By: Cole Beiner
Hello, my name is Cole Beiner and I am a global scholar at FSU. To me, global scholar means a student approaching new environments with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to both contribute and be changed by the experience. This summer, I plan to carry out these tenets by immersing myself in community-based agricultural systems in Costa Rica, listening to and learning from local farmers, and using those insights to inform my Capstone project on integrating traditional agricultural practices with modern technologies for sustainable, high-yield systems.
I will be traveling throughout Costa Rica, working with WWOOF hosts and local farms that practice sustainable and, in many cases, indigenous-informed agriculture. My daily activities will include hands-on farm work, conversations with farmers and community members, and independent observation and documentation of farming techniques, crop systems, and land management strategies. I am especially looking forward to seeing how these systems operate in practice, and how cultural values, environmental conditions, and resource constraints shape agricultural decisions. At the same time, I am aware of the challenges that come with entering a new cultural and linguistic environment. While I have a background in Spanish, I anticipate moments where communication may be difficult, and I recognize the importance of navigating those situations with patience and respect.
My community-based inquiry (CBI) focuses on understanding how indigenous and small-scale agricultural practices can be integrated with modern scientific approaches to create more sustainable and resilient food systems. I chose this topic because of my academic background in environmental science and my growing interest in agricultural systems that balance productivity with ecological integrity. To structure this inquiry, I plan to use a combination of qualitative methods, including informal interviews, participant observation, and reflective journaling. I aim to identify key themes in how knowledge is shared, how land is managed, and how communities adapt to environmental and economic pressures. Ultimately, I hope this research contributes to a broader framework that can inform sustainable agriculture initiatives, particularly those aimed at supporting small-scale farmers in diverse global contexts.
To meaningfully engage with my host communities, I intend to participate fully in daily farm life, contribute labor, and build relationships through shared work and conversation. I will approach each interaction with respect for local knowledge and an openness to learning.
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