Progress 09/15/20 to 09/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience: During its fourthyear, the target audience reached by RU Ready to Farm included a diverse group of 56new, beginner, and prospective farmers from a variety of backgrounds and age groups. Many of the participants were entirely new to agriculture and had only recently begun to explore their options for farming. Others were currently working on farms and several owned land and were either homesteading or farming for profit already. Most had fewer than 5 years of experience. 188farmers in total have registered for the course over the last 4years, and 174participants have provided anonymous survey data. The survey indicates that 57.43% identified as female, 39.86% identified as male, and 2.70% identified as nonbinary/third gender. Among participants who provided race/ethnicity information in our pre-course survey, there was a diverse mix of racialand ethnic backgrounds, with 52.53% identifying as nonwhite (2.53% Southeast Asian, 6.96% South Asian, 1.90% Middle Eastern, 3.16% Indigenous American/First Nations, 12.03% Hispanic/Latin American, 2.53% East Asian, 9.49% Asian-American, 8.86% African-American/Black, 1.27% African, and 3.80% other). Participants came to the program from across the State of New Jersey. Our recruitment efforts consisted of a robust multi-channel approach to raise awareness about the existence of the program. Multiple press releases were sent to regional newspapers and were featured in Morning Ag Clips and NJAES Newsroom. The program also had a piece in CBS national news (4.7 million viewers), the Farm Answers podcast (1,300 total downloads), Newswise (20,000 subscribers), Middlesex Magazine (850,000 subscribers) and NJ Monthly Magazine (500,000 readers), and Morning Ag Clips (5,000 daily website impressions). Promotional posts were also sent out through both program and Rutgers social media channels. Social media outreach was greatly expanded this year with our program Facebook page reaching over 500followers and our Instagram reaching over900 followers.The program team also hosted tours at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?First-year students in the program received the following interation and instruction each year: Nearly 40 hours of online video lectures and training "Office hours" Q&A interaction with program staff and extension experts every two weeks 4 in-person farm tours of 4-6 hours each As-requested meetings and email exchanges with program staff to discuss business plans, evaluate farm properties, and ask questions about course contnet. Second-year students in the program received the following each year: At least 200 hours of on-farm training as part of the year 2 CSA Training Program 20 hours of online check-in and crop planning sessions As-requested meetings and email exchanges with program staff to discuss business plans, evaluate farm properties, and ask questions about course content Ongoing discussion threads and online chat groups with program staff and peers that allowed program participants to share resources, ask questions, and coordinate farm activities How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Regular posting and community engagement through the program social media channels and website Multiple presentations to agricultural and extension groups to outline program activities and gather input and support, including attending each yearthe Vegetable Growers Association Convention in Atlantic City, NJ, the Regional Fruit and Vegetable Meeting in Hershey, PA, the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of NJ Winter Conference, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Meeting, and the NJ Food Democracy Collaborative Food Systems Summit. The program had a piece in CBS national news (4.7 million viewers), the Farm Answers podcast (1,300 total downloads), Newswise (20,000 subscribers), Middlesex Magazine (850,000 subscribers) and NJ Monthly Magazine (500,000 readers), and Morning Ag Clips (5,000 daily website impressions). The program abstract and poster were presented at the National Association of County Agriculture Agents annual meeting in Des Moines, IA. The program team was also selected to present at the 2024 Beginner Farmer and Rancher Development Program Project Directors Meeting in Charlotte, NC. Collaboration and outreach across the state with farm nonprofit organizations such as NOFA-NJ, Foodshed Alliance, and Food Democracy Collaborative. 