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Re: Sustainable Spuds



Marc Safley wrote:
> 
> The recent and ongoing potato discussion brings several questions to
> mind:
> 
> 1.  Could the Irish potato farmers controlled the blight if they had rotated
> their crops with barley or oats or some other Gramineae?
> 
> 2. If organic agriculture grew out of a reaction to the increased use of
> agricultural chemicals in production systems, why can the description of
> "organic" be applied to any system that relies on non-synthetic inputs?
>

Why not?  Most of the commercial fertilizers are just a concentrated form 
and/or a more uniform form.  Increasing production by organic material is 
really just robbing Peter to pay Paul.  Using the organic material raised on the 
site is just recyling not fertilizing.
 
> 3. Wasn't the Irish potato famine really an example of unsustainable
> organic agriculture?
> Very true.  Also unsustainable economic and population models.

> 4. Wouldn't Bill Duesing make a great neighbor?  I think so.
> 

Agree.
> Marc Safley
> marc.safley@usda.gov





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