I must admit, I can't say I have really enjoyed the systems reading assignments so far this semesmter. That is until this week. After reading this weeks assignment in depth, I have a greater appreciation of the insight Meadows has brought to understanding "leverage points-places to intervene in a system". My two recent visits to Spencer's farm, and my observations therein have provided me the opportunity to see thes ideas of levergage points at "work in the field" (the pun is intended)

As of this Sunday night, I belive that agriculture does fit into Meadows' ideas of a leverage point for sustainability. Let's consider Meadow's idea from the first line in chapter 6. "So how do we change the structure of systems to produce more of what we want and less of which is undesireable?"

Lets say this model is undesirable:Corporate farming practices all over the globe including, monocroping wopping amounts of acreage, petroleum based pesticides, genetically modified species of plants and vegetables, mineral depleting planting practices, damage to plants and other animals from cross pollination from GMO's and runoff of pesticides into the air and surrounding water systems.

Let us for a moment assume that our "minimum goal" with respect to agriculture is to provide substantial vegetable crop yields per acre, maintain the importance of biodiversity, define and maintain an "organic Quality"standard, minimize the amount of degredation to the soil and the surrounding environmental rescources, create smaller locally based farms, and lets throw in turning a profit as well. This goal is a serious leverage point compared to the previous example.

Here are a couple of thoughts with respect to leveraging the corporatel farm systems that I became aware of while visiting Spencer's farm and the rest of the Intervale system.

By creating smaller more conscientious farming models, a possible leverage point could be subsidies and tax incentives to enhance more of this type of growth. Spencer's model of small succession plantings is a buffer which "allows for more flexibile response to demand needs."the intervale system is a coop of small sytems that allow for rather simple and less expensive stock and flow changes compared to the idustial model. The smaller 1/2 pint model and succession plantings substantially decrease any concern of delays with the worse case scenerio resulting in product put in the cooler as a way to regulate other system changes. The Intervale's smaller farming model is an excellent way to manage the balancing feedback loop. The leverage comes from smaller crop sizes coupled with the ability to react quickly the "directness and size of corrective flows."Spencer's tight monitoring of weekly yield to sales ratios, helped him with greater control of the flow elements. The 1/2 pint 7 year business plan demonstrated the strength of the reinforcing feedback loop. The more they were able to meet their projected goals the more willing they were to increase the goal for the next season. The information system flow was one of the most apparent leverage tools I observed. Spencer and his wife keep excellent weekly records and were able to quickly adjust to trends. By sharing information with others at the Intervale and taking their observations and conclusions on the road, it has a deffinite affect on the larger systems, and ultimately benefits others. Another important area of possible leverage would be reframing the "rules". Incentives for farmers to move to this type of model. Perhaps a sytem where cooperative land use, increased yields using natural methods, improving soil and environmental conditions of the land, would be incentive options. Even a tax break or waiver for donating a percentage of yield to the community. Another obvious leverage point is the self organization piece. As in Ausubel's example of the Native americans being stewards and having some positive influence in the self organization of California' garden of eden, the smaller cooperative model allows farmers to be a symbiotic player from inside the system, even an advocate for this evolutionary process, enhancing not controlling the systems process.

I observed the 1/2 Pint Farm as an example of redifinigng goals. The cooperative structure of the Intervale system with many different farming models being tried and tested at the same time, including a pretty substantial enhanced composting project, is in turn modelling that a new paradigm is possible with a reasonable and concerted effort. The farm seems to flourish with its 250 species of biodiversity, on 1 & 1/2 acres and models several leverage points with respect to the current corporate farming model.

Americans are buying into the idea that we have the power to make real fundemental changes perhaps the single voice for paradigm shift will be representative of many voices from all over the world speaking as one harmonious voice. When that voice speaks loud enough and the sound is one that is attractive to more and more people, then we may very well have come to that "tipping point" that has been referred to so many times in the recent past. Perhaps then yoga needs to be our mantra or prerequisite to change. Because before we can dance with these new concepts we are going to have to limber up muscles of possibility. Flexibiltiy will allow us to stay on task as we continue to push up against our own resistance to change.