Enhancing Farmer-to-Farmer Education for Farm Sustainability and Community Resilience

• Brooke gained a fundamental understanding of bee biology, which is essential for effective beekeeping. This knowledge includes the lifecycle of bees, their behavior, and how they interact within the ecosystem.
• Hands-on experience in colony management allowed Brooke to learn how to maintain healthy bee colonies at the incubator apiary, including understanding the dynamics within the hive, recognizing signs of healthy vs. unhealthy colonies, and learning about the seasonal needs of bees.
• Brooke gained knowledge of identifying mite infestations and implementing effective control measures to maintain colony health.
• Through visits to the farm's apiary and conducting full hive inspections, Brooke and Alexa developed practical skills in handling bees and hives. This included opening and inspecting hives, identifying different parts of the hive, and understanding the roles of different bees.
• The internship combined theoretical instruction with hands-on practice, allowing Brooke to apply learned concepts in real-world settings.
• Brooke’s newly acquired skills and knowledge will have a ripple effect, contributing to the local community's understanding of the importance of bees and promoting sustainable and ethical practices in beekeeping.
•  We were also honored to have Yorlis Luna, farmer, mother, educator, and beekeeper, visit from Nicaragua and host a Farmer-to-Farmer skillshare on beekeeping at Canticle Farm. Yoris shared her wisdom about native bee behavior, hive management,  and the ways in which bees organize for collective well-being. She organized multiple fun dynamic activities that resulted in conversations around how studying a hive can support how we organize as humans in our local communities and cooperate as a global society.

Beekeeping Journal

• Hosted a bilingual beekeeping workshop for over 30 participants that included learning about honey processing and native bees of the Americas. 
• Harvested at least 40 pounds of honey 
• Workshop Description: Bees are essential beings for life. Through their daily hard work, they co-create the landscapes we see: the trees and flowers, the water we drink, the animals we hear, and the forests we feel. They are also ethical models of life, caring for the Earth and collective well-being. Learning about Indigenous bees and Apis bees—their diverse colors, forms, habits, strengths, challenges, and relationships with one another—can teach us much about human societies and how to navigate the challenges of today’s world. The social Indigenous bees of the Americas, most of which are found in Latin America, were and continue to be revered by pre-Hispanic and contemporary peoples. They carry millions of years of co-evolution with tropical ecosystems and hold profound cultural ties in the memories of communities. They offer a pathway to reconnect with memory, recover roots, and renew hope. These bees also possess unique characteristics and behaviors within the beautiful world of bees. This farmer-to-farmer skillshare invites you to learn more about the bees of all Abya Yala (an Indigenous Guna term referring to the entirety of the Americas), to imagine the world through the eyes of bees, to feel their presence, and to explore their wisdom in a quest for individual and collective healing. It seeks to plant seeds of curiosity and imagination. During this workshop, we will learn about the different bees of the Americas, explore various types of honey, discuss hive products, and learn how to harvest honey. This farmer-to-farmer skillshare will be facilitated by the talented Nicaraguan beekeeper and community organizer of the Latin American Network of Melipona Beekeepers, Yorlis Luna. 

• Yorlis Luna Bio: Yorlis is a popular educator and militant researcher, she is a woman who loves the native bees of the Americas, agroecology, and biocultural landscapes. Yorlis holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Sustainable Development, a Master's in Mathematical Sciences, and a Bachelor's in Mathematics. She is a co-founder of IALA IXIM ULEW of La Vía Campesina in Central America, co-creator of the Las Panteras Eco-Community Farm, and co-facilitator of the Nicaraguan Meliponiculture Network and the Mesoamerican and Caribbean Network of Indigenous Bee Guardians. She has organized local, national, and regional spaces for the exchange of knowledge, practices, and feelings about native bees and their connections to the defense of culture, forests, water, and life.

The 2023 National Farm Field Day Training hosted by NIFTI marked a significant milestone in agricultural education and collaboration. Gathering over 90 participants from 24 states and 56 land-based farmer training organizations, the event fostered a rich exchange of ideas and best practices. Highlights included insightful field trips to incubator and apprenticeship programs, over 20 expert-led workshops, and a notable presentation on a relationship-based apprenticeship model for bioregional food sovereignty. This convergence of diverse experiences and perspectives not only enhanced practical knowledge but also spurred innovative strategies in agricultural training and sustainability. The event's emphasis on relationship-building, inclusivity, and hands-on learning has left a lasting impact, empowering participants to implement new ideas and practices in their communities, thereby contributing to the advancement of sustainable and equitable agriculture nationwide.

