem with intensive farming is that it only works when we have lots of oil based fertlizer, chemicals etc, its going against nature and just a bad idea for long term food production never mind the fact that the quality of grown food has dropped alot over the last 50 years or so all because of those methods which should have no place in a intelligent society.
The woodland and forests still continue to grow without all the chemicals.
Also the problem with intensive farming is that it only works when we have lots of oil based fertlizer, chemicals etc, its going against nature and just a bad idea for long term food production never mind the fact that the quality of grown food has dropped alot over the last 50 years or so all because of those methods which should have no place in a intelligent society.
The woodland and forests still continue to grow without all the chemicals.
CarMad426 said:
The woodland and forests still continue to grow without all the chemicals.
Yes they do. Like weeds.It's the stuff that we grow to eat that doesn't.
The number of people who could grow a meaningful quantity of food themselves is negligible. Apparently the UK is capable of producing enough food for 65% (ish) of its needs. We could manage 75% ish apparently.
So that means we're 25% short in the best case. People will starve.
Now that's f
ked up. There needs to be less of us. And we should be making more food not less.
Unless you fancy going hungry. Which I don't. I've tried it when a lot younger and it was very unpleasant.
Don said:
CarMad426 said:
The woodland and forests still continue to grow without all the chemicals.
Yes they do. Like weeds.It's the stuff that we grow to eat that doesn't.
The number of people who could grow a meaningful quantity of food themselves is negligible. Apparently the UK is capable of producing enough food for 65% (ish) of its needs. We could manage 75% ish apparently.
So that means we're 25% short in the best case. People will starve.
Now that's f
ked up. There needs to be less of us. And we should be making more food not less.
Unless you fancy going hungry. Which I don't. I've tried it when a lot younger and it was very unpleasant.
Meat as a right? Nope, its a luxury, pay for high quality animal husbandry or eat arable, your call.
Homogenised seasonal produce? Raspberries and lettuce in January? f
k off.If people had to worry about where the food came from they'd soon modify their habits.
We dont need less people, we need less convenience.
Plotloss said:
Don said:
CarMad426 said:
The woodland and forests still continue to grow without all the chemicals.
Yes they do. Like weeds.It's the stuff that we grow to eat that doesn't.
The number of people who could grow a meaningful quantity of food themselves is negligible. Apparently the UK is capable of producing enough food for 65% (ish) of its needs. We could manage 75% ish apparently.
So that means we're 25% short in the best case. People will starve.
Now that's f
ked up. There needs to be less of us. And we should be making more food not less.
Unless you fancy going hungry. Which I don't. I've tried it when a lot younger and it was very unpleasant.
Meat as a right? Nope, its a luxury, pay for high quality animal husbandry or eat arable, your call.
Homogenised seasonal produce? Raspberries and lettuce in January? f
k off.If people had to worry about where the food came from they'd soon modify their habits.
We dont need less people, we need less convenience.
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