Weekly Objectives:

Compile all information obtained from interviews onto database

Contact farmers requesting input on values of locally-owned food retail

 

Achievements:

Set up the database

Reached out to farmers

 

Moment of Significant Change:

 

The moment of significant change workshop in last week’s lecture provided an opportunity for us to gain some perspective on where we stand with the course of our project. In this lecture the TAs shared examples of academic endeavours in which they had had to change their scope.

 

In the scope change workshop we individually drew graphs and identified key moments that had occurred during our project. Then, collectively we drew a graph to identify milestones that our group recognized as being significant. This helped symbolize the evolution of our project and enabled us to share our individual perspectives and experiences.

 

As the graph below illustrates, our project has not been a linear process. Our experiences have fluctuated depending on the feedback we have received and our experiences conducting research in the community. The decline in our graph shows the periods when we encountered challenges, new perspectives, and ideas that were learned and synthesized. Our scope changed after comprehending new ideas – for instance, when Will suggested to alter the objectives and procedures of our project. The graph also reflects how our new ideas and changes in scope helps us overcome the challenges and allows us to work towards the successful completion of our project.

Strategies for a graceful dismount:

In order to conclude our project in a timely process, we have identified remaining components that we will address over the coming weeks.

• We will contact farmers with questions pertaining to their opinions on locally-owned food retail.
• Compare responses from farmers with the responses from the local store owners and relate to the portrayal of locally-owned food markets from media and other statistical report.
• Assimilate information and synthesize themes from this term’s readings and assignments to contribute to the final report
• Reflect on key moments of the project to inform future LFS 350 groups

 

We recognize with only a few weeks left in the semester we may not get responses from many farmers. One of the aims of our project is to begin a dialogue between stakeholders within the food system rather than to find concrete answers.

 

Works Cited

 

Finlay, Ron. (2013, February). A guerilla gardener in South Central LA. Ted Talk. Video. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?language=en

 

Stuart, Tristram. (2012, May). The global food waste scandal. Ted Talk. Video. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/tristram_stuart_the_global_food_waste_scandal?language=en