A highlight of the event was the presentation by Brooke and Alexa titled "Building a Relationship-Based Apprenticeship Program for Bioregional Food Sovereignty." This session shed light on the innovative approach of Agroecology Commons in developing the Bay Area Farmer-to-Farmer Training (BAFFT). AC's model is committed to breaking down barriers for diverse beginning farmers and nurturing a food sovereign bioregion where both farmers and mentors are deeply valued. The presentation emphasized the importance of fostering strong relationships, promoting bioregional food sovereignty, and providing practical experience, while also honoring and adapting agrarian traditions to meet modern needs.

NIFTI Presentation 2023

• Gathered lessons learned from fellow apprentice hosts that we will be integrating include:
  • Host Train the Trainers potentially in Feb and Jan after matches have been made 
  • Host bi-monthly check-ins with farmer mentors and apprentices 
  • During check-ins ask the farm mentor to give a roadmap of what the next two months will look like for the apprentice 
  • Pay farmers to be a part of the Train-the-Trainers day 
  • Ask farmers who have partaken in the apprenticeship program to share about their previous experiences, positive aspects/challenges 
  • Topics for Train-the-Trainers Day: 
    • Communication 
    • Delegation and Education 
    • Giving and Receiving Feedback 
    • Worker/Apprentice Perspectives 
    • Give tangible tools 
    • Provide scenarios 
    • Peer-to-Peer Training 
  • Clearly define what a program mentor is vs a farm mentor 
  • Create space for weekly check-ins with farmers' mentors and apprentices and provide a question guide 
  • How do we get around farm mentors not having workers comp? 
  • Could a temp agent issue the payments?
  • Final apprenticeship presentation/ evaluations/ celebration/dinner 
  • Final presentations are 5 minutes long and could be anything to explaining the clothes you wear on the farm to teaching a skill you learned like Korean natural farming.  
  • Apprenticeship and mentorship assessments that both the farm mentor and apprentice fill out 
  • Make core competency form relevant to each farm and customized by farm mentor 

Additional Resources that we learned about: 

UVM The Farm Labor Dashboard 

• Quivera Train the Trainers (email them and ask them for more information) 
• Faireshare Apprenticeship Program 
• Becoming the Employers of Choice 
• Not Our Farm 
• Rouge Farm Corps 
  • Apprenticeship Q and A 
  • Farm Apprenticeship Application 
• Farm Spanish Speakers Course AgvoKate 
• Amber Waves Farm 
  • Gathered useful insight on launching the incubator farm some key aspects include:
    •  How staff capacity will shift once incubators are on the farm
    • Having a conflict resolution plan in order
    • Collaborating with other organizations to enhance TA
    • Meeting farmers where they are at with communication for example: some people like to text, some like to e-mail, some prefer in person
    • Make sure your incubator check-ins have a standardized form. This way everyone knows what to expect.

Agroecology Commons’ efforts in 2023 led to a notable advancement in agricultural education, particularly through its one-on-one work with nine host farmer apprenticeship sites. This collaboration resulted in the creation of 12 individualized learning plans for apprentices across these diverse farms.

Individualized Learning Plan Template 

Currently, AC, in partnership with host farms, is developing evaluation methods for the (year) cohort to ensure continuous improvement and assessment of the program's effectiveness. Alongside this, there’s an ongoing collaborative effort to finalize the BAFFT 2024 curriculum, which includes the Farmer Campus online modules, hands-on learning opportunities, and training schedules. The high level of interest in the program, indicated by the 125 applications for the upcoming cohort, highlights its appeal and extensive reach.

Apprenticeship 2023 Evaluation Questions for Apprentices 

BAFFT 2024 Modules and Educators_ 

Looking ahead, Agroecology Commons is focusing on refining its apprenticeship matchmaking strategy for future cohorts. This strategy refinement is based on feedback and insights gained from past experiences, aiming to enhance the effectiveness and relevance of the apprenticeship placements.

Matchmaking Apprentices Cohort 2 2023 

The on-farm apprenticeship program has broad implications by preparing apprentices for professional growth in agroecology, equipping them with essential knowledge and skills. Moreover, by involving multiple farms and creating a network of apprentices and educators, the program fosters a sense of community and collaboration within the agricultural sector.

