Progress 09/01/21 to 04/30/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences of this work are BFRs (farmers with <10 years of experience) who are interested in starting a farm, are currently developing their farm, or are looking to further improve and expand their farm on San Juan County. This could be BFRs who are already in San Juan County or who live outside the county but are interested in starting a business here. • BFR's helped to start farming: 18 • BFR's prepared to farm, who have not yet made income from farming: 9 • BFR's already farming who improve their farming success (economically, environmentally, and/or socially): 18 We've prioritized outreach to BFRs who identify as Latinx through relationships with social services organizations in San Juan County. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Obj 1: WSU, Ag Guild and SJICD hosted the 2025 Ag Summit - a two day event with eight training workshops and 12 learning sessions. Examples of training sessions include vet skills, cover crop strategies, egg incubation for beginners, and carbon farm plans. Examples of professional development include Financial Assistance, Farm Succession Planning and marketing tools for farmers. WSU and Ag Guild offered a Farmland Succession workshop on April 9, 2025 - Attorney Dylan LeValley of Adams & Duncan Lawyers, a real estate and business attorney specializing in agricultural issues, talked through the legal tools needed for successful farm succession planning WSU Cultivating Success Ag Entrepreneurship Course was held weekly, January 21-March 11, 2025 5 SJC BFRs participated (Vala Ross, Blythe Parker, Christa Wilkinson, Bradley Brown, Frederick Miles) 97% of surveyed course participants created or updated their farm business plans. 2 of the 5 participants attended the in-person intensives focused on financial statements and earned course certificates. Obj 2: SJICD engaged 5 farmers in San Juan County to offer farm planning technical support and farm business support NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm to support the development of a viable business plan Offered a full day of workshops during the 2025 Ag Summit to support mechanical skill development, including tractor repair and basic maintenance Obj 3: WSU and Ag Guild offered a Farmland Succession workshop on April 9, 2025 - Attorney Dylan LeValley of Adams & Duncan Lawyers, a real estate and business attorney specializing in agricultural issues, talked through the legal tools needed for successful farm succession planning Farm Succession Planning offered during 2025 Ag Summit USDA-NRCS hosted a financial assistance session during the 2025 Ag Summit SJICD worked with 4 farmers in San Juan County to increase their understanding of financing options Obj 4: NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm Ag Guild supported the development of the Beaverton Overmarsh Community land access project on San Juan Island. 30 growers signed up for the first growing season, many of which are BFRs Obj 5: 4 mentee BFRs participated in the Farmers to Farmland mentorship program, which provided one-to-one consulting by experienced local farmers How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Obj 1: Workshops held by WSU and the Ag Guild were recorded to be made available in perpetuity - making the results available to our communities Ag Guild met regularly with the Family Resource Centers and local Grange chapters to offer upcoming available programs, workshops, trainings, funding opportunities and land access opportunities Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets,and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Workshops hosted by the Ag Guild and WSU were offered in both English and Spanish WSU, Ag Guild, SJICD worked with the ARC to host the annual Farmer Listening sessions on Orcas, San Juan and Lopez Obj 2: Ag Summit presentation materials were made available post-session to attendees and anyone who asked Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Obj 3: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Funding opportunities were advertised in newsletters and social media posts from WSU listserv and Ag Guild. Ag Summit presentation materials were made available post-session to attendees and anyone who asked Obj 4: The Overmarsh Farm Commons project has had significant marketing across newsletters, social media, and meetings Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture shared the results from their work with NABC to the community network via email and in-person meetings creating opportunity for input and participation Obj 5: As the one-on-one mentorship programs wrapped up in March of 2025, a survey was sent out to get feedback on the program and access to learnings that can positively impact program participants in the future What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obj 1: WSU San Juan Extension co-hosted a virtual workshop with SJI AG Guild: Legal Tools for Farm Succession with 28 attendees, 9 BFRs attended WSU Cultivating Success Ag Entrepreneurship Course was held weekly, January 21-March 11, 2025 5 SJC BFRs participated (Vala Ross, Blythe Parker, Christa Wilkinson, Bradley Brown, Frederick Miles) 97% of surveyed course participants created or updated their farm business plans. 2 of the 5 participants attended the in-person intensives focused on financial statements and earned course certificates. SJICD, Ag Guild, WSU, NABC and Food Hub participated in the SJI Agricultural Summit February 28, 2025 - March 1, 2025 The 2025 SJI Ag Summit included an emphasis on offerings geared toward beginning farmers and ranchers. 60 BFRs attended Summit workshops and conference 12 scholarships were awarded to BFRs. Offered a full day of workshops during the 2025 Ag Summit to support mechanical skill development, including tractor repair, vet skills, mushroom growing, making value added foods, and nursery production Obj 2: Offered a full day of workshops during the 2025 Ag Summit to support mechanical skill development, including tractor repair and basic maintenance SJICD engaged 5 farmers in San Juan County to offer farm planning technical support and farm business support NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs: Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm 4 BFRs sold through the Food Hub Obj 3: Farm Succession Planning offered during 2025 Ag Summit USDA-NRCS hosted a financial assistance session during the 2025 Ag Summit WSU and Ag Guild offered a Farmland Succession workshop on April 9, 2025 - Attorney Dylan LeValley of Adams & Duncan Lawyers, a real estate and business attorney specializing in agricultural issues, talked through the legal tools needed for successful farm succession planning Obj 4: NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm Ag Guild supported the development of the Beaverton Overmarsh Community land access project on San Juan Island. 