Marjory Wildcraft Notes U.S. Parallels with Cuban Economic Collapse
6 min readBy Linda Holliday
When Cuba’s economy collapsed after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Cubans got healthier growing their own food. But first, they suffered, even resorting to eating domestic pets and zoo animals, according to a Forbes news report.
Author Marjory Wildcraft wanted to learn how Cubans transitioned to a gardening lifestyle. To do so meant traveling to the tiny island country that lies just 30 miles from the southern tip of Florida. What happened in Cuba could easily happen here if Americans aren’t prepared.
Wildcraft, a former real estate financial consultant who believes a U.S. economic collapse is likely, wanted to learn from those who already lived through one. Early this year, Wildcraft traveled with Millions Against Monsanto, a subgroup of the Organic Consumers Association, to discover how Cubans transformed their food system
“The big question,” Wildcraft asked, “was how do you feed 11 million people when your entire agriculture system no longer works?”
Wildcraft is best known for her “Grow Your Own Groceries” video (which is also fully endorsed and recommended by the American Preppers Network). Her mission is to put “homegrown food on every table” by teaching others skills necessary to grow food, including small livestock.
When imports end
Before the collapse, Cuba imported 80 percent of its fuel from the petroleum-rich Soviet Union. Nearly all imports were affected, however, such as food, machinery parts, textiles and medicine. At the same time, Cuba’s sugar exports dropped drastically, partly because the Soviets were no longer buying it and high fructose corn syrup disrupted the sugar market.
Wildcraft spoke with common gardeners and farmers about their crops and growing methods. She also sought their advice for Americans preparing for economic collapse. The Cubans’ answers surprised her.
“Every single one of them said something about being ready to share with your neighbors, to help out in your community and do your best to keep your spirits up,” Wildcraft said of her talks with working-class Cubans. “Not a single one said to go out and buy a bunch of stuff.”
Wildcraft said that instead of storing beans in bulk or buying guns, the Cubans did what people naturally do in times of stress – they grew gardens and shared with neighbors. Many of these community relationships were built upon generations.
After the revolution, the government gave Cubans property, but does not allow them to sell it. Unlike Americans who move on average every 5 years, Cubans generally live in one neighborhood for decades. As such, there is a very high level of connectedness with the people and very little violence, Wildcraft said.
“They are all family,” she said.
Now as old-fashioned gardeners who walk or pedal for transportation, Cubans are healthier, according to a British Medical Journal study. Adults lost an average of 12 pounds by eating less calories and protein when meat and dairy foods became scarce.
Parallels with Cuba
Wildcraft noted several parallels between Cuba’s pre-collapse system and the current financial crisis in the United States. For instance, Cuba was highly dependent upon fuel imports. America now imports 60 to 65 percent of its fuel.
“More than any other Latin American culture, Cuba embraced monoculture, which is what America definitely has, and that completely failed,” she said. Cuba relied mainly on sugar exports; when the sugar market dried up, Cuba had no other major cash crop.
Another similarity, she said, is in U.S. reliance on large agricultural machinery and big farming enterprises. When Russian imports to Cuba halted, fuel and tractor parts were unavailable. Most farmers reverted to using horses and oxen – which need only “water and grass and to be caressed.”
The common folks Wildcraft spoke with said the economic collapse “came as a big surprise they didn’t see coming.”
Wildcraft on ‘Beyond Off Grid’
Wildcraft highlighted her experiences with a slide presentation recently on the first of a series of webinars hosted by the producers of “Beyond Off Grid,” a film documentary projected to be released in early 2014. The film, which includes more than a dozen agricultural, economic and homesteading specialists, strives to help people reduce their dependency on the modern control grid.
Film producer Jason Matyas, a lifelong gardener, spoke with Wildcraft on the 1-hour program about the municipal and private food plots she toured during her 10-day trip to Cuba.
Cubans ate a lot of rice, beans and pork before 1991, Wildcraft said. All of their rice was imported. Post-collapse, Cubans began eating more vegetables and fruit they grow themselves. They learned to improve their predominantly clay soil by composting and now raise produce and small livestock wherever possible.
“The Cubans did what people all over the world do when in crisis – they started growing food on windows, in backyards, and on corner lots,” Wildcraft said in a later interview. “They use all the classic techniques from organic gardening such as composting, vermiculture, companion planting and crop rotations. Why? Because it works.”
Dependence on oil
During the program, Matyas explained how an attack on Iran by the United States or Israel could almost immediately double or triple fuel prices as Iran likely would close its main shipping lane, disrupting oil transports.
“Whether that kind of scenario happens or not, the more local you can make your food supply, the better,” Matyas said. “The ultimate is growing your own food.”
The next best thing, Matyas said, is to trade among neighbors, followed by purchasing from a local farmer where you know the production methods. Lastly, purchase organic food in stores.
Wildcraft added that knowing your community also is vital, and skills are much more valuable than goods.
Wildcraft said, besides traveling, she reads history to learn how people survived difficult times. The items usually becoming scarce first are food, seeds, transportation, clothing and medicines. People should also consider how they will do without their addictions (such as chocolate, liquor or coffee).
“These are all patterns that happen fairly predictably,” Wildcraft said, urging people to begin gardening now. “Growing food is not a skill you can learn quickly or easily.”
Besides gaining self-sufficiency skills, your physical health also will be rewarded as much industrial food is not healthful anyway.
Also, instead of growing exotic, non-native vegetables, Wildcraft said, it is better to focus on plants that do well in the local environment. Again, soil fertility is paramount to successful crops.
Wildcraft’s video series is designed to help beginner or advanced gardeners learn more about raising small livestock or producing food in a backyard. Her videos are used by homesteaders, survivalists, universities, and missionary organizations worldwide. Wildcraft’s website includes videos of her interviews with Cuban farmers and gardeners.
The Beyond Off Grid webinar series is set to run weekly. Organizers say their goal is to educate and inspire people to take action for a better future. To learn more, visit the website. In an upcoming webinar, precious metals expert Franklin Sanders will review the state of the global and U.S. economy and discuss preparing for increased hard times that surely lie ahead.
“The question is no longer ‘if.’ The question is ‘how’ and ‘how quickly’” Matyas said of U.S. economic collapse.
Wildcraft on APN webinar
American Preppers Network will feature Marjory Wildcraft in a webinar as she speaks about her “Grow Your Own Groceries” videos from 8-9 p.m. CDT on Thursday, Oct. 17. For more information and to register, click here.
I think it’s important to note a couple of things.
First, Cuba is a communist dictatorship. The govt can, and did (post soviet union), order people into the fields to get the harvest planted, tended, and out to the people. We would never stand for that here.
Also. it’s been reported over the last couple of decades, that, in fact, Cuba has been forced to import lots of food. The truth is not yet out so we can not objectively know.
But it seems apparent that both a dictatorship and censors have given the impression of an agricultural self sufficient nation that produced Cuba’s miracle. This may be true, or partially true, or it may not be. The point is to realize that Cuba is a dictatorship, and one in the same fix we all are. And, since they really did try, that it’s a sobering thought for all countries contemplating becoming organically self sufficient, that they probably have failed.
We are not even talking about other aspects of quality life. I think Cuba succeeded in some areas. They did get rid of the corrupt, awful, Batista regime and tried to start a responsible egalitarian govt. But, in the end, their downfall is that they are a dictatorship. And, a dictatorship run by an aging dictator.
America does not have a monoculture when it come to agriculture. 96% of the World’s avocados are grown in CA. 88% of the Worlds artichokes are grown in the Sacramento delta. CA alone exports more rice to Japan, than Japan produces every year. Within 50 miles of my home, we have multiple vineyards, orchards including multiple species of fruits and nuts. There are farms growing tomatoes, onion, garlic, corn, rice, asparagus, berries, pigs, chicken, beef and dairy and much more. This huge variety is just the opposite of a MONOculture.
Becoming self-sufficient is good, not polluting is good, but her ‘justification’ for these things is warped. I believe America is headed for an economic collapse, but not for the reasons stated in this article. Seems to me this lady is suffering from confirmation bias, and needs to take her blinders off.
BGenie does not understand monoculture at all. There are two forms, Macro and Micro with both being dangerous. In Macro it is where an entire region or country is reliant on a single crop (i.e. sugar). In Micro a farm, group of farms or small region is relying on a single crop.
I have family in California that grows only rice, while another family member in another part of the state grows almost exclusively corn. This form of ag allows the single plant to strip the land of nutrients and become vulnerable to disease and parasites. The only way to maintain this form of ag is the heavy use of very expensive fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, etc., yet it is still very vulnerable.
In an economic collapse these chemicals jump in price or become unavailable. The result is the collapse of all these farms or rocketing prices of farm based products. On my own farm there are 2 dozen different crops going each year and varieties are rotated constantly as well as planting areas begin rotated.
Our current government supported and driven ag system is very precariously positioned.
We are on the edge of economic collapse unless we wake up and
forcibly take back control of our government and economy. Over the
past 100 years, the game has been rigged, slowly and piecemeal at
first, always in the name of serving the greater good, preventing the
next bubble or providing greater transparency and security. It is as if
the American people are suffering from battered spouse syndrome; the
politicians, the greedy bankers, and the Fed all lie to us while they
steal our wealth and our liberty. Every time we call them on it, they
promise to never do it again if we’ll just give them one more chance.
So we let it slide and then act shocked when they do it to us again.
Maybe we should have our collective head examined