• • Participants started: 43 
  • Finished: 37

• “I am very grateful l for BAFFT for creating and maintaining a fun and functional training program. It is not realistic to expect young land workers, or any land workers, to have the resources for advisors or to travel to farming conventions to make connections and receive guidance on building our future farms. BAFFT not only provided me with a scholarship, which was the only way I could afford to participate, they also put a lot of effort into making sure we got as much information as we could at each session and encouraged us to connect and support one another.”- BAFFT Participant 2024 Cohort 

• “Aprendimos muchisimo de como cuidar la tierra el medio ambiente de conocer culturas diferentes que nos ayuda mucho en mejorar más tanto personal y en lo laboral de nuestro medio ambiente”-  BAFFT Participant 2024 Cohort 

• “La experiencia de BAFFT ha sido muy importante para mi porque me ha ayudado a mantener mi visión de crear un programa de permacultura en Español para familias latinas en la Misión San Francisco. El programa BAFFT me ha dado la oportunidad de conectarme con otras personas que buscan construir un mundo mejor y mas sano. Esto me ha hecho mantener la esperanza de que el proyecto de familias es posible.” BAFFT Participant 2024 Cohort

• “I'm super grateful for how much my network has grown in such a short amount of time becasue of BAFFT! I'm not necesarilly ready to purchase my own land or start anything large scale yet, but I know when I am that I'll have many folks to ask questions and reach out to. I'm excited to start some small projects soon with the help of seed grant and the tool lending library.” BAFFT Participant 2024 Cohort

• “BAFFT went above and beyond in allowing me to experience the agroecology community in the Bay Area. I went into the program with no expectations and came out with a greater understanding of the theoretical, practical, and financial applications of farming. My favorite parts of BAFFT were developing a deeper relationship with fellow aspiring farmers in the Bay Area, our facilitators, and established farmers like the ones we visited and learned from throughout the year. BAFFT has opened up the doors to farming on my own for the first time. I feel ready to put into practice what I learned throughout the year via one of the Farmer Mobilization paths. What most stood out to me from BAFFT is that our learning was guided not only by practical knowledge, but by our own ancestral spirits and our collective liberation.” BAFFT Participant 2024 Cohort

Agroecology Commons (AC) has supported the farm host mentors through professional development funds access, or what AC refers to as independent learning funds, which enable mentors to expand their own knowledge and skills. Each mentor receives $200 for this purpose. To date, one mentor has utilized these funds for beekeeping equipment, furthering their expertise in beekeeping and hive management.

AC has actively gathered feedback from mentors on various aspects such as schedules, community connection, and curriculum. This feedback is invaluable for the continuous improvement of the program, ensuring it remains responsive and relevant to the mentors' and apprentice’s needs and experiences. Mentors have responded positively to this aspect of the program, noting how the apprentices significantly contribute to the capacity of their farms. They have also expressed a deep sense of fulfillment in training the next generation of farmers.

AC developed an Apprenticeship Mentor Guidebook that details the program's expectations, values, vision, mission, and outlining the roles and responsibilities of both mentors and apprentices. It also covers a range of important topics such as optional offerings, payment structures, learning stipends, conflict resolution strategies, on-farm safety protocols, and liability considerations. The guidebook further assists in developing individual learning plans and establishing community agreements, ensuring a structured and effective apprenticeship experience.

Guidebook for Apprenticeship Mentor 2023

Additionally, AC has developed an On-Farm Learning Activity Guide, providing mentors with strategies to strengthen their relationships with apprentices and enhance the quality of experiential education offerings. AC staff also play a key role in maintaining the health of the program, particularly in areas of conflict mediation. We provide training and support to navigate and resolve any challenges that arise between mentors and apprentices, ensuring that issues are addressed constructively and effectively. 

_Apprenticeship On Farm Learning Activity Guide (1)

To support and enhance its on-farm apprenticeship program AC invested in educational resources, encompassing a broad spectrum of agricultural knowledge and practices. The educational materials purchased include:

1. "Farms with a Future: Creating and Growing Sustainable Farm Business" – A guide on developing sustainable and profitable farm businesses.

2. "Raising Resilient Bees" – Focused on beekeeping and maintaining healthy bee populations.

3. "Land Justice: Re-Imagining Land, Food, and the Commons" – A resource that delves into the concepts of land justice and sustainable food systems.

4. "Farming While Black" – A book addressing the challenges and opportunities for Black farmers in the agricultural sector.

