Recently I came across a news report about an entrepreneur in the Bay Area. He started planting and tending organic gardens in the backyards of homeowners who want organically grown produce, but who haven't the time or ability to grow it themselves. His customers don't trust the organic labels at the market, and they value knowing the source and history of the food they eat. The story stressed that globalization and industrialization have hit a wall. For all the good that comes from interlaced economies and lowered trade barriers, a shadow side is now obvious. The toys we buy our children come from remote sources that veil scary truths about toxicity. Tomatoes grown on industrialized farms three thousand miles from our grocery store look red and ripe, but they are hard on the inside and may carry salmonella.

The Bay Area "farmer" is tapping into a counter trend at work in our culture. Fueled by a growing realization that globalization has its limits, we are witnessing an increasing appreciation ...