Here are student summaries of fall 2024 MCJD dialogical surveys with Willamette Valley farmers and ranchers. Click on any title for details, then return to see all titles.
Fun with Farmers
Event: Willamette Valley AgricultureInterviewer: Ren
Whom did you interview?
Ron farms a thousand acres of leased land. His family has been farming for many generations. His dad also farms a few hundred acres 40 of which are in organic production. Ron grows a variety of crops, producing grass and clover seed as well as hay, blueberries, and some animals. Ron went to Idaho state for crop system management and uses his skills to farm efficiently using mostly conventional practices.
How did your EcoTypes and SDG priorities compare?Our group’s SDG priorities and Ecotypes tended to be similar. As both of us were Small Green Steps I could see the connection between wanting bottom up change and a farmers passion to feed their country. As the front line between nature and humans farmers have some of the closest relations with nature. They care for it and produce food from it but also have to balance harming it with protecting it. Ron’s SDG priorities reflected this: clean water, life on land and in water being major priorities as well as responsible consumption and production. These priorities are similar to mine, in particular our overlap of responsible production and consumption.
What larger MCJD lessons did you learn?I think the larger lesson to learn is that the farmers care so much for the earth. They take the responsibility of feeding us. They know chemicals are not the best, they also know that farming a thousand acres is usually only manageable when herbicides are used for efficient weeding. The farmers are just doing what they need to do to feed people and themselves. In a way when it feels like the farmers are the sacrificial pawns of society they labor for our stomachs and get little in return. We need to to shift to praising and providing more for the farmers who go through so much to provide for us.