UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Brooks, Kelli
Dept./Program:
Natural Resources
Year:
2010
Degree:
MS
Abstract:
Although the number of farmers in the United States has been in steady decline, the number of women farmers has significantly increased in recent years. Another emergent trend in farming is the practice of civic agriculture which emphasizes the reintegration of local farming and food production into the community through a web of activities which are tightly linked to economic and social development. This study investigates the intersection of these agricultural trends though in-depth interviews with women operating farms in the Intervale of Burlington, Vermont. The purpose ofthis research is to explore the pathways, knowledge resources, and practices of women farmers in relation to the ideas and goals of civic agriculture.
Thematic analysis of 11 interviews with women currently operating farms in the Intervale revealed the factors which influenced their choice to enter into the profession of farming. A childhood connection to food production, educational experience and work experience were revealed as significant experiences which contributed to the entry of these women onto the pathway of farming. The ways in which the farmers are both motivated and challenged by their work were also explored. Personal connection with their community was a sustaining motivator, while issues of physical health and the navigation of spaces in which the women felt marginalized due to their gender emerged as challenges. The results of the research also illustrate the particular methods of knowledge production employed by the study participants. The women farmers were found to characterize a trend within alternative agriculture that increasingly relies upon localized knowledge production within the farming community.
Finally, this research examined how the women farmers are implementing the practices of civic agriculture. The farmers described the methods they employ in order to achieve their goals of environmental stewardship, economic security and social justice. In addition, their level of agreement was measured in relation to the academically proposed characteristics of a localized food system. The results of this research suggest that the farms ofthe Intervale represent a successful case study ofthe efforts to build a healthy community through the practices of civic agriculture.
Thematic analysis of 11 interviews with women currently operating farms in the Intervale revealed the factors which influenced their choice to enter into the profession of farming. A childhood connection to food production, educational experience and work experience were revealed as significant experiences which contributed to the entry of these women onto the pathway of farming. The ways in which the farmers are both motivated and challenged by their work were also explored. Personal connection with their community was a sustaining motivator, while issues of physical health and the navigation of spaces in which the women felt marginalized due to their gender emerged as challenges. The results of the research also illustrate the particular methods of knowledge production employed by the study participants. The women farmers were found to characterize a trend within alternative agriculture that increasingly relies upon localized knowledge production within the farming community.
Finally, this research examined how the women farmers are implementing the practices of civic agriculture. The farmers described the methods they employ in order to achieve their goals of environmental stewardship, economic security and social justice. In addition, their level of agreement was measured in relation to the academically proposed characteristics of a localized food system. The results of this research suggest that the farms ofthe Intervale represent a successful case study ofthe efforts to build a healthy community through the practices of civic agriculture.