LibGuides: Agriculture and Animal Science: Home

Kanopy Films/Youtube Videos

My Life as a Turkey
2011.
52 min.
This is one man's remarkable experience of raising a group of wild turkey hatchlings to adulthood.
Fishmeat: Choose Your Farm Wisely
2012.
52 min.
An ecological engineer and a fish ecologist search for a more sustainable and kinder future for the fish farming industry.
Pig Business: The Cost of Cheap Food
2009.
32 min.
In this shocking and provocative film, Tracy Worcester sets out to discover who's paying the true price for the cheap pork for sale in Britain's supermarkets.
Edible City
2014
55min
This film introduces a diverse cast of characters who are challenging the paradigm of our broken food system.
New Farms, Big Success: With Three Rock Star Farmers
2014
52min
This inspiring documentary presents three ecologically responsible farms in the USA and Canada that have unique business plans that use sustainable methods and few fossil fuels and yield success.
Grazers: A Cooperative Story
2014
68min
This film follows a group of small farmers in New York State who fight to start a cooperative to sell their grass-fed beef and are almost undone by a broken food system and their own naiveté.
Soyalism
2018
65min
Soyalism follows the industrial production chain of pork and the related soybean monoculture, from China to Brazil through the United States and Mozambique. 
The Trouble With Chicken
2015
55min
As FRONTLINE reveals in The Trouble with Chicken, many of today’s inspection practices are rooted in laws passed more than a century ago, leaving the consumer to shoulder much of the risk of foodborne illness.
Chicken People
2016
82min
Chicken People is a documentary that takes a charming and fascinating look at the colorful and hugely competitive world of champion chicken breeders.
Ingredients: The Local Food Movement Takes Root
2010
66min
As American food nears a state of crisis, Ingredients explores a thriving local food movement where community, food safety, and flavor are commonplace.
Growing Cities: Examining the Role of Urban Farming in America
2013
58min
From rooftop farmers to backyard beekeepers, Americans are growing food like never before. Learn how through the inspiring stories of these intrepid urban farmers, innovators, and everyday city-dwellers who are challenging the way the USA grows and distributes its food.
Winner of Best Feature Film at the Green Lens Environmental Film Festival
The Family Farm
2014
70min
In its journey across the majestic Canadian countryside, The Family Farm explores the diverse agricultural pursuits of earnest farm families, serving as a window into the food production process that modern-day consumers have become estranged from.
Brooklyn Farmer: The World's Largest Rooftop Farm
2013
26min
This film explores the unique challenges facing Brooklyn Grange, a group of urban farmers who endeavor to run a commercially viable farm within the landscape of New York City. 
The Gateway Bug: Feeding Humanity in an Uncertain Age
2016
84min
Over two billion people on earth eat insects for protein. This documentary explores how changing daily eating habits can feed humanity in an uncertain age, one meal at a time.
Winner at the American Conservation Film Festival. Official Selection at San Francisco DocFest.
Food 3.0: What Will We Be Eating Next?
2018
129min
Given our current practices, the planet will soon be unable to satisfy the demand for food. This ground-breaking account shares all of the trends that will shape tomorrow’s food.
The Real Dirt on Farmer Jon: A Maverick Midwestern Farmer
2005
83min
This is an epic tale of a Midwestern farmer. An outcast in his community, Farmer Jon bravely stands amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and violence. By melding the traditions of family farming with the power of art and free expression, this powerful story of transformation and renewal heralds a resurrection of farming in America. Winner of San Francisco International Film Festival – Golden Gate Jury Award, Newport International Film Festival – Grand Jury Award, Chicago Int'l Documentary Festival – Audience Award, Nashville Film Festival – Grand Jury Award, Nashville Film Festival – Reel Current Award (selected by Al Gore)
Of the Land- GMO's and Industrial Food
2015
89min
Of the Land is a detailed exploration into our current food supply as well as a variety of organic options available to people who want to support sustainable farming methods.
The Soul of a Farmer
2021
34min
This fascinating documentary follows Patty Gentry, a former chef, as she battles to earn a living on a three-acre Early Girl Farm on Long Island.
Written on Water
2015
57min
Focusing on the Ogallala Aquifer, which supports over one-fifth of the grain, beef and cotton of the U.S. agricultural economy and over eighty percent of the drinking water for people living in the High Plains, this film examines the conflicts, politics, economics, and groundwater depletion in this region.
What's the Pig Deal?
MCC Instructor, Michelle Gibson, shows some of her piglets being used for hands-on teaching in her agriculture classes.

