Common use of Lessons learned Clause in Contracts

Lessons learned. CRAFT programs were originally created by a community of growers with like minded commitments to the education of new farmers; experienced farmers both educated and mentored new farmers. The modified CRAFT model we developed and used for this program supports the education of new farmers by providing the organizational structure to allow expert farmers to be teachers. It was successful in part because of our regional collaborative partner whose farmer board provided a direct connection to the community of farmers in that region. These farmers were willing to commit to the project, lend their expertise to educate specialty crop producers, and promote the series. We recommend and plan to continue the approach of working with a regional partner in other areas of the state. Evaluations were lower in quantity than desired. We developed both paper and electronic evaluation formats. Paper evaluations could be either written in the field or taken home to be completed and later mailed to the NOFA-VT office. Electronic evaluations were available in Survey Monkey. The paper evaluations handed out in the workshop contained a link to the electronic evaluation. We received 12 paper evaluations and 12 electronic evaluations from participants. However, our collaborative partner conducted their own evaluation which had 16 responses, so we gleaned additional information from their survey. Next year we will use a simpler evaluation format to increase participation with check box options. We also plan to ask farmers how many new practices they learned so we can start to quantify the learning experience. CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D., Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Advisor for NOFA-VT Phone: 000-000-0000 x00 and email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The beginner farmer workshops were marketed through a catalogue of summer workshop offerings; the whole catalogue can be viewed at xxxx://xxxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/SWS2010.pdf. Below is one section describing the beginner farmer workshops. Note that only some of the workshops (those targeted to specialty crop farmers) were part of this project. Beginning Farmers & Apprentices Workshops 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 & 9 are produced in partnership with the Rutland Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) and funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant; they are offered at no charge. 1Wednesday, July 14 • 6:30 - 8:30pm Marketing Strategies for the Small Farm Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm • Granville, NY Learn the basics of marketing - as they relate to your farm! We will give an overview of different marketing tools, emphasizing those which are a good fit for small farms. We’ll cover our own marketing strategies, focusing on our extensive use of relationship marketing. Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm grows a wide variety of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, marketing them year 'round through farmers' markets and a CSA. 2Wednesday, July 28 • 5 - 7pm Building Soils: Soil Testing, Composting, Amendments Dutchess Farm • Poultney Farmer Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, NRCS Soil Conservationist Xxxxx Xxxxxx, and NOFA- VT Vegetable and Fruit Advisor Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx will discuss the need to test soils annually, and how to use soil tests to determine your need for organic fertilizers. We will demonstrate how a cover crop and vegetable rotation system can control weeds and increase organic matter without added manure or compost. We will discuss how to choose a site for vegetable production. Dutchess Farm grows 4 acres of produce using organic practices, selling to a 100-member CSA, the Rutland Xxxxxx'x Market, and the Rutland Co-op. 3Saturday, July 31 • 1 - 4pm Introduction to Pasture Management: Using Ruminants to Improve Pasture Bread and Butter Farm • Shelburne/S. Burlington $10 for NOFA-VT and VGFA members, $15 non- members Livestock expert Xxxxx Xxxxx will cover the fundamentals of setting up a new grazing system for ruminants - or improving an existing one. Using practical examples of grazing systems, we’ll discuss pasture plant species and how to manage them for desirable plants, as well as how to do so with livestock and fence rather than expensive plowing and planting. Topics include plant species, grazing methods, fence, water systems, pasture design and layout, paddock size, and acreage. Cosponsored by the VT Grass Farmers Association. 4 Sunday, August 8 • 2 - 5pm Beginning Farmers and Apprentices Producing Eggs Year ‘Round On Compost Without Purchased Grain & NOFAvore Social Vermont Compost • Montpelier $10 for NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members • Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Vermont Compost Company was founded and sup- ported by organic crop-growing professionals to meet the need for high quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production. Integrated into this production is an innovative system that provides chickens with foraging opportunities to produce eggs along with compost. Come join us for an afternoon with Xxxx Xxxxxx, founder of Vermont Compost, as he gives a tour of the farm and discusses the different enterprises that are intertwined. Following the workshop, there will be a community dinner with the NOFA pizza oven. 5Wednesday, August 11 • 5 - 7pm Business Strategies and Cheese Blue Ledge Farm, Leicester Pre-registration required (limit 20) Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Blue Ledge Farm as Xxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxx- sions extrapolate on what it takes to start and maintain a farmstead cheese operation. We will discuss equipment needs and costs for both the dairy and cheese produc- tion areas, value added ideas, and labor needs. They will “crunch the numbers” as to size and profit. Blue Ledge Farm was established in 2000 and now produces 40,000 pounds of artisanal cheese annually from the milk of their own 80 goats as well as two other area farms. Participants may purchase cheese after the workshop. 6Tuesday, August 17 • 9am - 1pm Processing Chickens on the Farm All Together Farm • Xxxxxxxx $20 members, $25 non-members • Preregistration required (limit 12) Farmers Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx will go over the set-up, procedure, and safety of processing your own birds on the farm or at home. They will then lead the group step-by-step through the whole process. Participants can gain more experience by participating in the processing of a batch of their summer broilers. All Together Farm is a small-scale, diversified family farm raising animals on pasture. 71 Wednesday, August 25 • 5 - 7pm Farm Equipment Primer: Safety and Types of Equipment for Small Farms with NOFAvore social and New Farmer Mixer! Xxxxxx Farm • Xxxxx Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx as we go over basic safety rules for tractors and other typical small farm equipment. We will talk about tractors, PTOs, tillage equipment, and bucket loaders. We will also talk about small equip- ment and, for livestock farmers, safety tips when work- ing with animals. Time permitting, we can talk about preventative maintenance. Xxxxxx Farm is a former commodity dairy farm, now milking 20 Jerseys for raw milk and supplying a local artisan cheese maker, as well as raising grass-fed beef. Plus! Join us for XXXXX’s New Farmer Mixer and NOFAvore Celebration with the mobile pizza oven at 7pm! All new and aspiring farmers are invited to come mix, mingle, and meet new farming friends. A sample of the survey distributed to participants in the courses is as follows: NOFA-VT / RAFFL Workshop Evaluation You have the option of completing this evaluation online at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/s/TQBWQLY Name of Workshop Attended (see list below): I am a: Beginning Farmer (less than 10 years) Farm Apprentice Farm Worker Intermediate or Advanced Farmer Student Ag Service Provider Other

Lessons learned. CRAFT All of the projects supported by this grant are continuing program efforts rather that specific and finite projects with identifiable implementation periods and identifiable end periods. Our educational and marketing efforts must be continual. NHVTCTA accepted the funds made available through this grant with gratitude. As we move forward, hopefully other grants may be available. But NHVTCTA does not live in a vacuum. We realize that budget deficits must be brought under control, and that there will be increasing pressure as federal and state agencies allocate scarce resources among many worthwhile projects. It will be incumbent upon NHVTCTA “stand on its own feet” and to do its best to maintain these programs with internal funding and with less reliance on outside assistance. That will be a challenge. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The website is xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxxxx, Executive Director, NHVTCTA; xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx PROJECT 10: Beginner Farmer and Apprentice Workshops in Commercial Organic Vegetable Production – Final Report PROJECT SUMMARY A series of seven on-farm workshops for new and aspiring farmers were originally created developed and offered on important production and business-related practices (Soils and composting; Organic plant disease management; Organic weed control; Food safety practices in production, handling and marketing; On-farm energy production and conservation; Marketing practices and strategies; Business and enterprise planning and analysis). The workshops provided attendees with up-to-date practical knowledge and information required for successful commercial organic production and commercial enterprises. PROJECCT APPROAH NOFA-VT received a sub-contract through a USDA Beginning Farmer Rancher and Development Program (BFRDP) to support the expenses associated with organizing, facilitating and evaluating 8 beginner farmer workshops held as part of our on-farm summer workshop series. Because of that, we requested permission to use the $3,496.50 award to support beginner farmer marketing and business planning workshops at NOFA-VT’s Direct Marketing Conference, scheduled for January 8, 2012. In addition, we requested a 30 day extension of our contract to accommodate this change of scope, which was granted. The following list outlines the activities that were proposed and those performed with the change in scope: Winter 2010-11: Develop workshops’ content; identify expert presenters for each workshop; identify host-farms and develop farmer-host involvement on each farm Performed: Fall, 2011 outreach to specialty crop producers to identify priority workshops, and secure facility. Early Spring, 2011: Develop workshop materials; develop and implement publicity and outreach strategies Performed: Fall/Winter 2011/2012 confirm workshops with presenters, outreach and publicity of Direct Marketing Conference. Spring-Fall, 2011: Host workshops; continue publicity and outreach Performed: January, 2012: Host conference Fall, 2011: Project evaluation and summary of outcomes Performed: January 2012 Evaluate conference and share with presenters Project partners: The 13 member board of the Vermont Farmers Market Association (VTFMA), a project of NOFA-VT, were instrumental in workshop development, and assisting with logistics on the day of the conference. A representative of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and Markets serves on that board. In addition, 4 CSA farmers in Vermont served as advisors, helping develop and present workshops. GOALS AND OUTCOMES ACHIEVED The original proposal was to organize 7 summer workshops to reach 40-60 beginning specialty crop producers. We ended up organizing 12 workshops for specialty crop producers at the January, 2012 Direct Marketing Conference attended by a community total of growers with like minded commitments to the education 140 participants, 89 of new farmers; experienced farmers both educated and mentored new farmerswhom were specialty crop producers. The modified CRAFT model workshops were attended by farmers who sell fruits and vegetables at farmers markets or Community Supported Agriculture farms, or farmers market managers who manage specialty crop vendors. Since the vast majority of direct markets at Vermont only sell specialty crops, it was an easy way to make sure we developed and used were targeting that audience. There were a total of 140 participants at the conference. The 12 workshops that were offered for this program supports the education of new farmers by providing the organizational structure to allow expert farmers to be teachers. It was successful in part because of our regional collaborative partner whose farmer board provided a direct connection to the community of farmers in that region. These farmers were willing to commit to the project, lend their expertise to educate specialty crop producers, and promote were attended by a total of 89 specialty crop producers. There were 7 other workshops offered predominantly for farmers market managers (not themselves producers, but who manage specialty crop vendors) who were the series. We recommend and plan to continue the approach of working with a regional partner in other areas bulk of the state. Evaluations were lower in quantity than desired. We developed both paper and electronic evaluation formats. Paper evaluations could be either written in the field or taken home to be completed and later mailed to the NOFA-VT office. Electronic evaluations were available in Survey Monkey. The paper evaluations handed out in the workshop contained a link to the electronic evaluation. We received 12 paper evaluations and 12 electronic evaluations from participants. However, our collaborative partner conducted their own evaluation which had 16 responses, so we gleaned additional information from their survey. Next year we will use a simpler evaluation format to increase participation with check box options. We also plan to ask farmers how many new practices they learned so we can start to quantify the learning experience. CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D., Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Advisor for NOFA-VT Phone: 000-000-0000 x00 and email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The beginner farmer workshops were marketed through a catalogue of summer workshop offerings; the whole catalogue can be viewed at xxxx://xxxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/SWS2010.pdf. Below is one section describing the beginner farmer workshops. Note that only some of the workshops (those targeted to 51 non specialty crop farmers) were part producers referenced in your question. Grant funding was only used to cover the cost of this projectpresenters and organizing the 12 workshops for specialty crop producers. Beginning Farmers & Apprentices Workshops 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 & 9 are produced in partnership with the Rutland Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) and funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant; they are offered at no charge. 1Wednesday, July 14 • 6:30 - 8:30pm Marketing Strategies for the Small Farm Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm • Granville, NY Learn the basics of marketing - as they relate to your farm! We will give an overview of different marketing tools, emphasizing those which are a good fit for small farms. We’ll cover our own marketing strategies, focusing on our extensive use of relationship marketing. Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm grows a wide variety of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, marketing them year 'round through farmers' markets and a CSA. 2Wednesday, July 28 • 5 - 7pm Building Soils: Soil Testing, Composting, Amendments Dutchess Farm • Poultney Farmer Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, NRCS Soil Conservationist Xxxxx Xxxxxx, and NOFA- VT Vegetable and Fruit Advisor Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx will discuss the need to test soils annually, and how to use soil tests to determine your need for organic fertilizers. We will demonstrate how a cover crop and vegetable rotation system can control weeds and increase organic matter without added manure or compost. We will discuss how to choose a site for vegetable production. Dutchess Farm grows 4 acres of produce using organic practices, selling to a 100-member CSA, the Rutland Xxxxxx'x Market, held and the Rutland Co-op. 3Saturday, July 31 • 1 - 4pm Introduction to Pasture Management: Using Ruminants to Improve Pasture Bread and Butter Farm • Shelburne/S. Burlington $10 for NOFA-VT and VGFA members, $15 non- members Livestock expert Xxxxx Xxxxx will cover the fundamentals number of setting up a new grazing system for ruminants - or improving an existing one. Using practical examples of grazing systems, we’ll discuss pasture plant species and how to manage them for desirable plants, as well as how to do so with livestock and fence rather than expensive plowing and planting. Topics include plant species, grazing methods, fence, water systems, pasture design and layout, paddock size, and acreage. Cosponsored by the VT Grass Farmers Association. 4 Sunday, August 8 • 2 - 5pm Beginning Farmers and Apprentices Producing Eggs Year ‘Round On Compost Without Purchased Grain & NOFAvore Social Vermont Compost • Montpelier $10 for NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members • Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Vermont Compost Company was founded and sup- ported by organic crop-growing professionals to meet the need for high quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production. Integrated into this production is an innovative system that provides chickens with foraging opportunities to produce eggs along with compost. Come join us for an afternoon with Xxxx Xxxxxx, founder of Vermont Compost, as he gives a tour of the farm and discusses the different enterprises that attendees are intertwined. Following the workshop, there will be a community dinner with the NOFA pizza oven. 5Wednesday, August 11 • 5 - 7pm Business Strategies and Cheese Blue Ledge Farm, Leicester Pre-registration required (limit 20) Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Blue Ledge Farm as Xxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxx- sions extrapolate on what it takes to start and maintain a farmstead cheese operation. We will discuss equipment needs and costs for both the dairy and cheese produc- tion areas, value added ideas, and labor needs. They will “crunch the numbers” as to size and profit. Blue Ledge Farm was established in 2000 and now produces 40,000 pounds of artisanal cheese annually from the milk of their own 80 goats as well as two other area farms. Participants may purchase cheese after the workshop. 