The way to stop climate change might be buried in 300 square feet of earth in the Venice neighborhood of Los ­Angeles, amid kale and potatoes. A half-dozen city youth are digging through the raised bed on a quiet side street, planting tomato seedlings between peach and lime trees. Nineteen-year-old ­Calvin sweats as he works the rake. There’s a lot at stake here. The formerly homeless youngsters are tentatively exploring farming through a community outreach program started by a California nonprofit called Kiss the Ground. More importantly, they are tending to the future of our planet.
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2019-03-18/the-climate-solution-right-under-our-feet/

KISS THE GROUND by Josh Tickell is an absorbing tale that could save us from ourselves. In our hurry to increase production of the food we eat, we’ve alleviated the nutrients and poisoned our environment. But there is hope, beginning with this book and regenerative agriculture.

There are a lot of books out there that are full of hype and a fear factor regarding our environment. This isn’t that kind of book. It’s scary, but with good reason, as well as providing the answers to fix the mess we’ve made.

Josh Tickell covers food history and our current situation intelligently. Civilizations have ended due to lack of food. If you think it’s not your problem, this book will prove that it’s a global situation that can no longer be ignored. There is a way out, and each of us can make a difference.

In my opinion, this book should be required reading in high school and college. It’s science and history rolled together into an entertaining format, giving hope for our future on this planet. The Tatanka (American Buffalo) played such a relevant role for many tribes, but also for the biodiversity of our land. The reader travels with the author as he meets with the Rodales and many other significant influences in farming. Completely absorbing for a plant nerd like me!

The section on soil and no-tilling is fascinating, but I had to re-read it several times as I kept getting lost. I think it will depend if farming is your life, or not – or whether your field of study has been horticulture, to judge for yourself if this information is too extensive. I find it fascinating, but I needed to take it in small doses.

It took me months to read this book. And not because it wasn’t interesting. Quite the contrary, because I feel it’s the best book I’ve read on the revolution of farming. It’s jam-packed with stories, proof, and detail that took me on a journey I loved. I savored this book each time I picked it up, often re-reading sections to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

At one point, KISS THE GROUND read like a thriller to me. I had all these light-bulb moments, realizing this is the book that will save the American farmer, if only we’ll listen. It made me so excited that I told everyone I know about this book. I know it has changed my thinking for my tiny rural garden, as well as the community garden we hope to build. It’s also amazing for those interested in a healthy eating lifestyle. With excellent ideas and an action plan, KISS THE GROUND needs to be read by everyone who believes in the healing power of food.

BUY THE BOOK!

For further enlightenment, listen to this podcast with Josh Tickell. It’s uplifting and will convince you to read this book, or see the documentary when it comes out. If you enjoy the first podcast, there’s more positive energy in this one with Ryland Engelhart. Wanting to know more about Josh Tickell, I found my new favorite listening spot at the Front Row Factor and bought the book as well.

If you too want a positive outlook on what can be done about climate change, then start with KISS THE GROUND and get busy! I’m forever changed because of it.

Highly Recommended!

Review by Dorine, courtesy of The Zest Quest.

Another fascinating and somewhat scary book about what we are doing to the soil and water that nurtures all life on earth through our current farming techniques and practices.

Did you know that "...conventionally farmed food requires three pounds of toxic chemicals per American per year"?

In his new book coming out later this month (November, 2017), Josh Tickell talks about the history of farming, the growing use of chemicals to increase yield and how he believes that 'the way we practice agriculture today leads to the process of desertification that is destroying the production of the places where we grow food.'

Tickell believes a more beneficial way to work the land is through 'regenerative' agriculture, 'a form of agriculture that employs the power of life to create life.' Regenerative agriculture builds soil fertility. The methods are simple: 'cover the soil with a living plant at all times, don't till, use sprays sparingly if at all, get ruminants and their manure onto the land, rotate crops, and always be a student of your soil's health.'

For someone who is trying to eat a healthy diet, Tickell also has a section on 'The Healthy Plate' with good tips, such as 'Reverse your plate: eat more veggies, less meat, and less processed food.'

Tickell warns us that our future depends on the condition of our soil; in fact, the very fate of our species depends on it. And the time to worry about it is RIGHT NOW!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this important new book. I think I will be reading it again many times in the months to come.