Oral histories are in-depth, face-to-face interviews. Staff of the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center are conducting videotaped oral history interviews with people who have provided leadership and inspiration in the field of alternative or sustainable agriculture. Our goal is to record the recollections of people who have influenced the direction of American agriculture, both for current use and as an historical record. To date, eleven interviews have been concluded.
To borrow a videotape, please contact your local public or academic library and ask the librarian to request an interlibrary loan from the National Agricultural Library. Requests should be handled the same way as book requests, through standard interlibrary loan channels. Completed request forms are sent to: National Agricultural Library, Lending Branch - 6th floor, 10301 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2351.
- Oral History Interview with James A. Duke.
VHS, ca 2 hrs., 1988. NAL Call No. Videocassette #629.
JAMES A. DUKE, Ph.D., Beltsville Maryland: Lecturer, author, plant explorer and USDA botanist with the Agricultural Research Service, Dr. Duke is also famed as an expert on herbs and alternative crop plants.
- Oral History Interview with Charles A. Francis.
VHS, ca 1 hr., 1990. NAL Call No. Videocassette #876.
CHARLES A. FRANCIS, Ph.D., Lincoln Nebraska: Director of the Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As an author, speaker, and professor, Dr. Francis is an influential spokesperson on behalf of sustainable agriculture.
- Oral History Interview with Wes Jackson.
VHS, 56 min., 1990. NAL Call No. Videocassette #731.
WES JACKSON, Ph.D., Salina, Kansas: Co-founder, with Dana Jackson, of The Land Institute, Dr. Jackson is a farmer, philosopher and author of several landmark books on the subject of sustainable agriculture.
- Oral History Interview with Fred Kirschenmann.
VHS, ca 1 hr., 1990. NAL Catalog No. Videocassette #877.
FRED KIRSCHENMANN, Ph.D., Windsor, North Dakota: Dr. Kirschenmann returned to the 3000 acre family farm from the world of academia and successfully converted it to organic production. He is active in organic agriculture organizations and in demand as a conference speaker.
- Oral History Interview with William J. Lockeretz.
VHS, ca 1 hr., 1991. NAL Call No. Videocassette #1217.
WILLIAM J. LOCKERETZ, Ph.D., Medford, Massachusetts: Originally trained as a physicist, Dr. Lockeretz turned his considerable research talents to environmental concerns, especially as they influence agriculture. He is an original thinker and a sought-after speaker who has long championed sustainable agriculture.
- Oral History Interview with Jayne T. MacLean.
VHS, ca 1 hr., 1994. NAL Call No. Videocassette #1965.
JAYNE T. MACLEAN, McLean, Virginia: Jayne MacLean was Coordinator of the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Agricultural Library, from 1986 until her retirement in December, 1993. She was one of the first USDA
employees to openly support alternative agriculture.
- Oral History Interview with J. Patrick Madden.
VHS, ca 1 hr, 1990. NAL Call No. Videocassette #1009.
J. PATRICK MADDEN, Ph.D., Glendale, California: Dr. Madden was for many years a professor at Pennsylvania State University and acting director of USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, formerly known as LISA. He helped to design and develop the program.
- Oral History Interview with Paul F. O'Connell.
VHS, 47 min., 1990. NAL Call No. Videocassette #732.
PAUL F. O'CONNELL, Ph.D., Washington, DC: Formerly the Deputy Administrator of the USDA's Cooperative State Research Service, Dr. O'Connell has provided leadership for the administration of the Sustainable Agriculture (LISA) Program
since its inception in 1988.
- Oral History Interview with Robert Rodale.
VHS, 1 hr. 9 min., 1989. NAL Call No. Videocassette #670.
ROBERT RODALE, Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Son of J.I. Rodale, the pioneer promoter of organic farming and gardening in the U. S., Robert Rodale carried on his father's work through publications, lectures and inspirational leadership. He built the family publishing company into a major entity.
- Oral History Interview with Dick Thompson.
VHS, ca 1 hr., 1991. NAL Call No. Videocassette #1008.
DICK THOMPSON, Boone, Iowa: Mr. Thompson is a farmer who advocates and practices sustainable agriculture techniques, sharing his knowledge through lectures, workshops and field days. He is a nationally known expert on ridge tillage.
- Oral History Interview with Garth Youngberg.
VHS, ca 1 hr. 1991. NAL Call No. Videocassette #1128.
I. GARTH YOUNGBERG, Ph.D., Greenbelt, Maryland: Dr. Youngberg, formerly employed by the USDA, was founder and director of the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture, and editor of the American Journal of Alternative Agriculture.
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The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center at the National Agricultural Library
The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) is one of several centers at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) that provide in-depth coverage of specific subject areas relating to agriculture. AFSIC focuses on information related to sustainable and alternative agricultural systems, including new, industrial, and alternative crops. Established at NAL in 1985, the center is also supported by USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and by the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland.
A current list of AFSIC information products and copies of this and other publications are available electronically on the AFSIC Web site. Recent publications are also available, on request, in hard copy.
For further information:
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
National Agricultural Library, ARS, USDA
10301 Baltimore Ave., Room 132
Beltsville MD 20705-2351
phone: 301-504-6559, fax: 301-504-6927
e-mail: afsic@nal.usda.gov
AFSIC's Web site: http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/
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Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
National Agricultural Library
The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
afsic@nal.usda.gov, www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/
Page URL - http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/oralhist.htm, updated October 2003
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