Porter, Hal

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Green RevolutionVolume 4 | Issue 8 Article 208-1-1966Hal Porter Version - Green Revolution ManifestoHal PorterFollow this and additional works at: https://research.library.kutztown.edu/greenrevolutionThis Commentary is brought to you for free and open access by Research Commons at Kutztown University. It has been accepted for inclusion inGreen Revolution by an authorized editor of Research Commons at Kutztown University. For more information, please contactczerny@kutztown.edu,.Recommended CitationPorter, Hal (1966) "Hal Porter Version - Green Revolution Manifesto," Green Revolution: Vol. 4 : Iss. 8 , Article 20.Available at: https://research.library.kutztown.edu/greenrevolution/vol4/iss8/204 - THE GREEN REVOLUTION, August, 1966 Briefs, cont'd HAL PORTER VERSION-Do You Need, conrd cal labor is possibly man's great­est and gravest mistake. It is perhaps utterly impossible to be Green Revolution Manifesto hen house to start a garden. Not content to merely run a hotel and care for a garden, dad soon had a still going and in his spare time kept his finger in his origi­nal trade by making mattresses. Because he hed no financial re­serves, when winter crone he had to go to the city to work. My mother objected to being left alone too long and the country venture ended quickly, and with it one man's dreams. Big Project Begun Perhaps to fulfill my father's hopes - or perhaps because his hopes had become mine - it might be said that I inherited my homesteading inclinations. At any rate, as soon as I was free of my WW II military obliga­tions, I moved to South Florida determined to have a mortgage­free home where I could plant a garden. My background explains my determination and I guess my youth (23) explains my courage to tackle a three-bedroom block house without previous building experience. spector. Once we were able to move into the house, the rest was easy by comparison. In those days lo­cal officials tolerated such rash behavior as allowing people to live in unfinished houses. Today it is strictly forbidden. Of course there are people living in old houses within the municipality in which conditions are far worse than our was in the unfinished house, but the officials are more apt to allow squalor than to ease the problems of the owner­builder. (to be continued) Community Ideas Spark Conference fully alive or sane minus daily physical work-good, hard, mus­cle work. But to GR readers this comes as hardly news, agreed. To me, a respectable, i.e., vir­tually useless, teacher, it comes as a blow across the neck. The woes of the Coles are lamentable, but what can one expect. I have a number of thoughts re law. If you have The ten day (June 18-28) con­ference on intentional communi­ty at the School of Living Cen­ter, Freeland, Md., initiated by Abigail Grafton. Ben and Elaine Zablocki and Ruth and Bruce Elwell, drew a total of some 100 attendants. They proceeded in a spontaneous, member-directed fashion, with a result of 20 per-never lived where the laws, if any, are unenforced, it DOES make a difference. let me tell you, in one's living·. I cannot es­cape the feeling that under so­ciety, as it is now, laws are utter­ly essential, and that perhaps a lot of our aches and pains stem from the unenforcement of good laws. I'd cite for you the case in Sao Paulo where a 30 story build­ing collapsed, since no laws are enforced re construction. I cite for you the death of seven per­sons in this city when an upper floor of a building collapsed be, cause of great weight on it. I saw it almost immediately there­after. Tough on the dead ones. I cite the almost daily accidents --often very serious--right out­side this room where two major streets intersect and involve a Hal Porter, Port Orange, Fla., Leans on His Hoe sons entering a trial of commu­nity. [Editor's note: This manifesto was read and eagerly discussed at the Ohio Homestead Festival (July 2-4). Why not use it in oth­er meetings?] true worth of our holding; and sales taxes, because we would buy little. In 1946, my 21 year old broth­er, my mother and I bought a 11.4 acre plot about 12 miles from downtown Miami. (My father had died several years earlier.) At the time, the area was de­cidedly rural-dirt roads (if any) and low taxes (if any). In addi­tion the area tolerated, fhen, the owner-builder. Would that I had known of the School of Liv­ing in those years. Groping and inexperienced, unaware of possi­bilities as a modern homesteader, I designed a house too much in the current fashion; not suited for home production. It took a somewhat stiff dis­cussion, a square dance and a late party to break the ice, but after a day or two there was a flow of ideas and feelings that increased in depth and tempo. Alan Hoffman, Dr. Arthur Glad­stone, Ben Zablocki, and Calvin DeFillipus were runong the scheduled speakers, but for the most part the discussions were planned and held around emerg­ing, current needs. Meals were planned and executed by the attendants, and while irregular and untraditional, were adequate and enjoyed. A dam in the creek provided welcome swimming; a camping shelter was started; and a "good time was had by all .  " blind corner. No -enforcement HAVING COME TO BELIEVE By buying little and not pay­ing taxes we will not be support­ing the government or the econo­my. Learning By Watching My brother shared equally in the work and in a few months we erected a concrete block shell and moved in. There was plenty of constructjon going on all around the Miami area, so our •m=oecling instructors were everywhere. We had only tu go and snoop. When an uncertainty arose as to how to form up the bond beam or perimeter lintel, we just watched a comparable portion of a construction job by professionals. Certain govern­ment publications were helpful too, especially one on laying con­crete block and another on mix­ing concrete. Generally a wood frame house would be much simpler for the amateur builder, but code re­strictions in this part of the country make such construction almost impossible. Or shall I say we are in an area where the con­concrete interests are all-power­ful? Plumbing Encountered As plumbing and electrical work seems to be of a more tech­nical nature than the other trades, most people are afraid to tackle these. This brings to mind an interesting experience on how we learned to do rough plumbing. I'm referring specifi­cally to the waste piping com­posed of heavy cast iron with its ridiculous bell and spigot joints that have to be caulked with oakum and then filled with mol­ten lead. Here was one phase of building we hadn't confidence we could do, so we called a local plumber for an estimate. Said craftsman came, estimated, ridiculed our use of copper for supply piping (he happened to be a galvanized iron man), and was to return on the morrow to start work. The next day he arrived. not ready for work but with a new estimate. He claimed his original estimate had been too low in spite of the fact that there had been no competitive bidding and we accepted his first estimate. Anger is often a stimulatLTJ.g impetus. We were so incensed at the plumber·s lack of ethics that we were determined to do it all ourselves. Today I have no lack of confidence in my ability to do all the plumbing in a home. We watched plumbers on Qther jobs. received a surprising amount of instruction and the loan of tools from a plumbing supply house. and had little trouble getting the work passed by the plumbing in-and thus continual accidents and THAT: We will grow things the or­ganic way because such food will give us health and a long life but also because thus we will not support the chemical combines which poison our en­vironment and then sell us pat­ent medicines for relief of aches and pains caused by the environ­ment they produce. bodies maimed. Only as a society improves both intellectually and ethically may we commence to diminish the number of laws. Granted that every law is, in ef­fect, an insult, it still is at this stage of the game absolutely 1. Civilization, so-called, does not seem to make us healthy, wealthy, and wise; but too often sick, poor, and stupid. 2. The present socio-economic system does not guarantee us life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; but rather, death, loss necessary .. Publications For The Homesteader of freedom and pursuit of tedi­um. Go Ahead and Live!, M. J. 3. People flocking to the cities to make larger and larger metropo,Iises and megalopolises produce an unnatural way of life, leading to the increase of crime and poverty and invariably make necessary more and more restrictive laws to control the packed population. We will try to be part of the ecology rather than at war with nature, hating nothing which swims, crawls, flies, or grows out of the ground, realizing that all forms of life have a place in the scheme of things and are nec­essary for a meaningful and pro­ductive way of living. Loomis and others, $4, School of Living, Brookville, Ohio 45309. Herald of Health, Lamoni, Iowa. After a week, Mr. and Mrs. .l:Sryce Fora ut.t<::�ed their oa-uorQ farm as a center for any who wanted to actually start a com­munity. Twenty persons left with them on Saturday for an­other week on their farm for a trial of actual community liv­ing. Last reports are that many of them are committed to con­tinue it, though some decided to withdraw. Organic Gardening. $5 a year. Emmaus, Penna . Eat, Drlnlt and De Hcclt'.hy. 2,000 nutritious recipes by Agnes Toms, 137 N. Canyon Blvd., Mon­rovia, Calif. 91016. Autographed. $5.20. Peace of Mind Thru Nature, $1. Backwoods Journal, Paradox 5, N. Y. $2 a year, sample 35c. 4. Concentration of the own­ership of land and the produc­tion of food 1n U1e lldnd$ Qr fewer and fewer persons and cor­porations leads to the despoiling of the land and the fracturing and poisoning of our food with insecticides and chemical addi-Thus we will establish an is­land of sanity, health and reason in a disturbed, diseased and ir­rauonal wvrld; o:.nd, thc-rclo.r,,, will be an example of a better way of life; and since we will not be hermits, but invite others to share, our example will, bet­ter than any other way, edu­cate others and bring them into our movement to spread the Green Revolution. I wonder if readers would be sure to send a self-addressed and stamped envelope when they write a letter to the School of Living that requires or is likely to get a personal answer. This will save us money, but most of all it will save time.