30 growers signed up for the first growing season, many of which are BFRs A Farmland Access session was hosted by local organizations including the Ag Guild, Landbank, Preservation Trust and Lopez Community Land Trust during the 2025 Ag Summit SJICD worked with 4 farmers in San Juan County to increase their understanding of financing options Obj 5: 4 mentee BFRs participated in the Farmers to Farmland mentorship program, which provided one-to-one consulting by experienced local farmers
Publications
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Progress 09/01/24 to 04/30/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences of this work are BFRs (farmers with <10 years of experience) who are interested in starting a farm, are currently developing their farm, or are looking to further improve and expand their farm on San Juan County. This could be BFRs who are already in San Juan County or who live outside the county but are interested in starting a business here. BFR's helped to start farming: 18 BFR's prepared to farm, who have not yet made income from farming: 9 BFR's already farming who improve their farming success (economically, environmentally, and/or socially): 18 We've prioritized outreach to BFRs who identify as Latinx through relationships with social services organizations in San Juan County. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Obj 1: WSU, Ag Guild and SJICD hosted the 2025 Ag Summit - a two day event with eight training workshops and 12 learning sessions. Examples of training sessions include vet skills, cover crop strategies, egg incubation for beginners, and carbon farm plans. Examples of professional development include Financial Assistance, Farm Succession Planning and marketing tools for farmers. WSU and Ag Guild offered a Farmland Succession workshop on April 9, 2025 - Attorney Dylan LeValley of Adams & Duncan Lawyers, a real estate and business attorney specializing in agricultural issues, talked through the legal tools needed for successful farm succession planning WSU Cultivating Success Ag Entrepreneurship Course was held weekly, January 21-March 11, 2025 5 SJC BFRs participated (Vala Ross, Blythe Parker, Christa Wilkinson, Bradley Brown, Frederick Miles) 97% of surveyed course participants created or updated their farm business plans. 2 of the 5 participants attended the in-person intensives focused on financial statements and earned course certificates. Obj 2: SJICD engaged 5 farmers in San Juan County to offer farm planning technical support and farm business support NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm to support the development of a viable business plan Offered a full day of workshops during the 2025 Ag Summit to support mechanical skill development, including tractor repair and basic maintenance Obj 3: WSU and Ag Guild offered a Farmland Succession workshop on April 9, 2025 - Attorney Dylan LeValley of Adams & Duncan Lawyers, a real estate and business attorney specializing in agricultural issues, talked through the legal tools needed for successful farm succession planning Farm Succession Planning offered during 2025 Ag Summit USDA-NRCS hosted a financial assistance session during the 2025 Ag Summit SJICD worked with 4 farmers in San Juan County to increase their understanding of financing options Obj 4: NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm Ag Guild supported the development of the Beaverton Overmarsh Community land access project on San Juan Island. 30 growers signed up for the first growing season, many of which are BFRs Obj 5: 4 mentee BFRs participated in the Farmers to Farmland mentorship program, which provided one-to-one consulting by experienced local farmers How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Obj 1: Workshops held by WSU and the Ag Guild were recorded to be made available in perpetuity - making the results available to our communities Ag Guild met regularly with the Family Resource Centers and local Grange chapters to offer upcoming available programs, workshops, trainings, funding opportunities and land access opportunities Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets,and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Workshops hosted by the Ag Guild and WSU were offered in both English and Spanish WSU, Ag Guild, SJICD worked with the ARC to host the annual Farmer Listening sessions on Orcas, San Juan and Lopez Obj 2: Ag Summit presentation materials were made available post-session to attendees and anyone who asked Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Obj 3: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Funding opportunities were advertised in newsletters and social media posts from WSU listserv and Ag Guild. Ag Summit presentation materials were made available post-session to attendees and anyone who asked Obj 4: The Overmarsh Farm Commons project has had significant marketing across newsletters, social media, and meetings Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture shared the results from their work with NABC to the community network via email and in-person meetings creating opportunity for input and participation Obj 5: As the one-on-one mentorship programs wrapped up in March of 2025, a survey was sent out to get feedback on the program and access to learnings that can positively impact program participants in the future What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?This is the final reporting period.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obj 1: WSU San Juan Extension co-hosted a virtual workshop with SJI AG Guild: Legal Tools for Farm Succession with 28 attendees, 9 BFRs attended WSU Cultivating Success Ag Entrepreneurship Course was held weekly, January 21-March 11, 2025 5 SJC BFRs participated (Vala Ross, Blythe Parker, Christa Wilkinson, Bradley Brown, Frederick Miles) 97% of surveyed course participants created or updated their farm business plans. 