Animal Quote by Wendell Berry
“Once plants and animals were raised together on the same farm - which therefore neither produced unmanageable surpluses of manure, to be wasted and to pollute the water supply, nor depended on such quantities of commercial fertilizer. The genius of American farm experts is very well demonstrated here: they can take a solution and divide it neatly into two problems.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Idea of a Moral Farm, Wendell Berry, 1972
Mixed farming naturally balances waste and fertilizer, but experts split the solution into separate problems, missing the holistic view.
In simple terms: Integrated farms manage waste and nutrients together; experts over‑complicate.
Key Takeaway
Adopt holistic, integrated agricultural practices.
Themes
environment
agriculture
holism
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
philosophical
environmental
When to use this quote
- farm management
- policy design
- education
- community planning
Key Concepts
sustainability
ecosystem services
soil health
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the trade‑offs of separating agricultural issues?
- How can we promote holistic thinking in modern farming?
A Different Perspective
Simplifying complex systems may overlook important nuances.
![“[When her daughter suggested the President refer in his conversation with foreign dignitaries about lawn care to 'fertilizer' instead of to 'manure':] But remember, it took me almost thirty years to get him to call it manure.” quote by Bess Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4fe/bess-truman-27530_care_when-her-daughter-suggested-the-presiden_25215.jpg)
