Progress 09/01/19 to 06/21/21
Outputs
Target Audience:During this project period, grant partners have collectively served beginning farmers with a wide range of experience levels (from entry-level to advanced) across the Chesapeake region (MD, DC, VA, WV, DE), in both urban, peri-urban, and rural settings, with specific outreach to low-income and socially disadvantaged aspiring farmers. Wherever possible, free registration and scholarships were provided to enable access to classroom and on-farm workshops, year-long training programs, and conferences, to ensure access for low-income and socially disadvantaged farmers. In addition, several classroom workshop series and on-farm experiential learning opportunities that were designed specifically for urban growers and women farmers were provided. In spring 2020, as COVID cases began to rise and restrictions on in-person gatherings were put in place across our region, grant partners shifted to providing outreach and education via online platforms. Changes/Problems:There are a number of in-person aspects of our collective programming that were interrupted due to COVID--on-farm training, in-person group workhops, conferences, etc. Wherever possible, we provided substitute online learning opportunities, but due to the necessity for hands-on learning in some aspects of our programming, we shifted some of the implementation to spring 2021, after restrictions began to ease. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?*Introductory program for entry-level beginning farmers with minimal experience: FH's Beginner Farmer Training Program (BFTP) Level 1 was designed to provide an immersive, but scheduling-flexible experience to aspiring farmers who are at the very beginning of their careers. Our 10-week classroom series was offered at 2 sites: in Baltimore, MD and on the Eastern Shore of MD. We also offered hands-on intensives for the trainees across MD, including both on the Western and Eastern Shores. When COVID restrictions were instituted in spring 2020, we shifted to provide these educational events online. FH and other grant partners provided diverse programming for these trainees, free of charge, to enable access for low-income and socially disadvantaged farmers. *Intensive on-farm training for intermediate-level beginning farmers: Level 2 of FH's BFTP is designed for beginning farmers who have already been exposed to survey concepts of sustainable farming and are now seeking a full season of onfarm training to augment their practical learning. Each Level 2 trainee is matched with a Training Farm that FHCASA has carefully selected. Level 2 trainees receive 200 hours of on-farm training for a full season at their designated training farm. Due to concerns about COVID, several Level 2 trainees opted to defer their on-farm training to 2021; they will be completing this aspect of their training next season. *Consulting program for intermediate to advanced beginning farmers: FH provided a 12-month, one-on-one consulting program through its Level 3 BFTP. This tier is designed for beginning farmers who are further along in their careers, who own and/or manage a farm. Included in these are trainees with diverse enterprises, including vegetables, mushrooms, cut flowers, and grazing. Trainees are matched with experienced Farm Consultants who provide a full year of consulting and support. *FH launched 4 new study circles designed for beginning farmers 5+ years into farming, who own or manage their own farms. These circles are spread out across the region and met monthly online to discuss financial, business, and production questions, though the focus was on financials and discussions were facilitated and kept on track by a FH contractor who specilaizes in farm finance literacy. *Entry-level and intermediate business planning, marketing, and production workshops and one-on-one technical assistance: UME, FH, WVFFC, and UMES individually and collaboratively the following educational programming for beginning farmers: BFTP online course (providing 15+ sections with video and text instruction), Frederick County Beginning Farmer 101 course, Good Agricultural Practices online course for urban farmers, 3rd Annual Urban Farmer Winter Meeting in Baltimore, Wednesday Webinar series, Starting a Small, Intensive, Commercial Farm for Local Markets 10-week course, Wheels Up (inperson and online) for intermediate farmers looking to take the next steps in their business plans, One-on-One Technical Assistance provided by phone and email, Virtual Coaching provided online and at conferences, online field days designed for beginning farmers in WV, UMES Small Farms Bus Tour, FH annual winter conference (600+ attendees), UMES Small Farms Conference How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Grant partners individually and collectively disseminated our work via organizational websites, email lists, social media, inperson, and online meetings with farmers across the region What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Collaborative made significant strides towards expanding a coordinated suite of educational and consulting services to beginning farmers across the Chesapeake region. Maryland-based partners (FH, UME, UMES, CF2T), who have worked on prior BFRDP projects to develop a robust suite of educational and practical training opportunities for new farmers in Maryland, worked with new regional partners, WVFFC, WMC, and ECF to bring some of these services to to WV, Western MD, and the DC Metro area. We offered programs that are year-long commitments with training beside an experienced farmer, other programs offered classroom-based learning, and others focused on building connections between new farmers. Across all of our outreach and programming, both online and in-person, we have reached over 2,000 farmers since the grant project began one year ago.