Tomorrow's Harvest
(The following is adapted from a grant proposal. Kindly forgive the academic language — I haven't had time to rewrite it properly!)
Tomorrow's Harvest is a study of the cultural context of sustainable agriculture and of the growth and development of sustainable agriculture in North Carolina since about 1970. Although there is an impressive body of scientific research about sustainable farming practices, very little has been done to understand the cultural context of sustainable agriculture, the reasons for its development and its impact on local communities. Given the USDA’s recent codification of organic standards and the current boom in organic sales, the time is ripe for an examination of the origins and impact of this movement. In addition, a study of these issues in North Carolina is particularly timely given the economic and environmental difficulties faced by farm communities in the eastern part of the state.
A brief explanation of sustainable agriculture and its growth in North
Carolina may be helpful. Sustainable agriculture is a term used
loosely to describe the production of food and fiber in a manner consistent
with the long term health of growers, workers, consumers, communities,
and the earth. The umbrella of sustainable farming methods includes (indeed,
often assumes) organic growing practices, but it covers a variety of practices
that make small-scale production profitable, reduce off-farm inputs, and
adapt to local conditions. In addition, sustainable agriculture often
involves the development of close, mutually beneficial and non-exploitative
relationships between producers and consumers, such as co-ops, community
supported agriculture (CSA), and the more traditional farmers’ markets.
North Carolina has perhaps the most vibrant
sustainable agriculture community in the Southern United States. Since
the 1970s, farmers working toward more sustainable practices have loosely
clustered around Chapel Hill, Asheville, and to a lesser extent Wilmington.
They are a highly diverse group, including homesteaders, part-time and
full-time farmers; some are descended from a long line of farmers, while
others were raised in cities or suburbs. Since about 1980, a number of
institutions have grown up to support these farmers, ranging from nonprofits
such as the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and the American Livestock
Breeds Conservancy to farmers markets, grocery stores, and restaurants
that rely on local produce. During the 1990s, the state’s higher
education system also began to address sustainable agriculture, through
the research of scientists at North Carolina State University and North
Carolina A&T University and through the Sustainable Farming Program
at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro, which trains future
farmers in sustainable practices.
Tomorrow’s Harvest will focus on the cultural conditions that have fostered the growth of sustainable agriculture in North Carolina and how, in turn, the development of sustainable agriculture has affected various North Carolina communities. Why has North Carolina, and especially the region around Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, become such a center of sustainable agriculture? Why have farmers chosen to move toward sustainable methods of production, and what has drawn so many non-farmers "back to the land" and into successful agricultural careers? How have networks and communities of growers developed, and what kinds of support have they offered? How have informal means of support and education become institutionalized, and what how has that institutionalization affected farmers? How has local and direct contact between producers and consumers affected both groups? How have rural and urban influences combined to produce this movement, and where are they leading it for the future?
As a first step, I intend to interview farmers, both pioneers in sustainable practices and relative newcomers. To provide broader context, I will also interview individuals who work in various ways to support these farmers, including businesspeople, educators, activists, and government officials. These interviews will cover various regions of the state, though I expect that the greatest number will address the Piedmont region.
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