This is a lesson for elementary age children to help understand the importance of farming for our source of food.
An Introduction to Soil Science
Short Description:
Written entirely by members of the Canadian Society of Soil Science, "Digging into Canadian Soils: An Introduction to Soil Science" provides an introduction to the core disciplines of soil science, and introduces the concepts and vocabulary needed by students just beginning their soil science journey. The textbook provides supplementary materials that are specific to regions in Canada, or may be of specific interest beyond what might be considered introductory soil science material. Importantly, the textbook also is intended to introduce students to the Canadian System of Soil Classification by providing examples from across the length and breadth of the world’s second largest country, and to the Canadian Society of Soil Science, whose members share a common passion for soil science and are keen to share and instill this passion with students across Canada.
Long Description:
Written, reviewed and edited by members of the Canadian Society of Soil Science, Digging into Canadian Soils: An Introduction to Soil Science provides an introduction to the core disciplines of soil science (pedology, soil biology and microbiology, physics, chemistry, fertility and nutrient cycling, and management), and introduces the concepts and vocabulary needed by students just beginning their soil science journey. The textbook is appropriate for use in a number of disciplines, including environmental and agricultural sciences, as well as related geology, geography and natural resources engineering disciplines.
Chapters within the textbook are presented in three sections according to the content and level of the complexity. The first section of the book, Digging In, introduces core disciplines in a series of chapters written by authors whose research expertise informs the chapter content. Supplementary materials that are specific to regions in Canada are presented in chapters within a second section, Digging Across Canada. The third section, Digging Deeper, provides in-depth overview of some topics beyond what is considered core soil science disciplinary material, and may be appropriate for upper level soil science or related discipline courses. The textbook includes an extensive glossary that is accessible via in-text links. Importantly, the textbook is intended also to introduce students to the Canadian System of Soil Classification by providing examples from across the length and breadth of the world’s second largest country, and to the Canadian Society of Soil Science, whose members share a common passion for soil science and are keen to share and instill this passion with students across Canada.
Word Count: 182572
ISBN: 978-0-88880-668-0
(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)
A Curriculum for Enhancing Farmer Microbial Literacy
Short Description:
The primary purpose of this course is to render the invisible world of microbes visible to farmers. This course provides scientific-based instruction exploring how microbes can assist agriculture. Although the course is designed for farmers, this material can also help extension agents, curious citizen scientists, and other non-experts interested in enhancing their microbial literacy.
Long Description:
The invisibility, complexity, and general opaqueness of soil microbial life makes learning about the “black box of soil” difficult. To address this challenge, my project-based biology senior thesis endeavors to develop a biology-based curriculum for farmers to increase microbial literacy. A transition to a microbially centric agriculture necessitates the development of a new knowledge infrastructure. My senior thesis project aspires to contribute to this new, necessary, and expanding infrastructure. It is critical that farmers recognize their unique role as stewards of not only plants and animals but also as shepherds of an unfathomably complex, necessary, and wondrous herd of microbes.
Word Count: 10617
(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)
An Annotated Bibliography
Word Count: 41411
(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)
Word Count: 20163
(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)
The Toolkit to Create a Great Farm Mentorship is a shared drive of resources for farm educators who want to start a mentorship program. The toolkit includes numerous ready-to-use files, but is open source to allow educators to download and edit items as needed. The Toolkit was developed from documents used in the Michigan Sustainable Farm Mentors Program that connect 42 beginning and aspiring farmers with 9 mentors in 2021 and 2022.
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2020-38640-31522 through the North Central Region SARE Partnership grant program, under project number ONC21-085.
Long Description:
Need to add the following contributors:
Videographers: Mike May, Gayle Volk
Technical support: Remi Bonnart, Brittany Moreland
Word Count: 25579
(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)