Vegetable Production & Cheese Making

Charuth van Beuzekom with Ben Rice and Bryce Doeschot from Norris High School

About:

• Shadowbrook Farm incorporates a variety of industries in their operation. Located just outside of Lincoln, Nebraska, their location provides them with a chance to provide the city with farm-fresh vegetables and an opportunity for individuals to see where their food originated. Their operation includes a variety of vegetables along with specialty goat cheeses. This interview provides a glance at a diversified operation and its accompanying benefits and challenges, what farms can do to raise agricultural awareness within communities, and what farms might consider in becoming more sustainable.

• This video (5:47) can be used to examine the role of vegetable production and its opportunities for expansion within conventional Midwestern agriculture.
• Use the following discussion questions to aid in fostering student discussion about the video or as a guideline for how to incorporate these materials into your daily lesson plans. 

Website/Contact:

• www.shadowbrk.com
• dutchgirlcreamery@gmail.com

Teaching Objectives:

• To examine diversified systems
• To look at vegetable production methods
• To consider the value of niche market products

Discussion questions:

• In many ways having a farm close to a city has proven beneficial to farms like Shadow Brook. However, this video shows some difficulties that have also resulted. Identify positives and negatives of having a farm within limits of a large city.
• What are some creative means for funding niche products like goat cheese?
• Identify challenges and benefits associated with having a large or small goat herd.
• In what ways can small cheese producers compete with commercial industries?
• How does a business segment like making goat cheese fit into a holistic farming system?
• How would you measure the sustainability of ShadowBrook Farm? What could be improved?