Founder Ian Wilkinson was sent an early review copy of Colin Tudge’s new book, ‘The Great Rethink,’ which will be published on January 7th 2021 by Pari Publishing.
I’ve had the great pleasure of spending time in Colin Tudge’s company over the years, sharing the bread and the odd pint. He’s an incredibly knowledgeable man, and I have learnt so much from him. His belief in ‘real farming’ and the vital need for agriculture to respect the natural world and work with nature, rather than attempting to better it, is close to my heart and to all our work at FarmED.
Colin’s book and utopian vision is refreshingly optimistic, so a great start to the new year. He talks about living in a balanced way to preserve the planet for the next million years. I agree that ecology and ecologists are fundamental and should be at the forefront of agricultural thinking, leading the way in an agrarian renaissance to build a sustainable future.
Colin describes how we need to develop alternative ways of thinking and being, because the current system is obsolete. The need for quality, affordable food is key; a productive, resilient system that feeds people in a truly sustainable way with respect for natural resources.
The book is packed with facts and philosophy. Colin states that he is a green thinker, rather than an economist and he talks about the importance of resilient farming systems, living within our means and building a green economic democracy.
The promotion for the book describes how, ‘all too plausibly, it seems, popes and scientists are warning us of impending collapse―yet humanity and our fellow creatures could still be looking forward to a long and glorious future: at least a million years of peace and personal fulfilment, with abundant and diverse wildlife. But to achieve this we need to rethink everything that we do and take for granted, from the day-to-day mundanities of growing and cooking, to the economy and methods of governance, to the most arcane reaches of science and metaphysics. The transformation won’t be easy but―the good news―millions of grassroots initiatives of all kinds the world over are already moving in the right directions.’
This book has really challenged my thinking and question my opinions, and I’d urge anyone with an interest in agroecology to read it.
Colin will be one of the guests speakers at the FarmED Lit Fest in June 2021.