A Farm for the Future 5

[peaceniq]

Thank you for this wonderfully informative and thought-provoking film.

[agnostoatomo]

Capitalism doesn't have any Problems, it is the Problem...

It's just a more skillful model than good old Feudalism to provide power & abilities for exploitation to a few.

Every good Capitalist knows, that as long a certain livingstandard among the middle class can be maintained, they will be able to control the masses.

The masses aren't truely globalizers! they will never unite up to the critical point & if so,give them conspiracy ideas or radicalised Religions or ideologies...keep 'em busy!

[amesboie]

nicely done, and I love the accent! Very encouraging.

[Sepero1]

"transition to a new low-energy future"

Getting off oil and tilling soil by hand is not "low-energy". Not everything here is incorrect, but I'd say this film is misleading, and appeals to those who have little or no experience in the farming industry.

[TheJazminDragon]

A truly inspirational and useful documentary. Why are our governments so stupid? Why do they ignore talking about all this stuff and just carry on with their heads stuck in the troughs of the current monetary system leading us nowhere???

[xela222]

this should be shown in schools and used as a model for all of us to live by..

[3877michael]

Petroleum man is just about extinct .

[poweredbyaaron99]

Aquaponics is the method of growing fish and plants together, hydroponically. The fish waste is broken down by bacteria that convert ammonia into a high-nitrate fertilizer. The plants feed on the fertilizer which cleans the water for the fish after circulation. With a greenhouse and some solar-power, even the modest sized system can provide much of a family’s food needs.

[plathhs]

This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It should be compulsory watching for every single person of the seven billion on this planet!

And by the way, lots of people here are discussing what "the problem" is. There is no one problem; practically everything in the current system (including its causes and most of its effects) is a problem. We need not to focus on our problems, but simply think: How can we live sustainably? And how can we make the shift? That is all.

[apophate]

Politics is the problem. This had nothing to do with communism or capitalism- they are redundant systems now. Just get gardening, go to somewhere no one goes, start a gorilla garden...

"but, I don't have any land"

Stop being so fucking stupid, look around you. Land is abundan, the Earth could feed many times our current population, but not if we all keep sitting around talking about Adam Smith's self-help book for elitists!

Turn unused land into allotments, organize locally, act NOW!

[HerLabyrinth]

everything has it's palce - naturally beautiful

[AbattoirDream]

the woman narrator has the most airy annoying voice ever.

[chadhaboy]

Thanks for sharing the knowledge!

[bernie018]

I just heard that during the war the food production was 40% by backyards and city lots. Permiculture and forest farming could replenish the earth.

[MrEnergyCzar]

Oil = Food so unless you are very wealthy, start learning to grow your own...

[erichieko]

I would be overjoyed if i work with nature and get something out of it. My family and my parents flows bumpy in this society we are in now. Would we die sooner if we don't stop this fossil fuel from dumping heavily into our foods? Should I learn about agriculture as soon as i go to high school. Maybe. But, I don't see myself in the economy, war for money, homeless possibility. I would rather "garden" and see nature that I want to die in instead of stressing over about a bill...

[canadianmuslimnproud]

I was raised by a father who took living off the land seriously, being a child I loved to mimic him but grew up and out of his ways. Now, I am desperately trying to return to his ways as I realize the state of our worlds situation. Going into farming , I've been studying permaculture and trying to find a suitable piece of land. You've a beautiful farm to work with and I wish you all the best.

[GnaReffotsirk]

Not overpopulation. That's just a bit ignorant. We all should implement this stuff.

[withDefiance]

It sertainly do is our problem. Where do you live? How much of the food that you eat is imported from other countries in the world? Things are connected with global capitalism. Its blind to think that you live on a selfsustaining island. There are few people in the modern world who do.

[azzekezza]

The future is humans becoming vegetarian, meat is too costly to produce..

[faeryshivers]

@azzekezza

We eat too much meat, but many people on the planet still have nomadic blood types and require some meat to sustain. Plant sources of protein don't cut it for these people.

