Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/12
Outputs
(N/A)
Impacts
515 people attended field days during this period, 152 attended the Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference. Written evaluations were conducted at each of the field days. We asked questions about improved knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and actions. In terms of improved knowledge, 44% improved their knowledge on three topics, 44% improved their knowledge on two topics, and 7.4% improved their knowledge on 1 topic. For confidence, 48.1% improved their confidence in at least three topics, 29.6% in two topics and 14.8% in one topic. For attitudes, 74.1% of respondents improved their attitudes. Of all participants, 66.7% plan to implement an idea in their operations based on their participation in the events. In terms of networking, 85.7 percent of people met someone with whom they will stay in contact with. Of these contacts, 20.0 percent expect to benefit from business leads, 35.0 percent expect to exchange technical information, and 80.0 percent expect to share ideas and interact. Analytical results for the conference are still in progress. Of the results analyzed so far, 42.1% of the respondents were 25-34 years of age. The results so far show that 11.1% were somewhat inspired, 44.4% were moderately inspired and 44.4% were very inspired to change their farm operation after attending this event. 100% responded that they met someone they will stay in contact with over the next year. 50% of those were for business leads and 70% responded they would be in contact for technical assistance. There have been 703 views of YouTube videos.
Publications
- Kiernan, N. E., K. Brasier, M. Barbercheck, C. Sachs, and A. Terman. 2012. Women Farmers: Pulling Up Their Own Educational Boot Straps with Extension. 50(5) http://www.joe.org/joe/2012october/rb5.php.
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The programs goals of providing on-farm, hands-on, and participatory educational events for new and beginning farmers were met by developing and offering 17 educational workshops and field days between September 2010 and September 2011. The events focused on business planning; value-added production; marketing; community supported agriculture; labor management; equipment operation, maintenance, and safety; marketing with the Web and social media; water quality and natural resource protection; networking and mentoring; organic production; collaborative marketing; and urban farming. We also provided opportunities for beginning farmers to network with each other and with more experienced farmers in their geographical regions, and through our social media sites and online education. PARTICIPANTS: Carolyn Sachs, Professor of Rural Sociology Mary Barbercheck, Professor of Entomology Kathy Brasier, Associate Professor of Rural Sociology Nancy Ellen Kiernan, Evaluation expert Linda Moist, Extension Associate Ann Stone, Program Associate Anna Rachel Terman, Graduate Student Jennifer Hayden, Graduate Student John Eschelman, Graduate Student Individuals partners and collaborators--Vermont Women's Agricultural Network;Women, Food, and Agriculture Network; Cooperative Extension, PA Association of Sustainable Agriculture, Rodale Institute; Natural Resources Conservation Service; Joshua Center;Northwest PA Growers' Cooperative; Penn's Corner Alliance; Clarion Rivers Organics; Cornell Cooperative Extension; Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Center for Farm Transitions training professional development: Two professional development opportunities were provided for steering committee members in October 2010 and March 2011. TARGET AUDIENCES: women farmers, new and beginning farmers, potential farmers, farmers who want to diversify or add value to their products PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
398 people attended our field days and workshops between September 2010 and September 2011. We received evaluations from people. We asked questions about improved knowledge, confidence, attitudes, actions. In terms of improved knowledge, 43% improved their knowledge on three topics, 29.6% improved their knowledge on 2 topics, and 15.2% improved their knowledge on 1 topic. For confidence, 38.5% improved their confidence in at least three topics, 26.7% in two topics and 23.1% in one topic. For attitudes, 56.1% of respondents improved their attitudes. Of all participants, 76.1% plan to implement changes in their operations based on their participation in the events. In terms of networking, 74.3 percent of people met someone with whom they will stay in contact with. Of these contacts, 37.9 percent expect to benefit from business leads, 52.1 percent expect to exchange technical information, and 82.1 percent expect to share ideas and interact.
Publications
- Trauger, A., C. Sachs. M. Barbercheck, N. E. Kiernan, K. Brasier, and A. Schwartzberg. 2010. The Object of Extension: Agricultural Education and Authentic Farmers in Pennsylvania. Sociologia Ruralis 50(2):85-103.
- Trauger, A., C. Sachs, M. Barbercheck, K. Brasier, and N. E. Kiernan. 2010. Our Market is Our Community: Women Farmers and Civic Agriculture in Pennsylvania, USA. Agriculture and Human Values 27(1):43-55.