2 of the 5 participants attended the in-person intensives focused on financial statements and earned course certificates. SJICD, Ag Guild, WSU, NABC and Food Hub participated in the SJI Agricultural Summit February 28, 2025 - March 1, 2025 The 2025 SJI Ag Summit included an emphasis on offerings geared toward beginning farmers and ranchers. 60 BFRs attended Summit workshops and conference 12 scholarships were awarded to BFRs. Offered a full day of workshops during the 2025 Ag Summit to support mechanical skill development, including tractor repair, vet skills, mushroom growing, making value added foods, and nursery production Obj 2: Offered a full day of workshops during the 2025 Ag Summit to support mechanical skill development, including tractor repair and basic maintenance SJICD engaged 5 farmers in San Juan County to offer farm planning technical support and farm business support NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs: Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm 4 BFRs sold through the Food Hub Obj 3: Farm Succession Planning offered during 2025 Ag Summit USDA-NRCS hosted a financial assistance session during the 2025 Ag Summit WSU and Ag Guild offered a Farmland Succession workshop on April 9, 2025 - Attorney Dylan LeValley of Adams & Duncan Lawyers, a real estate and business attorney specializing in agricultural issues, talked through the legal tools needed for successful farm succession planning Obj 4: NABC provided technical assistance with Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture and three associated BFRs Turtleback Farm; Fir Peace Farm; Warm Valley Farm Ag Guild supported the development of the Beaverton Overmarsh Community land access project on San Juan Island. 30 growers signed up for the first growing season, many of which are BFRs A Farmland Access session was hosted by local organizations including the Ag Guild, Landbank, Preservation Trust and Lopez Community Land Trust during the 2025 Ag Summit SJICD worked with 4 farmers in San Juan County to increase their understanding of financing options Obj 5: 4 mentee BFRs participated in the Farmers to Farmland mentorship program, which provided one-to-one consulting by experienced local farmers
Publications
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Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audiences of this work are BFRs (farmers with <10 years of experience) who are interested in starting a farm, are currently developing their farm, or are looking to further improve and expand their farm on San Juan County. This could be BFRs who are already in San Juan County or who live outside the county but are interested in starting a business here.We've prioritized outreach to BFRs who identify as Latinx through relationships with social services organizations in San Juan County. Changes/Problems:Farmers here are struggling to make a profit and are struggling to find time to attend workshops and trainings. Some hold down second jobs. We often hear there is a need, but follow-through seems lower than expected due to competition for BFR time and attention. We are excited to pivot to shared land access opportunities to connect farmers with farmland here in San Juan County. NABC's work with OCPA in January will pave the way for 2025 projects. If that workflow is delayed, it may have a slight ripple effect. The shared land access projects need to secure strong leaders to fill the management roles and steer the projects along, creating secure land opportunities for BFRs. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? WSU hosted Preserve the Harvest and Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Business Planning courses. BFRs and members of the partner organizations had the opportunity to learn about diverse topics at the Ag Summit, including Commercial Seed Production, PNW Winter Growing, Making Biochar, and Cut Flower Farming, and Farm Funding workshops. WSU staff attended the November Tilth Conference. WSU SJC and Ag Guild met with a new cultural advisor from WSU Skagit for guidance on how best continue to strengthen our relationship with Latinx community. Ag Guild ED took a Grant Writing Workshop to help inform the upcoming Grant Writing Workshop to be offered to BFRs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Obj 1: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The SJC WSU Extension partnered with the state-wide WSU Food System team to leverage funding and expand outreach, including access to Spanish translation for Objective 1 programs. The grant partners started to build connections with local social service organizations, including the Food Banks and Family Resource Centers on each island, to improve outreach to the county's Latinx community for BFRDP programs. Obj 2: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The grant partners started to build connections with local social service organizations, including the Food Banks and Family Resource Centers on each island, to improve outreach to the county's Latinx community for BFRDP programs. Obj 3: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. Funding opportunities were advertised in newsletters from WSU listserv and Ag Guild newsletter. Funding Session workshop at the Ag Summit shared opportunities for local, regional, and state funding. Obj 4: Workshop during Ag Summit sharing results from the Regional Food System Assessment and new OCPA, shared land access, model. Include learnings from working with private landowners. Agriculture Organization Retreat hosted by ARC sharing census data and Regional Food System Assessment takeaways Overmarsh Farm Commons project has had significant marketing across newsletters, social media, county fair and meetings. Obj 5: Summer Gathering Series was held for farmers, farm interns, mentors, and mentees in addition to the formal mentorship program. This offers mentees a chance to get peer support. Additionally, these gatherings give BFRs opportunities to network, share stories, and meet local farmers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Obj 1: The following six (6) workshops will be held between Sept - May in English and Spanish for BFRs. We will offer need-based stipends to reduce barriers to access. Cultivating Success (WSU) Explore your Farm Dreams (WSU) Farm