5. "Pests of the Garden and Small Farm, 3rd Edition" – A guide on managing pests in small-scale farming settings.

6. "Compost and Vermicompost" – Focused on organic composting methods and techniques.

7. "Organic Seed Grower" – A comprehensive guide on growing and handling organic seeds.

8. "Chinese Medicinal Herb Farming" – Specialized resource on growing and using Chinese medicinal herbs.

9. "The New Organic Grower" – A foundational text on organic farming methods and practices.

10. "Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture" – Explores principles and practices of agroecology and regenerative farming.

11. "Community Scale Compost" – Focused on community-level composting practices and systems.

12. "Insect ID Chart 1" and "Insect ID Chart 2" – Tools for identifying various insects that are relevant to farming.

13. "Plant Disease Chart ID 1" and "Plant Disease Chart ID 2" – Resources for identifying common plant diseases in farming.

• • We successfully completed 9 apprenticeships totaling 4100 hours of learning!
  • 12 individualized learning plans 
  • One mid-summer apprenticeship gathering hosted to hold space for program development both with apprentice participants and farm mentors 
  • 12 farm visits hosted that offered space to supporting farmers with on-farm tasks while also sitting down and having individualized sessions for reflection and feedback with both the apprentices and farm mentors. Individualized learning plans were reviewed during this time 
  • 9 Apprentice continued learning stipends were sent to graduates and 9 farm mentor stipends were sent to farm mentors. Stipends were used on an array of things to continue supporting individuals learning goals such as but not limited to: 
    • Ticket to the Black Urban Growers Conference 
    • Tuition fee to cover 8-week farm business planning course through Tufts University 
    • Tuition to cover the Climate Stewards Certification Course
    • An array of books such as: 
      • Braiding Sweetgrass, Tending the Wild, Seed to Seed, The Market Gardener, The Organic Seed Grower, The Fermentation Book, The Unsettling of America, Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West, The Permaculture Manual, Butchering Guide 
  • Quotes:

• “Working with Berkeley Basket was a great learning experience. I got to tend the farm through a whole season, which is extremely valuable for my overall sense of what it takes run a farm. Mo and Marriane were great mentors who were responsive, receptive, and engaged with my learning, I eventually felt part of the team. I loved how AC was able to support both Berkeley Basket and myself as an apprentice, to take on this learning experience.” -Farm Apprentice 2024 Cohort 

• “There's nothing like getting the intimate interaction with another well experienced farmer and having their brain, skills, and experience at your disposal, but also work alongside them to acquire via osmosis the "flow" of farming and the "live-stream" moments where we can think in action, presently together. Having this opportunity through AC and them being a fair wage payer for both host and apprenticeship is the first if not most key step to ensuring a genuine and equitable apprenticeship and host experience. It allowed for further, deeper learning, the farmer was able to give their time meaningfully, and the apprentice can feel allowed to learn, trip, question, and take space for digesting education. That's not to say the apprenticeship duo aren't flowing through the needed farm hustle to understand the parameters of operating a business, as that's key as well to ensuring a real exposure to farm realities, demonstrating truthfully what this work asks of you.” -Farm Apprentice 2024 Cohort
• “I just really want to thank everyone at Agroecology Commons for the work that you all do, definitely feels like family out there with so mush worth and knowledge that you all bring it really make learning about farming and land stewardship an amazing experience for everyone that wishes to learn AC is honestly an amazing group of individuals.” --Farm Apprentice 2024 Cohort

Agroecology Commons has created a multi-dimensional learning environment that facilitates the exchange of agricultural knowledge and nurtures the well-being and resilience of the farming community. This approach aligns closely with the ethos of Campesino-a-Campesino, where the emphasis is on communal learning, sustainable practices, and the empowerment of farmers through shared experiences and mutual support. 

Our farmer-to-farmer skillshares are practical and interactive, focusing on real-world agricultural skills and community learning. At Three Feathers Farm, they hosted a skillshare on using seeders, transplanting, and crop planning, providing hands-on experience in essential farming techniques. Additionally, the Sustainable Systems Research Foundation (SSRF) conducted a session on building a hoop house. The program's diversity was further highlighted through a collaboration with Urban Tilth youth and the Goat Collective. Participants learned about goat stewardship, including milking and cheesemaking, with engaging activities like milking goats and making fresh cheese flavored with garden herbs. At Raised Roots Farm, the skillshare topics expanded to include mental and physical preparation for farming, social permaculture, community organizing for systemic change, and celebrating ancestral traditions. These sessions emphasized the importance of personal well-being and community involvement in sustainable farming. 

