Volume 3, No. 2 News from the Southern Region SARE/ACE Program Spring 1996


Successful farmers show and tell


 What's the

 question?

 What are the best ways to
effectively train Extension
agents and other agriculture
professionals in the concepts
and principles of sustainable
agriculture? Participants in a
survey administered at the
1996 Southern Region Sustain-
able Agriculture Consortium
Workshop in Kentucky said:

 S Move out of the
 classroom and into the
 field (88%)

 lb Use a workshop for-
 mat (85%)

 Involve farmers as
 trainers (77%)

 Perceived as the least ef-
fective training methods were:

 Speakers and con-
 ferences (38%)


'Tihe idea was unconventional in
 every way. Traditional agricultural
advisors toured farms to learn success-
ful agricultural techniques from very
unconventionalfarmers. The tours
were part of an innovative Profes-
sional Development Project coordi-
nated by Jim Palmer of Clemson and
Sam Bass of South Carolina State
University.
 "Farmers being involved as primary
teachers is a major breakthrough,"
says Jim Palmer. "We've traditionally
used them in field days and such to
emphasize land-grant recommenda-
tions, but I've never seen them utilized
as they have been by the sustainable
agriculture movement. Their knowl-
edge is an incredible resource that has
often been overlooked."
 In the Piedmont area near Rock
Hill, 52 people toured an antibiotic-
and hormone-free beef operation,
organic herb farm, conventional u-pick
strawberry operation, a conventional
dairy farm with some unique ideas


about waste management and energy
conservation and a community
supported agriculture operation.
 The Pee Dee-area tour near
Florence, with 57 attending, featured a
worm/compost farm, organic tobacco
and soybean farm, a colored cotton
operation, a conventional vegetable
production and canning operation and
a conventional row-crop farm using
extensive IPM practices.
 The tours were just the beginning,
says Sam Bass.
 "Farmers often acquire knowledge
not found in the laboratory or field test
plots, giving more meaning to the
phrase 'experience is the best teacher,'
he says. "We must do more to identify
the successful farmers and involve
them in our curricula, as well as
compensate them for their time and
expertise."
 In addition to the farm tours,
classroom-style presentations were
delivered on topics such as organic


 Classroom training
(28%)


 Magazines and
 newsletters (19%)
Request complete copies of
the survey results from Com-
mon Ground
Ph: (770) 412-4786
Fax: (770) 412-4789
e-mail: groland@gaes.griffin.
peachnet.edu


Mike James' demonstration of composting worms that detoxify
heavy metals in industrial waste was rated a top learning
experience. James, who sells both the high-value compost and the
worms, has tapped an international market. Photo by Jim Palmer.


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