Ideas and Methods

In our early discussions, the Founding Partners wanted to form an organization that addressed a number of problems with the local agricultural economy.

Here is a link to an essay from 2015 that speaks to many of those issues.

The Founders also saw a number of cultural and economic improvements they believed important to civil society and our local neighbors.

Institutional Ideas and Methods by Rick Pace

Many of the fundamental ideas and methods we considered as Founders were the result of many years of work in the fields of land conservation, environmental restoration, agro-ecology, ecosystem service economics, and community-based economic development.

They drew from the work of many writers, farmers, economist, etc.… but I do not know of any specific book or article that acts as an overview of our thinking.

I also do not think a reading list would be an adequate answer.

The premise of our work is based upon beliefs about four elements I consider prerequisites to any comprehensive education (including ‘non-farm’ education):

1)    Work with plant, animal, and the soil is critical to establishing an ethical framework for generating abstract ideas and methods.

2)    Review of historical knowledge creation from original source material develops necessary insight for learning - and an understanding of the relationship between natural systems and abstraction/abstract systems.

3)    Study of the creative process utilizing a broad survey of scientific discovery and the applied and fine arts establishes methods for invention.

4)    Experimentation with natural processes is important to understanding the limitations of action / knowledge creation.

Our early stage work at Shewatuck Farm has been oriented toward creating the physical and community environment necessary to address the four fundamental beliefs:

1)    Establishing the physical and ecological infrastructure to support work with plants, animals, and the soil.

2)    Developing an integrated community of approximately 20 Farm members, advisors, entrepreneurial partners, and farmer colleagues committed to a shared ethic and mutual responsibilities.

3)    Planning the establishment of a second stage of built infrastructure, collections, and tools to expand the intellectual capacity and reach of the Farm and Incubator.

4)    Designing early stage experiments/trials that encourage invention and creative collaboration.

In a more mature phase that work will:

1)    Allow for the incorporation of a robust nutrition program – including educational dining, medicinal / culinary herb production, and household products from vegetables, herbs, flowers, and animals.

2)    Further develop an educational program mentoring ideas and methods for culturally responsible enterprise and economic development.

3)    Establish an on-farm community market for vegetables, herbs, flowers, value-added food/medicinal products.

Background: Farm and Incubator Ideology

From a personal perspective, I have been exposed to a broad range of ideas and experiences. I am not – particularly at this point in my life – much of a reader.

Primarily I read for research and what I would call ‘verification of life experiences’.

My ideas and methods for Shewatuck Farm and Incubator, therefore, are the result of life experience…and very little written intellectual material.

It appears many of those ideas and methods can be verified/reinforced by abstract written material – philosophical texts, religious materials, scientific treatise, etc.

They are not, however, the results of reading…and I think this is important.

Reading aids understanding and knowledge creation, it does not ‘create’ understanding and knowledge creation.

The Farm and Incubator is experiential…not intellectual.

Experiential in a manner, I believe, creating cultural and ecological intelligence.

How do I know I am right?

I do not.

I do know I have adequate experience to have an opinion and implement that opinion.

I also know I have analytic skills adequate for evaluating the success or failure of Farm and Incubator ideas and methods.

The Shewatuck Farm and Incubator is, therefore, intuitive, experiential learning based upon significant life experience – life experience that appears reinforced by historical works in science and the humanities.

How do we teach?

First, I would say we tutor and mentor…we do not ‘teach’.

In my personal experience I consider myself a bad ‘learner’….and in most cases a bad learner when someone was attempting to ‘teach’ me.

My ‘learner’ shortcoming was, in the end, a gift.

Learning made me anxious about the expectations of the teacher.

As a result, after a period of academic learning, I withdrew to ‘making’ – pure applied arts.

Only then did I become able to sincerely learn, truly gain knowledge and understanding.

The Farm and Incubator ‘allows’ for understanding and knowledge creation.

It does not teach.

It is not a farming pedagogy.

Character for Farm, Food, and Rural Life

Since the Farm and Incubator is experiential, maturation occurs through:

1)    A comprehensive integration of the individual into all farm activities – including the economics and finance of the Farm.

2)    Reinforcing farm activities with discussion, review of original source materials, and other forms of media to aid understanding.

3)    Repetition to acquire skill.

4)    Skill based collegial consensus in planning and decision making.

5)    Allowing for diverse differences in learning methods to fully engage economically and ethnically diverse individuals.