Lockdown and Malnutrition

Emhlabeni Wabantu: We are Earth People

What a relief That going back to school has been postponed For life is more precious than keeping systems going Regardless of the cost to individual people Yet during enforced lockdown Many children are suffering from malnutrition And this is where the sweet potato comes in; The winter is mild And I remember last year […]

Pesach and Food Sovereignty

Comfrey in unglazed terracotta pot

I learn by doing And by observing what is happening around me; Yesterday I put on my kanga While out delivering food for a community project One person gave me the right address But I was completely thrown For it’s an abandoned plot in Houghton And I drove right past it Drove all the way […]

Bill Gates: Feeding the World

Comfrey in unglazed terracotta pot

Conspiracy theories Are important For they speak to our fears And our sense of powerlessness Our distrust of those who rule over us… They also reflect our histories – For are our history books not littered With stories of charismatic narcissists? Often with subservient women behind them? The danger of these Are that they might […]

Conflict Leveraging for Environmental Health

Every tree counts

Medicine a friend has successfully used Came to me in a dream last night As something that can be fed to trees To boost their immunity. I shall have to test it out On PSHB infested trees And see if it works. Along Jan Smuts Avenue recently I saw that the Plane trees Are growing […]

Vayakhel-Pekudei 5780

Imphepho (Helchrysum Odoratissimum) smudge burning to clear a space.

Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day Thank you for the birds chirping in the near distance Thank you for the gift of my teachers and guides Thank you for the gift of my ancestors Thank you for the gift of children Thank you that I still have to learn so much about Shabbat And […]

Just Transitions: Local is Global

Imphepho (Helchrysum Odoratissimum) smudge burning to clear a space.

Sustainability has taken on a new flavour Confirmed for me the importance of the local economy; There is no electricity right now So, what do businesses do who on City Power Or Eskom are reliant on? Even for the simple act of transacting a sale? They suffer Their costs stay constant Or increase Their sales […]

Earth Koshering

Imphepho (Helchrysum Odoratissimum) smudge burning to clear a space.

It is no use pretending. I am a Jew Not a Noahide Honouring my soul identity Is more important than being respectful Of what I imagine others might want from me; At no point has any Jewish person, including rabbis, said to me, be inauthentic On the contrary, It has always been, If you are […]

The Biodiversity Economy

Imphepho (Helchrysum Odoratissimum) smudge burning to clear a space.

Long live the Amazon Forest. Long live! Long live the Amazon Forest. Long live! Long live the Amazon Forest. Long live! Long live the Congo Forest. Long live! Long live the Congo Forest. Long live! Long live the Congo Forest. Long live! Long live the rainforests of the earth. Long live! Long live the rainforests […]

Value the Local

Imphepho (Helchrysum Odoratissimum) smudge burning to clear a space.

Spekboom planting is getting out of bounds; We only need a measure of it To make a difference To clean air quickly In places that are by air polluted Imagine a planet full of spekboom And spekboom only… Awful Destruction Of natural ecosystems Of biodiversity Of goodness Why is this happening? Because a market has […]

Container Vegetable Gardening 101

Comfrey in unglazed terracotta pot

Growing food in wooden boxes Measuring 50 X 50cm At a depth of 16cm Is something I experimented with this summer. It has been a mixed success For I tested companion planting when rotational might have been better; And failed to provide the nutritional support the vegetables needed? The result has been no marrows No […]