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 RU Ready to Farm program has completed its fourth year. There have now been 4 Phase 1 cohorts, 3 Phase 2 cohorts, and 2 Phase 3 cohorts.To date, 188 students have joined the program, 36 of which have completed the on-farm training component with another 8-15 expected to apply for next season's training. Of these 188 participants, 22 have currently started their own farm business. An additional 430 students are currently on the waitlist for the 2025 Phase 1 cohort. During this year, the Phase 1 cohort of 56 students gained access to nearly 40 hours of online instructional content and biweekly office hours during which the students had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss course content with various extension experts. Additionally, the 2024 Phase 1 class attended four farm tours over the course of the summer to Fairgrown Farms, Ramblin Sol Farms, the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center, and Hlubik Farms. The 2024 phase 2 cohort of 15 students worked together with each other and program staff to plan and implement a functional farm business on the program-designated 1-acre plot of land at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ. This portion of the program ran from February through October, with weekly online planning meetings and in-person work and training days on the farm. Each student was responsible for researching and managing the production of three crops. During the summer months, the students worked on the farm a minimum of one day per week to manage their crops; the whole group then worked together to bundle harvests into a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) bagged produce shares. Students were responsible for their own marketing and were required to obtain 5 customers. Overall, 5,800 lbs of produce were harvested over the course of the summer, and 600 lbs were donated to local food banks. The program team also held over 10 meetings with students to give detailed feedback on their farm business plans. Four new farm businesses were accepted to participate in the Phase 3 farm business incubator program for the 2025 season. Over the four years, this program has held 6,834 hours of in-person training and 3,369 hours of online meetings. Impacts: Goal 1:Complete - Developed and delivered basic farm education modules to an average of 56 (total 188) prospective new and beginner farmers per year for four years. Change in knowledge - Survey results from the class indicate that 95% of survey respondents have adopted new farming practices or changed existing practices due to knowledge gained through the program. Goal 2:Complete - 36 students have completed the Phase 2 advanced farming education component. Goal 3:Complete - A total of 40 participants have begun active agruculure work. 17 are farming for income, 11 have been placed on a working farm, and 22 have started their own agriculture business. Types of enterprises include: Market Garden Fruit and Vegetable Specialty Cut Flower Small Livestock Indoor Mushroom Specialty Harbs Tree Fruit and Nuts Goal 4:Complete with regular updates Goal 5:Complete; anonymous feedback surveys have been collected each year, and in-depth video interviews with the first year of Phase 2 participants were conducted to gather additional feedback.
Publications
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Progress 09/15/22 to 09/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience: During its third year, the target audience reached by RU Ready to Farm included a diverse group of 46 new, beginner, and prospective farmers from a variety of backgrounds and age groups. Many of the participants were entirely new to agriculture and had only recently begun to explore their options for farming. Others were currently working on farms and several owned land and were either homesteading or farming for profit already. Most had fewer than 5 years of experience. 132 farmers in total have registered for the course over the last 3 years, and 94 participants have provided anonymous survey data.The survey indicates that 57.83% identified as female, 39.76% identified as male, and 2.41% identified as nonbinary/third gender. Among participants who provided race/ethnicity information in our pre-course survey, there was a diverse mix of race and ethnic backgrounds, with 55.43 identifying as nonwhite (3.26% Southeast Asian, 6.52% South Asian, 1.09% Middle Eastern, 4.35% Indigenous American/First Nations, 13.04% Hispanic/Latin American, 2.17% East Asian, 7.61% Asian-American, 11.96% African-American/Black, 1.09% African, and 4.35% other). Participants came to the program from across the State of New Jersey. Our recruitment efforts consisted of a robust multi-channel approach to raise awareness about the existence of the program. Multiple press releases were sent to regional newspapers and were featured in Morning Ag Clips and NJAES Newsroom. The program also had a piece in New Jersey Gardener News. These press releases were distributed to a variety of farmer groups in the state. The program abstract and poster were presented at the National Association of County Agriculture Agents annual meeting in Des Moines, IA. The