Priority Working Group 3 (PWG-3) - Statewide Education Programs in Citizen Awareness of Food Systems and the Environment
Objectives
Directly following a program activity, report increased knowledge of at least two aspects of agriculture and/or its importance to the state of Florida, measured by a survey.
Production types or systems
Local farmers/producers and the diversity of farmers/producers/farmworkers
Organic and conventional agricultural practices
Technology in agriculture - small-farm technologies and sustainability technologies (labor-saving, environmental, monitoring).
Agriculture’s beneficial ecosystem services
o Providing food, fiber, freshwater (through aquifer recharge)
o Regulating climate, disease, water, etc.
o Cultural (recreation, tourism, aesthetics, sense of place, etc.)
o Supporting nutrient cycling, soil formation/conservation, wildlife habitat, etc.
Directly following a program activity, report positive changes in attitudes of least two aspects of agriculture and/or its importance to the state of Florida, measured by a survey.
Willingness to pay a higher price to support Florida agriculture
Favorable to purchasing from direct markets (or directly from producers)
Expressed appreciation of the ecosystem services that agricultural lands provide
Appreciation of the aesthetics or cultural values of the agricultural system
Perception of farmers as environmental stewards
View of agriculture as important for food security
Believe that it's important to conserve and protect agricultural lands
Annually, report adopting at least one new practice that supports Florida agriculture, measured by follow-up survey.
Buying more local products (Number of participants who increased purchases of Florida-grown food as determined in a follow-up evaluation)
Buying products that benefit local agriculture producers
Sharing information learned with others
Using information for decision making
Encouraging youth to explore/pursue careers in agriculture
Youth explore or pursue careers in agriculture
Advocating for and/or developing policies, program, and projects that support FL agriculture (Number of participants reporting support of keeping land in agricultural production in Florida, through engagement in the political process)
_
SMART - Approach to workshop
Specific - where food comes/where it grows
Measurable - knowing a farm/agroecosystem
Attainable - identifying a farm and where food comes from
Relevant - important connection to food and environment - local
Time-bound - 30-60 minutes
_
Overview - The Fundamentals of Agroecology
A breakdown of the principles and practices of agricultural ecology is important as the young discipline matures and continues to refine its purpose and relevance to not only farmers but everyone else - especially the underserved community and areas with food deserts.
Diversity is a keystone in the pursuit of agroecology, in that agricultural systems - much like cities and the world depend on multiple species and services - and while it will look different from place to place, diversity undeniably plays a critical role.
Diversity directly leads to the other goals of conserving natural resources by utilizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), from indigenous people and peasant farmers who have a true sense of place, know the lands and practices to maintain them.
In conserving natural resources, diversity is directly impacted - thus the social equity and culturally appropriate means of production and living are also improved upon and sustained.
_
Deconstruct the main pillars of Agroecology.
-- Sustained production
Sustainable intensification
Stabilized yields
Improve yields while lowering inputs – reorients instead of intensifies
On-farm inputs
-- Conserve natural resources, ecosystem services
Improves the agroecosystem – promotes ‘non-commodity outputs’
Less resource-intensive
Soil management
Air quality
Water quality
-- Maintain social equity, culturally appropriate foods
Supports food sovereignty
Promotes TEK – Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Food sovereignty
Seed saving
Local genetics
_
Questions
Ask questions one at a time and circle back on them as more is asked - to continually expand the conversation.
-- Where does food come from?
Seeds, plants, and animals
-- Where does food grow?
Gardens, Forests, Jungles, Water bodies, Farms, Orchards/Groves, Fields, Ranches, Buildings/Indoors
Soil, Water,
-- How does food grow?
Sun, Water, Soil, Farmers, Fertilizer
-- How does food get to you?
Harvesters - Works and Mechanical, Packers, Trucks, Farmers markets, Grocery stores
-- What is an ecosystem?
A community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. [Wikipedia]
-- Is a farm an ecosystem?
Yes, an agricultural ecosystem - The plants, animals, farmer, and you (consumer) along with the water, air, sun, and soil - all working together to produce food and maintain the system - in a healthy system with checks and balances to ensure sustainability.
_
Activities
This Land is Our Land. Who is in your agroecosystem? Drawing exercise. Love, Like, Don't like.
Activity Instructions and guidelines: An agroecosystem is a type of ecosystem with human agricultural activities at its center [i.e., G2H], including both living and nonliving parts and their interactions, but it also includes the entire region that is impacted by these activities [i.e., Redland, FL].
Ask learners to draw three concentric circles or other shapes on a piece of paper. Give them a topic (Plants, Flowers, Fruits, Vegetables, Animals, Pollinators…etc.) and ask them to write it in the center shape. In the second shape, learners write LOVE, in the third LIKE, and outside the last shape, DON'T LIKE. Under each of the topics, students individually choose a specific example to focus on (e.g., Trees, Grass, Leaves, Butterflies...etc.).
