Progress 09/15/24 to 09/14/25

Outputs
Target Audience:During this reportingperiod, we have targeted new, beginning, veteran, limited resource and historically underserved farmers and ranchers, and have also included forest and agricultural landowners as well. We have worked with and supported farmers of various backgrounds, a variety of ethnic and racial identities, including white, european, African American, African Carribean, Africa, Asian, Latino/hispanic, and Indigenous U.S. citizens or legal residents. They havedifferent experience levels and different stages of their various operations. Our reach of farmers have spanned across Virginia, into Maryland and parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. New, beginning, veteran and limited resource farmers in Caroline, Louisa, Culpeper, Greene, Fluvanna, Hanover, Spotsylvania, Surry, Orange, Brunswick, Mecklenberg, Prince Edward,Portsmouth, Henrico,Cumberland, Dinwiddie, in addition to the cities of Richmond, Alexandria, Charlottesville and Petersburg in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Residents of Prince Georges County, Calvert County, Charles county Maryland, Guilford county and Wake County, North Carolina and Orangeburg, South Carolina. Changes/Problems:Weather posed a major challenge, between droughts in the summer,heavy rains in the fall and heavy rains and cooler temperatures this spring which has slowed production. The weather is a factor, however, we've been able to reschedule any events or workshops that may have been affected by the weather. That was the only major challenge during this reporting period. Changes in government legislation, programs and opportunities have created a level of uncertainity with producers and shifted market access for markets backed by grant dollars. We've worked closely with producers to assist in market transitions, identification and introductions to not cause a pause in revenue for their growing seasons. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities for training and professional development were created with assisting new and beginning farmers to attend various farm conferences and seminars during this reporting period. 72 farmers were able to attend the VSU/VABF small farm conference over three days. One farmer was able to attend the Black Urban Gardeners (BUGS) conference. We also put on 5farmer buyer meet up events, that allowed for farmers to increase their marketing professional development for their enterprises. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results are disseminated to our communities of interests via our e-bulletin as well as our website. We also share when we exhibit at conferences to inform our community and attract future new and beginning farmers that we may be able to assist. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to focuson oursummer and fall plans of workshops, seminars and speaking engagements that connect with our target audiences. Presently we are working to increase market opportunities to assist our producers in being my financially successful to encourage growth and sustainability.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? For this project we have conducted 60events, workshops, seminars and speaking opportunities, with 2234attendees present. We have assisted 4 farmers with acquiring a USDA Farm Tract number. We assisted three farmers with retaining their Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification, and one farmer acquire their Organic certification. Our events, workshops, seminars include the following: Mountain Run Jam (130), Mental Health Workshops/Sessions (3) (44), Conservation Workshops(3) (32), Business/Operation management workshops(3) (27), Southside Growers Academy (52), Virginia Association of Biological Farmers (VABF)/Virginia State Small Farm Outreach Conference (279), UVA Black Farmer Farm to Table dinner (63), Organic Association of Kentucky Conference (42), Farm Bill discussion with U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (18), Africulture/Carter Farms Health Fair (18), Edna Lewis Day (80), Breaking into institutions (small farm sales ) (16), Malcolm X Black Farmer Volunteer Day (14), African American Heritage Alliance farm tour (12), UVA Office of Sustainability Bending the Arc (192), Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health (53) Mental Health Workshops/Sessions (3) (38),Ethnic Vegetable Farm Tour and discussion (9), UVA Aramark Farmer Buyer Meet up (52) Voices Environmental Justic Panel (29), Taste of Africa (64), Carter Family Trustee Meeting (5), Happily Natural Farm Tour (57), Freetown to Carter Farms (5), Charlottesville Community Farm (72), NC A&T Small Farm Conference (75), Farm to Table Farmer D Culpeper event (22),Taste of African Esther Manor Farms (24), Voices from the field (17), Ujamaa convening address (107), VSU Small Farm Conference Keynote (209), Veterans Day event (12), Norfolk Master Gardeners (53), Carbon farming deep soil carbon workshop (19), Passing the baton workshop (7), Wholesale readiness at VABF conference (5), Heir Property Workshop (8), Legislative conversation and approaches (5), Deep soil measuring and carbon farming at VABF conference(27), Chesapeake Bay preservation VABF conference (8), Chesapeake Bay preservation conservation Richmond (10), Wholesale preparedness train the trainer (24), SOWTH conference ethnic vegetable cultivation presentation (42), Institutional Buying panel SOWTH conference (26), Charlottesville black land preservation discussion (44), Charlottesville radio interview, Louisa family meeting for family trust creation (11), Marketing your farm/diversifying farm operations with VSU (25), wholesale readiness (13), Ethnic vegetable greenhouse workshops (19), Institutional Buying discussion with Va Tech (39), Africulture Academy at UVA morven farm, 28, George Mason CHEF fellowship discussion on sustainable agricultural practices (15). 62 one on one technical assistance meetings were conducted during this time period, meeting farmers in their comfort zone, in person, by text, by social media messaging, emails and phone calls. 494 HUVBF received information on BFRDP and USDA programs 806 increased knowledge of BFRP and USDA programs 22 have been recruited to participate in this project 27 improved skills in financial planning and management 6 acquired the knowledge to access farm business financing from FSA, Farm Credit, and other financial organizations 1 prepared a business plan 4 wrote enterprise budgets 12 increased their knowledge on business taxes 16 planned and keeps/kept good records 7 started social media pages for their farm operations 24 increased their social media content output to increase marketing exposure for their farming operations 4 added technological features like qr codes and social media check ins to their farms to appeal to younger demographics 1 adopted e-commerce platforms to increase transaction volume on their farms 6 adopted QuickBooks for record keeping 29 HUVBF will have increased knowledge on how to acquire and retain farm ownership 4 leased, brought or was donated farmland 18 increased their knowledge on farm property taxes and loan servicing in order to prevent foreclosures 20 are better equipped with the information needed for them to access and utilize land assistance programs. 195 HUVBF acquired knowledge on specialty and ethnic crop production (16,53, master gardners, taste of Africa, ethnic vegetable) 55 acquired improved skills on land/soil preparation techniques 12 developed skills to operate small farm tools and equipment 24 producers developed skills and abilities to produce ethnic crops more effectively 27 increased knowledge and skills for GAP certification 20 increased knowledge on risk management strategies 15 will adopt modern production practices 8 increased their marketing abilities through GAP 5 HUVBF ncreased interest in cooperative marketing 60 HUVBF increased knowledge about Climate Smart Soil and Growing practices. 6 Urban Farmers have incorporated some Climate Smart practices in their operations.

