Agriculture, Farming, and Rural Communities: Social, Spiritual, and Literary Perspectives
Cece Arnold talks about the conference that is headquartered in Des Moines and Catholic social teaching for creating their policy. Arnold explains seven principal Catholic teachings: human dignity, subsidization, solidarity, universal destination of goods, preferential option for the poor, and the common good. She ties these into how they can improve the standard of living for all in agriculture settings. Susan Jutz-Zacharakis talks about the evolution of her family farm and how they have tried to incorporate sustainable agriculture ideas into it. She discusses the process they went through to be what it is today. The family’s biggest operation right now is community supported agriculture. Larry Ginter speaks about the organization Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and gives a background and how they have helped farms, political lobbying. The Leopold Center Director talks about what the center’s history and what its mission. Iowa author and farmer, Michael Carey gives his background and reads excerpts from an essay he wrote about the writing of his novel, Nishnabotna. He speaks of the unworthiness sometimes felt by Iowans and how we have been brainwashed by urban America to believe we are unimportant. Carey discusses similarities between Iowa and Ireland: they are the same size in population and land and they both suffer the mentality of the colonized. Iowa State English professor, Mary Swander, asks why all these great writers come to Iowa City but they have to leave here to get published. Mary Swander lives in Kalona among the Amish community and tells of that experience and lifestyle.
In: International Writing Program Archive
Authors: CeCe Arnold , Susan Zacharakis-Jutz, Larry Ginter, Fred Kirchenmann, Mary Swander, Michael Carey
Date Recorded: October 10, 2003
Program: --
Format: discussion
Topics: enviromental policies, WTO, farming