Wisdom in the Land

Wisdom in the Land

Summary

Ohio continued its first mentor-based development program (Wisdom in the Land) for new and transitioning farmers, assigning a mentor, delivering educational events, and providing resources. Wisdom in the Land comprises four components – mentoring relationship, customized seminars and experiential workshops, and support for independent learning,

Group 1 finalized plans for 10 seminars and workshops be delivered in 2007, all of which were. Continued outreach and recruitment resulted in Feb. 2007 enrollment of Group 2.

Group 2 requested 4 seminars and workshops be delivered in 2007, after which they would finalize plans for 2008. Seminars and workshops are customized to the learning priorities of each group.

All farmers/farm partners were also assigned a mentor for up to 30 hours of individualized services during a 15 month period.

A decision was made in Sept. 2007 to initiate a third outreach and recruitment effort with applications due in Dec. 2007 and enrollment planned for Jan. 2008.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. 1. Establish a Leadership Council to assist with design, outreach, and accountability, whose members especially assist with mentor recruitment.

   2. Design a comprehensive evaluation plan that incorporates methods applied in mentoring programs of other States.

   3. Recruit, select, and train 25-40 mentors, representative of different ethnic groups (begin July 2006 – at least 20 by Sept. 2006).

   4. Recruit and select 40 mentees (20 to start Nov. 2006 and 20 to start Feb. 2007).

   5. Deliver two 15-month programs, including Orientation, 6 group sessions, individual mentoring sessions, and other individual professional development opportunities.

   6. Collaboratively deliver six one-day experiential workshops within the growing seasons (July – October 2007).

   7. Write, publish, and distribute profiles of mentor/mentee relationships (by Sept. 2008).

   8. Define a program model worthy of replication in other Ohio regions.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. Establish a Leadership Council to assist with design, outreach, and accountability, whose members especially assist with mentor recruitment.

Council established and assisted with design, outreach, accountability, and mentor recruitment in 2006. Council met once in Aug. 2007 and provided outreach, accountability, mentor recruitment and program delivery support throughout the year.

Program evaluation plan approved Aug. 2007 for implementation, as follows.

Participant-focused Evaluation

Slots filled (E) GOAL: 40 participants; 25+ mentors

Participant diversity (gender and racial/cultural) (F)

Increased knowledge of business planning (A) (B)

Increased confidence in competence to do business planning (A) (B)

Increased knowledge of marketing planning (A) (B)

Increased confidence in competence to do marketing planning (A) (B)

Changes resulting from integrating sustainable ag production techniques (A) (B)

At program end, have an operational plan or definite progress toward the future (B) (H)

Increased sense of community (A) (B)

New relationships likely to be sustained (A) (B)

Positive attitude toward future in farming (A) (B)

Entry into or strategy to enter new local markets (A) (B)

Program Effectiveness Evaluation
Appropriate schedule (A) (E)

Appropriate diversity of topics (A) (E)

Science-based research incorporated into whole farm systems (A) (B)

Experience of mentor, mentee, and mentoring relationship (B) (I)

Evaluation Tools (and Code)
A – Written surveys
B – Personal interviews
C – Periodic reports (participant)
D – Periodic reports (mentor)
E – IFO records
F – Participant application
G – Mentor profile
H – Document review
I – Focus group

EVALUATION REPORT AS PUBLICATION (modeled after The New American Farmer: Profiles of Agricultural Innovation)

Change(s) addressed (projected and actual) (A) (B) (F):

Background (farm/participant/production methods)

Economics and profitability

Environmental benefits

Community and quality of life benefits

Advice to new or transitioning farmers

The future

Mentoring relationship and experience (highlight in a separate section)

2. Design a comprehensive evaluation plan that incorporates methods applied in mentoring programs of other States. Revised from plan recommended in 2006 and approved for implementation by Council Aug. 2007.

3. Recruit, select, and train 25-40 mentors, representative of different ethnic groups (begin July 2006 – at least 20 by Sept. 2006).

Fourteen mentors/mentor teams previously recruited and 12 selected and trained in 2006. Nine additional mentors/mentor teams successfully recruited and trained in 2007. Total of 15 mentors/mentor teams retained through 2007.

4. Recruit and select 40 mentees (20 to start Nov. 2006 and 20 to start Feb. 2007).

Of the 16 mentees (11 farms) previously recruited in 2006, 11 mentees (9 farms) participated through 2007. Recruitment for a second group ended Dec06 and 24 mentees (21 farms) were accepted to start Mar07, revised from FEb07. Total of 21 mentees (17 farms) retained through 2007 in Groups 1 and 2. A third recruitment was approved in Sept. 2007 and ended Dec. 2007 with 13 mentees (12 farms) selected to start in 2008.

