匹兹堡——玛丽·贝丝·巴丁从她正在种植的一排洋葱中抬起头来，笑了.

“农业是北卡罗来纳州的重要组成部分，我对该州的食品和公共卫生很感兴趣," she said as she covered the bulbs with the clay dirt.

巴尔丁跪在中央卡罗莱纳社区学院查塔姆县校区占地五英亩的可持续农业学生农场里, applying farming methods she has learned in the program.

Bardin, 蒙居居民, 她已经获得了北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校的正规买球app十佳排行学和英语学士学位，并在美国农业部从事农业问题工作.C. 农场转型网络. Making the connection between sustainable farming and 公共 health is where her heart is, and that brought her to the college's sustainable 农业 program.

中央卡罗莱纳社区学院因其广泛的可持续发展项目而被称为“绿色中心”, 包括燃料, 农业和建筑/可再生能源. Ecotourism will start soon and a 'natural chef' culinary arts program is planned.

Since 1996, the college has been a leader in sustainable 农业 education. In 2002, 它是美国第一所提供可持续农业应用科学副学士学位的社区学院. It also offers certificates in sustainable vegetable production, 可持续畜牧生产, 农业的可持续性, 都在查塔姆校区.

可持续农业的核心是致力于保护和改善环境, 公共, 社区健康.

“全国人民都意识到发展当地粮食系统和培训下一代农民的重要性,吉姆·里德尔说。, Organic Outreach Coordinator at the University of Minnesota, who is familiar with 中央卡罗莱纳社区学院's programs. "The college has been at the forefront in this area, long before it became popular. The sustainability programs at the college help protect land and water resources; provide safe, healthy and abundant food; preserve the area's rich cultural heritage; and provide economic development opportunities. 现在比以往任何时候都更需要这些努力."

根据美国.S. Department of Agriculture's "2007 Census of Agriculture,北卡罗来纳州损失了大约600人,000 acres of farmland to development between 2002 and 2007. The average age of 农民 increased to about 57 years.

可持续农业可以帮助减缓或扭转这些趋势，因为它吸引了更多的年轻人从事农业生产, 但是较小的农场. 其中一个是夏洛伊·艾弗里. 她和她的丈夫, 杰森Roerhig, 是翻滚浅滩农场的所有者吗, a transitional organic farm near Miller's Creek, N.C. 艾弗里, 谁是全职农民, 她完成了中央卡罗莱纳社区学院提供的大部分可持续农业课程，为她的职业生涯做好了准备.

"I didn't come from a farming background," she said. "I can say that I owe my entire farm to the college and the contacts I made there. I learned everything I know about sustainable farming from them. I'm a big cheerleader for the college's sustainable 农业 program."

艾弗里 said that younger people are attracted to sustainable farming for a variety of reasons. 生产出来的食物更健康. It uses little or no chemicals, which benefits the environment, workers and consumers. It is socially responsible, providing fair wages and healthy working conditions for workers. Sustainable farms are local businesses - money spent at and by them benefits the local area. 同样重要的是，可持续农业在经济上是可行的——农民可以谋生.

2007年，艾弗里和她的丈夫买下了一块15英亩的干草地，后来变成了翻滚浅滩农场. 只有2.今年种植了5英亩土地, but they are raising 150 different varieties of produce, 花, 和水果. 艾弗里 said they expect to gross about $20,000 per acre. The first year, with just one acre under cultivation, they did better than that. 该农场经营着一个社区支持农业项目(CSA)，为成员提供农产品. It also sells at 农民' markets and to restaurants.

中央卡罗莱纳州的可持续农业学生获得创业和技术专长，以开发和管理一个有利可图的, 环保, community-based small farm or agricultural business, 罗宾·科哈诺维奇说, 项目协调人. It also serves individuals interested in starting or improving home gardens.

埃里克•沃尔顿, 少不了的, is a student in the college's permaculture class, learning how to create self-sustaining ecosystems by relying on renewable resources.

"I have my degree in geography from the University of Illinois, but I wanted to learn how to do sustainable farming,他说. "While living in Illinois, I searched the Internet for a program and found Central Carolina's. 我2006年搬到这里入学. To me, most importantly, we're learning how to treat the soil with respect. 如果人们不学会怎么做, 他们会为子孙后代毁掉这片土地, 损害工人和消费者, 毁了水."

学院的可持续农业项目之所以取得如此大的成功，是因为学院之间在社区范围内的合作, 农民, 政府机构, 和非营利组织, 博士说. Karen Allen, the college's Chatham County provost. Supporters and partnerships include local sustainable 农民, N.C. 合作推广服务, 卡罗莱纳农场管理协会, RAFI-USA, 美国家畜品种保护协会, R.E.A.L. 二是企业赠地大学.C. State和N.C. A&和其他组织.

艾伦把这归功于有机农场主哈维·哈曼, 熊溪, with starting the sustainable 农业 classes at the college in the spring of 1996. 差不多在同一时间, 尽管人口不断增长，查塔姆县的居民仍然关心如何保护农田和开放空间. Sustainable 农业 offers a viable option to the loss of farmland. 查塔姆县委员会通过资助第一个N.C. Cooperative Extension agent for organic and sustainable 农业 in the state.

事实证明，这些课程非常受欢迎，以至于该学院获得了美国国家教育协会(nn)颁发的“技能提升奖”(Skill-Up Grant).C. Tobacco Fund to expand sustainable 农业 to its West Harnett Center in Harnett County.

“中卡罗来纳州的可持续农业课程和生产性土地实验室是劳动力和创业培训的一个例子，整个州和全国的学院和大学都应该效仿,U说。.S. 代表. 北卡罗来纳州的鲍勃·埃斯里奇. "The college's efforts have helped to make small family farms profitable again."

有关中央卡罗莱纳社区学院可持续农业项目的更多信息, 请致电(919)542-6495与Kohanowich联系, ext. 229, or rkohanowich@预备.edu，或访问学院网站， www.预备.edu, click on "项目 of Study" and then "Sustainable Agriculture" for curriculum programs. 目前的继续教育课程, click on "继续教育" on the home page, then "Schedule" and then "继续教育 Schedule -Sustainable Farming and Building." For information on the new classes at the West Harnett Center, call (910) 498-1210.