Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached in this reporting period were the Apprentice Farmers (new farmers starting their business on the North Farm incubator site), the Skill Seekers (new and experienced farmers and gardeners looking to increase their skills and knowledge), other members of the Michigan Upper Peninsula (UP) food industry, teachers and their students (gaining knowledge related to school garden and agriculture education projects) and the general public (particularly those in the UP). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Interns - The North Farm has employed 1 intern through Michigan State University Extension. The North Farm had two full time employees during the reporting period and one part time seasonal employee. 7 individuals seeking to start a farm or expand their operations toured the farm to gain one-on-one or small group time with farm staff and discussed best practices and revenue boosting techniques. The North Farm has hosted teacher training institutes for continuing education credit in collaboration with other grant funded projects to provide teachers with a living classroom and hands-on experiences to inspireagriculture activities in their classrooms, which raise food system awareness among students and their families. During the reporting period, two trainings were hosted reaching 48 teachers in partnership with the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative and Portage Health Foundation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? North Farm Web Site - Has background and program information, pictures, resources andproject summaries. Facebook - Has updates on the farm and posts on sustainable agriculture, educational opportunities for farmers and avocational gardeners.1,027 followers. Press TV TV6: Plants Exchanged https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Plants-exchanged-at-5th-annual-Pop-up-Plant-Swap-511074841.html TV6 - Hands on Learning Experience - September 19, 2019 https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Hands-on-learning-experience-at-Northern-Michigan-University-Thursday-560800411.html Newspaper Newspaper: Planting the Seeds https://www.miningjournal.net/news/front-page-news/2019/06/planting-the-seeds-2/ Planting the Seeds - Graveraet https://www.miningjournal.net/news/front-page-news/2019/03/planting-the-seeds/ Blemheuber Family Were Agriculture Innovators The Greenhouse Effect Mining Journal - Beefing Up the School Curricula Mining Journal - Planting the seeds, Students from Gwinn middle, high schools visit North Farm, learn about sustainable agriculture Mining Journal - Backyard farming Other publications - Presentations have been made available to workshop attendees as well as on the resource page of the North Farm website Instagram - Displays images of the farm. School Visits, Presentations, and Open House - Increased community engagement and provided relevant information regarding production and marketing practices, as well as information about future opportunities at The North Farm. Presentations Sustainable Seed Systems. Marquette, MI. UP Master Gardener Series. Consumer Preferences: Local and Organic. Marquette, MI. Marquette Farmers Market. Season Extension for Educators.Hancock, MI. Copper Country Intermediate School District. UPREC Updates. Chatham, MI. Alger County Farmer Potluck. Apprentice Farmer Program. Chatham, MI. MSU UP Research and Extension Center Field Day. Starting and Maintaining a School Garden. Hancock, MI. Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative. UPREC Updates. Escanaba, MI. UP State Fair. DIY Season Extension: Tools and Techniques. Escanaba, MI. Bay De Noc Garden Conference. Saving Seeds Together. Wilson, MI. Hannahville Indian Community. Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education in Your Classroom. Northern Michigan University. Marquette-Alger RESA Action in Education Summer Institute. Art and Practice of Seed Saving, Past and Future in Northern Climates. Marquette, MI. Marquette Regional History Center. Season Extension and New Ordinances. Marquette, MI. NRCS and Marquette Conservation District. Getting Involved with Local Food Systems through seed saving. Marquette, MI. Peter White Public Library and Queen City Seed Library. Agriculture Career Opportunities. Marquette, MI. Northern Michigan University.MARESA Career Day. Regenerative Agriculture and Implications for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Education. Ames, IA. Distinguished Lecture at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education. Tabling Organizations: Career Exploration Fair, MQT Local Food Fest, UP State Fair, 4H Harvest Fest Topics: Incubator farms and local economic development Attendance: 740 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: One farm business, Mighty Soil Farm, is currently participating in the Apprentice Farmer Program, farming on ½ acre of land, with a gross income of $52,000. This farm sells to 8 businesses in various markets. 521 independent or agency-associated individuals who were interested in learning more about the project visited. 1017 total studentsvisitedthe North Farmto learn about composting, transplant production, season extension and seed saving. The North Farm has built on the relationships with schools established through the Start Seeds/Save Seeds program to offer on-farm activities based on Next Generation Science Standards to 11 schools in 4 intermediate school districts. The North Farm has presented 7 times throughout the UP to promote sustainable agriculture practices and the Apprentice Farmer Program. Munising High School Career Dayreached200individualswith information regardingagriculture as a career or topic of study in secondary education contexts. The North Farm stays in touch with a statewide network of small farm organizations/resources including other farm incubator programs through participation in Michigan Food and Farming Systems as a council member. In order torepresentand better serve target populations in community forums and activities, North Farm staff have been invited to participate in several committees that pertain to agriculture education and issues: Marquette Alger Regional Educational Service Agency Career Technical Education, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Produce Safety Advisory Committee, Michigan Local Food Policy Council Network, and the Upper Peninsula Food Exchange Steering Committee. 