Presentations on Sustainable Agriculture
Learning Outcomes
This assignment is designed to address Critical Thinking outcomes. These specific outcomes are incorporated into the grading rubrics for the papers.
If you wish, you may click HERE to download the American Association of Colleges and Universities VALUE rubric on Critical Thinking
Teaching
KVCC's programs in Sustainable Agriculture and Culinary Arts, along with the KVCC Center for Farm-to-Table Innovation, are exploring opportunities for KVCC students to explore careers in exciting and emerging fields.
You have likely seen the bumper sticker saying "No Farms, No Food" and that cannot be understated. In our economy, however, we need to explore practices that allow for sustained existence of businesses so that we can assure a steady supply of wholesome and locally grown food.
These initiatives are deeply agricultural, tied to issues of global and local ecology, and are political...with opposing sides to many of these debates.
This assignment asks that you attend any one of a series of lectures being sponsored by the KVCC Center for Farm-to-Table Innovation.
Click HERE to see the Spring 2014 Speaker Series Schedule
You are to do the following:
- Attend the presentation.
- Take notes and participate (as opportunity presents) in the exploration of a topic that is discussed in the presentation.
- Take notes on the viewpoints and evidence that is presented on the topic by the speaker.
- After the meeting, conduct some fact-finding research on the topic (if there are alternative arguments, make sure you look at both sides of the issue).
- Evaluate your own thoughts on the issue in light of your participation in the presentation and your research.
- Write the paper in accordance with the rubric below.
- Submit the paper in MS Word or PDF format to the appropriate drop box.
At the meeting there will be KVCC staff present who will sign off on the form below documenting that you attended the meeting. It is up to you to seek these individuals out and have them sign the form for you.
Click HERE to download the form.
Submit this form to me directly in class, scanned to an email, or mail it to me at the address below:
Mark Kavanaugh
KVCC
92 Western Ave.
Fairfield, ME 04936
You may also fax it to me at (207) 453-5110
Due to the scheduling issues that happened with the Farm to Table speaker series, I offer any of the following videos for you to watch instead.
Why Sustainable Farming Matters: Dean Carlson
Dean is a 1994 graduate of the University of Chicago with an AB in Economics. After being a floor based derivative market maker for a few years, he moved to Philadelphia and then Dublin to trade convertible bond securities. Always bothered by the assumption of infinite growth in the field of economics, Dean became interested in how this assumption affects agriculture. After discovering the concept of sustainable agriculture, Dean changed careers and became a full time farmer. He purchased the 350+ acre Wyebrook Farm in Northern Chester County and set out to farm it sustainably. He raises 100% grass fed beef, heritage breed pigs in the woods and poultry out on pasture. Dean and his team sell hand-butchered meats in a fully restored 18th century stone barn on the property. Dean believes that it is important for people to have a real connection with their food and that buying food from the place it originated is a satisfying way to do this.
From Farm to Fork
This thought provoking film is ideal for stimulating discussion and debate about the way we rear animals for food in Britain today. The movie looks at: the origins of factory farming, selective breeding of farmed animals, animal welfare impacts of intensive farming and personal action and food choices.
From the Farm to the Table
From the Farms to the Table, exploring Pennsylvania's farm, agribusiness and food industries, showing how they work together to supply our food and create jobs that strengthen our state's economy. Illustrating how advances in research and technology benefit farmers, agribusiness and consumers of food.
Grading Rubric
The following criteria will be used to evaluate and grade your submission:
