Farming has been on a decline in New England since the Industrial Revolution, and the only way it will reclaim its former status is to make it into a prominent and prosperous field that will attract the younger generation. To address urgent problems of farming in New England, we collected background information on the problems faced by farmers from local farmers themselves. We interviewed three farmers and gained insight into the issues of technology, financing, and management that form the core of farmers’ problems today. In the area of technology, we proposed redesigns of current farming structures to make them more efficient. The proposed improvements were the use of high tunnels, the inclusion of computers and robots, and a redesign for a more efficient barn. In the financial realm, we proposed to reduce farmer’s costs by reducing the use of supplies, including feed, seeds or supplies, and by increasing the necessary government involvement. Finally, we identified three areas in which the organization and management of the farm could use improvement, such as crop rotation and diversity, irrigation, and launching a CSA. Our ideas will help to reinvigorate farming in the New England region, and also to increase the availability of locally grown, organic produce.

Creator

• Alleva, James
• Lathrop, Ari
• Castro, Dario
• Knight, Matt

Contributors

• Nikitina, Svetlana

Subject

• Recover, Reuse, and Recycle: Building a Lasting World

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Language

• English

Identifier

• GPS1344

Year

• 2008

Date created

• 2008-01-01

Resource type

• Poster

Rights statement

• In Copyright

License

• Creative Commons BY-NC Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International