Progress 12/15/14 to 12/14/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience As discussed, the target audience for this program is beginning farmers with a special emphasis on military veterans. The program partners have experience working with this group. Delaware Valley University provides a robust system of support for military veterans including specially trained staff devoted to military and veteran students and the processing of their academic and financial benefits. Delaware Valley University is committed to making sure that our veterans are an integral part of the local community. The University has an ongoing relationship with the Travis Manion Foundation whose headquarters are in Doylestown, PA. The Military and Veterans center at DelVal is named for the late Janet Manion who started the foundation to honor the service of her son who died in combat in Iraq in 2007. The Janet Manion Military and Veterans Center provides a social center for military veterans and is a gathering place for student-veterans and military members, offering personalized services to fulfill each veteran's needs. It is a place for veterans, military personnel and their dependents to relax with people with shared experiences between classes, get help with paperwork for educational funding, and get support from staff and peers. Staff members at the center provide counseling and college advising tailored for military veterans' success. Rodale Institute began working with military veterans through the first year of this program prior to receiving the BFRDP grant. The Rodale Institute program coordinator in years one and two was also a military veteran who could identify with the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life following military service. In year three, the new program coordinator is likewise a military veteran with congruent qualifications. Rodale Institute is also deeply qualified to address the needs and training of new and beginning organic farmers, as it has been doing so for more than sixty years. Rodale Institute is a trusted source of science-based information rooted in the tradition and philosophy of organic agriculture which can be seen in long standing programming and projects including but not limited to: its popular New Farm publication; the workshops and trainings held on the farm; the diversified production models operating on the farm; and the innovative research in organic farming systems that supports new and established organic farmers. This makes Rodale Institute an appropriate and inspiring place for any student to gain experiential knowledge in organic farming systems. As attested to throughout this proposal narrative, each partner organization aspires to shape and deliver a program that meets the needs of new organic farmers and especially military veterans. Sixty percent of the proposed budget will support the target population of military veterans. This Organic Farming Program is available to all students, regardless of their veteran status, but has been an attractive option for veterans returning to college. During the December 2014-2015 reporting period, our target audience breakdown was: Mickey Schamach, White, Male, Veteran James Wertman, White, Male, Veteran P. Sean Hart, White, Male, Veteran David Reynolds, White, Male, Veteran Jessika Greendeer, Native American, Female, Veteran Kristin Greendeer, Native American, Female, Veteran Lyndsey Antanitis, White, Female, Veteran David Heilman, White, Male During the December 2015-December 2016 reporting period, our target audience breakdown was: Leah Bingaman, White, Female Travis Beyer, White, Male Eric Kretschman, White, Male Fallilou Thiam, African American, Female Ronald Kuhn, White, Male, Veteran Joseph Grato, White, Male Adam McDermott, White, Male, Veteran Jeremy Auchenbach, White, Male, Veteran Brian Titus, White, Male, Veteran Colby Tone, White, Male, Veteran Reid Wilbraham, White, Male, Veteran Kristen Valentin, White, Female Nino Hernandez, Hispanic, Male, Veteran During the December 2016-2017 reporting period, our target audience breakdown was: Hernandez, Pedro - Male- Hispanic - Military Weismiller, Audrey - Female - Caucasian - Military Leone, Alicia - Female - Caucasian - Civilian Zygmont, Jordan - Male - Caucasian - Military Pinero, Mark - Male - Hispanic - Military Florez, Wilson - Male - Hispanic - Civilian Warren, Alexzandra - Female - Caucasian - Civilian Lupacchino, Michael - Male - Hispanic - Military Georgis, Emily - Female - Caucasian - Civilian Jones, Andrew - Male - Caucasian - Civilian Wilcox, Mike - Male - ? - Military Changes/Problems:New farmers have suggested that a critical component to successfully starting to farm was risk reduction for new farm enterprises. As such, the program will be further strengthened by facilitating access to land, infrastructure and equipment for our graduates. Land, infrastructure and equipment access is a common obstacle for the farming community as a whole and it is no different for our students. We have started to address this issue during year two of the grant and will continue to do so throughout year three by partnering with local farms and veteran groups to ease this burden for our students. In addition, we have forged relationships with several incubator farms including The Seed Farm and the Horn Farm Center to offer an opportunity for new farmers to have access to land and equipment at a reduced price with the benefit of a professional farmer mentor on site. This is a reduced risk solution for new students transitioning into new farmers while they are still discovering their own strengths and challenges. We have integrated into the fall curriculum writing a business plan, an organic livestock course and increased the field trips in the summer semester and include lunch with the farmer so students are able to ask more in-depth questions. ? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The Organic Farming Certificate Program has provided a multitude of training and professional development opportunities to the participants. Starting from day 1 of the Spring or Fall semester, enrollees become college students with traditional classes to attend, notes to take, projects to complete and exams to pass; with the entire subject matter geared towards becoming a knowledgeable, competent organic farmer. They are graded on the same scale as all of the traditional college students, and in 2016, their grades were equal to or above the class averages. In addition to the academic portion of the program, each semester students work 80 hours on organic farms. They are required to reflect on this experience and relate it to their classroom training. Over the course of 3 semesters, all of the following skills are covered: Certification, National Organic Standards, Farm inspections Soil Care, preparation & maintenance Nutrient management - organic sources of fertilizers Compost and compost teas Soil preparation, tillage equipment Cover Crops Choosing a specific crop for specific needs, ordering seed, planting, maintenance Equipment, maintenance and safety Tractors, implements, sprayers & calibration Driver instructions Transplant production & planting Ordering supplies Seeds Soil-less mix selecting and parameters Filling trays, planting, watering Hardening off Transplanting by hand and water-wheel transplanter Irrigation - where to order irrigation supplies; setting up drip & overhead irrigation systems; how much and how often to water; using a Direct Seeding - use of different styles of seeders; succession planting Crop rotation and vegetable families & characteristics Plasticulture Laying plastic, use of a high tunnel & other season extension technologies Producing in the off-season Biodegradable materials Pest control & IPM Weeds, insect & pathogen identification Strategies for prevention & control Organically approved products Harvest techniques, washing, cooling, storage Post-Harvest Handling and Food Safety Rules and regulations Marketing & Small Business Management Orchard Maintenance -Pest Management and Soil differences -Planting, Root Stock and Pruning -Orchard specific tools and Safety Organic Beekeeping -Identify different bees with-in hive -Harvesting honey, swarms and planting for bees Maple Syrup Production -Tree selection, sugaring season, equipment needs, tapping, collections, regulations and bottling Organic Livestock Production Organic dairy operation, anatomy of various livestock, diets and holistic care for livestock Organic Mushroom Production -3 types of mushrooms, inoculation of logs, mulch beds, site selection, medium, and marketing Grant Writing -Provide examples and templates for common grants, where to search and funding opportunities Students are also required to develop their written and oral communication skills through classroom projects and compile a "tool box" of resources that will enable them find information and become