Where does my food come from? What practices are most widely employed in the current agricultural model? What impact do these have on the planet?
These are just a few of the big questions students ask themselves and instructors during ISDSI’s Sustainable Food Systems course as they come to know every step of the food production process. This course is not just an experience in the popular ‘farm to table’, but provides students a hands-on opportunity to walk through the ‘seed to sale’ process.
Students learn how to tie produce bags at the local organic market.
One of the biggest questions often posed is, “What alternative practices exist?” Interestingly enough, it is usually as students learn from local farmers utilizing both ancient and innovative sustainable farming techniques that they start to formulate and consider a variety of answers.
Students planting rice at Fair Earth Farm, the instructor’s experimental farm in Chiang Mai
In Mae Tha valley, students learn about seed saving from host families and a development NGO, Green Net. Students’ favorite part of this community is the new generation’s involvement in the movements; from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to organic wholesale distributors, the young generation of Mae Tha Organic is building a brand and market for food they believe in.
Pi Aun, a local instructor, teaches students about his organic compost during a tour of his farm
One of the more emotional experiences of the course is when students participate in a traditional pig harvest while learning about the cultural significance of pork to several hill tribe communities. One ISDSI student, Claire, shared, “When we saw the animal actually being killed, I could only think, ‘I’m never eating meat again.’ Then, when we started cutting it up, it was just meat and no longer an animal. I’ve never experienced such a personal disconnect…”
Students and locals cutting the pork to prepare minced pork balls
Another core theme explored during the course is the significance of soil in ecosystem health. Considering farming as a practice that can not just minimize its harm, but actually promote planetary health was an idea that excited many of the students. Getting to see this in practice was even more inspirational.
ISDSI students dig into the earth at a soil conservation site to assess the health of the soil.
At the end of the expedition course, students were left asking themselves: what is my relationship to food? And after farming alongside host families and learning from community experts, they all agreed that it’s a question with tremendous implications.
ISDSI students experience life on the farm from the backstage.
