Re: sustAg in classroom

Rudolf Zubler (rudzub@netrover.com)
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 10:53:40 -0500

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_000B_01BF2DC5.58ACF380
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hello everyone,
my name is Rudy, I'm a commercial dairy and crop farmer in Ontario.
I strongly agree with John Lozier that we should start talking about =
simply "agriculture" instead of all these special definitions that =
confuse everyone and rebuke some. Agriculture in the true sense of the =
meaning is sust. ecol. org. etc. anyway, the OTHER STUFF like huge hog =
facilities, monocultures of annual crops, gmos etc SHOULD NEED EXTRA =
LABELS.=20
We have to get over the idea that things "in tune with nature" are =
alternatives, and all this crazy stuff about dominating her is =
conventional.
Sustainable, organic, eco-farming is simply NORMAL PRACTICE, the other =
way around is INDUSTRIAL FOOD PRODUCTION !
Just like being an "environmental activist" is not about going to demos =
on weekends, but simply including the ecological impact assessment in =
every decision we make every day (doesn't have to be fancy!).
Let's quit talking about it, just go out and DO IT !
But to get back on the subject of teaching: what this culture needs most =
is basics - get gardening and housekeeping ("household management" if =
you like it fancy) into the curriculum from Kindergarten to grade 12, 1 =
or 2 hours a week. These are basic life skills that need training like =
any other. Of course, further studies into the relationships of ag. and =
society are needed too, but first give everyone an understanding of =
"what the heck's it all about". This would also improve society in =
general.
Best regards Rudy Zubler

------=_NextPart_000_000B_01BF2DC5.58ACF380
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">

Hello everyone,
my name is Rudy, I'm a commercial = dairy and crop=20 farmer in Ontario.
I strongly agree with John Lozier = that we should=20 start talking about simply  "agriculture" instead of all = these=20 special definitions that confuse everyone and rebuke some. Agriculture = in the=20 true sense of the meaning is sust. ecol. org. etc. anyway, the OTHER = STUFF like=20 huge hog facilities, monocultures of annual crops, gmos etc SHOULD NEED = EXTRA=20 LABELS.
We have to get over the idea that = things=20 "in tune with  nature" are alternatives, and all this = crazy stuff=20 about dominating her is conventional.
Sustainable, organic, = eco-farming  is=20 simply NORMAL PRACTICE, the other way around is INDUSTRIAL FOOD = PRODUCTION=20 !
Just like being an = "environmental=20 activist" is not about going to demos  on weekends, but simply = including the ecological impact assessment in every decision we make = every day=20 (doesn't have to be fancy!).
Let's quit talking about it, just go = out and DO=20 IT !
But to get back on the subject of = teaching: what=20 this culture needs most is basics - get gardening and housekeeping=20 ("household management" if you like it fancy) into the = curriculum=20 from  Kindergarten to grade 12, 1 or 2 hours a week. These are = basic life=20 skills that need training like any other. Of course, further studies = into the=20 relationships of ag. and society are needed too, but first give everyone = an=20 understanding of "what the heck's it all about". This would = also=20 improve society in general.
Best regards    Rudy=20 Zubler
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01BF2DC5.58ACF380-- To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest". All messages to sanet-mg are archived at: http://www.sare.org/htdocs/hypermail