program director was also selected to present at the Beginner Farmer and Rancher Development Program Project Directors Meeting in Denver, CO. Promotional posts were also sent out through both program and Rutgers social media channels. Social media outreach was greatly expanded this year with our program Facebook page reaching nearly 400 followers and our Instagram reaching nearly 700 followers. Promotion of the program continued throughout the season, even after the first-year course was full as the program team spread the word during scheduled talks at the Princeton Ag Society, Monmouth County Board of Ag, Mercer County Master Gardeners, and the NOFA winter conference. The program team also hosted tours at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ. Changes/Problems: This year, the program team requested and was granted a no-cost extension. This was done so that we can better focus on the business planning objectives: In response to participant feedback, we will expand the farm business module of the program. We will work with farm credit east and FSA to put together a comprehensive business planning training and coordinate additional one on one meetings with at least ten beginner farmers to go over their business plans.? The no-cost extension will allow us time to build the business planning module and to disseminate it to as many people as possible (both new and existing/graduated participants of the program).? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? First-year students in the program received the following interaction and instruction: Nearly 40 hours of online video lectures and training. "Office hours" Q&A interaction with program staff every two weeks At least 4 in-person farm tours of 4-6 hours each As-requested meetings with program staff to discuss business plans, evaluate farm properties, and ask questions about course content. Second-year students received the following: At least 200 hours of on-farm training as part of the year 2 CSA Training program 20 hours of online check-in and crop planning sessions as part of year 2 As-requested meetings with program staff to discuss business plans, evaluate farm properties, and ask questions about course content. Ongoing discussion threads and chat groups with program staff and peers where they can share resources, ask questions, and coordinate farm activities. At least 4 in-person farm tours of 4-6 hours each How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Comprehensive filming of program activities and educational sessions resulting in several dozen hours of high-quality video content which is being processed into educational and promotional videos by our program videographer. Regular posting and community engagement through the program social media and website. Multiple presentations to agricultural and extension groups to outline the program and gather input and support, including scheduled talks at the Princeton Ag Society, Monmouth County Board of Ag, Mercer County Master Gardeners, and the NOFA winter conference. The program team also hosted tours at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ. Collaboration and outreach across the state with farm nonprofits such as NOFA, Foodshed Alliance, and Food Democracy Collaborative. Multiple press releases were sent to regional newspapers and were featured in Morning Ag Clips and NJAES Newsroom. The program also had a piece in New Jersey Gardener News. These press releases were distributed to a variety of farmer groups in the state. The program abstract and poster were presented at the National Association of County Agriculture Agents annual meeting in Des Moines, IA. The program director was also selected to present at the Beginner Farmer and Rancher Development Program Project Directors Meeting in Denver, CO. Promotional posts were also sent out through both program and Rutgers social media channels. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Update at least 3 educational video modules that are part of the Phase 1 course. This includes reaching out to extension experts in the different subject areas, planning each video, filming, editing, and distributing to students via the course Canvas website. In response to participant feedback, we will expand the farm business module of the program. We will work with farm credit east and FSA to put together a comprehensive business planning training and coordinate additional one on one meetings with at least ten beginner farmers to go over their business plans To reach additional members of the farming community and raise awareness of our program, we are collaborating with NOFA-NJ to put on a farm equipment demonstration day in April 2024 for at least 10 participants. This event will include hands-on educational stations for engine maintenance/repair, basic carpentry, how to use hand tools, and more.?
