Hourie, Samantha

Small scale farming at the homestead or hobby farm scale provides opportunities for members of the public to visit farms, see livestock, and engage directly with how their food is produced. This scale is often dismissed as or minor importance, yet the biosecurity of larger farms makes these small farms often the only ones that the public can visit. My research explores whether communities want these direct connections with agriculture, and if this provides understanding of the interconnection of farming ecosystems. As a small scale egg producer, I first provide a personal autoethnography of my own operation. I then examine my customers attitudes toward my produce and farm, and analyse interview of other local producers and community members.

Author Keywords: Connectivity, Diversity, Family farming, Homesteading, Small-scale agriculture, Sustainable agriculture