Compiling a Lit Review (Life Sciences)

Drop by Steenbock Library this Friday for a workshop designed for those beginning their literature review for a research project, proposal, dissertation, or publication. Specifically, this workshop will focus upon resources and techniques useful for seeking and retrieving the life sciences literature.

Participants will learn the key steps for conducting a search and have an opportunity to explore the core databases that are important for mining the academic literature in these fields.

Compiling a Lit Review in the Life Sciences
Friday, March 12 (noon-1:15 PM)
Room 105, Steenbock Library

No registration is necessary in order to attend; all workshops are free to students, faculty and staff.

Pick of the Harvest

The MACSAC organization (Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition) will host an open house at the Monona Terrace, March 14, from 1:00-4:00 PM.

At the open house, you will be able to chat with growers and to evaluate the different share options—often weekly or every-other-week deliveries of seasonal produce, eggs, cheese, honey or meat depending upon share plan and CSA farm. (And, many of these same growers also participate in the area farmers’ markets).

In order to plan ahead, take a look at the MACSAC 2010 Farm List to consider farms and share options that will best satisfy your appetite for produce and level of participation. Many of the farms have application forms that you can submit now.

In addition to supporting a local economy and savoring the fresh produce, there are some other incentives. Many health plans furnish rebates for CSA participation. Shares can also be donated to assist families in our community in need. And, less we forget, there are opportunities to volunteer and to learn more with an internship at an area farm or MACSAC event.

National Grammar Day (March 4)

Celebrate your ability to speak and write well. “It’s not only a date; it’s an imperative!”

National Grammar Day, founded by Martha Brockenbrough (SPOGG), is brought to you by Grammar Girl, one of several ‘tip-masters’ hosted by the “Quick and Dirty Tips” site—and one actual Mignon Fogarty, technical writer and author of several books on grammar usage and effective writing. The site supplies a revolving series of tips, (accessible via text or audio), from general usage concerns to those of punctuation, word choice, and style.

The site also has some fun interactive content—quirky videos, polls, and examples of amusing typos, etc.

Once you have gleaned some useful content from the Grammar Girl site, be sure to also consult with your local experts at the UW-Madison Writing Center.

Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin, Status Report

The outlook for Wisconsin’s organic producers is positive despite the current recession. The state is also second only to California in the total number of organic farm operations in the United States--with 1443 certified and uncertified farms, according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture. These farms account for some $80.6 million in farm-gate sales.

For a full accounting of this diverse sector, its challenges and future, consult the 2009 status report prepared by staff and associates with the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).

Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2009 Status Report
Authors: Kelliann Blazek, Erin Silva, Laura Paine and Thomas Atwell

Fresh!

Save the date for a screening of Fresh: New Thinking about What We’re Eating and faculty-led discussion, March 11 (5:00-7:00 PM), Memorial Library Commons (Room 460). The film, produced and directed by Ana Sofia Joanes, examines the current food system and celebrates the individuals who are looking to forge healthier and sustainable alternatives. The film features Will Allen (Growing Power), Joel Salatin (Polyface Farms) and David Ball (Hen House Markets), among others (see bios)

Professors Jack Kloppenburg and Jill Harrison, from the department of Community & Environmental Sociology, will lead discussion about the ideas sparked by the film--an event that is free and open to the public.

This event, held in conjunction with UW-Madison's Go Big Read common-reading program is intended to provide a forum for students, staff, and community members to share ideas and perspectives related to the film and their reading of In Defense of Food.