Section B: Real People, Real Farms – Case Studies

• Projected Outcomes
• Dick and Sharon Thompson, IA
• Other Case Studies
• Activity
• Career Pathway content standards

Projected outcomes:

• Students will learn about examples of sustainable farms both in the region and around the country and the world.
• Students will be able to apply the concepts taught in the module to real situations.

Dick and Sharon Thompson, IA

Dick and Sharon Thompson are established leaders in sustainable agriculture in the Midwest. Their profile here is taken from The New American Farmer: Profiles of Agricultural Innovation, published by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program of the US Department of Agriculture.

The Thompson farm has also been documented in a video, Walking the Journey…Sustainable Agriculture that Works. Please click on the video title for ordering information and discussion suggestions.

Tsyunhehkw^ – Preserving Native American Corn and Culture

The Oneida Nation in Wisconsin raises their traditional white corn in ways that support both the land and the community. This description of their agricultural operation was provided by Jeff Metoxen, the manager of their farming operation. For more information, see the Oneida Nation and tsyunhehk^ Web sites.

Case Study Activity: Evaluating Sustainability

Other Case Studies

Other useful profiles for this region from The New American Farmer include:

Carmen Fernholz in Minnesota
Tom Larson in Nebraska
Bob Finken in North Dakota

There are many short videos on the web addressing aspects of sustainable field crop production, especially use of cover crops, including:

Gabe and Paul Brown, North Dakota
Ten short cover crop videos from the Midwest

National written sustainable agriculture profiles include:

Bob Quinn, Montana (wheat)
Karl Kupers, Washington (wheat and barley)
Dorman and Fogler families, Maine (potatoes, barley, corn, rye)
Max Carter, Georgia (peanuts, corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, rye)
Jackie Judice, Louisiana (sugar cane)
Terry and LaRhea Pepper, Texas (cotton)
Ed and Wynette Sills, California (rice, popcorn, wheat, dry beans, cover crop seed)

Career Pathway content standards