A pine cone sprouts from the burnt forest floor the spring after a wildfire. Of all hopeful metaphors, a germinating seed might be the most deeply rooted (pun intended). Yet the metaphor gives a dark warning as well: you reap what you sow. The importance of literally planting good seeds can’t be overstated, but the idea is also a useful… Read more »
Each component of the global food system depends on a healthy planet. What is a healthy planet? It is not just the absence of air pollution, global warming, landfills, deforestation, oil spills, etc. A healthy planet, and therefore a healthy global food ecology (socially, politically, environmentally) also boils down to healthy dirt, nutrient-rich soil and water, microbial symbiosis… all sorts… Read more »
The time-lapse film showing seed germination, by Neil Bromhall, was my favorite video from this course. The short video is mesmerizing; it beautifully captures the precious beginning of various plant life as new sprouts emerge from the soil’s surface. I began gardening a year and a half ago. At the time, it was an unlikely hobby for me, but a… Read more »
I wish I spent more time in the dirt. I had spring-time dreams of generating enough greens to supplement my diet and quickly realized the many lessons of the soil I had yet to learn. The earth I put in my little garden is still new to me and I know it as living system which requires nurturing and nutrients…. Read more »
Kimmey, Katelin. Seed of a Soul. 2013. Photograph. Flickr.com8.15.2017 Seeds are resilient, when talking about gardening my brother once said, ‘I always just plant seeds and somehow almost every seed comes up and it amazes me every time’. Every year when little plants start to push their way through the dirt I remember his words. However, a seed can do… Read more »
Seeds, water supply, and agriculture are all crucial parts of the global food system. As we learned in the last couple weeks, seeds go through a very detailed and intricate process to grow from a seed in the earth to a full plant, vegetable, fruit, etc. Abundant amounts of water are required to keep plants healthy and adequately nourished while… Read more »