a part of a nationwide network of organic farmers. In addition to curriculum taught by Dr. Ricotta, guest lecturers & field trips were a regular part of the courses: Spring 2017: IPM Field trip to the New Jersey Beneficial Insect Lab, W. Trenton, NJ Field trip to Peace Tree Farms, Kintnersville, PA Dr. Kathy Ponnock; DelVal Department of Biology Topic: Pesticide Toxicology & Registration Kathryn Homa & Van Starner, IR-4 Project Topic: Natural and Synthetic Pesticide Testing for Specialty Crops Commercial Vegetable Production Field trip to the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers Convention Field trip to Tinicum CSA, Tinicum, PA Field trip to Trauger's Farm, Kintnersville, PA Krystal Lucykanish, JR Peters Topic: Hydroponic Agriculture Bryce Cannon, DelVal Roth Farm Topic: Using a high tunnel Summer 2017: Field Trip to Hershberger Heritage Farm, Sellersville PA Jeff Stoltfus: Penn State Extension Topic: FSMA/GAP certification Field Trip to Stone Barn Center, Hudson Valley, NY Field Trip to 8 Oaks Distillery (Farm to Still operation), New Tripoli, PA Lindsay Williams: NRCS Topic: EQUIP, FSA, CREP, Local Conservation offices Field Trip to The Seed Farm, Emmaus, PA Cody Hallowell: Ag Choice & Credit Ag Loans, Credit and application process Field Trip to Kneehigh Farm, Pottstown, PA Field Trip to 2 Gander Farm, Downingtown, PA Field Trip to Hermans Apiary, Kutztown, PA Field Trip to Wyebrook Farm, Honey Brook, PA Heather Donald: Pennsylvania Certified Organic Topic: Organic Certification, Application Process Fall 2017: Marketing of Horticultural Products Field trip to Shady Brook farms, Yardley, PA Field trip to Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, Philadelphia, PA Field Trip to Organnnon's Organic Market; Jim Gannon, owner Field trip to Doc Baker's Farmulations - Joel ___ Starting a Health Based Food Business Christine Seel; DelVal Department of Business Topic: Business Plans Rob Arcediacono; Manager, DelVal Market Topic: marketing a small farm market Jeff Tkach; The Rodale Institute; Building Your Brand - Organic Food and Fiber Field trip to Promised Land Farms, Yardley, PA Field trip to Anchor Run Farm, Wrightstown, PA Field trip to Milk House Farm, Newtown, PA Field trip to Aro Hill Farm, Jamison, PA (veteran owned) Ross Duffield, The Rodale Institute Topic: Organic Animal Care Mr. John Urbanchuck, Department of Ag Business, DelVal Organic pricing Dr. Joe Heckman, Rutgers University Topic: History of Organic How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? During the third year of the grant the Organic Farming Program coordinator at DelVal attended numerous conferences and local events to promote the program, such as: 1. Growing PA's Organic Farms Conference (GPOF) in Harrisburg, PA - exhibitor space 2. Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) Winter Conference at State College - exhibitor space 3. PA Farm Show - attended on the veterans in farming day and spoke on a panel, also exhibitor space 4. Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) conference in New Brunswick, NJ - exhibitor space 5. Local Farm and Food Expo at DelVal - exhibitor space 6. Sustainable Living Expo at Palisades High School in Kintnersville, PA - exhibitor space 7. Veterans Educational Fair at Northampton Community College - exhibitor space 8. The Philadelphia Food and Farm Fest, Philadelphia, PA 9. Empowering Women in Business and Agriculture Conference, Santa Rosa, CA - exhibitor space 10. Women in Agriculture, Pennsylvania Chapter, State College, PA- working conference 11. Penn State University Veteran-only Job Fair- exhibitor space By attending these conferences we are trying to recruit program participants, network with area farm service providers to enrich the program, and to provide the current student body in the organic farming certificate program an additional field day or training session. Many of these conferences have numerous workshops that further the student's education in organic agriculture. The program also had several media stories throughout the third year. Those being: 12/22/2017 Organic Farming Program receives $498,706 USDA grant, from Vegetable Growers News 12/22/2017 USDA awards $498,706 grant to Organic Farming Program, from Fruit Growers News 12/20/2017 Rodale, DelVal get $500k grant to train organic farmers, from Reading Eagle 12/19/2017 Organic Farming Program BFRDP - Rodale and DelVal, from beginningfarmers.org 10/06/2017 How These Two Women Are Changing The Healthy Food Game, from Women's Health 08/25/2017 DelVal to offer new organic livestock course, from The Bucks County Herald 6/27/2017 Veterans learn farming skills at Rodale Institute, WFMZ Channel 69 6/7/2017 Opportunities for Veterans in Pennsylvania Agriculture, Penn State Blog Post We also have two facebook pages, one that Dr. Ricotta manages: WWW.DelVal/SustAg and the other the program coordinator manages: www.facebook.com/delvalorganics During the next reporting period the curriculum will continue to be refined to reflect the knowledge new farmers need to be successful. This will be done by utilizing curricula and information from multiple sources also providing new farmer training as well as new information coming from land-grant university research programs and via other farmers. A course in " Botany for Farmers" will be developed, and it will be attempted to offer "Exploring the Small Farm Dream. " There is a growing number of online videos regarding farming ad some of these will be added to course curricula. Students in the program will continue to be held to high standards of performance in their classes and through their on-farm experiences. Field trips to new farms will be included in courses and there will be more guest speakers for the Farm Practicum meeting. The program will be publicized through Dr. Ricotta presenting talks on the pedagogy of training adult students and veterans at academic conferences such as The American Association for Horticultural Science and ASFS (Association for Study of Food and Society) Conference, the sponsored by two associations; Association for Study of Food and Society; (ASFS) and the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society (AFHVS). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period the curriculum will continue to be refined to reflect the knowledge new farmers need to be successful. This will be done by utilizing curricula and information from multiple sources also providing new farmer training as well as new information coming from land-grant university research programs and via other farmers. A course in " Botany for Farmers" will be developed, and it will be attempted to offer "Exploring the Small Farm Dream. " There is a growing number of online videos regarding farming ad some of these will be added to course curricula. Students in the program will continue to be held to high standards of performance in their classes and through their on-farm experiences. Field trips to new farms will be included in courses and there will be more guest speakers for the Farm Practicum meeting. The program will be publicized through Dr. Ricotta presenting talks on the pedagogy of training adult students and veterans at academic conferences such as The American Association for Horticultural Science and ASFS (Association for Study of Food and Society) Conference, the sponsored by two associations; Association for Study of Food and Society; (ASFS) and the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society (AFHVS).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This program gained significantmomentum once we were able to provide financial aid to civilian students. We have had 9 organic farmers come out of our program and have given 22 students trainingand resources on organic farming. Result Topic Producer action When measured Est # Act # How verified? 1. To equip new farmers, including military veterans, with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience to be successful in operating their own organic enterprises. Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Understand At the end of each year and at the end of 3 years 50 13 Communicate with graduates to confirm their status 2. Develop, deliver and refine organic agriculture classroom curriculum. Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Develop yearly review and at the end of the grant 55 13 communication with students and instructors at DelVal and Rodale 3. Develop, deliver and refine practical organic farming experience. Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Develop yearly review and at the end of the grant 55 13 communication with students and instructors at DelVal and Rodale 4. Support students in successful completion of an organic agriculture certificate program Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Implement yearly review and at the end of the grant 50 13 communication with students and instructors at DelVal and Rodale 5. To increase the number of successful organic farm enterprises in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Organic production Implement yearly review and at the end of the grant 45 9 follow up and communication with graduates 6. Provide training and support in business and marketing aspects of organic farming Business and strategic planning Develop yearly review and at the end of the grant 50 22 participation in voluntary business training program with Lehigh University 7. Introduce students to existing farmer-to-farmer networks Interpersonal, family, and business relationships Implement yearly review and at the end of the grant 50 22 communication with students through a survey 8. Support farmers post-graduation through social and web-based media platforms Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Implement yearly review and at the end of the grant 50 22 participate in network and have oversight 9. To support military veterans in their transition to the civilian workforce. Organic production Implement yearly review and at the end of the grant 50 15 communication with the students 10. Provide a dedicated program coordinator who is a military veteran Employee management and communication Implement employment throughout the grant 2 2 one coordinator at Rodale and one coordinator at DelVal 11. Coordinate informal mentoring between established military veteran organic farmers and students. Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Develop throughout the grant 50 15 periodically update list and add new members 12. Ensure all program costs for military veteran students are covered. Labor supply, recruitment, and retention Implement yearly review and at the end of the grant 50 12 coordinate with VA for any funding gaps
Publications
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Progress 12/15/15 to 12/14/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this program is beginning farmers with a special emphasis on military veterans. The program partners have experience working with this group. Delaware Valley University provides a robust system of support for military veterans including specially trained staff devoted to military and veteran students and the processing of their academic and financial benefits. Delaware Valley University is committed to making sure that our veterans are an integral part of the local community. The University has an ongoing relationship with the Travis Manion Foundation whose headquarters are in Doylestown, PA. The Military and Veterans center at DelVal is named for the late Janet Manion who started the foundation to honor the service of her son who died in combat in Iraq in 2007. The Janet Manion Military and Veterans Center provides a social center for military veterans and is a gathering place for student-veterans and military members, offering personalized services to fulfill each veteran's needs. It is a place for veterans, military personnel and their dependents to relax with people with shared experiences between classes, get help with paperwork for educational funding, and get support from staff and peers. Staff members at the center provide counseling and college advising tailored for military veterans' success. Rodale Institute began working with military veterans through the first year of this program prior to receiving the BFRDP grant. The Rodale Institute program coordinator in years one and two was also a military veteran who could identify with the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life following military service. In year three, the new program coordinator is likewise a military veteran with congruent qualifications. Rodale Institute is also deeply qualified to address the needs and training of new and beginning organic farmers, as it has been doing so for more than sixty years. Rodale Institute is a trusted source of science-based information rooted in the tradition and philosophy of organic agriculture which can be seen in long standing programming and projects including but not limited to: its popular New Farm publication; the workshops and trainings held on the farm; the diversified production models operating on the farm; and the innovative research in organic farming systems that supports new and established organic farmers. This makes Rodale Institute an appropriate and inspiring place for any student to gain experiential knowledge in organic farming systems. As attested to throughout this proposal narrative, each partner organization aspires to shape and deliver a program that meets the needs of new organic farmers and especially military veterans. Sixty percent of the proposed budget will support the target population of military veterans. This Organic Farming Program is available to all students, regardless of their veteran status, but has been an attractive option for veterans returning to college. During the December 2015-December 2016 reporting period our target audience breakdown was: Leah Bingaman, White, Female Travis Beyer, White, Male Eric Kretschman, White, Male Fallilou Thiam, African American, Female Ronald Kuhn, White, Male, Veteran Joseph Grato, White, Male Adam McDermott, White, Male, Veteran Jeremy Auchenbach, White, Male, Veteran Brian Titus, White, Male, Veteran Colby Tone, White, Male, Veteran Reid Wilbraham, White, Male, Veteran Kristen Valentin, White, Female Nino Hernandez, Hispanic, Male, Veteran Changes/Problems:Late in year two (October 2016), Rodale's Organic Farming Program Coordinator, Justin Barclay, left the Institute to pursue other employment opportunities. Ms. Lyndsey Antanitis was hired to replace him in this role. Lyndsey is a veteran who completed the Organic Farming Certificate Program at Delaware Valley University and also gained hands-on, experiential organic farming experience at Rodale Institute through her participation in the Veteran Farmer Training Program over the last year. Some of the challenges we experienced over the first two years of this project proved significant in our ability to market the program towards veterans. One of the challenges was that the Veterans Administration (VA) does not permit the direct advertising of certificate programs, such as the Organic Farming Program, towards veterans because many certificate programs prey on veterans without offering an authenticated education program. This issue was brought up in year one and again in year two to USDA leadership including Deputy Secretary, Krysta Harden as well as Jill Auburn and Dr. Denis Ebodaghe. Another issue was the reporting of farmer placement. Over the past two years several students who participated in the program prior to the BFRDP grant returned to complete their degree and are currently juniors and seniors. This may skew some of our future results since we did not initially anticipate students returning to school and completing their degree prior to starting their own farm enterprises. This is not a loss, since the individuals are furthering their agricultural education, but may impact the number of farmers we are able to place during the reporting periods of this grant. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There has been a strong network built within the agriculture community to offer additional training sessions and workshops for the organic farming certificate program students. Because of the relationships that were established in year 1 of the project we were able to broaden these offerings with the following farm service providers: The Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA), The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Tarrytown, NY, the PA Farm Link, The Farmer Veteran Coalition, the local USDA office of Berks County. Below is a list of field days, workshops, farm tours and additional training sessions that were held in year 2: PASA Winter Conference Rodale Institute - Maple Syrup Tapping Day Farmer Veteran Coalition 'Empowering Women Veterans in Agriculture', Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture Seed Starting and Greenhouse Management Training session with Del Val farm managers Penn State Extension came to DelVal to present 'Winter Study Circle' about 'Marketing your Farm' and 'USDA grants and loans for beginning farmers' Tinicum Farm owners spoke to the students about 'From Business Planning to Season Planning' - about farm start-ups and how to maximize your profitability Bryn Athyn College Student Farm tour and lecture, "How to Start up a University Farm" Farmer Veteran owned/operated farm tour at Hershberger Heritage Farm Farm Equipment Presentation at Rodale Institute with guest speaker, George Leidig Farmer Veteran owned/operated farm tour at ARO Hill with Jim Wertman Partnered with Doylestown Food Co-op and showed 'Ground Operations: from Battlefields to Farmfields' at DelVal; and panel discussion with the film maker, Dulanie Elis. Young Farmers Conference at Stone Barns Center for Food and Ag, Tarrytown, NY Along with the 36 college credits the students earn, we also provide field days and training sessions for the students to really enrich their experience. The field days and training are listed in the training and professional development section below. The Rodale Institute coordinator focused on coordinating the summer semester of the program with the various training agents providing over 84 hours of classroom instruction with 240 hours of Farm Practicum at Rodale Institute's farm in Kutztown, PA. In addition, the following workshops at the Rodale Institute were available as an extra-curricular activity to all students participating in the program: Backyard Organic Gardening Herbal Gardens Backyard Composting Growing with Healthy Soil Biology Pastured Hogs Build your own Rain Barrel Herbal Preparations The students also participated in Rodale Institute's annual field day where they were able to tour the entire farm's research projects and speak in depth with each scientist or project coordinator. Some of these projects included: Farming Systems Trial: the longest running side-by-side trial of conventional and organic row crops Impact of Insectary Strips to Control Cucumber Beetles: which looked at controlling pests by integrating different techniques of attracting beneficial insects to a production system through creating habitats for predatory ground beetles. Pastured Hog Facility: an innovative model that encourages both animal and soil health through designed pasture grazing. High Tunnel operations: understanding seasonal extension techniques in high tunnels including grafting, trellising, and introduction of beneficial insects. Integrating crops and livestock systems for long-term soil health and productivity Studying the habitat and nesting patterns of bat populations in Pennsylvania Using compost extracts as a seed coat to combat fungal diseases in germination. Organic honeybee management through planned pasture, native plants and cover crop planting An additional focus at Rodale Institute was on finding suitable employment opportunities for the graduates after the completion of their training and to establish an informal veteran network. In Dr. Jackie Ricotta's classes the students did the following in year 2: The Organic Farming Certificate Program has provided a multitude of training and professional development opportunities to the participants. Starting from day 1 of the Spring or Fall semester, enrollees become college students with traditional classes to attend, notes to take, projects to complete and exams to pass; with the entire subject matter geared towards becoming a knowledgeable, competent organic farmer. They are graded on the same scale as all of the traditional college students, and in 2016, their grades were equal to or above the class averages. In addition to the academic portion of the program, each semester students work 80 hours on organic farms. They are required to reflect on this experience and relate it to their classroom training. Over the course of 3 semesters, all of the following skills are covered: Certification, National Organic Standards, Farm inspections Soil Care, preparation & maintenance - nutrient management, pest and disease management by improving soil health, healthy soils contributions to air and water quality, compost/compost teas, soil preparation, tillage and cultivation equipment Cover Crops Equipment, maintenance and safety Compost Production <!-- -->Transplant production & planting Irrigation Direct Seeding Plasticulture Pest control & IPM Weeds, insect & pathogen identification Strategies for prevention & control Organically approved products & applications Flame weeding & stale bedding Row cover Hand and mechanical cultivation Identifying beneficial insects Harvest techniques, washing, cooling, storage Post-Harvest Handling and Food Safety Marketing & Small Business Management Students are also required to develop their written and oral communication skills through classroom projects and compile a "tool box" of resources that will enable them find information and become a part of a nationwide network of organic farmers. In addition to curriculum taught by Dr. Ricotta, guest lecturers were a regular part of the courses: Spring 2016 (at Delaware Valley University): IPM Dr. Kathy Ponnock; DelVal Department of Biology - Topic: Pesticide Toxicology & Registration Kathryn Homa, IR-4 Project - Topic: Natural and Synthetic Pesticide Testing for Specialty Crops Commercial Vegetable Production Krystal Lucykanish, JR Peters -Topic: Hydroponic Agriculture Kristin Hulshart, DelVal Roth Farm - Topic: Using a high tunnel Summer 2016 (at Rodale Institute, Kutztown): Plant Health Management Ross Duffield, Farm Manager, Rodale Institute - Topic: Cover Crops Maggie Saska, Plant Production Specialist, Rodale Institute - Greenhouse and Hoophouse Management including beneficial insects Rick Carr, Compost Production Specialist, Rodale Institute - Organic compost production Don Jantzi, Organic Orchardist, Rodale Institute - Organic apple orchard management and pest control challenges & solutions Soil Health Emmanuel Omondi, Research Director - Farming Systems Trial - Topic: Soil Health in the Farming Systems Trial Marisa Wagner, Research Technician - Topic: Nutrient Density Comparison of Organic and Conventional Oats Grant Writing Kristine Nichols, Chief Scientist - Topic: Tips and Tricks to Grant Writing Fall 2016 (at Delaware Valley University) Marketing of Horticultural Products Christine Seel; DelVal Department of Business - Topic: Business Plans Rob Arcediacono; Manager, DelVal Market - Topic: marketing a small farm market John LaScala, Founder, Doylestown Food Co-op and Market - Topic: Starting and Maintaining a locally sourced organic food business Ian Knauer, chef andfood entrepreneur Organic Food and Fiber Ross Duffield, Rodale Institute - Topic: Organic Animal Care Andrew Smyre; Perdue Organics - Sourcing organic grain Dr. Joe Heckman, Rutgers University - Topic: History of Organic How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During the second year of the grant the Organic Farming Program coordinator at DelVal attended numerous conferences and local events to promote the program, such as: 1. Growing PA's Organic Farms Conference (GPOF) in Harrisburg, PA - exhibitor space 2. Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) Winter Conference at State College - exhibitor space 3. PA Farm Show - attended on the veterans in farming day and spoke on a panel, also exhibitor space 4. Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) conference in Holmdel, NJ - exhibitor space 5. Local Farm and Food Expo at DelVal - exhibitor space 6. Sustainable Living Expo at Palisades High School in Kintnersville, PA - exhibitor space 7. Veterans Educational Fair at Northampton Community College - exhibitor space The purpose of attending these conferences is to recruit program participants, network with area farm service providers for enriching the program, and provide an additional field day or training session to the currently enrolled students of the organic farming certificate program.. Many of these conferences include numerous workshops that further student education in organic agriculture. The program was also highlighted in several media stories throughout the second year including: April 2016 - both program coordinators were interviewed on WHYY 'You Bet Your Garden' with Mike McGrath. June 2016 - program coordinator at Rodale was interviewed on 1180 WFYL Veterans Voice June 2016 - Rodale's Organic Life Magazine, two organic farming program students were interviewed discussing the organic farming program and their goals upon graduation July 2016 - ABC News (Nationwide) - came to Rodale and interviewed the Rodale coordinator and some of the organic farming program students discussing veterans in agriculture August 2016 - WHYY did an interview at Rodale and with Rodale program coordinator and program participants on veterans in agriculture November 2016 - Veterans Day Event at DelVal showing Dulanie Ellis film, Battlefields to Farmfields and panel discussion with local farmer veterans after film showing The Organic Farming Program Coordinator at Delaware Valley University partnered with several of the Military and Veteran Centers through the local community colleges so that their veteran student body are aware of this one year certificate program. Those local community colleges were: Bucks County Community College (BCCC), Lehigh Carbon County Community College (LCCC), Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), Philadelphia County Community College (PCCC), and Northampton County Community College (NCCC). The DelVal program coordinator also partnered with A's for Vets, a collaborative group of schools and universities in the Lehigh Valley, dedicated to providing veterans resources on education, career, and community opportunities. These partnerships have aided the overall growth of the program and have helped several veterans pursue their goal of starting a career in organic agriculture. We also have two Facebook pages, one that Dr. Ricotta manages: WWW.DelVal/SustAg and the other the program coordinator manages: www.facebook.com/delvalorganics Dr. Ricotta also was a guest lecturer at Rutgers University and participated with the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, the PASA Eastern Regional Advisory Committee, and the PASA Education committee. Finally, during year two we made an informative video of the project with Patterson Media group. This video has been a great tool for us to spread the word about the program through personal presentations, website/internet traffic and social media to give interested candidates a realistic picture of the program content and partnership between Rodale and DelVal. To see click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBfYR4Z_nfA&feature=youtu.be We have used this video at conferences, on our websites and social media pages, and have partnered with other organizations such as Farmer Veteran Coalition, National Young Farmers Coalition and Ground Operations to post this on their websites as well. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Since attracting interested, motivated candidates to enroll and complete the program is key to its success, during year three of the grant we are increasing marketing and program promotion efforts to reach as many candidates as possible. One of the ways in which we will do this is by using the promotional video that we made in year two. Cable TV channels and agriculture related websites are the perfect platforms to spread the word to local communities. In year two, primary program promotion was done through magazine and radio advertisements but we intend to broaden our reach in year three. We will also continue to work with local high schools, tech schools, community colleges and agricultural schools in the area to create a pathway into organic agricultural education. We also plan on continuing our outreach efforts with local farms and farm service providers in the area to provide practical, hands-on information to enrich our program. We will be attending the 'Empowering Women in Agriculture' in Santa Rosa, CA provided by the Farmer Veteran Coalition, as well as the Philadelphia Farm and Food Festival in spring of 2017. Our aim is to continue to inform the community of this unique training program and partnership between Delaware Valley University and Rodale Institute. We hope to bring students to as many conferences as possible throughout year three so students can learn from others, , network and create lasting relationships in the agricultural community that will ultimately help them upon graduation. We also are planning on additional student training sessions and field days during year three, such as partnering with the PSU Extension again to provide a lecture on Integrated Pest Management. Bruce Brown from the Berks County USDA office will also come to DelVal to discuss New Farmer Loans with the students. And, several field days are also planned to such places as: Zone 7 wholesale distributors, Hershberger Heritage Farm (Veteran owned and operated), 'A Place to Plant Program' at Common Ground Farm and Kimberton Biodynamic Farm Tour. Our aim is to make sure that our students are learning as much as they can before they earn their certificate. This year there will also be more field trips planned to organic farms during the student semester at Rodale Institute. These may include but not be limited to: The Seed Farm incubator farm in Vera Cruz, PA; Rodale Institute's St. Luke's Organic Farm to Hospital Program in Easton, PA; and Wyebrook Farm integrated livestock, produce and butchery in Honeybrook, PA. It was also very beneficial to partner with local organic farms during year one and two; in year three, we plan on growing this network. Farmers can be the best teachers and our students have been able to work several hours, via their 'farm practicum' course on many diverse farm environments. This local farmer network will also be providing workshops, training sessions and field trips for our students to enrich their educational experience and inspire them to continue their pursuit of a career in organic agriculture. During the next reporting period the curriculum will continue to be refined to reflect the knowledge new farmers need to be successful. This will be done by utilizing curricula and information from multiple sources and providing new farmer training based on current information coming from land-grant university research, Rodale Institute research and innovative farmer practices. A course in "Botany for Farmers" will be developed, and it will be attempted to offer "Exploring the Small Farm Dream". There is a growing number of online farming videos some of e will be added to course curricula. Students in the program will continue to be held to high standards of performance in their classes and through their on-farm experiences. Field trips to new farms will be included in courses and there will be more guest speakers for the Farm Practicum meeting. The program will be publicized through Dr. Ricotta presenting talks on the pedagogy of training adult students and veterans at academic conferences such as The American Association for Horticultural Science and ASFS (Association for Study of Food and Society) Conference, and the two sponsoring associations: Association for Study of Food and Society; (ASFS) and the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society (AFHVS).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: To equip new farmers, including military veterans, with knowledge, skills and experience to be successful in their own organic farm enterprises In Year 2, the program coordinator at Delaware Valley University (DelVal) broadened partnerships with regional organic farms providing students with opportunities within their field-based curriculum. The Rodale Institute (RI) coordinator worked with experienced staff to create an intensive skills-based new farmer training component that offers a well-rounded knowledge base and caters to specific learning foci of individual students. During spring and fall semesters, the following farm partners provided students additional hands-on experience that met credit hours by working a minimum of 8/hours a week: Greensgrow Farm,Phila., PA; Root Mass Farm, Oley, PA; The Youth Farm, Brooklyn, NY; Wild Fox Farm, Bally, PA; Oak Nut Farm, Bethel, PA; Roots to River Farm, New Hope, PA; Tinicum CSA, Upper Black Eddy, PA; The Urban Tree Connection, Phila., PA; Pennypack Farm and Educational Center, Horsham, PA; Weaver's Way Farm, Cheltenham, PA; Horn Farm Center, York, PA. In 2016, the DelVal curriculum committee approved the Farm Practicum, making it a permanent course at the university. Likewise, the summer practicum at RI was expanded to increase exposure to more agricultural concentrations. During Spring semester 2016, students took the following classes at DelVal that contributed to helping them become successful farmers. Principles of Sustainable Agriculture was revised and updated to provide students with a better understanding of agriculture and the issues facing our Food System today. Commercial Vegetable Production (Lecture and lab) Lectures complete procedures for growing organic vegetables with emphasis on soil and nutrient management and food safety. Students grew their own vegetables in the greenhouse through a project called "The Farmers Apprentice". They received a raised bed, seeds, transplants, fertilizers, etc. and were responsible for maintaining the plot and yield data. Integrated Pest Management emphasized pest (weeds, insects, disease and nematodes) management in organic systems with a focus on bio-controls and integration of preventative and curative measures. The class visited the New Jersey Beneficial Insect lab and a greenhouse using biological controls. They also released beneficial insects in the greenhouse and monitored their efficacy. During Summer 2016 at RI, students in the certificate program participated in the following courses: Plant Health Management Combined lectures and field tours around principles of organic crop management including: seasonal extension, field and crop planning, crop rotations, cover cropping, weed & pest management, etc. All students completed field plans for one and three seasons; research projects for pests, weeds, and disease; and a seasonal journal recording their efforts and experiences in the field. Soil Health . Combined lectures, field and laboratory-based hands-on activities. Lectures focused on soils and soil health including: soil composition, organic matter, and biota activity. Other class topics focused on effects of organic