We had to postpone the Poultney one and will reschedule it. I'll let you know when a date is confirmed. Beth Alex Wylie wrote: > I just went to sign up for the Poultney meeting on the 25th and did > not see it on the survey monkey. Has it been canceled? > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Beth Holtzman" > <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 4:05 PM > Subject: Beginning Farmer Focus Groups > > >> Hello New Farmer Network members, >> >> I'm writing to invite you and colleagues at your organization to >> participate in one of four upcoming focus groups on beginning farmer >> needs. >> >> These focus groups are part of a SARE-funded project is designed to >> educate agricultural professionals about the challenges that >> beginning farmers face; stimulate changes in service delivery to make >> it more responsive to beginning farmers’ needs; and develop a corps >> of service providers better skilled at assessing stakeholder needs >> and using that information to develop programs. An unofficial goal of >> this project is to engage key stakeholders in defining what an >> effective, statewide, beginning farmer program would look like, and >> which would help inform Vermont proposals to the new Beginning Farmer >> and Rancher Development Program. >> >> Additionally, any agricultural service providers who participate in a >> focus group will be eligible to apply for a $1000 mini grant to >> conduct beginning farmer programming in the next year. >> >> The focus groups will use a fishbowl approach (in which farmers serve >> as educators) to explore the interconnected challenges that beginning >> farmers face in terms of access to land, capital and credit, and >> building production, marketing, business planning, and financial >> management knowledge and skills. The focus groups will be held on >> farms and will include lunch and a farm tour. Last January, we >> conducted a pilot focus group which was very well received by both >> service providers and farmers. All of the service providers reported >> learning something new, and all the farmers reported feeling >> comfortable and respected during the process. "I liked the >> opportunity to brainstorm and connect with other farmers," one >> producer said afterwards."The conversation from the group of farmers >> was quite different than talking to each one individually," observed >> a service provider. "I enjoyed the dynamic." >> >> The four focus groups will be held at the following dates and locations: >> >> -- March 25 at Cerridwen Farm in Poultney at Green Mountain College; >> -- March 27 at The Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick; >> -- April 2 at the Harlow Farm in Westminster >> -- April 9 at Applecheek Farm in Hyde Park. >> >> You can this link: >> >> https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=pphoQR5U7JNEDnGaKS3v3Q_3d_3d >> >> to sign up for one of the focus groups. Please forward this message >> both to farmers and service providers you think might be interested >> in participating. >> >> Thanks in advance for your help. >> >> Beth >> >> >> >> -- >> ******************************** >> Beth Holtzman >> Outreach Education Coordinator >> Women's Agricultural Network >> University of Vermont Extension >> 617 Comstock Rd. >> Berlin, VT 05602 >> 617 Comstock Rd. >> Berlin, VT 05602 >> >> [log in to unmask] >> 802-223-2389x15 >> www.uvm.edu/wagn >> ******************************** >> -- ******************************** Beth Holtzman Outreach Education Coordinator Women's Agricultural Network University of Vermont Extension 617 Comstock Rd. Berlin, VT 05602 617 Comstock Rd. Berlin, VT 05602 [log in to unmask] 802-223-2389x15 www.uvm.edu/wagn ********************************