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.
From Cows and Cheese to Tractors and Hazelnut Trees
Event: Willamette Valley AgricultureInterviewer: Mika
Whom did you interview?
During our conversations with the Young Farmers and Ranchers I primarily interacted with Roy, Roy’s wife, and Hannah. They all shared their different experiences and connections to agriculture. Hannah and her husband have started a first generation small farm Christmas trees and logging. Roy farms hazelnuts and shared to us his love for farming and tractors.
How did your EcoTypes and SDG priorities compare?Our EcoTypes were all very similar. We discussed in length the implications of technology in agriculture. EcoTypes survey put Hannah and Roy’s wife between Small Green Steps and Earth Action. The young farmers and ranchers leaned more towards the Small Green Steps. They shared their beliefs of how sustainability by the individual and community can make a real difference. For SDGs, Hannah shared her approach that by prioritizing Zero Hunger and Clean Water that many of the other goals will follow., I agreed with this.
What larger MCJD lessons did you learn?Through conversations with Hannah, Roy, and Roy’s wife from the Young Farmers and Ranchers, I gained valuable insights into how “Many Care, Just Differently” (MCJD) plays out in the agricultural community. Despite differing farming practices, everyone we spoke with shared a strong commitment to sustainability and community resilience, though each approached it in their unique way.Hannah and her husband, as first-generation farmers with a small farm focused on Christmas trees and logging, approach sustainability through community-driven, small-scale actions. Her approach reminded me that there are many ways to care for the environment, with some people choosing to focus on foundational issues as a path toward broader sustainability.