MCC Clubs and Degrees

MCC Student Clubs
Here's a list of all of the clubs at MCC, but take a note of the Agriculture Club run by Dr. Michelle Gibson and Brian Gardener.
Agricultural Operations Associate Degree
Here's the program requirements to obtain an Associate's in Agricultural Operations
Exploring (Explore) Agriculture (Agriculture) Careers and Opportunities at MCC

Agriculture Focused Websites and Organizations

Websites

Farmers.gov: Resources for Farmers and Producers
USDA ERS
Agriculture at MSU
MSU Extension works to increase people's success while protecting the environment, ensuring food safety, reaching new markets and advancing agriculture through applied research.
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Michigan Agriculture Resources
Learn about Michigan agriculture and explore food and agriculture industry resources.
American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture
The mission of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is to build awareness, understanding and a positive public perception of Agriculture through education.
National Agricultural Library

Organizations

American Society of Agronomy
Learn about how to get involved with or publish in ASA, CSSA, or SSSA publications.
Crop Science Society of America
Certified Crop Adviser
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Farmer-driven innovations in agriculture that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life.
National Young Farmers Coalition
National Young Farmers Coalition represents, mobilizes, and engages young farmers to ensure success.

Resources from the MCC Library's Shelves (History/Natural World)

History and Reflections

The Emergence of Agriculture by Bruce D. Smith
Call Number: 630.09 SMI
Publication Date: 1994-11-01
The Essential Agrarian Reader by Norman Wirzba
Call Number: 630.973 ESS
Publication Date: 2003-10-10
Letters to a Young Farmer by Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (Compiled by Martha Hodgkins, editor)
Call Number: 630.973 LET
ISBN: 9781616895303
Publication Date: 2017-03-07
Clearing Land: Legacies of the American Farm by Jane Brox
Call Number: 630.97345 BRO
Publication Date: 2004-09-15

A Self-Sufficient Life

Back to Basics by Reader's Digest Editors
Call Number: 630.202 BAC
ISBN: 0895779390
Publication Date: 1997-03-17
The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply by Craig Baird
Call Number: 630.202 BAI
Publication Date: 2010-11-15
Living off the Grid: A Simple Gide to Creating and Maintaining a Self-Reliant Supply of Energy, Water, Shelter, and More by Dave Black
Call Number: 630.202 BLA
Publication Date: 2008-11-17
Sustainable Compromises: A Yurt, a Straw Bale House, and Ecological Living by Alan Boye
Call Number: 630.202 BOY
Publication Date: 2014-02-04

Exploring our Natural World

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Call Number: 581 JAH
Publication Date: 2017-02-28
Being a Beast by Charles Foster
Call Number: 591.512 FOS
ISBN: 9781627796330
Publication Date: 2016-06-21
Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals by Hal Herzog
Call Number: 591.512 HER
Publication Date: 2010-09-07
Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard by Douglas W. Tallamy
Call Number: 635.9 TAL
Publication Date: 2020-02-04
The Pig Who Sang to the Moon: The Emotional World of Farm Animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Call Number: 636 MAS
Publication Date: 2003

Resources from the MCC Library's Shelves (Animals)

Animal Care-Farm Animals

Black's Student Veterinary Dictionary 22nd Edition by Edward Boden, Anthony Andrews
Call Number: 636 BLA
Publication Date: 2017-01-26
The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge by Julie Whitaker, Ian Whitelaw
Call Number: 636.1 WHI
Publication Date: 2007-05-15
The Complete Equine Veterinary Manual by Tony and Marcy Pavord
Call Number: 636.108 PAV
Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Storey's Guide to Raising Dairy Goats by Jerry Belanger
Call Number: 636.39 BEL
ISBN: 1580172598
Publication Date: 2000-11-30
Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow
Call Number: 636.432 DAM
Publication Date: 1995
Storey's Guide to Raising Turkeys by Leonard S. Mercia
Call Number: 636.592 MER
Publication Date: 2001
Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett
Call Number: 636.632 BEN
Publication Date: 2000-11-30

Animal Care- Pets

The Complete Encyclopedia of Rabbits and Rodents by Esther Verhoef-Verhallen
Call Number: 636.6 VER
ISBN: 9036615968
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Complete Dog Care Manual by Dr. Bruce Fogle
Call Number: 636.7 FOG
Publication Date: 2006-04-17
Complete Guide to Cats: Everything You Need to Know About Choosing and Caring for Your Pet by ASPCA
Call Number: 636.8 RIC
Publication Date: 1999-09-01
The Country Vet's Home Remedies for Cats by David Kay (Contribution by); H. Ellen Whiteley (Contribution by)
Call Number: 636.8083 KAY
ISBN: 0785324488
Publication Date: 1997-01-01

