Recently, I spent a few days in an old chateau in the countryside of Normandy, France. There is a tiny town about a mile from the chateau, but otherwise, it is a picture of things pastoral – green meadows… cows cropping grass and taking in the sun… a Jacobin farmhouse… miles of farmland all around… Since I’ve been writing and talking about farmland, I had a deeper appreciation for just how useful such land is. Really, I can think of no better asset to own during any kind of financial crisis…
January 22nd, 2009 | Chris Mayer | 2 comments | ContinuedAll Posts Tagged With: "farmland"
Topsoil Crisis: The Race to Secure Fertile Farmland
The mainstream press focuses on issues such as population, dietary shifts and the impact of biofuels. One thing that doesn’t get talked about much may be the most important thing of all: a growing shortage of quality topsoil. Call it the topsoil crisis. Quality soil is loose, clumpy, filled with air pockets and teeming with life. It’s a complex microecosystem all its own. On average, the planet has little more than 3 feet of topsoil spread over its surface…
September 25th, 2008 | Chris Mayer | 6 comments | Continued