Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Local Living Economies / Local Curriencies
New Frontier of Money
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, Apr. 4, 2006 (E. F. Schumacher Society) - Dear Friends, It is nearly two years since the E. F. Schumacher Society convened the conference "Local Currencies in the 21st Century." The event drew 300 participants from thirteen countries to Bard College on the Hudson River. It is widely agreed that the conference was a landmark event.
Some of the things people said:
"This was the best conference I've ever attended." --Pete Seeger
"It was one of the most superbly organized and inspiring events I haveattended." --Tony
"You've provided me and our Community Support Dollar project a huge shot inthe arm: connections, information, inspirations, strategies galore. I getchoked up thinking about it all." --Phillip
"Just to say that was one of the best ever conferences." --Judith
"This was indeed the best conference I've attended. Very well organized,great spirit.
I enjoyed meeting so many interesting folks from around the world. It felt like visiting a village where people vastly agreed about things that areimportant to me." --Paul Glover
The sense of community that was engendered was clearly a major cause of its success. But for many its success was that the program illuminated in a newway one of the most mystified subjects of all time: money. Margrit Kennedydemonstrated in her opening presentation that the monetary system in itscurrent form, by its very nature, creates a wealth disparity of class. Bythe end of the conference those attending understood that money can actuallytake many forms and the social and economic effect of a system is dependenton its form. Currencies can be invented for the purpose of building acommunity or for mobilizing unused resources. If shaped correctly acurrency can be a tool to empower the small economy: the economy ofcommunity and family.
Those who missed the 2004 E. F. Schumacher conference will have anotherchance to learn about the new frontier of money. We will be co-sponsoringthe Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) pre-conference onJune 8th at Champlain College in Burlington VT, entitled, "ComplementaryCurrencies: Money for Local Living Economies." The national BALLE conferencefollows on the 9th and 10th. The pre-conference will feature many of thesame speakers that made our local currency conference at Bard so inspiring,including Bernard Lietaer, author of "The Future of Money;" Edgar Cahn,founder of Time Banks and author of "No More Throw Away People;" PaulGlover, creator of Ithaca HOURS: and Tom Greco, author of "Money: CreatingAlternatives to Legal Tender" among many other inspiring and dedicatedindividuals. Susan Witt will speak on "BerkShares," our Berkshires localcurrency that is scheduled for launch in the fall of 2006. We very muchhope that you will be able to make this event. To register please go to:
http://www.livingeconomies.org/events/conference06/related
For more information on local and complementary currencies read thefollowing article by Hazel Henderson which appeared in the February issue of"Vermont Commons."
Regards, Chris Lindstrom
Special Events Coordinator
E. F. Schumacher Society140 Jug End Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
http://www.smallisbeautiful.org
New Frontier of Money
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, Apr. 4, 2006 (E. F. Schumacher Society) - Dear Friends, It is nearly two years since the E. F. Schumacher Society convened the conference "Local Currencies in the 21st Century." The event drew 300 participants from thirteen countries to Bard College on the Hudson River. It is widely agreed that the conference was a landmark event.
Some of the things people said:
"This was the best conference I've ever attended." --Pete Seeger
"It was one of the most superbly organized and inspiring events I haveattended." --Tony
"You've provided me and our Community Support Dollar project a huge shot inthe arm: connections, information, inspirations, strategies galore. I getchoked up thinking about it all." --Phillip
"Just to say that was one of the best ever conferences." --Judith
"This was indeed the best conference I've attended. Very well organized,great spirit.
I enjoyed meeting so many interesting folks from around the world. It felt like visiting a village where people vastly agreed about things that areimportant to me." --Paul Glover
The sense of community that was engendered was clearly a major cause of its success. But for many its success was that the program illuminated in a newway one of the most mystified subjects of all time: money. Margrit Kennedydemonstrated in her opening presentation that the monetary system in itscurrent form, by its very nature, creates a wealth disparity of class. Bythe end of the conference those attending understood that money can actuallytake many forms and the social and economic effect of a system is dependenton its form. Currencies can be invented for the purpose of building acommunity or for mobilizing unused resources. If shaped correctly acurrency can be a tool to empower the small economy: the economy ofcommunity and family.