5. Deliver two 15-month programs, including Orientation, 6 group sessions, individual mentoring sessions, and other individual professional development opportunities.

Group 1: Orientation previously held in Nov. 2006.

Four seminars requested and delivered in 2007 specifically Selling My Products; Organic Weed Control; Organic Insect Control; and Political Environment of Agriculture and Regulations Affecting My Farm. On average, 9 persons attended each seminar – 7 from Group 1; 1 from Group 2; 1 from other farmers.

Of the 9 farms/farmer teams active in 2007, 7 had one on-farm meetings with their mentors, one had 3 such meetings; and one never met with his mentor. Mentors are available for individualized contact for up to 30 hours. During 2007, all 9 participants received individualized services from their mentors. The median hours of service was 5 hours with a range of 2.5 – 19 hours. One mentor team resigned after a first meeting because they felt under-qualified to provide needed service. One farmer team requested an alternate mentor a first meeting because they felt the mentor’s expertise was not adequately aligned with their developmental interests.

Mentors can earn a maximum of $600 in stipends for 30 hours of service. Two mentors were paid a total of $300 in 2007. Mentors can be reimbursed for travel expense up to $100. Three mentors were paid a total of $230.95 for travel.

Participants are given $50 worth of SAN publications. Of the 10 participants, 8 took advantage of this opportunity in 2007.

Participants could be reimbursed for educational fees up to $100. Of the 10 participants, 4 were paid a total of $175 in 2007.

Participants could be reimbursed for travel expenses up to $100. Of the 10 participants, 5 were paid a total of $405 in 2007.

Group 2: Orientation held March 2007 attended by 10 (of 11) participants and 6 (of 9 mentors). Content focus was on relationship building, reflection, and planning. This included introductions of participants, mentors, presenter and facilitator; expectation setting for mentoring relationship; defining purpose and boundaries in whole farm planning; facilitated group decision making on priorities for group learning through seminars and workshops; overview of resources and support for independent and group learning; and verbal evaluation of the orientation including recommendations for improvement.

Four seminars were requested and delivered in 2007 – Environmental Conservation; Farm Production Management; Marketing; and Farm Business Management. As planned, at the close of each seminar recommendations for additional seminars/workshops were made for delivery in 2008. On average 9 persons attended each seminar – 4 from Group 2; 2 from Group 1; and 3 from other farmers.

Of the 8 farms/farmer teams active in 2007, 4 had one on-farm meetings with their mentors, two had 3 such meetings; one had two such meetings, and one never met with his mentor. Mentors are available for individualized contact for up to 30 hours. During 2007, all 8 participants received individualized services from their mentors. The median hours of service was 9 hours with a range of 4 – 15 hours. As a ninth participant had dropped out of the program for health reasons, his mentor was relieved of his commitment.

Mentors can earn a maximum of $600 in stipends for 30 hours of service. Two mentors were paid a total of $400 in 2007. Mentors can be reimbursed for travel expense up to $100. Three mentors were paid a total of $219.22 for travel.

Participants are given $50 worth of SAN publications. Of the 8 participants, 7 took advantage of this opportunity in 2007.

Participants could be reimbursed for educational fees up to $100. Of the 8 participants, 1 was paid a total of $25 in 2007.

Participants could be reimbursed for travel expenses up to $100. Of the 8 participants, 5 were paid a total of $310 in 2007.

Group 3: Orientation planned for Jan. 2008.

6. Collaboratively deliver six one-day experiential workshops within the growing seasons (July – Oct. 2007)

Group 1: Six experiential workshops requested and delivered in 2007 – Chicken Production; Livestock Management; On-farm Marketing and Post-harvest Product Handling; Building and Maintaining High Quality Soils and Composting (2); and Farm Financial and Production Record Keeping. On average each workshop was attended by 12 persons – 4 from Group 1; 2 from Group 2; 6 from other farmers.

One final workshop for Group 1 is planned for delivery in 2008 – website development.

Group 2: No experiential workshops requested for delivery in 2007; however, some participants did attend workshops planned by Group 1.

7. Write, publish, and distribute profiles of mentor/mentee relationships (by Sept. 2008) Not yet begun, as planned.

8. Define a program model worthy of replication in other Ohio regions. (by Sept. 2008) Not yet begun, as planned.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

1. 1. Program participants expand their knowledge of and skill to perform sustainable and regenerative farming practices, and to use appropriate technical and business tools (to be reported at program end).

   2. Program participants have a renewed and realistic commitment to farming as a profession (to be reported at program end).

   3. Program participants gain information and knowledge about resources available to support their continued development (to be reported at program end).

   4. Farmers and education service providers increase their capacity to meet the development needs of beginning and transitioning farmers (to be reported at program end).

Collaborators: