Engaging Youth in Sustainable Farming and Benefits of Direct Marketing

Project Abstract
Student need more opportunities to move out of the classroom and into the farming community to learn first hand from farmers about sustainable agriculture as systems that are both economically and ecologically viable. This project will bring together students in an interdisciplinary learning environment to increase awareness about practices and production, direct marketing, and cultural realities that are fostered by sustainable agriculture. The aim is to inform young consumers and future farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, chefs and food service workers about the viability of local, sustainable agriculture.

Detailed Project Plan and Timeline
Spring 2017:
-Develop materials to use with students and then archive them on BFBLN webpage for wider use by the community. We will disseminate and build upon the informational materials generated by SARE and develop mechanisms to distribute them to new audiences and use them to introduce students who may not already be familiar with SARE or current research in the field.
-In-class presentations in Agroecology AGRO435 and Organic Farming AGRO439 and two presentations at local partner high schools, in both rural and urban settings, where youth will learn about direct marketing and local food systems.
One half-day farm tour to a BFBL farm, in partnership with Dr. Francis. College students are the primary participants in this tour, and students will manage transportation on their own.

Summer and Fall 2017:
-Work closely with partners and BFBL member farmer and farmers’ market manager partner to develop plans for field tours and market tours. Organize logistical needs. Conduct outreach with partners and cooperate with farm and market hosts in planning. Develop evaluation methods.

Spring 2018:
-In-class presentations in Agroecology AGRO435 and Organic Farming AGRO439 and two presentations at local partner high schools, one urban, one rural, where youth will learn about direct marketing and local food systems. -2 half-day farm tours at Buy Fresh Buy Local member farms and one farmer's market tour

--Youth will learn the role and importance of practices such as crop diversity, cover crops, soil and water quality improvements, soil erosion control, rotational grazing, poultry and small-scale livestock production, organic agriculture, and other practices inspired by meetings with farmers

--Youth will learn about the importance of value-added products and direct marketing as components of sustainable agriculture systems, and the role of a farmer's market in a sustainable and socially responsible local food system.

Spring 2017 and 2018: Evaluation and outreach to other youth educators.
-Pre- and post- tour surveys will be used to measure students’ awareness and learning.
-Survey and conduct evaluation interviews with student participants, farmers and teachers who are involved in the project. We will do video exit interviews with students and share these with other youth educators.
-Will share video interviews on social media and through the BFBL website.
-We will track how often the materials we develop are viewed or downloaded from the website.

Resources Used
-Charles Francis, Department of Agronomy & Horticulture, UNL -Camelle Kinney, North Star High School
-Agronomy and Horticulture students in UNL courses
-Partner high schools in (Lancaster County), teachers and FFA advisors. -Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society

-Old Cheney Road Farmers’ Market
-SARE presentations and materials
-Resources from UNL Extension, UNL IANR, UNL Department of Agricultural Economics, Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and other BFBL Advisory Board member expertise and involvement.

Outreach

-We will have students write articles or letters to the editor as part of their class involvement.
-The project will be promoted through social media and on the BFBL webpage.
-We will do video exit interviews with students.
Group projects or presentations will be developed with teachers and advisors, when possible for extra credit or course credit.

-We will evaluate pre- and post-activity survey results and will share with youth educators.
-We will house materials, survey results and video interviews on the BFBL website, and make documents available to participants, teachers, youth educators and to the community.

Student and Community Impact

Through video interviews, written articles or letters to the editor as part of their class involvement and pre- and post-activity surveys we will be able to measure impact and learning.
-We will count and track participation and use of materials and resources.