408 individuals have been reached through presentations and meetings conducted by North Farm staff on topics including careers in agriculture and starting a farm business, organic growing practices, season extension and farm-based education. Objective 2: 5 acres of certified organic mixed vegetables were in production at the North Farm during the production period. During the reporting period, $70,349.53 worth of produce sales have been made through direct and wholesale accountsby the North Farm. Continued to support Upper Peninsula Food Exchange in assessment and improvement of online marketplace platform for virtual food hub. Since the beginning of the Apprentice Farmer Program, $122,140 worth of produce has been sold into local markets by program participants, with $52,000 of that total sold during this reporting period. Since the beginning of the Apprentice Farmer program, an estimated 15,140 pounds of produce has been sold into local markets by program participants. The North Farm and Apprentice Farmer Program participants have started marketing relationships with 12 area restaurants and grocery stores. Objective 3: Cover crops have been integrated into the farm system since 2014. During the reporting period, 3.25 acres of the 5 acres actively worked were planted into cover crops to achieve the following goals; increased organic matter, weed suppression, nutrient uptake, nitrogen fixation, and erosion control. Cover crop selection included peas, oats, tillage radish, sun hemp, barley, wheat, winter rye, and buckwheat. 200 yards of cattle manure compost were made, but due to the staff changeover we had not applied compost that year. About 42 tons of compost that was made in 2016 was applied between March and September of 2017. Soilsamples were collected and analyzed annually to determine future soil management practices. OMRI approved soil amendments were sourced locally and applied to fields in relation to soil tests and crop needs. The Cornell Comprehensive Analysis of Soil Health (CASH) was conducted at Year 5. The average overall CASH score was 71.5, which is in the High Range when compared to comparable soils. The Organic Matter was 2.1% which scored a 53. This score is in the Medium range, relative to soils with similar texture. This suggests that, while Organic Matter is functioning at an average level, management practices should be geared toward improving this condition, as it currently indicates suboptimal functioning. Soil management should aim at improving this functionality while addressing any other measured soil constraints as identifiedin the Soil Health Assessment Report. Objective 4: Completed combined survey and focus group assessment with the five farm businesses that have participated in the incubator program since its founding. Overall satisfaction with the program is high. A summary of the program to help determine future directions was created. A tool library with farm tools focused on season extension, transplant production, and food safety has been utilized by 34 individuals. Using a system dynamics model, we were able to depict the training of new farmers producing vegetables for local markets in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a pipeline, with barriers to entry and opportunities for intervention at each stage of progression from farmers in training, to new farmers operating on land provided by the training program, to experienced farmers running their own operations. We built the model using in-depth interviews with farmers in the North Farm Apprentice Farmer Program, combined with a system dynamics framework depicting adoption of new technologies. While this model is exploratory and not predictive, we were able to glean insights around the design of effective programs for training farmers who will ultimately go on to start their own operations. To increase the number of experienced farmers, more programs will be needed to ease the startup costs for farmers starting their own operations. Recruiting more farmers into a training program will not result in more independent farmers unless this startup 'bottleneck' is addressed. Programs should be careful not to engender competition for customers between farmers in training and farmers who have graduated the program to start their own operations. While modest in size, training operations like the North Farm Apprentice Farmer Program could, over time, have a substantive impact on recruiting and establishing new farmers. Finally, this study also demonstrates how systems dynamics can be a valuable method to evaluate and maximize the effectiveness of training programs. Objective 5: Yield data and storage capability has been tracked by crop variety. Trialing new crops that represent potential emergent crops for UP farmers, such as ginger, turmeric, and sweet potatoes, took place in hoop house facilities. Experiments were done using plasticulture (black plastic used for mulching vegetable beds to reduce weed pressure, and reduce water consumption).Variety selection and crop rotation, including cover cropping inside the hoop house, is underway to expand the diversity of crops in the system. Best practices for pest management have been implemented and expanded through the use of organically approved methods (biological fungicides, timed release of beneficial insects [ladybug larvae/adults, lacewing eggs/adults], crop rotations, exclusion) to maintain a biologically sustainable growing environment inside the hoop house. Best practices for season extension have been demonstrated through the use of frost fabric in the fall/winter/spring to maintain plant health, as well as choice of crops planted in the colder months that can survive the lower temperatures/light levels present in the Upper Peninsula winters. Winter crops have included (but are not limited to): kale, spinach, arugula, brassica mustard greens, baby leaf lettuce, claytonia, chard, perennial herbs [thyme, oregano], carrots, radishes, salad turnips, and radicchio.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Olabisi, L., Elegbede, O., Raven, M.R. (2020). Insights for farmer training programs from system dynamics: A case study from Northern Michigan. Advancements in Agricultural Development, 1(2), DOI:10.37433/add.v1i2.33
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Raven, M. R. (2020). Regenerative agriculture and implications for agriculture, food and natural resource education. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(1). 1-12; https://doi.org/105032/ja3.2020.01001
