Growing Community Supported Agriculture with Day-Long Mini Schools

2007 Annual Report for FNC06-618

Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2006: $4,200.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2008
Region: North Central
State: Michigan
Project Coordinator:

Growing Community Supported Agriculture with Day-Long Mini Schools

Summary

WORK ACTIVITIES
We have scheduled the three mini-schools for:
January 19, 2008, at the Kettunen Center near Tustin, Michigan
February 23, 2008, Kalamazoo, Michigan (Public Library - Downtown)
March 8, 2008, Ann Arbor (Leslie Science Center - Nature House)

The panels for the sessions have been set up. A core panel (and the whole group for the first mini-school) is:
* Jim Sluyter and Jo Meller, Five Springs Farm CSA
* Jon Watts and Jenny Tutlis, Meadowlark Farm CSA
* Mike and Phyllis Wells, Wells Family Farm CSA

We will be joined in Kalamazoo by Lee and Laurie Arboreal of Eater’s Guild and in Ann Arbor by Paul Bantle and Annie Elder of The Community Farm of Ann Arbor (the first CSA in Michigan).

The panels for the second and third mini-schools are larger than originally envisioned, but we felt that it would be useful to have representatives from regional farms at each of the sessions, despite an increase in costs.

RESULTS
We have little to show for 2007, but that is to be expected given that the dates of all sessions are in 2008. As of this writing (1/28/08) we have held the first session and it was very well received. Final reports will include comments from the participants.

Setting up the program has been a significant learning experience. We are using PowerPoint to loosely organize the presentation, by projecting a brief introduction to CSA followed by an introduction to each topic area. The panel then provides its ‘take’ on each topic under discussion. Using this technology (which I have only just recently learned) in a way that is useful to participants without being overwhelmingly based on PowerPoint has been challenging. We spent much time as a panel reviewing and evaluating, then revising, this aspect of the program. I am gratified to find that only modest changes are necessary after the first presentation.

We have once again observed that it is difficult to get information to growers about upcoming CSA programs, especially those who are new to farming. Promotion at conferences is fine, and many read periodicals. But finding the right promotion technique and venue has been, just as we have observed with promotion of CSA conferences, hit and miss.

WORK PLAN FOR 2008
In 2008 we will complete all three mini-schools. Promotion is on-going and we are getting much attention from our web site (and calendars on others) and also from advertising, email and mail promotion. We have been advised that Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) will be sending a contingent via a scholarship program they have funded for CSA training. Following the final mini-school we will send a survey to all participants to gauge the impact of the sessions on plans for the 2008 growing season.

OUTREACH
We hope to have an average of 25 participants in each mini-school. (The first session, January 19, 2008, had just under 20, with several cancellations due to inclement weather). We have a training manual, with support from another SARE grant, which is being distributed to all mini-school participants and is also available for sale at modest cost. This manual forms the structure of the mini-school, but is also suitable for stand-alone use. It has been used in one CSA mini-school sponsored by others and distribution of the manual, while modest, is steady.

The training sessions are also forming the basis for articles in The Community Farm, a newsletter published for CSA by our organization. The mini-schools will be offered to other organizations and conferences; we will probably present it at the CSA conference in Ontario in fall 2008.