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We’ve been on the road this summer, crop mobbing with the Missouri Young Farmers Coalition, talking shop with first-generation organic grain farmers in Montana, and square dancing with the Washington Young Farmers Coalition. All along the way, we’re collecting stories for our campaigns and building a stronger young farmer movement. Want to see us in action? Follow the NYFC Instragram! Join us at the People’s Climate March! |
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New NYFC Report Highlights Innovative Drought Mitigation Practices by Six Western Farmers
Last week NYFC released its first Western report, “Sustaining Farming in the Arid West: Stories of young farmers, water and resilience.” The report demonstrates how Western farmers are saving water, stewarding the land and enhancing productivity in increasingly dry times. These farmers exemplify a diverse range of Western agriculture—from a raw-milk dairy in New Mexico to a Colorado hops yard to an Arizona grain farm—yet what binds them together is a forward-looking perspective on water. As Sandra Postel wrote in her coverage of the report for National Geographic, these farmers tend to their soil, find support for improvements in irrigation technology, and have “a willingness to buck convention, try new approaches, and adapt as they go….” Read the report. |
Are You Following the Bootstrap Team this Season?
Now halfway into their time writing for us, the 2014 Bootstrappers have blogged on the highs and lows, the big-picture wisdom and the farming minutiae of their farms’ seasons. Check out these highlights:
Seth of Lemonade Springs Farm in CA discusses “the Chicken Everyone Loves to Hate” and why they choose to raise it.
Hannah of Forager Farm in ND explores the values of seeds and the thoughts that go into making seed choices.
Nate of Nightfall Farm in IN shares his start-from-scratch perspective on acquiring equipment and building a farm.
Joseph of Wild Ridge Farm in WI talks about his favorite tractor and some hard lessons learned on orcharding equipment. |
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NYFC is Hiring
In four years, NYFC has become a leading voice in the sustainable agriculture movement. With 24 chapters and thousands of farmers and consumers as members, we enter our next phase of growth with excitement and confidence. But the challenge before us is great: we must expand rapidly and achieve much more if we are to have the level of impact necessary to halt and then reverse the decline of family farming in the United States.
We are now hiring for two positions to help us achieve our mission: an Investments and Partnership Director and and Operations Manager. Applications are due very soon, so please apply and/or share!
Introducing our new Membership Organizer, Daniel Grover!
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We’re excited to have Daniel on board to help grow and sustain our membership base. You may get a call from him to renew your membership, or a thank you for your ongoing support!
Daniel has been farming in the Northeast for five years, including one season using draft horses and mules to run a small CSA and market garden in the Finger Lakes of NY. He is also currently organizing for the Draft Animal Power Network and Farm Hack and hopes to one day start a horse-powered cooperative farm.
Have You Taken the Student Loan Survey Yet?
Across the country, student loans are a major barrier to starting farming careers. We often hear from farmers who have had to defer starting a farm, buying land, or having a family in order to make student loan payments.
The need for new farmers is too great to let student loan debt deter young farmers from getting started. Right now, we’re building a campaign to tackle the issue of student debt and we need your help! We are working with Congress to put together legislation that would authorize loan forgiveness for career farmers in the next Higher Education Act. Sharing your stories about the issue of student loan debt is a huge part of that.
While we thank the hundreds of you who we have already heard from, there are still many more stories to tell! If you are struggling with student loan payments while farming, please take this survey and share it widely with your networks. Putting together a bill in Congress is tough and we need your voices.
Please take the survey now!
Events
August 31 New Farmers of the Central Coast Mixer 1-5pm at BeeWench Farms (198 San Juan Rd. Shandon, CA). Bring blankets and chairs and a dish to share. BYOB. RSVP to Vanessa Harris at heartofpaso@gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/ccgreenhorns/ and RSVP under the event.
Columbia, MO – August 31 Missouri Young Farmers Coalition Crop Mob Clearing fence row for new pasture, followed by a fried turkey meal!
Winston-Salem, NC – September 3 Appalachian and Piedmont New and Young Farmers Coalition Monthly Gathering starting at 7pm at Krankies Coffee in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Cranston, RI – September 4 Young Farmer Night Farmer Seeding Saving Workshop at Scratch Farm 35 Pippin Orchard Road, Cranston, RI. Part Two of the Scratch Farm seed saving workshop. This one will be all about cleaning seed…!
Little Compton, RI – September 8 Young Farmer Night Farm Tour at Wishing Stone Farm 25 Shaw Road, Little Compton, RI. Wishing Stone Farm is a Rhode Island staple! We will tour this established family farm at the most bountiful time of the season.
Ceresco, NE- September 10 Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Young Farmer Night Darby Springs Farm 414 County Rd 15, Ceresco, NE. Join us for the final Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Young Farmer Night of the season! All ages and interests welcome! Bring a potluck main or side to share. We will be treating you to heritage ice cream & caramel sauce. Followed by a pasture walk & bonfire. We’ll also have a meeting of the Nebraska Chapter of the National Young Farmers Coalition. Details here. Questions email us at darbysprings@gmail.com
Raleigh, NC – September 14 National Young Farmers Coalition and Rural Coalition Young Farmer Mixer at Old Milburnie Farm in Raleigh, NC 4pm. For more info & RSVP: www.youngfarmers.org/farmaid
Raynham, MA – September 24 Young Farmer Night Farm Tour at Freedom Food Farm 471 Leonard Street, Raynham, MA. Tour of Freedom Food Farms new Raynham location! Lots more acreage, same knowledgeable farmer.
East Greenwich, RI – October 6 Young Farmer Night Farm Tour at Pat’s Pastured 830 South Road, East Greenwich, RI. In addition to this farm tour, Pat has offered to have another chicken processing workshop, and a hog processing workshop, too.
In Solidarity,
Lindsey, Sophie, Holly, Kate, Eric, Sarah, Debbie, Wes, and Daniel
Copyright © 2014 National Young Farmers Coalition. All rights reserved. |
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