Funding Workshop (WSU, Ag Guild, SJICD) Agroecology in Spanish (WSU, Ag Guild) Grant Writing workshop (WSU, Ag Guild, SJICD) Succession Planning workshop (WSU, Ag Guild, Washington Farmland Trust) Obj 2: NABC is developing a new, specialized 8-week course designed for this grant that will offer a deep dive into business planning and market planning for BFRs SJICD continue to offer free farm planning and farmland assessments Food Hub will continue to dedicate staff time to connecting BFRs to markets and various distribution channels in the county Ag Guild is sponsoring a Regenerative Agriculture course for BFRs in the fall in partnership with the San Juan Grange Chapter Ag Guild and WSU are coordinating farm visits and gathering opportunities specific for the Latinx community, preparing for land access opportunity opening in spring 2025. Obj 3: Ag Guild, WSU, and SJICD are hosting a Farm Funding workshop Ag Guild is starting to talk with the Washington Farm Trust on a Succession Planning workshop for retiring farmers. NABC is funding Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture (OCPA) to support their Accelerator Program, which will allow stable growth for the shared land access model and create more land access opportunities for BFRs on Orcas, Lopez, and San Juan islands. The Ag Guild joined the steering committee for a 20-year project with the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and San Juan Island Grange #966 on a shared land access project on publicly owned, conserved farmland. 10 BFRs are expected to have land access as the result of this project by the end of our grant extension in May 2025. Obj 4: The Farmers-to-Farmland coordinator support two shared land access programs, OCPA & Overmarsh Farm Commons, and connect BFRs with land. Through the NABC Accelerator Program, NABC, and OCPA will create a clear business model and procedure for collaborative structure for management. There will be a Shared Land Access courses at the February 2025 Ag Summit. The Ag Guild is talking with the San Juan Island Home Trust to explore private lease opportunities to combine land access and affordable housing. Obj 5: The Ag Guild will continue the formal on-farm mentorship program. Through the mentorship program, BFRs have been connected to experienced farm mentors in San Juan County for 20 hours of 1:1 support, including site visits and phone and email consultations.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obj 1: BFRs engaged in opportunities to increase their knowledge on key topics through educational courses and workshops, including the annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit. 228 people registered for the 2024 Ag Summit and 37% registered as a BFR. For this objective, the following outcomes were achieved: · 147 BFRs increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach · 105 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received · 97 BFRs develop a network of peers to call on for support · WSU employee organized the Agriculture Tent at the county fair and facilitated three days of informative talks and tabling, engaging with dozens of county-wide farmers and BFRs Obj 2: BFRs received 1:1 technical assistance from the grant partners, including farm planning from the San Juan Islands Conservation District; business planning from Northwest Agriculture Business Center; market access from the San Juan Islands Food Hub; and production technical assistance from WSU Extension. For this objective, the following outcomes were achieved: 72 BFRs increase understanding of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach. 34 BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received. Food Hub hired a new marketing coordinator, Sarah Richard, who significantly supported the Food Hub's community and producer relations. Food Hub translated all their materials to also be available in Spanish. Obj 3: Increase awareness of finance options and land resources for 90 BFRs, with 20 of those BFRs linked to retiring farmers, to absentee or non-farmer farmland owners, and/or to available conserved farmland. For this objective, the following outcomes were achieved: 37 BFRs increased awareness of finance options and land resources in San Juan County through 1:1 support from the Ag Guild and NABC and Farm Funding workshops at the Ag Summit. 48 BFRs applied for the Ag Guilds grants and micro-loans program, the FARM Fund. 11 projects were funded, with a totally of $19K in funds distributed. 4 BFRs received access to farmland. Obj 4: Researching and planning an umbrella model to create shared management access to public and private land leases for BFRs and provide a collaborative service structure for management. For this objective, the following outcomes were achieved: Ag Guild ED joined steering committee for local shared land access pilot project, the Overmarsh Farm Commons, which holds a 20-year lease with the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank on publicly owned farmland. Shared Land Access course during the Ag Summit, exploring the benefits and challenges of different models. Farm Funding course during Ag Summit, detailing funding opportunities for collaborative and private land leases. Ag Guild ED participating in Regional Food System Team, discussing structures and roadmaps for county-wide access programs and collaborative models. Obj 5: Increase farm skills for 18 BFRs through an on-farm mentoring program providing one-to-one consulting by experienced local farmers. For this objective, the following outcomes were achieved: 11 BFRs enrolled in the Ag Guild's formal on-farm mentorship program and were connected to experienced local farm mentors for 20 hours of 1:1 support, including site visits and phone and email consultations.