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The RU Ready to Farm beginner farmer training program is nearing the end of its third year. During this year, our second class graduated from Phase 1. 9 students were selected to continue on to Phase 2 of the program. An additional 46 students joined the third iteration of the Phase 1 online basic class, and there is significant interest amongst this group into continuing on to Phase 2 in 2024. During this year, the current Phase 2 students worked together with each other and the program staff to plan and implement a functional farm on the program-designated 1-acre plot of land in at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ. This portion of the program ran from February through October, with weekly online planning meetings and in-person work and training days at the farm. Each student was responsible for researching and managing the production of three crops. During the summer months, the students worked on the Cream Ridge farm a minimum of one day per week to manage their crops; the whole group then worked together to bundle harvests into a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) style bagged produce shares. Students marketed these CSA shares to customers that they were responsible for seeking out. Overall, 4914 lbs of produce were distributed through the CSA over the initial 11 weeks (June 17th to September 1st, 2023). Additionally, the students continued to harvest and maintain their plots after the conclusion of the CSA with all produce being donated to local food banks, 1399 lbs of produce were donated to food pantries and other local farms. Next year, a portion of these students will continue into Phase 3 of the program, during which the students can take advantage of the land at the program's farm incubator site in Cream Ridge, NJ. At this point, students will be fully responsible for the implementation of their business plan. The purpose of the incubator is to provide temporary access to land and resources to beginner commercial farmers while they develop their market and customer base. The program staff and farm coach will provide advice and feedback to students and assess their progress and revenue. To date, 132 students have joined the program, 21 of which have completed the on-farm training component with another 8-12 expected to apply for next season's training. 3 participants have formally taken part in program phase 3. Of the total 132 participants, 34 are currently farming to some degree on roughly 600 acres across 4 states. Impacts: Goal 1: Complete - Developed and delivered basic farm education modules to an average of 44 (total 132) prospective new and beginner farmers per year for three years. Change in knowledge - Survey results from theclass indicate gains in knowledge in various topic areas n=42 Annual Vegetable Production: 41 Cut Flower Production: 41 Animal Husbandry: 32 Nursery Crop Production: 38 Fruit Production: 38 Beekeeping: 28 Change in skill-Survey results from theclassindicategains in skillin various topic areas n=42 Farm Equipment Repair/Maintenance: 28 Business Planning: 38 Business Management: 37 Marketing: 41 Goal 2: Complete - 42 farmers have completed various advanced farming modules, and 15 more are expected for the 2024 season. Goal 3: Complete - 34 program participants are currently farming to some degree. The level and types of farming vary widely, with some students growing on a quarter or half acre, some producing on 5-10 acre homesteads, and others owning larger scale properties of 40-60 acres or more. Types of enterprises include: Market Garden Fruit and Vegetable Specialty Cut Flower Small livestock - Goat, Chicken, Quail, Sheep Indoor Mushroom Specialty Herbs Edible Flowers Tree Fruit and Nuts Native Plant Nursery Crops Students also regularly find employment opportunities at farms and ag organizations around the state. Some of the farms and organizations that have hired or provided land to our beginner farmer students include: Marchese Farm Snapping Turtle Farm Moonshot Farm Duchess Farm Giamarese Farm Spring Wind Farm One of our students was employed by Jersey Fresh Farm to School after joining the program. Another student is now the farm manager of the Rolling Harvest Donation Rows at Gravity Hill Farm. Goal 4: Complete with regular updates Goal 5: Ongoing; anonymous feedback surveys have been collected each year, and in-depth video interviews were conducted with graduates of program phase 2.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
2023 Search for Excellence Award in the "Young, Beginning, or Small Farmers/Ranchers category. National Winner. National Association of County Agricultural Agents. RU Ready to Farm: Getting Rooted in the Garden State. W. Hlubik, B. Pearsall, W. Errickson, L. Melendez, L. Eberly, M. Muehlbauer, T. Besancon.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
2023 Fact Sheet Award. National Finalist. National Association of County Agricultural Agents. Site Selection Considerations for New and Expanding Farms. W. Errickson, W. Hlubik, B. Pearsall, L. Errickson.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
2023 Educational Video Recording Award. Northeast Regional Winner. National Association of County Agricultural Agents. RU Ready to Farm: Getting Rooted in the Garden State Weed Walk. W. Hlubik, L. Eberly, B. Pearsall, M. Melendez, T. Besancon.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