6Tuesday, August 17 • 9am - 1pm Processing Chickens on the Farm All Together Farm • Xxxxxxxx $20 members, $25 non-members • Preregistration required (limit 12) Farmers Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx will go over the set-up, procedure, and safety of processing your own birds on the farm or at home. They will then lead the group step-by-step through the whole process. Participants can gain more experience by participating in the processing of a batch of their summer broilers. All Together Farm is a small-scale, diversified family farm raising animals on pasture. 71 Wednesday, August 25 • 5 - 7pm Farm Equipment Primer: Safety and Types of Equipment for Small Farms with NOFAvore social and New Farmer Mixer! Xxxxxx Farm • Xxxxx Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx as we go over basic safety rules for tractors and other typical small farm equipment. We will talk about tractors, PTOs, tillage equipment, and bucket loaders. We will also talk about small equip- ment and, for livestock farmers, safety tips when work- ing with animals. Time permitting, we can talk about preventative maintenance. Xxxxxx Farm is a former commodity dairy farm, now milking 20 Jerseys for raw milk and supplying a local artisan cheese maker, as well as raising grass-fed beef. Plus! Join us for XXXXX’s New Farmer Mixer and NOFAvore Celebration with the mobile pizza oven at 7pm! All new and aspiring farmers are invited to come mix, mingle, and meet new farming friends. A sample of the survey distributed to participants in the courses is as follows: NOFAProtecting Your Markets with Safe Food Practices (16 attendees) Merchandising for Maximum Sales (46 attendees) Expanding Direct Markets to Include Limited Income Shoppers (12 attendees) Leveraging Customer Relationships into Year Round Sales (21 attendees) Pricing for Profit – Strategies for Diversified Farms (34 attendees) Hosting Visitors to Build Direct Marketing Relationships (18 attendees) Marketing Toolkit: Planning and Measurement Strategies (57 attendees) Effective Off-VT / RAFFL Workshop Evaluation You have Farm CSA Management (14 attendees) Business Planning for Farm Success (23 attendees) Safe and Effective Food Demos (17 attendees) Brand Development (18 attendees) Strategies for Grassroots Fundraising (18 attendees) An evaluation completed at the option conference was filled out by 58 participants. The first question, with 55 people responding, asked how they would rate the overall quality of completing the conference. 50 respondents said the conference was excellent or good (91%), and 5 answered that is was fair (9%). When asked if they learned any new techniques they will use on their farms, 39 participants answered yes, and 6 answered no. The majority of respondents wrote that the following information was the most helpful: pricing, advertising, food safety and general marketing. BENEFICIARIES The primary beneficiaries of this evaluation online at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/s/TQBWQLY Name project were the specialty crop producers who sell at direct markets in Vermont, including farmers markets, CSAs and farm stands. Other groups that benefited from this work include farmers’ markets managers and organizers who benefit from improved marketing tools. This project was designed to help attendees to be successful farmers and develop successful markets, which in turn will provide improved sales opportunities for hundreds of Workshop Attended (see list below): I am a: Beginning Farmer (less than 10 years) Farm Apprentice Farm Worker Intermediate or Advanced Farmer Student Ag Service Provider Otherspecialty crop producers throughout Vermont. We operated under the assumption that the better skilled the participating farmers are, the stronger the market – and the stronger the market, the higher the gross sales for specialty crop producers.

Lessons learned. CRAFT programs were Perhaps the most important lesson learned was how customized, personalized, and technology driven marketing efforts of individual businesses have become in our industry. One consistent point of feedback in our group conversations, whether with growers or retailers, was the request that materials be made generic and available online so that they could be downloaded and integrated in to existing branding and signage designs. Another challenge we encountered was the immense amount of data the grower community wanted included in a print directory, and the way in which it was to be referenced. The result was of this was again the development of a new online membership database that allows members to update their availabilities as they see fit and have them searchable. This same online database will provide for growers, retailers, and landscapers to add ‘Jersey Grown’ availabilities, photos and other information that will be searchable by consumers. The results of this project and the decision, based on project feedback from intended project beneficiaries, to move to a custom technology rather than a print solution was an unexpected outcome which we believe will extend the benefits of this project well beyond the timeframe originally created defined by a community of growers with like minded commitments the grant agreement. The biggest obstacle that was encountered was adapting the work plan as the delivery method for the project deliverables evolved. Or presentations at meetings and facilitated roundtables often raised more questions and ultimately pushed the deadlines back right up to the education end of new farmers; experienced farmers both educated and mentored new farmers. The modified CRAFT model we developed and used for this program supports the education of new farmers by providing the organizational structure to allow expert farmers to be teachers. It was successful in part because of our regional collaborative partner whose farmer board provided a direct connection to the community of farmers in that region. These farmers were willing to commit to the project, lend their expertise to educate specialty crop producers, . There are still elements that are not where we would like them and promote the series. We recommend and plan NJNLA remains committed to continue the approach work towards the goals of working with this project as part of its annual operations. As a regional partner in other areas result of the state. Evaluations were lower in quantity than desired. We developed both paper and electronic evaluation formats. Paper evaluations could be either written in above results the field or taken home to be NJNLA feels that this grant has been successfully completed and later mailed to the NOFA-VT officebenefit of New Jersey’s horticultural industry. Electronic evaluations were available in Survey MonkeyContact Information; Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Executive Director New Jersey Nursery Landscape Association 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxx. The paper evaluations handed out in the workshop contained a link to the electronic evaluation. We received 12 paper evaluations and 12 electronic evaluations from participants. HoweverBordentown, our collaborative partner conducted their own evaluation which had 16 responses, so we gleaned additional information from their survey. Next year we will use a simpler evaluation format to increase participation with check box options. We also plan to ask farmers how many new practices they learned so we can start to quantify the learning experience. CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D., Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Advisor for NOFA-VT Phone: 000-NJ 08505 PH 0 000 000-0000 x00 and email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The beginner farmer workshops were marketed through a catalogue of summer workshop offerings; the whole catalogue can be viewed at xxxx://xxxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/SWS2010.pdf. Below is one section describing the beginner farmer workshops. Note that only some of the workshops FAX 000 000-0000 xxxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx Xxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx SCBG Agreement # 12-25-B-1083 Final Performance Report (those targeted to specialty crop farmers) were part of this project. Beginning Farmers & Apprentices Workshops 1Revised February 3, 2, 5, 7, 8 & 9 are produced in partnership with the Rutland Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) and funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant; they are offered at no charge. 1Wednesday, July 14 • 6:30 - 8:30pm Marketing Strategies for the Small Farm Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm • Granville, NY Learn the basics of marketing - as they relate to your farm! We will give an overview of different marketing tools, emphasizing those which are a good fit for small farms. We’ll cover our own marketing strategies, focusing on our extensive use of relationship marketing. Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm grows a wide variety of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, marketing them year 'round through farmers' markets and a CSA. 2Wednesday, July 28 • 5 - 7pm Building Soils: Soil Testing, Composting, Amendments Dutchess Farm • Poultney Farmer Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, NRCS Soil Conservationist Xxxxx Xxxxxx, and NOFA- VT Vegetable and Fruit Advisor Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx will discuss the need to test soils annually, and how to use soil tests to determine your need for organic fertilizers. We will demonstrate how a cover crop and vegetable rotation system can control weeds and increase organic matter without added manure or compost. We will discuss how to choose a site for vegetable production. Dutchess Farm grows 4 acres of produce using organic practices, selling to a 100-member CSA, the Rutland Xxxxxx'x Market, and the Rutland Co-op. 3Saturday, July 31 • 1 - 4pm Introduction to Pasture Management: Using Ruminants to Improve Pasture Bread and Butter Farm • Shelburne/S. Burlington $10 for NOFA-VT and VGFA members, $15 non- members Livestock expert Xxxxx Xxxxx will cover the fundamentals of setting up a new grazing system for ruminants - or improving an existing one. Using practical examples of grazing systems, we’ll discuss pasture plant species and how to manage them for desirable plants, as well as how to do so with livestock and fence rather than expensive plowing and planting. Topics include plant species, grazing methods, fence, water systems, pasture design and layout, paddock size, and acreage. Cosponsored by the VT Grass Farmers Association. 4 Sunday, August 8 • 2 - 5pm Beginning Farmers and Apprentices Producing Eggs Year ‘Round On Compost Without Purchased Grain & NOFAvore Social Vermont Compost • Montpelier $10 for NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members • Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Vermont Compost Company was founded and sup- ported by organic crop-growing professionals to meet the need for high quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production. Integrated into this production is an innovative system that provides chickens with foraging opportunities to produce eggs along with compost. Come join us for an afternoon with Xxxx Xxxxxx, founder of Vermont Compost, as he gives a tour of the farm and discusses the different enterprises that are intertwined. Following the workshop, there will be a community dinner with the NOFA pizza oven. 5Wednesday, August 11 • 5 - 7pm Business Strategies and Cheese Blue Ledge Farm, Leicester Pre-registration required (limit 20) Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Blue Ledge Farm as Xxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxx- sions extrapolate on what it takes to start and maintain a farmstead cheese operation. We will discuss equipment needs and costs for both the dairy and cheese produc- tion areas, value added ideas, and labor needs. They will “crunch the numbers” as to size and profit. Blue Ledge Farm was established in 2000 and now produces 40,000 pounds of artisanal cheese annually from the milk of their own 80 goats as well as two other area farms. Participants may purchase cheese after the workshop. 6Tuesday, August 17 • 9am - 1pm Processing Chickens on the Farm All Together Farm • Xxxxxxxx $20 members, $25 non-members • Preregistration required (limit 12) Farmers Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx will go over the set-up, procedure, and safety of processing your own birds on the farm or at home. They will then lead the group step-by-step through the whole process. Participants can gain more experience by participating in the processing of a batch of their summer broilers. All Together Farm is a small-scale, diversified family farm raising animals on pasture. 71 Wednesday, August 25 • 5 - 7pm Farm Equipment Primer: Safety and Types of Equipment for Small Farms with NOFAvore social and New Farmer Mixer! Xxxxxx Farm • Xxxxx Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx as we go over basic safety rules for tractors and other typical small farm equipment. We will talk about tractors, PTOs, tillage equipment, and bucket loaders. We will also talk about small equip- ment and, for livestock farmers, safety tips when work- ing with animals. Time permitting, we can talk about preventative maintenance. Xxxxxx Farm is a former commodity dairy farm, now milking 20 Jerseys for raw milk and supplying a local artisan cheese maker, as well as raising grass-fed beef. Plus! Join us for XXXXX’s New Farmer Mixer and NOFAvore Celebration with the mobile pizza oven at 7pm! All new and aspiring farmers are invited to come mix, mingle, and meet new farming friends. A sample of the survey distributed to participants in the courses is as follows: NOFA-VT / RAFFL Workshop Evaluation You have the option of completing this evaluation online at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/s/TQBWQLY Name of Workshop Attended (see list below): I am a: Beginning Farmer (less than 10 years) Farm Apprentice Farm Worker Intermediate or Advanced Farmer Student Ag Service Provider Other2014)

Lessons learned. CRAFT programs were originally created by The project, in and of itself, was indeed a community of growers with like minded commitments to the education of new farmers; experienced farmers both educated and mentored new farmerssuccess. The modified CRAFT model we developed and used for this program supports the education of new farmers by providing the organizational structure to allow expert farmers to be teachers. It was successful UVM made a great partner in part because of our regional collaborative partner whose farmer board provided a direct connection to the community of farmers in that region. These farmers were willing to commit to the project, lend their expertise and this resource for future viticulturists is invaluable. The remaining challenge is recruiting new growers (who will be able to educate specialty crop producersuse the map) to the industry. Towards that end, the VGWC is now working with another UVM researcher to build financial and practical models for vineyards in Vermont. We will use the map in developing the models for farm viability, and promote will include it in the seriestoolbox presented to interested growers. CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, President, Vermont Grape & Wine Council, xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Treasurer, Vermont Grape & Wine Council, xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION * Webmap deliverable - xxxx://xxx.xxx.xxx/~ebuford/VGWC/ PROJECT 15: Wine Industry Education and Marketing Support – Final Report PROJECT SUMMARY As a relatively new wine producing region, Vermont vintners and fruit producers have quickly developed their marketing skills to attract new customers. The Council supports the marketing of Vermont made wines through its website, festival participation and other programs that benefit the industry as a whole. This grant follows earlier funding from Specialty Crop Block Grants, most recently 02200-SCBGP23. For this grant, we are focusing resources on the continued activities that Council members believe were most valuable among those supported by previous grants. This three pronged focus includes continuing the annual educational conference, enhancing our website functionality and key direct- marketing campaigns. PROJECT APPROACH The following activities were performed in 2011-2012 with support of grant funds: Educational Activities: • The Council put on an Annual Conference in both June of 2011 and 2012 with educational seminars for grape growers and winemakers. We recommend saw an attendance increase of 43% in 2012. • In the spring of 2012, a vineyard pruning and plan training workshop was held in a local VT vineyard. Of the 12 attendees, 60% were members, and 40% were new/potential growers. • An inaugural wine faults workshop was held in June of 2012. The workshop quickly sold out. Final attendance exceeded the workshop maximum of 25 due to continue the approach of working with a regional partner in other areas demand. 