[bobbygnosis]

This makes me want a farm.

Or at least land with access to water.

[manmusicfun]

Brilliantly thought provoking

[braze4857]

deeply moving. Thank you.

[braze4857]

How deeply moving ... thank you.

[Lima547]

Thanks Rebbeca Hosking for the production and thank for posting!

[0932486509]

:-)

[TTLM77]

i agree that our diet should incorporate more nuts and alternative carbohydrates, but the shelling process is labour and energy intensive too. cereals and other mainstay crops like potatoes can still be grown, provided our technology changes too. machinery can exist as long as the fuel is renewable. electric farm machinery recharged by wind turbines on the farm could be realistic and clean alternative.

[archuletajustin]

I have had a vision because of my personal experience that there would be no such thing as a recession if every family had a farm they could do all the work themselves to sustain life. Humanity has become moronic.

[alkazaryyy]

Amazing documentary. I'm so inspired!

[Tribute2the80s]

This was a really great documentary.  I've seen a lot on the Peak Oil subject, but I'm happy to have gotten more info on permaculture.

[rvreddy2]

This is what I dream of doing in my life.

[MrJacobTiffin]

I love this video Im looking at doing the things they talk about.

[cos1463]

Thanks for putting this up, it's very inspiring. I have 5 acres and hope to live off it. You must start small take one step at a time. I just created a vegetable garden this year maybe next year some fruit trees. It is up to the individual to begin the process of change.

[siggyuke]

There are many people who want to grow on their own land, & live sustainably on their own land; but in the UK this is way outside of their purse's ability to provide.

Also, planning rules mean that you're not able to live on your land - unless you're very rich!

[hbhell]

Why dont people use their roof of their homes to cultivate crops? If every building-roof of the world is used to cultivate crops, that should help to reduce food shortage. Why dont they use multi-storeyed buildings (or glass-houses) to grow crops on each floor by using soil and mirrors for sunlight? Why dont they use solar power for energy?And I think all the over populated countries should follow China to reduce their population.

[SirAldrech]

Incredible documentary. Thank you for sharing!

[caohanlu]

this is an awesome documentary on so many levels - thanks for uploading!

[catalystleader]

I think this a bit unnecessary. Agriculture in the US only take up over 1% of petroleum consumption. Plastics and transportation mostly take up far more use of petroleum than agriculture. As long as we replace these with viable alternatives, then it won't really be necessary to have people growing their own food in gardens and so forth. In fact, I think it would set us back.

[theradiostarr]

@catalystleader That 1.1% does not include - fertiliser or pesticide consumption, of which agriculture accounts for 56% and 67% respectively. That aside 1.1% equates to around 730,000,000 barrels of oil /year.

[catalystleader]

@theradiostarr

What source did you get those figures from?

[theradiostarr]

@catalystleader;

Schnepf R., 2004, Energy Use in Agriculture: Background and Issues, Congressional Research Service; The Library of Congress

[BrandiD05]

Thankyou so much for this documentary!

Really informative, absoutely great!

[jaimeuseBio]

Sweet chestnuts were used in my country almost like bread in my grandparents generations...many recepies still exists from those old times...even though no one really uses it now!

[jaimeuseBio]

Thank you so much for this...for me it´s the first time I have heard about Forest gardening...this is really excitting! Greetings from Portugal!

[ponderingwanderer]

i really would like to learn more about forest gardens. it seems there is so much to learn. i dont own any land at the moment either... im definitely looking at buying some land in the future, but dont really know where yet. any suggestions?

[VictorianGentlmn]

Beautiful. Now just start where YOU can and move forward. If you only have a window sill, start with herbs there. If you have a yard or garden forget a lawn. Nothing can compare with providing for yourself. It will improve you mentally, physically, morally and reroot you. You have nothing to lose. You have no one else to measure up to.

[Lima547]

Perfect!