3 Feathers Farm Skillshare Signup

Intro to Goat Stewardship and Cheese-making.docx

Saturday, July 30th Raised Roots_ BAFFT Day Of Outline

Complementing these skillshares, three field days provided farmers with direct, hands-on experience at our cooperative incubator farm. Participants helped to prep our shed for the cooperative farm tool lending library, build mushroom compost, and tend to our native hedgerows. In November, the community joined us to plant native pollinator plants for our hedgerows. Moreover, AC hosted a two-day Cooperative Organizing Skillshare that covered cooperative business models and community organizing strategies for socially and financially sustainable farms and food webs. 

Copy of Cooperative Organizing Participant Agenda

Agroecology Event Invitation- Cuba_Nicaragua Teach In

Teach-In Nicaragua and Cuba

Workshops provided a structured and supportive learning environment, where farmers have the opportunity to delve into new agricultural concepts and techniques. In collaboration with UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley Agroecology Lab, and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), Agroecology Commons hosted three soil workshops, covering no-till farming methods, perennialization, fermentation processes, seed saving techniques, and on-site composting practices, among others. 

Soil Workshop Meeting Notes 11.9.23

Recognizing that farming is as much a mental and emotional endeavor as it is a physical one, AC hosted two Farmer Wellness Days to focus on farmer well-being, addressing stress management and mental health and reinforcing the idea that the sustainability of farming practices is inextricably linked to the well-being of those who steward the land.

Farmer Wellness Day Roles and Schedule - Sheet1

• After valuable feedback from farm mentors, we are continuing to hone our train the trainer's training for farm mentors. This upcomings year’s orientation will include more topics including: 
  • Communication Training 
  • Delegation and Education 
  • Giving and Receiving Feedback 
  • Worker/Apprentice Perspectives 
  • Creating tangible learning tools 
  • Provide scenarios for farm mentor learning 
  • Peer-to-Peer Training and reflections from past farm mentors 
  • Roles and Expectations conversation
  • On-farm Safety 
  • Creating Community Agreements 
  • Creating horizontal learning spaces and the campesino-a-campesino methodology 
  • Conflict Resolution Support

1. Brooke took part in a fall business course offered by NIFTI to gain external expertise and bring that knowledge back to the BAFFT program. Additionally, a graduate of BAFFT who is currently an apprentice is also scheduled to attend this course.
2. Scheduled for October 2024, AC will host a business development module as part of BAFFT to provide targeted training and resources in business development, directly addressing the needs of farmers in areas critical to the success of their farm businesses.

• Aforementioned apprentice led a farm business workshop in BAFFT in summer 2024!
• Through Brooke’s participation in this course, she was able to hone and continue to develop the farm business module for the Bay Area Farmer-to-Farmer Training. This new two-day intensive module covered an array of topics such as: 
  • Market Outlets benefits and pitfalls 
  • Needed certifications/inspections (farmers markets, farm stands, etc. 
  • Business Insurance 
  • Marketing Strategies 
  • Bookkeeping/Records/ Financial Management  
  • Overview of a business plan 
  • Preparing for a business and financing (cashflow, bookkeeping, wealth building) 
  • Taxes and Schedule F  
  •  Land Tenure and contracts 
  • Cooperative Organizing
  • Cottage Food Laws 
  • selling food from gardens
  •  employment law
  • and radical real estate models 
• Guest Educators for this module included Dorian Payan and Erika Sato from the Sustainable Economies Law Center, Reyna Yagi from Three Sisters Farm, Caiti Hachmyer from Red H Farm, Andrea Levy from California Farmlink, Lucy O’Dea from FEED Cooperative, and Adrionna Fike from Cooperation Richmond 
• 40 BAFFT participants participated in this two day training 
• Educator Bios:
• Andrea Levy: Andrea (she/ella) comes from a diverse background at the intersections of food and ag, sustainability, environmental justice, and education. Her career has given her the chance to develop sustainability programs, work on small farms, and teach culinary and farm businesses courses. She has used food as a way to rediscover and reconnect to her roots, her multiple  identities, and the land she lives on.In 2020, Andrea joined California FarmLink’s team as the Program Coordinator for el Resilerador, Farmlink's business resilience course for Latine farmers. She is now the Senior Program Manager where she oversees Farmlink's business education programs, the Resilerator (English), el Resilerador (Spanish), the Employment Resilerator, and other programs in the works. Her work with California Farmlink and her Latin identities allow her to understand and advocate for the needs of the farmers at the base of our food systems. She also leads the DEIJ work at her organization and has extensive experience with facilitation and listening circles in the food system.Andrea has spent time abroad volunteering on farms and working within rural communities. She also holds a Masters in Sustainable Solutions, with a concentration in Business Sustainability. She has dedicated her time and career to fighting environmental, agricultural, and social injustices.

