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<DIV>Hello,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is an interesting point about cultivation of non-native species.
Although as conservationists we would logically lean toward bioregionalist or
"protectionist" views of species introductions, farmers are stuck between a
rock and a hard place when it comes to maintaining viable incomes.
Farmers need to adapt and adopt new crops and diversify or go under, if they're
small as this farmer sounds to be from his reference to street market
vending. It's difficult to say that a small farmer growing asparagus and a
liliacea like moosli in quantities to satisfy a discreet local
demand should be told no, you will ruin our environment, when in fact the
orange-growing giants in Florida are not likely to diversify as he is attempting
to do (the orange being originally from China I believe). Should we be up
in arms that an organic seed saver in Oregon rather well known for his
conservation work is growing numerous exotic species? Or that my
local CSA farm is offering its members bok choi and daikon
radishes? I think not, though I personally do favor bioregionalist
ways.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'm not saying introductions should be undertaken lightly. But
the real damage of moosli production in Florida and its effect on Florida's
environment would not come as a result of this small farmer growing for the
handful of his customers who request it of him. It would come if some
agroindustrial giant chose to monoculture the life out of some great expanse of
land, it would come as a result of this culture's demand for Viagra-like dope
instead of healthy lifestyles that create healthy men (and men and women who
accept and welcome old age), and from the sickly American salesmanship that
would oversell a perfectly decent medicine as some super drug that will keep men
young forever. Agroindustry is for profit alone, small farming is a
lifestyle choice and a labor of love. Large scale industrial agriculture
just keeps churning out its monocultural goods while small farmers have to
figure out ingenious ways to stay in farming, or quit and get an
off-farm job, or sell their lands to developers.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If I wanted to grow moosli I might check out the following website and
write to the owners:</DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.jeevanherbs.com/safed-musli.html">http://www.jeevanherbs.com/safed-musli.html</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cheers,</DIV>
<DIV>Jennifer</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>