Re: [ba-unrev-talk] Agroforestry
Peter Jones wrote: (01)
> Eric Armstrong wrote:
> > A few tidbits:
> > * Managing a 400x400 forest garden takes 4 hrs/week
> > * There is no tilling, fertilizing, crop dusting, etc.
> > * There are 7-levels of crops, rather than 1.
> > * It produces at an equivalent of 15 tons per acre
>
> I'd be interested to know how that compares with Chinese
> agricultural yields.
> E.g. I read recently that 1km square of paddy fields with the
> right weather conditions can yield 4 to 5 crops of rice per year
> and provide enough carbohydrates for 1000 people a year. (02)
Interestingly, China is a leader in reforestation programs.
They've planted millions of trees, precisely for the purpose
of feeding and housing people. Trees appear to be the first
step in reclaiming dead landscapes, as well as turning around
the greenhouse effect. (03)
I wonder how big a square km is, with respect to acres.
One statistic I gathered is that 1.25 acres can feed 10 people.
But that was with fruits, nuts, vegetables, coffee, bananas,
beans, berries, and materials for various crafts, rather than just
rice. That means significant amounts of protein in the legumes
and vegetables, plus minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, and
enzymes. (04)
Brown rice, eaten that way, is very nutritious, of course. But
I'm betting those statistics come from the varieties that are
grown to be polished. So I don't know what their nutritional
content is before processing -- but I do know that it is near
zero afterwards. Even then, the rice that produced misses the
fruits and vegetables so necessary to sustain life. (05)
Interesting tidbit. I understand that the laborers who built the
Great Wall lived on rice, cabbage, and garlic. In other words,
kimchi and (brown) rice! (06)