My tentative view on what is causing it and what to do about it. This is NOT caused primarily by the conflict in Ukraine and a sudden peaceful solution to the conflict will not avert it.
Much of what you are observing is a direct result of manipulations in politics of energy, food, medicine and social constructs. I can blame global WEFists, but I can’t identify a singular group, organization or NGO operating as the “head of the beast”. There appears to be general intent driving all the distractions and (apparently) competing narrative’s, but I just don’t see a target for us to effectively resist. So your advice on how to deal with the impending food source issues is welcome, and I hope we can find a way to focus and build the fight against the forces that seem bent on crashing the world into itself.
Really nice summary Chris, so appreciate your nutritional expertise and these global insights about our choices of agricultural models and fuel reliance.
Thanks for the update. One thing not to forget about is growing your own food! I know not everyone has the luxury of having lots of land or even a backyard if in a high rise apartment…but everyone can grow food in pots and containers! Even a few pots of spinach, kale and tomatoes will cut down on your grocery bill somewhat! If you have more space than that, great! Remember in WWII they told the American people to grow “victory gardens”, so the soldiers could have the commercially-grown farm foods. And raise chickens if you have the space for fresh eggs.
Thank you so much Chris, you aptly named your substack. I’ve been following you for years and am always impressed with your selfless pivoting of your time and brainpower to focus on where humanity needs you most.
Mar 29, 2022·edited Mar 29, 2022Liked by Chris Masterjohn, PhD
Best source of long term information is Martin Armstrongs blog here: https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/blog/ he basically predicted Ukraine’s issue years ahead
I see the lack of fertilizer as the cup half full. Many farmers will have to abandon industrialized farming methods, which will allow crops more time to absorb trace nutrients from the soil. The deferred crop yield may mean improved health and perhaps more income for farmers. Yes, food prices will be higher.
It’s a good direction to move in, but I don’t want to get there by way of global famine.
Also, glyphosate really wrecks nutrient absorption from the soil for years after application so I’m not sure these soils are going to instantaneously produce more nutritious crops.
I'm so happy you prioritized supporting CSAs as one way to survive a food crisis. Our food system, as we all know, is broken. And much as I understand farmers must make a living, commercial farming & factory-raised meat have had negative impacts on both health & environment. I like to think that just as the virus forced many of us to reflect on how we approach our health, it will do likewise to the food system. Here's to hoping biodynamic farming becomes more the rule than the exception.
I just wanted to THANK YOU for this timely piece. It's taken me some days to respond, but you got me off my duff to support my local regenerative agriculture. I'm in New England, and you're right. There's not a lot of options AND they're full!
But through your links, I found 1 veggie CSA that pick-up is only 1 town over from me. I also found a kind of cooperative delivery service that places orders from local regenerative farms and delivers in my area. I signed up with them immediately until the veggie CSA starts up (some time in June).
I admit, this is PRICEY, although to your point, costs most likely will continue to go up in the grocery stores. Still, I'm grateful I'm in a position to do this, and I realize that not everyone is. So I do hope that when enough of us that currently CAN, DO, we signal to our surroundings that there needs to be more to meet the demand, hopefully (some time in the future) bringing down the prices of foods-done-right.
I've been a member of a year-round meat CSA for 12 or 13 years now. It meant that I always had quality protein through the empty shelves of Covid. We are about to be empty-nesters, and I'm toying with the idea of getting a chest-freezer (I haven't yet! I prided myself on being so exact as to get everything into my standard fridge/freezer.) and building up that 3-month supply.
My only concern is - what about the power grid. Going down the generator rabbit hole, it seems right now that solar is the way to go (power grid problems will probably mean there's short supply of fuel as well). But I don't know how friendly New England weather really is for personal solar generators...
Thanks for your work! I have a particular consideration for the opinions of people like you, people who know how to feed their brain better than average!
Do you plan to move away from the city and start growing some stuff of your own?
Aware as you are about how environmental factors may put your cognitive functions under stress, do you take time to evaluate the biological effects of your electromagnetic environement? Did you ever measure it? Wifi, bluetooth, wireless phones, smart dvices, cellphone towers...?
Prepping is futile - how many people are within a half a tank of gas of your location?
When the supermarkets go empty - the hordes will be headed to where they know food to be.
They will rip up your garden - kill and eat your animals --- likely murder you if you try to stop them -- rape and cannibalism will be on the menu as well
It’s not black and white. Of course there is a tail risk of total civilizational collapse, but the far more probable outcome is food is much more expensive and crime rises in the expected places in cities.