• Dorian Payán: Dorian is a land worker, a child of the abundant Chihuahuan desert, a border straddler, and a grateful guest in the village of Xučyun otherwise known as Oakland, California. Dorian’s work revolves largely around reimagining relationships to land and labor outside of and in spite of the regime of private property. Dorian’s orientation to land and labor based organizing began in agriculture, where after years of working in small-scale farming systems, Dorian saw the need for an infrastructure that did not rely on a romanticized agrarianism forged on grit, and instead grounded itself in a modality of mutual aid. Dorian’s work itself is grounded in rematriation, afrofuturism, abundance, and agroecology.  Besides working full-time at the Law Center, Dorian is also a legal apprentice and is becoming a lawyer without going to law school. Dorian is slated to take the California Bar Exam in 2024. Dorian studies, builds curriculum, and co-directs at the Radical Real Estate Law School, which is housed in the Law Center. 

• Erika Sato:Erika was a 2021 Equal Justice Works legal fellow sponsored by Baker McKenzie and Salesforce, and is now a staff attorney at the law center. Erika received their B.A. in International Relations from Pomona College and their J.D. from Harvard Law School, where they were an editor of the Harvard Law Review and active in the QTPOC affinity group community. Starting in September of 2023, they will transition to being a staff attorney at the Law Center.Erika first became interested in practicing law in the solidarity economy while studying abroad in Fortaleza, Brazil. There, they visited Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) settlements and learned about collective land ownership, squatters’ rights, and collective decision making. As an intern at the Law Center during the summer of 2020, Erika was inspired by communities all over the country coming together to meet their own needs and support each other through mutual aid. Through their fellowship project, they aim to help these COVID-response mutual aid groups grow into permanently organized communities that can collectively access resources and power and push for systemic change.Today, Erika is passionate about economic justice, rematriation of land to Indigenous communities, collective control of resources, mutual aid, and making the law accessible to everyone. Erika lives in Chicago, and they are licensed to practice law in both California and Illinois. In their free time, Erika enjoys crafts, sewing, cooking, singing, hiking, and gardening in their community garden plot.
• Adrionna Fike: Adrionna Fike (any pronouns) learned the embodied ways of cooperation through unstructured play and participation in various team sports throughout their childhood and into adulthood. They currently serve as the Education and Project Steward at Cooperation Richmond, where they support low-income Richmond residents with cooperative education and business support. Before joining Cooperation Richmond, Adrionna worked as a marketer, supporting Northern California Black Farmers, with a specialization in watermelon sales and promotions. Prior to that role, they were a worker-member at Mandela Grocery Cooperative, a Black worker-owned grocery store in West Oakland, for over 10 years. Adrionna currently sits on the boards of Agroecology Commons and People Power Solar Cooperative, and they are collaborating with their friend James Shields, creator of the Watermelon Couch, on a series of poetic cooperative coloring books.

In 2024, CCRCD Staff attended the following trainings and learned:

Conference Title: EcoFarm Conference 2024
Dates: January 17th, 2024 - January 20th, 2024
Location: Asilomar, CA
Staff Attended: Vanessa Stevens
Summary: EcoFarm is an annual conference in Asilomar, CA focused on regenerative
agriculture and features numerous workshops covering all manner of agriculture (urban,
traditional, ranching, ec.)

Conference Title: Going Beyond Land Acknowledgement
Dates: April 16th, 2024
Location: Virtual
Staff Attended: Ben Weise
Summary: Going Beyond Land Acknowledgment is a regular training put on by the
Redbud Resource Group focused on working with attendees to move their organizations
beyond land acknowledgements and working more with indigenous tribes across
California.

Conference Title:Preparing for Supervision
Dates: May 28, 2024
Location: Virtual
Staff Attended: Ben Weise
Summary: Preparing for Supervisor is put on by Public Sector Excellence, a private
company working with public sector employees to train them and provide education for
better public service. This webinar educated CCRCD Staff on supervisory roles,
responsibilities, and how to be an effective staff supervisor.