Those who missed the 2004 E. F. Schumacher conference will have anotherchance to learn about the new frontier of money. We will be co-sponsoringthe Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) pre-conference onJune 8th at Champlain College in Burlington VT, entitled, "ComplementaryCurrencies: Money for Local Living Economies." The national BALLE conferencefollows on the 9th and 10th. The pre-conference will feature many of thesame speakers that made our local currency conference at Bard so inspiring,including Bernard Lietaer, author of "The Future of Money;" Edgar Cahn,founder of Time Banks and author of "No More Throw Away People;" PaulGlover, creator of Ithaca HOURS: and Tom Greco, author of "Money: CreatingAlternatives to Legal Tender" among many other inspiring and dedicatedindividuals. Susan Witt will speak on "BerkShares," our Berkshires localcurrency that is scheduled for launch in the fall of 2006. We very muchhope that you will be able to make this event. To register please go to:
http://www.livingeconomies.org/events/conference06/related
For more information on local and complementary currencies read thefollowing article by Hazel Henderson which appeared in the February issue of"Vermont Commons."
Regards, Chris Lindstrom
Special Events Coordinator
E. F. Schumacher Society140 Jug End Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
http://www.smallisbeautiful.org
Organizational Structures / Community Models
Campus Farms and Gardens: Growing a Community of Interdependence and Hope
GALT, CA, Apr. 17, 2006 (CIP, by Carol Ann Brodie) - Institutions of higher education are producing more than stellar students these days. We can count as their products broccoli, carrots, peaches and lettuce. How can this be? On campus farms and gardens!
The number of campus farms and gardens in North America varies by how you define the concept. If you are talking about just those on university or college property, then they count in the dozens. However, if we also include those that are on other properties, possibly working with local farmers, then they number over 200. These numbers increase if you count the gardens located at K-12 schools.
Each year, campus farms offer hands-on experience in growing and selling a wide range of food crops. Since 1990, farm projects have been established at over a dozen schools, including Rutgers University, Michigan State University, New Mexico State University, Bennington College, Prescott College, Oberlin College, the University of Vermont, and the College of the Atlantic. These new programs join older student farms at schools like the University of California at Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Berea College in Kentucky, and Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Warren Wilson started its farm program in 1894. The oldest student farms tend to be at smaller colleges that have made manual labor and community service a central part of their educational mission.
These farms and gardens range in size from less than an acre to hundreds of acres. Nearly half of them market a portion of their produce through community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs; others supply dining halls or sell at farmers markets. Some are certified organic, while others follow organic methods but are not certified.
Recycling Within
Most student farms use at least some compost made from food scraps or campus leaves and supply some produce back to the dining halls. At Wilson College in Pennsylvania, they only compost manure from the campus stables and supply vegetables to the cafeteria. They also convert used fryer oil from the college kitchen into biodiesel to power the farm’s irrigation pump and other equipment. The Oberlin Sustainable Agriculture Project uses a human-powered tricycle to transport food waste from student dining co-ops to the farm for composting.
Applications for Curriculum
David Orr, author of Earth in Mind (1994), suggests that community farms provide a way to include agriculture as a part of a liberal arts education. They can be used as interdisciplinary laboratories for the study of many subjects, including sustainable agriculture, ecology, botany, zoology, soil science, and philosophy. He suggests, also, that by "participating in the design and operation of college farms, students could learn that our problems are not beyond intelligent solutions; that solutions are close by; and that institutions that often seem to be inflexible, unimaginative, and remote from the effort to build a sustainable society can be otherwise." (p. 120-121) I argue that college farms can be valuable in any institution of higher education, regardless of size or structure. For example, in land grant institutions, such farms perfectly fit their vision and mission of "research, education and extension."
At the University of California, Davis, faculty use the campus farm to teach a course on organic crop production. This course educates students on topics such as organic crops, soil and pest management, cover cropping, composting, soil preparation, irrigation, harvesting and marketing. There is also an annual summer seminar series, titled "Alternatives in Agriculture." Students have also used the farm to conduct m research projects.