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Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached in this reporting period were the Apprentice Farmers (new farmers starting their business on the North Farm incubator site), the Skill Seekers (new and experienced farmers and gardeners looking to increase their skills and knowledge), other members of the Michigan Upper Peninsula (UP) food industry, teachers and their students (gaining knowledge related to school garden and agriculture education projects) and the general public (particularly those in the UP). Changes/Problems:The loss of the UPREC director and the North Farm manager impacted the momentum of the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Interns - The North Farm has employed 1 intern through Michigan State University Extension. The North Farm had three full time employees in 2018 and one part time seasonal employee. Skill-Seeker workshop attendees - 65 attendees have gained knowledge in nutrient dense food production through three workshops that include such topics as: holistic management practices for pastured livestock, cut flower production, and integrating forest and farm systems. 37 individuals seeking to start a farm or expand their operations toured the farm and discussed best practices and revenue boosting techniques to gain one-on-one or small group time with farm staff How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? North Farm Web Site - Has background and program information, pictures, resources and scheduled events Analytics for the website show: 6,629 unique visits 6,181 page views 2.351 average pages per unique visit Facebook - Has updates on the farm and posts on sustainable agriculture, educational opportunities for farmers and avocational gardeners.971likes Press TV Need for Farmers Increasing:http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Need-for-farmers-increasing-across-UP-431380563.html UP Matters CTE Committee Explores North Farm to Open Doors for Future Farmers:http://www.upmatters.com/news/local-news/cte-committee-explores-msu-north-farm-to-open-doors-for-future-farmers/753221737 Newspaper Marquette Monthly: Farm to Table by Sam Henke Houghton Mining Gazette Green Sheet: Gierke Blueberry Farm Partners with Schools for Sustainable Agriculture Project:https://www.msunorthfarm.org/uploads/3/8/2/8/38288527/dmg_greensheet.pdf Mining Journal: Farm and Forest, Alger County Farm Practicing Regenerative Agriculture:http://www.miningjournal.net/life/house-to-home/2018/09/house-to-home-9-27-18/ Other publications - Presentations have been made available to workshop attendees as well as on the resource page of the North Farm website Instagram - Displays images of the farm. School Visits, Short Courses and Open House - Increased community engagement and provided relevant information regarding production and marketing practices, as well as information about future opportunities at The North Farm. Presentations Carrot Production on the Small Farm. Traverse City, MI. Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference. 27 January 2018. Sensational Salad Mixes. Traverse City, MI. Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference.27 January 2018. Transplant Production. Lansing, MI. MOFFA Organic Intensives. 6 January 2018. Year Round Production in Cold Climates 101 and 201. St Cloud, MN. Minnesota Organic Conference. 11 January 2018. Seed Saving Basics.Escanaba, MI. Bay DeNoc Garden Conference. 21 April 2018. Season Extension Basics. Marquette, MI. Transition Marquette Growing Your Own Food in the UP series. 20 February 2018. Innovative Tools on the Small Farm.Marquette, MI. Transition Marquette Growing Your Own Food in the UP series. 19 April 2018. Land Based Learning Educational Resources for Teachers. Marquette, MI. Seaborg Place Based Learning Conference. 18 October 2018. Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources in Your Classroom.Chatham, MI. MARESA Summer Institute. 20-21 June 2018. Tabling at conferences Organizations: Ag for Tomorrow, Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference, MARESA Career Day Topics: Incubator farms and local economic development Attendance: 1,370 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? One Apprentice Farm will make the transition off the farm to running her own farm business on land she purchased. One Apprentice Farm will start a second year of the program. Participants requested more access to educational opportunities, which resulted in a shift in the program to make mentors more available to Apprentice Farmers. We will continue to build infrastructure to aid in the development of the farm. Soil health will be improved through cover cropping, nutrient and biological amendments, and sustainable growing practices. Research will continue on best practices and varieties for growing above the 45 parallel.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1:Increase awareness, knowledge and skills regarding nutrient-dense food production through experiential agricultural training and support to a diverse audience of beginning farmers, established farmers, avocational gardeners, youth and community members: Two farmbusinesses are currently participating in the Apprentice Farmer incubator program - Beanpole Farm in its fourth year and Mighty Soil Farm in second year farming a combined 1.5 acres of land, selling mixed vegetables to farmers markets, wholesale, and restaurant accounts. Three workshops were held from June through September, 2018 for skill seeking farmers with a combined attendance of 65 people. 701 independent or agency-associated individuals who were interested in learning more about the project visited the farm throughout the reporting period. 1,152 total students, including 36 individuals with special needs individuals, visitedthe North Farmto learn about composting, transplant production, season extension and seed saving. The North Farm was a key partner in Start Seeds, Save Seeds, a program that provided 11 schools in Marquette, Alger, Delta, and Schoolcraft counties with healthy transplants for their hoop house and school garden programs. Students visited the farm to pick up their transplants, received classroom instruction on caring for transplants, utilizing the produce, and saving seeds, then practiced seed saving. The program culminates at a Community Seed Swap held in March, which is a partnership between The North Farm, Transition Marquette, and MQT Growth. The North Farm has presented 13 times throughout the Great Lakes region, notably at the Minnesota Organic Conference and at the Michigan Organic Food and Farming Association, and attended the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference with a booth to promote theApprentice Farmer incubator program. Munising High School Career Dayreached300individualswith information regardingagriculture as a career or topic of study in secondary education contexts. The North Farm stays in touch with a statewide network of small farm organizations/resources including other farm incubator programs through participation in Michigan Food and Farming Systems as a council member. In order torepresentand better serve target populations in community forums and activities, North Farm staff have been invited to participate in several committees that pertain to agriculture education and issues: Marquette Alger Regional Educational Service Agency Career Technical Education, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Produce Safety Advisory Committee, Northern Michigan University Sustainable Business Major, and the Upper Peninsula Food Exchange Steering Committee. The North Farm has hosted teacher training institutes for continuing education credit in collaboration with other grant funded projects to provide teachers with a living classroom and hands-on experiences to inspireagriculture activities in their classrooms, which raise food system awareness among students and their families. The Novice Farmer Program has found a willing partner in MSU's Institute of Ag Tech, which plans to launch a farm management certificate at nearby Bay DeNoc Community College in Escanaba fall of 2019. An on-farm practicum for students in the certificate program is also being developed. 