Today gave us a true look into local farms and farming in New Jersey and how even the smallest things can have a large effect on them. It created more awareness that off-roading and illegal activities cause immense harm in the Pinelands. It also gave us a much deeper understanding of the functioning and behind the scenes of what members of the PPA do to protect our beloved national park, The Pinelands, and how the public narrative they promote assists in this endeavor.
On day two of our Pine Barrens experience we went to Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Headquarters and Rancocas Creek Farm where we met speakers — Carleton Montgomery (former head of the PPA, now the Director of Strategic Initiatives) and Jason Howell (a talented filmmaker and head of the PPA social media) — who shared videos on the history of PPA and issues impacting the Pine Barrens. Jason spoke about using film to influence the public narrative on the issues. Through these documentaries we learned about illegal off-roading and its devastating effects on the people and animals that depend on the environment. We learned about the history of how people used this area and the efforts lawmakers made to restrict the practices of off-roading in these beautiful woods and preserve the Pine Barrens as a whole.
Although we were challenged with some chilly and wet weather we persevered and enjoyed some time outside at the headquarters of the PPA. We explored the farm land and learned about farming techniques that Rancocas Creek institutes, such as greenhouse farming, organic agriculture, promotion of natural farming techniques, and production on a local scale. From their crops, they provide a CSA to local families surrounding Rancocas and also raise a herd of pigs. We learned that the way they grow crops and produce is much better for the environment because they do things like rotating crops, using only natural compost, and are very conscious about the amount of water, vehicles, and people they use. After touring the actual fields and learning other interesting things, we went into the greenhouse and met the head farmer, Jeff. When he was explaining how the pigs are raised, he taught us a little bit about the way that livestock is mass produced. Jeff also explained in depth about the well-rounded lifestyle the pigs are raised with and how it is important to raise livestock in an ecologically responsible way.
We finished up by having lunch in the amazing event space at the top of the barn, dancing, and doing our end-of-day reflection there. Today gave us a true look into local farms and farming in New Jersey and how even the smallest things can have a large effect on them. It created more awareness that off-roading and illegal activities cause immense harm in the Pinelands. It also gave us a much deeper understanding of the functioning and behind the scenes of what members of the PPA do to protect our beloved national park, The Pinelands, and how the public narrative they promote assists in this endeavor.