soil management related to overall soil heath, pest control, food nutrient density, and climate change mitigation. Laboratory activities included: soil sampling and handling procedures; microscopic examination of soil, compost, and sediments; and measuring water infiltration rates, holding capacity, and fertility in diverse soil samples. Students were required to keep a lab notebook. Farm Practicum During the first 9 weeks of the summer session (12 hours per week), students experienced an intensive focused introduction to different aspects of organic agriculture each week. Foci included: Vegetable/CSA production, Greenhouse, Honeybees, Grains, Orchard Management, Compost, Agroforestry (mushrooms & maple syrup), Tractor training & maintenance, and Pastured Livestock Operations. For the remaining five weeks, students chose their own practicum focus (24 hours per week). Most students spent additional time in one of the introductory departments listed above. However, some students gained experience in other areas such as grant management, farmers' market management, or communications and promotion of organic farms. The project coordinator incorporated a summer field trip to the Horn Farm Center, a non-profit educational incubator farm in York, PA. During Fall 2016, students took the following classes at DelVal: a. Marketing of Horticultural Products. Students created a horticultural business and were required to give an elevator speech; design a brochure; write a press release; write a newsletter, and give a "Shark Tank" type presentation to the class. Lectures and readings on trends, digital currency, crowd sourcing and social media were updated. New guest lectures included chef Ian Knauer of the Farm Cooking School. b. Organic Food and Fiber (Lecture and lab) Students participated in the organic certification inspection at DelVal's Roth Farm. A cover-crop demonstration plot at Roth Farm featuring 20 types of cover crops was used as a teaching tool. New guest lectures included Ross Duffield, Farm Manager from RI. c. Integrated Pest Management. A different format was developed to offer this as an independent study. Goal 2: To increase the number of successful organic farm enterprises in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond In the required course, 'Marketing of Horticultural Products', students created an organic farm-based business as a semester-long project. They wrote a marketing plan that included price, products, place, promotions, and a SWOT analysis. They further developed their marketing program by giving an elevator speech and a "Shark Tank" type presentation to the class. And, they made business cards, brochures, an on-line newsletter, and a press release. A guest lecturer Christine Seel (Department of Business at DelVal) provided business plan training. The class took numerous field trips to farm and food based businesses to speak with owners concerning their marketing and business practices. Additionally, RI partnered with Lehigh University where student farmers work with Lehigh business majors and MBA students in a series of meetings over 10 weeks to develop business plan and presentation skills. Students are introduced to farmer-to-farmer networks such as: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA); Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA); Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture; Greenhorns; Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC); Penn State Cooperative Extension; Local Berks County USDA office; Common Ground Retreat - 'A Place to Plant Program'. Goal 3: To support military veterans in their transition to the civilian workforce. The program coordinator at RI attends monthly meetings at the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council in Hellertown, PA and developed a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The program coordinator at DelVal partnered with several of the Military and Veteran Centers through local community colleges to raise awareness about this one year certificate program. These community colleges (CC) included: Bucks County CC, Lehigh Carbon County CC, Montgomery County CC, Philadelphia County CC, and Northampton County CC. The DelVal program coordinator also partnered with A's for Vets, a collaborative group of schools in the Lehigh Valley, dedicated to providing veterans with resources on education and career opportunities. These partnerships assisted in the overall growth of the program and have helped several veterans pursue their goal of starting a career in organic agriculture. Multiple farmers from FVC, a nationally renowned organization that specifically helps veterans desiring a transition to agricultural careers, have agreed to support fellow veterans following graduation from this program.
Publications
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Progress 12/15/14 to 12/14/15
Outputs
Target Audience:As discussed, the target audience for this program is beginning farmers with a special emphasis on military veterans. The program partners have experience working with this group. Delaware Valley University provides a robust system of support for military veterans including specially trained staff devoted to military and veteran students and the processing of their academic and financial benefits. Delaware Valley University is committed to making sure that our veterans are an integral part of the local community. The University has an ongoing relationship with the Travis Manion Foundation whose headquarters are in Doylestown, PA. The Military and Veterans center at the College is named for the late Janet Manion who started the Foundation to honor the service of her son who died in combat in Iraq in 2007. The Janet Manion Military and Veterans Center provides a social center for military veterans and is a gathering place for student-veterans and military members, offering personalized services to fulfill each veteran's needs. It is a place for veterans, military personnel and their dependents to relax with people with shared experiences between classes, get help with paperwork for educational funding, and get support from staff and peers. Staff members at the center provide counseling and college advising tailored for military veterans' success. Rodale Institute began working with military veterans through the first year of this program prior to receiving the BFRDP grant. Rodale Institute is deeply qualified to address the needs and training of new and beginning organic farmers, as it has been doing for more than sixty years. Through its popular New Farm publication, to the workshops held on the farm, to the research support offered to new and established organic farmers, the Rodale Institute is a trusted source of science-based information rooted in the tradition and philosophy of organic agriculture. As attested to throughout this proposal narrative, each partner organization aspires to shape and deliver a program that meets the needs of new organic farmers and especially military veterans. Sixty percent of the proposed budget will support the target population of military veterans.This Organic Farming Program is available to all students, regardless of their veteran status, but has been an attractive option for veterans returning to college. During the December 2014-December 2015 reporting period our target audience breakdown was: Mickey Schamach, White, Male, Veteran James Wertman, White, Male, Veteran P. Sean Hart, White, Male, Veteran David Reynolds, White, Male, Veteran Jessika Greendeer, Native American, Female, Veteran Kristin Greendeer, Native American, Female, Veteran Lyndsey Antanitis, White, Female, Veteran David Heilman, White, Male Changes/Problems:Some of the challenges we experienced over the past year proved significant in our ability to market our program towards veterans. One of the challenges was that our program is a certificate program and the Veterans Administration (VA) does not permit the direct advertising of certificate programs towards veterans because there are many questionable certificate programs that prey upon veterans.This issue was brought up to USDA leadership including Deputy Secretary, Krysta Harden as well as Dr. Jill Auburn and Dr. Denis Ebodaghe. Another issue was the placement of farmers. Over the past year we noticed several students who participated in the program prior to the BFRDP grant who returned to school to complete their degree and are currently juniors and seniors. This may skew some of our future results since we did not initially anticipate students returning to school and completing their degree prior to starting their own farm enterprises. This is not a loss, since individuals are furthering their agricultural education, but may impact the number of farmers we are able to place during the reporting periods of this grant. