MUM courses:
- Energy Use by Man and Nature
- Hands On Course In Sustainable Technologies
- Permaculture Design Certification
- Sustainability Forest Academy
- Artisan Foods and the Slow Food Movement
- Local Economy
Grinnell College courses:
Resource Center
Iowa City Fieldtrip
Went to Kalona organics to check out their creamery. It was really interesting to see how it is possible to support the small Menonite farmers that have only 25-35 cows. A conventional farm would go belly up really quick if they only used local cows. It allows them to get a better price that is fair. It's actually sustainable. Wow!
The egg place at Kalona Organics was kind of gross. To me it was like a huge facility to do something that doesn't need to be done. I'd much rather see all the little farms on the outskirts of cities and towns providing cage free organic eggs that were NOT washed. The coating that they wash off apparently protects the egg and keeps it from going bad. It's another system that doesn't need to be there just like mandatory pasteurization. As long as the chickens and cows are up to a certain standard of health like organic and free range they should let off the standards so that we can get the product in a natural way if we want.
The new Pioneer co-op was really inspirational. The way they operate is an example for all sectors of business. Being fair to all the people involved is really important from a sustainability standpoint. It keeps your producers producing good products thus allowing a stable flow of product. The food was just delicious. Their selection of bread, cheese, and produce was phenomenal. It just goes to show how with proper management a system that is good for all involved is possible.
I always enjoy talking to the old timers, and especially old farmers. They have been around and it's the stories they tell that preserve part of our ancestry of oral history. Apples and hundreds of varieties. On the same tree. Anyway the guy was great despite reaching a certain maturity.