vue - Unconventional Agriculture

Today, half the world's food production—what we eat—depends on chemical fertilizers and herbicides. These are the foundation of Conventional Agriculture, but they pollute our soils, drinking water, waterways, and oceans. Unconventional farmers like Steve Ela in Hotchkiss, Colorado focus on building soil fertility by working with nature, not against it. "Beyond Organics" Michael Ableman Foxglove Farm Salt Spring Island, BC Michael is a farmer, author, photographer and food advocate, who has been farming organically since the 1970′s and is considered among the pioneers of the international movement. "Building Soil Fertility" Steve Ela Ela Family Farms Hotchkiss, CO Steve served as president of the Western Colorado Horticultural Society, currently serves on the Colorado Agriculture Commission, is vice-president of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, and serves on numerous local boards and organizations. Steve is active in organic tree fruit research and has helped to organize two major national organic tree fruit research symposiums. "Permaculture" Penny Livingston Regenerative Design Institute Bolinas, CA Penny Livingston-Stark is internationally recognized as a prominent permaculture teacher, designer and speaker. Penny co-founded the Regenerative Design Institute, an education center located in Bolinas, California. With her husband James Stark, Penny is currently co-managing Commonweal Garden a 17 acre multi-functional integrated example of permaculture, regenerative agriculture and regenerative living. "Biodiversity vs. Monoculture" Rick Knoll Knoll Farms Brentwood, CA Until 1979, Rick and Kristie Knoll had been "alternative suburbanites" in Santa Ana, where their small back yard was a garden, replete with chickens, compost trenches and hay mulch. Eager to escape to a more rural life, they came across a weedy 10-acre alfalfa field for sale about 60 miles east of San Francisco and saw it as a chance to do some serious organic gardening. Today they have a teeming 10 acre agro-ecosystem that thrives on the microbial power of "biodynamics". Biodynamics -- "Holistic and regenerative farming practices focused on the integration of plants, animals, soil health and biodiversity. They keep the ecosystem in balance by producing the nutrients needed to nourish all aspects of the farm with a minimum of inputs imported from off site." - LOCAL: The New Face of Food and Farming in America, by Douglas Gayeton Permaculture -- "A 'whole systems' approach to the design of human settlements that integrates landscape, water, plants, animals, built structures, agriculture, ecology, energy, economy and social justice into a framework that provides opportunities for humans to become benefit to the planet and all creation while supplying resources for an abundant existence." Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/FGn3/