Register for Mar 25 Session Here!
Listen, share, and grow in community.
New Entry in collaboration with Agrarian Trust is excited to offer a nimble, adaptive space for connecting with other folks dedicated to sustaining, training, and believing in the future generation of agricultural land stewards. We invite Incubator Farms, Agricultural Apprenticeship Programs, Agricultural Commons and Co-Farms that share this mission of land-based agricultural knowledge transfer to join in community Wednesdays (exact dates all listed below) to:
• Swap stories
• Exchange ideas and experiences
• Troubleshoot challenges
• Spark collaborations that strengthen our networks
• Engage with folks who share your values however you enter the space
We hope to have sustained relationship building over many sessions. Save the dates for all upcoming Connection Hours & register:
• March 25, 1-2pm EST (register)
• April 8, 1-2pm EST (register)
• May 6, 1-2pm EST (register)
• June 17, 1-2pm EST (register)
In prior meet-up we connected on…
In February's session we shared ideas and tools for community safety. It was something playing on many of our minds in shared spaces, and hosting events with farmers. We discussed more private sharing of information, safety plan creation, orientations, and participant experiences in prioritizing safety of our community against violence.
In January's session we explored ideas and solutions to incentivize farmer buy-in and value to farm on a donated rural parcel of land. The challenge was multi-faceted covering Anti-Black racism, equity building capacity without direct land ownership, and nonprofit Board governance for decision making. We delved into alternate pathways to building equity through capital accounts, regional networks of support for Black farmers as a combat to white supremacy culture, and techniques to invite curiousity with Boards.
In December's session we broke into two groups. Group one focused on preventing staff burnout and fostering a culture of staff development that retains employees and builds team morale and skills for improved impacts. Staff retreats, community building, hiring from within, and transition tools were all discussed. Group two focused on how to engage the public broadly in an upcoming shared land project. We discussed the importance of planning and mapping a blueprint, co-creation of design for community buy in, farmer story telling tools, and breaking communication down by buckets for more targeted outreach.
In October's session we explored strategies to optimize greenhouse space and crop selection while balancing mission goals with financial sustainability. We had discussions centered on revenue generation through various approaches including plant sales, workshops, and partnerships. Different revenue streams were considered, including direct sales, space rentals, and educational opportunities, with emphasis placed on prioritizing core objectives given limited capacity.