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Sustainable Farming Goes to College
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By Shelley Gollust
Washington
26/04/2009
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Click here to read Lao/ຄລິກບ່ອນນີ້ເພື່ອອ່ານພາສາລາວ
 | | Travis Trumbull is displaying quality compost. |
Many colleges and universities in the United States provide education in agriculture. But only a few schools offer experience in traditional hands-on
field work in addition to classes. Sustainable agriculture is a major goal at these colleges. They teach the need
for farming to improve the environment and make good use of natural resources.
Students grow organic food and use aslittle fossil fuels and chemicals as
possible.
Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont is one of the colleges that
supports sustainable agriculture. Students produce some of their own food. They
prepare the soil for planting with their hands or simple tools. They do not use
much big machinery that uses gasoline.
This month, students are making their own sugar and maple syrup. After liquid
sap is taken from sugar maple trees, it goes to a sugarhouse where the sap is
boiled. Students built the sugar-house. The college farm has solar-powered
barns, gardens, fruit trees, greenhouses and animals. Sterling College President Will Wootton says the school's Sustainable
Agriculture Program includes pay for farm jobs. The money reduces the cost of
the students' education. The students care for steers, oxen, chickens, a
turkey, goats and sheep. A pig and a guard llama also live on the farm.
Goshen College in Wolf Lake, Indiana is another college teaching sustainable
agriculture. In June, students at the Agroecology Summer Intensive Program
begin taking courses like Introduction to Soils. Agroecology examines the connection between agricultural
crops and the environment.
At the same time, Goshen students start nine weeks of workon the college's
farm. They will plant crops like collard greens, kale, tomatoes, lettuce and
eggplant. They will mix leaves, animal waste and food waste from the college's
kitchens to make compost. The students use the mixture to fertilize the soil
instead of buying chemical fertilizers that could harm the environment.
Professor Dale Hess directs Goshen College's Environmental Education Collegiate
Program. Professor Hess says a major value of sustainable agriculture is making
good use of what you have. He says knowing how to do this may be especially
valuable if fossil fuel should become unavailable. Professor Hess says food
security is national security. ຟັງສຽງ ເປັນພາສາລາວໄດ້ ໂດຍການກົດປຸ່ມຢູ່ຂວາມືຂ້າງເທິງ.
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