Increasing domestic drilling for gas and oil is not the answer, Chris. Climate change is real, and its effects are being felt everywhere, as we speak. We've already delayed far too long in converting to sustainable energy sources. I do agree with much of the rest of your article, especially supporting local farmers for your food supplies. Growing your own garden is an even better idea.......no fuel necessary to transport the food from the soil to your table, and no fertilizers/pesticides necessary either. In addition to growing a big vegetable garden, I live in a place where I can hunt for wild game, which supplies a fair amount of my meat needs. Anyone who lives in a rural area can do what I do........it's not that difficult. Try to make yourself and your family less dependent on the screwed-up global agricultural/meat production system, and you will do okay.
No matter how real climate change is, the food crisis is far more imminent, and shortages do not help the climate. Opposing domestic oil drilling is the worst hypocritical not-in-my-back-yardism that does nothing to reduce usage and just outsources oil production to areas that require war to maintain. Are wars in the Middle East good for the climate? We should indeed reduce dependence on fossil fuels but not at the expense of chaos.
"Increasing domestic drilling for gas and oil is not the answer, Chris."
Maybe go to war with China and Europe to force them to consume less gas and oil? As regards clean energy, the US is ahead of everyone.
The panic mongering by climate change alarmists did nothing to help with wise stewardship of resources.
The magma puts out a tremendous volume of hydrocarbons every year that ends up in deep sea vents. That's the hydrocarbon baseline.
Industry is already converting to silicon where practical.
"We've already delayed far too long in converting to sustainable energy sources."
Wood? Grow more trees and burn them like was done for millennia? Tap hydrocarbons pouring out of deep sea vents? Solar and wind have serious technological issues.
Much of what you are observing is a direct result of manipulations in politics of energy, food, medicine and social constructs. I can blame global WEFists, but I can’t identify a singular group, organization or NGO operating as the “head of the beast”. There appears to be general intent driving all the distractions and (apparently) competing narrative’s, but I just don’t see a target for us to effectively resist. So your advice on how to deal with the impending food source issues is welcome, and I hope we can find a way to focus and build the fight against the forces that seem bent on crashing the world into itself.
Really nice summary Chris, so appreciate your nutritional expertise and these global insights about our choices of agricultural models and fuel reliance.
Thanks for the update. One thing not to forget about is growing your own food! I know not everyone has the luxury of having lots of land or even a backyard if in a high rise apartment…but everyone can grow food in pots and containers! Even a few pots of spinach, kale and tomatoes will cut down on your grocery bill somewhat! If you have more space than that, great! Remember in WWII they told the American people to grow “victory gardens”, so the soldiers could have the commercially-grown farm foods. And raise chickens if you have the space for fresh eggs.
Yes the food crisis is coming. I think global lockdowns played a major part in this.
https://nakedemperor.substack.com/p/global-food-crisis?s=w
Thank you so much Chris, you aptly named your substack. I’ve been following you for years and am always impressed with your selfless pivoting of your time and brainpower to focus on where humanity needs you most.
Best source of long term information is Martin Armstrongs blog here: https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/blog/ he basically predicted Ukraine’s issue years ahead
I see the lack of fertilizer as the cup half full. Many farmers will have to abandon industrialized farming methods, which will allow crops more time to absorb trace nutrients from the soil. The deferred crop yield may mean improved health and perhaps more income for farmers. Yes, food prices will be higher.
It’s a good direction to move in, but I don’t want to get there by way of global famine.
Also, glyphosate really wrecks nutrient absorption from the soil for years after application so I’m not sure these soils are going to instantaneously produce more nutritious crops.
I'm so happy you prioritized supporting CSAs as one way to survive a food crisis. Our food system, as we all know, is broken. And much as I understand farmers must make a living, commercial farming & factory-raised meat have had negative impacts on both health & environment. I like to think that just as the virus forced many of us to reflect on how we approach our health, it will do likewise to the food system. Here's to hoping biodynamic farming becomes more the rule than the exception.
I wish you'd cut down on blogging and write the book that we've already paid for . . .
I just wanted to THANK YOU for this timely piece. It's taken me some days to respond, but you got me off my duff to support my local regenerative agriculture. I'm in New England, and you're right. There's not a lot of options AND they're full!