757 individuals have been reached through presentations and meetings conducted by North Farm staff on topics including careers in agriculture and starting a farm business, organic growing practices, season extension and farm-based education. Objective 2:Increase local food production within the U.P. economy: Duringthe reporting period$63,834worth of sales have been made through direct and wholesale accountsby the North Farm. Assisted Upper Peninsula Food Exchange in assessment and improvement of online marketplace platform. 5 acres of certified organic mixed vegetables were in production at the North Farm during the production period. Since the beginning of the Apprentice Farmer Program, $71,708.15 worth of produce has been sold into local markets, with $37,854 of that total sold during this reporting period. Since the beginning of the Apprentice Farmer program, an estimated 13,140 pounds of produce has been sold into local markets. Objective 3:To improve soil health through sustainable production practices: Organic Certification for the North Farm has been maintained. Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program verification for use of soil and nutrient managementbest practices has been maintained. Good Agricultural Practices certification for food safety practices associated with the handling of compost has been maintained. Cover crops have been integrated into the farm system since 2014. 200 yards of cattle manurecompost were made and 125 yards were incorporated as part of the farm's soil management strategy. Soilsamples were collected and analyzed to determine future soil management practices. Soil organic matter has increased by an average of 1.1% since 2014 in outdoor growing areas and by 2% in the hoop house since 2014. OMRI approved soil amendments were sourced locally and applied to fields in relation to soil tests and crop needs. A soil health and grazing workshop held in June reported that 40% of self-identified full time or part time farmers in attendance planned to diversify or expand their businesses in 2018 and 100% of participants gained skills and information relevant to their farm business that they planned to use on their own farms. Utilized plastic mulch to reduce irrigation inputs and boost soil temperatures (effectively extending the production season). Objective 4:To develop a participatory agent-based model that will inform technology improvement and innovation adoption: End of season interviews with the 2018 apprentice farmers were conducted. Completed combined survey and focus group assessment with the five farm businesses that have participated in the incubator program since its founding. Overall satisfaction with the program is high. Collaborative work on innovative, farm builttechnology presented to area farmers at Transition Marquette County's speaker series. Objective 5:Determine best practices for season extension above the 45th parallel: Research has continued through collections of data for soil and air temperature, relative humidity, and light levels in the hoophouse and field tunnels. Temperature and relative humidity data has been collected for storage crops in the root cellar. Yield data and storage capability has been tracked by crop variety. Experiments were done using plasticulture (black plastic used for mulching vegetable beds to reduce weed pressure, and reduce water consumption).Variety selection and crop rotation, including cover cropping inside the hoop house, is underway to expand the diversity of crops in the system.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
McKim, A., Raven, M. R., Palmer, A. & McFarland, A. (2019). Community as context and content: A Land-Based learning primer for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education. Journal of Agricultural Education, 60(1), 172-185 https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2019.01172
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached in this reporting period were the Apprentice Farmers (new farmers starting their business on the North Farm incubator site), the Skill Seekers (new and experienced farmers and gardeners looking to increase their skills and knowledge), other members of the Michigan Upper Peninsula (UP) food industry, and the general public (particularly those in the UP). Changes/Problems:Ashley McFarland, UPREC Coordinator and Collin Thompson, North Farm Manager, both resigned this summer creating a leadership void on site. Consequently, will seek a one year no-cost extension for the USDA NIFA AFRI project that is providing much of the funding for this project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Interns - The North Farm has employed 5 interns through Michigan State University. Skill-Seeker workshop attendees -An estimated 125 attendees have gained knowledge in nutrient dense food production through eight workshops that include such topics as: season extension, small farms systems, whole farm health, and seed saving. Other farmers - Have toured the farm and discussed best practices and revenue boosting techniques. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? North Farm Web Site - Has background and program information, pictures, resources and scheduled events Google Analytics for the website show: Sessions:6,891 Users:5,866 (85% new, 15% returning) Page views:11,635 Pages/session:1.69 Average session duration:01:01 minutes Bounce rate:74.02% New sessions:84.82% Facebook - Has updates on the farm and posts on sustainable agriculture.612 likes Press Radio Interview - 101.9 WKQSFM Marquette on North Farm involvement with schools, farming, and seed saving:http://wkqsfm.com/featured/onair/the-8th-day/266897/abby-palmer-interview-on-the-8th-day-about-the-seed-swap-at-the-peter-white-public-library/ TV - TV6 Apprentice Farmer Profilehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzYFIbK5AmA&feature=youtu.be, TV6 Plant Swaphttp://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Gardeners-come-together-at-Plant-Swap--380438481.html Newspaper - Planting the Seeds of Knowledge - Literallyhttp://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/635697/Planting-the-seeds-of-knowledge---literally.html, Generations of Gardeninghttp://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/640281/Generations-of-gardening.html, Podcast - The North Farm Manager was a guest onFarmer to farmerpodcast reaching 2000-3000 people Instagram - Displays images of the farm. Other publications - Presentations have been made available to workshop attendees as well as on the resource page of the North Farm website School Visits, Field Days and Open House - Increased community engagement and provided relevant information regarding production and marketing practices, as well as information about future opportunities at The North Farm. Presentations Whole Farm Health.Chatham, MI. The North Farm Skill Seekers Workshop Series. 28 Aug 2016. Small Farm Systems.Chatham, MI. The North Farm Skill Seekers Workshop Series. 26 Jun 2016. Season Extension.Chatham, MI. The North Farm Skill Seekers Workshop Series. 17 Apr 2016. Season Extension.Brimley, MI. Michigan State University Extension Veggie Skill Builder Conference. 2 Apr 2016. The North Farm.Escanaba, MI. Growing UP Agriculture Association Annual Meeting. 30 Mar, 2016. Growing in High Tunnels.La Crosse, WI. MOSES Organic Farming Conference Organic University Pre-Conference Course. 25 Feb 2016. Season Extension Technologies and Techniques.Bruce Mines, ON, Canada. Rain Agriculture and Food Symposium. 6 Feb 2016. Season Extension in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.Grand Rapids, MI. Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Growers Expo. 9 Dec 2015. Soil Health and Cover Crop Rotations.Chatham, MI. Part of The North Farm Skill Seeker workshop series. 17 Oct 2015. Other Organizations: GUPAA Annual Meeting, PEO Meeting, Kiwanis-Noon Escanaba Home and Garden Show, Education on the Farm, 4-H Chatham Tabling at conferences Organizations: Ag for Tomorrow, MOSES, Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference Topics: Incubator farms and local economic development Attendance: 4,150 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Additional Skill Seeker classes One Apprentice farmer will make the transition off the farm to running her own farm business. Three Apprentice Farmers will start their second year of the program More wholesale purchasing relationships will be developed Work with Bay College to offer an Novie Farmer program in conjunction with AIT We will continue to build infrastructure to aid in the development of the farm Soil health will be improved through cover cropping, nutrient and biological amendments, and sustainable growing practices. Interviews will be conducted of Apprentice Farmers and a participatory agent-based model will be built to inform technology improvement and innovation adoption Development of participatory model Research will continue on best practices and varieties for growing above the 45 parallel.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1:Increase awareness, knowledge and skills regarding nutrient dense food production through experiential based agricultural training and support to a diverse audience of beginning farmers, established farmers, avocational gardeners, youth and community members: Three apprentice farmers are in the process of completing their first season (of two) farming 1/4 acre of land selling mixed vegetables to a community supported agriculture program (CSA) farmer's market, restaurants, and wholesale accounts. One apprentice farmer is process of completing her second season farming ½ acre of land. Four workshops were held from April through October for skill seeking farmers with a combined attendance of 105 people. 1,366 independent or agency-associated individuals, including the Governor of Michigan, who were interested in learning more about the project visited the farm throughout the period. 250 total students including 60 low income, 20 special needs, and 12 preschool children visited the North Farm to learn about composting, transplant production, season extension and seed saving. The North Farm was a key partner in Start Seeds, Save Seeds, a program that provided Superior Central School in Eben Junction and Gravaraet School and North Star Academy in Marquette with healthy transplants for their hoop house and school garden programs. Students visited the farm to pick up their transplants, received classroom instruction on caring for transplants, utilizing the produce, and saving seeds, then practiced seed saving. The program culminates at a Community Seed Swap held in October, which is a partnership between the Marquette Food Co-op, Transition Marquette, and MQT Growth. The UPREC Field Day gave the general public an opportunity to see farm operations and research initiatives. North Farm staff, interns, and apprentice farmers, gave presentations on topics ranging from hoophouse management to fencing techniques for livestock management to 75 attendees. The North Farm has presented 7 times throughout the Great Lakes region. The North Farm hosted the U.P. Local Food Conference, Together At The Farm attracting 220 attendees. A North Farm website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram site has continued to grow and has seen a substantial increase in followers over the past year. Programing content has been completed for the Novice Farmer Program and MSU curriculum committee has given the go-ahead to run the program as a pilot starting fall 2017. Curriculum for the on-farm practicum part of the Novice Farmer program has continued to be developed. Objective 2:Increase local food production within the U.P. economy: A follow-up survey of workshop participants indicated that 47% of respondents plan to expand their farm businesses or gardens using what they learned. 100% of participants reported improved business knowledge, skills, or expertise. A delivery truck was bought allowing the farm to expand the amount of produce it can deliver and the distance it can go.It will also serve as a resource for other farms to make shared trips to markets.Delivery capability as repeatedly been stated as a bottleneck in production for farms in the region. Through mid September, $85,000worth of sales have been made through direct and wholesale accounts. A CSA program with 50 members is currently running, using produce from both the North Farm and the Apprentice Farmers 7.5 acres of mixed vegetables are under production Objective 3:To improve soil health through sustainable production practices: Organic Certification was achieved to go along with MAEAP verification and GAP certification. 