At the University of British Columbia, more than ten courses use the school farm during the school year. During the summer, the farm is used for a two-week sustainability field course, in which the students set up a mini-eco village and learn ways to improve the environment.
At UC Santa Cruz, staff and apprentices of the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems manage a 25-acre farm and 2-acre garden. Each year, staff teach students enrolled in a six-month apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture how to grow and care for a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers.
In 1995 University of California, Santa Cruz staff and students began a community agriculture program with 16 shareholders. It was so successful that in 1996 the project expanded to 60 shares, and has grown every year since. The project also serves as a model for local growers, many of whom attend workshops and field days at the farm.
Community Connections
There are approximately 200 schools in North America that have signed up with farm-to-college programs, which match up local farmers with area universities, according to the non-profit Community Food Security Coalition, based in Venice, California.
Some student farmers, like those at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, sell the fruits of their labor at on-campus farm stands, while the bounty from the University of Idaho at Moscow is parceled out each week to community members who have prepaid for baskets of whatever is fresh. Some student farms supply their dining halls with fresh produce, while others sell directly to restaurants. At Colorado State University's student farm, what is not sold on campus or eaten by volunteers is donated to local food pantries.
At UC Davis, the Children’s Garden brings 1000 students per year for guided tours. This program allows children to visit the garden with UC Davis students as leaders. The class "Preparatory for Fieldwork in Agricultural and Environmental Education" prepares students to be leaders in this experience. According to the David farm website, in this class, "scientific principals that explain what you are doing in the garden environment" are discussed, along with "teaching children and designing activities that will engage and stimulate them." The student farm at Davis also participates in other community involvement projects, such as workshops, guest lecturers, and extension work.
Starting a School Farm
There are several factors to consider when planning a school- or community-based farm or garden. These include forming connections, building on educational needs and participant interests, and securing funding:
Connections can include students, faculty, student groups, local non-profits and university partners. Also – think creatively. Perhaps there is a local food bank or homeless shelter that could cooperate with the effort, and benefit from their participation?
Developing the mission, vision, and goals of the student farm with input and participation from all stakeholders ensures their continued interest and support.
Funding can come from various sources, such as student government, departmental funds, grants (especially from community foundations, if available), and lastly, revenue from potential market sales and fundraisers.
For more information on campus farms, consider the following sites:
Community Food Security Coalition:
http://www.foodsecurity.org/
University of New Hampshire’s Farm Garden:
http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/fas/campus_c_farm_upd.html
Common Dreams, July 22, 2005:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0722-04.htm
The New Farm’s Directory of Student Farms:
http://www.newfarm.org/features/0104/studentfarms/directory.shtml
By Carol Ann Brodie,
Galt, California
Campus Farms and Gardens: Growing a Community of Interdependence and Hope
GALT, CA, Apr. 17, 2006 (CIP, by Carol Ann Brodie) - Institutions of higher education are producing more than stellar students these days. We can count as their products broccoli, carrots, peaches and lettuce. How can this be? On campus farms and gardens!
Gardening is an exercise in optimism. Sometimes, it is a triumph of hope over experience.- Marina Schinz
The number of campus farms and gardens in North America varies by how you define the concept. If you are talking about just those on university or college property, then they count in the dozens. However, if we also include those that are on other properties, possibly working with local farmers, then they number over 200. These numbers increase if you count the gardens located at K-12 schools.
Each year, campus farms offer hands-on experience in growing and selling a wide range of food crops. Since 1990, farm projects have been established at over a dozen schools, including Rutgers University, Michigan State University, New Mexico State University, Bennington College, Prescott College, Oberlin College, the University of Vermont, and the College of the Atlantic. These new programs join older student farms at schools like the University of California at Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Berea College in Kentucky, and Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Warren Wilson started its farm program in 1894. The oldest student farms tend to be at smaller colleges that have made manual labor and community service a central part of their educational mission.
These farms and gardens range in size from less than an acre to hundreds of acres. Nearly half of them market a portion of their produce through community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs; others supply dining halls or sell at farmers markets. Some are certified organic, while others follow organic methods but are not certified.
