Winter 2007 Editorial

I can't wait to get started this year for not only a new growing season awaits but also new opportunities are emerging and this is exciting.

Last year was our year for creating business plans and funding applications. What a challenge this was! And oh, what a waiting game we had to play. But much of the agony is over and I am delighted and thrilled to be able to tell you that we have secured some funding to employ a Part Time Education Development Officer. Not only have we got the money to do this but in a mad flurry in the month of December 07 we were able to advertise and appoint an excellent person by the name of Jane Renton to start the work on developing Sowing the Seed at the beginning of January 08.

The money has come from various sources but in particular it is thanks to the Ernest Cook Trust that we are able to begin seriously developing this project. The only condition, which suits us at this stage of development, is that the projects must happen in the Gloucestershire area. Once Jane (a GGA member) has developed the project the plan is to expand beyond the boundaries of Gloucestershire and begin recruiting volunteers to help run Sowing the Seed in their own local schools. I hope that come the next news journal (Spring) she will be ready to begin a regular article to keep every one up to date with its development.

On the subject of Sowing the Seed, I shall continue writing up the lectures I delivered to the Acorn School in June 2007.1 have to say I am finding it hard to take the spoken word and convert it into a written article and harder still to limit the number of words. This issue, I am sure you will notice, is dominated by me. I hope you find it readable and informative. The work I am presenting here will at some later date be used to compile a booklet to help describe and articulate what Moving Beyond Organic is all about. Please comment as you feel fit, it's always good to hear from you and get some feedback.

I have at least found space to run some articles from a few of our usual contributors so you don't just have to listen to me going on.

Alison Ensor shares her experience of crop rotations that she has used systematically each year to clear a little more ground - without digging - to grow vegetables. Alison's permaculture approach coupled with her knowledge and experience of promoting wildlife gardening shines through as usual.

Charles Dowding provides us with some thoughts and inspiration with an article on Winter Gardening. It's that time of year again to make plans, get the soil prepared and start thinking about what you are going to grow this year.

In contrast to Alison's article and contrary to popular advice and opinion about the need for rotation it may surprise you to hear Mike Mason's experience of growing carrots without rotation. In an area where the soil does not best suit carrot growing Mike is now into his fourth year of growing them in the same space with surprising results and in the process has made his wife, who loves carrots, very happy. What a wonderful gift he has created for not just his wife but possibly the life in the soil as well. It's an interesting idea to contemplate that by not disturbing the soil year on year the soil ecology has been allowed to flourish naturally to the benefit of everyone.

Finally, with reference to Moving Beyond Organic, keep your eyes and ears open this year and try to make a mental note of how many news articles and relevant stories you hear to do with nutrition, food quality, health and sustainability. They are all connected and are becoming hot topics rising to the top of many people's thoughts and concerns. As of Jan 08 the new organic standards allowing 0.9% GM contamination are just one issue I am sure you will all hear about. If only we could settle this by growing food to a minimum nutritional standard - would these issues still persist?

Happy New Year!

Matt Adams

The above is taken from the GGA quarterly News Journal. You can join GGA here

Summer 2008 Editorial

I listen to the news less and less these days but when I do I hear article after article talking about or related to nutrition and sustainable development. The latest and most recent concerns the second generation of GM crops which are to be nutritionally enhanced - The GM community is trying to grow food for nutrition!

We are now being asked to consider accepting crops that have been engineered to increase their content of certain nutrients. This, it is argued, will not only tackle degenerative disease but will also be more sustainable. For example, the omega 3 essential fatty acid helps lower cholesterol and ward off heart disease but it's only found in fish. Engineering a plant to contain omega 3 will help reduce the pressure on already dwindling supplies of fish stock and help decrease the incidence of heart disease. Brilliant - it's a convincing argument that's bound to appeal to many. Heart disease is the No I killer in the West.

Another creation is to enhance the level of flavonoids. This covers a range of micro-nutrients called anti-oxidants that are found to occur naturally in many vegetables. Research is currently underway to increase the production of these tiny nutrients in tomatoes. Apparently we now have the creation of a purple tomato. Again, it's another brilliant and clever piece of marketing because it is linked to the second biggest killer in the West - cancer. But will it ever work?

Despite the issues and campaigning against GM crops in Europe the pressure to accept them is relentless. According to the news on Radio 4 there are now 12 million farmers in 23 countries using GM crops. If we do not join in and help develop this new technology, it is argued, we will simply get left behind and become the poorer for it.

I can't believe the timing of me hearing about this latest development.