250 yards of compost were made and 125 yards were incorporated as part of the farm's soil management strategy. Soil test were completed and analyzed to determine future soil management practices Utilized plastic mulch toreduce irrigation inputs and boost soil temperatures (effectively extending the production season) Objective 4:To develop a participatory agent-based model that will inform technology improvement and innovation adoption: Interviews with the 2016 apprentice farmers were completed Objective 5:Determine best practices for season extension above the 45th parallel: Research has continued through collections of data for soil and air temperature, relative humidity, and light levels in the hoophouse and field tunnels Temperature and relative humidity data has been collected for storage crops in the root cellar Yield data and storage capability has been tracked by crop variety Experiments were done using plasticulture (black plastic used for mulching vegetable beds to reduce weed pressure, and reduce water consumption). Small fruit trials have begun, researching perennial berry varieties for cold hardiness.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience: Changes/Problems:The main issues faced were delays in the novice farmer curriculum development due to complexity of working with thenecessary departments at Michigan State University. Administration agreed to run the Novice Program as Pilot but it was too late for effective recruiting. Discussions are being held with Bay Community College to perhaps develop a joint program. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?• Interns - The North Farm has employed 1 intern through Michigan State University. • Skill-Seeker workshop attendees - An estimated 106 attendees have gained knowledge in nutrient dense food production through eight workshops that include such topics as: season extension, whole farm health, small farm systems, and seed saving • Other farmers - Have seen and discussed trials in order to provide information about best practices and revenue boosting techniques. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?• North Farm Web Site - Has background and program information, pictures, resources and scheduled events Google Analytics for 1/1/15 through 12/31/15 Sessions: 4956 Users: (32% returning visitors); Page views: 11,849 • Facebook - Has updates on the farm and posts on sustainable agriculture. 644 likes, 30,385 reached. • Instagram - Displays images of the farm. • Other publications - Presentations have been made available to workshop attendees as well as on the resource page of the North Farm website • School Visits, Field Days and Open House - Increased community engagement and provided relevant information regarding production and marketing practices, as well as information about future opportunities at The North Farm. • The following schools visited the farm: • Menominee Area Schools, North Star Academy, Superior Central School, Munising Middle/High School, Teaching Family Homes, Graveraet Elementary School, Gwinn School District, Gogebic/Ontonagon School District, Copper Country ISD, Marquette Alger ESA • Presented at the following conferences: Growing UP Ag Association Meeting, MSU Veggie Skill Builder, The North Farm Workshop Series (4), Together at the Farm, Master Gardeners Workshop, Great Lakes Expo, RAIN Grower Meeting, North MI Small Farms Conference, MOSES Organic Farming Conference, Indiana Small Farms Conference What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?• Four additional Skill Seeker classes • One Apprentice Farmer will start her 2nd year of the program where we will work with her to develop her farming business. Three new Apprentice Farmers will be chosen to start in 2017 • We will train beginning and current farmers and gardeners (Skill Seekers) though four workshops currently scheduled for the spring and summer of 2016 as well as offering formal and informal training on and off the farm and through conferences. • Novice Farmer pilot program will start its first cohort with online classes beginning in the fall. • An additional 2 acres of nutritious organic food will be grown on the farm. • More direct and wholesale accounts will be made • We will continue to build infrastructure to aid in the development of the farm • Soil health will be improved through cover cropping, nutrient and biological amendments, and sustainable growing practices. • Interviews will be conducted of Apprentice Farmers and a participatory agent-based model will be built to inform technology improvement and innovation adoption • Research will continue on best practices and varieties for growing above the 45 parallel.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Objective 1: Increase awareness, knowledge and skills regarding nutrient dense food production through experiential based agricultural training and support to a diverse audience of beginning farmers, established farmers, avocational gardeners, youth and community members: • Three apprentice farmers completed their first seasons farming a 1/4 acre with combined gross sales of approximately $12,319 of mixed vegetables to a community supported agriculture program (CSA) farmer's market, restaurants, and wholesale accounts. • One apprentice farmer completed her second seasons farming a 1/2 acre with combined gross sales of approximately $10,800 of mixed vegetables to a community supported agriculture program (CSA) farmer's market, restaurants, and wholesale accounts. • Preparation has begun for the 2017 growing season. • Four workshops were held from April through October for skill seeking farmers with a combined attendance of 106 people. Evaluations of the workshops showed 100% of participants reported improved business knowledge, skills, or expertise. • Hosted formal and informal tours of the farm for 1895 independent or agency-associated individuals who were interested in learning more about the project throughout the season. Some notable tours included MI Governor, Rick Snyder and International Delegates from Sister Cities Tanzania and Japan. • 140 students from 7 different schools visited the North Farm to learn about season extension, sustainable agricultural practices, seed saving, and the biology of farming. • The North Farm hosted Together at the Farm (a food and farming conference) and It's All in the Barn (a community fundraiser) totaling 300 participants. • The North Farm conducted 20 conferences presentations throughout the Great Lakes region reaching 1000 attendees. • A North Farm website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram site has continued to grow and has seen a substantial increase in followers over the past year. • Programing content has been completed and has received approval from the MSU curriculum committee to start a pilot Novice Farmer Program in 2017. • Curriculum for the on-farm practicum part of the Novice Farmer program has continued to be developed. - An USDA SPECA Grant was obtained for $135,000 to help Upper Peninsula Middle and High School teachers incorporate agriculture and food system curricula into their classrooms - An USDA NC-SARE Grant was obtained for $154,000 to connect high schoolclass rooms with Land Based Learning Labs located on production farms for students and producers to incorporate sustainable agriculture practices. 