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period, grant partners have collectively served beginning farmers with a wide range of experience levels (from entry-level to advanced) across the Chesapeake region (MD, DC, VA, WV, DE), in both urban, peri-urban, and rural settings, with specific outreach to low-income and socially disadvantaged aspiring farmers. Wherever possible, free registration and scholarships were provided to enable access to classroom and on-farm workshops, year-long training programs, and conferences, to ensure access for low-income and socially disadvantaged farmers. In addition, several classroom workshop series and on-farm experiential learning opportunities that were designed specifically for urban growers and women farmers were provided. In spring 2020, as COVID cases began to rise and restrictions on in-person gatheringswere put in place acrossour region, grant partners shifted to providing outreach and education via online platforms. Changes/Problems:There are a number of in-person aspects of our collective programming that were interrupted due to COVID--on-farm training, in-person group workhops, conferences, etc. Wherever possible, we provided substitute online learning opportunities, but due to the necessity for hands-on learning in some aspects of our programming, we will be providing these in 2021 in-person, as COVID conditions allow. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?*Introductory program for entry-level beginning farmers with minimal experience: FH's Beginner Farmer Training Program (BFTP)Level 1 was designed to provide an immersive, but scheduling-flexible experience to aspiring farmers who are at the very beginning of their careers. Our 10-week classroom series was offered at 2sites: in Baltimore, MD and on the Eastern Shore of MD.We also offered hands-on intensives for the trainees across MD, including both on the Western and Eastern Shores. When COVID restrictions were instituted in spring 2020, we shifted to provide these educational events online. FH and other grant partners provided diverse programming for these trainees, free of charge, to enable access for low-income and socially disadvantaged farmers. *Intensive on-farm training for intermediate-level beginning farmers: Level 2 of FH's BFTP is designed for beginning farmers who have already been exposed to survey concepts of sustainable farming and are now seeking a full season of onfarm training to augment their practical learning. Each Level 2 trainee is matched with a Training Farm that FHCASA has carefully selected. Level 2 trainees receive 200 hours of on-farm training for a full season at their designated training farm. Due to concerns about COVID, several Level 2 trainees opted to defer their on-farm training to 2021;they will be completing this aspect of their training next season. *Consulting program for intermediate to advanced beginning farmers: FH provided a 12-month, one-on-one consulting program through itsLevel 3BFTP. This tier is designed for beginning farmers who are further along in their careers, who own and/or manage a farm. Included in these are trainees with diverse enterprises, including vegetables, mushrooms, cut flowers, and grazing.Trainees are matched with experienced Farm Consultants who provide a full year of consulting and support. *FH launched 4 new study circles designed for beginning farmers 5+ years into farming, who own or manage their own farms. These circles are spread out across the region and met monthly online to discuss financial, business, and production questions, though the focus was on financials and discussions were facilitated and kept on track by a FH contractor who specilaizes in farm finance literacy. *Entry-level and intermediate business planning, marketing, and production workshops and one-on-one technical assistance: UME, FH, WVFFC, and UMES individually and collaboratively the following educational programming for beginning farmers: BFTP online course (providing 15+ sections with video and text instruction), Frederick CountyBeginning Farmer 101 course, Good Agricultural Practices online course for urban farmers, 3rd Annual Urban Farmer Winter Meeting in Baltimore, Wednesday Webinar series, Starting a Small, Intensive, Commercial Farm for Local Markets 10-week course, Wheels Up (in-person and online) for intermediate farmers looking to take the next steps in their business plans, One-on-One Technical Assistance provided by phone and email, Virtual Coaching provided online and at conferences, online field days designed for beginning farmers in WV, UMES Small Farms Bus Tour, FH annual winter conference (600+ attendees), UMES Small Farms Conference *Some grant activities (WMFC annual conference, ECF on-farm soil health workshops, CF2T recordkeeping workshops in-person) were cancelled due to COVID and will be conducted in 2021 instead. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Grant partners individually and collectively disseminated our work via organizational websites, email lists, social media, in-person, and online meetings with farmers across the region What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?There are a number of in-person aspects of our collective programming that were interrupted due to COVID--on-farm training, in-person group workhops, conferences, etc. Wherever possible, we provided substitute online learning opportunities, but due to the necessity for hands-on learning in some aspects of our programming, we will be providing these in 2021 in-person, as COVID conditions allow.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Collaborative made significant strides towards expanding a coordinated suite of educational and consulting services to beginning farmers across the Chesapeake region. Maryland-based partners (FH, UME, UMES, CF2T), who have worked on prior BFRDP projects to develop a robust suite of educational and practical training opportunities for new farmers in Maryland, worked with new regional partners, WVFFC,WMC, and ECF to bring some of these services to to WV, Western MD, and the DC Metro area.We offered programs that are year-long commitments with training beside an experienced farmer, other programs offeredclassroom-based learning, and others focused on building connections between new farmers. Across all of our outreach and programming, both online and in-person, we have reached over 2,000 farmers since the grant project began one year ago.
Publications
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