How to Grow More Vegetables : And Fruits, Nuts ... - Shroomery

“The Jeavons approach has
done more to solve poverty
and misery than anything else
we’ve done.”
—Bob Bergland, former
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
xii A PERSPECTIVE FOR THE FUTURE
• GROW BIOINTENSIVE mini-farming
• agroforestry
• no-till Fukuoka food raising
• traditional Asian blue-green algal wet rice farming
• natural rainfall “arid” farming
• indigenous farming
Also, to preserve the plant and animal genetic diversity upon
which we all depend, we need to keep 1 ⁄ 3 of the world’s
farmable land in wild.
As we begin to use sustainable, land- and resource-conserving
food-raising approaches, more wilderness areas can remain
untouched so more of the endangered plant and animal diversity
on this Earth can be preserved. This wealth of genetic
diversity is necessary if the planet on which we live is to
support abundance.
Alan Chadwick, the horticultural genius who taught us the
basis for GROW BIOINTENSIVE sustainable mini-farming practices,
guided us: “Just grow one small area, and do it well. Then,
once you have got it right, grow more!” Each of us can begin in
this way to revitalize ourselves, the soil, and the Earth—one
small growing area at a time. Before we know it, we will all live
on a thriving, vibrant Earth consisting of many personal and
community mini-preserves, reestablished with health as a vital,
dynamic whole!
Each one of us has tremendous potential to heal the Earth.
Let us begin.
APPROXIMATE AREA REQUIRED TO GROW ONE PERSON’S DIET USING
CONVENTIONAL MECHANIZED CHEMICAL OR ORGANIC TECHNIQUES
High Meat Diet (fossil fuels available) currently 31,000–63,000 sq ft
Average U.S. Diets5 (fossil fuels available) currently 15,000–30,000 sq ft
Average U.S. Vegan (fossil fuels available) currently 7,000 sq ft
Average U.S. Vegan Diet (no animal products)
(post-fossil fuel era) 21,000–28,000 sq ft
Average of actual areas needed for diets eaten in
developing nations, using actual agricultural practices
(fossil fuels available) 1977: 30,000 sq ft
1988: 22,000 sq ft
2000: 16,000 sq ft
5. Assuming average amounts of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, eggs, milk, cheese, and meat are eaten.