Rain Acorn

"As feral plants emerge from the furrows and ditches, with their deep wells of genetic diversity intact, their long-ignored presence may offer a solution to strengthen and prepare vulnerable crops for novel climate conditions.

https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2024/01/15/plants-future-weeds-climate-change

#ClimateChange #gardening #ag #PermanentAgriculture #Ethnobotany #indigenous #seeds

The Future Is Feral—and Climate Resilient

To produce food in the face of climate change, we may need to learn from so-called weeds.

YES! Magazine
Jan 20, 2024 at 5:50pmWeb
Show threadRain AcornJan 20, 2024
"Linda Black Elk says, Indigenous peoples cultivate plants “not just for their personal benefit but for the world around them.” When humans work with plants through genetic modification and selection, it is important to take into account the needs of the plant as well as the larger ecosystem—not just themselves.
Show threadRain AcornJan 20, 2024
I like a lot of what this article has to say, but reading to the end, I'm distressed by no mention of native plants. While I agree, growing cultivated crops needs to be more sustainable and using varieties that don't need massive external inputs like synthetic fertilizer is a way to do that. But planting crops that will do fine without human help is risking unleashing highly disruptive and aggressive plants to further damage already struggling ecosystems.