[Goodhaggis]

Thank you for this.

[sdjlyt]

As a hobby gardener in an arid region, don't forget water. I live where water is at the fore front.

Permaculture has a place, but do not forget vermiculture, aquaculture, aquaponics, as well.

Finding ways to grow plants AND meat in low energy, appropriate ways MUST be considered.

Some crops, corn and anasazi beans.., ORIGINATED in arid, low-water regions. We have to diversify and get used to more local, ecologically appropriate, crops.

[dagget101]

Yes overpopulation is a problem. Remember the only reason why population expanded so rapidly is because of fossil fuels

[dmacosta1]

Thanks

[TTLM77]

its a great idea to grow nuts and expand our diet in that area, but we are forgetting the humble potato. they can still thrive in part shade under fruit trees, especially if shielded from harsh afternoon sun. and to add, we can still have a diet of carbohydrates. some of us eat sourdough everyday, not realizing that it contains a fair amount of potato. great doco

[Lima547]

BBC, the best bit of UK!

[eb352mm]

the problem is overpopulation

[withDefiance]

@eb352mm

Partly I think, but mostly capitalism.

Next to that, if overpopulation would be the mail cause, we still would have to cope with it... And genocide isn't the way... So we got to get working!

[lookingforthemeaning]

@withDefiance i am quiet sure there will be another larger war after the depression just like after the 1929 depression. may be we will learn this time. third time lucky.

[Skoda130]

@withDefiance Maybe.. But capitalism isn't very different from a "desire for more". And in think that a desire for more is intrinsically to humans. We're always trying to find a way that will make life easier and more comfortable. And I don't think any catastrophy will be capable of destroying that desire, unless the catastrophy is large enough to let the human race disappear altogether.

[truchito]

@withDefiance Hey how do you suppose that capitalism is the main problem?

[VikingHunter82]

@withDefiance My relatives were born in the Soviet Union. While capitalism is not perfect, socialism and communism are much worse. At least in capitalist nations, you may choose to buy land, buy seeds, and work your own land. My relatives had their land taken from them in the USSR. They were forced to work land they once owned, to produce food they could not keep (the government "owned" it), and were rationed food buy a government that intentionally starved millions of people to death.

[withDefiance]

@VikingHunter82 I'm sertainly not in favour of the Sovjet Union and I totally agree on the fact that there has been done much harm to the people in Russia under their regime. Therefore I'm also not a communist but an anarchist, or to say a libertarian socialist.

This means that I do not agree with a centralized state which forces people to do this or that because they think its best for all. I think people can deside this themselves. There are many inspiring examples EG the Spanish Revolution.

[Illchangeitlater]

@withDefiance Careful with what you say about "people". "A person" can decide for themselves, but "people" is a different creature, one that's not smart, moves very slowly, is panicky, very greedy and generally can't decide for itself.

[AppleSouffle]

VikingHunter82, thank you, that story says a lot.

I reminds me of Winston Churchill. He wrote, "Democracy is the worst form of government that's ever been tried, except for all the others."

[TheSchwabyLlama]

@VikingHunter82 there is nothing inherently wrong with either Capitalism or Socialism. Do not confuse democratic with authoritarian regimes.

[LueTm]

@withDefiance

Thanks for posting, interesting documentary. But I'm afraid, without capitalism, you'd still be a loyal servant to your local lord.

[valdezorbust]

@withDefiance Capitalism? LOL

[alkazaryyy]

@eb352mm No! There is much land left for everyone to be selfsustainable, if we just spred out. But our current system is not suporting that. And there is food, water and air enough for EVERYONE, if we used it wiser. If we changed our lifestyle we would not even talk about overpopulation.

[bugsz1]

@eb352mm The planet is nowhere close to being overpopulated. The population density is the problem.

[activision]

@eb352mm No, the problem is the way we live. There's enough space.

[skip8619]

It seems to me that the farm of the future looks alot like the farm of the past.

