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David (and all),
Thanks for the excellent commentary on the forestry industry and on
agriculture as well. The Chronicle Herald article that you linked to is
certainly enough to sicken anyone who cares about the future of our
forests. Terrible to think that vast areas of forest are being destroyed
to feed a biomass power plant. {Digression: One has to wonder why there
hasn't been as much enthusiasm to build biomass generators to use up the
sewage sludge - contaminated with chemicals, heavy metals and
pharmaceuticals - that cities are so eager to spread on farmland. It would
doubtless save a goodly amount of forest from destruction to feed the
biomass plants}. Also, that high value hardwood is being harvested and
tossed in with pulp logs because it's too much nuisance and expense to
separate out saw logs to go to the factories that have a demand for them.
Sheesh. Give me a break. As was stated in the CH article, this is like
turning 100 dollar bills into 10 dollar bills. This is more than
pathetic. {Digression: And why not grow hemp for paper-making rather than
hacking down so much forest? I've been told that hemp grows well and
quickly and makes excellent quality paper}.
To me, the situations such as you have described (forestry and
agricultural - may as well throw in the fishery too) make me feel like the
world has gone insane. It's all about money, money, money, with little
regard for the Future. The Future? What might that be?
Yes, I agree, 'small is beautiful.' I'm seeing young farmers in my own
community near Round Hill, proving that small scale farms can indeed
produce plenty of vegetables to feed many families while working the land
in a very ethical and sustainable way. Believe it or not, all farms worked
pretty much that way in the not-so-long forgotten past. My father-in-law's
dairy cow farm was a model of efficiency. Very nearly a self-contained,
sustainable operation with everything from feed, to animal bedding, to
lumber for the farm buildings produced on the land - and with large
amounts of milk produced without the use of BST or any of the other
blights that have been flogged as necessary for profitability. The garden
grew enough produce for the family. The occasional cull cow or a hog was
butchered in his well-equipped little butcher shop. His woodlot was well
managed and produced all the logs he ever needed for new barn structures
and improvements around his farm. He had plenty of land for pasture and to
produce hay and grain without destroying all the hedge rows along the
fence lines. Nothing was wasted. Nothing was inappropriately used. There
was respect for livestock, wildlife, the forest, and the flora and fauna
that thrived there. Some would call this kind of farming old-fashioned.
Some might call it inefficient. In my opinion, having watched him farm for
over 35 years, I would call it sane and ethical.
So, how do we get off the ridiculous trajectory? How can we get back to a
way that isn't hell bent on destruction? I expect there is a way, but
there has to be a major sea change in how things are done. I hope the up
and coming generation can set things back on course.
bev wigney
Round Hill, NS
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<p>David=C2=A0 (and all),</p>
<p>Thanks for the excellent commentary on the forestry industry and on agri=
culture as well.=C2=A0 The Chronicle Herald article that you linked to is c=
ertainly enough to sicken anyone who cares about the future of our forests.=
=C2=A0 Terrible to think that vast areas of forest are being destroyed to f=
eed a biomass power plant.=C2=A0 {Digression: One has to wonder why there h=
asn't been as much enthusiasm to build biomass generators to use up the=
sewage sludge - contaminated with chemicals, heavy metals and pharmaceutic=
als - that cities are so eager to spread on farmland.=C2=A0 It would doubtl=
ess save a goodly amount of forest from destruction to feed the biomass pla=
nts}.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Also, that high value hardwood is being harvested and tos=
sed in=C2=A0 with pulp logs because it's too much nuisance and expense =
to separate out saw logs to go to the factories that have a demand for them=
. Sheesh.=C2=A0 Give me a break.=C2=A0 As was stated in the CH article, thi=
s is like turning 100 dollar bills into 10 dollar bills.=C2=A0 This is more=
than pathetic.=C2=A0 {Digression: And why not grow hemp for paper-making r=
ather than hacking down so much forest?=C2=A0 I've been told that hemp =
grows well and quickly and makes excellent quality paper}.=C2=A0 </p>
<p>To me, the situations such as you have described=C2=A0 (forestry and agr=
icultural=C2=A0 - may as well throw in the fishery too) make me feel like t=
he world has gone insane.=C2=A0 It's all about money, money, money, wit=
h little regard for the Future.=C2=A0 The Future?=C2=A0 What might that be?=
</p>
<p>Yes, I agree, 'small is beautiful.'=C2=A0 I'm seeing young f=
armers in my own community near Round Hill, proving that small scale farms =
can indeed produce plenty of vegetables to feed many families while working=
the land in a very ethical and sustainable way.=C2=A0 Believe it or not, a=
ll farms worked pretty much that way in the not-so-long forgotten past.=C2=
=A0 My father-in-law's dairy cow farm was a model of efficiency.=C2=A0 =
Very nearly a self-contained, sustainable operation with everything from fe=
ed, to animal bedding, to lumber for the farm buildings produced on the lan=
d - and with large=C2=A0 amounts of milk=C2=A0 produced without the use of =
BST or any of the other blights=C2=A0 that have been flogged as necessary f=
or profitability.=C2=A0 The garden grew enough produce for the family.=C2=
=A0 The occasional cull cow or a hog was butchered in his well-equipped lit=
tle butcher shop.=C2=A0 His woodlot was well managed and produced all the l=
ogs he ever needed for new barn structures and improvements around his farm=
.=C2=A0 He had plenty of land for pasture and to produce hay and grain with=
out destroying all the hedge rows=C2=A0 along the fence lines.=C2=A0 Nothin=
g was wasted.=C2=A0 Nothing was inappropriately used.=C2=A0 There was respe=
ct for livestock, wildlife, the forest, and the flora and fauna that thrive=
d there.=C2=A0 Some would call this kind of farming old-fashioned.=C2=A0 So=
me might call it inefficient.=C2=A0 In my opinion, having watched him farm =
for over 35 years, I would call it sane and ethical.=C2=A0 </p>
<p>So, how do we get off the ridiculous trajectory?=C2=A0 How can we get ba=
ck to a way that isn't hell bent on destruction?=C2=A0 I expect there i=
s a way, but there has to be a major sea change in how things are done.=C2=
=A0 I hope the up and coming generation can set things back on course.</p>
<p>bev wigney<br>
Round Hill, NS</p>
--f46d04428d160e5860051050d618--
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