Farming or Gardening?

Students Learn About Sustainable Agriculture
A few colleges in the United States provide hands-on experience in traditional farming.
13 April 2009

Many colleges and universities in the United States provide education in agriculture. But only a few schools offer experience in traditional hands-on field work in addition to classes.

Sustainable agriculture is a major goal at these colleges. They teach the need for farming to improve the environment and make good use of natural resources. Students grow organic food and use as little fossil fuels and chemicals as possible.

Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, is one of the colleges that supports sustainable agriculture. Students produce some of their own food. They prepare the soil for planting with their hands or simple tools. They do not use much big machinery that uses gasoline. Read More

I hate to sound so condescending here, but this program sounds mostly like a gardening class. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it shouldn’t be confused with the segment of agriculture where each producer has the responsibility of feeding nearly 150 people every year. That requires more than simple hand tools to accomplish, it takes a modern agricultural system.