EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOOD

LEADERS

CURRENT AND DEVELOPING PROGRAMMING AT MICHAEL FIELDS

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE* Student Intern & Apprentice Program

~ Christine Welcher

* Growing Urban Leaders in Food Systems Initiative

~ George Reistad

ROOM SURVEY

Why are you here today?

Who in the room is a student?

Who in the room is an educator?

Who in the room is a farmer or producer?

Are there any “others?”

INTERN AND APPRENTICE STUDENT PROGRAMS

4+ acre organic, educational farm Students come from around the world Focus on intensive, hands-on learning to

build knowledge, confidence, passion and physical strength

Season starts in March and goes through the October

Spans everything from seed starting to harvest & marketing

Farmers’ Markets, Wholesale, and Farm Stand Sales

Visit and Volunteer time at neighboring farms to increase exposure of farming systems

Room & Board at the East Troy Campus

THE GARDENS’ INTERN PROGRAM

Curriculum for Interns includes: Classes on various topics Field Days and Farm Tours Workshops Volunteer time at other farms Independent Study Projects

Crop Families

Soil Health

Cover Crops & Fertility

Greenhouse

Management

Pests, Weeds

and Disease

Marketing

Harvest and

Post-Harvest Handling

Planning and

Rotations

THE GARDENS’ APPRENTICE PROGRAM

Curriculum for Apprentices includes: Classes focused on business planning

with guest speakers Field Days and Farm Tours Workshops Management Responsibilities A completed Farm Plan & Business

Plan

Marketing Plan Plantin

g Schedu

le

Seed Order

Budget

SWOT Analysi

s

Pricing Strateg

ies

Legal Requirements

& Licensi

ng

Balance Sheets,

P&L, Cash Flow

Financing

Options

GROWING URBAN LEADERS IN FOOD SYSTEMS INITIATIVE

MFAI staff recognized the need to develop programming aimed at educating, mobilizing, and eventually employing urban youth in the field of sustainable agriculture, particularly civic engagement around urban food systems work

Very few young Leaders of Color in the sustainable agriculture and local foods world

3 steps: Education Engagement Employment

GULFS – WHY?

Food systems is a large sphere and food is a universal part of life for all people and communities

There needs to be full representation and participation in the decisions being made and conversations being had around food access, resource development, health and nutrition strategies, etc in these communities

By and large, young people of color are missing from that conversation

GULFS – HOW?

Partnerships We believe that diverse partnerships with NGOs/CBOs, schools, and institutions is a strategic way to reach our target student audiences in different capacities

Meeting DPI standards is a plus for school teachers and provides structure for developed lessons in an NGO/CBO setting

Off the Block Salsa

GULFS – HOW?

PartnershipsHave contacted interested organizations in the Madison and Milwaukee area Mentoring Positives Urban Ecology Center Growing Power MPS, MMSD UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee

UW Madison PEOPLE Program Urban Ag Interns

GULFS – CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

What types of topics to cover? Want a curriculum that educates but also mobilizes and allows students to think critically about food-based issues in their communities and neighborhoods

Lesson Example: Food, Nutrition, and Health What is “healthy food”? ID healthy options in their neighborhood (residence, org or school)

Activity: Compile a suite of “healthy meals” using what’s available in a 1-mile radius on a budget of $5/day

GULFS - CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Other lesson plan ideas Intro to local gov’t

City hall tour; city council meeting(s); practice legislative/advocacy meetings

Basics of public speaking and presenting Food system topic-based presentations – short (3-5

mins) but with an objective and a point to argue; debate style

Racial, food, economic, and social justice Exploring these concepts and looking at historical

trends, especially using urban centers as case studies – Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago, etc.

Will Green – Mentoring Positives

Urban Ecology Center – High School Outdoor Leaders

GULFS - CHALLENGES

Removal of formalized education on Civics and Government and citizen interaction with those systems

Current political climateChallenges of long-term interaction with and monitoring of students to ensure:Successful Education Engagement Employment outcomes

FARMING IS HARD WORK!

Many beginning farmers face difficult hurdles when they begin. Student loan debt High land prices 60% of beginning farmers in Wisconsin are 1st generation Off farm jobs plus farming responsibilities leaves little time for training and workshops or conferences

31% of farmers in Wisconsin are women Traditionally aren’t taught financial and business skills required

SUSTAINABLE FARMING ASSOCIATION REPORT

W/ SUPPORT FROM RENEWING THE COUNTRYSIDE AND UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Released in August of 2015 71% of respondents planned to get a majority of their income from farming

54% of those reported less than 25% coming from farming 33% reported less than 10% coming from farming

63% did not have a business plan when they started 75% of those who did reported their business plan did not accurately predict their

experiences 18% rated their plans “not accurate at all”

Respondents indicated a significant difference between the life & livelihood expected and the reality of farming

Many found farming more complicated, more stressful and just plain harder than expected and with slower progress towards goals “Did not know this would challenge every facet of our brains, emotions, intelligence and

body strength.”

PREPARING BEGINNING FARMERS FOR REALITY

• Classes are taught as discussions vs. lectures• Farm Plan, planting schedules, and my notes are

available• Financial bookkeeping and records are open and

transparent• Students have personal investment in markets and sales• Living on the farm gives them a true picture of the time

and commitment involved• Students have the opportunity to make mistakes, fail and

learn from them• Apprentices research and develop a complete farm &

business plan

MAIN GOALS FOR OUR PROGRAMMING

Student Garden Program• Mentoring opportunities for

Apprentice Program Graduates• Grow & improve our Business

Planning Course• Expand Internship and

Apprenticeship opportunities in our area through partnerships

GULFS Initiative

• Creating opportunities for young, urban leaders to engage and work in the fields of sustainable agriculture and food systems

• Teaching the basics of civic engagement and citizen advocacy

CALL TO ACTIONWhat work are you all doing to empower the next generation of food leaders?

How can we make our programs impactful?

George ReistadAssociate Policy Directorgreistad@michaelfields.org16 N Carroll St – Ste 810Madison, WI 53703PH: 414-429-3393

Christine WelcherGarden & Student Program Managercwelcher@michaelfields.orgW2493 Cty Rd ESEast Troy, WI 53120PH: 262-642-3303 ext 127