Educating emerging farmers in specialty crop production and sales through an incubator farm education program, using soil health practices

View the project final report

Commodities

• Vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), greens (lettuces), leeks, okra, onions, peas (culinary), peppers, radishes (culinary), tomatoes

Practices

• Crop Production: conservation tillage, cover crops, fertilizers, food product quality/safety, irrigation, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, water management
• Education and Training: demonstration, farmer to farmer, mentoring, technical assistance
• Farm Business Management: business planning, cooperatives, e-commerce, farm-to-institution, farmers' markets/farm stands, financial management, land access, whole farm planning
• Pest Management: biological control, cultural control, disease vectors, integrated pest management, mulches - general, mulches - killed, physical control, trap crops, traps
• Production Systems: organic agriculture, organic certification, transitioning to organic
• Soil Management: composting, green manures, organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, community development, ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change, food hubs, leadership development, local and regional food systems, partnerships, quality of life, social networks

For this curriculum and project, what is the problem addressed. Answer; The emergence of African farmers interested in farming in Minnesota. Most of the farmers had been farming in community gardens in the Twin Cities area for many years, growing cultural crops and not having access to guidance on how to get to the next level i.e into actual farming as a business and on how to grow the mainstream crops and raise livestock if they so wished. Cultural factors such as traditional cultivation methods and post harvest handling, structural barriers including land access, lending practices, and racism are a few examples of barriers to entry faced by emerging and immigrant farmers.

Through this grant, Moses Momanyi embarked on a mission to design a comprehensive curriculum aimed at providing education and on-farm training centered on soil health for emerging farmers incubating at Kilimo in Cambridge, Minnesota. The overarching objective of this curriculum development initiative was not only to equip the Kilimo Minnesota incubator farmers with valuable knowledge and skills but also to create a replicable model for other immigrant farmer incubators.

The curriculum delivery encompassed various modalities, including virtual classes conducted via Zoom, in-person sessions (post Covid-19), and practical on-farm skills training sessions, which were integral to the curriculum's development. The project also benefited from the expertise of Kent Solberg from the Sustainable Farming Association, who served as a consultant and instructor, particularly in the area of soil health.

Over the course of the project, 35 apprentices enrolled in a three-year training program at Kilimo MN (Dawn2Dusk Farm is now the training cosultant of  Kilimo MN), where they underwent extensive training and education. Each apprentice underwent a series of assessments, including pre-training, mid-training, and post-training assessments, to gauge their knowledge growth in organic and sustainable farming practices, soil health, and farm business management. Additionally, exit interviews were conducted to assess the apprentices' readiness and preparedness to embark on their farming journeys, identifying any additional learning needs they may have.

Practical on-farm training was facilitated through the establishment of demonstration plots initially at Dawn2Dusk Farm in Cambridge and Living Organically, and subsequent expansion to other locations. These plots served as hands-on learning platforms where apprentices had the opportunity to witness and engage in cover cropping and soil health practices, enhancing their understanding and proficiency. Each apprentice was allocated a 1/4-acre plot to cultivate specialty crops, further applying the knowledge and skills they had acquired.

The impact of this curriculum development project extended beyond Kilimo Minnesota, as the educational materials, assessment tools, soil health information, and best practices were widely shared with other non-profit organizations and prospective incubator farms. The project's reach extended to a broader audience, empowering emerging farmers and incubators with valuable insights into sustainable agriculture and soil health practices.

Overall, this project addressed the critical need for comprehensive education and training in sustainable farming practices and soil health. It not only prepared a cohort of emerging farmers for successful careers but also paved the way for the replication of this successful model in other immigrant farmer incubator programs, thereby contributing to the growth and sustainability of sustainable agriculture within immigrant communities.

Kilimo is a new incubator farm that provides educational training, on-site field skill sessions, and mentorship to 35 African immigrant farmers through a three-year program. The project is created to be replicable with other newly emerging incubator farms.

1. Create a curriculum and educational materials for use with 35 participating farmers at Kilimo in the areas of: organic/ sustainable practices, soil health and fertility management, farm finances, insect, disease and weed management, direct and wholesale marketing.
2. Prepare and share materials and curriculum with prospective emerging farmer incubators, community interns, allied organizations, and online.