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Ground Work

Effective Strategies for Teaching Tractor Skills and Farm Mechanization Decision Making

What: A new professional development (train-the-trainer) program to prepare and support agricultural educators, farmers, and farm service providers to deliver farm mechanization and tractor education to beginning farmers, farm workers, and apprentices throughout the Northeast.

Where: On-line (5 sessions) and Essex Junction, Vermont (one day)

Dates: On-line sessions are January 23^rd, February 13^th, March 13^th, April 10^th, and May 29^th.  The hands-on training is May 21^st or 22^nd (trainee choice).

Time: On-line sessions 11:00 – 12:00 / Hands-on days are full days.

Registration Deadline: December 20^th, 2013

Cost: Thanks to a grant from the Northeast SARE Professional Development Program, there is no tuition cost to participate. However, participants are expected to cover travel expenses to attend the hands-on, in-person training day in Essex Junction, Vermont.  Lodging will be provided as needed.

On-line application:  http://tinyurl.com/tractor-ed

For more Information: click here for the Program Description or contact Kristen Mullins at [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] or 802.656.2034.

Who: Ground Work is seeking a diverse group of technical assistance providers, agricultural educators and farmer-educators from the Northeast to participate in this train-the-trainer project.  We assume that program participants will be diverse in experience, geography, and learner audience and will apply what they learn in a variety of ways – as lead instructors, program assistants, one-on-one coaches etc.

Why: To succeed, farmers must understand the equipment needs of their enterprise, how these needs may change as the business grows, and how these needs will be met.  Yet, new farmers increasingly come from non-farming backgrounds and have limited experience with machinery.  In Vermont and other parts of the Northeast, there are limited opportunities to access tractor education that is a) geared to adult farmer operators and their employees and b) relevant to the kinds of diversified and small-scale farms that are emerging throughout the region.  Ground Work hopes to address this need by building trainer capacity throughout the region.

 

UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work.

University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Kristen Mullins at 802-656-2034 by December 20, 2013 so we may assist you.

Kristen C. Mullins
New Farmer Project
University of Vermont Extension
655 Spear Street
Burlington, VT 05405
(802) 656-2034
www.uvm.edu/extension