-Editor Hygienic Review, $4 a year. Herbert Shelton, Editor. Box 1277, San Antonio, Texas. California Homeowner, quar­terly, $2 a year. 1561 N. Gower, Los Angeles 90028 Dairy Goat Journal, monthly, $2 a year. Box 836, Columbia 35, Mo. American Raiionalisi, $4:50 a year, liberal religious viewpoint. Box 742, St. Louis, Mo. Report on New Center Fund Our last published report (January 1966) showed the School of Living Building Fund had, by the end of 1965, re­ceived $1398.85 in cash contributions from members, plus 20 days' work from Leo Rainer in lieu of $200 cash, or $1598.85. Untold hours of volunteered labor had been put in by many helpers. Cash expenditures at year's end in renovating the building, installing a bathroom and equipping a kitchen to­taled $922.01. Additional contributions ( not previously reported) in­clude: In Nov-Dec. 1965-Leo Koch $20, Geo. Pelton $10, E. Hubert $4, R. J. Stanewick $2, F. Kirchner $10; In Feb. 1966-E. Woods $11.46, D. Stry $20, W. Van Dusseldorp $10, Darrel Cole $5, F. Knoess $10; In April-I Perlman $5.85, S. Eisman $5, H. Banks $5, W. Grimm $20.60, G. Smith $4.75, B. Plumb $40, J. Bischof $40, E. Kreves $27.25, H. Everitt $10; In June­C. Guy $10, E. McGue $20, L. Appleberry $25. Total $315.85. Major expenditures in 1966 include: (April) $200 to H. Lefever, which is all he would accept for a much larger amount of plumbing and kitchen equipment, and untold hours of work; $114 to Dee and Ken Sprague ( June) for lumber, paint, plas­ter, etc., for the living room dov,rnstairs and completion of an additional room on the second floor. A working fund of some $300 remains. From July 1, all contributions to the Building Fund will go toward the down payment (to be made at the end of Au­gust) on the property. Our goal is $6,250. Have you made your contribution? Do you have in mind giving or pledging at least l ':c of your annual income? Make -sure your contribution or pledge is mailed to the School of Living (Brookville, Ohio) soon, especially in time to be in­cluded in the report to be made at the annual meeting, Aug. 27. All contributions to the School of Living and its Building Fund are tax deductible. tives. 5. Consumption of this food is largely responsible for the growing incidence of illness and death from degenerative disease and the larger and larger inci­dence of mental disease. 6. Our present civilization makes possible not a fruitful, meaningful and longer life but an empty existence which only seems longer. 7. A philosophy of get more and more and do less and less, the acquiring of more and more material possessions to· the envy of the rest of the world, only leads to more war. 8. The present trend is t� ward more famine, pestilence, war and death. 9. Reason, force, violence, demonstration or exhortation does not seem to bring about change for the better. 10. We do not wish to further contribute to the spread and maintenance of this type of civili­zation. THEREFORE: We of the School of Living choose to opt out by becom­ing part of '·The Green Revolu­tion"; green because that is the color of beginning, of growth and of peace: and because this retirement from participation shall be brought about not by defiance but by elision, a sliding out from under, by each one in our group establishing and main­taining a homestead from which he and his ,,·ill draw· their suste­n&nce. On these homesteads we will grow or raise or make as much as possible of that which is needed for our support rather than selling our services in the market place and buying that which is needed. Thus we shall escape payi..r:ig taxes: the income tax. because produce of the land is not con­sidered income: property taxes in great measure. because the tax assessor would fail to see the Super, cont'd mayonnaise mix, then in wheat germ and crumbs and oven­baked), a baked potato, celery stick, whole wheat bread, a pint of milk and an apple. Still other students prefer a box lunch to be eaten outdoors: a large cup of tossed salad full of fresh greens, chopped celery, carrots and bean sprouts (with a generous coating of freshly made soy oil and honey mayon­naise), with cottage cheese or nuts, bread, milk and an apple. We _were part of her apprecia­tive audience in Eaton. 0. She surprised us with the ·low cost of this high quality food, which has improved the health and well being of the students there over the past eight years. No broken bones, few absences, in­creased academic performance and outstanding athletic records have resulted from all this. Always fruit for dessert; no sugar, candy or soft drinks for eight years: Moreover, the stu­dents '·go along" with this, and even continue it out of school. They welcome and appreciate sunflower seeds, wheat germ. and bread to which has been added cornmeal, soy flour and bone meal: they consume gal­lons of freshly made mayon­naise containing soy oil, and yogurt they like, and they know what they'r2 getting. Mrs. Lar­son is invited into all the health, science and phys ed and athletic training classes to explain good nutrition. The young people see that this program means better health, and they know it tastes and looks delicious. Mrs. Larson will supply a recipe pamphlet for 35c (address her at Helix High School, La Mesa, Calif) .-MJL 

Hal Porter Version - Green Revolution Manifesto

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Hal Porter Version - Green Revolution Manifesto

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