“Language is our gift and our responsibility. Iโve come to think of writing as an act of reciprocity with the living land. Words to remember old stories, words to tell new ones, stories that bring science and spirit back together to nurture our becoming people made of corn.โ
via Robin Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, page 347.
Temperate-climate agroforestry offers the potential for long-term ecological mutualism with humans and trees, and while it is time-tested in having sustained millennia of our ancestors, there are many hurdles to shifting lifeways toward agroforestry in 2020. In this post I introduce the main challenges I have identified, and I outline a potential approach to overcome these challenges. In short, that approach is an agroforestry worker cooperative that ‘owns’ (has rights of control, and rights to returns) land and practices stewardship so to advance tree crops and sustain itself.
I hope this clarifies opportunities that we can turn into realities, to support multi-generational stewardship of trees for basic needs in a way that is mutually beneficial to all relations involved.
Continue reading →A heartfelt comment on diversity from a non-speaker with autism:
Why do you think people like us were made, were born
Mankind expresses itself finely in variety
We are one branch of many on a long lots-of-leaves diverse and wonderful beauty treeI know that each leaf has a value and meaning to the life in itself. So our mission is to prove it. We have launched out of the door. I am wondering and looking forward to what outside the door looks like.
via the Wretches and Jabberers movie
How does my behavior/experience affect the ability of others to have the opportunity for the same behavior/experience? Does it degrade or regenerate, is it a relationship of reciprocity?
(Clarifying the title: Is liberty synonymous with agency?)
The amazing abundance of trees from seed. Reforestation happens through a range of approaches, and from seed is one of the simplest, cheapest, and most time-tested of ways. It comes with pros and cons, the bad including relatively high loss and diversity of traits (such as shell thickness or fruiting time, which industrial operations seek consistency in). In such chaotic times diversity is good. This low-tech approach embraces loss en route to life. Life of the critters enjoying these trees & their seeds along the way, life that comes with the space and legacy of endings, life from letting life be as it will. Seed is a powerful source of sustenance, survival, and succession toward better local adaptation for chaotic futures.
Like the idea of trees and long-term improvement, enjoyment, environmental restoration, and if needed, sustenance? Hazelnuts are a tree you can trust to thrive easily and be enjoyable company. Measuring in at 18ft high and 15ft across, these beautiful bushes have been at the heart of our ancestors’ lives for many, many millennia. Food; some of the healthiest fats available to us. Fiber for homes and many essential crafts. Fuel as both coppice1 firewood and as-energy-dense-as-coal residues (shells and husks) for burning (is that true? nearly2).
Hazel is a gift in social resilience as well. A folk hero. How do all the gifts hazel offers sound as renewables, compared with other strategies for food, fiber, fuel, health and wellness? Fossil fuels and ‘renewable’ energy that depends on mining and toxic processing at industrial scales is degrading the foundations of life: water, soil, air, weather, ecosystems. How about a hedge of hazels instead?
How about a biocultural renewal? A deep adaptation? A relational agriculture that reciprocates and enhances nature’s gifts rather than degrading them.
Continue reading →
Guidance:
Put the things together as shown in exhibit A. Remember to save squash seeds! Bake everything with oil and salt and spices. Bake squash seeds separately though, they’ll want to hang out toasty extra long but the chickpeas and Brussels only want to go in for a little while. For sauce, combine all ingredients then titrate warm water until it becomes sauce. If you are super cool and have dukka, also add that, especially with hazelnuts ๐. Enjoy (put sauce and dukka on other things and then eat it)!
A textured tea for chilly Autumn:
Fresh Mint Leaves + Fresh Ginger + Tbsp honey
Mint sprigs chopped
Ginger crushed with knife
Glop of honey
Boil all together, then strain as you pour it out
Components:
Guidelines:
“Tikkun Olam-the repair of the world.
via https://www.facebook.com/lightsofkabbalah/posts/1678432628972544
If you see what needs to be repaired and how to repair it,then you have found a piece of the world that G-d has left for you to complete.But if you only see what is ugly in the world,then it is you yourself that needs repair.”
Rebbe Menachem M Schneerson (Lubavitcher Rebbe)
A multidimensional continuum and Tree of Life!
“The Zohar discusses the universe, as a whole, in far broader terms than merely the physical universe. Indeed, the physical universe, as vast as it may be, is dwarfed in comparison with the mystical universe that embraces angelic and demonic realms. Whereas the physical universe is measured in time and distance, the mystical universe is measured in terms of levels of awareness. These levels should not be viewed as separate boundaries, for awareness is a continuum.”
Rabbi David Cooper – “G-d is a Verb” (Page 34)
via
Artwork – “THE LETTERS” (Aleph – Bet) OF RABBI HAMNUNA-SABA