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences of this work are BFRs (farmers with <10 years of experience) who are interested in starting a farm, are currently developing their farm, or are looking to further improve and expand their farm on San Juan County. This could be BFRs who are already in San Juan County or who live outside the county but are interested in starting a business here. • BFR's helped to start farming: 3 • BFR's prepared to farm, who have not yet made income from farming: 1 • BFR's already farming who improve their farming success (economically, environmentally, and/or socially): 47 Of these BFRs, 46% are women; 4% are Latinx; 96% live in San Juan County and 4% are from out of state. We've prioritized outreach to BFRs who identify as Latinx through relationships with social services organizations in San Juan County. Changes/Problems:Staffing continues to be a problem for all partner agencies. Marketing positions for both the Ag Guild and the Food Hub were open but have now been filled. The Ag Guild Executive Director started her own farm business and the position is open at this time. WSU San Juan County Extension Director left to work on his family's seed business. The position is not filled but Kate Smith has taken on the grant responsibilities. NABC is short-staffed to provide business and marketing plans. WSU project team experienced changes in staffing with the leaving of project coordinator and project PI during the reporting period. New staff member and PI took on management of the project and are getting up to speed on responsibilities and reporting. The Food Hub noted barriers to holding an in-person buyer-seller meeting. On-going ferry issues and COVID 19 hindered in-person buyer-seller meeting. Not enough interest to attend in-person. Seems to be Zoom meeting fatigue as well, group online meetings poorly attended. Staff stretched thin made it difficult to implement materials written in Spanish for the Food Hub. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Obj 1: BFRs and members of the partner organizations had the opportunity to learn about diverse topics at the Annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit including Opportunities in Fiber, Produce Post-Harvest, Managing Stress and Avoiding Burnout, and Agroforestry. 50% of Summit attendees were BFRs. On average, 70% of Summit survey respondents reported that their knowledge changed a "great deal" or "a lot" and 81% stated they would make changes in the way they farm or garden. 3 WSU staff attended the November Tilth Conference. 1 WSU employee attended the SoilCon Field Day, organized by the Washington Soil Health Initiative (WaSHI) and WSU's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. Obj 2: BFRs are offered professional development through 1:1 technical assistance programs with the grant partner organizations. 13 members of the BFRDP organizations and three mentors attended the SJI Ag Summit in March, 2023. Obj 3: BFRs and members of the partner organizations had the opportunity to learn about diverse topics at the Annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit. Online attendance during the November, 2022 Tilth Conference by 1 Ag Guild employee, 1 WSU, San Juan County and 2 WSU, Skagit County employees. 1 WSU employee attended the SoilCon Field Day, organized by the Washington Soil Health Initiative (WaSHI) and WSU's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. Obj 4: One Ag Guild employee attended the BFRDP PD meeting to increase knowledge and skills in managing the grant project. Obj 5: 3 BFRs are supported in professional development through 1:1 mentorship. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Obj 1: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The Ag Guild website and publications were translated and made available in Spanish. Farmer & Rancher Listening Sessions, convened by the Agricultural Resource Committee (ARC) of San Juan County, were held throughout SJC in January, 2023 on Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Lopez Island. Though BFRs were not counted specifically, between 25-30 people attended each meeting. The sessions gathered the agricultural community along with representatives from organizations that work to support the local food system including: WSU Extension, San Juan Islands Conservation District, Conservation Land Bank, The Ag Guild, The Food System Team, San Juan Islands Maker's Guild, San Juan County Department of Community Development and Department of Health and Parks and Fair. A selection of the grant team has met for two "huddles" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. The SJC WSU Extension partnered with the state-wide WSU Food System team to leverage funding and expand outreach,including access to Spanish translation for Objective 1 programs, such as the "Cultivating Success" Whole Farm Planning Course. Obj 2: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and subscribers via email newsletters: (1,461 Ag Guild; 240 WSU); 1,400 NABC); physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The Ag Guild website (https://sjiagguild.com) and three publications (one Farmers-to-Farmland brochure, one F2F flyer, and the F2F Model process document) were translated and made available in Spanish with online applications to the program. Ag Guild, San Juan Island Conservation District and WSU Extension had information booths at the San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit in March of 2023 and at the San Juan County Fair in August of 2022 and 2023. The Ag Guild also had a booth at the Holiday Market in December of 2022. A selection of the grant team meets monthly for a "huddle" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. Farmer & Rancher Listening Sessions, convened by the Agricultural Resource Committee (ARC) of San Juan County, were held throughout SJC in January, 2023 on Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Lopez Island. Though BFRs were not counted specifically, between 25-30 people attended each meeting. The sessions gathered the agricultural community along with representatives from organizations that work to support the local food system including: WSU Extension, San Juan Islands Conservation District, Conservation Land Bank, The Ag Guild, The Food System Team, San Juan Islands Maker's Guild, San Juan County Department of Community Development and Department of Health and Parks and Fair. Obj 3: Programs, such as the Ag Guild's FARM Fund were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters. The FARM Fund post had 13 likes and 9 shares on Facebook and 29 likes and 2 comments on Instagram. The FARM Fund email was opened by 604 people with 22 clicks on the website link. Physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. WSU posted 8 Facebook/Instagram messages related to the Ag Summit. The Ag Guild website and publications were translated and made available in Spanish. A selection of the grant team has met twice for