CHAPTER 8

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Food is a fundamental need and probably one of your favorite things about life. After all, besides the air we breathe and the water we drink, access to clean, fresh “FOOD” is the third most basic Physiological Need for human beings. However, clean and fresh food isn’t always available everywhere. Especially with the current projections of our species’ population reaching approximately 10 billion people by 2050, the demand for food will nearly double over the next several decades, putting food scarcity and quality into question for billions of us. To answer these looming questions, humans must proactively engage in sobering conversations about food quality, quantity, and the expected growing demand over these coming decades to employ practical solutions and strategies. While we’ve made strides in addressing air/water quality and availability through our earlier practices, how can we improve our food supply and quality practically?

Although we’ve experienced economic growth through industrialization and globalization, there are concerns about continually ramping up food production on a global industrial scale. After all, how we farm food on an industrial level has far-reaching impacts on our health, society, and the environment. Historically, the food supply at this level means food quality will ultimately suffer with the distance traveled, the number of times our food will trade hands,  the inputs involved, and the challenges with processing food to go as far as it can and still be considered food with all the additives. But before it’s food on the shelf, it’s being grown in the ground to be fed to livestock or set to be harvested and consumed. Addressing food demand globally without sacrificing quality means addressing and improving the health of the soil. You simply cannot have one without the other in the long term.

So, how do we protect our soil to ensure enough quality food? What steps can individuals or society take that are simple enough for almost anyone to participate in an air, water, and food/soil revolution? Indeed, sustainable food production should ensure that future generations can access safe and nutritious food while practicing better water management and improving air quality. So, I will now present to you the golf ball! That’s right, the golf ball!

Envision our planet momentarily—picture areas on the world map with regular and consistent precipitation. If we start digging holes across the Earth that receive regular rainfall and expand outward, the Earth will soon look more and more like a golf ball! It would be quite the view to any visitors from outer space or even those aboard the International Space Station.

When it rains, or the snowpack melts, water runs down the river basins; however, it doesn’t always naturally percolate into the ground and enter the water table as effectively. By digging numerous holes around or near temperate and tropical rainforests, we could capture significant amounts of water to raise the water table before it flows through the river basins and eventually empties into the oceans.

Taking measures to retain this water on land could lead to a notable improvement in soil quality and quantity because we’re improving the biology of the soil itself. Every microscopic organism inside the soil needs water, too. When they have enough water, the health of the soil improves. As a result, agriculture would benefit because the soil is better. We will build better soil over time by focusing on this simple yet impactful soil enhancement technique. However, we must also consider implementing emerging farming practices known as Regenerative Agriculture and Permaculture (RAP) near all the holes we’re digging to build this Golf Ball Planet.

RAP is the pairing of two basic farming systems. Together, they offer themselves beyond traditional agriculture for individuals or nations in their sustainability efforts to restore soil health and feed society further. Standalone, regenerative agriculture operates on a larger scale than Permaculture, but their methodologies overlap. Regenerative Agriculture employs natural methods, such as no-till farming, not spraying the land with petrochemicals, and rotating livestock around to mimic nature. In comparison, Permaculture is a smaller-in-scale, permanent agriculture system. Unlike traditional agriculture, which works the land with tractors, planting seeds and harvesting at the end of the growing season, Permaculture mindfully improves an ecosystem to become a resilient agriculture ecosystem that mimics nature to produce multiple sources of stable food year after year. You may have even come across something that looks like a mini forest with fruit and nut-bearing bushes and trees that serve as a food source for us or a plant nursery for future seedlings to become deployed into the field like plant soldiers.

Both offer a degree of alleviation from being so dependent on our current food system: the supply chains and large-scale agriculture. That said, Permaculture gives greater control to those just getting into farming, especially when land is scarce. But what else can we do to improve soil health beyond digging holes to retain water in the land and RAP about it? Composting!

Often referred to as “black gold” because of its dark appearance, composting is the natural breakdown of organic matter into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Composting provides a valuable input for the soil and improves the soil quality. This simple process allows us to incorporate refined material into less fertile soil, enhancing the soil’s health and providing a better plant environment. Like adding chocolate chips to cookies, adding compost to soil enriches everything before you.

Additional benefits of composting include:

Reducing Waste: Composting diverts organic waste from landfills and extends landfills’ lifespans.

Improving Soil Health: As previously mentioned, compost adds organic matter to dirt as an amendment, making it more fertile. More specifically, it enhances soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability for the organisms living within the dirt.

Supporting Plant Growth: Compost contains beneficial fungi and microorganisms, including bacteria, that aid plant growth. All the nutrients contained in the compost are taken up through the plant’s root systems because of a symbiotic relationship taking place underground.

As our understanding of composting deepens, we can visualize the process more clearly: the decomposition of organic matter facilitated by microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, or invertebrate animals turns this material into a valuable agricultural product.

While nature naturally manages decomposition, speeding up the process and ensuring the proper breakdown of collected materials falls on us, the beautiful and conscious stewards of the Earth. To achieve this, we must turn the compost pile regularly, using tools like shovels, pitchforks, etc. The turning frequency depends on factors like the amount of material and the time of year. After several weeks to a few months, the compost should transform into a dark, crumbly substance with an earthy smell – precisely what we aim for! Black gold!

Practicing composting on a small scale in backyard gardens or on a larger scale in farms and communities can be conducted in a variety of ways:

Vermicomposting: This method involves using earthworms to break down organic matter into compost. Invertebrate animals, like earthworms, eat the material, and their waste, called worm castings, can be used as fertilizer in your garden or farm.

On-farm Composting: Farmers can create substantial compost piles by incorporating animal manure, crop residues, and other organic materials like fallen trees into a compost pile.

Community Composting: Many communities run composting programs that collect residents’ food scraps and yard waste and transform them into compost. This compost is then used in community gardens or sold to local farmers.

Composting is pivotal in RAP, contributing to waste reduction, enhanced soil health, improved plant growth, and increased carbon sequestration. Whether a backyard gardener or a large-scale farmer, composting offers a straightforward and efficient means to enhance soil health and promote environmental well-being. So, besides higher-quality food, what do a golf ball, composting, and RAP have in common?

Fungi! Pronounced like “fun-guy,” it extends beyond mushrooms. The fungi kingdom remains one of the least explored biological kingdoms. Consider American Football, where you have offense, defense, and the special teams unit to draw an analogy. In this analogy, if consuming food from the animal kingdom (meat, dairy, or eggs) aligns with the offense and the plant kingdom (fruit, vegetables, or grains) corresponds to the defense, the fungi kingdom can be likened to the special teams. Admittedly, the special teams often go unnoticed until it’s time for the punting unit to take the field. Can you imagine the game if neither team punted the ball on fourth down or attempted to kick a field goal when they were within striking distance? How does our special team unit, the fungi, fit into the realm of RAP, and how do they contribute to soil health?

Mycology is the study of fungi. It plays a vital role in soil regeneration, enhances food quality, and contributes to the overall health of the Golf Ball Planet. Fungi are ubiquitous throughout nature, and identifying specific mushrooms can be challenging. Fortunately, we can cultivate fungi in controlled environments using substrates such as wood or straw. However, many might need to realize fungi’s journey from spores to the final harvestable mushroom. Enter the world of Mycelium!

Mycelium is similar to a tree’s root system. You may not see what’s happening underneath a tree. Still, the final product is impressive when the tree stands before you, bearing fruit, and the leaves flourish from these mighty structures. While mushrooms are where we observe the end product, mycelium spreads extensively in conducive environments, whether it’s nature or controlled mediums. Under the right conditions, mushrooms may surface briefly to release their spores (like the seeds of a tree) before decomposing into the mycelium matrix, where a significant portion of organic material decomposition occurs. If you’re ever in nature and come across a small log and decide to pull it back, you may see mycelium where the log was in contact with the Earth. Mycelium has a white, fiber-like appearance similar to the roots of a plant!

Mycelium forms a symbiotic relationship with plants. When organic matter begins to decompose on the forest floor, mycelium infiltrates it and aids in the breakdown process. Mycelium releases stored nutrients from the material, distributing them through their network to nourish plants through their root system and even yield mushrooms in this symbiotic process!

Millions of fungal species exist, but only a few, like Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, Shiitake, Oyster, or Portobello, are farmed for their medicinal benefits or gourmet appeal. Imagine if we harvested natural organic materials like wood or other plant matter to cultivate mushrooms on a large scale. After several cycles of mushroom harvests for food or medicine, what if we returned the spent mushroom material to the Earth as another soil amendment? Like inoculating the wood or plant material for the mushrooms to grow on, we innoculate areas of our recently dug holes (recall the golf ball) with the spent fungi material to enhance the soil health!

So, as we dig trillions of holes and improve soil health, what about the literal food? Enter the honey bees! Honey bee farming, or apiculture, is essential in pollinating crops that constitute a significant portion of the world’s food supply. Bees are responsible for pollinating approximately one-third of all food crops, including apples, blueberries, and peaches, to name just a few. Without honey bees, we would witness increased food shortages, higher prices, and lower-quality produce, significantly impacting our food system.

Recently, honey bee and non-honey bee populations have been declining, causing concern among scientists, farmers, and environmentalists. Honey bees and other pollinators face numerous threats, such as habitat loss, pesticide exposure, the effects of climate change, and disease. By raising awareness about the importance of pollinators and the threats they face, we can encourage individuals and communities to take action to protect them, whether it’s advocating for policies that support bee health, reducing pesticides, supporting local beekeepers and honey producers, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices that protect pollinators and the environment primarily impacted by climate change.

Providing a habitat for pollinators can include planting wildflowers, fruit, and nut-bearing bushes and trees, creating pollinator-friendly gardens, or building outright pollinator habitats only for the pollinators. Offering a diverse range of pollinator-friendly plants ensures that honey bees can access the nectar they need to survive and thrive, and the pollen can be spread from one plant to the next so they can also survive and thrive. Growing wildflowers, fruit, and nut-bearing bushes and trees has environmental benefits beyond sustenance and pollinator habitat. These plants would further absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, in turn, improve air quality.

Excellent news for us and the bees, but did you know bees love golf?

Remember the analogy of the world as a giant golf ball? Imagine life beyond the forest’s edge: holes for capturing water and spaces to add soil amendments. Add the wildflowers, fruit, nut-bearing bushes, and trees between the holes. Over time, this would lead to a green ripple effect that would expand the rainforests. In addition to providing a habitat for pollinators, the wildflowers, bushes, and trees can also attract and support a wide range of wildlife, including birds, insects, and mammals. But what would several years of this practice begin to look like around the planet? Not just a green ripple effect around forests, but also planting more greenery in suburbs and cities that extend from cities that meet this green ripple effect from the forests and back again? The FML Theory and our abundance are starting to take form!