Student Involvement
NESFP provides students a living laboratory to apply classroom knowledge and develop applicable skills. Responding to the interest of students, NESFP interns have done research, developed educational guides and training curriculum, created marketing for World PEAS Coop, provided technical assistance and identified land for potential farms.
Students work at the offices in Tufts University, at the Lowell office training facility, at the farmers market, at the CSA distribution point, or in the field. For NESFP, the outcomes of student efforts can be significant. For example:
Value Added Processing - One intern developed a Plain Language guide to Value Added Processing, which provides simple, step-by-step instructions regarding safe processing of food for sale to the public. The guide serves as an education tool for both our low-literacy population, and other people who appreciate easy-to-understand instruction regarding this potentially lucrative field.
NESFP library- NESFP houses a library with over 345 books, CDs, and Videos related to Risk Management, Farm Safety, crop production, farm equipment, marketing, greenhouses, cover cropping and soil management. Interns assist to maintain the library and keep our records current, so that visitors can get the most out of this resource.
Direct Farmer Training — Interns assist with classroom training of beginning farmers by preparing content for and conducting training classes for the NESFP farmer training program. Each NESFP beginning farmer student benefits from the well-developed materials and a fresh perspective that the interns bring to classroom training.
Outreach — Interns develop marketing materials and disseminate the materials for promotion of the World PEAS Cooperative CSA. This work is a key component in the success of the CSA. In 2007, the CSA had 45 members. There are an additional 15 members on the waiting list for the 2008 season.
Selling Produce Directly to the Pubic — Interns assist with World PEAS Cooperative farmer's market activity. Interns prepare the farmers market display, promote produce to the customers, and educate customers regarding health benefits, cooking and handling of produce.
Training Curriculum Manual — Interns are collecting extensive resources available for training of beginning farmers, and compiling a comprehensive training manual. This manual is forthcoming, and will be posted to the site when complete.
NESFP Website Development — One intern provided content for the Ethnic Cropssection of the NESFP website, by gathering recipes and photos for each crop which is grown by NESFP farmers.
