Training the Trainers in Community-based Food Systems: a project-oriented case study team approach

2010 Annual Report for ES09-095

Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2009: $99,266.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2011
Region: Southern
State: North Carolina
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Nancy Creamer
North Carolina State University

Training the Trainers in Community-based Food Systems: a project-oriented case study team approach

Summary

This two year project is focused on training extension-led, county-based teams in community-based food systems including project development and implementation. Year two is focused on year 1 teams selecting, training and mentoring year 2 county-based teams in an adjacent county with a “passing on the gift” approach, ultimately developing a total of 12 counties trained and networked through Extension. Each of the six (6) Phase 1 county-based teams selected a Phase 2 team to train at the end of November 2010. They are currently training the Phase 2 teams using their own methods, including both formal workshops and informal meetings. Our Project Team, and others as needed, is serving as consultants providing ongoing support as each new team develops and implements their project. In year 2, our Project Team is also facilitating a series of three webinars to support the Phase 1 training on the following topics: Communication and Community Team Building for Local Food Systems Projects, Lessons Learned from Phase 1 of the Project, and A Cross-State Dialog on Building Local Food Systems.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective 1. Food Systems Education: for and with extension

  • Host a Project Team meeting, review farmer needs (based on 1.5 year-long statewide initiative with six regional meetings and statewide summit), develop RFP to select extension-led teams, develop agenda and resources for training: Completed January 2010
    Conduct a two-day intensive and comprehensive training about food systems: Completed February 25 and 26, 2010.
    Develop website for project, provide tools and resources, highlight case studies, and link project teams and collaborators: Base Camp was used for many of these functions in year 1. We began expansion of a public web page for the project on the CEFS website in December 2010, providing case studies, project plans, and tools and resources. http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/whatwedo/foodsystems/sarepdp.html
    Release a template RFP for use by Phase 1 teams in selection of year 2 county-based teams: Template RFP provided to Phase 1 teams for year 2 selection in October 2010.
    Facilitate three training webinars on the following topics: Communication and Community Team Building for Local Food Systems Projects, Lessons Learned from Phase 1 of the Project, and A Cross-State Dialog on Building Local Food Systems: To be completed in late winter/spring 2011.

Objective 2. Food Systems Project Development: hands-on learning

  • Phase 1 teams will successfully design, implement and evaluate a community-based food systems project in their county: Each Phase 1 team reported on their projects during a conference call in October 2010. Most teams had completed reporting through development of a project profile and logic model by December 2010.

    The county-based teams will learn community building techniques and evaluation strategies to help them assess and continually improve their projects: Additional training on community building techniques was facilitated by our Project Team and a facilitation/community participation consultant through a recorded webinar in March 2011.
    Phase 2 teams will successfully design, implement and evaluate a community-based food systems project in their county: Phase 2 projects will be designed and implemented in 2011.

Objective 3, Collaborative Training System: Passing on the Gift

  • Seek support from the Alces Foundation to fund the implementation of year 2 projects: $9000 grant awarded in April 2010.

    Phase 1 teams will begin ‘passing on the gift’ through a panel discussion on the successes and challenges of building local food systems projects at the annual Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group conference: Planning for the panel discussion was taking place in December 2010 and early January 2011 for presentation in late January 2011.
    Phase 1 teams will mentor Phase 2 teams on their local food systems projects: Monthly conference calls provide opportunity for project and training reporting. Conference calls or other means of reporting will continue in 2011.

Accomplishments/Milestones

  • Phase 1 teams selected 6 new Phase 2 teams
    Project Team conference calls to establish requirements for year 2 RFP and for project reporting
    Monthly Project Team conference calls to facilitate sharing among teams about training methods and Phase 2 project reporting and input from CEFS Project Team and other county teams
    Expansion of project website to include project case studies, logic models and county project contacts began
    Providing support to county-based teams as they develop their projects. Consultants to be assigned as needed as project designs are finalized.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Most to be determined through current evaluation efforts.

