[Sdpg] Sustainable Ag Resource Center at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Ca

[sdpg-admin at arashi.com]

Greetings!

We are happy to announce the new Sustainable Agriculture Resource Center (SARC)
at Cal Poly  San Luis Obispo Ca.  SARC was conceived, in part, in response 
to last year's fruitful
year at the Student Experimental Farm.  It was decided by students and faculty
members affiliated with the Student Farm to establish this resource center to
help coordinate activities at the Farm, and to help give the principles and
techniques taught there a wider audience through university curricula and
community based programs.

This newsletter addresses the following items:

 >What is SARC's mission?
 >How has SARC been envisioned to serve the community?
 >What activities are currently being planned by SARC?
 >How can I become involved with SARC?
 >How can I contact SARC?

MISSION:
SARC's mission is to promote holistic paradigms for sustainable agriculture
through education, demonstration, investigation and facilitation of projects
aimed at promoting sustainability.  We embrace the commonly held notion
that "sustainable systems" ought to be environmentally sound, economically
feasible, socially just and viable in the long term.  Sustainable agriculture
includes, but is not limited to organic agriculture.  SARC seeks to promote
other "holistic" approaches which attempt to conduct agriculture in the
context  of "whole" systems, and which may, or may not, be strictly 
"organic".
Holistic Management, Permaculture, Biodynamics, agroecology, regenerative
agriculture, urban agriculture and other similar approaches are all seen by
SARC as having valuable roles to play.  The Student Farm will continue to be
CCOF certified organic.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY:
Simply put, SARC seeks to become a program that makes resources for 
sustainable
agriculture more readily available to the Central Coast community.  SARC has
been furnished with an office by the College of Agriculture (Room 129, Bldg.
10) that will become home to files, directories and periodicals for 
sustainable
agriculture.  SARC staff is building a network of state and local participants
in sustainable agricultural projects which will be used to assist those in 
need
of making connections.  In the future, SARC will also manage a website, an
audio-video library, a newsletter and a job board.  SARC is already helping
with the development of curricula for classes, workshops and seminars.

COMING ACTIVITIES:
As part of this mailing list, you will be notified soon on details of the
following initiatives coordinated by SARC...
- Our second annual CSA (Community Supported Ag) program (starts in June)
- The College of Agriculture's second offering of Organic Agriculture (AG X215)
- The return of SLO's "Growing Food Forum" (May 5th), (w/ ECOSLO and Hopedance)
- A special springtime open house at the Student Experimental Farm (in June)
AND Extended-Ed summer courses...
- "Market Gardening" (5 Sat.s with Biodynamic farmer Steve Moore, starts 7/14)
- "Permaculture Design Series" (6 weekends featuring Eco-Designer Larry 
Santoyo)
- "Traditional Wisdom for Health and Healing" (eves w/Craig Lane, July 
10,17,24)
- "Organic Certification" (3 day short course w/ Dr. Joe Montecalvo, 8/23-25)

YOUR INVOLVEMENT:
We would like to have you participate in our programs.  We seek to assist you
in your endeavours, and ask for you assistance when it's possible to give.  In
the expansion of our "resources", we need anything that could be of value to
those wanting to learn more about sustainability.  We need contacts, links,
ideas, opportunities in the community.  Keep us posted!  We are currently
responsible for generating our own program funding and are greatly 
appreciative
of financial contributions.  We also value assistance in the form of volunteer
contributions and have special opportunities available (especially in 
outreach,
publicity, special event planning and CSA gardening & harvesting).  Above all,
let us know of your own projects for sustainable agriculture, so we can help
make them known to others.

CONTACTING SARC:
- SARC's temporary email address (as above) is: <wfrancis at calpoly.edu>
- Our office telephone number is (805)756-5086
- U.S. mail should be directed to:
Mr. Hunter Francis
Sustainable Ag Resource Center
c/o Crop Science Department
Cal Poly, SLO, CA  93407

Any of you who have been involved with activities at the Student Farm over its
10 year history know that such a resource center at Cal Poly has an important
role to play.  Needless to say, we are pleased and privileged to have been
involved in its creation.  And, we sincerely thank those of you out there 
whose
previous contributions and hard work have made this accomplishment possible.

Thank you.

Hunter Francis & Terry Hooker
SARC Program Coordinator/Student Farm Manager