Regenesis by George Monbiot - Book Recommendation

Regenesis by George Monbiot - Book Recommendation

I read Regenesis by George Monbiot in the latter part of 2022 - Published by Penguin Random House UK the book was first published in Great Britain by Allen Lane 2022.

The front cover has a picture of the silhouette of a cow in a field - within that silhouette is written 'Feeding The World without devouring the planet'.

The image pre-empts the content of the book in that George has other ideas about how our food would be better produced and what is to take up the land in place of it and it isn't cows.

There is a quote on the front from Greta Thunberg describing George as follows:

“One of the most important and fearless voices in the global climate movement today.”

I am not alone in applauding the work of Greta; however I find it interesting that such a young person is quoted as an 'expert' when there are people who are far more reaching in their involvement and understanding in these matters.

Perhaps the book is seeking to appeal to a younger audience who George may believe to be more aligned with the movement of plant and science based foods.

Having studied these matters for over three decades myself, I think of all the souls who would be far better versed to share their view - it struck me in the way that the 'non-cow' did - it conjured images of a desolate landscape devoid of animals, like so many that are just about 'hanging on' on the rare-breeds list!

Quotes on the back cover speak in praise of the book, describing it as a revolutionary look at how we could transform the face of the Earth.

This in itself is somewhat arrogant to me!

We have a rather sick sense of how 'we' play the role of creation rather than taking our role as its guardian - as a whole, this has been my observation over my lifetime and I believe we play the dominant role at our peril.

The book is in chapters headed as follows:

1. What Lies Beneath

2. What Lies Ahead

3. Agricultural Sprawl

4. Fruitful

5. The Number of the Feast

6. Putting Down Roots

7. Farmfree

8. Pastures New

9. The Ice Saints

Here is what it says on the inside leaf of the book cover:

‘For the first time since Neolithic, we have the opportunity to transform not only our food system but our entire relationship to the living world.’

Farming is the world’s greatest cause of environmental destruction – and the one we are least prepared to talk about. We criticize urban sprawl, but farming sprawls across thirty times as much land.

We have ploughed, fenced and grazed great tracts of the planet, felling forests, killing wildlife and poisoning rivers and oceans to fee ourselves. Yet millions still go hungry.

Now the food system itself is beginning to falter. But, as George Monbiot shows us in this brilliant, bracingly original new book, we can resolve the biggest of our dilemmas and feed the world without devouring the planet.

Regenesis is a breathtaking vision of a new future for food and for humanity. Drawing on astonishing advances in soil ecology, Monbiot reveals how our changing understanding of the world beneath our feet could allow us to grow more food with less farming. He meets people who are unlocking these methods, from the fruit and vegetable grower revolutionizing our understanding of fertility; through breeders of perennial grains, liberating the land from ploughs and poisons; to the scientists pioneering new ways to grow protein and fat. Together, they show how the tiniest life forms could help us make peace with the planet, restore its living systems and replace the age of extinction with an age of Regenesis." End Quote

The book contains examples of people working with the land in an intuitive way that has served them and the land well.

George also covers foods grown in inner cities in lab style set ups that sound horrific to me.

Being a country girl, whose family farm the land 'on my mother side' - the thought of my food not seeing the light of day and growing in a test tube or petri - dish, fills me with utter horror.

In the case of Factory Farms, which to me is not farming, this is already the case - systemised production of a commodity.

There is nothing natural about this!

I have strong views on how we have become so out of balance with nature and our natural world - advancement in all areas is good as long as it is balanced and kept in check.

We have created an imbalance - this is the problem that 'Urgently' needs to be addressed.

It seems to me that there is an ill wind towards farming because it is considered cruel-and there are many cases where it is, not because of good farmers who adopt and practice good husbandry, but because of ‘Factory Farms’ - mass production and the systemisation of something that is natural and needs to be treated so.

Rather than allowing animals the time and space to grow and mature and be well kept – they are treated ‘in some awful instances’ in a way that is inhumane - unnatural.

The land is treated the same – mostly by big set ups that see only the commercial side of the land and have little care for it outside of that.

Nature has become a hindrance and the land values make it an asset that people want to get their hands on, and I know there to be little care for anything in this other than what can be gained - taken, grabbed, harvested as fast as is possible.

We are constantly told that we need to grow more food.

I don’t buy into this – we waste far too much and eat far too much.

WE as a collective have caused an imbalance and science is not the overall answer – nature has the answer - and just as it has taken time to cause an imbalance, it will take time to redress this imbalance.

Nature is abundant and needs us to work 'with' rather than 'against' it.

More of us need to work the land. Grow food in our gardens. Keep our own chickens – and if we can’t, let us swap, buy or barter with those who do.

Industry creates problems in relation to land, water and air - and soils have been eroded out of all proportion.

We, as individuals and households add to this - therefore, we need to get a grip – not nature, because nature has the answers to right itself.

Scientist are not the be all magical pill – neither is growing food in giant warehouses and claiming the land ‘back’ - as it is being toted, in order that we sprawl all over and 'ruin' that to a far greater extent that we have already.

God knows where we would be then.

Regenesis ‘to me’ begins with us re-connecting with the earth and being the good guardians to our collective mother Gaia, that we were born to be - to understand that we are a part 'of' nature rather than a part 'from' nature as we have so sadly become.

We have lost our way, and it is the field – not the lab, that is calling us back to the future!

The book is an interesting and thought provoking read.

It will 'and has' pushed a few buttons in those who cherish this earth.

I would suggest reading this alongside another book entitled: The Faithful Gardener by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PH.D.

Here is what it says on the back cover of this book:

"What is this faithful process of spirit and seed that touches empty ground and makes it rich again? Its greater workings I cannot claim to understand...I only know that in its care, what has seemed dead is dead no longer, what has seemed lost, is no longer lost, that which some have claimed impossible, is made clearly possible, and what ground is fallow is only resting - resting and waiting for the blessed seed to arrive on the wind with all Godspeed. And it will." - Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PH.D.

The Faithful Gardener book is a call back to the earth - well worth a read.

As for Regenesis - I would suggest that you read and fully embrace: Part 4 - Fruitful - It was to me the most potent and heart-warming part of the book.

"You can make music with the soil," Tolly Said.

Tolly knows what we all need to know and act upon.

To know and not act is not to know!

Tolly acts on that knowing - the inner wisdom that has been taught to him 'by' and 'through' his connection with the land - our collective Mother Gaia and all that lives upon and relies upon her in order to live and fully function.

Let us all do all that we can to embrace this as a way of being in our own lives as guardians of this earth - the provision of all that nourishes us - the sole provider of that which is our joy, our solace, our greatest teacher and very life support system.

In my understanding - connecting with the earth at the deepest level is our Regenesis!

To add to the mix, it would also be well worth reading: Wilding by Isabella Tree - the return of nature to a British Farm

Somewhere we need to 'Restore' a 'Natural Balance'!

Article – ? Susanne Austin, 15th January 2023 (Note: all text written by Susanne personally unless lines or sections are stated as quoted text).

Susanne Rachel Austin writes on Personal and Environmental Wellbeing… 'Healthy People – ‘Healthy Environment’ - covering natural health and wellbeing, eco-build, sustainable, green and 'one planet' living as a business and daily lifestyle choice for all. Susanne is also the author of a daily ‘True Life Wisdom Of The Day’ shared upon several social media channels and is currently in the process of writing a book and putting together a series or workshops.

Speaking engagements are also woven into these plans. Susanne’s new website is germinating 'Quite Naturally' in-line with this creative process and will be launched as and when complete.

Susanne may be contacted through this post or via her e-mail: [email protected]