Following the Cuban Example
So, after the fall of the Soviet Union, upon which Cuba depended for a great deal of imports, both for machinery and food, Cuba was forced to embark on an alternative agricultural plan.
Though the situation is hardly politically ideal, it struck me that as in the article, most of Havana's vacant lots are filled with gardens.
The article is a couple of years old, but still interesting.
Edit: Thanks to Ian's help, I've fixed this post a little bit.
Though the situation is hardly politically ideal, it struck me that as in the article, most of Havana's vacant lots are filled with gardens.
The article is a couple of years old, but still interesting.
Edit: Thanks to Ian's help, I've fixed this post a little bit.
Tags: agriculture, cuba, farmer's, markets, urban
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brook on -
Amy, was there supposed to be a link to the article? If so, it didn't appear. At least not on my screen.
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Permalink Reply by Penelope on -
Interesting article about how people adjust to circumstances. In crises, humans either adapt, die or migrate.
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Permalink Reply by amy on -
What I really thought was interesting though was the level to which it was necessary to make their adaptations, and how we might learn from this before it becomes so brutally necessary.
Having garden plots in cities might start, even in the smallest way, to offset the increases in gasoline prices that are happening and will continue. I read articles about women in Haiti feeding their children mud cakes and know that is a possibility (though hopefully remote) as long as the food supply stays so far out of our reach. I was thinking on it earlier, and I realize that when we are in charge of our own food the vagaries of nature might somehow starve us but mankind will have a harder time doing so.
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Permalink Reply by Brook on
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Question: Are you prepared to protect that food supply?
Seems to me, most of our discussions are based on people growing some or all of their own food, but with the rest of the status quo remaining intact.
But the fact is, given a catastrophe the magnitude of the Cuban situation, you're neighbor, who isn't growing his own, is just as likely to have a gun. And is prepared to take your food away.
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Permalink Reply by John Walker on -
That's why you teach him/her to grow food.
So that they shoot the barbarians.
Does that absolve you?
Actually I've come to realise that people stealing food is one thing , having the ability to prepare it, cook it and eat it is another.
That's why we grow so many weeds like nettles and poke.
BTW I never knew radishes had prickly stems before.... built in anti-theft device.
Any other suggestions for thief proof veggies?
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