a "huddle" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. Farmer & Rancher Listening Sessions, convened by the Agricultural Resource Committee (ARC) of San Juan County, were held throughout SJC in January, 2023 on Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Lopez Island. Though BFRs were not counted specifically, between 25-30 people attended each meeting. The sessions gathered the agricultural community along with representatives from organizations that work to support the local food system including: WSU Extension, San Juan Islands Conservation District, Conservation Land Bank, The Ag Guild, The Food System Team, San Juan Islands Maker's Guild, San Juan County Department of Community Development and Department of Health and Parks and Fair.? Obj 4: Key stakeholders for the Shared Land Access Program, including landholders, farmers, and food systems organizations, are invited to contribute ideas, feedback, and stay informed on program development through participation in Steering Committee meetings. 14 people (unduplicated) participated in 26 meetings. Two reports were created describing a shared land access model and the process of developing the model. Both reports were published on the Ag Guild's website at https://sjiagguild.com/shared-land-access-model-report/. Obj 5: The Ag Guild's mentorship program was advertised through direct outreach to BFRs and potential mentors in the county. A selection of the grant team has met twice for a "huddle" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. Ag Guild, San Juan Island Conservation District and WSU Extension had information booths at the San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit in March of 2023 and at the San Juan County Fair in August of 2022 and 2023. The Ag Guild also had a booth at the Holiday Market in December of 2022. Farmer & Rancher Listening Sessions, convened by the Agricultural Resource Committee (ARC) of San Juan County, were held throughout SJC in January, 2023 on Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Lopez Island. Though BFRs were not counted specifically, between 25-30 people attended each meeting. The sessions gathered the agricultural community along with representatives from organizations that work to support the local food system including: WSU Extension, San Juan Islands Conservation District, Conservation Land Bank, The Ag Guild, The Food System Team, San Juan Islands Maker's Guild, San Juan County Department of Community Development and Department of Health and Parks and Fair. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Obj 1: WSU will offer a virtual Cultivating Success Whole Farm Planning course, in English and Spanish, this Fall for BFRs. They will also offer need-based stipends to reduce barriers to access. WSU will offer a workshop on tractor operation and maintenance for women in SJI, targeting women BFRs. WSU is beginning the planning for the 2024 Ag Summit, partnering with the Ag Guild and SJC Conservation District. NABC will likely be involved in the 2024 Ag Summit as presenter for one or more sessions. Obj 2: We plan to conduct outreach to current farm managers and workers in San Juan County to share our collective resources and to BFRs outside the county through partners, like WA Farmland Trust, and listservs, like COMFOOD Jobs. Outreach will include direct word of mouth, print and digital materials, and events. SJI Food Hub staff reached out individually to sellers and buyers to create growers calendars, determined future needs, and set up future sales. Outreach for the Food Hub is planned at the August, 2023 San Juan County Fair. The SJI Food hub plans to organize Producer Safety Alliance Training, planned for October, 2023. The SJI Food Hub plans to get recently updated fact sheets on how to sell translated into Spanish by the end of September 2023. We will continue directed outreach to the Latinx community in San Juan County. Obj 3: The grant partners plan to conduct outreach to grow the landholder base for our Farmer-to-Farmland program through print and digital media; island-specific events for past, current, and potential participants; county realtors; and the county tax assessor. In order to link BFRs with aging farmers, we've determined that we first need to provide the latter with resources to help facilitate succession planning. We'll hold an event on each island with farmers considering succession, an estate lawyer, and an accountant. We plan to conduct outreach to current farm managers and workers in San Juan County to share our collective resources and to BFRs outside the county through partners, like WA Farmland Trust, and listservs, like COMFOOD Jobs. Outreach will include direct word of mouth, print and digital materials, and events. We will continue directed outreach to the Latinx community in San Juan County. Obj 4: The model and process documents will be shared with the San Juan County community. The Ag Guild team will continue to design the Pilot Program: seeking letters of support for the project and presenting the model to the Ag Guild board. Obj 5: The Ag Guild's FARM Fund hosted a presentation in November, 2022 with farmers who had received a FARM Fund grant. Farmers were given the chance to have a conversation on their various projects. A shared Google Drive folder was created to share farmer contact information as well as equipment costs/supplier information. We'll continue to expand direct outreach and advertising for the Ag Guild's 1:1 mentorship program to both potential mentees and mentors on each island. We will also offer community building opportunities among existing mentor-mentee pairs in the off-season to build a broader and deeper mentorship network in the county. We will develop more opportunities for peer-to-peer contact for BFRs.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obj 1: 66 BFRs engaged in opportunities to increase their knowledge on key topics through educational courses and workshops, including the annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 50 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received - 96 BFRs BFR's develop a network of peers to call on for support - 31 BFRs Obj 2: 48 BFRs received 1:1 technical assistance from the grant partners, including farm planning from the San Juan Islands Conservation District; business planning from Northwest Agriculture Business Center; market access from the San Juan Islands Food Hub; production technical assistance from WSU Extension; and farmland assessment and mentorship through the Ag Guild. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 50 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received - 30 BFRs (1:1) + 66 Ag Summit Obj 3: 30 BFRs increased awareness of finance options and land resources in San Juan County through 1:1 support from the Ag Guild, SCJ Conservation District, and NABC; access to grants and micro-loans through the Ag Guild's FARM Fund, and participation in WSU's Cultivating Success program The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 50 BFRs BFR's identify farm properties and connect BFR's with landowners - 4 BFRs BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of financing options - 13 BFRs Obj 4: The Ag Guild continued to hold regular meetings with the Farmers-to-Farmland Land Access Model steering committee and held 2 meetings with the larger Land Access Advisory Group, including an in-person scenario planning meeting. A shared land access model was developed with the group and a model report as well as process report was written and published on the Ag Guild website. https://sjiagguild.com/shared-land-access-model-report/ The Ag Guild completed multiple site visits with the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank to aid in scenario planning for the shared land access model. Participants explored sites on San Juan and Orcas Island on foot, brainstorming criteria for the Site Assessment section of the model as well as issues to bring up in the scenario planning meeting with partners. Obj 5: 3 BFRs were enrolled in the Ag Guild's formal on-farm mentorship program. Through the mentorship program, BFRs are connected to experienced farm mentors in San Juan County for 20 hours of 1:1 support, including site visits and phone and email consultations. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 18 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received - 3 BFRs BFR's develop a network of peers to call on for support - 3 BFRs
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences of this work are BFRs (farmers with <10 years of experience) who are interested in starting a farm, are currently developing their farm, or are looking to further improve and expand their farm in San Juan County. This could be BFRs who are already in San Juan County or who live outside the county but are interested in starting a business here. To date, the grant has supported: BFR's helped to start farming: 5 BFR's prepared to farm, who have not yet made income from farming: 26 BFR's already farming who improve their farming success (economically, environmentally, and/or socially): 35 Of these BFRs, 45% are women; 8% are Latinx; 98% live in San Juan County and 2% are from out of state. We've prioritized outreach to BFRs who identify as Latinx through relationships with social services organizations in San Juan County. Changes/Problems:Four partner organizations had significant staffing changes between Sept 21 - Aug 22: the Ag Guild hired a new Executive Director and Farmer-to-Farmland Coordinator; the Conservation District hired a new Farm Planner; NABC hired a new Project Manager and Executive Director; and WSU's Ag Program Coordinator went on maternity leave. The new teams are now fully onboarded to the BFRDP's programs and able to bring new vision and horsepower to outreach and services. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Obj 1: 44 BFRs and 6 members of the partner organizations had the opportunity to learn about diverse topics at the annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit in March. Obj 2: 22 BFRs received professional development support through 1:1 technical assistance programs with the grant partner organizations; 6 members of the partner organizations participated in two trainings with Kate Smith, WSU's Head of Northwest Small and Latino Farm Support, to inform our outreach efforts to the Latinx community in SJC; 34 farmers attended the Food Hub workshop hosted by the San Juan Islands Food Hub and Puget Sound Food Hub at the San Juan Islands Agricultural, estimated that 10 of those were BFRs; 4 BFRs attended the San Juan Islands Food Hub "Value-added Production of Food Products" workshop Obj 3: 44 BFRs and 6 members of the partner organizations had the opportunity to learn about diverse topics at the annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit, including 5 BFRs at the workshop on "Alternative Models to Farmland Access" Obj 4: 13 members of the Steering Committee had an opportunity to learn from organizations operating shared land access programs, including Agrarian Trust, Viva Farms, and the American Farmland Trust Obj 5: BFRs are supported in professional development through 1:1 mentorship, with 5 mentors and 7 mentees (representing 4 mentor-mentee pairs) enrolled to-date How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Obj 1: Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The SJC WSU Extension partnered with the state-wide WSU Food System team to leverage funding and expand outreach, including access to Spanish translation for Objective 1 programs, such as the "Cultivating Success" Whole Farm Planning Course. The grant partners started to build connections with local social service organizations, including the Food Banks and Family Resource Centers on each island, to improve outreach to the county's Latinx community for BFRDP programs. The grant team meets bi-weekly for a "huddle" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. Obj 2: The grant partners hosted a virtual Listening Session, attended by 12 community members, to inform the services available to BFRs in San Juan County. Programs were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The grant partners started to build connections with local social service organizations, including the Food Banks and Family Resource Centers on each island, to improve outreach to the county's Latinx community. The grant team meets bi-weekly for a "huddle" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. Obj 3: Programs, such as the Ag Guild's FARM Fund, were advertised via social media on grant partners' Instagram and Facebook accounts and email newsletters; physical flyers at farmers markets, the County Fair, and other community spaces; and local print and online publications. The grant partners started to build connections with local social service organizations, including the Food Banks and Family Resource Centers on each island, to improve outreach to the county's Latinx community. The grant team meets bi-weekly for a "huddle" to facilitate referrals for BFRs to the partner organizations' services and programming. Obj 4: Key stakeholders for the Shared Land Access Program, including landholders, farmers, and food systems organizations, are invited to contribute ideas, feedback, and stay informed on program development through participation in Steering Committee meetings. Obj 5: The Ag Guild's mentorship program was advertised through the organization's email newsletter and through direct outreach to BFRs and potential mentors in the county. