Ecological Agriculture
biol/agric/geog 303 - Pacific Rim - Summer Session II
Ecological Agriculture focuses on how agricultural systems can be developed to better resemble natural ecosystems to achieve multiple outcomes: food for communities, a vibrant economy, and healthy ecosystems. Focus is on learning agricultural principles that can be applied in rural, urban, temperate, and tropical settings. Issues of justice and public policy are also discussed. This course employs a discussion format both in classroom and field settings. It grapples with difficult, practical, and ethical problems and issues that require deep interdisciplinary analysis. (4 credits)
Field, Interdisciplinary, Applied.
Professor: Dr. Ron Vos
Meets: Monday & Thursday
knowledge gained
Where food comes from
Issues that people involved in agriculture face (zoning, water rights, immigration)
How to analyze a farm’s sustainability
How different worldviews affects one’s view of agriculture
What a theocentric view of agriculture could look like
Employment opportunities in the area of agriculture and community development
Role of graduate students in agricultural research
Skills Developed
Learning how to take good soil samples and understand soil test results
Learning how to compost
Learning about macro-nutrients and their deficiency symptoms
Learning what ‘weeds’ and pests are and how to manage them
Learning how to develop a community food project and how to share it with others
Distinguishing between organic farms, sustainable farms and conventional farms
Learning the differences between tropical and temperate agriculture and how each is unique
Learning how to assess one’s own food footprint
Understanding and identifying different world views
Learning how to set up a randomized, complete block design experiment
Field Experiences
Participate in on-farm activities
Design, develop and complete a small research project
Visit and learn from people involved in various farms and gardens including tree fruits, berries, salmon, mussels, dairy cows, goats, chickens, geese, ducks, bison, oysters, clams, leeks, carrots, potatoes, permaculture, urban agriculture, and backyard gardening
Meet graduate students and learn about their research projects
Observe bio-generation of electricity