Yesterday our local #Bitcoin meetup group took a little field trip to a regenerative farm that accepts bitcoin. There were five of us, and we had a fantastic time.
Jeremy, the farmer, spent several years doing missionary work in Africa, living alongside a local tribe. During that time he learned traditional farming methods that worked with nature rather than against it. Those experiences eventually inspired him to return to the States and start his own regenerative farm.
I made a few notes while I was there...
One thing that really stood out was his explanation of tilling. Conventional industrial farms often till the soil multiple times a year and disturb it quite deeply. Regenerative farming takes almost the opposite approach. Healthy soil is alive. Earthworms, ants, fungi, and countless microorganisms naturally aerate the ground, create channels for water, and build an environment where plants can thrive. Excessive tilling destroys much of that ecosystem.
Another really cool fact: for every 1% increase in soil organic matter, an acre can retain roughly 200,000 additional gallons of water. Healthy soil becomes more resilient, more absorbent, and requires less intervention over time. Talk about leverage!
He also showed us his movable chicken huts. Every few days he rotates them across the pasture. The chickens eat insects, fertilize the ground naturally, and help regenerate the land without synthetic chemicals or pesticides. It's a beautifully simple system that works because it cooperates with nature instead of trying to dominate it.
Of course, I couldn't help but think about Bitcoin.
Healthy soil is the foundation of a farm.
Bitcoin's base layer is the foundation of the monetary network.
If you continually disturb healthy soil, the entire farm eventually pays the price.
Likewise, every unnecessary change to Bitcoin's base layer carries long-term costs. The question isn't whether change is good or bad. It's whether disturbing the foundation is actually necessary.
Both systems seem to reward restraint.
So we should build carefully. Let strong foundations do their job. Add complexity only where it's needed.
One final highlight: I had the honor of being Jeremy's very first Bitcoin transaction. Awesome.
Adoption happens person by person, merchant by merchant.
#photography #leica