100% of the statesurveys were returned with outstanding feedback and the request to hold the workshop as an annual event. Evaluations • Experts in vineyard techniques and winemaking practices were lower engaged to for both the conferences and the workshops. All were overwhelming well received. Direct-market, Print Materials/Passport Campaign: • The VGWC Passport program continued its early success requiring a second printing of 5,000 more passports in quantity than desiredthe late summer of 2012. The Passport provides a map and listing of all the participating wineries in Vermont. The program requires consumers to visit at least 10 wineries and present their Passports to be ‘stamped’ during the visit. Consumers who collected 10 or more ‘stamps’ could then submit it at the end of 2012 to be part of a drawing for prizes provided by participating Council members. Again, the program was highly regarded by all that participated in 2012 and consumers were consistently surprised at the number of wineries that were in Vermont. The greatest impact of the program was increased foot traffic into the wineries. The overall value is that the program has adjusted every year based on participant feedback, making it more of a useable marketing tool industry wide. A redesign to allow for more wineries and information is planned for 2013. • The final products developed by Xxxxx Xxxxxx of Xxxxxx and Day Communications (PR strategy, press kit) garnered continued contact with the local and regional media. Her targeted promotion of Council events (annual Open House Weekends, Council sponsored Festivals) as well as overall promotion of Vermont Wines through member events (Wine & Chocolates Weekend) via press releases and crafting of both TV/radio advertising allowed vineyards and wineries greater exposure thus increased traffic and sales. Website Enhancements: • Minor enhancements were made to the Council website. We developed both paper and electronic evaluation formats. Paper evaluations could be either written in the field or taken home continue to be completed and later mailed see increased traffic to the NOFAwebsite; specifically, there are increased, year over year, measurable hits during promoted events. GOALS AND OUTCOMES ACHIEVED Goal - Education of members to continuously improve the quality of their products: Measurement: • Increased year over year annual conference attendance – 46 attendees in 2012 and 32 in 2011 • Broadening of the annual conference to a two-VT officeday event • Completion of statewide GIS mapping to assist new and current producers • Local onsite training for growers – 12 participants Goal – Marketing - introducing consumers to the new types of wines made in Vermont Measurements: • Wineries continue to see an uptick of consumers arriving with Passport in hand – approximately 10% of customers in 2012. Electronic evaluations 128 Passports were available collected in Survey Monkey. The paper evaluations 2011 and 129 in 2012 • Over 5000 Passports were handed out in 2012 • Collectively, the workshop contained participating members attend close to 40 local/statewide festivals, fairs, xxxxxx’x markets and private events. • The annual website hits at the start of the grant in 2009 were 4,206 vs. the considerable increase of 9,954 in 2012. While the website hits had a link negligible decrease from 2011 to 2012, the electronic evaluation. We received 12 paper evaluations and 12 electronic evaluations from participants. However, our collaborative partner conducted their own evaluation which had 16 responses, so we gleaned additional information from their survey. Next year we will use a simpler evaluation format to increase participation with check box options. We also plan to ask farmers how many new practices they learned so we can start to quantify the learning experience. CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D., Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Advisor for NOFA-VT Phone: 000-000-0000 x00 and email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The beginner farmer workshops over year event hits were marketed through a catalogue of summer workshop offerings; the whole catalogue can be viewed at xxxx://xxxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/SWS2010.pdfoverall increased. Below is one section describing some information from Google Analytics: • The Council continues to sponsor and participate in high profile festival events that celebrate Vermont foods and wines. o These included the beginner farmer workshops. Note that only some of the workshops (those targeted to specialty crop farmers) were part of this project. Beginning Farmers & Apprentices Workshops 12011 and 2012 Vermont Cheesemakers Festival in July, 2, 5, 7, 8 & 9 are produced in partnership with the Rutland Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) and funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant; they are offered at no charge. 1Wednesday, July 14 • 6:30 - 8:30pm Marketing Strategies for the Small Farm Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm • Granville, NY Learn the basics of marketing - as they relate to your farm! We will give an overview of different marketing tools, emphasizing those which are a good fit for small farms. We’ll cover our own marketing strategies, focusing on our extensive use of relationship marketing. Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm grows a wide variety of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, marketing them year 'round through farmers' markets and a CSA. 2Wednesday, July 28 • 5 - 7pm Building Soils: Soil Testing, Composting, Amendments Dutchess Farm • Poultney Farmer Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, NRCS Soil Conservationist Xxxxx Xxxxxx, and NOFA- VT Vegetable and Fruit Advisor Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx will discuss the need to test soils annually, and how to use soil tests to determine your need for organic fertilizers. We will demonstrate how a cover crop and vegetable rotation system can control weeds and increase organic matter without added manure or compost. We will discuss how to choose a site for vegetable production. Dutchess Farm grows 4 acres of produce using organic practices, selling to a 100-member CSA, the Rutland Xxxxxx'x Market, and the Rutland Co-op. 3Saturday, July 31 • 1 - 4pm Introduction to Pasture Management: Using Ruminants to Improve Pasture Bread and Butter Farm • Shelburne/S. Burlington $10 for NOFA-VT and VGFA members, $15 non- members Livestock expert Xxxxx Xxxxx will cover the fundamentals of setting up a new grazing system for ruminants - or improving an existing one. Using practical examples of grazing systems, we’ll discuss pasture plant species and how to manage them for desirable plants, as well as how to do so with livestock and fence rather than expensive plowing and planting. Topics include plant species, grazing methods, fence, water systems, pasture design and layout, paddock size, and acreage. Cosponsored by the VT Grass Farmers Association. 4 Sunday, August 8 • 2 - 5pm Beginning Farmers and Apprentices Producing Eggs Year ‘Round On Compost Without Purchased Grain & NOFAvore Social Vermont Compost • Montpelier $10 for NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members • Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Vermont Compost Company was founded and sup- ported by organic crop-growing professionals to meet the need for high quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production. Integrated into this production is an innovative system that provides chickens with foraging opportunities to produce eggs along with compost. Come join us for an afternoon with Xxxx Xxxxxx, founder of Vermont Compost, as he gives a tour of the farm and discusses the different enterprises that are intertwined. Following the workshop, there will be a community dinner with the NOFA pizza oven. 5Wednesday, August 11 • 5 - 7pm Business Strategies and Cheese Blue Ledge Farm, Leicester Pre-registration required (limit 20) Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Blue Ledge Farm as Xxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxx- sions extrapolate on what it takes to start and maintain a farmstead cheese operation. We will discuss equipment needs and costs for both the dairy and cheese produc- tion areas, value added ideas, and labor needs. They will “crunch the numbers” as to size and profit. Blue Ledge Farm was established in 2000 and now produces 40,000 pounds of artisanal cheese annually from the milk sold out of their own 80 goats as well as two other area farms1750 tickets, 1318 of which included wine tasting. Participants may purchase cheese after There was also a 40 seat wine seminar at the workshop. 6Tuesday, August 17 • 9am - 1pm Processing Chickens on the Farm All Together Farm • Xxxxxxxx $20 members, $25 non-members • Preregistration required (limit 12) Farmers Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx will go over the set-up, procedure, and safety of processing your own birds on the farm or at home. They will then lead the group step-by-step through the whole process. Participants can gain more experience by participating in the processing of a batch of their summer broilers. All Together Farm is a small-scale, diversified family farm raising animals on pasture. 71 Wednesday, August 25 • 5 - 7pm Farm Equipment Primer: Safety and Types of Equipment for Small Farms with NOFAvore social and New Farmer Mixer! Xxxxxx Farm • Xxxxx Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx as we go over basic safety rules for tractors and other typical small farm equipment. We will talk about tractors, PTOs, tillage equipment, and bucket loaders. We will also talk about small equip- ment and, for livestock farmers, safety tips when work- ing with animals. Time permitting, we can talk about preventative maintenance. Xxxxxx Farm is a former commodity dairy farm, now milking 20 Jerseys for raw milk and supplying a local artisan cheese maker, as well as raising grass-fed beef. Plus! Join us for XXXXX’s New Farmer Mixer and NOFAvore Celebration with the mobile pizza oven at 7pm! All new and aspiring farmers are invited to come mix, mingle, and meet new farming friends. A sample of the survey distributed to participants in the courses is as follows: NOFA-VT / RAFFL Workshop Evaluation You have the option of completing festival again this evaluation online at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/s/TQBWQLY Name of Workshop Attended (see list below): I am a: Beginning Farmer (less than 10 years) Farm Apprentice Farm Worker Intermediate or Advanced Farmer Student Ag Service Provider Otheryear.

Lessons learned. CRAFT programs Insights and Unexpected outcomes: Working with Hood River Parks and Recreation proved difficult when they decided not to participate in hosting the promised demonstration site. In the future, we believe that working directly with farmers and our partners at Oregon State University, Washington State University or Next Door Inc. to demonstration effective use of equipment and farming techniques will be best. We have deepened and strengthened our relationships with those partners in particular through this grant. Rather then staffing a separate demonstration site for season extension techniques, it has worked well to empower a local farmer to successfully run a living model on a working farm. Through our promotion of the High Tunnel program run by Natural Resource Conservation Service, 12 new high tunnels were originally created by a community of growers with like minded commitments built in our Vegetable Producer Working Group. This is testimony to the education success of new farmers; experienced farmers both educated and mentored new farmers. The modified CRAFT model we developed and used for this program supports the education of new farmers by providing the organizational structure to allow expert farmers to be teachers. It was successful in part because of our regional collaborative partner whose farmer board provided a direct connection to the community of farmers in that region. These farmers were willing to commit to the project, lend despite original challenges around developing the demonstration site. As GGFN has strengthened relationships with partners and supported farmers in expanded markets, larger institutions have begun to reach out for assistance such as White Salmon’s Skyline Hospital and Hood River Public School System’s Food Services. We are currently in the process of connecting these larger institutions to local growers using season-extension techniques. For example, as of September 2014, the Mid-Columbia Medical Center is now buying over 60% local with produce coming mainly from Seed to Table Farm who’s owners participated in several season-extension workshops under this grant. Seed to Table is now growing late in the fall and early into the spring in greenhouses. One unexpected lesson learned is that several farmers are more interested in selling storage crops in bulk early in the fall than harvesting all winter long. They rely on their expertise off season to educate specialty crop producersrecuperate for the season ahead. It may be helpful to consider crops that can be grown and harvested for storage to extend seasonal eating such as grains, beans and squash. Farmers also expressed a need for cold and dry storage, and promote the series. We recommend and plan to continue the approach of working with a regional partner in other areas of the state. Evaluations were lower in quantity than desired. We developed both paper and electronic evaluation formats. Paper evaluations could be either written in the field or taken home to be completed and later mailed to the NOFA-VT office. Electronic evaluations were available in Survey Monkey. The paper evaluations handed out in the workshop contained a link to the electronic evaluation. We received 12 paper evaluations and 12 electronic evaluations from participants. However, our collaborative partner conducted their own evaluation which had 16 responses, so we gleaned additional information from their survey. Next year we will use a simpler evaluation format flash freezers to increase participation with check box optionssales throughout the winter. We also plan to ask farmers how many ODA-S15 Portland Growers Alliance: collaborative direct-marketing for new practices they learned so we can start to quantify the learning experience. and disadvantaged growers – Final Report - APPROVED – 3/24/2014 CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D., Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Advisor for NOFA-VT PhoneNAME: 000-000-0000 x00 and email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The beginner farmer workshops were marketed through a catalogue of summer workshop offerings; the whole catalogue can be viewed at xxxx://xxxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/SWS2010.pdf. Below is one section describing the beginner farmer workshops. Note that only some of the workshops (those targeted to specialty crop farmers) were part of this project. Beginning Farmers & Apprentices Workshops 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 & 9 are produced in partnership with the Rutland Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) and funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant; they are offered at no charge. 1Wednesday, July 14 • 6:30 - 8:30pm Marketing Strategies for the Small Farm Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm • Granville, NY Learn the basics of marketing - as they relate to your farm! We will give an overview of different marketing tools, emphasizing those which are a good fit for small farms. We’ll cover our own marketing strategies, focusing on our extensive use of relationship marketing. Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm grows a wide variety of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, marketing them year 'round through farmers' markets and a CSA. 2Wednesday, July 28 • 5 - 7pm Building Soils: Soil Testing, Composting, Amendments Dutchess Farm • Poultney Farmer Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, NRCS Soil Conservationist Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Grow Portland PHONE: 000.000.0000 EMAIL: xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx PROJECT SUMMARY The Portland Growers Alliance Project was created to address the substantial barriers facing new and NOFA- VT Vegetable refugee farmers accessing land and Fruit Advisor Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx will discuss market outlets in the need to test soils annuallyPortland area. New and refugee farmers face barriers stemming from lack of capital, land availability, mentoring, and how market access to use soil tests pursuing entrepreneurial activity through small farm enterprises. In the case of the refugee community, additional barriers obtain in language skills and cultural knowledge. Such barriers place limitations on access to determine your need for organic fertilizers. We will demonstrate how a cover crop and vegetable rotation system can control weeds and increase organic matter without added manure or compost. We will discuss how healthy food, avenues to choose a site for vegetable production. Dutchess Farm grows 4 acres of produce using organic practices, selling to a 100-member CSA, the Rutland Xxxxxx'x Marketeconomic prosperity, and community integration, leading to poor health outcomes and often increased dependence on social service agencies by economically vulnerable families. The Portland Growers Alliance was initiated to address this gap in access and opportunity through a collaborative marketing model patterned after other successful distribution projects throughout the Rutland Co-opcountry. 3SaturdayThe Growers Alliance streamlines access to land, July 31 • 1 - 4pm Introduction to Pasture Management: Using Ruminants to Improve Pasture Bread and Butter Farm • Shelburne/S. Burlington $10 for NOFA-VT and VGFA membersequipment, $15 non- members Livestock expert Xxxxx Xxxxx will cover the fundamentals of setting up a new grazing system for ruminants - or improving an existing one. Using practical examples of grazing systems, we’ll discuss pasture plant species and how to manage them for desirable plants, as well as how to do so with livestock and fence rather than expensive plowing and planting. Topics include plant species, grazing methods, fence, water systems, pasture design and layout, paddock sizementorship, and acreagejointly markets and distributes naturally grown vegetable crops through diverse direct-market channels including restaurants, food service, farmers markets and community supported agriculture. Cosponsored by the VT Grass Farmers Association. 4 Sunday, August 8 • 2 - 5pm Beginning Farmers The project seeks to build a self-supporting social enterprise specifically designed to increase market access and Apprentices Producing Eggs Year ‘Round On Compost Without Purchased Grain & NOFAvore Social Vermont Compost • Montpelier $10 sales for NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members • Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Vermont Compost Company was founded and sup- ported by organic crop-growing professionals to meet the need for high quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production. Integrated into this production is an innovative system that provides chickens with foraging opportunities to produce eggs along with compost. Come join us for an afternoon with Xxxx Xxxxxx, founder of Vermont Compost, as he gives a tour of the farm and discusses the different enterprises that are intertwined. Following the workshop, there will be a community dinner with the NOFA pizza oven. 5Wednesday, August 11 • 5 - 7pm Business Strategies and Cheese Blue Ledge Farm, Leicester Pre-registration required (limit 20) Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Blue Ledge Farm as Xxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxx- sions extrapolate on what it takes to start and maintain a farmstead cheese operation. We will discuss equipment needs and costs for both the dairy and cheese produc- tion areas, value added ideas, and labor needs. They will “crunch the numbers” as to size and profit. Blue Ledge Farm was established in 2000 and now produces 40,000 pounds of artisanal cheese annually from the milk of their own 80 goats as well as two other area farms. Participants may purchase cheese after the workshop. 6Tuesday, August 17 • 9am - 1pm Processing Chickens on the Farm All Together Farm • Xxxxxxxx $20 members, $25 non-members • Preregistration required (limit 12) Farmers Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx will go over the set-up, procedure, and safety of processing your own birds on the farm or at home. They will then lead the group step-by-step through the whole process. Participants can gain more experience by participating in the processing of a batch of their summer broilers. All Together Farm is a small-scale, diversified family farm raising animals on pasture. 71 Wednesday, August 25 • 5 - 7pm Farm Equipment Primer: Safety and Types of Equipment for Small Farms with NOFAvore social and New Farmer Mixer! Xxxxxx Farm • Xxxxx Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx as we go over basic safety rules for tractors and other typical small farm equipment. We will talk about tractors, PTOs, tillage equipment, and bucket loaders. We will also talk about small equip- ment and, for livestock farmers, safety tips when work- ing with animals. Time permitting, we can talk about preventative maintenance. Xxxxxx Farm is a former commodity dairy farm, now milking 20 Jerseys for raw milk and supplying a local artisan cheese maker, as well as raising grass-fed beef. Plus! Join us for XXXXX’s New Farmer Mixer and NOFAvore Celebration with the mobile pizza oven at 7pm! All new and aspiring farmers are invited to come mix, mingle, and meet new farming friends. A sample of the survey distributed to participants in the courses is as follows: NOFA-VT / RAFFL Workshop Evaluation You have the option of completing this evaluation online at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/s/TQBWQLY Name of Workshop Attended (see list below): I am a: Beginning Farmer (less than 10 years) Farm Apprentice Farm Worker Intermediate or Advanced Farmer Student Ag Service Provider Otherdisadvantaged growers.

