Finger Lakes CRAFT

Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training

2013 CRAFT Season

Join online today!

Are you an experienced farmer dedicated to cultivating the next generation of sustainable farmers in our region? Are you a farming intern or a beginning farmer looking to broaden your farming experience and connect with other interns and farmers? Or are you an urban gardener interested in connecting with farmers and exploring the possibility of farming as a career? If so, the Finger Lakes CRAFT wants you!

The Finger Lakes CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) is a community of established and aspiring farmers and homesteaders. This community meets monthly throughout the growing season at each of six CRAFT Mentor Farms to learn about that farm operation, ask lots of questions, share knowledge and network with each other. We also have several potlluck dinners through the season where you can get to know other beginning and established farmers
.

Finger Lakes CRAFT Membership

CRAFT membership is open to all farm interns, employees, aspiring and experienced farmers, including organic, conventional or other). CRAFT membership provides you with:

• Admission to all monthly CRAFT farm tours during the season, and to our potluck gatherings throughout the season
• Participation in a supportive network of experienced and beginning farmers and homesteaders
• Educational benefits for your interns and employees that can help you attract more qualified workers to your farm.

2013 Mentor Farms

Groundswell's 2013 Mentor Farms are (click for CRAFT Farm Profiles): West Haven Farm, Northland Sheep Dairy, Kingbird Farm, Sweet Land Farm, The Good Life Farm, and Oechsner Farms. This group of experienced farmer-mentors works with Groundswell to host a series of training sessions for CRAFT members from May to October. Each session will include an in-depth farm tour; potluck lunch; Q&A with the farmers; and plenty of time for informal mentoring and networking among the farmers and their trainees.

About the 2013 CRAFT Sessions

The 2013 season will start with a potluck orientation session and a chance to meet the Mentor Farmers on Monday, May 6 from 5-8 PM. Don't miss it!  Additional CRAFT Potlucksare held on Saturday evenings from 6-9 at EcoVillage at Ithaca.  CRAFT Farm Tours will be held RAIN OR SHINE on Mondays from 5-8 PM except October 7 which runs 4-7PM. We strongly suggest that CRAFT members attend the free session on Avoiding Farm Injuries, Wednesday, May 22, 5-8 PM.

Topics to be addressed by each farm during each farm tours include:

• Safety
• Managing soil fertility
• Managing pests, diseases and weeds
• Marketing
• Record keeping, financial management and profitability
• Juggling farming, family, jobs, and fun

Join online today!

About the CRAFT approach

The CRAFT approach was first developed by farmers in the Hudson Valley/Berkshires region, and builds on the training provided by individual farmers to their interns and employees during the course of the growing season. The CRAFT approach has been highly successful in increasing the quality, depth and breadth of new farmer training in several other regions in the US and Canada.