Recycling Within
Most student farms use at least some compost made from food scraps or campus leaves and supply some produce back to the dining halls. At Wilson College in Pennsylvania, they only compost manure from the campus stables and supply vegetables to the cafeteria. They also convert used fryer oil from the college kitchen into biodiesel to power the farm’s irrigation pump and other equipment. The Oberlin Sustainable Agriculture Project uses a human-powered tricycle to transport food waste from student dining co-ops to the farm for composting.
Applications for Curriculum
David Orr, author of Earth in Mind (1994), suggests that community farms provide a way to include agriculture as a part of a liberal arts education. They can be used as interdisciplinary laboratories for the study of many subjects, including sustainable agriculture, ecology, botany, zoology, soil science, and philosophy. He suggests, also, that by "participating in the design and operation of college farms, students could learn that our problems are not beyond intelligent solutions; that solutions are close by; and that institutions that often seem to be inflexible, unimaginative, and remote from the effort to build a sustainable society can be otherwise." (p. 120-121) I argue that college farms can be valuable in any institution of higher education, regardless of size or structure. For example, in land grant institutions, such farms perfectly fit their vision and mission of "research, education and extension."
At the University of California, Davis, faculty use the campus farm to teach a course on organic crop production. This course educates students on topics such as organic crops, soil and pest management, cover cropping, composting, soil preparation, irrigation, harvesting and marketing. There is also an annual summer seminar series, titled "Alternatives in Agriculture." Students have also used the farm to conduct m research projects.
At the University of British Columbia, more than ten courses use the school farm during the school year. During the summer, the farm is used for a two-week sustainability field course, in which the students set up a mini-eco village and learn ways to improve the environment.
At UC Santa Cruz, staff and apprentices of the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems manage a 25-acre farm and 2-acre garden. Each year, staff teach students enrolled in a six-month apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture how to grow and care for a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers.
In 1995 University of California, Santa Cruz staff and students began a community agriculture program with 16 shareholders. It was so successful that in 1996 the project expanded to 60 shares, and has grown every year since. The project also serves as a model for local growers, many of whom attend workshops and field days at the farm.
Community Connections
There are approximately 200 schools in North America that have signed up with farm-to-college programs, which match up local farmers with area universities, according to the non-profit Community Food Security Coalition, based in Venice, California.
Some student farmers, like those at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, sell the fruits of their labor at on-campus farm stands, while the bounty from the University of Idaho at Moscow is parceled out each week to community members who have prepaid for baskets of whatever is fresh. Some student farms supply their dining halls with fresh produce, while others sell directly to restaurants. At Colorado State University's student farm, what is not sold on campus or eaten by volunteers is donated to local food pantries.
At UC Davis, the Children’s Garden brings 1000 students per year for guided tours. This program allows children to visit the garden with UC Davis students as leaders. The class "Preparatory for Fieldwork in Agricultural and Environmental Education" prepares students to be leaders in this experience. According to the David farm website, in this class, "scientific principals that explain what you are doing in the garden environment" are discussed, along with "teaching children and designing activities that will engage and stimulate them." The student farm at Davis also participates in other community involvement projects, such as workshops, guest lecturers, and extension work.
Starting a School Farm
There are several factors to consider when planning a school- or community-based farm or garden. These include forming connections, building on educational needs and participant interests, and securing funding:
Connections can include students, faculty, student groups, local non-profits and university partners. Also – think creatively. Perhaps there is a local food bank or homeless shelter that could cooperate with the effort, and benefit from their participation?
Developing the mission, vision, and goals of the student farm with input and participation from all stakeholders ensures their continued interest and support.
Funding can come from various sources, such as student government, departmental funds, grants (especially from community foundations, if available), and lastly, revenue from potential market sales and fundraisers.
For more information on campus farms, consider the following sites:
Community Food Security Coalition:
http://www.foodsecurity.org/
University of New Hampshire’s Farm Garden:
http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/fas/campus_c_farm_upd.html
Common Dreams, July 22, 2005:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0722-04.htm
The New Farm’s Directory of Student Farms:
http://www.newfarm.org/features/0104/studentfarms/directory.shtml
By Carol Ann Brodie,
Galt, California