Lessons learned. CRAFT programs The following evaluator comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions of VHB staff and are phrased to stimulate reflection. Over-ambitious goal Reported in the country evaluations, there are data to suggest the VHB was overly ambitious in proposing to achieve financially viable loan portfolios in three start-from- scratch operations. When operational expenses were originally created by deducted from the grant, the money available for loan financing was no more than approximately $250,000 per country. Colleague organization experiences in Guatemala and Peru where operational sustainability was achieved in five years indicate these organizations started with more loan financing in the first place, or that a previous loan operation was rolled into the micro-credit operation, or both. If VHB had started in three countries instead of four (including Ecuador), operational expenses would have been less a drain on the loan fund, and divvying up available loan financing among one less country would have made more resources available for loans. It appears there may be a certain threshold loan fund necessary to achieve operational sustainability in a time-bound grant Midterm adjustments The VHB should be sincerely congratulated on taking Midterm recommendations to heart. Primary among them was the recommendation that the project move away from relying on village women to deliver high quality health talks: the proverbial Training-of- (village)-Trainers was not working. Instead, it was recommended VHB should convert bank promoters into health extensionists. This recommendation was fully implemented. VHBs in each country changed the title and job description of the field staff from banking promoters to community development promoters or some similar title. Training modules were developed to guide non-health staff on how to cover key messages in a given subject. A training calendar is being carried out for staff in the new skills. Making a program change of growers with like minded commitments this nature is a big undertaking; VHB took it on, and is carrying it through. This is a substantial step in the right direction. A question may be usefully raised, however. The Midterm recommendation was written in August 2001. The first response to the recommendation was taken by VHB-Peru, which contacted a health education consultant who began working part-time in January 2002. In March 2002, a multi-country VHB conference took the program decision to proceed. One wonders if six months to ratify the decision was an appropriate amount of time. One also wonders what the other two countries were doing with this idea while Peru was in the vanguard. At this writing 15 months after the decision, only one of four health modules is fully complete and in implementation; a second is in the field-testing stage. When will the other modules be finished? Is this pace of innovation appropriate and has the project come as far as it should since the Midterm? In terms of 180? change, the project is to be congratulated. Perhaps more rapid progress could have been achieved. Organizational learning curve There are several instances where appropriate action does not seem to have been taken until long after the problem had been identified. As detailed in the three country narratives, staff has been struggling with health data collection since FY00. The Malawi narrative is illustrative. For three years, the project has struggled to track and document improved health. Baseline heath data were collected a year after the project started in August 2000 (N=269). Another effort was undertaken in FY01 (N=256.) In FY02, a third effort was carried out (N=282). In all cases, a detailed survey report was prepared. Alas … FY01 and FY02 data were substantially ‘co-mingled’ with recently entering women. FY02 data, for instance, show only 17% of the sample were women who had been in the program four or more cycles. In order to show some movement, in the FY02 Annual Report, FY01 data on seven indicators (of 32 on which data were collected) were compared to the Baseline and then reported as “average improvement of 35% across a variety of indicators.” When an exercise was conducted during this SOW using all 32 variables, the average difference between Baseline and 2001 data was only 5%. When FY02 results on the seven indices were compared to Baseline, the average improvement was 15%. The problem with these figures, of course, is that the ‘co-mingling’ of new farmers; experienced farmers both educated entrants with old makes all the figures suspect. Aware of these difficulties, the HQ Program Director tried to tighten the relevance of FY02 data by comparing some 1st cycle and mentored new farmers4th cycle clients (N=75 and N=89 respectively). At his suggestion, a second round of analysis was conducted on 16 FY02 indictors where 1st and 4th cycle data were available. After deleting two indicators that are individual responses, ten indicators show improvement, four show deterioration: overall change: 13%. At this writing a health survey is being conducted in Blantyre (N=200) comparing 1st and 3rd cycle VHB women. , the fundamental problem remains: different women being compared. The modified CRAFT model we developed same conundrum was being faced in Guatemala and used for in Peru and it is only late in FY03 that a solution is being found. As narrated in the Peru document “… [S]everal months ago, VHB-Peru came to a significant conclusion. After the struggle of the previous three years, the change is quite simple: collect health data at the start of a women’s career in VHB just as income and expenditure data are collected; and measure improvements in health at the close of the 4th loan cycle just as improvements in income and expenditure are measured. In fact, the HQ Program Director’s recent trip reports to other countries came to this program supports conclusion at about the education same time. VHB-Peru is the only operation to have reached the conclusion on its own.” In an organization like Project HOPE dedicated to health, why did it take VHB four years to recognize and deal with problems in health data and how did it take so long to discover a solution built into income- generation tracking from the very start of new farmers by providing the organizational structure project? On a related note, the VHB portfolio in Peru is in serious financial difficulty. A reading of the FY02 Annual Report shows VHB-Peru was in difficulty last September. Individual country final evaluations speak of the strong VHB financial monitoring system. Could/ should this financial monitoring system have addressed Peru’s problems earlier? Combining the two ideas: Have the learning curve, innovation and pro-activity of VHB staff been all that one could hope for? Has VHB staff been sufficiently thought provoking and challenging of one another in this grant? Dropouts A reading of the country narratives demonstrates that dropouts and desertion have been with the project from the beginning. During the Midterm, the Program Director was asked about dropout rates and replied that VHB was experiencing more or less industry trends. Currently in Malawi, the drop out rate is 56%; in Guatemala, it is 57%; the case of Peru is special with drop out rates perhaps as high as 75%. These are figures not contemplated in the original project proposal. If, as recommended in individual country narratives, project staff can find the time to allow expert farmers to be teachers. It was successful in part because of our regional collaborative partner whose farmer board provided a direct connection provide oversight as to the community quality of farmers individual loan requests (admittedly a big “if”), it may be possible to shoot for meaningful reduction in that regionthese figures. These farmers were willing to commit to Low savings Disguised dropouts may also be occurring. Women, whose loans are not successful, as they withdraw from the project, lend surrender their expertise compulsory savings to educate specialty crop producersrepay the loan balance. Country narratives report that member savings compared to the original goal is low: in Malawi, 29% of goal, and promote in Guatemala, 18% of goal. It should be noted these goals were developed based on the series. We recommend and plan Ecuador VHB experience, which has turned out to continue the approach of working with a regional partner be overly ambitious in other areas of the statecontexts. Evaluations were lower in quantity than desired. We developed