Title
"Things need to change around here." The Diversification of a Small Farm in Northwest New Jersey
Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Keywords
agriculture, education, social capital, diversification, food, farms, livelihoods
Abstract
In the face of rampant food illiteracy and the steady decline of small farms in America, many organizations, schools, and farmers are working to develop creative solutions to these problems. From Farm-to-School partnerships to civic agriculture, farmers are getting involved in their local communities. Through this involvement farmers are providing educational and social benefits to those who visit their farms, with the added benefit of diversifying their livelihood. This case study documents and evaluates the measures taken by Stephens Farm, a small Certified Organic family farm, to strengthen its livelihood. The initial goal of this project was to establish and evaluate a farm-based experiential education program on the farm to increase the food and agricultural knowledge among both the youth and their families within the local community. The ultimate goal of this project was to qualitatively evaluate how the diversification of the farm business affects its social and economic capital, and to incorporate the successful components of diversification into the farm's future business plan.
Recommended Citation
Stephens, Caitlan, ""Things need to change around here." The Diversification of a Small Farm in Northwest New Jersey" (2012). Environmental Studies Electronic Thesis Collection. 10.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/envstheses/10