Integrated Production of Sustainable Crops for Small Farmers in North Florida

1997 Annual Report for ES97-030

Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 1997: $8,375.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2002
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $25,341.00
Region: Southern
State: Florida
Principal Investigator:
Gary Knox
University of Florida

Integrated Production of Sustainable Crops for Small Farmers in North Florida

Summary

Objectives
The objective of this Training Enhancement Project is to develop educational materials and demonstrations of alternative crops and production practices to support training in sustainable agriculture for Extension agents, other public agency professionals, and leaders from the North Florida small farm community.

Specific objectives are to:
1. Train at least 30 county Extension faculty members and at least 30 farmers and other professionals in the concepts of multi-crop farming systems emphasizing native crops and ecologically sound production practices.
2. Assist county faculty in the establishment of demonstration plots utilizing these crops and principles on farms in North Florida.

Approach
The first year of this grant project was spent gathering information and materials, revising existing publications, and developing new publications and other resources. During the second year, we collaborated with personnel from the University of Georgia and held two in-service trainings for county Extension faculty, growers and others. The two trainings, November 18, 1998, and July 14 and 15, 1999, attracted over 270 participants. A complete review of the trainings, including evaluation results, will be discussed in the Final Report.

The past year has been spent reviewing our activities and planning for additional resources for county Extension faculty to use in outreach to audiences interested in sustainable crops for north Florida. We plan to compile many of these resources onto a CD-ROM for distribution to county Extension faculty. The Project Coordinators continue to promote sustainable crops among audiences in north Florida.

Collaborators:

Timothy Crocker

Professor of Horticulture
University of Florida/IFAS
Gainesville, FL