1. Objective 2: Increase local food production within the U.P. economy: • $68,028 worth of sales have been made through direct and wholesale accounts during the reporting period • Three new direct and wholesale accounts have been established in this reporting period. • The CSA program increased its membership from 12 to 48 and increased its sales by $14,400 • 3 additional acres of mixed vegetables were used for production • A delivery truck was purchased allowing increased sales productivity 1. Objective 3: To improve soil health through sustainable production practices: • 4 acres were cover cropped in 2016 • 150 yards of compost were made and 80 yards were incorporated into the farm soil. • The farm was Organically certified • Soil test were completed showing increased levels of organic matter • Utilized plastic mulch to minimize tillage throughout the season 2. Objective 4: To develop a participatory agent-based model that will inform technology improvement and innovation adoption: • Interviews with the 2016 apprentice farmers were completed 3. Objective 5: Determine best practices for season extension above the 45th parallel: • Research has continued through collected of data for soil and air temperature, relative humidity, and light levels in the hoophouse and field tunnels • Temperature and relative humidity data has been collected for storage crops in the root cellar • Yield data and storage capability has been tracked be crop variety • A new 30'x96' hoophouse was built to be used for transplant production
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached in this reporting period were the Apprentice Farmers (new farmers starting their business on the North Farm incubator site), the Skill Seekers (new and experienced farmers and gardeners looking to increase their skills and knowledge), other members of the Michigan Upper Peninsula (UP) food industry, and the general public (particularly those in the UP). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Investigators Raven and Rowntree completed training in Holistic Managment through the Savory Institute and received their certification as accredited Professional Holistic Management Educators. They also underwent training for Ecological Outcomes Verification also through The Savory Institute. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? North Farm Web Site - Has background and program information, pictures, resources and scheduled events Google Analytics for the website show: Sessions: 6,891 Users: 5,866 (85% new, 15% returning) Page views: 11,635 Pages/session: 1.69 Average session duration: 01:01 minutes Bounce rate: 74.02% New sessions: 84.82% Facebook - Has updates on the farm and posts on sustainable agriculture. 612 likes Press Radio Interview - 101.9 WKQSFM Marquette on North Farm involvement with schools, farming, and seed saving: http://wkqsfm.com/featured/onair/the-8th-day/266897/abby-palmer-interview-on-the-8th-day-about-the-seed-swap-at-the-peter-white-public-library/ TV - TV6 Apprentice Farmer Profile https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzYFIbK5AmA&feature=youtu.be, TV6 Plant Swap http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Gardeners-come-together-at-Plant-Swap--380438481.html Newspaper - Planting the Seeds of Knowledge - Literally http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/635697/Planting-the-seeds-of-knowledge---literally.html, Generations of Gardening http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/640281/Generations-of-gardening.html, Podcast - The North Farm Manager was a guest on Farmer to farmer podcast reaching 2000-3000 people Twitter - Has updates on the farm and connections throughout the sustainable agricultural industry Instagram - Displays images of the farm. Other publications - Presentations have been made available to workshop attendees as well as on the resource page of the North Farm website School Visits, Field Days and Open House - Increased community engagement and provided relevant information regarding production and marketing practices, as well as information about future opportunities at The North Farm. Presentations Whole Farm Health. Chatham, MI. The North Farm Skill Seekers Workshop Series. 28 Aug 2016. Small Farm Systems. Chatham, MI. The North Farm Skill Seekers Workshop Series. 26 Jun 2016. Season Extension. Chatham, MI. The North Farm Skill Seekers Workshop Series. 17 Apr 2016. Season Extension. Brimley, MI. Michigan State University Extension Veggie Skill Builder Conference. 2 Apr 2016. The North Farm. Escanaba, MI. Growing UP Agriculture Association Annual Meeting. 30 Mar, 2016. Growing in High Tunnels. La Crosse, WI. MOSES Organic Farming Conference Organic University Pre-Conference Course. 25 Feb 2016. Season Extension Technologies and Techniques. Bruce Mines, ON, Canada. Rain Agriculture and Food Symposium. 6 Feb 2016. Season Extension in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Grand Rapids, MI. Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Growers Expo. 9 Dec 2015. Soil Health and Cover Crop Rotations. Chatham, MI. Part of The North Farm Skill Seeker workshop series. 17 Oct 2015. Other Organizations: GUPAA Annual Meeting, PEO Meeting, Kiwanis-Noon Escanaba Home and Garden Show, Education on the Farm, 4-H Chatham Tabling at conferences Organizations: Ag for Tomorrow, MOSES, Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference Topics: Incubator farms and local economic development Attendance: 4,150 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Additional Skill Seeker classes One Apprentice farmer will make the transition off the farm to running her own farm business. Three Apprentice Farmers will start their second year of the program Curriculum for the Novice Farmer program will be finalized An additional 2.5 acres of nutritious organic food will be grown on the farm for a total of 10 acres. More direct and wholesale accounts will be made We will continue to build infrastructure to aid in the development of the farm Soil health will be improved through cover cropping, nutrient and biological amendments, and sustainable growing practices. Interviews will be conducted of Apprentice Farmers and a participatory agent-based model will be built to inform technology improvement and innovation adoption Research will continue on best practices and varieties for growing above the 45 parallel.