2023 Feature Story Award. Northeast Regional Winner. National Association of County Agricultural Agents. RU Ready to Farm?. W. Hlubik, B. Pearsall, L. Eberly, B. Schilling.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
2023 Website/Online Content Award. Northeast Regional Winner. National Association of County Agricultural Agents. RU Ready to Farm. B. Pearsall, W. Hlubik, W. Errickson, L. Eberly, L. Errickson, A. Sawatzky, P. Wisneski.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
2023 Event Promotional Package Award. State Winner. National Association of County Agricultural Agents. RU Ready to Farm. B. Pearsall, W. Hlubik, W. Errickson, L. Eberly, L. Errickson, A. Sawatzky.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Eberly, Linnÿ©a, et al. â¿¿Education, Appreciation, Beginner Farmers Find Home at Rutgersâ¿¿ Cream Ridge Farm.â¿ Morning Ag Clips, 27 Oct. 2022, www.morningagclips.com/education-appreciation-beginner-farmers-find-home-at-rutgers-cream-ridge-farm/.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Eberly, Linnÿ©a, et al. â¿¿Rutgers Beginner Farmer Training Program Tours von Thunâ¿¿s Farms.â¿ Morning Ag Clips, 17 July 2023, www.morningagclips.com/rutgers-beginner-farmer-training-program-tours-von-thuns-farms/.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Eberly, Linnÿ©a, et al. â¿¿Rutgers Beginner Farmer Training Program Tours Bullock Farms.â¿ Morning Ag Clips, 3 Aug. 2023, www.morningagclips.com/rutgers-beginner-farmer-training-program-tours-bullock-farms/.
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Progress 09/15/21 to 09/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:During its second year, the target audience reached by RU Ready to Farm included a diverse group of 36new, beginner, and prospective farmers from a variety of backgrounds and ages groups. Many of the participants were entirely new to agriculture and had only recently begun to explore their options for farming. Others were currently working on farms and severalowned land and were either homesteading or farming for profit already. Mosthad fewer than 5 years of experience. Of the 34registered participants who provided data, 15 (44%)were male, 19 (56%)were female. Among participants who provided race/ethnicity information in our pre-course survey, there was a diverse mix of race and ethnic backgrounds, with 19individuals identifying as White, 3 as Black/African-American, 2 as South Asian, 4 as Asian-American, 1 as East Asian, 1 as Middle Eastern, 2 as Indigenous American, and 7as Hispanic/Latin American. Participants came to the program from across the State of New Jersey. Our recruitment efforts consisted of a robust multi-channel approach to raise awareness about the existence of the program. This included pieces featured on major regional and national News outlets, such as WNYC, NJ 101.5, and Fox Weather; multiplepress releasesin Morning Ag Clips andNJAES Newsroom, as well as a piece in New Jersey Gardener News.This press release was distributed to a variety of farmer groups in the state.Promotional posts were also sent out through program and Rutgers social media channels. Social media outreach was greatly expanded this year with our program Facebook page reaching nearly 300 followers and our Instagram reaching over 400 followers.Promotion of the program continued throughout the season, even after the first year course was full as the program team spread the word during scheduled talks atthe National Urban Extension Conference, New Jersey Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ag Professionals, the Princeton Ag Society, the Together North Jersey Institute, andthe Middlesex CountyBoard of Agriculture, and other farm and garden groups throughout the state. As a result of these efforts, RU Ready to Farm has already established a year 3waiting list of22individuals. The programs promotional efforts were recognized by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting, where we were national finalists in the Communications: Promotional Package category. Educational efforts toward the target audience for year 1 consisted of a 15recorded online classes, 4in-person farm tours, a hands-on garlic planting and equipment safety training day, and bi-weekly "office hours"Zoom session where participants could discuss their farm plans and ask questions of program staff. Changes/Problems:The major project change for the year was the expansion of the "Advanced Training Modules" portion of the project to functionas a full season on-farm CSA Training Program. This change was made possible by the supplemental COVID funding awarded to us in August of 2021. This supplement allowed for us to hire additional support staff and purchase the supplies and equipment necessary to deliver a more robust hands-on training program. Our farmers greatly benefited from this program and learned much more than they could have otherwise. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Delivered basic farm education modules to an additional 38 registered paid participants, for a rolling total of 86 beginner farmers (initial expectation was 20) (Goal 1) Delivered a full day beginner farmer training workshop as part of the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey's Annual Conference. Session included speakers from Extension, FSA, Farm Credit, NRCS, Taste Profit Marketing, and a Beginner Farmer Panel. 