Animal Connections

When Animals Speak: Techniques for Bonding with Animal Companions by Penelope Smith
Call Number: 636.09 SMI
Publication Date: 2009-08-04
Afterlife of Animals: A Guide to Healing from Loss and Communicating with Your Beloved Pet by Candi Cane Cooper
Call Number: 636.69 COO
Publication Date: 2020-06-23
Animal Connection Made Easy: Strengthen Your Bond and Deepen Your Connection with Animals by Pea Horsley
Call Number: 636.9 HOR
Publication Date: 2018-09-18
Animal Lessons: Discovering Your Spiritual Connection with Animals by Danielle MacKinnon
Call Number: 636.69 MAC
Publication Date: 2017-05-08
The Modern Dog by Stanley Coren
Call Number: 636.7 COR
ISBN: 9781416593683
Publication Date: 2008-12-02

Farming, Farmers, Cattle and Cows

*NEW Big Ideas, Small Farm: A Marketing Guide for Attracting Customers, Increasing Profitability, and Building Community by Jason McClure
Call Number: 620.202 MCC
Publication Date: 2020-03-08
*NEW Beginner's Handbook to Raise Beef Cattle: Keep & Breed Cows for Organic Milk, Meat & Money! by Hank Austin
Call Number: 636.2 AUS
Publication Date: 2022-08-10
*NEW Temple Grandin's Guide to Working with Farm Animals: Safe, Humane Livestock Handling Practices for the Small Farm by Temple Grandin, PhD
Call Number: 636 GRA
Publication Date: 2017-05-02
A Field Guide to Cows by John Pukite
Call Number: 636.2 PUK
ISBN: 0140273883
Publication Date: 1998-05-01

Feel-Good Animal Stories

Funny Farm by Laurie Zaleski
Call Number: 636.083 ZAL
ISBN: 9781250272836
Publication Date: 2022-02-22
Running with Sherman: The Donkey With the Heart of a Hero by Christopher McDougall
Call Number: 636.15 MCD
Publication Date: 2019-10-15
The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood by Sy Montgomery
Call Number: 636.40 MON
Publication Date: 2007-04-17
Olive, Mabel, and Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs by Andrew Cotter
Call Number: 636.752 COT
Publication Date: 2020-12-01
Marley & Me by John Grogan
Call Number: 636.752 GRO
Publication Date: 2008-03-11
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron, Bret Witter
Call Number: 636.80929 MYR
Publication Date: 2008-09-24

Resources on the MCC Library's Shelves (Plants, Seed, Insects, and Food)

Food for Thought

Big Chicken: The Incredible Story of How Anitbiotics Created Modern Agriculture and Changed the Way the World Eats by Maryn McKenna
Call Number: 636.08830289 MCK
Publication Date: 2017-09-12
Local by Douglas Gayeton
Call Number: 647.95035 GAY
ISBN: 9780062267634
Publication Date: 2014-06-10
Food Fight: GMOs and the Future of the American Diet by McKay Jenkins
Call Number: 647.9504 JEN
Publication Date: 2018-02-13
Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Ronald, Raoul W. Adamchak
Call Number: 647.9504 RON
Publication Date: 2018-04-10
Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism by Marion Nestle
Call Number: 647.9506 NES
Publication Date: 2003-03-25

