Sixth Post

I learned from Tim Griffin the intricacies of community based approaches to sustainable agriculture as opposed to government or policy driven approaches. In his opinion, community-based incentives are much more effective than policy driven ones because the citizens impacted by the change would be more receptive to locally driven initiatives than from "someone working for the big government." By working with the community, you listen, communicate, and connect with the residents. This way, they feel that their opinions and concerns are heard and incorporated into any changes. While someone coming from the government most likely comes from somewhere else and may not understand the community dynamics in the short time they are there. The former feels much more permanent while the latter feels temporary. I agree and slightly disagree with everything Tim says. I think that government policies can create certain incentives that might direct the economy and market on a national scale, but to be implemented, the community has to feel like they are involved with the decision making. A national or state legislation might not take into account all the local needs and resources, but it can drive the whole nation towards a more sustainable future.

I also learned the difficulties of rooftop agriculture from John Stoddard. A big obstacle in his project is being economically sustainable and having the workforce to make it so. One thing he said that made me really look at it differently was how he need farmers, not just gardeners. He said that a lot of people have large, nice gardens, but is still very different than producing and harvesting large quantities of crops to feed a community. This change my outlook on the difference between gardening and agriculture. One is a hobby, and the other is a way of life. It definitely made me realize how hard it can be for sustainable farmers and urban farmers. My back up plan, if I couldn't find a job or the market was really down, was to work on a farm while I look for another opportunity. I think it is still a possibility. I've worked on farms before, for short periods of time, but am unsure what the life is like long term. I'm interested in sustainable agriculture, but not enough to be my primary focus in my professional career.