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Over the last several months the Program Coordinator at DelVal has aided in the refinement of the field curriculum through building a strong network of local area organic farmers, such as: Pennypack Farm and Education Center, Horsham, PA Roots to River Farm, New Hope, PA Tinicum CSA, Upper Black Eddy, PA Quarry Hill Farm, Harleysville, PA The Urban Tree Connection, 'Neighborhood Food Farms', West Philly, PA Two Miles-Micro Farm, Royersford, PA Weaver's Way Farm, 'Henry Got Crops', Cheltenham, PA Because of these partnerships the students are able to gain hands-on experience and meet credit hours by working a minimum of 8/hours a week during their fall and spring semesters at DelVal. There has also been a strong network built with local farm service providers, such as: The Penn State Extension, PASA, NOFA, and the PA Farm Link, where we have been able to provide additional training and mentoring sessions for the students, such as farm tours, lectures and workshops. Along with the 36 college credits the students earn, we also provide field days and training sessions for the students to really enrich their experience. The fielddays and training are listed in thetraining and professional development section below. The Rodale Institute coordinator focused on coordinating the summer semester of the program with the various training agents providing over 84 hours of classroom instruction with 240 hours of Farm Practicum at Rodale Institute's farm in Kutztown, PA. An additional focus was on finding suitable employment opportunities for the graduates after the completion of their training and to establish an informal veteran network. 1. Common Ground Farm and Retreat, Kempton, PA 2. Veteran Compost, Aberdeen, MD (veteran) 3. Southtown Farms, NJ (veteran) 4. Blue Yonder Organic Farm, North Salem, IN (veteran) 5. Beyers Maple Farm, East Aurora, NY (veteran) 6. Across the Creek Farm, West Fork, AR (veteran) 7. Carriage Farm, Hillsborough, NJ 8. Private farm in northern NJ The Organic Farming Program is a collaboration between Rodale Institute and Delaware Valley University. While the students are enrolled at DelVal they take 4 courses (12 credits) each semester. These courses are: Spring Semester at DelVal PS 2211: Commercial Vegetable Production PS 2235: Principles of Sustainable Agriculture PS 3240: Integrated Pest Management PS 9902: Farm Practicum II Summer Semester at Rodale Institute PS 1301: Plant Health Managment PS 1302: Soil Biology PS 9903: Farm Practicum III Fall Semester at DelVal AS 1006: Introduction to Animal Science PS 2240: Organic Food and Fiber PS 4106: Marketing of Horticultural Products PS 9901: Farm Practicum I In addition to curriculum taught by Dr. Ricotta, Dr. Nichols, and Cynthia James, guest lecturers were a regular part of the courses: Spring 2015: Integrated Pest Management Dr. Kathy Ponnock; DelVal Department of Biology Topic: Pesticide Toxicology & Registration Dr. Van Varner & Kathryn Homa, IR-4 Project Topic: Natural and Synthetic Pesticide Testing for Specialty Crops Commercial Vegetable Production Krystal Lucykanish, JR Peters Topic: Use and manufacturing of fertilizers Kristin Hulshart, DelVal Roth Farm Topic: Using a high tunnel Summer 2015 Farm Practicum Dr. Kristine Nichols; Rodale Institute, Chief Scientist Grant Funding and How to Apply for Grants Dr Hue Karreman; organic veterinarian Topic: Organic Cow Care Fall 2015 Marketing of Horticultural Products Christine Seel; DelVal Department of Business Topic: Business Plans Rob Arcediacono; Manager, DelVal Market Topic: marketing a small farm market Lisa White: Founder, Doylestown Food Co-op and Market Topic: Starting and Maintaining a locally sourced organic food business Organic Food and Fiber Dr Hue Karreman; organic veterinarian Topic: Organic Animal Care Andrew Smyre; Perdue Organics Sourcing organic grain John Urbanchuck, DelVal Department of Ag-Business Topic: Organic pricing Dr. Joe Heckman, Rutgers University Topic: History of Organic Dr. Ricotta serves as theprofessor for the majority of organic classes with this program at DelVal and she maximizes the experiential learning of the students by setting up multiple field trips each semester along with Emily Boell, the Project Coordinator. In 2015 they took the students on the following field trips to local farms and businesses: Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers Convention, Hershey, PA Tinicum CSA, Tinicum, PA Trauger's Farm, Kintnersville, PA JR Peter's Fertilizer Company Peace Tree Farms,Kintnersville, PA The Market at DelVal Shady Brook Farm, Yardley, PA Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, Philadelphia, PA Milk House Farm market, Newtown, PA Terhune Orchards, Princeton, NJ Doylestown Food Store, Doylestown, PA Promised Land Farm, Yardley, PA Snipes Farm, Morrisville, PA Anchor Run Farm, Wrightstown, PA Organnon's Food Market & OWowCow Dairy, Wrightstown, PA DelVal Roth Farm High tunnel project, Spring semester Inspection & Cover Crop lab; fall semester Farm Tour at Quarry Hill Farm in Harleysville, PA and after we went to lunch with Sloane Six and her staff at The Mainland Inn. Sloane is a farm and restaurant owner and everything she grows and raises she uses at her 100% organic restaurant. Ag Machinery Day with Sal Santangelo of DelVal U. GH Management Day with GH Manager, John Long and Hydroponic Manager, Chris Filling of DelVal U Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA); 1 veteran student attended How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During the first year of the grant both program coordinators attended numerous conferences and local events to promote the program, such as: PASA - PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, State College, PA (per grant, one veteran farmer was in attendance) BBQ & Info Day at Rodale Farm Rodale Organic Apple Festival, over 4,000 people in attendance Union League, Phila. PA, Veteran Career/Educational Fair USADA NIFA BFRDP conference, Reno, NV Precarious Alliance, DelVal U., Panelist A's for Vets, Educational Fair, Northampton Comm. College, Bethlehem, PA Farmer Veteran Coalition, Stakeholders Conference, Sacramento, CA Stone Barns Center, Young Farmer Conference, Tarrytown, NY Growing PA's Organic Farms (GPOF) Conference, Harrisburg, PA NOFA-NJ--Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey Bucks County Foodshed Alliance By attending these conferences we are trying to recruit program participants, network with area farm service providers to enrich the program, and to get acquainted with other beginning farmer programs; what is the overall structure of their program; how do they market their program, etc. The Program has also been in numerous publications: Philadelphia Inquirer, Edible Philly; Summer 2015 issue Grit Pennsylvania Magazine, January/February 2015 issue; "Veterans to Farmer" p. 35 Channel 69 WFMZ news came out to Rodale this past July to interview veteran farming student, Dave Reynolds and Veteran Farming Program Coordinator, Justin Barclay and the story did air the same day on the evening news. Lehigh Valley Business, Veterans In the Workplace, Supplement Edition for 2015 with a 2 page spread Farm Credit Leader, Volume 19 Issue 4 (2015) We have also worked with other organizations aimed to help young, veteran farmers by setting up a link to the Delaware Valley University website under their resources tab, such as: Farmer Veteran Coalition's website and the National Young Farmers Coalition's website. In realizing the importance of social media, during year one of the grant, we set up and have successfully maintained an 'Organic Farming Program' Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/DelValOrganics/. This is a simple recruiting took but also a place for students in the program to share stories and connect. We can also promote any additional field days/training sessions that we hold throughout the year to invite interested people in the community to attend so they too can learn about the DelVal/Rodale OFCP. The program successes are also listed on Rodale Institute's main Facebook pages as well. