Refugee Farm Worker Training Program

Refugee Farm Worker Training Program

Summary

The initial period of our grant-funded work (January – March 2013) has focused on curriculum development, participant recruitment, and meetings with representatives from food banks and public school systems as significant recipients of the food produced through the Farm Worker Training Program. The training program is on schedule to begin on Monday, April 1. Curriculum units have been drafted, although they will continue to be enhanced and further developed throughout the program as training staff gauges the effectiveness of materials and instructional approach. We have decided to work with one language / ethnic group in this pilot year, to simplify translation services and cohesiveness among participants.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. 1. Create a specialized labor force trained in sustainable agriculture practices that can contribute to the production of healthy local food in Central Virginia. Participants in the program have been recruited and will begin the training program on April 1. The units of the training curriculum are informed by the current growing practices at the Local Food Hub’s Educational Farm which include compliance with organic certification, GAP certification, and growing primarily for the wholesale marketplace.
   2. Establish connections and mutually beneficial relationships between existing farmers and a new population of refugee farmers in need of employment, stability, and integration into the community. A vital part of the training program consists of 6 monthly field trips to area farms to further participant exposure to local agriculture forms and practices, and encourage connections. While the roster of host-farms is being finalized, they will consist of a livestock operation, a vineyard, a diversified market farm, an orchard or fruit operation, and two primarily vegetable production farms of different scales.
   3. Improve access to healthy, local food for schools and food banks in Central Virginia. We have held winter planning meetings with representatives from area food banks and public school systems to discuss produce needs in terms of crops, quantities, and timing.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. 1. Program and curriculum development: While the training program is designed to have a hands-on approach, we have planned to focus in one key units of study and further compliment the working-portion with additional instruction. The flow of these units is designed to reflect the flow of work on the farm in terms of seasonality and production cycles. Topics Include:
   a. Greenhouse Production and Maintenance
   b. Farm Safety / Small Tools & Equipment
   c. GAP / On-farm Food Safety
   d. Specialty Crops in Virginia
   e. Planting Techniques
   f. Irrigation set-up (drip)
   g. Pruning & Trellising techniques (tomatoes, cucumbers)
   h. Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling and Packing
   i. Weed and Insect Control
   j. The Basics of Organic Production
   k. Season Extension and Growing in High Tunnels
   l. General Farm Maintenance
   2. Recruitment of participants: Through partnership with the Charlottesville branch of the International Rescue Committee, we have recruited 4 ethnic Bhutanese, Nepali-speaking refugees for participation in the training program.
   3. Meetings with representatives of food banks and school systems: Several planning meetings have been held during the winter months to determine crop choices that best fit the needs of food banks and school systems. Representatives from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank met with Local Food Hub staff in March to discuss specific crops (potatoes, cabbage, onions, bell peppers) along with the logistics of transportation and receiving. Meetings with food service representatives from Charlottesville City Schools and Waynesboro City Schools allowed us to pinpoint what produce used in their seasonal menus could be potentially substituted for locally grown alternatives. Examples include: cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, salad mix, kale, carrots, and watermelons. A January meeting with representatives from the counties of Rappahannock, Page, and Orange has been rescheduled for April 10.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Given that the program is in the start-up phase, it is difficult at this time to report on any impacts and/or outcomes. We have been discussing the training program with individuals within both the farming and general community to build interest and overall support. As a result of the program’s focus on employment-based training, there is an obvious positive impact for the four refugee participants, and their families, as they earn a steady income ($10 / hour) throughout the course of the program.

Collaborators: