Obituary: Larry Korn – Instilling Inspiration

Different pioneers practiced and propagated Sustainability principles around the world and many methods of natural and agro ecological farming systems way back in the 1950;’s onwards. Their teachings and books helped us return to our roots to rediscover the sustainable and ecological way of farming.

Pioneer among them is Larry Korn who left for his heavenly abode today at the age of 71, in Ashland, Oregon. Agriculture World will miss him dearly and he will live on in us, he leaves with us an indelible ink of his spirit in all things sustainable.

I have never got the opportunity of meeting him, but had the golden opportunity to interact with him for our special issue on Sustainable Farming. He carefully curated pictures for our issue. He taught us to care the Planet than anybody else. Larry Korn was a student of Masanobu Fukuoka

The healing of the land and the purification of the human spirit was considered to be one process and he blindly followed Fukuoka’s way of life and way of farming in which this process can take place. He was the translator and Editor of the English-Language edition of Mr. Fukuoka’s “The One Straw Revolution” which was published by Rodale Press in 1978 and editor of his later book “Sowing Seeds in the Desert”. He studied in Berkeley to earn degrees in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. He also worked with the California State Department of Forestry analyzing soil erosion as part of a state-wide study to measure the effectiveness of logging practices. He learned about landscaping plants and design while working at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery and then at Wintergreen Wholesale Nursery. He also doubled up as a consultant and author in the fields of permaculture, natural farming and sustainable landscaping and local food production.

He will continue instilling inspiration to many in Farming as not just as a means of producing  food but as an aesthetic and spiritual approach to life, the ultimate goal of which was the cultivation and perfection of human beings.