Landscape Proposal - Farms

Description
Creeping down the long, white, rocky driveway I can feel my excitement rising. I can’t wait to park and jump out of my car and step into the fresh air of Harford County. Even though this is not where I live, this is home to me. I look around and notice the old wooden fence is leaning a little bit more then it was the last time, probably because the horses love to scratch up against it. The grass in the three large fields is tall and jungle-like; my guess is that it hasn’t been cut in at least two months. Behind the fields are houses with oversized mowed lawns whose fences come within feet of the farm’s. The yards have play houses, and one even has a giant trampoline and a sitting area around a fire pit. There are trees surrounding the farm, creating a quiet hideaway from the bustle of a busy town. The barn on the farm is located about 100 yards from the original farm house. It is old and the painted red wood looks like it needs a new coat but it doesn’t faze me. I walk down inside the barn and can look straight through to the riding ring on the other side, all the while wondering what adventures await me today. The stalls are neatly kept, all of the doors are closed and there is no one to be seen. Perfect. I couldn’t ask for a more relaxing, comfortable place to clear my mind.

Statement on approaches & methods
The axioms that are most pertinent to my landscape study are the geographic axiom and also environmental control. Geographically, there are farms in every state, however the percentage of people who actually see them and get to experience them on a regular basis is probably very small. The environmental control axiom is important because farms these days are quickly dwindling in numbers. Many people do not have the patience to keep up with all the work they require, and developers can make great profits creating plots and building houses out of them.

The boundaries on a farm are usually very explicit. First of all, some farms have a gated entrance. These are usually very large farms where there is a lot of money, such as for race horses. Also, there are fences separating fields, the riding ring, a race track, and possibly even driveway areas. Stalls are separated by wood, or in some cases cement blocks. Another boundary that may not be so noticeable to people are the long driveways usually associated with farms. These driveways serve to keep the main areas of the farm secluded and hidden away from roads and large numbers of people. A social boundary that exists outside of all of the other boundaries is the attitude of the farmer or owner. Generally, people must have permission to be on the property because the owners work very hard to maintain their farms.

Thesis Statement
Farms with or without animals are imperative landscapes which can help improve mental and physical health, are good for the environment, and need to be preserved for future generations.





Annotated Bibliography
1. Berget, B. “Attitudes to animal-assisted therapy with farm animals among health staff and farmers.” Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Sep 2008 Vol 15(7) 576-581
This journal article is important because it “confirms the marked potential of offering AAT services with farm animals for psychiatric patients by documenting positive attitudes to it among psychiatric therapists.” Psychiatrists agree that animal-assisted therapy which can take place on farms is an integral part of teaching mentally impaired people important skills such as human interaction and communication skills.

2. Carney, Leo. “Farmland preservation is Lagging” New York Times 20, Nov.
1994.
This newspaper article highlights how farmland is diminishing in New Jersey. Even though there is land being preserved, a lot of farmland is still being sold to developers. The article also discusses how to make farming more attractive to a younger population.

3. Farmland Information Center. 2006. 4, Nov. 2008.
This online source is reputable because it “is affiliated with the National Agricultural Library and is a member of the Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC)--an alliance of the National Agricultural Library, land-grant university libraries and other organizations that provides online access to agricultural information. It will be helpful because it will provide statistics that I can use in my paper as well as state laws for the preservation of farmland.

4. McLaughlin, Lisa. “Inner-city farms”. Time Canada. 4, august. 2008, Vol. 172, Issue 5. 39-40
This article discusses the boom in farms located in inner cities. Growing vegetables and other food items in your backyard or down the street greatly reduces food costs and also helps the environment. These small farms promote relationships within the city because a few neighbors may have to share a space where there are few to be found.

5. Gentile, Annie. “Competing for America’s Farmland.” American City and County. April. 2005. Vol 120, Issue 4. 12-14
This article points out that it is cheaper for tax payers in towns where there is more farmland because they are not paying for a lot of children to go to public schools. Because of the high taxes that come with residential and developing neighborhoods, conservation groups are taking action to keep farms exactly how they are. The article also discusses how the farmer’s commitment to their land is imperative because they could sell their land and make large sums of money instead of protecting it.