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Obj 1: WSU will offer a virtual "Cultivating Success" Whole Farm Planning course, in English and Spanish, this Fall for BFRs. They will also offer need-based stipends to reduce barriers to access. Obj 2: We plan to conduct outreach to current farm managers and workers in San Juan County to share our collective resources and to BFRs outside the county through partners, like WA Farmland Trust, and listservs, like COMFOOD Jobs. Outreach will include direct word of mouth, print and digital materials, and events. We will continue directed outreach to the Latinx community in San Juan County, developing translated materials to be disseminated through county social service organizations. Obj 3: The grant partners plan to conduct outreach to grow the landholder base for our Farmer-to-Farmland program through print and digital media; island-specific events for past, current, and potential participants; county realtors; and the county tax assessor. In order to link BFRs with aging farmers, we've determined that we first need to provide the latter with resources to help facilitate succession planning. We'll hold an event on each island with farmers considering succession, an estate lawyer, and an accountant. We plan to conduct outreach to current farm managers and workers in San Juan County to share our collective resources and to BFRs outside the county through partners, like WA Farmland Trust, and listservs, like COMFOOD Jobs. Outreach will include direct word of mouth, print and digital materials, and events. We will continue directed outreach to the Latinx community in San Juan County, developing translated materials to be disseminated through county social service organizations. Obj 4: We will reconvene our Obj 4 Steering Committee to gather their feedback on the Program Manual draft and potential Pilot Program sites and design. The Ag Guild team will then incorporate their feedback and begin to design the Pilot Program: starting with comprehensive site assessments to choose the first pilot site. Obj 5: We'll expand direct outreach and advertising for the Ag Guild's 1:1 mentorship program to both potential mentees and mentors on each island. We will also offer community building opportunities among existing mentor-mentee pairs in the off-season to build a broader and deeper mentorship network in the county.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obj 1 BFRs engaged in opportunities to increase their knowledge on key topics through educational courses and workshops, including the annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 5 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received - 44 BFRs BFR's develop a network of peers to call on for support - 44 BFRs Obj 2 BFRs received 1:1 technical assistance from the grant partners, including farm planning from the San Juan Islands Conservation District; business planning from Northwest Agriculture Business Center; market access from the San Juan Islands Food Hub; and production technical assistance from WSU Extension. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 9 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received - 14 BFRs (1:1) Obj 3 (NABC and Ag Guild) BFRs increased awareness of finance options and land resources in San Juan County through 1:1 support from the Ag Guild and NABC; access to grants and micro-loans through the Ag Guild's FARM Fund; and participation in WSU's "Alternative Models to Farmland Access" workshop. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 23 BFRs BFR's identify farm properties and connect BFR's with landowners - 14 BFRs BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of financing options - 18 BFRs BFR's access land to farm - 3 BFRs Obj 4 The Ag Guild convened a Steering Committee for Objective 4, with 13 representatives from the grant partners, San Juan County Conservation Land Bank, Lopez Community Land Trust, and county farmers. 62% of the Steering Committee are women, 31% are farmers, and 8% are BFRs. The Committee hired an experienced facilitator and held 9 meetings from January - June 2022 to define the framework for the Shared Land Access Model. The Committee brought in speakers from organizations operating analogous models, including Agrarian Trust, Viva Farms, and the American Farmland Trust; mapped existing resources for BFRs in the county and identified gaps; and defined the essential elements of a shared land access model for San Juan County. A subset of the Committee met with landholders in the county to identify three potential sites for a Pilot Program and drafted a Program Manual, including sections on Governance, Site Assessment, Lease Structure, Management Plan, Outreach Plan, and Evaluation Metrics. The larger Steering Committee will reconvene in September 2022 to provide feedback on the Program Manual and the potential Pilot Program sites. Obj 5 (just the mentorship program) BFRs were enrolled in the Ag Guild's formal on-farm mentorship program. Through the mentorship program, BFRs are connected to experienced farm mentors in San Juan County for 20 hours of 1:1 support, including site visits and phone and email consultations. The following outcomes were achieved: BFR's increase UNDERSTANDING of farming opportunities through trainings and outreach - 7 BFRs BFR's develop skills to start or enhance their farm business, based on training and technical assistance received - 4 BFRs BFR's develop a network of peers to call on for support - 7 BFRs
Publications
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