ABSTRACT
Some professional workers and business people in cities with populations ranging from 10,000 to over 100,000, often purchase a parcel of land to live on and be in contact with plants. Besides providing positive psychological and social benefits to their well-being, the economic factor will affect these positive benefits, creating a socio-economic pattern that eventually will be conducive to fostering their relationship with the land. Implementing a continuing adult education system will help promote and improve their socio-economic condition. As part of the Northwest Missouri State University’s Alternative Crops Program, any interested individual can retrieve information on plant culture from a computer data base program. Furthermore, experimental plot demonstrations at the experiment station, off-campus farm demonstrations, periodic workshops and technical meetings will alleviate people’s anxiety and will help foster a positive attitude that eventually will impact their socioeconomic condition. Above all, this creates a trusting relationship to work on the land. A feedback system can also be developed with university input, people and plant/environment response and vice versa.
