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Description of the Exam:
This exam is open everything (open notes, open book, open internet, open conversations with classmates, etc.). The only stipulation is that your work is your own. You must provide your own original thoughts and back up your assertions with evidence and experiences you have picked up throughout ASI thus far. There is no single "right" answer to these exam questions. I am most interested in your thinking process...how do you go about answering the question and supporting your answer?
General Comments about Taking the Exam
You should NOT take more than 2 hours to take the exam - budget your time accordingly
There are point totals listed for each question. Use these point totals to determine which questions you need to focus more on and which need a little less detail
You should NOT type more than 1 page for any numbered question (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5) - this means your TOTAL number of typed pages for this exam should not exceed 5 pages (though being shorter is just fine)
I value concise and direct speech. Don't waste your time with overly-verbose answers. Try to say what you want to say without resorting to "filler phrases".
This Exam is closed Weds August 4th at 11:59 PM..no late exams will be accepted because I need time to grade
Specific Features to be Included in each Answer:
You MUST support your statements with evidence. A statement without evidence is not useful here.
You MUST use experiences from your field trip stops, labs, and class discussions. I expect a lot of illustrations from your field trip and class/lab experiences.
Your answers MUST be in your own words - no copying and pasting from the internet (I check)
You must endeavor to seamlessly synthesize your answer. I expect it to be well written, flow, and be easy to understand. If I have to work to try to understand what you are saying this will impact your grade
Grading of the Exam:
I provide a single percentage for each question. This percentage corresponds to the following grade categories and their accompanying definitions:
|A = 94 to 100| --> Excellent job...has gone above and beyond expectations and provided an excellent answer. All features are included and show unique insight into the issues at hand. An exemplary answer.
|A- = 90 to 93 | --> Great job...still above expectations and all features are represented. Still insightful but not quite as "above and beyond" as an "A"
|B+= 87 to 89| --> Very good job...still slightly above basic expectations. All or most features are represented.
|B = 84 to 86 | --> Good job...all basic expectations are met. This is a solid answer. Most features are represented.
|B- = 80 to 83| --> Satisfactory job...all basic expectations are met and most features are represented. Still a solid answer but some slight omissions or lacking clarity.
|C+= 77 to 79| --> Meets most Expectations...most basic expectations are met and most features are represented. A mostly solid answer with some omissions, lack of clarity, and/or misconceptions.
|C = 74 to 76 | --> Meets many of Expectations...many basic expectations are met and many features are represented. This answer is getting a bit shaky with obvious omissions, lack of clarity, and/or misconceptions
|C- = 69 to 73| --> Needs Improvement...some basic expectations are met and some features are represented. Obvious omissions, lack of clarity, and/or misconceptions make answer incoherent at times and difficult to follow.
|D = 60 to 68 | --> In Great Need of Improvement...a few basic expectations are met and a few features are represented. Obvious omissions, lack of clarity, and/or misconceptions make answer largely incorrect and difficult to follow.
Please keep in mind:
All of our field trip stops
All of the information found on the websites for class periods
The schedule for this course that spanned across the entire 10 weeks of ASI (see below):
Topics
Topics
Ecological Farming Practices: Comparisons (Andy Ambriole and Jamie Scott; Sevens Sons and Wood Farms)
What is regenerative agriculture? Specifically I would like you to flesh this out by answering the following:
Regenerative agriculture does not have a precise definition. Please provide a 2 sentence definition that you feel best encompasses the heart of what regenerative ag is. [6pts]
How do you evaluate whether or not a farm is regenerative? What methods would be at your disposal? How could you step onto a farm and really know if it is regenerative? What would you measure over time vs. what would you depend on if you are just getting a snapshot? Remember to use ample examples from ASI. [8pts]
Do you feel that the regenerative organic label is a good idea? Does it adequately represent the ideals of regenerative agriculture and provide a mechanism to scale up the number of acres farmed regeneratively? Why or why not? [6pts]
What role(s) do corporations like general mills and bayer have to play in the regenerative ag movement? What are your thoughts on this? [4pts]
What are the roles of policy makers in promoting regenerative agriculture? [4pts]
As you see it - what is our best shot at scaling up regenerative management of our agricultural lands? What are some of the key barriers? What benefits do you think have the potential to drive this change (and how)? [8pts]
Compare and contrast the farming systems found at Seven Sons and Wood Farm - specifically through the lens of animal/plant integration - I would like you to answer the following:
Disturbance is a major aspect of ecosystems and agroecosystems - please describe the types of disturbances you observed at these two farms and what agroecological role(s) these disturbances played in the farming systems. [8pts]
Describe and/or draw the carbon cycle as it relates these two farming systems. How is carbon cycling through the system and how does it relate to the different styles of management? [8pts]
Describe and/or draw the nitrogen cycle as it relates to these two farming systems. How is nitrogen cycling through the system and how does it relate to the different styles of management? [8pts]
Finally - evaluate these two farm management systems (Seven Sons and Wood Farms). Specifically - what are the implications for these different types of management? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each? Please approach this from an ecological lens and consider the functional traits of the plants and animals involved as well as the differing management. [12pts]
Some say indoor growing and hydroponics/aquaponics is the future...evaluate this claim from an ecological, nutrient, & energy lens. What are the benefits and drawbacks? Are soil growing and hydroponics/aquaponics pretty similar or are they functionally different? [19pts]
Think about the 4 quadrants we mentioned (monoculture annual, monoculture perennial, polyculture annual, polyculture perennial). Please give one specific example of each of these that you have observed during ASI (some examples may not be planted together for an entire season OR may not be a cash crop...that's fine). Compare and contrast the ecological interactions (think community ecology) you presume are operating in each example system. Make sure you compare/contrast across your 4 systems. You will need to make some educated assumptions. [27pts]
Provide excellent illustrative examples from your time in ASI to help describe how humanity's wealth of agricultural genetic diversity and ingenuity are being actively used today across many different types of agricultural systems. Next describe the utility of this genetic material in building resilient agroecosystems moving forward. Make sure to highlight the nuance of the role(s) of GM crops and the perspectives of seed sovereignty in your answer. [19pts]
If you could snap your fingers and magically cause the adoption of some sort of agroecological approach on American farms - what approach would this be and why? [13pts]
[+2 EC] When taking this exam look back and appreciate all you have learned in what basically amounts to 3 short weeks of instruction. Please write a couple sentences describing your own assessment of your learning.
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