by Conor Boynton-Orr
Regenerative Agriculture. Circular Economies. These aren’t just some fancy bits of yuppie jargon. These are straightforward, logical approaches to farming, production and consumption that are backed by good science and common sense. If we want to succeed in this crazy and changing world, then we should engage with them and we should utilize them to our own benefit, both as individuals and as a community.
The massive-scale commercialization of agriculture has led to many ends; some good and some bad. One consequence is that it has led to the growing of food at home being seen as more of a hobby than as a way of sustaining oneself, and subsequently the act of composting is seen as extravagant and not worth the effort. As a consequence of that, a tremendous amount of food is wasted, all across the country and the world, and yes, here too in Huerfano County.
That food waste represents a lot of things, among which is the tremendous loss of nutrients and calories which are exiting Huerfano County on trucks instead of going back into our own ground in the form of compost for food gardens and local farms. We need plants to survive, and plants need what we’re getting rid of.
How great would it be if we were all to save our compostables and put the nutrients that we don’t use back into the dirt to grow more food? If we were to turn our waste products into a new form of black gold which for once is destined to stay in Huerfano County and go back into the earth? How great would it be if Huerfano County were to become the county that feeds itself?
Local Horizons is a new, Huerfano-based company that seeks to serve the local community by providing an easy way for residents and businesses to transform their food waste into high-quality compost. Learn more about our services and our mission at localhorizons.org