Soil Science, Seeds and Growing Things

*NEW Capturing Sunlight: Skills & Ideas for Intensive Grazing, Sustainable Pastures, Healthy Soils, & Grassfed Livestock by Woody Lane
Call Number: 636.21 LAN
Publication Date: 2020-01-20
*NEW Growing Fruit Trees: 12 Simple Steps to Abundant Fruit Production and Reconnecting with the Food You Eat by Jonathan Wheeler
Call Number: 635.77 WHE
Publication Date: 2023-03-26
*NEW Soil Science for Regenerative Agriculture by Amelie des Plantes
Call Number: 635.9 DES
Publication Date: 2023-04-18
*NEW The Seed Saving Bible by Edward Allen
Call Number: 636.02 ALL
Publication Date: 2023-07-13
*NEW The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost
Call Number: 635.9 FRO
ISBN: 9781645020264
Publication Date: 2021-07-20
*NEW Compost Science for Gardeners: Simple Methods for Nutrient-Rich Soil by Robert Pavlis
Call Number: 635.9 PAV
Publication Date: 2023-01-24
*NEW Managing Pasture by Dale Strickler
Call Number: 636.21 STR
Publication Date: 2019-04-30
*NEW The Complete Beginner's Guide to Greenhouse Gardening by Richard Bray
Call Number: 630.202 BRA
Publication Date: 2022-04-04
The Complete Guide to Growing Windowsill Plants by Angela Williams Duea, Donna Murphy
Call Number: 635.048 DUE
Publication Date: 2011
The Complete Guide to Growing and Using Sprouts by Richard Helweg
Call Number: 635.048 HEL
Publication Date: 2011
The Complete Guide to Companion Planting by Dale Mayer
Call Number: 635.048 MAY
Publication Date: 2011
The Complete Guide to Growing Vegetables, Flowers, Fruits, and Herbs from Containers by Lizz Shepherd
Call Number: 635.048 SHE
Publication Date: 2011
*NEW Mushroom Cultivation: 12 Ways to Become the MacGyver of Mushrooms by Richard Bray
Call Number: 589.202 BRA
Publication Date: 2019-03-01

Plants and Insects

Taxonomy of Flowering Plants by C.L Porter
Call Number: 581 POR
Publication Date: 1967
How Plants Work by Linda Chalker-Scott
Call Number: 581.1 CHA
ISBN: 9781604693386
Publication Date: 2015-04-22
Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America by Eric R. Eaton, Kenn Kaufman
Call Number: 595.7 EAT
Publication Date: 2007-02-28
Bees, Wasps, and Ants: The Indispensable Role of Hymenoptera in Gardens by Eric Grissell
Call Number: 595.79 GRI
Publication Date: 2010-06-30

eBook Resources

For access to thousands of eBook titles, be sure to check out our eBook resources through the MEL Ebook Collection and Ebook Central.

Library Information

Library Contact Information

www.montcalm.edu/library

(989) 328-1261

LibraryStaff@montcalm.edu

NOTE: Computers and print stations are temporarily unavailable due to library construction. We apologize for any inconvenience and will keep you informed when these services become available again.

The library is in the lower level of the Donald C. Burns Administration/ Library Building on the Sidney campus.

Library Hours

2025 Spring Hours

January 13th - May 2nd

Monday-Thursday

8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Friday 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Closed Saturdays, and Sundays

The MCC Library staff are also available to assist students, staff, and faculty via email, librarystaff@montcalm.edu.

Database Passwords

Current MCC students, faculty and staff will need to enter a username and password to view MCC Library's databases when trying to access the databases from an off-campus location. No passwords are needed when accessing the databases while on MCC's Sidney or Greenville campuses.

MCC Library Catalog

Books and more
This link provides access to the material held in the MCC Library.

Recommended Research Databases

MEL Academic Search Complete
Peer-reviewed articles for STEM research, social sciences, and humanities
MEL Agricola
Contains records from the USDA's National Agriculture Library and millions of citations for the field of agriculture.
DATA.gov
The U.S. Government's open data covering agriculture, climate, education, finance, health, manufacturing, public safety, scientific research, and more.
MEL Ebook Collection
Over one million full-text books for viewing in your web browser. Books cover a broad range of academic subjects.
Ebook Central
Provides eBooks representing a broad range of academic subjects.
MEL Environment Complete
Covers agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, and affiliated areas of study.
Infobase Learning
Pro/con articles addressing current issues and controversies help students better understand the most crucial topics in politics, government, business, society, and popular culture.
MEL Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale)
Presents opposing opinions on today's hottest social issues and debates including the environment, health, politics, and religion.
ProQuest Researcher
Easy-to-use, comprehensive source for general research. Includes the arts, business, health and medicine, literature and language, science and technology and social sciences.
Today's Science
Thousands of original articles, by scientists and science journalists, based on the most current peer-reviewed journal articles. The easy-to-understand and engaging articles provide in-depth coverage of important advances in biology, chemistry, environmental science, space, physics, and technology.

MCC Library's Archives

The MCC Library's Archives contains a collection of barn photos and farm survey documents for each township in Montcalm County. This collection was recorded in 2001-2004 as part of the Barn Again program, part of a traveling Smithsonian Institute initiative. This reference material is in-library use only and includes such information as photographs of barns, farms, and farm owners, origin of farms, physical description of farm property, ownership, written and oral histories of farms and farm families, and other miscellaneous details of those farms surveyed.