16 participants. (Goal 2) Delivered advanced farm education modules (CSA training) to 12 registered paid participants (Goal 2) Delivered additional advanced hands-on training as part of the Phase 2 program. These trainings included: basic carpentry education to construct greenhouse benches. (10 Participants); construction of 2 Farmers Friend Gothic caterpillar tunnels (12 participants); building of a produce wash station in line Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification requirements (8 Participants); Annual Garlic Planting and Equipment Safety Training Day (2 occurrences, 24 total participants) (Goal 2) Four in-person farm tours during the summer months,which included lectures from farmers and researchers, as well as hands-on experience-based learning.Attendance of these events was between 18-25 beginner farmers.(Goal 1) 3 participants have been placed as workers on local farms and another 4have begun farming on their own, with 2 of these having purchased land of their own. (Goal 3) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Comprehensive filming of program activities and educational sessions resulting in several dozen hours of high-quality video content which is being processed into educational and promotional videos by our program videographer. Over 350GB of video collected.(Goal 4) Worked with a marketing company to improve the reach and publicity of the program through enhanced social media and improved website copy and layout. (Goal 4) Multiple presentations to agricultural and extension groups to outline the program and gather input and support, including the National Urban Extension Conference, Together North Jersey Regional Planning Institute, Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ag Professionals, Princeton Agricultural Society, andlocal boards of agriculture.(Goal 5) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Next year's activities will focus on the launch of the Farm Business Incubator space and the improvement of existing program elements. The Farm Business Incubator will be hosted at the EARTH Center in North Brunswick, NJ and will consist of 5.75 acres with deer fencing, water, and shared equipment. Farmers will be able to lease a ¼ to ½ acre plot for the cost of a portion of their produce being donated to the county food bank. (Goal 3) Phase 2 participants are in the process of applying for land at the program incubator site being established at the EARTH Center in Cream Ridge, NJ (Goal 3) Phase 1 and 2 will run again with improvements and additional staff. (Goals 1+2) An advanced training module will be held as a part of the Vegetable Grower's Association of New Jersey's annual conference. We will be host Farm Commons to deliver a full day Discovering Resilience workshop to train farmer on best practices for legal resilience in their business. (Goal 2)
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The RU Ready to Farm beginner farmer training program is nearing the end of its second year. During this year, our first class graduated from Phase 1. 12 students were selected to continue on to Phase 2 of the program. And an additional 38 students joined the second iteration of the Phase 1 online basic class. During this year, the Phase 2 studentsworked together with each other and the program staff to plan and implement a functional farm on the program-designated 1-acre plot of land in at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ. This portion of the from ran from February through October, with weekly online planning meetings and in-person work and training days at the farm. Each student was responsible for researching and managing the production of three crops. During the summer months, the students worked on the Cream Ridge farm a minimum of one day per week to manage their crops; the whole group then worked together to bundle harvests into a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) style bagged produce shares. Students marketed these CSA shares to customers that they were responsible for seeking out. In the end 46 customers received 10 weeks of produce shares with an estimated total weight of 6715 lbs of produce delivered with an estimated total value of $15,730. Additionally, the students continued to harvest and maintain their plots after the conclusion of the CSA with all produce being donated to local food banks, roughly 1,000 pounds of produce were donated. Students also held a customer appreciation event at the end of the season which allowed them to gain experience coordinating an "agritourism" type event and hosting a farm tour, this event had 60 total attendees. Next year, a portion of these students will continue into Phase 3 of the program, during which the students can take advantage of the land at the program's farm incubator site in North Brunswick, NJ. At this point, students will be fully responsible for the implementation of their business plan. The purpose of the incubator is to provide temporary access to land and resources to beginner commercial farmers while they develop their market and customer base. The program staff and farm coach will provide advice and feedback to students and assess