Gents,
Sir Albert Howard is the father of the organic gardening movement. The Soil and Health is worth the read if you ever get into gardening. Simple and in-depth, this is a man who delved deeply into many subjects to understand the unified concept of growth and life on earth. Awesome.
“The main characteristic of Nature’s farming can…be summed up in a few words.
Mother earth never attempts to farm without livestock; she always raises mixed crops; great pains are taken to preserve the soil and to prevent erosion; the mixed vegetable and animal wastes are converted in humus; there is no waste; the processes of growth and the processes of decay balance one another; ample provision is made to maintain large reserves of fertility; the greatest care is taken to store the rainfall; both plants and animals are left to protect themselves against disease.”
-Sir Albert Howard, An Agricultural Testament
The same can be said with few substitutions about a good man. That last phrase, “…both plants and animals are left to protect themselves against disease” really resonates with me. It’s not as if he advocates throwing “plants and animals” out on their own, but instead that he has total faith that if the basics are taken care of then there is no need for band-aid care.
This is one of those works that reaffirms to me the many beliefs we share in common, whether you are a soldier, a fire-fighter, or simply living a clean life. The idea that with enough practice you don’t need “tricks” is sublime wisdom. Drive on!
NFH