both paper and electronic evaluation formats. Paper evaluations could be either written in the field or taken home to be completed and later mailed to the NOFA-VT office. Electronic evaluations were available in Survey Monkey. The paper evaluations handed out in the workshop contained a link to the electronic evaluation. We received 12 paper evaluations and 12 electronic evaluations from participants. However, our collaborative partner conducted their own evaluation which had 16 responses, so we gleaned additional information from their survey. Next year we will use a simpler evaluation format to increase participation with check box options. We also plan to ask farmers how many new practices they learned so we can start to quantify the learning experience. CONTACT INFORMATION Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D., Vegetable and Fruit Technical Assistance Advisor for NOFA-VT Phone: 000-000-0000 x00 and email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The beginner farmer workshops were marketed through a catalogue of summer workshop offerings; the whole catalogue can be viewed at xxxx://xxxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/SWS2010.pdf. Below is one section describing the beginner farmer workshops. Note that only some of the workshops (those targeted to specialty crop farmers) were part of this project. Beginning Farmers & Apprentices Workshops 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 & 9 are produced in partnership with the Rutland Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) and funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant; they are offered at no charge. 1Wednesday, July 14 • 6:30 - 8:30pm Marketing Strategies for the Small Farm Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm • Granville, NY Learn the basics of marketing - as they relate to your farm! We will give an overview of different marketing tools, emphasizing those which are a good fit for small farms. We’ll cover our own marketing strategies, focusing on our extensive use of relationship marketing. Xxxxxxxxxx Family Farm grows a wide variety of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, marketing them year 'round through farmers' markets and a CSA. 2Wednesday, July 28 • 5 - 7pm Building Soils: Soil Testing, Composting, Amendments Dutchess Farm • Poultney Farmer Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, NRCS Soil Conservationist Xxxxx Xxxxxx, and NOFA- VT Vegetable and Fruit Advisor Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx will discuss the need to test soils annually, and how to use soil tests to determine your need for organic fertilizers. We will demonstrate how a cover crop and vegetable rotation system can control weeds and increase organic matter without added manure or compost. We will discuss how to choose a site for vegetable production. Dutchess Farm grows 4 acres of produce using organic practices, selling to a 100-member CSA, the Rutland Xxxxxx'x Market, and the Rutland Co-op. 3Saturday, July 31 • 1 - 4pm Introduction to Pasture Management: Using Ruminants to Improve Pasture Bread and Butter Farm • Shelburne/S. Burlington $10 for NOFA-VT and VGFA members, $15 non- members Livestock expert Xxxxx Xxxxx will cover the fundamentals of setting up a new grazing system for ruminants - or improving an existing one. Using practical examples of grazing systems, we’ll discuss pasture plant species and how to manage them for desirable plantsNevertheless, as well as how narrated by several interviewees, if a woman’s ability to do so with livestock and fence rather than expensive plowing and planting. Topics include plant species, grazing methods, fence, water systems, pasture design and layout, paddock size, and acreage. Cosponsored by the VT Grass Farmers Association. 4 Sunday, August 8 • 2 - 5pm Beginning Farmers and Apprentices Producing Eggs Year ‘Round On Compost Without Purchased Grain & NOFAvore Social Vermont Compost • Montpelier $10 for NOFA-VT members, $15 non-members • Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Vermont Compost Company was founded and sup- ported by organic crop-growing professionals to meet the need for high quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production. Integrated into this production is an innovative system that provides chickens with foraging opportunities to produce eggs along with compost. Come join us for an afternoon with Xxxx Xxxxxx, founder of Vermont Compost, as he gives a tour of the farm and discusses the different enterprises that are intertwined. Following the workshop, there will be a community dinner with the NOFA pizza oven. 5Wednesday, August 11 • 5 - 7pm Business Strategies and Cheese Blue Ledge Farm, Leicester Pre-registration required (limit 20) Get a behind-the-scenes tour of Blue Ledge Farm as Xxxx Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxx- sions extrapolate on what it takes to start create and maintain a farmstead cheese operationsavings account is a life-changing improvement (like increased income to which it is related), it would appear that VHB has been less successful in this area than one could have hoped. We will discuss equipment needs and costs for both the dairy and cheese produc- tion areas, value added ideas, and labor needs. They will “crunch the numbers” as to size and profit. Blue Ledge Farm was established in 2000 and now produces 40,000 pounds of artisanal cheese annually from the milk of their own 80 goats as well as two other area farms. Participants may purchase cheese after the workshop. 6Tuesday, August 17 • 9am - 1pm Processing Chickens on the Farm All Together Farm • Xxxxxxxx $20 members, $25 non-members • Preregistration required (limit 12) Farmers Xxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx will go over the set-up, procedure, and safety of processing your own birds on the farm or at home. They will then lead the group step-by-step through the whole process. Participants can gain more experience by participating in the processing More vigorous tracking of a batch relationship between savings and loans may stimulate staff to encourage better (i.e., higher profit) loan endeavors, so that women generate more savings at the end of their summer broilerseach loan cycle. All Together Farm The VHB Model Perhaps one of the biggest questions for those who sit in “macro” positions is how much the VHB model has demonstrated its viability. In ten-word summaries: • In Malawi, micro-finance is strong, but health talks are not yet producing widespread gains. • In Guatemala, financial progress is strong but health gains are mostly still incipient. • In Peru, health is a small-scale, diversified family farm raising animals on pasturetremendous strength but the financial side is unsustainable. 71 Wednesday, August 25 • 5 - 7pm Farm Equipment Primer: Safety and Types of Equipment for Small Farms with NOFAvore social and New Farmer Mixer! Xxxxxx Farm • Xxxxx Pre-registration requested for NOFAvore social Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx It may be worth reflecting whether VHB has demonstrated itself as we go over basic safety rules for tractors and other typical small farm equipment. We will talk about tractors, PTOs, tillage equipment, and bucket loaders. We will also talk about small equip- ment and, for livestock farmers, safety tips when work- ing with animals. Time permitting, we can talk about preventative maintenance. Xxxxxx Farm is a former commodity dairy farm, now milking 20 Jerseys for raw milk and supplying a local artisan cheese maker, as well as raising grass-fed beef. Plus! Join us for XXXXX’s New Farmer Mixer and NOFAvore Celebration with the mobile pizza oven at 7pm! All new and aspiring farmers are invited to come mix, mingle, and meet new farming friends. A sample deliverer of the survey distributed proposed synergism between health and income. Can field staff be expected to participants provide quality oversight to these different disciplines? In the person of stellar performers described in country narratives, the courses answer to this question is as follows: NOFA-VT / RAFFL Workshop Evaluation You have the option of completing this evaluation online at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/s/TQBWQLY Name of Workshop Attended (see list below): I am a: Beginning Farmer (less than 10 years) Farm Apprentice Farm Worker Intermediate or Advanced Farmer Student Ag Service Provider Otherclearly “yes.” How to attract and retain stellar performers is an issue that may need thoughtful consideration.