But through your links, I found 1 veggie CSA that pick-up is only 1 town over from me. I also found a kind of cooperative delivery service that places orders from local regenerative farms and delivers in my area. I signed up with them immediately until the veggie CSA starts up (some time in June).
I admit, this is PRICEY, although to your point, costs most likely will continue to go up in the grocery stores. Still, I'm grateful I'm in a position to do this, and I realize that not everyone is. So I do hope that when enough of us that currently CAN, DO, we signal to our surroundings that there needs to be more to meet the demand, hopefully (some time in the future) bringing down the prices of foods-done-right.
I've been a member of a year-round meat CSA for 12 or 13 years now. It meant that I always had quality protein through the empty shelves of Covid. We are about to be empty-nesters, and I'm toying with the idea of getting a chest-freezer (I haven't yet! I prided myself on being so exact as to get everything into my standard fridge/freezer.) and building up that 3-month supply.
My only concern is - what about the power grid. Going down the generator rabbit hole, it seems right now that solar is the way to go (power grid problems will probably mean there's short supply of fuel as well). But I don't know how friendly New England weather really is for personal solar generators...
This was worth reading, on potential ways people could band together and reverse some of the government-driven policies that have led to this situation - https://doomeroptimism.substack.com/p/lessons-for-localists-the-great-indian?s=r
Now if only our leaders (elected and otherwise) would get on board with energy independence while working on sustainable energy. Appreciate your work!
Check for typo in the Doomberg link. Should be http://doomberg.substack.com/p/farmers-on-the-brink
Fixed! Thanks!
Thanks for your work! I have a particular consideration for the opinions of people like you, people who know how to feed their brain better than average!
Do you plan to move away from the city and start growing some stuff of your own?
Aware as you are about how environmental factors may put your cognitive functions under stress, do you take time to evaluate the biological effects of your electromagnetic environement? Did you ever measure it? Wifi, bluetooth, wireless phones, smart dvices, cellphone towers...?
Take care of you!
I'm thinking of moving out of the city but hoping I can finish my book before taking on such a big life project.
My office is pretty high EMF unfortunately but I am working on reducing unnecessary exposure.
Prepping is futile - how many people are within a half a tank of gas of your location?
When the supermarkets go empty - the hordes will be headed to where they know food to be.
They will rip up your garden - kill and eat your animals --- likely murder you if you try to stop them -- rape and cannibalism will be on the menu as well
It’s not black and white. Of course there is a tail risk of total civilizational collapse, but the far more probable outcome is food is much more expensive and crime rises in the expected places in cities.
Increasing domestic drilling for gas and oil is not the answer, Chris. Climate change is real, and its effects are being felt everywhere, as we speak. We've already delayed far too long in converting to sustainable energy sources. I do agree with much of the rest of your article, especially supporting local farmers for your food supplies. Growing your own garden is an even better idea.......no fuel necessary to transport the food from the soil to your table, and no fertilizers/pesticides necessary either. In addition to growing a big vegetable garden, I live in a place where I can hunt for wild game, which supplies a fair amount of my meat needs. Anyone who lives in a rural area can do what I do........it's not that difficult. Try to make yourself and your family less dependent on the screwed-up global agricultural/meat production system, and you will do okay.
No matter how real climate change is, the food crisis is far more imminent, and shortages do not help the climate. Opposing domestic oil drilling is the worst hypocritical not-in-my-back-yardism that does nothing to reduce usage and just outsources oil production to areas that require war to maintain. Are wars in the Middle East good for the climate? We should indeed reduce dependence on fossil fuels but not at the expense of chaos.
"Increasing domestic drilling for gas and oil is not the answer, Chris."
Maybe go to war with China and Europe to force them to consume less gas and oil? As regards clean energy, the US is ahead of everyone.
The panic mongering by climate change alarmists did nothing to help with wise stewardship of resources.
The magma puts out a tremendous volume of hydrocarbons every year that ends up in deep sea vents. That's the hydrocarbon baseline.
Industry is already converting to silicon where practical.
"We've already delayed far too long in converting to sustainable energy sources."
Wood? Grow more trees and burn them like was done for millennia? Tap hydrocarbons pouring out of deep sea vents? Solar and wind have serious technological issues.
You have read to much from IPCC, the corrupt organ via UN.
The other things suggested is fine for those who lives like you and have the ability. And I agree support locals is the way to go.
Meaningful man-made climate change due to CO2 is NOT real. It's unsupported by science. It's not a crisis at all.