Recipient Organization
GLEANING NETWORK OF TEXAS, THE
3866 HIGHGROVE DR
DALLAS,TX 752203752
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
North Texas Farm Success: A Series for Beginning Farmersprovides a series of educational opportunities and develops a community of practice for new and beginning farmers and ranchers in North Texas and East Texas who direct market their products. The project also surveys area farmers and ranchers about their needs and barriers for building or growing successful agricultural operations in order to develop a continuing education program through El Centro College's Agriculture department.?North Texas Farm Success offers participants a variety of learning opportunities through educational workshops, on-farm training, and resource referral.Classroom workshops and on-farm learning opportunities will build a comprehensive education for new and beginning farmers. The project will leverage the resources of FarmAnswers.org, specifically using resources from the Direct Marketing and Local Food Toolbox, Urban Farming Toolbox, Business Planning Toolbox, Food Safety Toolbox, and Farm Financial Management Toolbox. Many of our planned workshops will help farmers understand what is available to them through these online resources and assist them in deciding which tools will be best suited to their needs. Resources will be made available online and participants can take home printed resources and digital ones on flash drives.Spearheading this project are the two organizations in the area who emphasize farmer training in North Texas: GROW North Texas (GNTX) and Farmers Assisting Returning Military (F.A.R.M.) along with El Centro College whose new Urban Agriculture program aims to make a significant impact. Collaborators include Shine's Farmstand, Oak Cliff Veggie Project, Good Local Markets, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, and GP Ranch.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The goals of this project is to provide beginning farmers and ranchers in North Texas with classroom education and hands-on training that assists them in starting and strengthening their agricultural operations and to also develop a beginning farmer/rancher continuing education certificate program through El Centro College based on information gathered from participants and others. Workshop evaluation will be through pre- and post- workshop surveys and participant follow up. The project will impact 25 unique beginning producers who are already selling direct to consumer but have less than 10 years of experience and 25 unique persons who are in planning stages for an agricultural operation. Any information gathering for determining producer needs and barriers will engage additional producers.Goal 1:Provide education and training for new and beginning farmers on topics of business management, production management, marketing, and food safety.Objective 1:Offer a series of in-person workshops that provide farm management and production knowledge and tools for successful farm businesses.Output- Workshops offered throughout the program year as indicated on the timeline in the next section of this proposal.Expected Outcomes:Attendance: average of 8 people at each workshopAt the end of each workshop:80% of workshop participants will increase knowledge and/or skill on a topic.In follow up 1 month later:50% of those accessing resources will report implementing knowledge or skills.In follow up 3 months later:10% of those accessing resources will report implementing knowledge, tool, or strategy from these resources.Objective 2:Provide for Farmer Social Hours to facilitate relationship building among farmers.Output- Monthly gatherings throughout the project period.Outcomes:50% of workshop participants attend a Farmer Social Hour.80% of those who attend report building relationships with other farmers and feel more connected to a community of practice.At the end of the project, 50% of those attending Social Hour report maintaining relationships they gained at the beginning of the project.20% of participants of Farmer Social Hour will contact another farmer for consultation on agriculture questions.Objective 3:Provide education and support in developing a business plan.Output- Two workshops on business plans and six work sessions for those who want assistance developing an agricultural business plan.Outcomes:After attending a workshop on business plans, 80% of participants will gain understanding of the components of an agricultural business plan and why plans are important for their operation.Of those who attend a business plan workshop, 50% will begin a business plan.Of those who attend a work session, 20% will complete a business plan on AgPlan, another platform, on their own computers, or on paper.Goal 2:Develop appropriate curriculum for a beginning farmer/rancher continuing education certificate at El Centro College based on compiled data from surveyed farmers and ranchers in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.Objective 1:Survey area farmers and ranchers as to their needs and barriers (real and perceived) to achieving financial success.Output- Digital and paper versions of the survey that are shared through existing organizational networks, farmers market managers, and social mediaOutcomes:Receive 30 complete survey responses.Objective 2:Develop a set of classes for a comprehensive beginning farmer and rancher continuing education program - based on surveys and other program designs - to be offered through El Centro College starting in the Fall of 2021 or Spring of 2022.Output- A plan for continuing education classes including potential instructorsOutcomes:North Texas beginning farmers and ranchers have local in-person and online access to continuing education resources to help them develop financially viable farms and ranches
Project Methods
North Texas Farm Successwill provide educational opportunities and resources for new and beginning farmers and ranchers in the target areathat cover major aspects of farm development from business start-up to production planning to marketing. Classroom workshops and on-farm learning opportunities will build a comprehensive education for new and beginning farmers. The project will leverage the resources of FarmAnswers.org, specifically using resources from the Direct Marketing and Local Food Toolbox, Urban Farming Toolbox, Business Planning Toolbox, Food Safety Toolbox, and Farm Financial Management Toolbox. Many of our planned workshops will help farmers understand what is available to them through these online resources and assist them in deciding which tools will be best suited to their needs. Resources will be made available online and participants can take home printed resources and digital ones on flash drives.The project offers classroom workshops, on-farm learning experiences, and peer-to-peer opportunities throughout the project year, starting in December 2020 and continuing through August 2021. The workshop plan is that a person can start with the "So You Think You Want to Farm" workshop in December and build on their knowledge throughout the year and be more ready and confident to begin a new farm operation or to strengthen their current operation, though workshops are standalone events.Workshopswill leverage project team expertise, farmer real life experiences, and existing resources available through FarmAnswers.org, National Center for Appropriate Technology, and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. The project team will teach topics and help farmers sort through existing resources to identify what they need and what will work best for them. We will use our larger network of farm support experts to refer farmers for additional help outside of our own expertise. We will also invite USDA agency personnel to join workshops where needed and appropriate to be sure that participants know what programs are available to them through these agencies. Books and printed materials will be shared at in-person events, and farmers will leave with a flash drive of additional resources. A six sessionBusiness Plan Work Sessionwill be provided for those interested in working on their plans with ongoing support from project staff and other farmers.The project provides forFarmer Social Hours. These will be in-person (and possibly virtual) opportunities for farmers to come together to build relationships with one another for information sharing and support. Veterans entering farming have asked for these types of opportunities so that they have more resources to feel connected as they always felt when in the military. These will happen monthly, and we expect we may need more than one location. This issue will be finalized with input from farmers once the project is underway. Locations, etc. will be adapted as needed through the project.