Spring Valley EcoFarms is a non-profit organization focusing on education, research, and outreach to promote more ecologically sustainable agriculture. Its seat is Spring Valley Farm, 100 acres in the Georgia Piedmont. The vision is to reduce reliance on external subsidies in agricultural systems through incorporating free services of nature. The goal is to develop a model for conservation of biological diversity and to provide a laboratory where ecological science and theory are put to a real-world test.
Enviro-awareness: How to grow an environmentally conscious child
Story by Kathleen Frey
Green Solutions Column- Southern Distinction, May 2009 issue
Spring Valley EcoFarms is honored to have recently hosted a dinner for the members of the First Charter Board of the Eugene P. Odum School of Ecology.
Athens, Georgia
It’s dusk and at Spring Valley EcoFarms there is a flurry of activity.
Guests arrive…among them Tom Landrum, Rutherford Seydel, Rebecca Bell, Ron Pulliam, Ralph Callaway, Wayne and Cookie King, Steve Weber, Tim Johnson, The Caldwell’s, The Bethea’s, Blaesing’s, McCollum’s, Laurie Fowler…there are Odum School professors, students, the Dean…the weather is perfect and music lightly bounces off of the trees. Dr. Carl Jordan speaks of the long legacy of research he’s been a part of and wishes to continue at SVE. Dr. Jeb Byers and Dr. Sonia Altizer each talk of their passions and why they are proud to be part of the Odum School of Ecology- the world’s first stand alone school dedicated solely to ecology. Beth Butler makes sure guests are warm while Bob Berkebile delivers a moving speech on the Green Building project for the school of Ecology and UGA. Guests share ideas throughout the evening and relax by the bonfire…and among the twinkling lights a new team is bound by the red Georgia clay mortar….
UGA Odum Ecology School Researcher creates tool demonstrating profitability of organic farming
Research at the Agroecology Laboratory at the UGA Odum School of Ecology has led to the creation of organic farming enterprise budgets. Prior to this development, the economic decision-making tool used to estimate profitability was not widely available for organic production. The work was conducted at Spring Valley EcoFarms. It is a very pertinent development.
Sustainable Agriculture Summit – Focus on the Future
Summary
The Sustainable Agriculture Summit was held on June 12, 2008 at FortValleyStateUniversity in cooperation with the University of Georgia and Southern SARE. The purpose of the Summit was to obtain stakeholder input on the critical needs for sustainable agriculture in Georgia. There were 190 participants. Based on the survey responses (48% returned), it was a diverse group with 34% farmers,17% non‐profit organizations, 16% researchers, 13% educators, 10% Extension, 3% agricultural professionals, and 9% others that included retailers, produce buyers, and an agricultural loan officer. Small breakout groups identified 36 critical needs. After lunch, the large group clarified some of the topics that came out of the small groups. At the end of the day, participants were asked to vote for their top four priorities. The votes were tallied and weighted to obtain a weight rank.
The four top‐ranked priorities are summarized as:
1. Educating people about sustainable agriculture at a younger age,
2. Developing more local meat processing facilities,
3. Conducting place‐based research,
4. Developing rural infrastructure such as canneries, seed processing, etc.
Several themes emerged from the small groups. Education is an important priority. The top ranked priority was education in sustainable agriculture for young people including FFA, 4H, and Young Farmers.
This priority included more farming classes for the new generation and capitalizing on the desire of young people to connect with the land. Another high priority was better education on sustainable agriculture for Extension agents. This included the need for Extension agents to have better information on cultural practices, weed, disease, and insect control as well as marketing and profitability. A third education topic focused on the need to educate children, consumers, and producers about sustainable agriculture as a lifestyle. Some participants thought education of public school teachers and legislators was also important.
One Farm at a Time…Real World Experience in a Holistic Environment
Spring Valley EcoFarms is an innovative laboratory for students and the general population focusing on agriculture and the environment. It is a place where ecological science and theory are put to a real-world test.
