Food/land sharing

[Chris Bradshaw]

I just came across a new matching service: bringing together those in urban areas with land they don't use with those living nearby with skills and desire to garden but no land.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/sharedearthcom-landshare-gr...

The site, www.sharedearth.com (which could be read two ways: shared earth and share dearth, as in the city's dearth of food production land and of natural foods), is only a few weeks old, and hasn't really officially launched.  It has been founded by the brother of Dell Computer's founder and CEO.

Although I am not much of a food-focused person, I have recently been exposed to three interesting sources: 1) watched a documentary, Food, Inc, on Newsworld, about large-scale food production/preparation, 2) watched British chef Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (6-part on ABC Fridays, now finished) about getting America's most obese city, Huntington, WV, to reform its school lunch program), and 3) read "The End of Overeating" by a Yale doctor, about the way food is over-processed (prepared, pre-cooked, pre-chewed ;-) to overcome our ability or desire to notice when we are full, and to steer us to food items that they can make more money on.  All reflect the dependence on food industry on using as much as possible of  a) fat, b) sugar, and c) salt to trigger our individual "reward systems."

I owe my attention to this on personal health issues (the most relevant is a condition that has given me type-2 diabetes), and have taken a number of food courses, and now read labels more and try to buy the raw ingredients much more.

I recently gave a talk on the need to the Canadian Association for the Club of Rome proposing organizing a comeback for sharing in all ways, as a way to reduce consumption without having to go without, and to increase a sense of community.  I thought I had mentioned all possibilities, but apparently not. [I can send a *.rtf file of it.]

[Caelan MacIntyre]

@Chris Bradshaw:
Good on Vrtucar. :)
A shame about the land near the Queensway bridge. I was unaware of that, but then, I grew up in Montreal (with its own environmental mires).
I've come across Kropotkin before, among many other interesting names. If I can get out of the Transition swamp ;) long enough, I might look into your excerpts, thank you.

@jd:
I've also thought about that when I've passed by the Experimental Farm, so I agree about your idea. The thought of a guerilla garden in that grove of trees on its west side has even crossed my mind, as well as a few picket signs along the roadside that say something like, "Experimental Permaculture Farm(?)".