Conference Title: Society for Rangeland Management Annual meeting 2024
Dates: January 28 - February 1, 2024
Location: Sparks, NV
Staff Attended: Vanessa Stevens
Summary: This annual meeting gathers rangeland managers from across the Western
US to meet, learn, and be better rangeland managers with staff from local, state, and
federal agencies, private businesses, and non-profits.

Conference Title:Community Alliance for Family Farms Small Farms Conference
2024
Dates: February 25, 2024 - March 1, 2024
Location: Virtual
Staff Attended: Vanessa Stevens
Summary: This conference by the Community Alliance for Family Farms focuses on
small farms resources, training technical assistance providers on how to work with small
farms across California.

Conference Title:California Invasive Plant Council 2024 Symposium
Dates: October 23-25, 2024
Location: Virtual
Staff Attended: Zoë Fung
Summary: This year the theme of the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC)
Symposium was “getting ahead of the curve.” Presentations focused on emerging
invasive plant and insect species in California, strategies for early detection and rapid
response to invasion, and case studies from integrated pest management professionals
across the state.

Conference Title:REGENERATE Conference 2024
Dates: November 6 - 8, 2024
Location: Denver, CO
Staff Attended: Genna Fudin
Summary: REGENERATE, an annual conference co-hosted by American Grassfed
Association, Holistic Management International, and Quivira Coalition, held a conference
in Denver, CO in 2024 with the theme, Innovating for a Resilient Future. At this
conference, ranchers, farmers, conservationists, land stewards, scientists, & thought
leaders come together to share ideas and strengthen our networks. Here we join in the
collective task of disseminating wisdom that can help build a resilient future for all.

Conference Title: Going Beyond Land Acknowledgement
Dates: November 5, 2024 & Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Location: Virtual
Staff Attended: Nat Gaffney, Genna Fudin
Summary: Going Beyond Land Acknowledgment is a regular training put on by the
Redbud Resource Group focused on working with attendees to move their organizations
beyond land acknowledgements and working more with indigenous tribes across
California.

Conference Title: Wild Farm Alliance Field Day 2024
Dates: November 21, 2024
Location: Acampo, CA
Staff Attended: Nat Gaffney
Summary: Wild Farm Alliance hosted a field day at LangeTwins Family Vineyard with a
focus on biodiversity to optimize viticulture production. There were various topics
discussed such as creating habitat for beneficial birds and insects on farms for natural
pest management, as well as other regenerative agriculture practices such as
vermicomposting and hedgerows.

Conference Title: Organic Grower Summit 2024
Dates: December 3-4, 2024
Location: Monterey, CA
Staff Attended: Nat Gaffney
Summary: The Organic Grower Summit serves as a hub for organic producers and
suppliers to come together and explore the latest trends, techniques and innovations in
organic farming. Presentations included soil health and regenerative practices.

Conference Title: Organic Nitrogen Management Workshop 2024
Dates: November 18, November 25, December 2, December 9, 2025
Location: Virtual
Staff Attended: Nat Gaffney
Summary: In this 4-part workshop series, experts taught participants how to estimate
nitrogen release from diverse organic sources and translate that knowledge to nitrogen
fertilization plans and regulatory reporting requirements. We learned the most common
sources of nitrogen, completed a nitrogen budget, and heard from growers about how
they manage nitrogen and develop a budget.

Conference Title: Central Coast Rangeland Coalition Fall Meeting
Dates: October 17, 2024
Location: CalPoly Beef Center in San Luis Obispo, CA
Staff Attended: Genna Fudin
Summary: The Central Coast Rangeland Coalition held a one-day Fall workshop in San
Luis Obispo titled, “Rangeland Restoration and Improvement,” where attendees explored
the role this work can play in meeting land management needs and goals. At the
workshop we learned about the scientific aspects of the restoration and improvement
process on rangelands along with accompanying social aspects such as funding and
collaboration opportunities between partners at the local, state, and federal levels.

Conference Title:Cal Pac Rangeland Conference
Dates: November 15, 2024
Location: Salinas, CA
Staff Attended: Zoë Fung
Summary: The California Pacific Section Rangeland Conference, organized by the
Society for Range Management, is a bi-annual meeting for range management practitioners to share practical and sustainable rangeland science and provide technical assistance to students, other practicing managers, and other professionals.