“These tools have brought together the best practices in the country for refugee and immigrant farmer education.”
-Nick Wuertz, Director of Refugee Community Services at Lutheran Services in Iowa
See and search the over 60 training and technical assistance (T&TA) resources (below), primarily for New American audiences and the programs that serve them. New Americans include refugees, asylees, and immigrants who are part of the current and next generation of beginning farmers in the U.S. and Canada.
This resource library is the result of a 3-year partnership between ISED Solutions and 18 beginning farmer incubators, through a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) Educational Enhancement initiative titled Educational Tools and Methods for Beginning Refugee & Immigrant Farmers. Our intent has been to develop and share resources that facilitate high quality instruction and hands-on assistance using a combination of carefully-designed tools and techniques. These resources can be freely downloaded and used as is, or adapted to meet the specific capacities and priorities of a specific program or setting. These teaching resources and handbook are appropriate to use with any beginning farmer audiences whose learning needs and styles vary because of education, language, literacy, and/or cultural factors. ISED expresses gratitude to all the partners who shared in the development of these resources. Individuals and organizations involved in specific resource development are identified within.
This training of trainer’s workshop is designed for refugee farmer incubator interpreters and/or staff who work together to deliver trainings and technical assistance. It is also useful for outside service providers and partners (e.g. extension educators) who provide trainings with refugee farmers using interpreters. The two role-play activities can be used regularly when working with interpreters throughout the season. This teaching resource was developed by the Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED Solutions)in collaboration with 18 refugee projects from around the country. Refugee farmer training programs across the country provided feedback on this lesson, which is now integrated throughout the guide.
This is a slide show that introduces three insect pests and one disease which singly or together can destroy a zucchini crop (striped cucumber beetle, squash bug, squash vine borer, and powdery mildew). Trap crops and rogueing are suggested as control method strategies. Slides can be printed (and laminated) for field instruction.