There’s something amazing going on near the Florida Everglades. Farmers are growing crops without irrigation, even in the blistering southwestern part of the Sunshine State. Even more amazing, they’re practicing agriculture the way people have done it for thousands of years – with just a few modern twists.
Regenerative farming – doing what the land says do instead of what a book says do – is now firmly part of the ag universe. Which makes sense, because for most of the 11,000 years humans have been farming, those old-school ways were the practice. Only after World War II did modern ag methods become a thing.
We met up with young farmers from all over the world who’ve gathered together to learn from each other as they implement the practice, specifically in ages-old agroforestry. That means planting crops that complement each other together. Maybe it starts with a tall coconut palm. Beneath that is a banana tree. Under that, some sort of fruit-producing bush. And below that, a ground plant. The taller plants protect the others from the brutal sun; the same water, in the form of dew and rain takes care of all.
Like these farmers are fond of pointing out: Nobody waters the forest. And yet, it’s there.
