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The Regional Farm & Food Project's Farmer-to-Farmer Mentoring Program has helped
beginning farmers in eastern New York accelerate learning through intensive contacts
with their more experienced counterparts over the course of the growing season.
The program encompasses 4 areas: market vegetables, grass-based livestock, dairy,
and biodynamic orchard management.
Building Sustainable Farms Through Peer
Relationships is a 12-page report describing the RFFP mentoring program. It
is available for $2 by calling (518) 271-0744 or e-mailing
billie@farmandfood.org.
See also:
http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/news_sfe03.html
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
NESARE has named 8 farmers as Sustainable Farmer Educators. These farmers are paid a SARE stipend to travel, talk, and share their knowledge as they continue their farming operations. As time allows, they will be available to speak at meetings, conferences, and field days, talk to individual producers, and generally support the region's farmers as they move toward agriculture that is profitable, environmentally sound, and beneficial to communities. Conference planners, extension, and farmers are encouraged to get in touch with the Sustainable Farmer Educators to arrange a talk or meeting or to learn more about their area of expertise.
For more information, call NESARE at (802) 656-0471, or contact the individual Farmer Educators listed
here [http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/news_sfe03.html]
.
http://www.mofga.org/appr_jp_desc.html
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
MOFGA's Journeyperson Program provides hands-on, mentored training for people who are serious about careers in organic farming. MOFGA matches participants with farms and farmer-mentors who have skills that they seek, and are committed to sharing those skills. Mentor-journeyperson arrangements are diverse, and are up to the participants to negotiate on a case-by-case basis. MOFGA expects all people who go through the Journeyperson program to complete full farm plans, including business plans, and to participate in a loose curriculum that includes regular mentor meetings and workshop attendance.
There is an initial application fee of $25. Once accepted into the program, journeypersons pay an additional $225 fee. For more information, contact Andrew Marshall, MOFGA Education Director, at (207) 568-4142 or
amarshall@mofga.org.
http://nofany.org/images/publications/internshiphandbook.pdf
Doug Jones, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, 1999 The present
generation of farmers shares an obligation to train the next generation of farmers.
More farmers are coming out of apprenticeship programs than out of ag schools.
Handbook provides guidance for farmers who want to create an internship program
on their farm. Publication is in
PDF format. 15 pages.
$6 ($3 for NOFA members). To order, contact:
NOFA-NY
P.O. Box 880
Cobleskill, NY 12043-0880
Voicemail: (518) 734-5495
Fax: (518) 734-4641
E-mail:
office@nofany.org