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Field Days & Workshops: CSA Workshop. 22 participants learned about CSAs. The Right Tool for the Job. 20 participants learned about tools to increase farm productivity and reduce injuries. Tractor Maintenance. 20 participants received a hands-on tutorial on farm tractors and tillers. Collaborative Marketing Workshop at the 2010 Farming for the Future Conference. 50 attendees learned about innovative collaborations. Eastern Region Networking Conference. 40 participants gained insights into establishing a CSA, marketing through media, risk management practices, and livestock care. Southeast Region Networking Potluck. 8 participants shared production practices and balancing workload. Southeast Region Networking Potluck. 35 participants shared their farming experiences and forged networks. Central Region Networking Potluck. 12 participants expressed their goals for the upcoming season. Eastern Region One-Day Networking Conference - Harmonious Farming: Balancing Plant, Animal, and People. Workshops to help establish harmony on the farm through companion planting, livestock diversity, and community involvement (40 participants). Bugs, Wind, & Solar: IPM High Tunnels & Hybrid Renewable Energy System. In collaboration with the PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, 39 participants learned about integrated pest management and how to incorporate solar and wind energy. Transition to Organic Production. 42 participants saw some of the organic practices described in Rodale's online course, and to learn from farmers who have made the transition and from experts in the field. Dog Days of Summer: Incorporating Working Dogs on Your Farm. 25 participants learned about the types of working dogs. Bug Walk: The Good, The Bad, The Innocuous. Entomologists led 20 participants on a garden walk to identify beneficial insects and harmful insects. Abundant Benefits from Small Plots: Urban Farm Tour. 38 participants toured Greensgrow, Henry Got Crops!, and Urban Girls Produce, an inner-city CSA. Sugar & Sang: Maple & Ginseng Husbandry on Your Forestlands. 31 participants learned about forest stewardship around maple syrup and American ginseng. Grow Your Business: Business Planning & Marketing Workshop (part 1). A small group of participants toured Spring Hills Farm and learned how they successfully applied business and marketing strategies to improve the farm's business ventures. Enhance Direct Marketing with Infrastructure. A group of 10 participants learned the importance of creating welcoming garden-scapes to attract customers to their farm business. CSA Workshop for New & Beginning Farmers at Plowshare Produce. Farmers explained their successes and challenges in establishing a CSA program. They guided 15 participants through a seedling schedule, establishing a successful work share program, and marketing their CSA. Women in Agriculture Day at the 2010 PA Farm Show, Farmer to Farmer: Women Sharing the Field (approximately 100 participants). Monthly Working Group meetings, Bi-weekly Research Subcommittee meetings, March 3-4 Visioning Session & Leadership Training, October 14 Steering Committee Meeting. PARTICIPANTS: Carolyn Sachs, PD, has overseen planning for field days, workshops, mentoring activities, on-line activities, and evaluations. She has also planned steering committee meetings and meetings of the team. She has also supervised staff and graduate students involved in the project. Mary Barbercheck, PI, has participated in planning of field day activities and workshops and attended steering committee meetings. Kathy Brasier, PI, has participated in planning of events and developing the evaluation instrument. Jeff Hyde, PI, has provided advise for activities on business planning and marketing. Linda Moist, Extension Associate, has planned, organized, and led field days and events. She has also designed the on-line curriculum Ann Stone, Staff Associate, has planned activities, attended field days and workshops,organized details of travel and field days, worked and reconciled the budget for the project, developed and maintained communication on facebook and twitter, planned steering committee meetings, and organized team meetings. Anna Rachel Terman, graduate student, has worked on organizing the curriculum, inputing evaluation data, and analyzing evaluation data. TARGET AUDIENCES: Over 300 participants attending workshops, field days, and other events. The majority of the participants were new and beginning women farmers. 83 people completed evaluations. Participants were asked to answer 10 questions about their change in knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and implementations at each event. Forty eight percent of participants reported they changed at least 7 of the impacts, 24 percent reported they changed from 4-6 impacts, 21 perecent reported they changed 1-3 impacts, and 7 percent reported no impacts. Efforts included participatory farmer-led learning environments. Peer-to-peer networking was also developed in different regions of the state. On-line curriculum is being developed. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Evaluations were conducted at our field days, workshops, and other events. For each event, participants were asked to report changes in their knowledge (3 questions), confidence in implementing the skills learned at the event (3 questions), changes in attitudes about ideas at the events (2 questions), and changes in how likely they are to implement recommendations from the event (2 questions) for a total of 10 impact questions. Of the 83 people who completed evaluations, 48.1 percent reported that they increased their knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and implementation in at least 7 of the 10 impacts. Another 23.5 percent reported that increases in 4-6 impacts and 21 percent reported increases in 1-3 impacts. Of the people who responded to the evaluation, 68% met someone at the events who they planned to be in contact with after the event. Of these people, 80% reported they met someone who they would network with (collaborate , share, and react to ideas), 62% reported they met someone who would provide them with technical advise and 31% reported they met someone who would provide them with business leads. We asked farmers who attended the events how inspired they were after the event to modify their farm operation. Forty-five percent reported they were very inspired, 36 percent reported they were moderately inspired, 19 percent reported they were somewhat inspired and no one reported that they were not inspired.
Publications
- Sachs, C. and M. Alston. 2010. Global Shifts, Sedimentations, and Imaginaries: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Women and Agriculture. Signs: Journal of Women, Culture and Society 35(2):277-288. Guest editor of entire issue.
- Trauger, A., C. Sachs, M. Barbercheck, K. Brasier, N. E. Kiernan, A. Schwarzburg. 2010. The object of Extension: Agricultural Education and Authentic Farmers in Pennsylvania USA Sociologia Ruralis. 50(2):186-203.
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