Polyculuture vs. Monoculture

Feedlot Cows

The stepford Wives

shrimp

Everything works better when there is symbiosis, which is defined on dictionary.com as, “the living together of two dissimilar organisms, as in mutualism, commensalism, amensalism, or parasitism.” Michael Pollan describes, in “The Omnivores Dilemma,” how every organism, plant or animal, plays a roll in creating sustainable agriculture/a stable environment. Polyface Farming is a biodynamic approach to farming that has been proven very effective. Variety is key in attaining a livable and morally satisfying environment. When a large number of cattle are placed in the same place at the same time, such as a feed lot or slaughter house variation is eliminated and they are treated as objects in place of the living individual organisms that they are. In a presentation about the Development of Shrimp Aquaculture in South China, Yu Huang explained a similar phenomenon in regards to shrimp. Shrimp begin to be treated as things that can be thrown around and experimented upon when there are a great number together in one place. Shrimp farming, similar to agricultural and animal farming has been shown to be more effective or at least healthier when polyculture is practiced. Monoculture shrimp farming is commonly followed by outbreaks of disease and death.

The idea of symbiotic environments and farming communities including crops and animals, reminds me a lot of variation among people. The famous phrase, “It takes all kinds” repeatedly entered into my mind throughout our class discussion on polyculture vs. monoculture. If we didn’t have such a wide range of looks and personalities among us humans, the world would be a much duller place with less energy and hindered progress. Both the movies, “Stepford Wives” and “Pleasentville” focus on this issue of uniform people that seem to be programmed to look the same, complete the same actions and act the same way. These societies prove very unsuccessful and problematic. People who live this way are completely stripped of their identity and practically all genetic variation is eventually lost. I am convinced that monoculture and farming with minimal rotation, would also prove very ineffective for the same reasons.

Polyculture

Crop Rotation

Crop Rotation