[eesaylak]

@skip8619 lol... thats what I was thinking ... it is farm of the past...

[PippiLongsox]

Growing more crops and trees per acre leaves more land for Nature, said the late Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize laureate & father of the Green Revolution. We cannot choose between feeding malnourished children and saving endangered wild species. Without higher yields, peasant farmers will destroy the wildlands and species to keep their children from starving. Sustainably higher yields of crops and trees are the only visible way to save both.

[PippiLongsox]

US farmers have lowered use of fuel & crop protection products & dont pour on expensive chemicals. They apply fertilizer by prescription—exact nutrients in the exact amounts needed. Not plowing is not a radical idea in the US. Witness no-till or low-till. Were not close to being out of fossil fuel. Besides, were making fuels from crops, harnessing wind power & developing other ways to lower dependence on fossil fuel. We need high-yield agriculture to feed the growing world population.

[PippiLongsox]

Good drama, not a way to feed the world. The UK is a net food importer because it doesnt allow genetically modified crops. Bioengineering allows for more production/acre using no more fuel. US farmers use much lower rates of crop protection products than their grandparents. Because of hybrid seed, irrigation, chemical fertilizers, pesticides & biotechnology, corn yield increased by 119 bu/acre between 1949 and 2007.

[julianchosun]

Thanks for posting this. It's well made, really interesting and concise, too.

With regard to genetically modified organisms, please check out freedocumentaries [dot] org, The World According to Monsanto. It's pretty intense, and is taking me strictly organic, effective immediately.

[motorolarules]

Outstanding, I have no other word to explain. Thank you for the insight to post this. Great job! I have a small farm and this has helped change my attitude,my direction and increase my excitement.

[bluelightguy1]

great video

[Aussiemoo]

This is all based on the notion of fossil fuel obsoleting vehicles completely. While I would love for permaculture to flourish, it's far more likely that we will develop electric vehicles or algal biofuels or even "10 years away" hydrogen and plant GM crops instead.

[withDefiance]

GM Crops are very controversial since they are potentially dangerous to the biodiversity of the world. Also, electric verhicles need to drive on electricity, but where is that comming from? Most energy in the world is still comming from fosilfuels like oil and coal. Next to that a lot a food is being shipped over the world and I'm not sure whether we can power huge tankerboats with electric motors.

[Aussiemoo]

In terms of mechanical energy, we can do whatever we set our minds to. As for the GM foods debate, wheat bred over centuries to deliver a bountiful harvest is as genetically modified as anything coming out of a lab. Most modern fruit strains suffer from a genetic disorder known as trisomy, where they have three sets of chromosones - leading to an increased fruit size.

[Snurdgerbly]

Converting domestic hot water to solar in Queensland would free up the output of 1 powerstation for other uses, like electric cars. Designing homes that don't need energy inputs to heat and cool them would free up a great deal more coal fired power for other uses, like the manufacture of domestic photovoltaics. Kevin Rudd wanted to run to Copenhagen with a useless carbon trade scam, but has done nothing to rationalise Australia's current power use, and power-down more gently.

[Snurdgerbly]

We're converting a lot of our power production to cleaner natural gas turbines, which can respond to demand, unlike coal-fired steam, which pollutes whether in use or not. There's no substitute for electricity, we just have to come up with better ways to make and use it.

[coffeebuzzz]

Spot on. In Perth we have so much sun, wind and wave energy and yet make virtually all of out electricity from coal. Fuck signing deals, we should just borrow 100 billion dollars and stick 2kw of PV on EVERY domestic house in the country and only turn on coal stations to meet extra demand. This would make an enormous difference and probably employ 50,000 people in the manufacture and installtion and create an export market.

[Snurdgerbly]

I've just returned from a stint in Perth's northern suburbs - many square miles of badly designed, energy-hungry houses, built for show. Didn't see any PV panels, and very few hot water panels on roofs. What are the policy makers doing? Why do they actively encourage such stupid, wasteful design? The only PV factory in Oz closed last year, and KRudd thinks it's more important to spend money on (Chinese) airconditioners and TV sets than on energy efficient infrastructure.