Learners then mingle and ask at least one of their classmates how they feel about the item or topic they have chosen, having the classmate writing their name in the shape that corresponds to their opinions, and vice versa - as a form of introduction and community building.
Plants are Stoic; Gardeners are Poets. Limerick Poem Brain Storm.
Activity instructions and guidelines: A limerick is a short and fun five-line poem with a distinctive rhythm. The first, second, and fifth lines are longer than the third and fourth lines. The rhyming pattern is AABBA. The longer A lines rhyme with each other, and the shorter B lines rhyme with each other.
Either individuals or teams of NO more than three (3) participants. {making it more interesting, if three (3) people tag team, 1st person gets A, the 2nd person gets AB, and the 3rd person gets BA. {And they have to read them out loud}.
Healing in the Kitchen. Easy recipes and Family Favorites.
Activity instructions and guidelines: How to make easy recipes or share family favorites. Recipes, especially those shared by family or close friends tell stories through the ingredients and the dish itself. They represent the culture and can have a great impact on how food is viewed and thus its relation to us all. Good health is a mixture of many factors - but it all comes back to the kitchen and the garden.
Ask for a few ideas from the students. Discuss them. Choose one or two and have them write it out - including other ingredients that are more suitable or enjoyable by them, also omitting other ingredients they don't like. There will also be the main recipe all the students will work on i.e., Veggie fritters, Garden Salad, or Tropical Smoothie.
Students will write out and explore the two recipes, then share their views and any changes or additions they made and why.
Collaborate with Education Fund - Food Forests For Schools
Workshop at schools
_
Reference
More recently, agroecology has been further
defined as a transdisciplinary scientific field of study, a productive practice,
and a social movement that aims to understand and transforms food systems
toward greater ecological sustainability, social equity, and resiliency (Francis
et al. 2003, Gliessman 2015, Méndez et al. 2015).
The fundamental goals of agroecology are to sustain production, conserve natural resources, and maintain social equity. (UF/IFAS-TREC Agroecology Lab).
Agroecology to the City
Plants to the People
Program Objectives
Priority Working Group 3 (PWG-3) - Statewide Education Programs in Citizen Awareness of Food Systems and the Environment
Objectives
Directly following a program activity, report increased knowledge of at least two aspects of agriculture and/or its importance to the state of Florida, measured by a survey.
Directly following a program activity, report positive changes in attitudes of least two aspects of agriculture and/or its importance to the state of Florida, measured by a survey.
Annually, report adopting at least one new practice that supports Florida agriculture, measured by follow-up survey.
SMART - Approach to workshop
Specific - where food comes/where it grows Measurable - knowing a farm/agroecosystem Attainable - identifying a farm and where food comes from Relevant - important connection to food and environment - local Time-bound - 30-60 minutes _
Overview - The Fundamentals of Agroecology
A breakdown of the principles and practices of agricultural ecology is important as the young discipline matures and continues to refine its purpose and relevance to not only farmers but everyone else - especially the underserved community and areas with food deserts.
Diversity is a keystone in the pursuit of agroecology, in that agricultural systems - much like cities and the world depend on multiple species and services - and while it will look different from place to place, diversity undeniably plays a critical role.
Diversity directly leads to the other goals of conserving natural resources by utilizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), from indigenous people and peasant farmers who have a true sense of place, know the lands and practices to maintain them.
In conserving natural resources, diversity is directly impacted - thus the social equity and culturally appropriate means of production and living are also improved upon and sustained.
_
Deconstruct the main pillars of Agroecology.
-- Sustained production
On-farm inputs
-- Conserve natural resources, ecosystem services
Water quality
-- Maintain social equity, culturally appropriate foods
_
Questions
Ask questions one at a time and circle back on them as more is asked - to continually expand the conversation.
-- Where does food come from?
Seeds, plants, and animals
-- Where does food grow?
Soil, Water,
-- How does food grow?
Sun, Water, Soil, Farmers, Fertilizer
-- How does food get to you?
Harvesters - Works and Mechanical, Packers, Trucks, Farmers markets, Grocery stores
-- What is an ecosystem?
A community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. [Wikipedia]
-- Is a farm an ecosystem?
Activities
This Land is Our Land. Who is in your agroecosystem? Drawing exercise. Love, Like, Don't like.
Plants are Stoic; Gardeners are Poets. Limerick Poem Brain Storm.
Healing in the Kitchen. Easy recipes and Family Favorites.
_
Places to reach out:
Baptist Homestead Hospital - Grow2Heal
Local Schools/ Community Gardens
_
Reference
More recently, agroecology has been further defined as a transdisciplinary scientific field of study, a productive practice, and a social movement that aims to understand and transforms food systems toward greater ecological sustainability, social equity, and resiliency (Francis et al. 2003, Gliessman 2015, Méndez et al. 2015).
The fundamental goals of agroecology are to sustain production, conserve natural resources, and maintain social equity. (UF/IFAS-TREC Agroecology Lab).