Comments on: Helping Kids Adapt in Place

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:57:41 +0000

I think Everyone should know about this.
Below is a link to something very very real to grieve. How will we ever tell children how we lived in suh a world?

http://www.counterpunch.org/sainath02122009.html

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:10:13 +0000

I was browsing your new book – ANOF – in the bookstore the other day. I am debating whether to buy it now (and Carolyn Baker’s) or wait till after I move – I am trying to get rid of a lot of stuff right now, you see.

Anyway, in the beginning, you have the obligatory “we-still-have-a-window-of-opportunity” statement. I was forced to stop and ask myself what exactly this means at this stage of the game.

For someone who devoted their entire adult life to exploring transpersonal psychology and esoteric spirituality and the higher potentials of the human brain/mind/consciousness, I would like to believe that there will be a New Dawn civilization on the other side of the Collapse, and that what we all do now will go toward creating that New Dawn. And, if I had kids, I would tell them about this Work.

Unfortunately, with every passing day, I become more skeptical that this New-Dawn-on-the-other-side-of-Collapse is possible. It keeps looking worse and worse every day.

By: Christina

Christina — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:19:05 +0000

GeekyGardener, it might be all about community; in other words, if you can’t do it alone, team up with someone who can! You are abundantly employed right now, but surely you know people who aren’t. See if you can combine your resources (land, start-up money), with their resources (time), to create something that provides for you both! Maybe there’s a 4H program that would like livestock space for kids who don’t have it at home. Maybe there’s a local farmer who doesn’t have the money to lease more acreage for market production, or one who would like an experimental plot to work on without complicating their organic certification.

By: GeekyGardener

GeekyGardener — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:42:08 +0000

Somewhat OT – but what do you recommend as a course of action for someone who is still working – and due to layoffs, working more hours than ever? I enjoy your blog but wonder how I can apply some of this to my life.

I work 50-60 hours per week in the office and another 5-10 at home, travel unexpectedly (somewhat, I usually have 2 weeks of notice before being away for 2 weeks overseas), still make the so-called good money, and am generally mentally spent when I get home.

Having said that, I have a garden that’s weedy & sometimes unwatered (travel), a couple acres to work with, and a local farmers market where we get most of our produce & some meat. Sure, I’ve switched over to CFL bulbs in the house & drive a hybrid car. But … I don’t have time to raise livestock (you can’t put cheep or chickens in a kennel like I can do with my dog when I travel) or expand greatly on my garden space right now.

Is there a middle-ground for people who’d like to homestead but already work too much?

By: Kate-B

Kate-B — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:32:02 +0000

Great article. I have a couple of guidelines I follow. First is, Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape. The second is, Give them enough room to find themselves, but not so much that they get lost.

I love the part of being the grown up. This is soooo important.