[Snurdgerbly]

Bill Mollison calls it "rigorously Applied Stupidity".

[coffeebuzzz]

For some reason. we are getting ripped off royally for PV in this country. I just bought a pallet of 28 x 160 watt Kyocera PV panels from the US and the cost was $1.75 per watt. Here, the same would cost 4 x as much for exactly the same product. The shipping added another $0.75 per watt (seafreight).

With anicilliary equipment, 4480 watts peak for $16,500 plus change. Lowest quote in Oz was 39 grand, ripoff.

ZERO green policy here, just do it yourself, get off the grid, it's not hard.

[lookingforthemeaning]

@Aussiemoo hydrogen is a PR stunt. its not sustainable. GM crops are already failing all over the world. africa doesnt want them indian farms are commiting suicide because of them. elctric vehicles will never be used in a large scale on the farm. they just dont have the power density needed. if any thing the horse and ox are on there way back. i would love victory gardens to flourish. every family providing a large proportion of there food for them selves.

[Aussiemoo]

@lookingforthemeaning

Hydrogen can be sustainable if you use renewable sources to create the hydrogen.

GM crops are not failing all over the world, you're acting as if genetic modification is some unified biological change like adding chemical X. There is no difference modifying a plant with a part from another organism to selectively breeding for certain traits. It's all the same ink.

electric cars will eventually have the fuel density, never discount future innovations.

[lookingforthemeaning]

@Aussiemoo except for the fact the production is unbelieveably expensive. the storage of h2 is nowwhere near satisfactory. and other problems occur like the britling of the metal that is used in h2 systems.

GM corps are failing in india because they are not adaptable to different pests. naturla preselection doesnt fire genetic material with strains of eboli and antibiotic markers into an unsuspecting cell. never discount science. no chance on the power weight ratio.horses wil be there first.

[FishyMoe]

@Aussiemoo dude... sorry but keep researching. my research has lead me to beleive as follows; electric cars - wont work because you'd need so much wind/solar/nuclear to run them (as in everyone has a car scenario), algal biofuels have a problem with nutrients and contamination of monocultured algaes, hydrogen takes more energy to produce than you get from it (hydrolosis=high energy), GM crops; issues galore, unstable genes, many use more water than conven. crops, and most just arent eco. viable.

[Aussiemoo]

@FishyMoe

The problem with your findings is that they're not future proof even 5 years down the line. Electric vehicles are the future, there's no denying it, their power consumption will be high at first, but when you look at how much unnecessary energy we waste at home, the savings are there without even having to add new generation. algal biofuels have plenty of nutrients from sewage if we choose to use it, and the contamination problems can be circumvented if you don't use open-pond system.

[hiteshastan]

thanks nice idea you people protect world's future

[saphiresingold]

how awesome - I`ve been researching this topic for several years now but haven`t seen such a well made reportage. That`s so motivating. We can make it !

[liamlewis3]

Excellent! and I am not even a farmer! People NEED to WATCH this video and take it in... Get this video out to reach more people!

[androgenix]

very interesting film, my uncle and dad's got a farm each up here in norway, i wonder if this kind of farming is sustainable up here. Very little leaf trees here, more pine trees or what you call it, forrests look like canada, alaska or sibiria, then again were few up here and have oil reserves for a while, might not need to transform it for a long time, still interesting though

[bflanger]

thanks for uploading!

[peacelovechocolate]

Thanks for posting this.

It all starts with healthy soil, doesn't it?

[withDefiance]

yeah, soil that keeps a bit moisty and has enough air in it. That way insecs can live in it who produce food for plants and extract minerals and such.

[Matamick]

Time to make changes.

[vegiemankit]

If you like this idea - grow your own - read 'Anastasia' by Vladimir Megre.