Perhaps only at MU would somebody deliberately breed lazy rats.
If we think about it, in nature, pointless activity and exertion are generally not adaptive. In the absence of an abundant, ever-present source of calories being "lazy" will keep a creature alive.
Not only is lunch not free, actions have cost. Muscle, in particular, is expensive to feed and maintain. Fat is fuel. Muscle is the engine. My V-twin bike gets a little over 42 mpg. My V-8 truck usually averages a little over 16.
Strength is good. I do bodyweight exercises and lift weights in addition to riding a bike and jumping rope. In bad situations, we need explosive power that cannot be developed by running marathons. But we pay the price in calories burned.
If we find ourselves in a subsistence situation, it is important to invest our efforts where they will produce the most calories for the calories burned. When we have the luxury of cheap fuel and mechanical power, we can afford to be extravagant. If it ever comes down to human and animal power, the equation shifts. That's when we will recognize the value of permaculture, and when grains and beans and potatoes will take priority over lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. I love tomatoes, but if space and resources are limited, growing some kidney, black, or pinto beans would make more sense.
I'm going to try to do a bit of planting for calories this spring. A righteous bean patch and a good sized potato patch are in order. I need to get a few stumps out of the way first. Used to not be worth doing given other more pressing projects. Maybe it's time now
ReplyDeleteBeans are Thoreauic.
ReplyDeleteI was at my last uncle's funeral last year and ran into one of the cousins a couple of years older than I am. He's recently retired from the highway department because he thought he was going to be let loose anyway in the cutbacks. He was talking about being a little more careful about what he spent. I said, "Aw, just eat a little more cornbread and beans."
He got really serious and said, "I like cornbread and beans. I'm from the country."
Staple food. I've never tried companion planting beans in a potato bed, but some people claim it works really well.
By the way, I greatly envy your fig tree -- speaking of permaculture. If you look on a map of zones, most of southern MO is 6b. But where I live now and where I grew up are both 6a because of the elevation. I don't think even a hardy fig can have a long and happy life up here.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I think we are 6b (-5 to 0) even though the map shows our county as 7a. We will get below zero every couple of years and a couple nights into the single digits each winter. I planted it on the base of a southern slope. I may build a rock wall behind it to store heat. I'll keep you posted.
ReplyDeleteSome people think you're crazy when you talk about cold air collecting, but it moves in currents, eddies and pools just like water. My little orchard is on a moderate south slope that soon drops off sharply to a steep-sided, wooded ravine. I have thought about trying a fig there and just mulching heavily for winter, so I'll be interested in how it goes.
ReplyDelete