Sunday, May 29, 2011

Sustainable Farming

What are the major elements of "sustainable" farming? How are ecological principles woven into this framework? Do you buy organic or "naturally" labeled foods? Why or why not? Do you feel connected or disconnected to the current food system? If there were space on campus, would you be interested in growing your own vegetables (or, if the thought of vegetables makes you wince, fruit instead)?

Environment protection, social responsibility, and economic viability are the three major elements of sustainable farming. A farmer should keep in mind how their farm affects the environment around them whether it be the way it plants, grows, or harvests its crops. A farmer also has a social responsibility to keep their crops safe and free of harmful chemicals under supervision of the USDA. A farmer has an economic viability to keep so that they can make a profit. It doesnt matter how safe a farm is, if the system does not yield profit then there wont be any use unless the farm is just to feed a family or village. Me personally I do not buy organic or natural foods even though they are probably healthier for me. Being a college student I am more focused on how much a product is rather than how healthy it is. Price overcomes natural/organic when im grocery shopping. If there was space on campus to grow our own produce I would think it would be a waste of space and money unless a class is actually involved with taking care of it. People are to busy or lazy to take care of crops in the open time.

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