Progress 10/01/04 to 08/01/05
Outputs
In conjunction with the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), four semesters of an accreted science course were provided to high school sophomores and juniors. This course provided them the opportunity to experience science first-hand and learn exactly where their food comes from. Highlights of the summer program include; the four-week course entailed a combination of farm work, such as sowing seeds, weeding, and harvesting, with lectures in botany and agri-science. In addition, the students took field trips to the Botanical Gardens, other organic farms, and local restaurants to experience the entire circle of the food production system. The student grade was based on their daily participation, an independent research project, and a group project; 15 students participated in the course during the two summer semesters. A fall and spring course were added this year to provide 9 ASFA students with the opportunity for experiential science education on their own campus.
Working with landscape architect students from Jefferson State and ASFA students, JVUF staff developed a school garden on the ASFA campus, which includes three raised beds, a compost system, and a raised herb garden. An additional program was also developed in the summer of 2005. CARE (City and Rural Exchange) is a collaborative pilot cultural exchange program between Jones Valley Urban Farm in Birmingham, Alabama and a Christian youth group (The United Christian Coalition Association) in Marengo County, Alabama. The program brought together urban high school youth and rural youth in the context of an agricultural education program. The urban youth group traveled to the Blackbelt of Alabama to experience life in a rural setting, including work on organic farms and cultural activities. The rural group traveled to Birmingham to work on an urban farm (JVUF) and experience the culture of the city, including tours of the Civil Rights Museum and history of the area. The week-long exchange
program culminated in the gathering of the two groups in Birmingham to share their experiences, feast on their harvest, and help market the produce at the Pepper Place Farmers Market. There were three main goals of the project. The first was to provide sustainable agricultural education, in hopes of inspiring students to either pursue jobs in the agricultural sector or achieve a post-secondary education. The second goal was to increase the self-knowledge of the students, including how they are similar and different from their rural or urban peers. The final goal was to increase the students knowledge of their community and opportunities for improving it, through outreach.
PRODUCTS: JVUF produced $10,000 worth of produce and flowers with the help of the ASFA students. JVUF staff expanded and published the ASAP Curriculum - "A Guide to Teaching Experiential Science on an Urban Farm." An additional curriculum was developed describing the "City and Rural Exchange" program. ASAP students completed 24 individual plant research projects and 4 group projects, including a memorial garden on the campus of ASFA.
OUTCOMES: ASAP students learned the basics of sustainable agricultural production, including sowing seeds, transplanting, asexual reproduction, integrated pest managment, weed management, harvesting techniques, and marketing. Students also learned about the food system first hand, by selling produce at a local farmers market, feeding the homeless at a shelter, and researching what food sources are available in various neighborhoods around Birmingham.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Jones Valley Urban Farm has made the ASAP curriculum available to other schools and agriculutral projects. Another local urban farm is currently replicating the education program. The curriculum is available on the web site and story of the program is being published in major magazines, such as Southern Living.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: JVUF will continue to expand the ASAP program by increasing the number of ASFA students involved and by bringing in students from other schools in the area. The CARE program wil also be expanded next year to include more students. A one day fieldtrip is being developed that will condense the ASAP curriculum and allow students to experince the course in just one day.
Impacts
Results show an expected dramatic change from the pre-course survey to the post course survey in the students knowledge of both technical production methods and the theoretical issues of sustainable agriculture. The knowledge gained during the course concerning production techniques is exemplified by one students response to the question, -How do organic farms handle pest problems? - The pre-course answer was - little more nicely than the non-organic farms.- After the course she responded, -Beneficial insects, natural pesticides, healthy plants like marigolds.- The same student left blank a question in the pre-course survey concerning the -Green Revolution.- In the post-course survey, this 16 year old student showed a surprising depth of understanding of a complex socio-economic issue by responding -(the green revolution) was advertised as a way to feed the third world, but when oil prices went up, it stopped being a miracle cure.- For urban students in Birmingham,
Alabama to understand the importance of preserving the small American farm is nothing short of a radical accomplishment. Numerous students returned to volunteer on the farm after their semester was complete and many have singed up for another semester next summer. Two students have returned as interns durning the summer of 2005.
Publications
- Birmingham Post-Hearld, July 27th, 2005, Section C, "Growing Medical Crops"
- Southern Living Magazine, August 2005, "Farming in the City"
- Birmingham Magazine, June 2005, "Pepper Place Farmers Market"
- ALFA Newsletter, August 2005
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Durning the summers of 2003 and 2004, 35 high school students from the Alabama School of Fine Arts took part in an accredited agri-science course at Jones Valley Urban Farm. This course was split into 2 semesters a summer and covered the basics of sustainable food production, such as botany, propagation, soil preparation, compost, weed/insect managment, harvesting, and marketing. Lectures on these agri-science subjects were given twice a week. In addition to the daily farm work and lectures, students completed a daily farm journal, presented individual plant research projects, and completed a group project. Students participated in weekly field trips to the botanicla gardens, local organic farms, farmers markets, soup kitchens, and restuarants. These field trips showed students how the food they grew fit into a larger social picture. Finally, the students were evaluted with before and after surveys to test their knowledge of the agri-science subject matter. An urban
agriculture curriculum was developed durning these semesters that reflecets the course content.
PRODUCTS: JVUF produced $8000 worth of produce and cut flowers each year with the help of the ASFA students. JVUF staff completed an "Arts and Science of Agriculture" curriculum. ASAP students completed 35 individual plant research projects. ASAP students completed a group project each semester. Projects included an herb garden, a labrynth garden, and a container garden in front of a local store. JVUF staff and ASAP students completed a school garden at the Alabama School of Fine Arts.
OUTCOMES: ASAP students learned the basic principals of sustainable agriculture. Students learned how to produce and use compost. Students learned the basic skills and concepts associated with the sexual propagation of crops. Students learned the basics of botany in relation to production of crops. Students learned the principals and practise of Integrated Pest Managment. Students learned how to identify and manage weeds in a farm system. Students learned the proper techniques for harvesting and marketing produce and cut flowers. Students learned why there is hunger in an urban setting and particpated in feeding the homeless. Finally, the ASAP program has helped convert 3 vacant lots in downtown Birmingham into thriving production urban farms.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: JVUF is currently distributing the ASAP curriculum to other urban farm projects, such as the Boston Food Project, as well as other local environmental education programs, such as Black Jack Farms and the Birmingham Urban Gardening Society The progarm is also reaching out to the public through local televsion coveragea and newspapers.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: In the coming year, JVUF will offer the ASAP program to other schools in the Birmingham area. The head of the science department for the Birmingham City Schools is interested in the curriculum and wants to see it become a permanent part of their system. JVUF will post the ASAP curriculum on their web site and offer it to any interested school systems. JVUF will continue to help ASFA develop a demonstration school garden on their campus. In 2005, ASAP will be offered to ASFA students durning the regular school year. Finally, JVUF will deveop a permanent urban farm for implementing this education course in downtown Birmingham.
Impacts
The ASAP program has taught 35 high school students in the Birmingham area how to grow food and the importance of a sustainable food system. These students are now potential future farmers as well as seeds in their communities to teach others about the importance of a sustainable food system. By converting 3 vacant lots in downtown Birmingham into thriving production urban farms, the ASAP program has enriched deprived neighborhoods and provided these residents with healthy organic food.
Publications
- Turner South Network "Southern Living Presents" Jones Valley Urban Farm, 2003
- Birmingham News, Section B. Monday July 5, 2004. "ASFA Students Make Farm Their Classroom.
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