Module IV Section B Case Studies
Section B: Real People, Real Farms: Case Studies
Projected outcomes:
- Students will learn about examples of sustainable fruit and vegetable production both in-state and around the country and the world
- Students will be able to apply the concepts taught in the module to real situations
Background /Lessons:
The best exposure to a sustainable farm or food processing operation is a visit. The next best thing is to invite a farmer to speak to your class in the school. To get suggestions of nearby sustainable enterprises to visit or speakers to invite, contact your local Extension agent or one of the sustainable agriculture organizations listed under Additional Resources.
Make sure your host or speaker knows in advance what aspects of the operation your class is interested in. You might want to discuss some possible activities that would be appropriate for your class to do.
Prepare your class for the visit by reviewing what you know about the enterprise and having them figure out what questions they want answered. The questions should address some aspect of sustainability, but they may range from questions about values and quality of life to technical questions about how crops are grown.
If you wish, you can assign the class the task of writing up a case study of the farm or enterprise based on the field trip. They can use the farm interview form as the basic template for the case study. They can also take pictures or videos, provided they get permission from the host.
If a field trip or guest presenter is not feasible, use one or more of the case studies suggested below
Activity 1 Evaluating sustainability
Harmony Valley , Viroqua , Wisconsin is a diverse organic vegetable farm in southwestern Wisconsin. They direct market through a CSA and at farmers’ markets, and also sell some crops to natural foods retailers. See the SARE case study on Richard DeWilde and Linda Halley, taken from The New American Farmer: Profiles of Agricultural Innovation.
Growing Power in Milwaukee is an urban farm and educational facility. In addition to growing food on-site, Growing Power helps a network of small farms market their products. Wisconsin Academy article. Also, see the FamilyFarmed.org article.
Growing Harmony Farm, Nevada, Iowa. Gary Guthrie runs an organic vegetable farm on two and a half acres in Nevada, Iowa. He markets his vegetables through a CSA and also sells to restaurants and a local food coop. Please read “Carrots to the Core,” an article on the New Farm website.
“Stories from the Fields: Fresh Market Fruits and Vegetables” includes 3 short videos about sustainable horticulture projects in Wisconsin.
- “Local Food For Local Communities” (15 Minutes) covers a variety of local food system outlets, from CSAs to farmers markets to local produce auctions
- “Healthy Grown Potatoes” (9 Minutes) describes a project to market potatoes grown with Integrated Pest and Nutrient Management Practices
- “Eco-Apple Project” (11 Minutes) describes techniques apple growers can use to minimize their use of toxic pesticides and still manage pests
To receive resources, see video ordering information
“Young Agrarians” is a 25-minute video about a variety of sustainable horticulture enterprises involving young farmers, mostly in the western US. There is a free resource guide to accompany the video. For more information or to order a copy of the “Young Agrarians” video, please contact Johanna Divine at johanna.divine@nau.edu or (928) 774-6116
Wisconsin Eco-Potato Growers are also profiled on the eco-potato website. These profiles are very short and contain little detail on practices, so they work better as a complement to the video than as a stand-alone resource.
A Bountiful Harvest: Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Manage Pests, published by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, contains case studies of 15 Minnesota fruit and vegetable farms that have adopted integrated pest management (IPM) and other sustainable practices.
The New American Farmer by SARE profiles sustainable farm operations from around the country, including a number of fruit and vegetable growers. In the html version you can search by commodity (e.g., vegetables, flowers, apples, grapes, herbs, etc.).
Career Pathway content standards
| Projected Outcome | National Agricultural Education Standards Performance Element or Performance Indicators | Activity Number(s) (in this section) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Explain how fruits and vegetables fit into Iowa and Wisconsin’s agriculture and their food systems. | FPP.01 Examine components of the food industry and historical development of food products and processing. FPP.01.01 Evaluate the significance and implications of changes and trends in the food products and processing industry. | B |
| 2. Describe how horticulture crops fit into the world food system and global economy. | CS.02.02 Interact with others in a manner that respects the differences of a diverse and changing society. FPP.03.01 Apply principles of science to food processing to provide a safe, wholesome and nutritious food supply. CS.05.03 Research geographical data related to AFNR systems. | B |
| 3. Give examples of sustainable fruit and vegetable production both in-state and around the country and the world. | PS.03.04 Apply principles and practices of sustainable agriculture to plant production. | B |