This Sustainable House

Posts Tagged ‘agriculture’

Beyond the Brink is Peter Andrews’s sequel to his best-seller ‘Back from the Brink.’ In this much-awaited sequel he sets out a radical, yet achievable, plan to bring our landscape back to life.

Never having read Back from the Brink I cannot comment on that book but I have to admit that I found Beyond the Brink… well underwhelming!

Don’t get me wrong, Peter outlines some very important (if not essential) philosophies concerning sustainable agriculture but mixed amongst these nuggets is a lot of unsupported rantings, and misinformation. This could obscure the main point if it wasn’t read critically.

The key point that Peter makes is that the basis of all fertility are plants, and that farmers (of whatever type) need to recognise this. He argues against laying paddocks bare to ‘fallow’, for the planting of tree on high points (so as to spread fertility below) and for the growth of any type of plant that will correct the imbalances in the soil. Especially if those are ‘weeds’.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone involved, or interested, in sustainable agriculture. Just remember to separate the ‘wheat from the chaff.’