Publications

Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience has been new, beginner and historically underservedfarmers in the following counties in Virginia, Orange, Caroline, Spotsylvania, Louisa, Culpeper, Greene, Albermarle, King George, Amelia, Dinwiddie, Cumberland, Stafford, Nelson,Campbell, Bedford, Madison, Surry, Hanover and Halifax. Cities in Virginia have included growers in Petersburg, Richmond, Newport News, and Charlottesville. In Maryland we have worked with historically underserved new and beginning farmers in Prince Georges County and Charles County. We have also targeted food service marketers and educational institutions as well, to establish relationships for our farmers to sell to in the spring. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Carter Farms conducted two farming financial workshops and one value added workshop. We have provided opportunties for 50 urban farmers in Richmond to gain professional training as a beginner farmer course with Happily Natural Day, to prepare for the spring growing season. Our staff has also had the opportunity to receivemarket based leadership training, working with some of the leaders of Virginia agriculture. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We send out a newsletter quarterly, social media post and updates, word of mouth, and community engagement. Our newsletter database is 600 people, and they receive copies of this every month. https://thecarterfarms.com/whats-going-on/ What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have a full schedule of summer and fall of events to engage small farmers. We will continue to have volunteer and growing events at the farm as well as culinary events engaging both chefs and farmers in meaningful ways. We also expect to hold several farmer buyer meet ups, sustaining our territory this season as well as opportunities in North Carolina.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have provided outreach education for over 710farmers and potential farmers and ranchers in Virginia and Maryland between September 15, 2023 and June1, 2024. Carter Farms director was the keynote speaker for the Mountain Run Jam in Bedford County Virginia, where we spoke to over 130 farmers and potential farmers in an area that wasn't our target market. We were able to share information about USDA programs and services, and market opportunites for these farmers and further established, built and maintained relationships. Carter Farms team has conducted 42 one on one farm consultations over this period, assisting farmers via text messaging, emails, phone calls, farm visits, or lunch meetings during this period. We meet our farmers where they are, and how they are most comfortable with communicating . We've assisted with one farmer gaining GAP certification in Virginia, and now working with farmers in that area to do group GAP for 2024. This same community of farmers in Surry county we have assisted in gaining markets at the College of William and Mary and creating a market for their sweet potato greens, adding another revenue source to their operation by making these greens marketable. During this period we held 3mental health workshops, as well as a series of regular mental health discussions to assist in preventing farmer depression, anxiety and suicides. We assisted an family of heir property owners in Orange County get their family trusts to assist in perpetually perserving their lands. One of our farmer trainees in Maryland who attended 3 to 4 of our workshops in 2023, have acquired their farm property, to relocate from Washington DC to rural Maryland to become farmers. Carter Farms conducted two farming financial workshops and one value added workshop. We sponsored 72 farmers and potential farmers (numerous military veterans as well) in attending the Virginia Association of Biological Farmers/Virginia State University Small Farm Summit in Roanoke Virginia, removing their barriers of entry (financially) to gain more knowledge about how to make their operations more successful. We also assisted in sponsoring 50 urban gardeners in Richmond to go through the Southside Bootcamp academy led by Happily Natural Day. In January, we brought a group of historically underserved, veteran and small farmers to meet with congressional representative U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger to discuss issues related to the farm bill, as well as opportunities and challenges they may be having. Carter Farms presented at the Organic Association of Kentucky's conference, virtually, in January and assisted in organizing a socially disadvantaged farmer dinner at the University of Virginia with students and university administration. Three farmers have acquired funding for high tunnels through the EQIP program and we assisting farmers further in applying for EQIP benefits for 2024. We also had the opportunity to be a on panel for the movie premiere feature of Common Ground, at the Byrd Theater in Richmond, and were able to talk about conservation practices and activities. Numerous workshops have been conducted around business planning, health and equity in agriculture. Our Edna Lewis day event brought together farm to table working with local farmers and culinary professionals for a community event that embraced local agriculture and highlighted new and beginner farmers produce that we work with. https://thecarterfarms.com/whats-going-on/

Publications