'Definitions of Conservation Farming Practices' bulletin   Save
Friends of the Land Collection
Description: Friends of the Land reprint of "Definitions of Conservation Farming Practices," from the Bulletin of the Garden Club of America (Nov. 1943), and first prepared by Morris L. Cooke and revised by Hugh Hammond (H.H.) Bennett, of the Soil Conservation Service. The pamphlet illustrates twelve key principles of conservation agriculture animating FOTL work and used in the group's publications. Much of the language from this particular pamphlet is recycled in other FOTL publications -- including promotional leaflets. The pamphlet illustrates FOTL's close ties with leading figures in rural development and conservation at the time, and with the former masterminds of New Deal rural and conservation agriculture programs -- including Cooke, the former director of the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), and Bennet, founder of the USDA's Soil Conservation Service. Moreover, it reflects FOTL's self-appointed role as conservation information clearinghouse in the 1940s and 1950s; the organization frequently republished bulletins from the Soil Conservation Service and other conservation networks for distribution to its membership. The Friends of the Land Collection (1930-1960) contains the papers of the Friends of the Land (1940-1959), a prominent national soil conservation education organization headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. FOTL produced an international literary arts quarterly, THE LAND (edited by New Deal agriculture writer Russell Lord) in addition to several members' only publications (LAND LETTER) and informational pamphlets. They also hosted annual conferences; ran conservation tours, teacher training labs, and workshops; and operated as a national clearinghouse for conservation information. Ohio farmer and novelist Louis Bromfield was active in the organization. Much of the collection reflects the career and interests of FOTL Executive Secretary Ollie Fink, who was a prominent conservation education pioneer in Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS364_B02F08_03_01
Subjects: Conservation education; Social movements; Agricultural education; Soil science; Nutrition; Ecology
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)