How Long Can We Fool Ourselves?
by Hal Hamilton
— May 1, 2002 —
Why do people consistently believe what isn’t true? I’m reading a stream of news about the farm bill just passed by Congress: one more attempt to export and subsidize the farm economy to prosperity after decades of evidence that these dollars flow right on through farmers’ pockets.
I’m also reading data from a survey of [...]
If We Want Farmers, We’ll Have to Pay
by Hal Hamilton
— April 1, 2002 —
We all know that farming is both important and endangered. It doesn’t have to be endangered.
From our farm in Hartland, VT we sell vegetables, “Ascutney Mountain Cheese” from the milk of our small herd of Jerseys, and maple syrup. The vegetable operation employs 3-4 people full time in the summer; the dairy and cheese [...]
Economics for Four-Year-Olds
by Elizabeth Sawin
— March 31, 2002 —
My four-year-old daughter spent the afternoon at a local science museum the other day, exploring an exhibit on biodiversity. She returned home full of determination, found pencil and paper, and composed a letter. Now she distributes copies to friends and strangers alike. The letter begins:
From Jenna to the world.
Please stop making all this pollution. [...]
A Truly Sophisticated Economy Would Pursue More Than One Goal
by Elizabeth Sawin
— March 1, 2002 —
I have a young friend who, I think, will never eat another banana without knowing a great deal about its history.
On a trip to Belize, Hannah and other homeschooled teenagers saw monkeys, the rainforest, and Mayan villages. But the memory that seems to stand out the most vividly is of a banana plantation.
The workers [...]
Smarter Agriculture For the Sake of Land and People
by Hal Hamilton
— March 1, 2002 —
If you stand just outside the system of commodity agriculture and look in, the wasted opportunities are easy to see. Here at Sustainability Institute we use simulation models, but a drive down country roads is really all that’s needed. You see farmers investing in short-term productivity but rarely in long-term soil fertility. In the [...]
