A Successful Tool for Teaching Small-acreage Owners
Sustainable Farming Practices:
Living þn the LandSusan DonaldsonSusan Donaldson Stephanie EtterStephanie Etter
Who’s the audience?
¡ People who live on a few acres
What’s in Living þn the Land?
¡ Eight modules¡ 23 lessons¡ Instructor’s Guide¡ Lesson plans¡ PowerPoint
presentations with extensive notes
¡ Activities¡ Evaluation tools
Module subject matter
¡ Module 1: Inventorying resources and setting goals
¡ Module 2: Soils (including irrigation)¡ Module 3: Water (including ponds)¡ Module 4: Wildfire threat reduction¡ Module 5: Plants (including grazing
management)¡ Module 6: Animals (including wildlife)¡ Module 7: Small enterprises¡ Module 8: Stewardship and sustainability
What’s in the Instructor’s Guide?
¡ Pre-program planning: needs, evaluation, funding, budgeting and marketing
¡ Program implementation: delivery methods, engaging adult learners, sustaining programs
¡ Appendices: sample surveys, questionnaires, data, etc.
An example:An example:Module 1, Lesson 1: What Do You Have…Module 1, Lesson 1: What Do You Have…
And What Do You Want?And What Do You Want?Turning Dreams Into RealityTurning Dreams Into Reality
Stewardship and the whole-property approachThe good, the bad, and the ugly of small-acreage propertiesYour goals for your propertyYour existing resourcesMaking a map of your property
What you want…What you want…
What What you’ve you’ve got…got…
Well
Marshy
Stream
Weedy
Septic
Gate
Fence
Trees
Legend Acres = 25Animals = 6 cows, 1 horse, 3 goats
Pastures = 1Months animals grazed = 9
Soils = sandy clay loam, siltGrasses present = Tall fescue, orchardgrass, clover, bentgrassWeeds present = Canada thistle, pigweed
House
Barn Barn
Property Map
Manure pile
Water trough
Bare ground
Barn
Another property map
NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
Goals of the curriculum
1•• Participants create map and draft Participants create map and draft
resource planresource plan
2•• Participants attend classes and refine Participants attend classes and refine
mapsmaps
3•• By end of class, participants have a By end of class, participants have a
realistic plan and will implement realistic plan and will implement BMPs on their propertiesBMPs on their properties
Most important…
¡The curriculum MUST be adapted by including local information, photos and local sources of technical assistance!!!
DOES IT WORK???DOES IT WORK???
Idaho Evaluation Results: 2007-2008
1=None, 2= Little, 3=Some, 4=Good Deal, 5=Great Deal* p<.001, N = 44 (2007) and 18 (2008)
2007 2008Short-term Impact – Knowledge, Preparedness and Understanding
Before LOTL
After LOTL
Before LOTL
After LOTL
My knowledge about land stewardship & resource management
2.48 3.93* 2.22 3.89*
My preparedness to adopt best management practices
2.32 4.05* 1.94 4.06*
My understanding about how my choices have affected land use, lifestyle and the environment inmy community and county
2.47 4.05* 2.67 4.22*
Idaho Evaluation Results: 2007-2008
1=None, 2= Little, 3=Some, 4=Good Deal, 5=Great Deal* p<.001, N = 44 (2007) and 18 (2008)
2007 2008Short-term Impact – Knowledge, Preparedness and Understanding
Before LOTL
After LOTL
Before LOTL
After LOTL
Collect, submit and analyze soil, water and forage samples
1.68 4.02* 1.78 4.33*
Plan, enterprise budget, and implement animal or crop system(s)
2.00 3.8* 1.94 4.06*
Network with small-acreagecommunity
1.88 3.63* 1.78 4.00*
My ability to effectively find and access resources to support my small-acreage systems
2.15 4.13* 2.06 4.44*
Idaho Evaluation Results - 2007
¡ Significant increases in level of knowledge in all subjects using paired T-test
¡ BMPs planned for implementationl Wellhead protection and septic
maintenancel Pasture managementl Water management
2007 Most Useful Lessons
¡ Basic soils and irrigation¡ Protecting drinking water¡ Property inventory and goal setting¡ Pasture establishment¡ Grazing management
2008 BMP Implementation
¡ 128 BMPs either completed or in process on 15 properties
¡ 25 BMPs under consideration¡ Top four:
l Site-appropriate fertilizationl Weed and pest controll Wellhead protectionl Septic care
Participant comments
¡ Starting with “zero” knowledge, I have formed a good base for making good decisions from the beginning.
¡ After seeing how everything is interconnected, I see my property as part of a whole – not an entity by itself, and within my property I see how everything fits together.
¡ I was uneducated in so many areas. This class has made me aware of all my responsibilities as a land owner. I recommend the class to everyone!
Remember:
¡ Understand your audience and their needs
¡ Adapt the curriculum to meet the needs¡ Use the portions that work for your
audience¡ There is no single “right” way to run the
program¡ It works if you work it!