Organic farming could feed the world

This makes me question the die-off mantra that PO will result in mass starvation as synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers and feed additives become unaffordable. If organic farming has been shown to provide larger yields than current conventional agriculture, why would the post peak agricultural paradigm continue to rely on petrochemical inputs?

Perhaps there is currently vested interest in maintaining the current agricultural system, but what's stopping a mass change towards organic farming? Will we refuse to adopt more productive methods as petrochemical agriculture becomes increasingly unsustainable?
Would we rather starve than adopt an organic regime?

Saw this article earlier. I posted it over here on this gaming forum I go to. The response (except for a few people I knew would be receptive) was underwhelming. People just don't want to believe simpler is better. As one guy said, "how is farming - (minus) technology better than farming + technology". I think it's a losing battle and maybe that's for the best. The question is, do we really want to feed the world? Sounds cruel but I'd say for most people the answer is no. Perhaps if we hadn't fed the world so well up until now we wouldn't be in this mess.

It took me about 3 quarts of gas for rototiller to put garden in.

Green bush beans taste great. And all ripen about the same time.
We get sick of green beans quick.
Net BTU loss, I think. But fun and good exercise. And not too bright from a BTU EROEI standpoint.;
techie senior citizen

Organic gardening and farming could "feed the world," probably.
The limiting factors would be - water, labor, and proximity of farms and gardens to population centers.
Some large cities in dry areas (Los Angeles, Las Vegas) could be in trouble without cheap transportation.

More people would need to farm and garden, certainly, not the current something like 2% of the population.
I don't use a rototiller to garden, and in fact, no non-human energy is needed for gardening except for pumping water. And maybe some for making garden tools, etc.
Merely "organic" farming and gardening may not be sustainable, as it may not provide enough habitat for other creatures. Something more - ugh, pardon the word - "holistic" is needed, such as permaculture. I don't see any drawback to "feeding the world" Narz, if we can do it in a way which allows the Earth's life systems and other beings to live also. Unless you just don't like people!

COULD.
Didn't you see that word???
Organic farming [fade]COULD[/fade] feed the world.

That doesn't mean that it WILL.
I am an organic farmer. It is intense, backbreaking work. Who's gonna do such work in the USA? Your momma?

Yes, COULD.
Americans will starve before they'll get their hands dirty. They'll spend $10/person on fast food even while their finances are crashing, rather than start out a garden with a few hens out back.
Jared Diamond's example of the Greenlanders describes it perfectly - Americans will die if they can't have things the way they're used to, the Greenlanders wouldn't eat fish, and when suburban Americans become homeless they always leave nice lawns behind.

I get so tired of this crap. Organic agriculture is groovy but it certainly is no panacea. Industrial organic agriculture is more dependent on petroleum transport than otherwise. In place of refined npk organic requires chicken poop, rock phosphate, tons of calcium and potassium. It is all trucked into large organic farms using petroleum.
Small scale organic agriculture or permaculture requires the labor live on the farm to recycle nutrients. Land redistribution is a very touchy subject with the folks who own rural farms.

Yes organic farming could feed the world. So what? It won't be for lack of arable land or petroleum that people will die postpeak. It will be for lack of transport and transport infrastructure to get the food to the people.
In the LA basin people will die as the California aqueduct system deteriorates. In Massachusset people will die because the state imports 98% of its food. People will die on Long Island because they will be trapped like rats. Suburbia will never grow its own food.

Needless to say, and with apologies to Ludi, I agree with pstarr and the other deriders of this ridiculous notion.
The world's bloated human population would never have arisen without the buckets of easy food provided by our good buddies oil, NG, and coal, and it will not survive their waning.
Yes, organic farming COULD feed the world---a world with a much, much smaller population.
Aye, there's the rub.

I gotta tell ya,I'm stumped on this whole "I gotta have a rototiller" mentality.

Why in the hell would you ever need one for gardening?

In my experience,any dirt that needs tilling can be done with a shovel,if not,you're doing it wrong and need to reevaluate your gardening practices.

Now I know what some of you are thinking"but you don't understand,the ground is really hard here!"

I used to have areas in my yard(I think I've pretty much run out of them at this point) in which digging in the dirt was like digging into concrete,if you have this problem I say STOP DIGGING!

If you can,just rough up an inch or two on the surface,then take soil from the bottom of your compost pile(YOU DO HAVE A COMPOST PILE DON'T YOU????) and pile it about 6 inches deep on the area you
want to grow on.Now find some dandelions that have gone to seed
and plant the seeds in between the spaces you plan to grow your food crops.

Again,I know what many of you are thinking"OMFG,you want me to put weeds in my garden on purpose?"

I can't help but wonder,who decided what plants get to be called "weeds"? All plants have a role to play in the ecosystem,if they didn't fill some (important)niche,they'd be extinct.

The dandelions serve two functions.1)Because they have a very long tap root(several feet long)and will grow damned near anywhere,they have the ability to break up and loosen extremely hard soils.2)Because the tap root is so long it can get too and bring up water several feet deep,something most other plants can't do,in the process it not only waters itself,but brings moister to the surface that can be used by other nearby plants.

If your doing the traditional - till a given area,10x10,12x20,20x20,20x40 or whatever, and plant in rows then I have to say

YOU STOP THAT!!!

YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!!!

Divide your garden into easily manageable plots,3x3,2x3,4x4,in the most convenient combination with paths in between.




With the correct use of "weeds" and rainwater collection/storage,the need to water can be kept to a minimum.

Work smarter,not harder.

On this point I have to say I agree with you,along with Pstarr and Heineken.

The problem is not a matter of "if" but of "will"?


I trueley believe "IF" Americans were to devote a large percentage of their lawn space to the production of biofuels there would be no impending crisis.

But the attitude is "screw that! I'm not doing that!Let someone else deal with and solve this problem.I have to go get my nails done".

this is right on, p. That's what I've learned from working at an O. farm. I love the place, but it isn't exactly free of petroleum.

My own garden is a different story. 100% compost and manure fertilizers (from our livestock), deep mulches, hand digging ( unless it gets away from me, in which case the rototiller comes in mighty handy.) And we truck the food nowhere except into our mouths.

I think you guys are saying it the wrong way.

Organic farming will feed the world. But it won't feed the machines.

...And since organic farming/gardening will be all we have left, anyone who isn't fed by organic farming/gardening won't be around to count. This shouldn't give anyone the warm fuzzies.

Now, we ants just need a way to build biotic, organic soil (I vote for terra preta and compost!), and grow our own food on it, and keep our fellow human grasshoppers from jumping in and eating it. Heinberg is right in pointing out the need for thousands of new farmers. There just aren't many of us willing to consider it. Most people will just walk in to the undefended fields and take what they need.

No way. The average American probably uses more energy in a day than their lawns could provide in a year, certainly a month.

And, can you see Americans quitting their jobs to tend, harvest, and process their biofuel lawns? (And to do their "organic" gardening?) What else would get done?

All that is work, work, work, as KillJoy, who knows of what he speaks, notes. Work, and time. And the harder you work physically, the more food you need to do the work.

EROEI, my friend. It repeatedly gets lost in the shuffle of these discussions.

If you want to help people become aware of what Monsanto is doing go to: organicconsumers.org