their progress and revenue. Additionally, a new class of 38 Phase 1 students have started the program this year. There is significant interest amongst that group in continuing on to Phase 2 next year. Impacts Goal 1: 38 new and beginner farmers received basic farm education through the online class this year for a total of 86 so far. Change in knowledge -Survey results from previous phase 1 class indicate gains in knowledge in various topic areas n=16 Vegetable and flower production -16 Tree fruit and nut production - 15 Business management - 15 Marketing - 15 Livestock - 13 Apiculture - 12 Goal 2: 12 farmers have completed the advanced module. No data collected yet for this period Goal 3: Some participants have reported changes in action and condition under this goal. 5 farmers have sumbitted letters of intent to participate in the phase 3 incubator. 3 farmers have been placed at local farms as farm workers 2 farmers have purchased land to being farming 2 farmers have begun farming on their own and nearby leased land Goal 4: complete with regular updates Goal 5: Ongoing
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Presentation to the National Urban Extension Conference, Tuesday May 24, 5-6 pm.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Errickson, W., Hlubik, W., Pearsall, B., & Errickson, L. (2022) RU Ready to Farm: Getting Rooted in the Garden State [Abstract]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2022am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/143470
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Progress 09/15/20 to 09/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience:During its first year, the target audience reached by RU Ready to Farm included a diverse group of 48 new, beginner, and prospective farmers from a variety of backgrounds and ages groups.Many of the participants were entirely new to agriculture and had only recently begun to explore their options for farming. Others were currently working on farms and a few actually owned land and were either homesteading or farming for profit already. All had fewer than 5 years of experience. Of the 48 registered participants, 25 were male (52%), 22 were female (45%), and one was gender nonconforming. Among participants who provided race/ethnicity information in our pre-course survey, there was a diverse mix of race and ethnic backgrounds, with 12 individuals identifying as White, 1as African, 3 as Black/African-American, 3 as Southeast Asian, 2 as South Asian, 2 as Indigenous American, and 4 as Hispanic/Latin American. Participants came to the program from across the State of New Jersey, with a few even coming from New York and Philadelphia. While many were from suburban and rural areas of the state, our efforts to spread the word though Rutgers Office of Urban Extension paid off, and we were able to recruit clusters of students from the more urbanized northeastern portion of the state, several students came from Jersey City in particular. Our recruitment efforts consisted of a robust multi-channel approach to raise awareness about the existence of the program. This included a press release that was featured in Morning Ag Clips, as well as a piece in New Jersey Farmer. This press release was distributed to a variety of farmer groups in the state. Media outreach also included a segment that aired on CBS 2 New York, as well as a radio segment on a New Jersey 101.5 radio show. Promotional posts were also sent out through program and Rutgers social media channels. Promotion of the program continued throughout the season, even after the first year course was full as the program team spread the word during scheduled talks to Master Gardeners, Board of Agriculture, and other farm and garden groups throughout the state. As a result of these efforts, RU Ready to Farm has already established a year 2 waiting list of 20 individuals. Educational efforts toward the target audience for year 1 consisted of a 10bi-weekly online classes,2in-person farm tours,and a weekly "office hours" drop-in Zoom session where participants could discuss their farm plans and ask questions of program staff. Changes/Problems:The main challenge that RU Ready to Farm faced in year one was the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. While we had initial planned on recording our classes and making them available online, COVID forced us to make our entire course virtual. Thankfully, with Rutgers' support, we had access to the tool we needed to execute this transition successfully. While some lessons would have benefited from more hands on instruction, the overall result was positive, since hosting online classes allowed us to reach a wider audience than we otherwise would have. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: 10, two hour online classes delivered featuring in depth PowerPoint slide decks for each topic. Classes were recorded and housed on a course website that allows for continued access by our students.(Goal 1 + 4) Weekly online "Office Hours" that provided a time for direct open discussion with program participants. Participants would join office hours to ask questions about content, get advice on business ideas, analyze different productions systems and concepts, and receive guidance on farmland they were considering for purchase.