Alpine Adventures in Agriculture

Countries Visited: Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland

Time Period: Maymester (May 13-24)

Number of students: 22

Co-Leads: Dr. Stacy Zuelly and James Krotz

Synopsis: This interdisciplinary program aimed to compare and contrast American agriculture practices with those of the Alpine region of Europe. Students were able to tour and learn about conventional and organic agriculture practices at a variety of farms, factories, and research institutes, including two dairies, a beef farm/butcher shop, an asparagus farm, a Bernese Mountain dog breeder, a horse stud, a cheesery, a cut flower farm, a brewing school, Horsch sprayer manufacturer, urban community gardens, a distillery, and Agroscope Livestock Research Facility. Students also visited a variety of cultural sites such as Dachau labor camp, Mt. Pilatus, and a Tyrolean folk show. It was a great experience for the students and we hope this will be a long-running program!