Regenerative agriculture certainly sounds positive and healthy, but what is it? One way to find out would be to attend a screening of the powerful film "Kiss the Ground," presented by Sustainable Contra Costa and Unity of Walnut Creek. Narrated by and featuring Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis.
- Jul 7, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Unity of Walnut Creek. DETAILS AND REGISTRATION HERE
Using compelling graphics and visuals and striking NASA and NOAA footage, the film artfully illustrates how soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle by drawing down atmospheric carbon.
For some history, in his book 1491, Charles Mann describes Mesoamerica as the region from Central Mexico down through Central America before Columbus landed in 1492. The people in this region survived and thrived for thousands of years by practicing what we now call "Regenerative Agriculture." They farmed maize (corn), beans, squash, and other crops in "milpa" fields.
Milpa crops are nutritionally and environmentally complementary. Maze lacks digestible niacin, the amino acids lysine and tryptophan necessary to make proteins, and diets with too much maize can lead to protein deficiency and pellagra, a disease caused by lack of niacin. Beans have both lysine and tryptophan but not the amino acids cysteine and methionine, which are provided by maize. As a result, beans and maize make a nutritionally complete meal. Squashes, for their part, provide an array of vitamins. ("1491" pp 225-26).
Arena for Journalism in Europe posted information about water shortages in Europe and how regenerative agriculture can help extend the water supply.
"Regenerative agriculture combats groundwater depletion by improving soil structure and infiltration, thus increasing groundwater levels. It also enhances soil organic matter, boosting water storage capacity and enabling better absorption during rainfall. Furthermore, it strengthens root systems, creating pathways for water to flow, further augmenting groundwater reserves." (LinkedIn)
From ancient Mesoamerica to modern Europe, regenerative agriculture suits human and planet health.
CoCo San Sustainable Farm
What's happening closer to home? CoCo San Sustainable Farm is a local resource for sustainably grown food and education in regenerative agriculture.
Back in 2010, Carolyn Phinney learned three things that inspired her to create a community farm. First, she learned that the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano couldn't get nutrient-dense leafy greens and other perishable produce. Second, she was told that Mount Diablo High School couldn't offer a daily salad bar because salad costs $1 per day while pizza costs only 35 cents. Third was a key piece of information from Michael McGill, board president of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD). McGill told Phinney that the District was discharging 50–200 million gallons [currently 30–50 million gallons] of treated wastewater daily into Suisun Bay. This water could go through additional treatment to become agricultural grade. In addition, McGill said that the District owned about 150 acres of buffer land, adding that "nobody wants to live near a sanitary district."
"Why not let me grow salads for schools and the food bank?" Phinney asked. With McGill's support, she started the CoCo San Sustainable Farm. She got fiscal sponsorship from Earth Island Institute and later formed the nonprofit AgLantis. (Rachel Trachten, Edible East Bay)
CoCo San Sustainable Farm partners with organizations like Contra Costs Food Bank, Loaves and Fishes, and the Walnut Creek Garden Club to provide fresh vegetables to food banks and schools using principles of regenerative agriculture on land nobody wants to live on and with water treated by Central San.
Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash.
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