"Bromfield understood the importance of soil and water conservation. He once said, “The problem of soil and water conservation is our gravest and most fundamental national problem.” Its is the duty of every citizen, for his own welfare, if for no other reason, to support and fight for and possibly initiate measures having to do with conservation of soil,water and forests” -Louis Bromfield Bromfield used the example of the steel mills in Youngstown, Ohio, to highlight the importance of the issue. In 1941, the mill was near closing because there was no water. Almost exactly one year later it was near closing due to flooding; flooding caused by heavy rainfall and poor soil profiles. Rain falls the same way as it always has, but because forests and sod have been destroyed as a result of destructive farming methods, only about twenty to forty percent of the water remains. What happens to the rest? It sweeps away into rivers and to oceans almost immediately, taking with it tons of precious topsoil. Louis Bromfield used Malabar Farm to spread the message about the importance of soil and water conservation." SOURCE: https://malabarfarm.org/photo-gallery/