  • 6 new NC project profiles and replicable project designs (http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/whatwedo/foodsystems/sarepdp.html)
    6 extension leaders and their county partners (43 or more partners in total) trained in local food systems project development
    6 team reports of local food access increase including dollars/pounds of produce to low income, two new gardens; new farmers market (in summary profiles)

Collaborators:

Claire Herman

claire@rafiusa.org
Outreach & Communications Director
RAFI-USA
Come to the Table Project
PO Box 640
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Office Phone: 9195421396
Natalie Hampton

News Editor/Media Specialist
CALS-Communications Services NCSU
Box 7603
Butler Communications Bldg. 212
Raleigh, NC 27695
Office Phone: 9195133128
Santos Flores

santos@seedsnc.org
Co-Coordinator
SEEDS
706 Gilbert Street
Durham, NC 27701
Office Phone: 9196831197
Dr. Rebecca Dunning

rebecca.dunning9@gmail.com
Consulting Researcher
511 Carolyn Court
Cary, NC 27511
Office Phone: 9193892220
Jennifer Curtis

jencurt@mindspring.com
Project Manager
NC Choices, Center for Environmental Farming Systems
102 Pine Street
Carrboro, NC 27510
Office Phone: 9193064008
Rudi Colleredo-Mansfeld

rudi-colloredo@unc.edu
Associate Professor
UNC
Box 3115
301 Alumni Building
Chapel Hill, NC 2759-3115
Office Phone: 9198439123
Freda Butner

freda.butner@ncagr.gov
Nutrition Marketing Specialist
NCDA&CS
Raleigh, NC 27601
Office Phone: 9197073100
Debbie Bost

deborah_bost@ncsu.edu
Extension Director Cabarrus County
Cooperative Extension
PO Box 387
Concord, NC 28026
Office Phone: 7049203310
Dr. Mary Lou Addor

mary_addor@ncsu.edu
Director
Natural Resources Leadership Institute
Box 7569
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695
Office Phone: 9195159602
Teisha Wymore

tlwymore@ncsu.edu
State Coordinator, NC 10% Campaign
Center for Environmental Farming Systems
Box 7609
Raleigh, NC 27695
Office Phone: 9195150244
Tes Thraves

tes_thraves@ncsu.edu
Coordinator
CEFS Community-based Food Systems
Box 7609
Raleigh, NC 27695
Christy Shi

christy@charlottecitymarket.com
Executive Director
7th Street Public Market
Charlotte, NC 28203
Kavanah Ramsier

kavanah@seedsnc.org
Co-Coordinator
SEEDS
706 Gilbert Street
Durham, NC 27701
Office Phone: 9196831197
John O'Sullivan

johno@ncat.edu
Director
Center for Environmental Farming Systems
PO Box 21928
Greensboro, NC 27420
Office Phone: 3363347957
Jean Mills

jeanmills@aol.com
Project Manager
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
14430 Jackson Trace Road
Coker, AL 35452
Office Phone: 2053338504
Warren Miller

info@fountainworks.com
Project Planning Consultant
P.O. Box 28142
Raleigh, NC 27611
Office Phone: 9195730134
Brooke Love

Health Educator
FirstHealth Community Health Services
Pinehurst, NC 28374
Roxanne Leopper

rleopper@firsthealth.org
Policy Director
First Health of the Carolinas
PO Box 3000
Pinehurst, NC 28374
Joanna Lelekacs

joanna_lelekacs@ncsu.edu
Extension Associate
Center for Environmental Farming Systems
Box 7609, NCSU Campus
Raleigh, NC 27695
Office Phone: 9192445269
Sandi Kronick

sandi@easterncarolinaorganics.com
CEO
Eastern Carolina Organics
547 Industrial Park Drive
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Office Phone: 9195423264
Dr. Leslie Hossfeld

hossfeldl@uncw.edu
Assoc Professor
Sociology & Criminology
Campus Box 5978
UNC-Wilmington
Wilmington, NC 28403
Office Phone: 9109627849