In a way it's perfect because it coincides with the completion of my final article on nutrition inspired by Sowing the Seed lectures delivered to the Acorn School a year ago. The aim of this was to understand what nutrition is. From the science of nutrition to spiritual science we have considered the different views and followed them through to the quality of food associated with each. In this concluding article I look at the impact our understanding has on the environment and ask which is more likely to be sustainable. This I believe is the only true test of whether our view of nutrition works or not.

To date many of the claims made to support GM crops have been shown to fail. Increased yields and reduction in the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides have not been delivered. Call me sceptical but whilst the aims of GM nutrition appear to be admirable I can't help thinking that what really lies behind it is economics. This connects to the idea of competing against nature which, I have argued, is creating the problems of degenerating health of both humans and the planet in the first place.

We are only a little charity but with big ideas of Moving Beyond Organic where our aim too - is to grow food for nutrition. It's like David and Goliath. In completing this series of articles I feel I have managed to lay down a platform from which to begin our argument that to grow food for nutrition involves learning how to cooperate with nature and with each other.

This has been the most challenging piece of writing I have ever had to do. But now I am done I hope others will help develop it. I have come to realise that because the subject matter includes a spiritual element which involves feelings and emotions the task of putting it into words, for me, is extremely difficult. I am sure others can do much better and 1 welcome your comments and contributions. I also warmly invite you to attend this year's AGM so we may discuss this face to face and transform thinking into action.

Matt Adams

The above is taken from the GGA quarterly News Journal. You can join GGA here

Spring 2008 Editorial

It has been a busy start to the year already and I hope at some point soon I can slow down but that does not look very likely just yet. As I compile this news journal I realise why it's been so busy -we have been doing such a lot. This issue is packed full of those achievements and I hope, like me. you get a real sense that progress is being made.

In the news section you can find out how well Jane Renton is progressing with the new Sowing the Seed projects working with key stage I and 2 in two primary schools. We have a No-dig compost demonstration garden being developed by our Chairman at Capel Manor, London. For publicity and promotion we have produced a new flyer. a copy of which is printed on the back page, and we have a new look website. It is so nice to be developing some projects and even nicer that its not just me who is working on them! My sincere thanks to all those involved.

It's also nice to have the continual input from our regular article contributors. Alison's 'musings on her plot' is full of fresh ideas as she shares with us her thoughts on the world, as you do when working with the soil. Mike Mason is in search of vegetables that contain the minerals and trace minerals we need for health. He has discovered what he calls the 'fab four' vegetables that we should all consider growing and eating. Of course just any old quality of vegetable won't do. If it's not grown for nutrition it may turn out to be missing some essential nutrients. Staying with the 'fab four' Charles Dowding gives us tips and advice on how best to grow them.

Food quality is the major theme for my ongoing Sowing the Seed story. I am sorry if it seems to go on too long but at these early stages of development I feel it necessary to include so much detail. It's all relevant and I hope you stick with it as we consider the nutritional qualities of chemical. organic and spiritually grown food. We look at the issues that surround each in the hope we may get closer to understanding what nutritious food is or would look like if we tried to quantify it. This, of course, is essential to understand if our aim is to grow food for nutrition. It's such a huge topic but as we look at it holistically and think about all the issues that are involved the meaning behind it will become clearer over time.

Finally, I am pleased, no delighted, to print some letters regarding the last Sowing the Seed article. Stimulating debate is a very healthy and positive way forward. After all Moving Beyond Organic is an unknown quantity so please, lets have more letters. Whatever you think we would love to hear what you think.

CORRECTION
In the Winter 07/08 issue 166.1 said in my editorial that 'as of Jan 08 the new organic standards allowing 0.9% GM contamination will be introduced. I slipped up here. I apologise. It is in fact 2009 when these new standards will come into force.

At a recent conference at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester this topic was debated. The event was organised by Elm Farm Research and was led by producers of organic food (meat, milk, vegetables, etc). Also in attendance were representatives from DEFRA, the Soil Association and other certification bodies.

As new standards were discussed a definite split in opinion was felt. On the one side the certification bodies, academics and politicians argued we should fight the new proposals and make them work for us. On the other side many producers felt it was time to move away from the word organic and come up with something new. I stood up and said my 'two penny worth' about Moving Beyond Organic which got some recognition from the audience.

Outcomes of this conference can be found at www.efrc.com follow links or search for 'ORC Conference proceedings'.

Matt Adams

The above is taken from the GGA quarterly News Journal. You can join GGA here