I just finished reading John Jeavons book about growing vegetables. I have to say that it is the most comprehensive book that I have read outside of Rodale about understanding the soil and sustainable practices.
The methods that are used in the Biointensive culture are very simple yet make a lot of sense. In the week that I have taken to read the book, it has changed my outlook on what I want to do this year and in the future.
I have to admit that I have put a lot of mental power into my operation so far. Probably more than I have ever taken the time to do. Reading this book expanded my thinking not just about the soil but about the potential and ability to raise a lot of food in a small amount of space. I have often wondered after seeing the results of some of my experiences and those of others how you can grow food in a small enough space and continue to refresh that space with the right amount of materials to keep it not only productive but very healthy. Just like our bodies. At the same time, I have been proud of my ability to raise and sell more vegetables per square foot than most commercial farms.
This book is the only source that I have come across so far that has commented on what we call "weeds" and placed them in a context that makes you think about their place in all of this. I have often wondered why "weeds" grow better under all conditions when my cultivated plants struggle or do not produce as well as they are expected to. It's because the "weeds" were made to live there. I know that sounds innocuous but it goes to speak that if we raise vegetables that are defined for the culture of my soil then we should be successful.
I have said facetiously at times, "If I could only harvest these weeds, I could make a lot of money." Well, there is some truth to that. When I think that plants such as purslane, lambs quarters and dandelion, plants that people pull out and throw away, are considered edible by many people and cultures, I feel I am missing the boat. Nature is giving me an opportunity to use something and I am looking past it because it is the ugly girl at the prom.
Granted, the reason we pull weeds is because of competition. But think for a moment about the "weeds" providing a beneficial source of food and enriching the soil. There has to be some room in there for their utility. I have a vision of using "weeds" as cultivated plants on the farm stand and someone saying, "Uh, why do have lambs quarters on your table? I wouldn't eat that!" Why not, do you know what it tastes like? What its health benefits are? Or can't you get past the image of it as a "weed"?
After thinking about all of this, I was curious to find out the root of the word (no pun intended) "weed". It comes from the Old English word, "weod" which translates back to a Germanic word "wiota" which is a description of a fern. If I were to guess, I would say that "wiota" was a plant that was not liked very much because it was prolific and caused someone a lot of work to remove. Pretty soon, "wiota" came to mean any plant which was undesirable. But undesirable how? Surely by its taking up of space not by its existence and benefits as a soil producer or a food source.
The reality is that anything we eat at some point was uncultivated and grew in the wild. The best story is the tomato, which at one time was considered poisonous!
Don't worry, I won't let the farm go up in "weeds". But there are spots on the farm that house these kind of plants where we don't cultivate that soil. It may be time to see how we can incorporate them into the operation as opposed to trying to eradicate every last one of them.
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