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Michigan's U.P. is an economically depressed region in the Great Lakes Basin with inadequate access to nutrient dense foods. There is increasing consumer demand for local nutrient dense food and expressed interest by producers on technologies and innovations relevant to its production. Integrating a nutrient dense food production Incubator Farm into the Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center has provideda focal point for research, education and extension efforts to improve the sustainability and resiliency of agriculture and food systems in Michigan's U.P. The development of formal and non-formal research-based educational programs targeting beginning farmers and avocational growers is resulting in an increase in people in the U.P. growing nutrient dense food. An increase in the number of farmers producing nutrient dense food destined for the local economy adds resilience to the food security of the region. Through the utilization of conservation agricultural practices with an emphasis on soil health, the environmental quality of the region can be improved - especially the U.P.'s marginal soils. The anticipated resulting societal benefit is an increase in the amount of nutrient dense food within the U.P. economy, with a simultaneous improvement in soil health and in the economic sustainability of the region. Specific accomplishments include: Objective 1: Increase awareness, knowledge and skills regarding nutrient dense food production through experiential based agricultural training and support to a diverse audience of beginning farmers, established farmers, avocational gardeners, youth and community members: Three apprentice farmers are in the process of completing their first season (of two) farming 1/4 acre of land selling mixed vegetables to a community supported agriculture program (CSA) farmer's market, restaurants, and wholesale accounts. One apprentice farmer is process of completing her second season farming ½ acre of land. Four workshops were held from April through October for skill seeking farmers with a combined attendance of 105 people. 1,366 independent or agency-associated individuals, including the Governor of Michigan, who were interested in learning more about the project visited the farm throughout the period. 250 total students including 60 low income, 20 special needs, and 12 preschool children visited the North Farm to learn about composting, transplant production, season extension and seed saving. The North Farm was a key partner in Start Seeds, Save Seeds, a program that provided Superior Central School in Eben Junction and Gravaraet School and North Star Academy in Marquette with healthy transplants for their hoop house and school garden programs. Students visited the farm to pick up their transplants, received classroom instruction on caring for transplants, utilizing the produce, and saving seeds, then practiced seed saving. The program culminates at a Community Seed Swap held in October, which is a partnership between the Marquette Food Co-op, Transition Marquette, and MQT Growth. The UPREC Field Day gave the general public an opportunity to see farm operations and research initiatives. North Farm staff, interns, and apprentice farmers, gave presentations on topics ranging from hoophouse management to fencing techniques for livestock management to 75 attendees. The North Farm has presented 7 times throughout the Great Lakes region. The North Farm hosted the U.P. Local Food Conference, Together At The Farm attracting 220 attendees. A North Farm website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram site has continued to grow and has seen a substantial increase in followers over the past year. Programing content has been completed for the Novice Farmer Program and MSU curriculum committee has given the go-ahead to run the program as a pilot starting fall 2017. Curriculum for the on-farm practicum part of the Novice Farmer program has continued to be developed. Objective 2: Increase local food production within the U.P. economy: A follow-up survey of workshop participants indicated that 47% of respondents plan to expand their farm businesses or gardens using what they learned. 100% of participants reported improved business knowledge, skills, or expertise. A delivery truck was bought allowing the farm to expand the amount of produce it can deliver and the distance it can go. It will also serve as a resource for other farms to make shared trips to markets. Delivery capability as repeatedly been stated as a bottleneck in production for farms in the region. Through mid September, $65,000 worth of sales have been made through direct and wholesale accounts. A CSA program with 50 members is currently running, using produce from both the North Farm and the Apprentice Farmers 7.5 acres of mixed vegetables are under production Objective 3: To improve soil health through sustainable production practices: Organic Certification was achieved to go along with MAEAP verification and GAP certification. 7.5 acres were cover cropped in 2016 250 yards of compost were made and 50 -75 yards were incorporated into the farm soil. Organic standards and practices have been followed Soil test were completed and analyzed looking at nutrient levels and biological counts Utilized plastic mulch to minimize tillage throughout the season Objective 4: To develop a participatory agent-based model that will inform technology improvement and innovation adoption: Interviews with the 2016 apprentice farmers were completed Objective 5: Determine best practices for season extension above the 45th parallel: Research has continued through collections of data for soil and air temperature, relative humidity, and light levels in the hoophouse and field tunnels Temperature and relative humidity data has been collected for storage crops in the root cellar Yield data and storage capability has been tracked by crop variety Experiments were done using plasticulture (black plastic used for mulching vegetable beds to reduce weed and insect pressure, and reduce water consumption). Small fruit trials have begun, researching perennial berry varieties for cold hardiness.
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Progress 09/01/15 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project just started 1 week prior to this progress report.
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