Since 2007, Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) has offered an annual book read to students in First-Year Composition. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is the book chosen for this year’s annual campus book read.

As part of the annual book read, DCB offers presentations for the on-campus and off-campus communities that support the college. These presentations will deliver current perspectives on issues raised by Silent Spring when it was published in 1962 and related issues that have arisen since its publication. Some consider Silent Spring to have played a key role in the ban of DDT, a ban welcomed by some but condemned by others. Silent Spring made the public aware of the harm caused by chemicals used to control unwanted insects and plants in crops and in environments where people live. Silent Spring has been credited with the birth of the environmental movement in the US.

March 20 Centennial Alumni Center Thatcher Hall 7:00 PM

One of the responses to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was a movement to adopt more sustainable farming practices. Stephanie Blumhagen, Executive Director of The Foundation for Agricultural and Rural Resources Management and Sustainability (FARRMS) will discuss the history of the sustainable farming movement and the development of the USDA National Organic Program. She will share how farmers in our own ND communities are growing nutritious, local food in ways that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.

FARRMS takes pride in growing sustainable agriculture by offering workshops for farmers in business building and sustainable agriculture production and providing loans, grants, and technical assistance. They prioritize strengthening local food systems through creating deeper connections between consumers and their food by hosting summer farm tours and showcasing farmers in the yearly calendar. By connecting farmers to one another through mentorship and farmer socials, they have been able to help grow farm businesses, strengthen local food systems, and build vibrant, healthy communities for 24 years.

Everyone is invited to attend these presentations to learn more about issues Silent Spring raised.