Progress report for ONC23-120
Project Information
Weeds can severely reduce crop yield and farm profitability. Choosing weeding tools can be confusing, and it’s not uncommon for vegetable growers to buy expensive tools that don’t work for them. Farmers learn more and learn better when they can experiment with weeding tools in the field, learning from experts and farmers in the process, but such opportunities are rare. Historically underserved farmers have additional barriers to accessing weed management resources. For example, immigrant growers often lack access to trainings delivered in their primary languages or presented in culturally relevant ways. This project will educate vegetable farmers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa about weeding tools through four on-farm workshops, hosted at farms operated by HMoob, Latinx, and women farmers, making these events more welcoming to HMoob and Spanish-speaking growers. Host farmers will receive expert training in the use of new weeding tools on their farms during the season so they can share their experiences in their native languages at the workshops. The workshops will demonstrate three scales of weeding tools for farmers to try and will include HMoob and Spanish interpretation. Post-project, the tools will be stored at Fondy Farm and available to farmers and ag professionals for training.
- Improve weed management knowledge and skills on vegetable farms by hosting culturally-appropriate, farmer-led, hands-on workshops accessible to farmers in WI, MN, IL, IA (with targeted outreach to HMoob and Latinx growers)
- Provide farmers with strategic understanding to guide their investments in weeding tools
- Strengthen farmer networks to promote continued farmer-to-farmer learning
- Promote and model the development of inclusive, culturally and linguistically accessible field days for other ag professionals and Extension colleagues
- Build relationships and trust between Extension and underserved growers (with a focus on HMoob and Latinx farmers)
Cooperators
- - Technical Advisor (Educator)
- - Technical Advisor (Educator)
Research
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
UW-Madison Extension staff worked with organizational partners and farmers at Fondy Farm to coach growers in the use of mechanized cultivation tools. SARE funds were used to purchase a tool library that was made available to Fondy farmers throughout the 2023 growing season with several opportunities for small group demonstration and workshops allowing growers to utilize the tools and learn the benefits that each tool might offer to increase efficiency of farm operations. A small group of 4-6 farmers worked with the tools through the summer and an additional 18 attended a field day showcasing mechanized tillage approaches.
During the fall of 2024, two on-farm workshops mechanical weed control field days were held. Topics covered during the field days included the theory behind weed control including the weed seed bank, timing, depth, and type of tillage/cultivation, as well as hands-on demonstrations on how the tools operate, what they can be used for, and how to modify them based on field conditions and task. The first field day took place at Rodrigo Cala's farm and included 11 farmer attendees. Material was presented in both Spanish and English with simultaneous interpretation. As part of the event Rodrigo shared the framework of mechanical weed control tools as an investment in the longevity of a farm and how he determines the return on investment for a piece of equipment. The next event occurred in Waukesha County at Gwenyn Hill Farm as part of an apprentice field day serving beginning growers from both the FairShare Apprenticeship program and other growers from around the greater Milwaukee area. This event had 20 farmer or farm worker attendees. Evaluations from these field days indicated that all participants increased their knowledge around mechanical weed control either somewhat (33%) or a great deal (67%). Participants indicated that they will change aspects of their farming practices somewhat (63%) and a great deal (37%) of the time based on information they learned during these field days. Some common themes around changes to practices included thinking of weed control as part of a larger cultural system of production and managing the germination zone as a way to draw down the weed seedbank without bringing up deeper weed seeds.
Currently, we are working with Stephen Petro at Fondy Farm to set-up a tool rental library available for both farmers and technical assistance (TA) providers. The tool library will launch this summer with tools available to growers and TA providers who complete equipment best practice and safety training. We have provided Stephen with examples of tool agreement forms and waivers that are being used for other tool libraries related to maker spaces and public libraries around the country. The feedback we receive from this first season of rental will provide us feedback on what is working well and what needs to modified for future years. This will provide us with some best practice recommendations that we can share with others hoping to recreate a tool library in their area.