Progress….

My son in law Willie was explaining to me how farmers plant corn and beans in El Salvador. They plant the seeds side by side, and that way as the corn stalk grows the bean plant twines its way up it. When the corn is ripe the farmers cut the corn stalk about half way through, so it lies horizontal. The corn kernels get to finish ripening and the beans now have a lot more sunshine so they can ripen faster. The benefit of this is that the bean roots put extra nitrogen into the soil, replacing the nutrients used by the corn and acting as a natural fertilizer. No chemicals needed.

Modern “intensive” farming can’t do this. So we rely on many more toxic fertilizers that wind up in our guts. We get bigger yields and degrade our food.

“Progress” is not always progress.