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Since attracting and enrollinginterested and motivated candidates to complete the program is key to its success, during year two of the grant we areramping upmarketing and program promotionefforts in order to reach as many candidates as possible. We are hoping that by using website and radio ads we can attract people into the program who really want to become organic farmers and will ultimately extablish their own organic farms after completing the program. We will also be reaching out to local high schools, technical high schools, community colleges and other agricultural schools and/or universities to see if we can partner with them. If they have students that are interested in learning organic agriculture, they can send them directly to us to enroll in our program. We also plan on continuing our outreach efforts with local farms and farm service providers in the area to provide practical, hands-on information to enrich our program. We will be attending the 'Empowering Women Veterans' Conference that will be held at the Stone Barns Center in Tarrytown, NY. This conference is provided by the Farmer Veteran Coalition and we think that by having the women veterans in the program attend this they can learn from others, get inspired and have a chance to network. We have other training sessions set for year two such as, working with the local Penn State Extension office in providing a series of lectures that discuss the available loans and grants via the USDA. Another lecture we plan on providing is having someone come out from the local NRCS office to discuss marketing strategies for beginning farmers. We also will have a greenhouse lecture day provided directly on the Delaware Valley University campus. This lecture will be about seed sourcing, starting and propagation. Our aim is to make sure that our students are learning as much as they can before they earn their certificate. We also found it was very beneficial to partner with local organic farms during year one, so we plan on doing more of this throughout year two. Farmers can be the best teachers and our students have been able to work several hours, via their 'farm practicum' course, on these farms. The local farmer network we have built and maintained will also be providing workshops and tours for our students. There are a few farms in our surrounding areas where veterans are the owners and managers and in year two we have set up a couple of these farmer veterans to show our students how they got started in organic agriculture.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Year one of the BFRDP grant there were two program coordinators hired to aid in the growth and overall objectives of the program and grant, with one coordinator at Delaware Valley University (DelVal) and one coordinator at Rodale Institute. Goal 1: To equip new farmers, including military veterans, with the knowledge, skills and experience to be successful in their own organic farm enterprises The classroom based curriculum was refined and delivered in the following ways: During Spring 2015, students in the certificate program took the following classes that contributed to their knowledge, skills and experience assisting them to become successful farmers. a. Principles of Sustainable Agriculture (PS2235) Monday/Wednesday 10:50 am-11:40 am, was revised and a new book adopted for the course (The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food by Wayne Roberts). Many lectures were updated and numerous video clips added that provided students with a better view of agriculture and an understanding of the issues facing our Food System today. b. Commercial Vegetable Production (PS2211) Monday/Wednesday 12:15 pm - 1:05 pm, lab immediately following lecture on Wednesdays until 4 pm. Lectures covered all steps necessary to organically grow all types of vegetables; emphasis was on soil and nutrient management and food safety. Students were provided with hands-on experience growing their own vegetables in the greenhouse through a project called "The farmers Apprentice" where they were given a raised bed and provided with seeds, transplants, fertilizers, etc. They were responsible for maintaining the plot and yield data was taken. c. Integrated Pest Management (PS3240) Monday/Friday 1:40 pm - 3:55 pm emphasized pest (weeds, insects, disease and nematodes) management in organic systems with a new emphasis on bio-controls and the integration of preventative and curative measures. During Summer 2015, students in the certificate took the following classes that contributed to their knowledge, skills, and experience that will help them become successful farmers Classroom based curriculum was refined and delivered in the following ways: d. Plant Health Management (PS1301) Wednesdays 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Lectures and hands on training consisted of students planting and maintaining their own raised beds while maintaining a journal of their experiences along with developing a three year rotation plan. e. Soil Biology (PS1302) Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Lectures and labs along with student observation of different soil health through outdoor activities and lab work. Final presentation provided to staff at Rodale Institute. f. Farm Practicum (PS9903) Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 8:00 am - 12:00 pm, then 8:00 am - 5:00 pm later in the semester. Topics covered included drivers training and maintenance on tractors and equipment, orchard, vegetable production and selling, maple syrup, greenhouse operations, grain, composting, livestock, and agroforestry. During Fall 2015, students in the certificate program took the following classes that contributed to their knowledge, skills and experience that will help them become successful farmers. g. Marketing of Horticultural Products (PS4106) Friday 8 am - 1:50 am. Based on a horticultural business that they have created, students were required to give an elevator speech, create a brochure; write a press release; write a newsletter, and give a "Shark Tank" type presentation to the class. Lectures on trends, digital currency, crowd sourcing and social media were extensively updated. h. Organic Food and Fiber (PS2240 ) Monday/Wednesday 12:15 pm - 1:05 pm; lab immediately following lecture on Mondays until 4 pm. Lectures were updated; students were prepared for and involved in the organic certification inspection at DelVal's Roth Farm. A cover-crop demonstration plot at Roth Farm featuring 20 types of cover crops was used as a teaching tool. As part of the PS 9900 Farm Practicum course, students met with the course faculty, Dr. Jacqueline Ricotta, once/week to discuss any issues that may prevent them from completing the program as well as getting a view as to how their field experience was going in relationship to the academic courses they were taking. Since Dr. Ricotta taught the majority of the courses, she was always available to students for help with academic and any other issues. Goal 2 - To increase the number the number of successful organic farm enterprises in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Students were required to take "Marketing of Horticultural Products". For the semester-long project of this course, students created an organic farm-based business and wrote a marketing plan that includes price, products, place and promotions; a SWOT analysis and an extensive marketing program. In addition, they give an elevator speech on their business, make business cards, brochures, create an online newsletter, write a press release and give a "Shark Tank" type presentation to the class. A guest lecture on business plans from guest lecturer Christine Seel (Department of Business, Delaware Valley University) provided training in how to write a business plan. The class took numerous (6) field trips to farm and food based businesses to speak with owners concerning their marketing and business practices. Students are also able to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers Convention during the Spring semester. Additionally, interns and veterans at Rodale Institute are offered the opportunity to develop business plans through a program partnered with Lehigh University. This program partners the student farmers and interns from Rodale Institute with business majors and MBA students from Lehigh University through a series of meetings over 10 weeks culminating with a business plan development that student farmers are able to take to a financial institution for loans. Students are introduced to farmer-farmer networks in course lectures that mention organizations such as: Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) Northeast Organic Farm Association (NOFA) The Greenhorns The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) Cooperative Extension Service Goal 3 - To support military veterans in their transition to the civilian workforce. The Veteran Farming Program Coordinator at Rodale Institute attends monthly meetings at the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council (LVMAC) in Hellertown, PA. There is also a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) and we have our program literature at the education center at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA. We also have extensive cooperation with the Farmer Veteran Coaliton (FVC) mentioned above which is a nationally renowned organization that specifically helps veterans who desire to transition to agricultural careers. We also established contact with multiple farmers from the FVC who agreed to support their fellow veterans with their transition.
Publications
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