(Goal 1+5) 2 in-person farm tours, 4-6 hours in duration, which included lectures from farmers and researchers, as well as hands-on experience-based learning.Attendance of these events was between 14-18 beginner farmers.(Goal 1) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Multiple presentations to agricultural and extension groups to outline the program and gather input and support, including the Rutgers Office of Urban Extension and local boards of agriculture.(Goal 5) Conducted stakeholder outreach to farmers and extension personnel to gather advice and input on planned program activities.(Goal 1, 2, 3, and 5) Social media promotion of program activities in the form of hightlight videos. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 5 Additional online classes held between the end of September and November to finish out the first year with 15 total courses. 1 additional in-person tour of the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research Farm in Cream Ridge New Jersey. An in-person training in early November to learn fall garlic planting. This garlic will be harvested and distributed through the beginner farmer CSA training program next year. During the next reporting period the basic online coursewill run again. The 15 already recorded classes will serve as the basis of this second course, along with in-person discussion classes and additional educational speakers. The main focus of the next reporting period will be on the development and delivery of the CSA training component of RU Ready to Farm. A select group of participants will have the opportunity to plan, produce, market, and deliver a cooperative box-share style farm product to customers they will sell to. The program team will provide guidance and support to participants as they take their first steps into production agriculture. During the CSA Training, participants will have the opportunity to develop other important hard skills that will be useful to them in their farm future, including building high tunnels, building a produce wash station, and building a CoolBot cooler, and more.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The RU Ready to Farm beginner farmer training program is nearing the end of its first year. During this year, our beginner farmer participants took part in an online course that provided a broad overview of how to farm in New Jersey, this was complimented by several field trips to active farms. This course was part one of a three-part arc designed to prepare participants to farm on their own. Part two will be held next year and will guide a select group of participants through a hands-on production season. Part three will provide participants access to farmland where they can begin to develop their own farm business. With the average age of farmers in New Jersey nearing 60, the need for these well-trained new farmers is critical. This is the first program of its kind in New Jersey to provide prospective farmers with this level of in-depth training and business support. Note: Data collection is pending as the first year course is still in progress as of the end of the reporting period. Keyoutcomes and data will be feature in the year 2 progress report. Some accomplishments of the first year of the program include: Established program website at rubeginnerfarmer.rutgers.edu. (Goal 4) Established program course website for continued participant access to videos and resources within Rutgers course management platform "Canvas".(Goal 4) 48 registered paid participants (initial expectation was 20).(Goal 1) 10, two hour online classes delivered featuring in depth PowerPoint slide decks for each topic. Classes were recorded and housed on a course website that allows for continued access by our students.(Goal 1 + 4) Weekly online "Office Hours" that provided a time for direct open discussion with program participants. Participants would join office hours to ask questions about content, get advice on business ideas, analyze different productions systems and concepts, and receive guidance on farmland they were considering for purchase.(Goal 1+5) 2 in-person farm tours in July andAugust, 4-6 hours in duration, which included lectures from farmers and researchers, as well as hands-on experience-based learning.Attendance of these events was between 14-18 beginner farmers.(Goal 1) Comprehensive filming of program activities and educational sessions resulting in several dozen hours of high-quality video content which is being processed into educational and promotional videos by our program videographer. Over 350GB of video collected.(Goal 4) Equipment for filming provided through the generous support of Middlesex County. Significant support from Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station in the form of land, infrastructure, and equipment being made available at the Rutgers Specialty Crop Research and Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ.(Goal 2) Multiple presentations to agricultural and extension groups to outline the program and gather input and support, including the Rutgers Office of Urban Extension andlocal boards of agriculture.(Goal 5) Conducted stakeholder outreach to farmers and extension personnel to gather advice and input on planned program activities.(Goal 1, 2, 3, and 5)
Publications
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