English 202 Spring 2004 - Research Writing |
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Place: Jamison Farm Organic Lamb Farm 171 Jamison Lane, Latrobe, PA http://www.jamisonfarm.com/ 1-800-237-5262 November 1st: Contact John and Sukey Jamison Setup visit during Thanksgiving break; ask permission to tape record an interview. Prepare for visit by studying the Jamison Farm website and reading _Harvesting Excellence_ by Alain Ducasse, which discusses the farm and the philosophy behind it. Fieldwork Purposes: 1. To understand better what qualifies some meat as organic, how the practices of organic farming differ from those at factory farms, and what difference it makes in the end product. 2. To ascertain whether consumers' interest in organic meat (and also meatless diets) is based in science/health issues, or ethical moral concern for the animals. Interview: Design questions that get to the specific practices of this farm and its history. Make sure not to cover material that I should already know from my research: When did it begin? Was it based in an committment to "organic" or simply a shrewd business choice? Who buys organic meat? What kinds of profits are made? How much more costly is it to raise organic animals? Why isn't all meat produced in this fashion? Has their business continued to grow or not? If the animals aren't treated with antibiotics and the food is pesticide free, what problems does this cause (what happens when animals get sick)? Do buyers really find the product more tasty? How much more are people willing to pay? Observation: Try to see what makes this farm different from a factory production farm. What kind of relationship to the owner/operators have towards their work and the animals? How open are they about showing the processes at work? Do the farmers "humanize" their animals or simply run a different kind of farm that's still a business? |
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