Exploring the Geography of America's Disappearing Agricultural Heritage
A project funded by the National Geographic Society Conservation Trust, with assistance of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the United States Department of Interior Heritage Areas Program.
Project Description
Maine’s wild blueberry barrens, Florida’s Indian River citrus district, Northern Minnesota’s wild rice region, and New Mexico’s Hatch chili pepper region are just a small sample of unique place-based agriculture regions in the United States. All share special ecological and cultural relationships to their surrounding communities. Maine’s wild blueberries, for example, are still harvested with hand rakes, and the barrens burned every other year as Native Americans have done for centuries. Likewise, Aroostook County, Maine, is the last community in the U.S. to recess school so that children can assist with the potato harvest. In an age of globalization, place-based conservation, ecotourism and food tourism are emerging as opportunities for rural American communities to thwart economic displacement and cultural homogenization. Rich agricultural community histories, foodways, and culinary traditions hold great, but largely untapped, potential for sustainable community and economic development by capturing their unique “gout de terroir” (Fr: a taste of place).
Building on previous work in the Concord Grape Belt I am exploring the potential of new agriculture-themed heritage areas in the U.S. This project, funded by the National Geographic Society, includes conducting a series of detailed geographical transects of promising place-based agricultural regions including:
- Characterizing their historical, environmental, and cultural significance
- Inventorying specific cultural and historic assets and the unique strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each
- Preparing a comprehensive report on each region’s potential for heritage area development.
Collaborators include Gilbert Gillespie of Development Sociology, Brenda Barrett National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and Peter H. Brink National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For additional information contact Duncan Hilchey (dlh3@cornell.edu)